This story has been edited and may have changes, so please if you have read re-read! If you are a first time reader, welcome :) This story is based off the graphic novel "Joker" by Brian Azzarello with beautiful art work done by Lee Bermejo! If you have no clue what that is and have never read it this story will still make sense, it is mostly stand alone but have many characters and locations that are relevant to the book.

I hope you enjoy!

-Rabbit! :D

One

Counting Bodies Like Sheep.

"HARLEY!"The blond was fastening the last clasp on her bra when she heard the man screaming at her. "You're on in 10 so move your ass!" She ran her fingers through her messy hair as she examined her darkly lined eyes."Ya know every time you scream at me it makes me realize just how bad I want to say fuck you and quit." Turning slowly she watched him stomp closer towards her.

"Yeah Harleen you've told me about a million times before, but we all know you wont do it! You would be living on the streets if it won't for me doll. I own you for another ."He stopped screaming only long enough to count on his fingers. " six months before you can try and quit again. Did you forget who gave you that money to get you out of the slammer?" With the word "slammer" he gave her a nasty smile.

Rolling her eyes she laughed. "Without me here you wouldn't have had that money Barry." His bushy eye brow quickly found his hair line. "Oh really, well lets see who helps you the next time you get in another sticky situation." Harley laughed and turned back towards her mirror.

"Hurry up and get your prissy ass out there and make me some damn money will ya!" He screamed at her as he stomped away. Barry was a 48 year old Italian man who that he was the shit, when actually he was the farthest thing from it. He was a nasty man who had thinning black hair and a beer gut he covered with cheap suits and hoped no one noticed. He had been running the 'G&B' for about 6 years now and he was the biggest pig this side of Gotham.

She could hear her music start softly as she made her way through the sea of girls to get to the stage entrance. She walked across the stage swinging her hips softly, teasingly until she reached center stage where she began her routine. It felt like every other night, men's eyes watching the way her body moved and shifted, the music ripping through her body as it moved in time, the sweat glistens in the hot red lights as it rolls down her chest. But something was missing when she looked down into the front row, Croc and his boys where not there. This disappointed her but didn't distract her from her 'work'.

As she moved around the pole she allowed her eyes to search the room until they stopped at the bar. There Crocs boys watched her as Croc leaned over talking to another man. At first Harley didn't pay any attention to the new man in the bar, just another guy come to drink away his sorrow and get a hard on from some stranger who he will never have a chance in hell with.

But with another glance she noticed his face, her heart stopped. Pale white face, dark eyes and a nasty red smile. She couldn't count the number of times she had seen that same face on her TV screen. The Joker was in her club with her friend and watching her like a hawk.

Slowly the music died down and the men started going crazy. She smiled and slowly backed off the stage with her cash in hand and the image of the Joker smiling at her burned into her head.

"I always forget how good you are." She jumped at the sound of Barry's voice as it pulled her out of her thoughts. "Yeah, what talent I have. All I can do is get naked to music. I should win and award shouldn't I." She said sarcastically she pulled on one of her baggy ripped up t-shirts.

"Harley one day that tongue of yours is going to get you in a lot of trouble." She giggled. "Not the first time you've told me that and probably won't be the last." She said as she pulled on a pair of red lace panties before she made her way across the room to get a bottle of water.

Three girls stood near by blabbing about some of the guys in the audience and how one guy tried to get up on stage. "Yeah he just proceeded to crawl on up it was crazy, thank goodness for Drew. If it wasn't for him God knows what would have happened. "One of the girls said. Harley laughed. "You poor thing you."

The girl who had spoken rolled her eyes. "Just because you think you're too good to have a body guard doesn't mean the rest of us shouldn't have one." The other girls nodded. Harley laughed again. "And why do you think I'm too good to have one?"

"Because you have all those large repulsive guys always sitting in the front row no one is getting past those guys." She gave Harley a disgusted look.

"Oh well I didn't have them tonight and I'm still in one piece." Harley said sarcastically.

Another girl quickly walked over to them, breaking up what was starting to look like it was going to turn ugly. "Hey guys did you see him!" She screeched. "See who?" Harley asked knowing good and well who she was talking about.

"The Joker." The girl whispered. The other girls looked terrified but Harley just nodded. "Yeah, he was at the bar." She said turning towards the over dramatic girl in front of her. "Well roamer has it he just escaped the Looney Ben!"

Another girl perked up at this. "Really? How did he do that?" "Well I heard he stabbed an orderly in the face 7 times with a plastic spoon and stole his keys."

Harley slowly made her way away from the gossiping girls, gossip was just not her thing. She found it interesting that the Joker was here but by now he was probably on his way out anyway and the excitement would soon pass.

"Hey Barry I think I'm going to head out early tonight. I really need to catch up on some sleep." She yelled at her boss from across the room. "Alright Harley I'll see you Monday right?" He yelled back at her while he read over the schedule.

"I'll think about it." She answered back as she pulled on a pair of jeans before picking up her purse and cell phone. Slowly she walked towards the door saying her good byes.

The night air was frigid making her shiver while she walked around the building. "Harley!" She heard him before she could even see him coming. His voice was deep and rough but it suited him. She walked closer to the large man with a soft smile on her lips. "Croc." He returned her smile with a crooked one. "You did great girl. Nice to see you up there again." She laughed. "I was just working last weekend." He laughed too, something most people wouldn't expect from a man who looked and acted as he did. "I know, but not nearly as much as you used to."

One of Croc's boys laughed and nodded. "They should have you work every night, you're the one that everyone comes to see." She smiled at him and noded. They started talking about how she needed to do more then one show a night but Harley became distracted. She felt his eyes one her from across the lot. He was sitting in a car, the window rolled all the way down and a cigarette hanging out of his mouth. She watched as a smile slowly formed on his scared lips, her heart skipped a beat.

"Harley?" Quickly she looked up at Croc who called her name with a dazed look. "What?" She asked causing him to laugh. "You wanna go over and meet him?" She was speechless. "Huh?" Was all that came out. This caused him to laugh even harder. "Joker, you want me to introduce you? I would say he doesn't bite but then I would be lying." He chuckled and before she knew it Croc was leading her over to the car where Joker was.

When they reached the car Joker had leaned the seat all the way back and had his eyes closed. Croc tapped on the car causing Joker to squint one eye open. "What?" His voice was scratchy and deep, not as deep as Croc's but deeper then any she had ever heard.

Her heart pounded so heard in her eyes that she didn't even realize Croc had said anything back until Joker slowly sat up in his seat. "Harley? I wouldn't have guessed that, but its better then Jessica or Brittany." He laughed and it stopped her heart. She blinked a few times before she finally came back to reality and smiled at him. "So." She said before leaning seductively onto the window. "I guess I didn't bore you?" He smiled at her as he slowly leaned in closer, she could smell the smoke from his breath as he spoke. "I wouldn't go that far doll face." She rolled her eyes and giggled. "It looked like you were pretty interested while you where staring at me." She let her fingernails run along the seal of the window. He chuckled before he leaned back with a smile. "Next time maybe me and you could get to know each other a little better." He slowly closed his eyes as he put both arms behind his head. "We will see about that." She said as she backed away from the car.

First chapter remaster! What did you think? I took out a few things and added some others. I hope you enjoy it non the less. :D