-1Chapter One: A Dandy Of A Drawing, Andy Doll.

Word Count: 2510

"As long as it's not some bloody monkey suit I am designing, I really don't care, I'll pick up the descriptions after the party. Listen, George, I really have to go, that fund raiser or whatever Bruce Wayne is throwing for the Dent guy is happening tonight. Yeah, well see you later, bye," Andrea Masque snapped her phone shut, and swiftly turned into her marked parking spot. Turning off the flashy red Mercedes, she grabbed her bag, it was full of various drawings and Andrea had stopped to pick up some more folders to store them in earlier today.

Getting out, she locked the door and took the long elevator ride up to the airy apartment on the top floor. Sliding her key card in the elegant door handle, Andrea entered the brightly lit room, which consisted of her rather large and to her relief modern kitchen, comfy living room and small office, which doubled as a studio, all in one convenient location. Andrea threw her keys and card onto the side table by the door, automatically heading towards her desk, dumping the designer jacket and bag along the way. Sitting down with a weary sigh, she pulled some of her more recent sketches towards her. Suits in every colour imaginable looked back at her, all with the same leering red grin on the drawing's face. A small smile graced her face when Andrea looked down on them.

Since the first attack months ago, she had sketched out hundreds of various suits, each in a different style or shade of colour. The Joker's reported clown look, had inspired her. As a fashion designer, she was used to the weird and wacky, the boring and the out of this world. With a sigh of reluctance, Andrea scooped up the drawings and went to add them to the others in her growing portfolio. It would be best if no one knew about these, other then her boss, Milo Green.

A frown marred her features as she counted them, one was still missing. Her first drawing, a purple and green old fashion suit, complete with an overcoat which had dark orange lining. She shrugged, maybe it was still at the office somewhere, she was known to leave work there on occasion. Andrea left the folder on the table as she went to get ready.

When she left the room, Andrea didn't notice the grinning Joker card that had fallen out of her portfolio and onto the floor.

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"Where is she?" Milo Green fervently asked his assistant. The young woman shrugged, she didn't really know what was so special about Andrea Masque. The designer was aloof, short tempered in the morning, and unfortunately, brilliant. She could sketch out a design in minutes, and not have to make many adjustments. Andrea was the best in her field of work, and Emma, who's drawings wouldn't even make the county fair, envied her for that.

"She said she would be here, she probably just wanted to make a entrance," Emma said, her dislike not taking any outward effect on her boss, Milo. He owned the clothing company, Green's Fashion, and often took on custom work, if of course the price was right. Tonight was the night he hoped to make more customers then ever, but to do that, he needed Andrea. It was her that offered suggestions on what would look good, how she would design what the people wanted, Milo was just the salesman, good for nothing but smiles and pleasant talk.

Milo ignored her, and slipped a champagne glass off a waiter's tray. He did not bother to grab one for Emma, and instead went off into the crowd, greeting people. She obediently followed behind, her plain beige dress rustling along the marble floor.

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Andrea growled in pure annoyance, the traffic was far more hectic then usual tonight and everyone seemed to be heading towards the party. Restless green eyes looked about for a route that would be clear. Making a sharp turn, she pulled into a side ally and cruised along the short cut. A ring from her phone drew her attention from the road and she glanced down to grab her cell. Flipping it open, she snapped, "Yeah?"

"Milo's getting annoyed," came the ice cool tone of the assistant, "Move your butt,"

The sound of a click, and the annoying buzz of a dead line ended the call.

Andrea rolled her eyes and closed the phone. She knew the little assistant didn't like her, one could tell that simply by her body language and the fact Miss Emma Marks always hung up. Squinting, she looked ahead, there was a person standing in the middle of the road, and she slowed, wondering what madman would risk being run over.

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"She's on her way," Emma said in monotone to Milo. Mr. Wayne had arrived when she had left to make the call to Andrea, and now that all the excitement had died down, the crowd was now continuing on with the party.

