"Tell those journalist vultures outside that it's an injury. God forbid the media get any information."
Exactly when it had happened, nobody could really tell but it was quite obvious they weren't meant to find out. Joker and his main squeeze Harley Quinn had vanished from Arkham - as was usual - a few months ago without a trace and everyone had assumed they were either dead or leaving town. As of now, the police and doctors of Arkham were the only ones who knew any differently and they intended to keep it that way.
Harley had turned herself in only hours ago, in the very beginning of labor and very heavy with child. They'd done all they could to make her comfortable at the Asylum, but things were escalating rather quickly between the delivery and the throngs of news crews outside.
As he hurried down the hall of the asylum, Commissioner Gordon looked between the two guards flanking him, motioning that they go assist with the situation outside. They were just as shaken as he was and equally confused. The night had been one of uncertainty and a fair deal of confusion from all sides. As the two younger men shuffled off, the commissioner directed his attention to Harvey Bullock, whom had been following him down the hall.
"Go make sure security is tight. I don't want anyone in or out of this floor and I want the building sealed off." The guards hurried out, leaving the police commissioner to the silence.
"Jim." A deep voice sounded from behind him, but he didn't jump. He was used to this by now.
If it had been any other night, Jim may have flinched (as was his usual response to the Batman's impromptu entrances.) Looking to his ally, the two exchanged a nod of greeting.
"How is she?" The Batman asked in his gruff voice.
"Quinn? She's alright. We had a little trouble keeping her restrained so the doctors could deliver. Odd that she'd turn herself in." Gordon watched as Batman glanced towards the window, the roar of police sirens and the dozens of news crews below muffled by the asylum's thick walls.
"She's scared, like all new mothers…" Batman muttered.
"Scared enough not to go back to him, hopefully… Considering everything that's happened. She's lucky the child's father didn't decide to abort Harley himself. I doubt he wanted this to happen."
"He would have done something about it, if he didn't think he'd get something out of this…" The grim detective pointed out, cold face set in stone at Commissioner Gordon.
The two fell silent at this. They knew they couldn't keep the public at bay for long. Someone would slip up, and that would mean a lot of problems for the innocent unborn Harley was in the process of delivering. Who in their right mind would defend the son or daughter of a mad man and his equally insane girlfriend?
Unfortunately, only the two men in the room, apparently.
"Commissioner Gordon, we - Oh!" A knock at the door interrupted their thoughts as a nurse bustled in only to be startled by the sight of Batman.
"He's here to help. How is Harley?"
"We need to move her to a hospital. We really don't have the equipment here to care for the baby after birth… Ms. Quinn's doing well in labor, but we're concerned that without the proper care..."
"That's fine. I'll arrange for an escort. Thank you." The commissioner looked at Batman. "Meet you there?" He asked.
The Dark Knight was already gone, the soft flutter of his cape in the mild night breeze the only signal of his presence. Soon, even that was gone.
The commissioner followed the nurse to Arkham's Infirmary. He froze at the sight of Harley being wheeled down the hall, her eyes glazed in pain as another wave of contractions hit.
"My baby… I want Mr. J please get him please!"
A paramedic gently held her shoulder to keep her from trying to sit up. "Please stay still, Miss Quinn."
"N-no! No, Mr. J can't miss it he promised me! He PROMISED!" The clown girl wheezed, her usually lively demeanor and voice sucked dry of energy.
"We're taking you to Gotham General. Please calm down."
"…Hnn! No… He won't know w-where to find me… he won't be-…" She squeaked out before another fit of screaming.
The Commissioner followed them out the back of Arkham, where they were just barely keeping the media and press back from the gates. The world had gone to hell in a couple of hours, and it had started with this small, tiny problem. Gordon's heart ached for the tiny life being brought into the world under such chaotic circumstances. Something so innocent had come from two people who were so deranged…
"Commissioner, we have room for one more in the ambulance… like a ride?" A paramedic asked. Gordon nodded quickly and jumped in.
"…How's the baby? Is it…"
"Alive, yes, but the sooner we get there the better." The paramedic answered simply, helping Harley through another wave of contractions.
Gordon sat back a bit to give them space, lifting his radio. "We're ready to depart. Squad cars prepare for an escort to Gotham General."
The ambulance arrived after only a few minutes, and they rushed both mother and child into the hospital, a group compiled of doctors and police officers dashing down the hall with Harley in tow. The doctors all seemed anxious and on edge, as if expecting the Joker to burst in at any moment.
It wasn't long before Harley delivered her tiny son and had been prepared to kick and fight the moment the baby had given his first cry.
"Give me my baby! Give him give him GIVE HIM DAMN IT!" She'd shrieked, only intensifying her child's own cries. The doctors had had to wrestle her to the bed to sedate her enough to even let her hold the little boy.
The doctors gave her just enough space, standing at the edges of the room while police officers stood guard outside the door. Harley was in her own little world, tearful and smiling peacefully as she tried to quiet her shrieking infant son.
"It's okay baby… I kn…know they scared you bad, huh? Those mean bad doctor types…" Harley slurred, fighting the sedatives in her system. "But you don't gotta worry now. I'm your mommy. I'm gonna keep you safe, okay? Safe an' snug as a little bug. Hee!"
