Title: Could Wait Forever

By: Amanda

Feedback: sweety167@yahoo.ca

Rating: PG

Disclaimer: I do not own anything B:TAS related. Harley is owned and created by a very nice man!

Summary: A little trip into Harley's mind.

Completed: September 30, 2003

Harley cowered in the dark corner of the converted toy factory. She was whimpering and shaking like a beaten dog. Mostly because she was, in fact, beaten. Her small ruby lips were split and bleeding. Her harlequin face smeared and bruised and bloody. She had opened her mouth again. He had told her over and over again, but she just never learned. So he had to teach her. And she knew she deserved it when her Mista J beat her.

She would speak or try to cuddle during his cartoons. That was a no-no, but only warranted a swift slap across her running mouth. But what she did was a sin. She actually corrected him – a complete slip of her cracked sanity. The Joker was never wrong, and yet she spoke and corrected him.

"But Puddin', you're wrong" had earned her the prompt beating. She needed to be re-taught. The stupid girl.

But she had always known he was like this. All her psychiatric training told the Doctor Quinzelle about his violent tendency, his god-like rage, but why hadn't Harley seen it? That first smack across her made-up face scared her. Thrilled her. And she stayed. Broken bones and bloodied sheets. She stayed. The giggle threaded threats. She stayed. She just never learned. Harley never learned and the doctor had quit on her. She only had the Joker now…

She pulled her small frame into a tighter ball, carefully cradling her arm. For being a wiry guy the Joker could really pack a punch and a kick and a slap. He could have killed her with his bare hands, but this was a lesson and ment to be lived through. That ment he loved her. If he didn't he would have just killed her and not invested the time nor the effort into making her better. She knew that. That was the reason she stayed – he only beat her because he loved her. The important thing was he loved her. She could hold on to that for as long as it took – as long as it took for him to settle with her. As long as it took for her to learn. She could wait forever.

"Harls?" a pale, white hand extended into the shadows.