ARKHAM CITY: EPILOGUE
In a dark interrogation room in the Gotham City Police Department, Commissioner Gordon pulled a handcuffed woman to the table in that room. Her blonde hair held up in two long pigtails dyed black and white at the ends. On her face she wore a mask and had a lot of faded white makeup on, as well as very dark red lipstick. Under the makeup, her face was red, though she stayed silent, one could easily tell that behind the makeup, she had been crying her eyes out for hours.
Her name was Harleen Frances Quinzel, under the alias of Harley Quinn; she was the partner and lover of the late Jack Napier, A.K.A the Joker.
Arkham City had been shut down recently, and all former inmates from both Blackgate Prison and Arkham Asylum were returned to their cells.
Except Harleen.
"Miss Quinzel… He's here." Commissioner James Gordon stated flatly and cautiously as he opened the door to the dark room.
She didn't lift her head until she heard the faint swoosh of a cape, and the light brushing against the table. She slowly looked up at the figure in front of her, first catching a glimpse of the Black Bat-symbol on his chest, then seeing his unmoving face and his cold gaze. "He killed him…" She thought, "He… Killed… Him…" She thought again, blood rushing to her head and giving her a massive headache.
"You killed him!" She screamed, lunging for Batman, who caught her with relative ease, pushing the distraught woman into the wall, her hand behind her back. He threw her back into her chair. Blood dripped from her lip.
Neither said anything.
She breathed heavily and glared at him, while he looked silently, his expression as stone-cold as ever.
"It wasn't supposed to happen like this… He was supposed to get the cure." She said quietly, tears slowly dripping down her face.
"He would have." He said dryly.
"If you would have given it to him!"
Their moods seemed to even each other out, he was an emotionless structure, while she was an emotional train wreck.
"I would have given it to him."
"LIAR!" She shrieked again, throwing a punch, which he caught. He twisted her arm and she fell onto the ground.
"He attacked me and caused me to drop the vial I had to give to him."
She didn't say anything, but she was far from silent. Her breathing was uneven; she sobbed on the ground, and then curled into a fetal position.
Batman stood up and looked down at her, "Quinn." He said. She looked up at him, her lip trembling as she held back the tears. He pulled an object from his utility belt, and held it in front of her. Her eyes widened and she got on her knees.
"I know…" He said, handing her the object. It was a pregnancy test he had found in the steel mill. It read positive.
"I know everything."
She stood up and stared at the test, biting her lip as tears streamed down her cheeks, washing some of her makeup off. She put her hands on her stomach, and then looked at Batman again.
"You… You would've… Saved him… I know you would've… Because you would've saved me… Or anyone…"
"Yes."
"But he's gone now… Ain't nothin' gonna change that."
"Yes… I'm sorry."
Harley closed her eyes; the pain seemed too much to bear… The Joker was gone, and she finally realized one thing; she had no one to blame but Joker.
"Could you… Could you stay with me for a while?" She asked pitifully, tears of pain continuing to well up in her eyes. She stepped forward and put her arms around him, and without hesitation, he returned the gesture.
He held her for what seemed like several hours, when the police came in to take Harley back to her cell. She silently went with them, without complaint, without a fight. Batman took one of the policemen to his side.
"Listen to me, and listen good… That woman is pregnant with the Joker's child; I want her treated with respect… She is not to be sent to a regular cell in Arkham Asylum. The police will be hearing from me on this matter… Do I make myself clear?" The frightened policeman nodded to the intimidating Batman, then continued taking Harley to Arkham Asylum.
Batman left the GCPD, he watched as the police car transporting Harleen drove toward the Asylum.
"I know you're there… Come out." He said, as yet another caped figure appeared next to him.
"He's truly gone isn't he?"
"Yes… I watched it."
"He was a criminally insane monster who had attempted to kill more people than anyone in the history of the world… Why do I feel such pity?"
"Because, Tim…" Batman alleged, turning to Robin, "He was still human, a monster, a creature bent on making everyone's life in Gotham a living hell… but he was still human."
Batman and Robin looked over to where Arkham City once stood, the wall had been torn down and the buildings demolished.
"So this is what murder feels like…" Robin said, looking off.
"No, this is what failure feels like."
"Close enough."
Bruce launched a grappling hook to a structure in the distance and flew off, leaving Robin behind.
Tim looked to the sky and saw why Batman had left so abruptly, the bat-signal was in its place once again.
"God speed Batman."