Contains lyrics from Sad Song by We the Kings

Arthur sat in the venue his hands nervously twitching on his lap. This was part of his life now, a habit that he just couldn't, and didn't want to break. Every week on the same day at the same time Arthur would wait at the same table in the same seat to see her, the siren.

He had seen her first on the street and had decided to follow her as he was captivated by her beauty; but it wasn't just that, he had heard her laugh. It was a laugh that filled his heart with joy and his stomach with butterflies.

He found out that she lived in an apartment building not far from his, but the building and the area was much nicer than his pokey, dark and dangerous home. One evening after waiting to see her all day she appeared and got into a cab; Arthur followed, and found himself outside a club and watched as she walked in.

The cab driver turned to him. "Now that's what I call a good looking woman. You gonna go in to see her perform?"

Arthur looked at the driver "Perform?"

The driver laughed, "Yeah, perform. She's the singer here, the headline act. The guy that owns this place gets her in one day a week to sing. People call her the Siren, ya know, like the myth; the beautiful creatures that would lure sailors to their deaths by singing. Believe me, I've heard her sing, she could lure me to my death any day!" The driver gave out an extra loud chuckle.

Arthur paid the fare and walked into the venue taking a seat near the front of the stage. He ordered a drink and waited nervously for his mysterious siren to appear. After a little while the venue began filling up, as excited patrons sat and stood waiting, waiting for the Siren. There was a happy expectant buzz throughout the crowd, it was a strangely upbeat feeling, especially in such a dark place as Gotham, that made even Arthur feel more comfortable.

Suddenly the lights went out and everything was plunged into an eerie darkness. Then a bright spotlight, that made Arthur squint his eyes slightly, appeared. A hush falls on the crowd as a large well-dressed man stepped into the spotlight.

"Ladies and gentlemen, it's nice to see you all here tonight. Now for the real reason you are all here; I would like to introduce you to the one and only, SIREN!"

The man moved from the stage and the crowd let up a roar as the spotlight moved to the middle of a pair of large dark red velvet curtains, they slowly moved apart to reveal the woman Arthur had been waiting to see. His mouth dropped open as she glided to the front of the stage to stand behind the lone microphone. Her sleek black silk dress showed just the right amount of cleavage and clung to her hips and thighs and made Arthur feel weak at the knees and gave him a warmth in the pit of his stomach. As the cheers of the crowd died, she began to sing the most glorious operatic piece that Arthur had ever heard. He felt a strange euphoria, and the crowd was completely silent as the elation seemed to spread with every note she sang.

Song after song she sang, from opera, to jazz to popular music, her voice carried seductively throughout the venue and seemed to cast a spell over the crowd who seemed to be hypnotised. Arthur noticed how she poured her emotions into every song. He watched as her perfect eyes would sparkle when she sang of love and he felt as though she was singing right to his heart. After a song she put her hands up to quiet the audience.

"Thank you so much for being here guys, each and every week I'm surprised by your support, and I can't tell you how much it means to me. Now if you are one of those people that comes and sees me every week, firstly, what is wrong with you?" She said with a wide smile causing the crowd to laugh.

"Secondly, you will know that my last song of the evening is always a song that a member of the audience requests. Why you may ask? Well, I like a challenge and you guys always give me the most interesting things to sing. So, who will I be singing to tonight? Clive put the house lights up for me."

With that the lights go up just enough so that the woman can see. She surveyed the audience seeing all the hands ready to request their song. Arthur tentatively raised his hand and she noticed him out of the corner of her eye. She walked over the front of the stage and crouched down near Arthur.

"Well hello sweetie, you're new. I do love to see a new face. Do you have a song for me?" Arthur could feel his face grow red as his eyes looked into hers, and then to her lips which were parted in a beautiful bright smile.

"C......could y-you sing sad song please?" Arthur managed to stutter out. She mussed for a moment looking to the band, after getting a nod, she turned back to Arthur.

"Of course, sweetie, I'd love to. Now what's your name? I always like to know who I'm singing to."

Arthur couldn't speak, her voice was like warm honey and Arthur was drowning.

She looked at him seeing the nervousness in his eyes. She went over and grabbed the mic and walked back to Arthur. "Clive turn the house lights back down please." With that, Arthur was enveloped in a comforting darkness.

"Is that better sweetie?" she asked quietly.

Arthur nodded.

"Good, now what's your name?"

"A-arthur." He blurted out.

"Well hello Arthur, I'm pleased to meet you, my name is (y/n). Will you do me a favour and help me down from the stage?"

She held out her hand and signalled for him to join her at the steps at the side of the stage. Arthur rose from his seat and took her hand and gripped it gently as she descended the stairs. She turned on the mic and the band started to play. Arthur let go of her hand to return to his seat, but she quickly pulled him back and she drew him to her, she placed his hands on her hips and her hand on his shoulder and began to sway as she sang just for him.

You and I, we're like fireworks and symphonies exploding in the sky
With you, I'm alive
Like all the missing pieces of my heart, they finally collide

So stop time right here in the moonlight
'Cause I don't ever wanna close my eyes

Without you, I feel broke
Like I'm half of a whole
Without you, I've got no hand to hold
Without you, I feel torn
Like a sail in a storm
Without you, I'm just a sad song
I'm just a sad song

She placed her head on his chest and Arthur pulled her in slightly closer. He thought she would protest, slap his face, call him a freak; but she did nothing other than carry on singing. How could someone so beautiful want to be so close to someone like him, he thought; this must be some lucid dream, an amazing illusion. But no matter what it was he never wanted it to end.