"Good, I need her here, she's our best designer, the Masque of Green Fashion and she brings in the big money," He whispered to her, before smiling widely and giving a little wave to someone across the room.

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The figure walked up to Andrea's window and she felt a splash of fear hit her. She reached to lock the doors, but the man had already opened it.

"Care for an escort?" She shrank back in shock. The man had painted his face to match that of a bleeding mouthed clown. "Of course you do," He giggled, and made a shooing motion at her with a knife that appeared in his hand.

Andrea scooted over to the passenger seat and fixed her frightened eyes on the glinting knife. He ignored her and put the car in gear, before racing out onto the main drag. She looked in her mirror, hoping that the police would notice the speeding. Instead however, she saw a van following them, the driver wearing a grinning clown mask. Turning her head sharply to the front, Andrea stared ahead, a death grip on her clutch purse.

Silence was between them, and he ignored her hesitant glances in his direction, if he noticed them at all. During those glances she took in his appearance. Slowly she recognized the suit, it was the life size version of the missing drawing. Who ever he had make it was a wizard with a sewing machine, though he had messed up on a few minor details. The suit looked still stunning however and without realizing it, she began making and adding adjustments in her mind.

"What cha looking at, doll?" His manic voice broke through her thoughts, startling her.

"Your suit," Andrea replied quietly. "I never thought it would look so good,"

"Huh?" He looked at her curiously, then let out a insane laugh. "You know who designed this then? It was a dandy of a drawing I found while bargaining with someone,"

Andrea kept quiet, unsure of what would happen to her if she mentioned who it was that had designed the clothing he wore so proudly.

He jerked to a stop, and she looked up at the building. They were at Wayne's penthouse, the very place where the party was being hosted. She looked to the madman beside her, only to find he had already left the car, and was barking orders at the men that had followed in the undistinguished white van.

Andrea opened the door slowly, hoping to sneak out and get to the party before the Joker and his men did. She almost made it to the door when she sensed him behind her.

"Naughty, naughty girl." his gloved hand grasped her upper arm, swinging Andrea around. The Joker's expression was serious, despite the two scars that marred his mouth, creating the illusion of a smile. She struggled, as he gripped her waist and motioned the men to follow them. He entered the building, his walk long, forcing her to keep up.

Standing in the elevator, he watched the numbers fly by, as she looked at their reflection in the mirrored surface. With a rising feeling of horror, she realized her dress matched his suit, purple to purple and the design of lime green that swirled through the empire waist of her dress, followed the same shade of his waist coat.

He kept his arm around her, grin growing wider, the higher they went.

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"You said she would be here!" Milo looked cross, and he was directing his displeasure to the petite girl next to him.

"She is here," came the quivering voice of Emma, as her brown eyes widened. The elevator door had opened, revealing Andrea in the Joker's merciless grasp.

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He let go of her and continued his waltz into the room proclaiming, "Good evening, ladies and gentlemen. We're tonight's entertainment. I only have one question. Where is Harvey Dent?"

Silence reigned the room, but the Joker seemed to take no notice. He slipped through people, stealing a drink and guzzling it down ungracefully. His gun was out and he casually pointed it at various guests, "You know where Harvey is? You know who he is?"

He grabbed one man's face, " You know where I can find Harvey? I need to talk to him about something. Just something little."

When no reply came, he thrust the man's face away, "No."

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Andrea had stumbled back into the crowd, catching herself on a pillar. The Joker's men ignored her and continued with holding their guns threateningly at the dinner guests.

She could catch the Joker's clear words from where he was making his theatrical performance. Andrea looked up in time to see him threaten a older man with the same knife he had pointed at her earlier.

"... I hated my father!" the Joker hissed.

A movement out of the corner of her eye revealed Rachel, Dent's girlfriend, stepping forward, telling the Joker to stop this.

Andrea's green eyes followed the Joker's quick movements as he came up to Rachel, remarking on her beauty before grabbing her close and holding the small knife to her mouth.

