A/N: This story is from Batman's POV, and lines written in italics are Batman's thoughts, hence the use of present tense.

Revised: 15/12/2013

In one of Gotham's dark alleys, I had finally caught up to the Clown Prince of Crime, who was laughing hysterically, and as usual, giving out his location.

Does he do that on purpose? Or is it simply an unintentional force of habit?

For if it weren't for his laughter, I would've had a hard time pinpointing the clown's location or catching him for that matter, he was pretty fast and agile. Well, and there was his clumsiness, somehow he always had managed to slip on something or trip over another, which also made me wonder if the winner of our chasing games of cat and mouse was predetermined by the clown.

When I had finally managed to pin down the Joker and was about to hand him down a good beating, my punch froze midway. His laughter began to fade away, and his usual menacing grin slowly turned into a straight, shivering line. The sudden change in his demeanor caught me off guard.

Is he scared? But the Joker is never scared! It's definitely an act on his part to fool me into releasing my grip.

He was now breathing heavily, biting his lower lip, almost drawing blood, in a futile attempt to hide the shiver that was overtaking him. Weirdly, as his green fluorescent eyes met mine, they seemed to be pleading for my fist. I had no idea what was happening to him, but a scared person won't beg for a beating. Whatever it was, I was both right and wrong. The Joker was neither scared, nor was it an act on his part, and I would rather spare us both of whatever was about to happen. So I gladly obliged to the clown's pleading eyes, and punched him as hard as I could, knocking him out cold.

But I was too late. When I lifted the unconscious clown and carried him to the batmobile, his head slightly tilted to my kevlar-armored chest. And at that moment, I clearly saw a tear trickling down his pale cheek.

I placed him in the passenger seat, and as I drove away, a thousand thoughts invaded my mind.

What's happening to the Joker? What was that unnatural shiver that overtook his body all of a sudden? And most importantly… what drove him, the Harlequin of Hate of all the criminals, into tears?

Oh, GOD! So many questions! I feel like my mind is going to explode at any second!

This wasn't the Joker I had come to know, and dare I say, understand the past years. And as random as he was, all of this was so uncharacteristic. I was so close to shouting in frustration, when I was intercepted by a demanding, husky voice, "Take me to Arkham..."

The Joker was awake and huddled up in the seat, while staring absently out the window. One look at him and I knew it would be best to leave him alone. When I focused back to the road, I noticed that I've been driving aimlessly ever since we had left the alleyway. But now, as rarely as it happened, I've decided to agree with the Joker's earlier request and take him to the Asylum.

The Joker remained silent the whole way, simply and vacantly staring out of the window. It seemed as if his soul was sucked out of him, an empty shell.

This isn't you, Joker…

For the first time ever, admitting the Joker to the Asylum was as smooth as a newly polished surface. He neither resisted nor spoke through the whole process, and kept a low gaze, as if he was possessed by something. It was a rare sight of him, as our earlier encounter.

Once I had made sure that he was safely restricted in his cell, I hopped back into the batmobile and headed back to the batcave, calling it a night. However, on the way back, I felt sick to my stomach, and a slight sting in my chest.

Am I getting too old for all of this?

I dismissed the thought with a scoff, as I thought of Ol' Alfred. He had served me well all these years, yet his body never wavered, and so, I will be damned if I let his beat mine. Nonetheless, little did I know that in the days to come, age would have been a rather simple escape from the stinginess that was engulfing my chest.

,,

,,

TBC

A/N: Please don't forget to leave your lovely thoughts on this! :D