sightless.

35: Painting with a Twist

The house was finally coming back together after the shooting. Amy was extremely happy with the new comfort she added to J's home. She chose chandeliers and plush rugs and comfy throw blankets and pillows with patterns and color. She didn't take into consideration the money she was causing J to spend. It was stolen. She wasn't going to spare on any expense. It wasn't his to tell her 'No.' So the sterile showcase became a home.

Freddy left toys all over the place. She was starting to get the perfect indentation in her corner of the sofa. There was always food in the refrigerator. Howard helped her to clean up after Freddy, and he kept them all fed. For her situation, Amy couldn't find reason to be upset. It was the best case scenario she could have imagined. Granted, every one said that the father of her child was a psychopath, but she was starting to really doubt that.

The Joker definitely had his moments. He used extreme intimidation tactics to manipulate situations. His mind seemed to be in some far away place during very private moments when she caught him. He murdered without consideration for anyone.

He also used extreme tactics to spoil her and Freddy and to make sure that they were safe. His mind seemed to be the most clear when she was around. He may have murdered without consideration, but he had yet to hurt her or Freddy. Most of all, many of the people she saw him murdering in the past couple weeks were people that wanted to harm her or Freddy. She didn't really care that he got rid of them.  She just couldn't find it in her.

She also didn't want to think that the man she was sleeping next to every night was a psychopath.  He never tried anything with her.  He never made her uncomfortable, well--he did make her uncomfortable, but just not in the awkward, how-do-I-get-out-of-this-situation awkward.  He was really good at feather-soft touches that seemed unnoticeable.  They would have been unnoticeable if she wasn't so hyper-focused on his every move.  The man was sexy.  She couldn't deny that.  He was sex appeal wrapped up in tattoos and chains and ripped muscles. 

With her hormones raging, she wanted him.  She wanted what she already knew he could give her.  Damn, these pregnancy hormones are going to affect me THAT way.   Amy was hoping the opposite would have been true, but she got unlucky when she finally realized that during her pregnancy she was going to be even more horny than usual.

Amy thought back to the despair that gripped her the day she found out she was pregnant. She could never blame the child she already absolutely adored, but she was down on her luck. She had a terrible and dirty home that wasn't the least bit safe. She was walking to and from work for hours each day. She had absolutely no one in the world to lean on or support her or even to talk to. She didn't have heat. She would never have been able to get through something like having a baby on her own.

Now? She had Howard to help her. She had Freddy to keep her company and depended on her to support him. She was living in a gorgeous home that she helped to renovate. She had security guards who were supposed to step in front of bullets for her. She had heat and food and a bed for Freddy. Amy knew that being happy in the Joker's care was probably pure insanity, but she was.

She was especially happy that Freddy and J seemed to get along well.  She had proof of it from the giggles she woke up to one morning. 

The evening before, as usual, Amy and Freddy were sitting at the island in the kitchen eating dinner together.  J didn't eat dinner with them.  Instead, Howard would cook for the two of them, and they would eat together in the kitchen.  Amy was trying to give Freddy the most normal life possible, and eating dinner together every night was a really good start. 

That evening, J came into the kitchen when they started eating chicken cutlets.  They were Freddy's favorite.  Howard immediately started making a plate up, stating, "Mister J, I will get you your dinner.  I'm sure Mistress Amelia and Master Freddy would enjoy your company."

"Oh, shove it already, Howard.  We get it.  You're British."  J walked to one of the chairs on the opposite side of the island and plopped into one of the chairs, chuckling to himself.  "Freddy!  How about we paint your room tomorrow?  I think it's finally time to work on your ugly room.  Sound good?  I was thinking green and purple!  How would you like that?"  He didn't give Freddy any time to say anything.  All the little boy was able to do was smile giddily.  "That's a brilliant plan, Freddy!  I wish I came up with it myself!"  Freddy was bouncing up and down in his chair by the time he finished his rant.  J looked to Amy and winked.  She could almost swear all the craziness was just a ruse when he did things like that.  They were such... sane gestures. 

With his bare fingers, J picked a chicken cutlet off the plate that Howard set in front of him, took a large bite, stood up abruptly, and walked out of the room.  Freddy didn't even notice his abrupt exit because he was too excited.  "I can't wait to paint my room, Mommy!  This is gonna be fun!"

She was excited for Freddy, too.  His little cheeks were starting to fill in from the abundant food that was cooked for them.  He was starting to look healthy, and she really couldn't thank J enough for that.  It was his doing, whether he thought so or not.  She couldn't have brought him back from the skin and bones so easily.  Freddy was also starting to get some color to his cheeks from running around in the yard during the day.  He was no longer pallid, and it made Amy extremely happy to know that Freddy was on the right path. 

Amy played games with him a lot to help him catch up on numbers and letters, and she would have to remember to talk to J about schooling.  She didn't know if she should send him to a school or if they should get a teacher in, but getting him taught by a professional would have to happen as soon as possible, since it seemed that this arrangement may be semi-permanent. 

The next morning, she didn't expect to hear such loud laughter coming from the hallway.  She could hear Freddy's giggling and J's loud bellows.  She couldn't help the happy feeling that settled deep in her chest at hearing that little boy's happy laughter.  She almost cringed, though, because as experience taught her, when those two laughed like that, she would probably be pissed off at whatever antic they were pulling. 

Mentally preparing herself, she used the bathroom, put a long, silk robe on over her pajamas, slid her feet into slippers, and made her way across the hallway.  The laughter got louder and ... crazier... the closer she got to Freddy's room.  What she found was half heart string material and half I'm-going-to-murder-them material.

A/N: Soooo what do you think? What's she going to find? Are you guys liking the direction of the story? I LOVE the next couple chapters.  I can't wait to post them. And thank you all for your comments on the last chapter. I wasn't looking for comments or anything, I was just purely curious as to the drop off in reads. So thank you all so much for your support. I really appreciate all of you amazing and loyal readers!