Fiction Rating: T (for language, violence, disturbing content, disturbing sensuality, and thoughts of suicide)

Disclaimer: I do not own Batman, or any characters from the show or the comics that DC does. Batman is originally created by Bob Kane.

Author's Note: This story is based on the (2004) Kids WB series, The Batman. This is the sequel to my first story, Obsession. It takes places during the era's of "Batgirl Begins" and "Apprentice" (season 3 of The Batman).

Please read and review. I like to know what you guys think of the story. :D

sick: not in good health; of, relating to, or intended for use in sickness. Disgusted. Pining. Macabre: Sadistic.

Chapter One:

Still Desiring

"Monster..." That was what Xack Hathaway had called him once, and as she sat there in her bathroom tub - thinking intently on that word - she wished she could of taken back what was said. A very cool shower was pouring down over her, and although one would clean themselves bare, Xack however, was doing no such thing. She was clothed as the water ran over herself, and however very strange, she just wanted to experiment what it felt like to do this. What her reasons are for doing it, no one will know. Everything was soaked...and she didn't care. "No one's around. This is my apartment room, after all." As she said: no one is around... Xack preferred to be alone in her oddness and depression. She tilted her head down as her drenched hair draped over her face. "Monster... Creature... Did I really call him those things?" She asked herself quietly. "That Joker...how can he forgive me so easily?..."

It's been close to six months since the first tale; a week to the end of May now. During that time, Xack had turned nineteen, but it seemed no one even knew about it; not even her family members remembered this. She didn't bother to mention anyone about it. If no one remembered, then why should she be the one to remind them all about it? "Eddie's birthday is coming up... Everyone is remembering his party, but what about me? Why did they forget me?..." Xack was the kind of person to be extremely jealous of others, but it mostly involved women that like the same man as she does, or her younger brother Eddie. Ever since she could remember - ever since that boy was born - all the attention was given to him; leaving the poor girl all alone...to wallow in her forgotten misery. Xack breathed out, trying to calm and not lose herself to depressed sanity. She wiped away a few tears that came to her eyes. She didn't want to remember bad memories, but that's all she could recall in her life. "Why can't I remember anything happy? Am I really that depressing?"

Xack gasped. It suddenly dawned on her, "Oh crap - Joker!" She leaned over to quickly turn off the shower and stepped out of the tub. "I almost forgot, I'm supposed to see him!" Grabbing a towel that hung on the wall, she dried herself off as best as she could before she left the bathroom to her room. Xack changed her clothes, and usually didn't wear all black clothing, for she noticed that people actually stop and stare at her oddly. She applied much black eyeliner on her eyes, so that her eyes were more noticeable than anything else. Put on a long, black shirt with a skull, slipped into a long black skirt, got on her shoes, and out the door she went. She didn't care of the weather, for no matter how hot or cold it was, she would always wear black. Xack was slightly pudgy, and never considered herself to be thin. Was this why she wore black? -No. "The color looks good on me... That's all."

From those months ago, Xack was given her own apartment room by her older brother, Shaun. The apartment itself wasn't grand or anything to brag about, but it was just the right size, considering the girl lived alone. If you would to enter, there is the living room, and the kitchen to the left. The apartment had only one bedroom with two bathrooms: one for Xack's personal use, and the other for guests. Although the apartment room has been around for a long time, the way she cleaned and tidied up...it seemed the room itself is brand new!

As Xack was about to leave the complex, a somewhat hefty man exited his own room and approached her. "Are you still having problems with your air conditioner?" He asked curiously, scratching the goatee on his face.

Xack turned around and shook her head, "No...it works fine now," she answered quietly, shying away. "Thanks for fixing it, Tom."

"Anytime," he said happily. "I know this place is pretty old, so things break down allot...but that's why they have me; been here for years."

Xack smiled, "Yes, well...I have to go now. Bye." She waved briefly and didn't even bother to see if Tom was waving back. The girl didn't like talking with others that she wasn't familiar with, or not being 'close' to. Outside, Xack squinted her eyes in the blinding light, and her body was already heating up from the sun's gaze. "Taxi!" She screamed out as she saw one of the vehicles come by. As the car stopped, Xack quickly walked up to it and entered the backseat. "Arkham Asylum," said she urgently, and watched the taxi driver shiver with fear from hearing the destination. It was no surprise to Xack to see this reaction, for all the times she wanted to go to that horrible place, most of the drivers had the same response. "I remember promising I would see Joker everyday... I hope he doesn't get mad..." She coughed harshly into her arm, and as they quieted down, nothing else entered her head.

