There wasn't hope in Gotham. There never had been hope, even when the Batman had arrived, hope was slipping further and further away from everyone. Gotham could never hope to recover its former glory, the glamor and glitz that had been built and ultimately destroyed by the wealthy.

It was interesting that Batman was trying to protect the city from crime, but Harley figured it wasn't really Gotham Batman was protecting, but his investments. She knew about his real identity and she was pretty sure Joker knew too. But what would the fun be in revealing it? There was a show to run and they couldn't do that if they stepped out of character.

It was always raining, it seemed. Tops of buildings disappeared into the clouds, city lights becoming halos glowing in the sky. Sirens were only white noise, played so frequently that they became a part of the hum. Harley shut her coal covered eyes to focus on the buzzing of her high, raising her right arm up slowly and letting her hand unclench fingers spreading. She was a silhouette to the men below, but they knew what she was doing. It was time.

Joker's white face and gruesome grin turned a gaze upon his Harley Quinn. Harley's own lips quirked into a smug expression, her tongue darting out to lick the top of her lips in anticipation. This night there would be no Batman. This night there would be no Robin. This night there would be no saving Gotham. With her hand up in the sky Harley suddenly dropped it gracefully, as if she were about to dance. That was all that was needed to make the men below move.

They darted into the building in front of them quickly. Guards overpowered easily enough, citizens hitting the ground in experienced practice. Joker casually followed behind, his purple coat tails flailing behind him in the wind, hands in pockets as he observed the systematic chaos. All who resisted were disposed of and all who didn't were unknowingly entered into a lottery of death.

Harley skipped her way into the building. No one understood the goals, not even the henchmen, but it didn't matter. Gotham's Courthouse was the last place anyone would have guessed Harley and Joker would go, but the first place Harley demanded when the Joker gave her free reign.

There was someone, she said, that she needed to take care of, and if she were going to take care of him, she wanted to do it in a spectacular display. The man in question had been in the papers recently, someone she had thought had died a while back...or at least she had hoped he had. But she had been wrong. He had been leaving a trail behind him of broken and abused little girls, just like her. They likely wouldn't end up the way she had—somewhere in between crazy and disturbingly sane. Really, she had toed the line for so long, Joker barely had to brush past her for her to tip.

Her third grade teacher, Mr. Gregor was due to appear in court today for his cruel crimes against small children. She would make sure he had his trial, but with a new jury and judge—herself and Joker.

Joker had been all too ready to agree with her plans. After all, what could be more fun than seeing Harley destroy the very man who had played such a pivotal role in her life? Not only that, but it was just the thing needed to push Harley further from sanity and give her closure at the same time. He didn't think it would satisfy her, he didn't think it would do anything other than harm her already fragile psyche, but Joker was always up for playing games. And besides, it was one less man to worry about taking up her thoughts.

And so the two of them, with henchmen surrounding all sides, marched to the information desk. A shaking woman sat huddled, pushing herself under the desk as far as she could. Green eyes stared up, tearful and frightened. She had dark hair pulled back in a tight bun and glasses hanging off a chain. It was her first day on the job. A job that was considered one of the safest in Gotham, despite the constant flow of criminals and cases. "'Cuse meh! Hey you! I need some informa-shun. I need ta know where Mr. Gregor's hearin' is! Can ya do that for me sweet heart?" The girl almost looked like she wouldn't reply, chin shaking and her face turning ashy white. Harley sighed and rolled her big blue eyes, glancing at her green-haired companion. Joker shrugged and then slammed his hand down on the desk, causing the girl to jump back with a shriek, tears finally bursting forth, "Hey, toots! Harls asked you a question! You better damn well answer it." With that, the girl rushed forward and began to frantically type into the computer, "Uhhh. Y-yes. Mr. Gregor's case is-s-s b-b-being held in courtroom 328." At that, Harley gave a huge smile, "Thank ya! Dontcha worry, I'll make sure ya get to live!" The woman gave a shaky nod and tried her best to not curl into a ball. Joker gave a howl of laughter as Harley grabbed his hand and pulled him towards the direction of courtroom 328.

It didn't take long to reach the mahogany doors of room 328. The sound of hushed murmurs and a gavel echoed through the hall. No one had informed the rest of the building of Joker and Harley yet, mostly because the alarm system had been disabled before they had decided to storm the building.

Joker kicked in the door with a finely made leather shoe, causing the door to splinter at the knobs and for the people inside to gasp in shock. Security guards wasted no time rushing at him, but Joker's lithe form easily avoided them, placing well practiced punches on them. Once they stumbled past him, he pulled a gun out, not even hesitating to pull the trigger. Two shots rang out and the guards were dead. Muffled screams could be heard and Harley had long ago walked past the Joker and the guards, slowly making her way up the walkway of the room. Her hips swayed seductively and she smirked at the terrified air of the room. There was Mr. Gregor sitting at the defense table, shaking and white. It wasn't long before she was standing in front of him.