Commissioner Gordon entered the dimmed room quietly, observing the scene along with the terrified doctors. Harley bounced the child to try and quiet him, which finally seemed to work. The black haired boy's crying turned into soft whimpers and gurgles as a weary smile grew across Harley's face.
"You look just like your daddy. Y'got his hair an' I betcha get his laugh, too… his beautiful laugh…" She giggled to herself, rocking him against her chest before continuing in a hush. "You make me so happy, baby. Y'daddy makes me happy, too… We're gonna be a happy little family."
One doctor seemed to grow bold and moved forward. "Miss Quinn, we really need to take him now. He needs medical attention-"
"N-…no. No he needs ME. He's MY baby an-… and he needs his… his mommy! Right baby? Happy baby…"
The doctor approached and summoned an orderly forward to assist, gently tugging the baby from Harley's lethargic grip. As she reached, the orderly held her back to which she responded with as much energy as she could muster.
"No… no lemme go! Let go a'me! Give him back to me! GivE HIM BACK NOW! GIVE ME MY BABY!"
"You need to rest, miss. He'll be okay. They're just going to clean him up and-"
"Don't you lie to me! I know wh-what this this I KNOW! You're trying to take him away from me 'cause you think I'm gonna hurt him! HE'S MINE! YOU CAN'T TAKE HIM!"
Gordon stepped forward, wanting to intervene - it broke his heart to hear the pain in her voice - but he stopped himself, teeth grit and fists clenched. This was for the best.
"PLEASE! GiVE Him BACK TO ME! GivE HIM BACK!"
Harley sobbed until she was finally sedated again, going out like a light. The commissioner stepped into the hall, taking a seat to process everything. This all felt so… surreal. Like some kind of tragic nightmare. His guilt tugged at his chest. Harley was likely never going to see her child again and thought that was for the child's best interest, he couldn't help but feel it was cruel. Stopping a nurse as she left the room, he tried to ease his conscience a bit.
"Let her name him. She deserves that much. Even if you can't let her see him again, at least let her name him. Understand?"
The shaken nurse nodded slowly before bustling off to help elsewhere.
The baby was put in the maternity ward to rest. After a cup of coffee in the waiting room, only once the hustle and bustle had calmed, he moved to the empty window where he'd stood years ago when Barbara had been born. He remembered the joy and pride he'd felt, gazing into the room where his tiny little girl slept. Now, it was where a madman's son lay blissfully unaware of his own origins. Gotham had a record of ruining happy memories. His chest rose and fell as he slept and his fisted hands moved only slightly.
"How's the child?" the Dark Knight asked, making his presence known from the corner.
"You still think you can surprise me, don't you?" Gordon asked, turning to look at Batman whose face remained the same. The commissioner smirked and looked at the baby once more. "He's fine. Care to look?" He asked over his shoulder.
Batman didn't answer. He simply stood there and clutched his hidden fists at his sides hesitantly.
"It's a baby, Batman… not a bomb." Commissioner Gordon summoned him over. Soon the Dark Knight walked to peer past the window and into the tiny glass case.
Gordon watched for an emotion from the knight and to his surprise he scored a sight at a rare smirk. It quickly vanished and Batman stepped backwards towards the wall, clearing his throat. "Where will he go?"
"Probably into the system… I don't suppose the state is going to allow Harley to keep him."
"Joker has enemies… and they'd do anything to get to his kid. I'm not too terribly convinced that Joker is as uninterested as he seems to be."
"I'll work with my relocation people. They'll get him to a foster home off the radar and as long as nobody tells him who he is, he'll be fine."
"Someone's already let the news leak, Jim. By tomorrow morning, there's no doubt in my mind that it'll be all over the news." Batman sighed.
Gotham's Knight stepped to the open window to take his leave, but was stopped by a commotion out in the hallway. Batman stayed in place while Jim rushed to see what the rush was about. A doctor approached him quickly, the same one who'd assisted in the ambulance, his eyes widened in panic.
"Commissioner Gordon!"
"What is it? Is Harley awake? Did she get out?"
"No, no sir it isn't Harley… It's Joker! He's just set off a bomb on main street at the parade."
"Parade?" Batman glanced off towards downtown Gotham where an unusual luminescence hovered near main street. A vibrant array of flashing purple gold and green accompanied music he could almost hear from here. The date had escaped him, but all too soon he remembered what today was and what significance it may have to Joker, other than the birth of his son.
"Mardi Gras…"
"Batman, do you think it might be a diversion to get us away from the hospital and Harley?"
"I doubt it, but stay here with a team. I'll handle Joker." The detective growled, heading for the window. He caught the Commissioner's gaze.
"Good luck."
The two said their silent goodbye - duty called, after all - and Gordon was ready to head down to set up a perimeter and order teams to main street before he turned back to the sleeping baby, curious.
Looking to the clipboard on the boy's bed, he was given confirmation that the nurse had done as he'd asked. Harley was the only one who would have devised such a name for her son and the commissioner felt second hand embarrassment.
"Happy Jack Quinnzel…" He read aloud, looking the peacefully sleeping boy swaddled in blue.
"Lucky you get to sleep through all of this." He muttered before turning to leave the boy.
