The Fault in our Scars (originally known as 'Maybe Baby' by Alex Snape)

Chapter 23

The Next Night...

"There are more people here than I expected," Harley said to The Joker as they took a seat in the third row from the ring.

The Joker was out of his purple attire, instead dressed in navy blue slacks and a blue paisley silk shirt that peeked beneath his black blazer. His dark eyes peered toward the ring from underneath a dark fedora as he felt Harley nervously cling to his left arm as they sat in the growing crowd.

"Don't worry, Harl," he muttered. "We're not gonna get busted. This is the third fight we've been to and you already know what kinda crowd gets in here..."

"I know, Pud," she said, resting her cheek on his shoulder. "I'm more worried about Jack...what if he gets really hurt this time?"

"Harley..."

"Baby, the last fight he got a black eye and he couldn't open it for a whole week! What if he loses a tooth? Oh, and he's got such a pretty smile..."

The Joker chuckled. "Honey, come on. We've only been here ten minutes..."

"Oh, God..." she moaned, only to receive an indifferent pat on the hand from him.

"You look cute, by the way," he whispered in her ear, hoping to ease a bit of her tension.

Harley bit her lip. "Yeah?" she asked, smiling as she looked down at her red halter top and black skirt.

In the locker room, Jack sat on a bench as Brian wrapped tape around his knuckles while Ronnie kneaded his fists into his back. "You good, bro?" he asked him.

Jack took a deep breath and nodded. The fight wasn't making him anxious, but the anticipated crowd. It didn't make him tense...in fact, it invigorated him.

The lights, the shouting, the complete bedlam as the audience shouted their insights to the young fighters who were exchanging fists. It was like electricity through his body and he intended to use every bit of energy he had to put on a good show.

"My parents out there?" he asked quietly.

Brian let out a huff. "You know they are...you're mom's lookin' particularly fine tonight..."

"As always..." Ronnie joined in, grinning.

Jack knew they were trying to ease his fidgeting. "I'm gonna kill you both..." he snickered as he felt his purple gloves being slipped onto his taped hands and tied securely around his wrists.

"Okay, killer," Ronnie stepped in front of him. "Let's get crazy."

Jack grinned as he looked at his friend as he opened a small toiletry bag and produced a makeup sponge with a compact of black grease paint.

The crowd grew larger as Harley carefully stood up and strained her eyes. "Mistah J, it's Harvey!" The Joker looked at her as she frantically waved her arms for him to see them, and soon Two-Face was directed to sit in the spot between them. "How are ya, Harvey?" Harley asked excitedly as he kissed her hand.

"Not bad, doll," he grunted as he exchanged a quick handshake with The Joker. "It's a fuckin' mob here tonight. This must be some monster Oswald's bringin' in..."

"I saw him," The Joker sneered. "That's kid's a super-heavyweight, easy! He shouldn't be allowed to fight against a light-heavy like my boy..."

Two-Face cackled with amusement. "Listen to The Joker talk about fairness...never thought I'd hear it...anyway, don't worry; I know Jacky's gonna wipe the floor with this goon..."

Minutes later, the crowd was hungry for action as they chanted and whistled in anticipation. Harley had noticed, about two rows behind them, a few teenaged girls were seated in eagerness as well, cutting cautious glances to the suspicious characters around them. Harley grinned, making a mental note to keep a maternal eye open in case any creep should advance toward them.

The crowd grew louder as the referee entered the ring with a microphone and piece of paper in hand. "Ladies and gentleman, welcome to tonight's amateur match between two talented contenders! I may ask, please refrain from tossing potential projectiles, such as bottles, food, and the occasional chair, into the ring tonight." Laughter and jeers were the mixed reaction to the request as the referee continued, "The challenger for this evening...a nineteen-year-old hailing from Metropolis..."

The crowd erupted with instant boos and hisses as the referee held up his hand, saying, "Weighing in at 195 pounds, standing six foot, three inches and wearing black and gold trunks! His bite is definitely as terrible as his bark...please welcome, Manny 'Mastiff' MacNeil!"

MacNeil bounded through the crowd as he was welcomed with an array of heckles and pats on the back, his black and gold silk robe enveloping his huge frame. "Holy shit! That fucker's huge!" Harley exclaimed, making Two-Face laugh.

The challenger climbed through the ropes and held up his gloved hands proudly as though to win more applause. However, the audience calmed a bit as the referee held up his hand. "And now...the reigning champion...the home-town boy..."

People were now standing from their seats as their applause rang louder. "Weighing in at 178 pounds, standing at six foot one and wearing hunter green trunks...a lean, mean, seventeen..." The referee looked at the paper in his hand, rolled his eyes, and read, "He takes ladies to the 'Clubs,' showers them with 'Diamonds,' and then breaks their 'Hearts'...Jack 'Spades' Quinn!"

The gym erupted with applause mixed with a small volume of disapproved taunts as Jack walked toward the ring, his purple robe draping over him with the hood covering his head and face. Brian and Ronnie followed him, pumping their arms and high-fiving random people in the audience. Jack could hear his mother's voice telling him to 'kill the guy where he stands,' and he grinned, but when his friends approached him at his corner, he asked them, "Who wrote that God-awful intro?"

"I did," Brian beamed proudly and laughing hysterically.

"God dammit, Bry," Jack chuckled, climbing into the ring with his partners following suit. He kept his head down as they helped him out of his robe and backed away, Ronnie hamming it up by bowing as they quickly climbed out of the ring.

Jack slowly raised his head and peered out toward his crowd and the girls behind Harley screamed wildly when they spied the black paint around his piercing blue eyes.

The Joker smiled proudly as he gazed at his son as he stood in the middle of the ring, watching him turn to the direction of the screaming girls and giving them what he knew was his most charming smile. He could hear the girls swoon as they yelled over the cheering fans, "We love you, Jack!"

The Joker looked behind him and then looked at Harley, who now held a bemused expression, which quickly changed to that of concern and excitement as the resounding timbre of the bell sounded, beginning Round One.