Disclaimer: Any recognisable characters and settings belong to their respective owners and (sadly) not to me.

…

Repression

Another blow lands, followed quickly by another gurgling laugh. He scrabbles away again but she is faster. Her palms hit the centre of his back to push him to the floor as she handsprings over him.

Landing just in front of his face, she spins round to smash him across the mouth with her boot. Blood sprays across the dirty alley floor.

He laughs again.

I'm sorry, Bruce, she thinks as she flips away from a low kick designed to sweep her feet out from under her.

You taught me your ideals. Taught me everything I know, and I am grateful.

Another strike, another counter from her.

But you don't know what he did to me...

He lashes out again but she effortlessly evades it, using the momentum to send a roundhouse kick straight into his abdomen. His reflexes were failing fast due to his exhaustion. She'd caught him after he'd already been through a near miss with Batman. The Joker had thought the night was over for him...

It had only just begun.

Another punch thrown, another sidestep, but she remains the leader of this dance.

He took everything from me. My dignity. My dreams. My father. My life. I may have got them back but that's not to say he won't hesitate to take them again… And I can't allow that.

He throws a punch. She dodges but it still glances off her shoulder, throwing her off balance just enough for him to smash his forehead against hers. She reels, her vision blurring but she shrugs it off within seconds, unhesitatingly sending two batarangs piercing through his legs as he tries to make a run for it.

He crashes to the ground.

I'm sorry Bruce, she implores as she slowly walks towards him.

But this man, this monster, deserves it.

Out of breath and out of fight, he turns over to watch her advance, his macabre lips still twisted into a smile even as blood flows down his chin.

"You know, sweetheart," he pants, "You didn't need to go to all this trouble. You could have just asked if you wanted my phone number."

I'm sorry, Bruce. But you won't do it–

"I've already got your number, Joker."

–So I will.

Ribs crack under the force of her heel as a laugh becomes a cry. Blue eyes become cold as ice as she gazes down.

The clown dies tonight...

...

A/N: I love the history between these two and particularly the interactions between them during the 'Death of the Family' storyline. I hope I did them justice here!

Thanks for reading :)