A petite blonde stood off to the side of the room, a glass of champagne held between two fingers lazily. Her bright blue eyes examined the room, her lips naked and pursed together. She really did hate these events and the distaste was bitter in her mouth. A fundraiser for Arkham Asylum; it was ironic considering her past relationship with the place. The blonde sighed and lifted the drink to her lips as she thought back to memories she would rather forget. Arkham Asylum, a place in a twisted logic was once her home and once a place of work as a young naïve psychiatrist; which was until she had met him. She was past that now though, the irony that the place which had broken her had also rehabilitated her and now, Harleen Quinzel was an upstanding citizen in Gotham city. The woman once known as Harley Quinn living the boring life, establishing herself in her former profession in a small office down town and a tiny apartment. The only excitement she lived now was the romantic relationship with Gotham city's number one bachelor, Bruce Wayne.
Harleen chuckled to herself, who would have thought she would end up as arm candy for a man like him; not that she was complaining. Bruce was a sweet man, a bit on the mysterious side as he did tend to disappear at peculiar times but he treated her with a gentleness she had forgotten her fellow human beings possessed; unlike him. She quickly scolded herself and swept the fringe of her long blonde locks out of her face. She wouldn't think about that man, he didn't even deserve a place in her mind after what he did to her. Harleen felt an arm slide around her waist and she turned her head to smile at a man who was at least half a head taller than her; him sitting around the 6'2 mark and her an average 5'7. Bruce's blue eyes met hers and he placed a soft kiss on her forehead.
"How are you holding up, this can't be easy," His smooth voice had a slight gruffness to it and she slowly nodded her head. Bruce knew everything about her. At first he had been wary, expecting her to relapse but over time she had shown him that this time she was serious, that she no longer wanted a life of crime. Harleen wasn't sure how they began a relationship although it was gradual. Bruce had kept an eye on her, helped her stay on track and somewhere along the way feelings came into the mix.
"It's…difficult," she replied, offering no more than that. It was awkward talking about her ex and she knew it made him uncomfortable as they were both aware of the small niggling in the back of her mind and the constant struggle to keep her demons at bay; the demons that he created, "I may leave soon, if that's alright."
"Of course, don't push yourself," he smiled, his grip pulling her closer to him as a way of trying to calm her nerves, "Will you be going back to your apartment tonight?"
"I have work early in the morning so it's probably best. I know you have to stick around for a little while longer," Harleen knew he would offer to go with her but she realised he had obligations and her apartment wasn't far, "God, how long has it been…that life seems so long ago now."
"Three years, you've done well Harleen…I'm proud of you," The blonde blushed and looked to the floor, butterflies flittering in her stomach. Bruce turned her to him slightly and leant down, placing a small peck on her lips.
"Get going Harleen," He pulled away and she frowned at the distance. That was one downside to dating Bruce, he wasn't overly affectionate. No nicknames, no overly passionate affection unless they were in the bedroom. Sometimes Harleen really missed the spontaneity of her old life, she missed the way the excitement filled her with fire and made her whole body tingle; the way he would just grab her and make her feel wanted no matter where they were, "Harleen?"
"Oh, yes…sorry love," she went to make her way towards the exit when a loud bang filled the room and a cackling laugh erupted from up above. Harleen's eyes widened and her heart clenched. It had been years since that laugh graced her ears, the man it belonged to locked up and far away. People began to scream and men descended down on ropes, rounding people into groups in the centre of the floor.
Harleen tried to even out her breathing and let herself be rounded up, standing to the back of one group and taking her shoes off so she could make herself as small as possible and out of view. Harleen couldn't imagine what he would do if he saw her and the thought of it made her heart race with a mixture of fear and anticipation. People began to quieten as the rounding up was completed and Harleen knew he would be standing in the middle of the room, all attention on him.
"No invitation for little ol me! How very rude!" the amused voice echoed in the room and Harleen fought the urge to tiptoe to see the owner of it, "Now, ladies and gentlemen we are going to play a little game. You see due to my recent…vacay…I've run into a lack of funds so what better way to line my pockets with your wonderful charity," The groups of people where shoved as henchmen pulled out burlap sacks and indicated for them to place their valuables in. "What a wonderful joke don't you think. Here you all are, raising money to find a way to make me sane and here I am taking those wonderful donations to cause my mayhem on this fine city! But alas there always has to be a punchline does there not?" Harleen sighed, of freakin course there had to be. She held out her bag and dumped it into the sack, "Oh pumpkin pie! My little Harley, I know you're in here, the Harlequin to my Joker."
