A/N: Spoilers for Joker. Sorry if that characters are slightly OOC

I'm posting this chapter now, but I might redo it later on.
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Arthur isn't sure how he got here. One minute he's running through a crowd of rioters from the police, the next he's lying in an old and dark run-down looking room. The bed is soft, although a broken spring uncomfortably digs into his back, and the pillow feels worn out. Flat. Only the dim glow of a streetlamp filters through the boarded window, indicating that it's night.

The metallic taste of blood lingers in his mouth, and he can feel the drying blood on his face and neck begin to crust up. His face is wet on the left side, making the clown makeup feel slimy against his skin. Eyes now adjusted to the dark, he tries to sit up, but his headache from the crash pounds against his skull. Arthur lays back down wincing, looking to his side as he hears a noise.

A man with long, dirty green hair stares back at him from under his white painted face, and dark circles around his eyes. Red traces some noticeable scars that trail up his cheeks into a smile, seemingly old though still puffy, but his lips remain in a neutral line. The eyes are cold, but they seem curious. Despite his intimidating and insane appearance, Arthur can't detect a threat in this man. Or, at least, not one directed towards him.

"So, you're finally awake" He speaks, never taking his eyes off Arthur who just stares back. "What's your name?"

"Jok-"

"I'm the Joker"

Arthur frowns confused.

Before he can reply, Joker leans forward licking his lips, "You see, I'm not sure what's going on here. I was flicking through the TV, when I come across this old show that was discontinued in the 90's, which is odd. The Murray Franklin show hasn't been on TV since it ended. If that wasn't interesting enough, he introduces this 'Joker' and you come dancing out"

Arthur frown deepens, remembering that night. It only happned a few hours ago maybe, but to him it feels like days. Or maybe it has been days.

"It was interesting, but the most interesting part is you confessing to murder. Or when you killed him on live television? You're really something" Joker pauses to let him reply, but continues with a sigh when he's met with silence. His eyes dart around the room, before making eye contact again. "News reports of riots show up, with people wearing clown masks. I look outside as they were supposedly happening right on this street, but there's nothing. So I was confused, and went to see if I could find the clowns. But there was no one. I eventually found you passed out in an alleyway, so I decided to bring you back to figure it all out"

"I...don't understand" Arthur stares back at him in pain and confusion, unsure what to think. Maybe this guy is just crazy. There's no possible way that what he said is true.

Joker licks his lips again, leaning forwards in the chair with his elbows on his knees, "Let me ask, what year is it?"

"1981...?"

There's a brief silence that fills the room as Joker slowly leans back in the chair, as of the answer intrigued him "It's 2008"

Arthur laughs confused, "What? No that's not...it's 1981"

The other man just continues to watch him blankly, before looking around again trying to think it through, "I don't believe it myself. Maybe there was a...a breif dimension overlap and you shifted into this one. Or you jumped in time. I don't know what happned or if it's possible" He shrugs and gets up, "There's some water on the nightstand to wash your face with. I like you. You should stick around. Though, where else are you gonna go?"

Joker slips out of the room, leaving Arthur alone. Arthur glances around the room frowning, tired, aching and confused. It's not possible that it's 2008. There's no way he's jumped 27 years into the future.

Exhaustion starting to wear on him and his thoughts, Arthur undresses from his lying position and neatly places them on the chair, before slowly propping himself up. He slowly grabs a flannel from the bowl, filled with lukewarm water, and gently wipes away the makeup and blood. The water quickly begins to cloud with a muddy purple, as the different colours and blood mix together, and once Arthur has finished he lies back down again.

It takes him a while to find a comfortable position to sleep in. With a throbbing pain in his head, Arthur shuts his eyes and tries to sleep. Something he hasn't done properly in weeks.