"Oh hi! Long time no see, ay? Did ja miss meh?" Harley asked in a sing song voice, slowly crawling onto the table like a panther stalking its prey. Soon her nose was touching his, batting her eyes innocently. "Do ya like what ya see?" she lowered her body and turned so that she could lay down, chest in the air, back arched. She reached her slim arms up, wrapping slender fingers into his hair and pulled his head down for a kiss. He gave little resistance, terrified of the situation.

Suddenly Harley pushed him away and jumped off the table, dabbing her lips delicately with a handkerchief she had smoothly grabbed from his pocket when she pushed him away. "Ah, just like I remembered! Ya taste like coffee and cigarettes! Hmm..." Harley turned her baby blue eyes towards the ceiling and put a hand on her left hip, cocking her head in the same direction. "Ya know, ya also sorta taste like chicken dumplings! I bet your wife made ya some. She always made that for your lunch!"

At this point, the shaking man began to put the pieces together. He knew her or was supposed to, he was supposed to know this crazy Clown Mistress and she was finally here to do something, just like in his nightmares. He looked down to his right as he felt a cold, clammy hand grasp his shoulder. The fingers were bone white and callused, digging in painfully. Gregor fell to his knees, unable to withstand the pain. "Now, now Harley. You know I don't like you kissing other men!" A face appeared in front of Gregor's, a sneering bloody smile greeting him. Stretched white skin contrasted against his seniored wrinkles, a crooked crow's nose against his rather straight, shapely nose.

"Puddin! Ya said I could have this one!" Harley's voice whined, causing Joker to drop his staring contest and let go of the man. "You're right, Poo-bear! I am sorry. I almost forgot. Go ahead, pumpkin." Joker replied, though no humor was in his voice. Barely constrained frustration and anger filtered through, causing Gregor to scoot back a little, only to bump into the toned legs of Harley. She let a hand fall to grab his ear, pulling him to his feet as he yowled in pain. "Now, now! Ya gotta sit up straight! Ya gotta be a grown up! Remember? That's what you told me. That I had ta be a good girl and be a grown up!" The man shook his head in the negative, blubbering out words, "No...no...I...I...know...don't...Know you!" Harley gave a squeal of laughter, "Haha! Ya hear that Mistah J?! He says he don't know me!" Joker put his hands back in his pockets, looking around the room that had been evacuated not very long ago when people realized that Harley and Joker's attention were on Gregor. Even the Judge had abandoned his post. "Well, Harls, why don't you go ahead and remind the nice man?" Harley nodded thoughtfully, "I think I will!"

The man was tossed away, causing him to land on the ground. He was surprised by Harley's strength, having always viewed the female sex as weak. He stood quickly, planning to fight back, though he was shaking frantically. Joker rolled his eyes and pulled out a pack of cigarettes, lighting one and placing it between his lips, "I don't know why you think you can even get out of this," he mumbled, the cigarette bobbing with his words as he watched Harley's foot connect with the man's face. A sickening crack echoed through the room, followed by a howl of pain. "You bitch! You broke my nose! YOU BROKE MY FUCKING NOSE!" He yelled, blood dripping down his face in a flood. He ran towards Harley wildly, throwing out a fist. Harley side stepped and grabbed the back of his head, pivoting and raising her leg causing his face to collide with her knee. She could feel his face collapse and gave a happy giggle as the man fell.

He laid on his back, one leg outstretched and the other bent at the knee, kicking uselessly in hopes of regaining his footing. His hands covered his face, coated in more of his blood. He tried to speak, but his newly broken jaw and cheeks did not allow for anything intelligible to escape. His focus was lost to the overwhelming pain and Harley took a moment to observe him in his weakness. Joker stood by, taking slow puffs of his cigarette. Harley reached out a hand towards Joker and he wordlessly handed her his gun. Slowly she aimed it at the man writhing on the floor, level to his head. "Hey, Mistah! Look at me." The man barely registered her words, but did as he was told only to be faced with the barrel of the gun. Suddenly, a bang was heard and everything went black.

Not long after, Harley and Joker were inside of a car, a henchmen driving leisurely through the abandon parts of Gotham. Joker sat with Harley nestled in his side, head on his shoulder while his arm stretched across the seat behind her. He looked down at her, "Do you feel better after killing your teacher, toots?" Harley gave a large smile and looked at him, "Oh, Mistah J! That wasn't my teacher." Joker's smile faded, his expression replaced with one of confusion, "Then what were we doing?" Harley sat up and looked at him, leaning forward, "Well, I thought it was him! But then we got in there and uhh, well, I was so in the moment and he deserved it anyway, so I thought: well, why nottttt?" At that, the Joker let out a raspy, loud laugh, slapping his knee. "Oh, Harls, Ol' gal! I knew there was a reason I kept you around." He leaned forward and gave her a small peck on the lips and she returned it, giving a big smile when she pulled away.

"Thank ya, Mistah Jay!"