Chapter Text
I took a deep breath as I stood in my coat outside the back door of the club. This wasn’t me, but I couldn’t stand this anymore. This was unfair and he couldn’t just do it and get away with it. He had to pay – even if it hurt me.
My exhale of breath steamed and swirled before me in the cold night air and I quickly pushed open the heavy black door that led to a corridor only dimly lit by the faint glow of the lights above.
I walked through the familiar grubby dark corridor to the back stage area where my dressing room was and pushed my door open.
It was a basic room – a wardrobe, dressing table, stool and a comfy sofa. No windows - it was practically a cupboard by I didn’t mind. I didn’t need anything else.
I threw myself down on my sofa and stared at myself vacantly in the mirror – I looked exhausted and stressed at the moment – but that was nothing that good bit of acting and a little makeup wouldn’t fix.
I placed my head in my hands and scrubbed my face with my palms. Usually I would have napped earlier today to get myself ready for the long night of working but I instead had chosen to visit the club earlier to set things up when it was quiet and I would be lucky if I saw anyone.
I had only bumped into one cleaner who didn’t give me a second glance when I told them I was just prepping the sound system (even if it wasn’t my job).
It had always felt weird to wander around the building when it was empty and silent, it felt like the club itself was sleeping and each groan of the floor board made me feel like I was waking it and sent a bit of guilt through me.
But it was done. I did what I had to do and it was all set up.
I hadn’t told anyone else what I had planned – I didn’t want anyone else to be dragged down with me if this didn’t work and/or I got caught.
I stopped scrubbing my face and grimaced at myself in the mirror. It was time to get to work – maybe for the last time. God I hoped this worked.
If it didn’t I was dead.
If it did… Well who knows, maybe I’d still end up dead, but a happier dead. I certainly didn’t have much of plan. I needed to at least leave this part of town - if not the city. Though I felt saddened at this thought as I now weirdly loved Gotham, even if it was a dirty crime-ridden city, it had been my home for so long. Everything I was proud of had happened here and I felt I owed the city a bit.
I had no idea where I planned to go after this or what I was going to do but I figured I would work on that once I knew for certain this was actually going to work. It was time to move on from this. My life here was gone now.
I knew this was a long shot but I had to take it – it was too painful to stay this way.
I shook myself out of my thoughts and tried to focus on getting ready. I applied my usual makeup – I never went too overboard– simple mascara, foundation, subtle eye shadow and some deep lipstick. I’d never been a huge fan of makeup, and never use to put any effort into my look – but I knew this job required it and it helped me feel a little less like me and a little bit more of that confident stranger.
Once I had applied my mask of makeup I took off my coat to reveal my dress for the evening. It was deep red and long, but I stood no risk of stepping on it if things turned a tad wrong and I would need to run for it.
I slipped into my shoes, heels obviously, but not ridiculously high for tonight. Again I had factored in practicality and was focusing on the possibility of needing a quick exit – plus they took nothing away from the outfit.
I observed myself in the mirror I would never say I look sexy or desirable, but I know when I look prettier than usual, and hell I usually I didn’t bother to even try to look nice. I was dressed for the night and I could feel it was going to be a long one.
I stood up straight, lifted my shoulders – ‘you can do this Y/N – all you need to do is follow the plan, don’t over think it, don’t question it, don’t think too far in advance. Take it one step at a time.’ I thought to myself trying to give myself a pep talk. I let a gush of air out and strode out my room, grabbing my device on the way.
I push my way through a door that led to the side of the stage. Now I could hear the pounding beat of the music and the noise of everyone else enjoying the night. The act before me was still on the stage. It was a group of 5 girl dancers each in short, thin dresses trying their best to entertain.
Standing waiting on the sidelines was agony as I tried to not let myself think too much about what was going to happen later. I couldn’t sit still and I wrapped my arms around my stomach to try to still the butterflies that seemed to be having a field day. I kept taking deep breaths – coaching myself as if I was I labour – ‘in, out Y/N just keep breathing, in, out.’
The girls eventually finished and were skipping and tiptoeing their way to the side of the stage where I was waiting. There had been a smattering of applause but most people didn’t really care, were too focused on the music, their drink or their partner at the moment.
I felt bad for them – they always tried hard and it had never use to be like that, but things had changed and it broke my heart a bit to see their smiles drop once they were out of sight of the audience.
Once they saw me they smiled at me as if everything was fine and I gave them a sad smile in return – they were really nice, a bit too naïve and innocent, but sweet. And although it was nice to see the ignorant bliss it didn’t belong here anymore. Now you had to know what you were up against here.
From the corner of my eye I noticed the guy in charge of backstage – Jack – appear from behind the curtains on stage and move a microphone and the stand into the centre. As he turned back he glanced at me and gave me a thumbs up as he disappeared back behind a curtain.
I took a deep breath and stepped onto the stage.
My eyes had to adjust to the spotlights aimed at the stage as my heels clicked on the shiny surface. I could barely see the back wall of the room, or even the crowd in front of me, but I knew what the room looked like.
I knew that before me was a large open spaced dance floor where bodies swayed, staggered and swung to the heavy beat of the music pouring from the large speakers hidden against the walls and either side of the stage.
I knew that back to my left was the bar where liquid courage and stupid choices was poured.
I knew directly in front beyond the sea of bodies, against the back wall, was a circular raised platform filled with booths and to either side of the platform was more booths and a few tables that edged their way toward the dance floor for tired legs to collapse into.
I knew that beyond the booths, against the back wall was a long mirror. But I also knew, unlike most people, that this was a one way mirror and behind it was the owner’s office.
That’s where he would be at the moment. Possibly sat doing business, possibly having a strong drink with a pretty floozy sat on his lap whilst another hung round his neck. I didn’t care though – what he did in his own time was up to him, he was the boss anyway, it’s not like I could argue even if I wanted to.
He sometimes showed himself every now and then to sit in one of the more public booths. He, of course, had a specific one – it was at the back in the middle of the platform. You couldn’t miss it really; he had claimed it by having it trimmed in a gold colour.
No one sat in it – even if he was in his office, even if he wasn’t in for the evening. No one touched the booth – it was an unwritten rule that you knew upon entering the club.
I cleared my mind as the music around me died down for a beat before my first song began.
The noise of those below me on the dance floor died slightly and I felt the attention on me but I brushed it off and moved into the song without missing a beat. I had been here and done this for years now, I knew exactly what I was doing and how to do – so I sung and I sung well.
Halfway through my third song he emerged from the staff door to the right side of the bar and strode casually without a care in the world to his booth swinging his cane carelessly.
The Joker.
It was time.