Then there's Arkham Asylum, the place where insane people would go if no one else around was to help their conditions. In cell number '223'...the Joker is one such patient that needed serious aid. Called by many names, but the most known ones were 'the Clown Prince of Crime', and 'Crazy Crime Clown'. Joker dresses in various costumes, but the Gotham citizens usually see this mad man in a long, purple tailcoat, leather pants, and spats as some sort of an odd 'footwear'. Red eyes with piercing yellow pupils, wild green hair, and a grin so evil, it could even intimidate the most strongest of men into submission. That's what the Joker loved about himself: he considers to be a man of comedy, yet also of fear; to scare and to be funny...oh, the joys of life for him.

As Joker sits in his cell, awaiting the news of Xack Hathaway, the clown himself just stares blankly at the door in front of him. Since he was dubbed to be the most 'dangerously insane criminal' at Arkham, Joker is placed into a solitary confined cell where hardly anyone would associate with him. He was also bounded in the upper torso with a straight jacket; obviously, so he had less of a chance to fight back at the orderly, doctors, or just whoever came close to him. "She's not coming...again!" He told himself in his crazed mind. "She broke her promises to me... No one should go against their word with the Joker." Joker began to rock back and forth on the ground. He was getting impatient with Xack. Suddenly, he heard a pair of feet approach his cell door. His heart actually skipped a beat as to who it could be.

"Hey, Joker, that Miss Hathaway is here for ya," announced one of the orderly. Joker heard the keys jingle, and in seconds, the cell door opened and the darkly dressed Xack entered.

Xack walked up to Joker and sat down to level with him. "Xackie!" Joker cried happily, but his excitement faded quickly when his expression turned angry, "Where've you been, little girl? It seems more and more, you stop visiting me!"

"I'm...I'm sorry..." Xack tried to apologize rather quietly, "Lately...I haven't been feeling too well, and-"

"It isn't just this week you missed..." Joker almost hissed under his breath. "Lately I've been seeing less of my pretty...little...Xackie..." He smiled at her devilishly, "If I had it my way... I would come and see you wherever - whenever I want. You could be awake...or sleeping, I don't care. Seeing your pretty, creepy face, always brings a smile to mine..." He chuckled sinisterly afterwards.

"He's doing it again..." Xack thought nervously, "He's scaring me...but is it a joke?" "Why...why do you say that?..." She wondered, her voice trembling slightly, "I don't understand why seeing me makes you happy."

Joker rolled his eyes and laughed, "Why, dearie, you still don't get it do you? It's only a matter of time before you're really mine." Xack was taken aback by this. Joker just grinned more evilly. "I thought we already talked about that, or did it knock out of your little head?" The girl watched Joker lean against the wall and bang his head gently on it; still continuing to laugh away manically.

Xack shook her head in disbelief. "No...don't say things like that. I came to you...because I like talking with you; we talk about things...we enjoy." She kept shaking her head, "Why do you do that? I came here...because I wanted to see you again-"

"And yet, you come whenever you want to!" When he brought his face closer to Xack's, the girl backed away from him. "When I get out of here again...I won't kidnap detectives and turn them into clay... I won't do that great TV show of mine and gas this lame city... I want to come and see you..." Joker cocked his head at her, "Are you going to be mine this time?" His look turned more pleading, "Be mine, Xackie. I want no one else to have you; especially that pathetic family of yours, and that 'Brucie' boy... When I escape again, will you be my henchgirl? -My clowngirl?..."

Xack left her mouth agape in fear. Joker waited for a reply, but all the girl did was stand up and knock on the door frantically. "Please, I want to leave now," she told the orderly from the other side. Soon enough, the cell door opened and Xack zipped right out of there. As the orderly closed the door behind her, she mumbled to Joker, "It was so much better when we got along..." Without another word, she started to go for the exit of the asylum, coughing harshly once more. "Why now? He wasn't like this before. Why is he being so mean - so scary now? He-he won't try his 'cloning' people again; he never uses the same plan twice, so what's he up to this time?" She shivered with fright. "More importantly...for me...what is he going to do with me when he tries and escapes again?..."

Joker heard her words when she left his cell room, and as before, he peered at his door with a nerve-breaking grin on his white face. "Don't worry, dearie..." he said, but no one was around to hear him. "We'll be together again...soon enough. When I get out, I'll make sure to spend all my wonderful time with you." A few evil chortles caught in his throat as he thought on his new plan. Oh yes...he was sure it was going to work out in the end this time around. "I want that little girl to be with me and only me...no matter what it takes." He sighed sadly, "I really want someone to mold in my likeness though. Even if it's not you, Xackie...then who?"