Thirty-One

"Well, well, well. If it isn't the Batman," Riddler laughed. "I thought you didn't need my help? You'd rather throw me in Arkham! Oh wait, you've already done that."

"Enough, Riddler. Your overdramatics are why no one ever wants to work with you," Batman sighed.

"Again, Batman. If you wish to get information from someone, you probably shouldn't insult them," Riddler growled.

"Where is Madeline?" Batman asked, ignoring Riddler's statement.

"What ever do you mean?" Riddler chuckled.

Bruce lost his temper and picked Riddler up, slamming him into the wall.

"Temper, temper," he chided. "If I had taken the girl, don't you think that a riddle would've popped up by now? I always give my victims a chance to be saved by someone of higher intelligence before I use them for my own devices. And besides, why would I steal the clown's sloppy seconds? I've already gotten my revenge, courtesy of you."

"Then who the hell took Madeline?" Bruce yelled, temper flaring. "If it wasn't you, and it wasn't Joker, who else could or would slip into Bruce Wayne's mansion and steal her without a trace? Who would have the motive, or the means?"

"If you're asking for my opinion you won't get it. But I will give you a riddle. Don't ever say I'm not merciful," Riddler smirked. "What little minx would know Madeline and Bruce Wayne enough to sneak in and sink their claws in her?"

Bruce stepped back, realizing who he meant. "Selina."

"So you do have a brain," Edward gasped. "But I'm afraid it won't be as simple as all that. She and Pamela have moved since you two last had a romantic altercation."

Batman frowned, tilting his head in displeasure. How does Riddler know about Selina and I?

"Don't get such a look on your face, Batman. Haven't I already proven myself a genius? It wasn't hard to figure out," Riddler chuckled. "Plus, villains talk. Especially about things like that. You spoken to Talia recently?"

Refusing to acknowledge Riddler's apparent intimate knowledge of his romantic (or more accurately, sex) life, Bruce dropped him to the floor and left through the open door, which he closed behind him with a slam. This did not stop him from hearing Riddler's mocking laughter and Joker's infuriated yelling as he stormed out of the asylum.

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Frost had designated a club of Joker's as the meeting place. Given what had happened, he was slightly distrustful of the couple, as he knew that they wanted Madeline out of Joker's grasp. He didn't blame them, but that didn't stop him from being suspicious of their miraculous safety from arrest during the raid. All in all, he thought it would be safer to rendezvous in the club, which was full of weapons and Joker's people, making a getaway easy.

Andy and Tommy sat down across from Johnny in the gold booth in the VIP section. Drew looked slightly uneasy, but Thomas had a solid pokerface, and tried to calm his boyfriend by placing a hand on his knee. This did not soothe Andy in the slightest (in fact, it worked him up), but when Tom began rubbing small circles on the inside of his knee, he eventually settled down under Johnny and Tommy's watchful eyes.

"Why don't we address the elephant in the room?" Tommy announced. Frost lifted an eyebrow and Andy looked nervous. "You think we're behind the raid."

Andy began to stutter profusely to do damage control, but Frost halted him with a wave of his hand.

"It crossed my mind," he admitted.

"We were just as surprised to find that it had happened as you. Joker ordered us out of the house that day," Tommy explained. "Of course, that doesn't convince you, so let me just point something out. If we orchestrated it to free Madeline, why would we let you and the boss come right back in and take her? We would have high tailed it out of town with her if that were the case. Plus, we're not idiots. We know that the consequences for such a transgression would be worse than death."

"I only see one flaw in this," Johnny drawled. "We didn't take Madeline. The boss hasn't even planned his own escape yet, let alone hers."

"But if you didn't take her, who did?" Andy gasped.

"Wait, she's actually gone? I thought you were just trying to make me give up something!" Frost exclaimed.

"She was stolen right from Bruce Wayne's mansion. We assumed it was you acting for Mr. J," Tommy said.

"Well it wasn't. Joker will want to hear about this," Johnny replied with a sigh.

Suddenly, one of the tough looking bouncers came in and whispered something to Frost that made him turn pale. He nodded before shooing the man away.

"Joker already knows," he mumbled. "The Bat came looking for answers from him in Arkham. He's pissed. And he wants out, soon."

"Could she be with Riddler again?" Andy wondered quietly.

"No," Johnny denied. "Riddler's hardly the type to strike in the same place twice. He's not that predictable. Someone else must have her. I'll put all my contacts on it."

All three men rose from the table, united from their different backgrounds by the need to help the same little girl.

"We'll be in touch," Johnny said as he buttoned up his suit jacket and stalked away.

"So, you wanna do a little bit of dancing before we go?" Tommy joked. "A bit of drinking, a bit of grinding? They won't mind."

Andy rolled his eyes, grabbing his boyfriend and dragging him out as he muttered, "You're impossible."

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"Please, Auntie Selina? I really wanna see all of Aunt Ivy's pretty plants!" Madeline begged.

