(Author's Note: I do not own or have the rights to anything having to do with the Batman Franchise, DC comics etc. I only own the plot and my own thought up characters. My story takes place sometime after "Batman Begins".

I am a huge fan of Heath Legder's Joker. I love the first Batman movie (1989) and "Batman Begins" but I feel "The Dark Knight" is going to be my favourite of my favourite three. My Story's Joker is based off of Heath's portrayal of the character. From what I saw and read about, this Joker will be my favourite. :D

Take into consideration, no one has seen "The Dark Knight" but I am going off what I have seen in the trailers, the Six-minute preview and anything from magazines to interviews. I am so excited for the this movie and not just because the Joker is extremely attractive ;)

This Fanfic is pure fun and entertainment. I am not trying to be dead on balls accurate with Batman history. I am NOT trying to do my own version of "The Dark Knight". And lastly, I am going to change a few things around. So, please do not inform me, "Well, that did not happen in the IMAX preview!" I am changing it to my liking.

Matchbox Twenty's song 'Push' has inspired me to write this. :D It goes well with my future characters' involvement with one another.

Sorry for rambling...)

Emilie Canton was relived of her first year of college being over. Emilie was studying English at the community college in downtown Gotham City. Summer was here and it was time to relax from the stressful school year.

Walking downtown was something Emilie did often. She found it relaxing. Just walking with a drink in hand and seeing the street life made her day. Especially when the sun was shining between the skyscrapers unto her face. Her family's condo was two blocks away from her school, work and the nearest caf┌, which meant a car for her was useless.

The day's weather allowed Emilie to wear her favourite jean shorts and white blouse. Walking in front of the city's largest bank, GNB, Emilie stopped short in front of the large windows, set down her drink then began to fix her hair. She took her hair out of her pony tail and let it loose down her back. Focusing her eyes inside the bank she saw that no one was inside. Odd, how the most popular bank in Gotham was completely empty on a Friday afternoon. She put her hair tie on her wrist then looked up again into the bank as she picked up her drink.

"Oh God," she mouthed as she realized a robbery was going on. Inside the bank's windows she spotted three men wearing plastic clown masks holding guns to the tellers. Clenching on to her drink, she saw that one of the 'clowns' spotted her starring at him. She turned around and ran as fast as she could fearing the robbers would try to shot her for witnessing a crime.

She ran a couple of blocks away from the bank and the crowd. She leaned against a building and pulled her cell phone out of her pocket. She dialed her house phone hoping her parents were home from work. Having failed to have her house phone answered she then proceeded to call her father next, who happened to be a police officer.

"Dad, the bank downtown is being robbed!" she barely got out the words.

"Get out of the area now, we have it under control." He spoke firmly causing Emilie to become nervous. Hearing her father speak so abruptly was odd.

"The robbers, there's three of them and they have gu-" she was cut of by her father yelling, "I said get out of THERE NOW!" and then he hung up.

The sound of sirens soon filled the air and she seemed to become more settled knowing the situation at the bank was going to be solved. Or at least she hoped.

"I'm banking online now..." she thought aloud breathlessly. Emilie put her phone back into her pocket and began walking home. She kept looking behind her, having that strange feeling that someone was following her. The streets were quiet and no one seemed to be around. Finding her situation questionable, Emilie decided to find a way home with people actually on the streets. As she turned on to Twenty-fifth Street, she saw a school bus whirling around the corner headed straight towards her.

Emilie climbed onto the nearest set of steps to avoid being slammed into a building by some ass of a driver. The bus's tires squealed and the smell of rubber was in the air as the bus turned and sped down the street. Suddenly she saw it come to a screeching halt and two masked clowns came out of the emergency exit. Armed and headed directly towards her, Emilie hid in the doorway of someone's apartment hoping they did not spot her when they sped past. Her breathing increased and her legs started to shake. She crouched down pulling her knees to her chest and closed her eyes.

"Stupid Broad," came a deep voice.

Emilie looked up to see two tall men dressed in dirty maroon suits wearing clown masks.

"This her?" the one man said to the other.

"I don't see any others"
"Grab her." And with that the two men took a hold of her upper arms pulling her towards the bus. It was still running and Emilie saw the driver open the door yelling for them to hurry up. Emilie tried to push her captors off her but failed miserably. She was thrown roughly into the back of the bus. She quickly stood up and the two men hopped in yelling for the driver to go. The bus began to move at high speed as the men tried to close the back door.

"Close it, DAMMIT!" yelled one man to the other. Fearful of falling out behind the bus, Emilie hopped into a seat and looked straight ahead to see if anyone else was on the yellow school bus. She only saw the driver. She looked behind her to see the two men closing the door.

Emilie reached in her pocket and text her father, "HELP!"

She made it short and simple incase she were to be caught by the men close behind her. Her body was shaking and she ducked low into the seat to try to call her father without the prospect of being caught.

"Damn..." She whispered. "Of all times to not answer, Dad."

Putting her phone on vibrate, she thrust it into her pocket and stayed ducked. With her knees on the floor, she held on to the brown leather seat cushion as the driver sped faster and faster down the streets of Gotham.

Now would be a good time for that infamous 'Batman' to show up, Emilie thought sarcastically. She thought the whole Batman character just some guy trying to get fame and attention.

Her mind was suddenly focused on her life as she saw the two men standing in the aisle looking down at her.

"Up!" Spoke the taller of the two. Emilie stayed put but they did not allow that. They both grabbed her by her neck and moved her towards the front of the bus. They tied her hands behind her back and sat her down in the seat behind the driver.

"Would someone fuckin' watch the back?!" Called the driver as they turned a sharp turn. Emilie almost fell into the aisle but her feet kept her somewhat still.

The taller man came and sat beside her as the other went to the rear of the bus. Her fear kept increasing, as her situation seemed to stumble downhill. The man beside her smelled of cigars and bad cologne. She looked at the back of the driver's head. His hair was below his ears and had a tint of green. He too was wearing a mask and a maroon suit. Looking into the rear view mirror above she saw that the driver looked up at her for a moment. It was the same man who spotted her earlier, she could tell by his different shape of mask.

"Charlie, cover her eyes with something until we get there!" he bellowed over the loud bus.