Arthur spent more time alone for the next few days. The video footage had upset him, bringing up some bad memories, but the other Arthur wouldn't leave his mind. The way he looked on the tape, what he said. It all seemed strange. He looked severely unwell, like he hadn't been taking care of himself for a while. He seemed upset yet unfazed by his mothers death, and Arthur couldn't tell what his actual feelings towards Penny was. He seemed upset she lied for his entire life, but was he still grieving the loss?

Eventually, he makes a decision. He needs closure.

Arthur grabs a jacket from the closet, which looks suspiciously like a cops jacket without the badge or markings, and pulls the hood up as he climbs out the window onto the fire escape. He silently climbs down, slipping away into the morning rush of the streets. The positive thing about this Gotham, is that it's strikingly similar to the one he knew so he knows his way around. Remembering the route he and Joker took a few weeks back, Arthur heads towards the train station and jumps on the train heading towards the Arkham district. The journey doesn't take long, so by the time he gets off the train it is a few hours off midday where the amount of people doubles from before. He retraces the path he used to take, walking by a florist shop and snatching a bouquet of lilies from outside as he passes.

The funny thing about Gotham, was the area in which one of the Gotham cemeteries were placed and how they were layed out. It was close to Arkham, and the placement of graves indicated wealth or importance. Rich, important people tend to be buried within the central area, while the poor are buried towards the edges. Arkham would bury their patients in the cheapest areas on the outskirts, especially if they were a poor, mentally insane soul left to rot inside the walls with no family to deal with their funeral.

It takes around fifteen to get to the cemetery, but Arthur pauses at the gate trying to figure out where he would be buried. If he follows the fence around, he should come across the Asylum graves, which is where he should be. He walks round the graves, until they become smaller and less spaced out, less taken care of. After searching down the lines of graves, he comes across a familiar gravestone, worn away with old age and dirt.

Pe ny Fl k

19 2 - 1 82

Be  ved   her 

Beloved Mother? This other Arthur still cared about her, even after finding out the truth? Or did she die before he found out? He didn't kill her in this dimension, that's for sure.

"Hello mother. Not looking so great are we?" Arthur smiles sarcastically at the gravestone, moving closer and crouching down as if she could hear him "Wanna know a secret? I killed you in my world. You deserved it for what you did to me- to us. You hurt us, ruined our life. You let him hurt us when we were just a little boy, and for what? Did you think it was funny to have a son that couldn't stop laughing? Is that why you called me Happy? I will never forgive what you did"

There is no reply, but why would there be? It's a gravestone. "Bye Penny" Arthur walks away to continue the search for his own grave.

It takes a while, but he eventually finds his own grave towards the far end of the field. The gravestone seems to be in better condition than Penny's, surprisingly, and just reads his name, date of birth and death. It's smaller than the other spaces, not having enough room for a coffin. Cremation is common for Arkham patients. Arthur crouches down. "Hi there...I'm Arthur Fleck. I'm sorry...sorry for everything you went through. Life was so hard before we went on the show, but where I got revenge you never did. The subway guys, Randall, Murray...mum...I killed them all. I'm sorry you never got the chance to do the same"

A robin flies down and perches itself on the gravestone next to the grave, chirping at him and tilting its head. Arthur smiles sadly at it, "You don't have to suffer anymore...and I will carry on your name for you and keep your memory alive. I will not let you be forgotten, I promise. Gotham will know who you are"

A noise from behind catches his attention, causing him to spin around to confront them. No one is there except for a woman standing a few rows back staring at him. Soft brown skin, curly, greying hair sitting around her shoulders pulled back with a bandana. It couldn't be...

Arthur quickly turns to place the flowers in the metal vase that was stuck in the soil, before turning back towards her. But she is gone.

Slowly, he makes his way over to where she was standing and looks at the grave she was at. Sydney Dumond. His heart flutters seeing the last name, immediately deciding that he really did see Sophie, despite her disappearance. Despite knowing their relationship was fake all along, he still held something in his heart for her. Would she remember him after all these years though?

"Mr Fleck?"

His heart stops. The footsteps get closer, and the make voice calls out again, "Arthur Fleck?"

He runs.

The mud underneath his feet slides as he runs, flying out the graveyard and across the road, almost getting hit by a car. The air fills with shouts of his name and "GCPD", along with his flat-footed steps down the path. Arthur runs towards the subway, glancing over his shoulder to see two police officers chasing after him. He runs across the road again, and down the stairs of the subway, jumpimg over the barrier and heading to the nearest platform.

His heart races in his chest as he runs onto the platform and looks for a train, as the cries of the officers echoe through the corridor behind him. A train finally pulls in, and Arthur runs onto it. He moves down through the carriages shaking, and looks back to check if he was followed. An uncanny memory of the two detectives chasing him down before his show comes to mind, but this one ends with the train doors closing, and Arthur heading home without commotion.

_____

Trudging up the stairs of the abandoned aprtment block, Arthur begins to experience a sinking feelimg in his chest. He had run away without tellimg anyone where he was going. Would Joker be upset? Angry? Would he force him to leave? This is the only good thing he has, he can't loose it now.

As he turns the corner to walk up the final flight of stairs, a man walks straight into him. He offers no apology as he stares up at Arthur shaking slightly, eyes wide and frightened, yet also intrigued. Black hair falls across his forehead as he continues to stare at Arthur silently, before he looks at the floor mumbling something and heads towards the room behind him. Arthur looks back at him as the door shuts, and the sound of several locks can just be heard behind the door. Strange. Then again, all of Joker's henchman are in their own way.

He heads up the final flight and hesitantly knocks. There's shuffling, several hushed voices, before John opens the door with a gun raised. Arthur has no time to react before John's face quickly breaks out into a grin apon seeing him, and lowers it just as fast as it was pulled. "Boss! He's back!"

"Leave us" Joker says, getting to his feet and staring at Arthur from his spot, his cold hazel eyes peircing through him. They almost seem black from this distance. The people in the room immediately leave, and when the door clicks shut, Joker walks towards Arthur, grabbing his jacket and shoving him hard against the door. Arthur's entire body goes cold as heart stops.