"But if you go out, there's a chance that someone could see you and call Batman! He'll come and get you again and you can never save your daddy!" Selina protested, pleading with her eyes for the girl to drop it so she could remain safe in the apartment.

"You can't keep her cooped up here forever," Ivy sighed. "I know you want to keep her safe, but she's gotta get out at some point. Plus, we'll just go straight there and back—by car. No other stops."

It took a few more moments of staring at Madeline's merciless puppy dog face for Selina to relent.

"Fine," she sighed. "You can go. But you have to promise to be extra careful and come home at the first sign of trouble."

"We promise!" Maddie squealed. "Thank you Auntie Selina!"

"You're welcome, kitten," Selina said, hugging the girl. "But please remember to be careful, okay? I don't wanna lose you."

"I will," Maddie replied seriously. "I love you, Auntie Selina. Bye!"

Selina was left waiting on one knee where she'd been kneeling in the floor to hug Madeline. Midnight came up and rubbed against her leg, meowing.

"I know, Midnight. I don't like it either."

Meanwhile, Ivy and Madeline were already climbing in the car. Maddie was going to the front seat when Ivy stopped her, gesturing to the back.

"But Daddy always had me ride up front," Maddie protested.

"Well," Ivy treaded carefully. "Your daddy has a different car than this one. And in this one, it's safer when little girls sit in the back."

Madeline shrugged and listened without further fuss, opening the back door and climbing in, buckling up and nodding to Ivy in the rear view mirror to signal that she was ready to go.

Ivy pulled away from the curb in her shoddy 'borrowed' car. Stealing a nicer car would make her too conspicuous and easy to find. She found that people are more willing to let go of their things when those things suck.

Ivy's greenhouse wasn't necessarily a hidden thing. Batman and everyone else knew it existed, and that she could be found there more often than not, but they wisely stayed away for the most part, as they knew how protective Ivy could be over her babies. Madeline was one of those babies now.

The greenhouse was on the city outskirts. It was the only pretty thing in the run down area. A diamond in the rough—or more accurately, a flower amongst weeds.

The glass and steel structure may not have been shiny and new, but the gorgeous plants inside more than made up for that. There were all kinds of exotic and colorful plants growing within.

Madeline was in awe when she first saw the building. She gazed up with reverent eyes at the glittering jewel before her. Ivy smiled at her awestruck expression and exited the car, snapping Madeline out of her trance as she too climbed out of the rusted vehicle.

Ivy took the girl's hand, leading her inside. Maddie glanced around with a dazed look at all the flourishing plants about her.

"What do you think, little sprout?" Ivy chuckled.

"It's beautiful," she breathed.

"Yes, they are," Ivy agreed, smiling warmly at her.

The plants seemed to watch Maddie curiously as she passed through their midst with the woman they considered their mother. One even reached out a cautious leaf to touch the girl, and Maddie smiled, turned to face the plant and gently gripped its leaf as if giving it a handshake.

"Pleased to meet you," she laughed. The plant waved at her as she walked away.

"Alright, everybody!" Ivy called out as she reached the center of the greenhouse. "This is Madeline. She's a friend, so play nice. Madeline, these are my plants. Some of them need special care, so I need to help them, but feel free to look around. And if any of the plants gets too touchy, call for me."

With those instructions given, Ivy walked away to fetch food and other necessities for some of the plants. Maddie took her advice and wandered around, coming across many beautiful plants that she'd never seen before. She was careful not to get too close or touch them unless they touched her first, not wanting to get in their space or touch something she shouldn't. This was probably a smart choice considering how many patches of actual poison ivy there were growing in the greenhouse.

It was not long before Madeline came across Ivy's Venus fly traps. These plants loved Ivy dearly, but the same could not necessarily be said for the girl she'd brought. One of the traps licked its lips.

"You're all very beautiful," Maddie complimented.

The same trap leaned towards her and Madeline smiled, reaching out to pet it. Ivy saw the scene from further down and dropped the bucket she carried, dashing towards Maddie as the plant's jaws opened.

"Maddie, back away!" She yelled as she ran. Madeline looked her way in confusion as the plant drew closer.

Ivy reached her just in time to sweep her up and take the light bite that was meant for Maddie's hand on her arm. Ivy hissed through her teeth and glared at her plant.

"Olivia!" She scolded. "I said that she was a friend! We don't eat our friends Olivia!"

The fly trap pouted, hanging its head as the other plants shook theirs at her. Blood was still running down Ivy's arm, even as the wound rapidly healed itself.

"Aunt Ivy, your arm!" Maddie pointed.

"I know, sweetie, but it's healing, see?" Ivy soothed. A nearby plant offered Ivy a leaf, which she took and used to wipe off the blood.

"Let me kiss it better," she ordered firmly. Ivy sighed and showed Maddie the wound again, letting her lean down from her perch in Ivy's arms and kiss it.

"All better," Maddie smiled. "Bad Olivia."

The plant pouted again and Madeline sighed, patting her head. "It's alright, Olivia. I forgive you."

Ivy smiled at the girl and realized with a jolt that she'd protect her over one of her plants any day.