Sane: A Joker fanfic

.27. Where is he?

"Not bad," Frost said as he set the suitcase down. They stood at the foyer of the new manor the joker had gotten. Harleen stood beside him as the rest of the men began to scatter all about with boxes and suitcases.

They had brought everything with them. This move was a groundbreaking one. They had said goodbye to Gotham for good. Initially they had planned to stay in the outskirts of Gotham, not too far from home but just far enough of to keep with Bruce's deal. The joker had decided against it the last minute, with good reason.
Harleen had no clue why at this point. Having moved to the other side of the country was a far more challenging leap but she knew with her Puddin by her side, it didn't matter.

It had been the topic of many news stations for the past few weeks.
Bruce Wayne had disappeared from the public eye.
Batman was already a wanted criminal, he hadn't been seen far longer than that.
The joker, or Jack Napier as the public had come to know him as, had also disappeared at about the same time Bruce had.

Their joint disappearances hadn't gone unnoticed by the public. News outlets constantly asked the same questions: Where is Bruce Wayne? What happened to Jack Napier? Are their disappearances connected? Reporting of crimes were practically ignored as the entire city had focused on these questions.

Harleen took her phone out of her purse and texted her lover.

We just got to the new place.
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The joker felt something vibrate in his slacks. Digging into his pocket he took out his phone and read Harleens message. He sighed contently and stuck the phone back into his pocket.
Looking up ahead, he noticed a vehicle entering through the gates.

"A limousine?" The joker sneered as he watched the dark stretch limo pull up to Wayne manor.

It had been two weeks since they had resolved their personal issues.
Two weeks since Bruce Wayne was hidden from the public eye, along with Joker. It was one of the most unexpected partnerships to ever rock their worlds, but they knew that they each had an obligation. 

One to his son.
And one to the family he tore apart.
And for some reason Bruce did feel like he was the one who was responsible for the creation of the Joker. He was ready to rectify his wrongs through any means.

At one point he had offered the joker half his fortune, his guilt eating him alive. Not the guilt of separating a child from his parent, but for the countless lives that were lost due to the Jokers antics. He knew it made no sense but the offer had felt right to Bruce.

And of course, the joker had refused. Wealth wasn't something he vied for, he already had it. Jack had left his mark in the Jokers heart, a soft spot that J couldn't seem to shake.

"It's necessary. They won't suspect anything at the gate. It's a protected community, very private. Some homes even have armed men and trained canines for protection. We can't risk it." Bruce said.

As they sat in the limo, the joker peered over at Bruce whose face seem tired and weak. Ever since his fall into the chemicals he had felt fatigue, anxiety, and generally not himself. His appearance had changed temporarily but he was back to his slightly tanner, brunette self with the exception of a few wrinkles.
There was no remorse from Joker however. It was an insignificant price to pay when compared to the years of torment and abuse the clown had endured in the hands of Batman.

"Sir, the manor has a buyer." Alfred spoke up from the drivers seat. Bruce sighed, his eyes filling with tears but he was quick to shake the feeling off.