Chapter 1: The Savior

Pier at Gotham Bay 02/03/2012 21:00

She could still hear the water rushing in her ears and feel the pressure of her car door that had been crushing her. The blackness that was threatening to swallow her whole was receding to the very edge of her vision. She coughed up the remaining water in her lungs as she noticed the steel arms encircling her.

'Puddin?' She croaked.

The low growl she received in response could have only belonged to one person and she felt herself quake in fear. Even she thought Mr. J had gone too far this time. He had killed one of the robin pets. The sweet red one. He had always been sweet and kind. Mr J was just frusterated with his current stream of setbacks with Bats and took it out on the little red broken bird.

When the news broke of his death Gotham seemed to freeze in unified terror. No one knew what would happen when Batsy would return from mourning. Would he mourn at all or take a step into the terrifying abyss that all of crime feared he would cross over to one day? If he did, it would be death for all of crime in Gotham, even Ivy left Gotham. Every crime boss in gotham had turned into model citizens, gun trades were coming in through different cities and petty crime was at an all time low. It was unnerving.

It hadn't even take 24 hours and the Batman was back on the streets. He was definitely greiving and may the Bat God's help anyone who so much as littered. She had heard that Penguin had tried to bring in some new narcotic two weeks ago and he and everyone involved were still in critical condition in the hospital.

She blinked her eyes wildly to dispel the water. Bats was resting her on a pier. His body was leaning over hers, his face hovering over hers. Well, if it was the last face she was going to see it wasn't the worst face to see. Two face would be worse, definitely worse, or maybe Black Mask...

She surveyed the damage around her. There were bits of her fancy italian sports car all over the peir. Ok, the car wasn't hers but it wasn't technically stolen either. It was from the Police Impound Unit. No one would miss it! No one even knew it was there, except Bats. He knew stuff about the police they didn't. It was unnerving.

He raised his hand and she cringed, squeezing her eyes closed. Was he going to hit her death like the little red robin? Strike her with the butt of his grapple gun, cut her to ribbons with a batarang? She felt her body tremble. His hand ghosted up the side of her face and tucked a flyway hair strand behind her ear while he shone a light horizontally in her eyes.

'Harley.' He growled.

She flinched again waiting for the killing blow but what she got stunned her into silence. His hands had slid up her arms rubbing them soothingly and patting them in a routine manner. It took her a moment to realize he was checking for injuries while trying to calm her. Why would he do that? He began to speak but it was a soft quiet voice, not the angry menacing voice that was always associated with the Bats. He was using a kind voice that made her shoulders relax and her heart rate stabilize. It was possibly the last reaction she ever thought she would have illicited from batman. It was eerie.

'Harley. Are you hurt? That was a bad accident. How are you not dead, Harley?'

She stared at him dumbly. Maybe it was a different Bats, maybe he got a replacement? He waved a light in front of her eyes again and shook her shoulders.

'Damn it, Harley! Harley!' He shook her shoulders harder and it snapped her back to reality. She blinked and opened her mouth but nothing came out. She was looking at him now, really looking at him. Looking passed the cape that swallowed darkness, and passed the cold iron muscular chest, and finally passed the cruel dark mask. He wasn't dark looking at all.

He was mess. His eyes had deep black circles under them and his face was smudged with dirt or something. He had stubble from several days of not shaving. As her eyes scanned him over she noticed his uniform wasn't polished or pristine. There were frays and dents that showed wear and tear. The deeper she looked the more frightened she became. This Batman was unhinged, he was falling apart. Maybe he was already apart. She felt herself scramble backwards as it dawned on her. An unstable Batman was more terrifying than an angry, upset, or vengeful Batman. She backed up until she hit something hard. She screamed as something lodged itself in her shoulder.

He walked towards her slowly as if she was a terrified animal. He held one hand outstretched and stayed eye level. It was a calming tactic, aimed not to scare an already scared being.

'Harley. I need to look at your back. I won't hurt you.' She pushed herself tighter against whatever she had run into. She could feel her fingers submerged in something sticky and wet on the floor. She didn't know this Batman. This Batman was very very dangerous.

She didn't realized but she was muttering all of this out loud. As the last words left her lips she heard them being echoed back to her.

'Harley think back, I've never hurt you. I only want to save lives, not end them. You're bleeding and you need medical attention.'

She nodded her head, her body shivering. This was not Batman. Batman did not speak in calm tones. Batman did not go out in a ripped cape. Her head started to swim.

'It's my mission. My life's work. I won't hurt you Harley Quinzell. How many times have I caught you falling out of windows? I just want you safe Harley.'

She paused.

'Mr. J-' She whispered

'You're not the Joker. You are you're own person and responsible for your own actions.' He had been slowly sliding next to her. She could feel his breathe on her now. It was terrifying.

She stared into his deep bottomless eyes.

'Don't hurt me. Please.' The words barely left her lips and she passed out face first in Batman's arms.