Harley Quinn hadn't always been known as Harley Quinn. Once, she had been known by Harleen Quinzel. She became fascinated with The Joker while interning at Arkham Asylum, and volunteered to analyze him. Soon enough, she fell in love with him and became his partner in crime, his lover, his Harley Quinn. Wherever he went, she went and vice versa. But after several years of being together, The Joker started to become abusive towards Harley. He was always taunting her, but never had he ever hurt her so bad. He had thrown her to the ground and pushed her time after time, but never ever had he raised his hand and slapped her. Never had he made her cry so much, or feel so much pain. The Joker was changing. He wasn't the man Harleen Quinzel had fallen in love with. He wasn't the man she became Harley Quinn for. He was something else. Someone else. Someone more vicious, dangerous and violent than ever before...

Harley stared at her reflection in the old mirror, trying to figure out how to hide the red welt on her face. How could he have done that to her? Her Joker… The pain from his slap had lessened physically, but the emotional pain made tears stream down Harley's young face. That was the last straw, she thought. She left the bathroom and returned to her bedroom. From under her bed, she pulled a suitcase and opened it. Into she threw all her clothes and personal possessions. She stole out of the window into the darkness of the night just as her door opened. "I'm sorry, Mr J," she whispered into the night, tears streaming down her face.

Harley wandered the streets and alleys, dragging her suitcase behind her. She had stopped crying not long after leaving. The streetlights lit up the Gotham pavements. Suddenly, she heard a familiar sound. The Joker's henchmen. Harley gasped quietly and ducked behind a pile of boxes on the pavement. The henchmen walked past without even glancing her way. "Hey where do you think the boss' girl went?" one of them was saying. "How should I know?" the other replied, frustration creeping into his voice. The two walked on, pushing and shoving each other into things. Harley stood up, grabbed her suitcase and ran across the road, through the darkness on Gotham's night. She leaned against a wall to catch her breath and saw something she recognised. A car. Poison Ivy's car. A smile played across Harley's lips as she saw her old friend. Poison Ivy looked around, before noticing Harley standing in the alley. "Harley? Harley Quinn?" she called, before running and embracing Harley. "Hey Ivy," Harley said, returning the embrace. "Harl, what are you doing out here? And what's with the suitcase?" Poison Ivy asked. "I-I'm sick of being abused by Mr J, so I left," Harley replied, tears filling her eyes again. "Well come on, you're coming home with me," Ivy smiled. She dragged Harley to her car, threw her suitcase in the boot and pulled Harley in with her. She sped through the streets before eventually arriving home.