Will You Be My Daddy? ~Joker Fanfiction~

Twenty-Five

"Nah, orange doesn't look good on anybody, doll, go try something else," Joker said, shaking his head at the outfit Madeline was currently modeling.

"But Daddy, it's almost Halloween," she pouted. "I could be a little pumpkin."

"You mean to tell me that you know about Halloween but not birthdays?" Joker asked. "Besides, you already are my little pumpkin."

Maddie smiled happily at his compliment. "It's sort of hard to miss Halloween, Daddy. Sure, people look funny here all the time, but on Halloween they look really funny."

Meanwhile, the store clerk was watching their interactions with wide eyes. She had no idea that the Joker could be like this. She would never have guessed. And yet, her fear of him was not diminished any by her new knowledge. She was a smart girl, and she knew that he wouldn't hesitate to harm or kill her, cutesy relationship with a little girl or no.

Joker laughed at her statement before waving her off to find something different to add to the growing stack of clothing beside him that the woman knew he had no intention of paying for.

She was honestly shocked that he'd been here as long as he had been and the police hadn't shown up yet. She knew it was Gotham, but still, surely someone felt the need to call the cops about the Lamborghini on the sidewalk outside her store. But no dice. And no Batman either.

"Okay, last one!" Maddie called out from the changing stall.

She came out in a pair of pink overalls with a light green top underneath it.

"You look beautiful, princess," Joker said warmly. "Now if that's all, let's go load up the car and be on our way."

"Okay. I'll just leave this on, Daddy. You can take the rest to the car," she replied.

Joker snorted at her confidence and bossiness, but still picked up the stack of clothing and took it to the car, knowing that even if the woman now called the police, Madeline would see it and tell him and they would be gone before the cops showed up. Their reaction time was typically about six minutes depending on the location.

"Thank you," Maddie smiled, hugging the woman after J walked out.

"I don't think I really had a choice," she replied with sarcasm.

"Still. You'd make a cool sister I bet," Maddie said nonchalantly. "Hopefully you stay longer than that other girl that called him Daddy. This time he called himself your daddy, so I think you've got a pretty good chance to stay. Good luck!"

With that, Madeline hugged the flabbergasted young woman's legs again and skipped off, ignoring the stuttering girl she'd left in the store.

"Say goodbye, doll?" Joker asked.

"Yup," Maddie grinned up at him.

"Well then—" Joker was cut off by a squadron of police cars turning the corner and surrounding them. Shit. They must have kept their sirens off so I wouldn't hear them coming.

Joker scrambled to come up with an exit plan as the cops started to climb out of their cars, guns raised.

"Put your hands on your head and back away from the girl!" An officer shouted from where he was crouched behind his open door. Joker grimaced, realizing that he'd probably have to threaten Maddie in order to get out of there.