"You look nervous. Is it the scars? You want to know how I got them? Come here. Hey, look at me. So I had a wife, beautiful; like you. Who tells me, I worry too much. Who tells me, I ought to smile more. Who gambles, and gets in deep with sharks. One day they carve her face. We have no money for surgeries. She can't take it! I just want to see her smile again. I just want her to know that I don't care about the scars. So I stick a razor in my mouth and do this... to myself. And you know what? She can't stand the sight of me! She leaves. Now I see the funny side. Now I'm always smiling!" The Joker's eye were insane, and Rachel kicked him away.

Stumbling back, the Joker commented, "A little fight in you. I like that."

Andrea couldn't believe her shock could extend this far, Batman had come up behind the Joker, seeming to appear out of thin air. "Then you're going to love me," Batman answered.

Andrea had to lean against the pillar when her knees went weak on her, as a fight between Batman and the Joker ensued. She gasped, her hands to her mouth, horror written on her features when the Joker got hold of Rachel and held her out of the window, a wild look covering his face.

A small scream escaped Andrea's lips when he let go of Rachel, and Batman dove after the woman. She was still staring after them when the Joker turned her way, and gave his widest grin yet. With a cheery wave and the threat that something terrible would happen if Harvey Dent didn't show his face, the Joker swooped the unresponsive Andrea up in his arms, and exited.

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Andrea was numb, she couldn't even register that she had been picked up and was being carried down to the car. It wasn't till the cold night air hit her face, that she came to her senses.

Screaming and kicking, trying to fight her way out of his enclosing arms, Andrea hissed and cursed. He simply held her closer, got one of his men to pop open the backseat and tossed her inside. Andrea automatically went to the closed door, jiggling the handle, rising horror engulfing her. He had the child lock on, and she couldn't get out. She made a mad scramble to get up front, to get out, but he had already slid into the driver's seat and without looking, pushed her back onto the leather interior.

He turned the ignition on, shifted gears and with tires squealing, left. Andrea winched, her poor tires!

"So where ya live, doll?" He looked back at her in the mirror. When she said nothing, he chuckled, "Well let's just see," Her purse and the day's mail was still sitting in the front seat and he reached for it, popped it open, grabbed her wallet and mail, before tossing the small bag back on the seat.

"Parkington Ave? Nice place then," He commented throwing her mail piece by piece over his shoulder, "Well Miss Andy Dandy! What a lovely greeting card!" He was examining her company card for Milo's Fashion. It was an embossed plastic card, designed by her, which allowed entrance to almost every part of Green Fashion. It also served as a template for the cards she gave to clients.

With a spin of the wheel, he turned onto Parkington Avenue, stopping at the main entrance of the apartment building. Andrea shrunk into the seat, she didn't want this, didn't want him here. She heard the click of the door and the scent of roses hit her nose. Andrea's light eyes slowly moved over to where he was standing, his arm outstretched. She looked past him, hoping beyond hope that cranky Mrs. Phillips was still out working on the little stretch of roses she kept to make the building look nice. No such luck there, all that greeted her was a grinning madman, and the scent of flowers on the night air. It perhaps would have been romantic, Andrea thought faintly, if it had not been the Joker standing there.

Impatient, the Joker grasped her arm, yanked her quickly out of the vehicle and dragged her to the emergency stairs. She was in front of him now, and he had pulled out his gun, waving her to keep going. Andrea picked up the bottom her long skirt, hurrying on the stairs until she reached the plain black emergency door. It would open to a long hallway, which lead to her apartment at the end.

The Joker looked through the small window, keeping his gun trained on her. Once again she felt his hand on her waist as he escorted her through the door and down the hall.

"Card, Miss Andy Dandy?" he snickered in her ear when they reached her apartment. She took the card he offered, sliding it into the door. The sound of a familiar click came and the door opened.

He was now in her home.