With you, I fall
It's like I'm leaving all my past and silhouettes up on the wall
With you, I'm a beautiful mess
It's like we're standing hand and hand with all our fears up on the edge

So stop time right here in the moonlight
'Cause I don't ever wanna close my eyes

Without you, I feel broke
Like I'm half of a whole
Without you, I've got no hand to hold
Without you, I feel torn
Like a sail in a storm
Without you, I'm just a sad song

She took her head from Arthur's chest and looked into his green eyes, giving him a warm gentle smile and his heart skipped a beat.

You're the perfect melody
The only harmony I wanna hear
You're my favourite part of me
With you standing next to me
I've got nothing to fear

Without you, I feel broke
Like I'm half of a whole
Without you, I've got no hand to hold
Without you, I feel torn
Like a sail in a storm
Without you, I'm just a sad song

Without you, I feel broke
Like I'm half of a whole
Without you, I've got no hand to hold
Without you, I feel torn
Like a sail in a storm
Without you, I'm just a sad song, I'm just a sad song.

As the song ended the crowd let up huge round of applause. She leaned in and whispered into his ear, "Thank you Arthur, you're a gentleman." She kissed him on the cheek, and he held her hand as she climbed the stairs back to the stage.

That first meeting was six months ago, and Arthur was now a well-known face at the club, (y/n) would always ensure that his seat was reserved for him; they had even been out a few times for coffee and he would frequently have dinner at her apartment spending late nights watching movies and talking to the early hours.

As Arthur sat in his normal seat, he felt a familiar hand on his shoulder, 'Hello sweetie, how's my favourite gentleman this evening?'

He took her hand as she sat down next to him. "Hi (y/n), I'm good. Are you ok? You look upset."

She placed her hand on his cheek. "I saw the Murray Franklin show the other day, how dare that insufferable ass treat you like that, I feel like going and punching him in the face." Arthur took her hand and kissed her knuckles.

"Don't worry about it (y/n), it's ok." He tried to reassure her.

"NO ARTHUR! IT'S NOT OK!" Arthur could see the anger and hurt in her eyes.

"I care about you a great deal Arthur, and it's not ok, and it shouldn't be ok with you either. You are a wonderful man; you are kind and caring and gentle and I always feel safe with you. You are an angel in this god forsaken hell hole of a city; apart from my singing you are the only other light in my life."

Arthur could see the tears form at the corner of her eyes; not knowing the best way to console her. With a sudden rush of confidence, he leaned in and kissed her. Much to his surprise she didn't pull away, he felt her arms around his neck pulling him in closer. When they parted, he placed his forehead on hers.

"Don't worry (y/n), Murray is going to get what's coming to him. They've called me up to be on his show in person tomorrow and I accepted, but before you get mad at me, I have a reason to go. Just trust me and don't watch the show ok, please."

"But Arthur." She gripped onto his hands tightly.

"No buts (y/n), do you trust me?" She nodded her head.

"Then trust that I'm going to fix it and when it's all over I'll be coming for you. You stay in your apartment tomorrow night and keep the door locked; I'll give you our special knock when I get there ok? And promise me you won't watch the Franklin show tomorrow."

"I promise Arthur, are you staying for the show?" Arthur shakes his head, "Not tonight (y/n), I have things I need to do but I'll see you tomorrow." He gets up from his seat and put his hand underneath her chin raising her face, so their eyes met.

"Do you love me (y/n)?"

"Of course, Arthur, you don't even have to ask."

"Then promise me you'll never be scared of me, no matter what; you know I will never hurt you."

"I promise Arthur." He leans in and kisses her head.

"Good girl, I'll see you tomorrow." And with that he disappears.

Her eyes widen in shock as she sees the reports on the news about a guest confessing to murders and then shooting Murray on his show. The killer was dressed in a red suit with clown paint on his face, and they had described him as Joker. She stared at the eyes of the clown as they showed his picture, it couldn't be, not Arthur. She buried her head in her hands.

Between her tears she heard the sound of a knock on her door, it was their knock! Its Arthur! She rushed to the door and threw it open to be greeted by the sight of the clown leaning against the door frame with a cigarette burning between his lips.

"Hey doll, how's my beautiful siren tonight?" (y/n) pulled him inside the apartment as the police sirens blare outside.

"Arthur, did you do what they say you did on the news?" Joker took a drag of the cigarette.

"Murray had it coming, I told you I'd take care of him. This city is going to go up in flames and I want you by my side when it does. I'm going to bring this place to its knees." 

"You said, you loved me (y/n), you said you trusted me, you promised you wouldn't be scared of me; take my hand (y/n) and come with me, together you and I can make Gotham a better place." Joker reached out his hand.

For a moment she hesitated, he could see the conflict in her eyes. This Joker was a murderer, but underneath it all Arthur was still there she knew it. She stared deep into his green eyes and reached out her hand to take his. He pulled her in to his chest and kissed her gently. Wrapping her arms around his he leads her out of her apartment to their new life, the clown prince of Gotham and his siren.