Harleen froze, her blue eyes wide. The hall echoed with footsteps. The Joker inspecting each group with his hands behind his back and wide, demented smile plastered on his face. He had forgotten about her, she had convinced herself he was done with her! Why, why now! He stopped in front of her group and his green eyes focused on her. Harleen let out a silent scream as he pushed those in front of her to the ground. The Joker looked exactly like she remembered him, his face bleached white, a large red smile drawn on like a carnival clown and his green hair slicked back. The Joker grabbed her arm, dragging her into the middle of the room with a deep frown set on his lips.
"What do you want," she whispered, trying to make herself come across as strong but failing when her voice cracked. The Joker raised his hand and placed it on her cheek, his thumb rubbing harshly over her lips. He stood up and began to rustle through the sacks of possessions, checking each bag and pulling out various lipsticks. The unwanted ones clattered to the floor and eventually he snickered, coming back over to her and grabbing her chin harshly. Harleen felt the creamy lipstick being applied to her lips roughly causing clumping due to the pressure of the stick being pressed down. The lines were messy, going past her lip line and she felt the stickiness around her mouth. The Joker still didn't look impressed and he looked around the room, pointing to two women.
"Hair ties! Now!" he snapped. The two women screeched as henchmen pulled at their hair harshly and Harleen wanted to cry. Her chest felt like it was about to cave in. Why, why was he doing this to her! The Joker parted her hair in the middle, yanking at it roughly as he tied it into two high pig tails. "There! That's my girl."
"Why are you doing this!" she cried out, pulling away from him and scrambling backwards. The Joker grabbed onto her foot, pulling her to him and slightly under him, "Please, just let me go."
"It's seems my little pooh, that you've forgotten who…you…are and who…you...belong…to," He smirked and his hand went to her throat, giving it a soft squeeze in a threating manor, "I do have to say what a brilliant joke! Bruce Wayne, I'm impressed!" He let her throat go and Harleen let out a relieved sigh only to cry out when a swift kick connected with her ribs, "How dare you think that you could leave me! I MADE YOU."
"P-please," she gasped out, clutching herself. The Joker kicked her again, a dangerous glint in his eye. This is why…this is why she had left him and started again.
"You belong to me Harleykins, you and me are two of a kind! A twofer!" The Joker leant down, his gloved hand grasping her arm and yanking her upwards. She slammed into his chest and his arm wrapped around her waist, another clasping her hand in a waltz like stance. Harleen glared at him as he led her around the room, music that only he could hear in his head guiding him, "Aren't you excited baby, I've come to break you free from this boring life! Me and you! Hitting the town together again!"
"I'd rather rot in hell, Joker," she spat even though her heart fluttered at his words. Her psychotic ex's face turned into a dangerous scowl and he stopped dancing to look at her, "Let go of me."
"Somebody needs to learn their place," his lips crashed down onto hers, his teeth taking her bottom lip between them and biting down harshly. Harleen cried out in pain but the Joker held her firm. The niggling in the back of her mind flared up and for a brief moment she lost herself in the violently passionate kiss, slipping into the darkness that was the Joker. Fire burned in her along with a need she hadn't felt in a very long time.
"Puddin'…," she whispered out. The Joker cackled again and pushed her away from him. Harleen stumbled backwards and toppled to the ground. Blood flowed from her lips, her already messy lipstick smudged across her face.
"Now ladies and gentlemen! Time for the real show!" The Joker raised his arms as if he was a conductor and pointed to one group of people. Guns being cocked was heard and people started to scream again. Harleen watched in horror as the group was mowed down in a hail of bullets, the Joker's maniacal laugh adding to the background noise, "BATSY!"
A commotion broke out as the caped crusader made his entrance. He came from the roof, just as the Joker had but his arms were spread out, his wings slowing his fall. He dropped between Harleen and the Joker, his focus solely on the escaped criminal who looked like he had been given a present. The gun fire stopped and all eyes were on the adversaries. Even with Harleen being on the straight and narrow Batman was still intimating, seeing him and the Joker face off made her blood speed up and her breathing laboured. She was excited, she knew she was but she had to restrain herself, she was no longer Harley Quinn.
"Are you okay?" The question was directed at her, even if he didn't look at her and she let out a small squeak, shuffling herself backwards. It was a very Harley Quinn like act, one that she regretted doing.
"Y-yes," she stammered. Harleen pushed herself off the ground on unsteady feet, she had to get out of here.
"Isn't this the reunion ae Batsy!" The Joker signalled to his hench men who circled around them. Harleen tried to get behind them to get out of the firing line but she was grabbed by both arms. A shot rang out as the Joker pulled out his gun and fired it, the bullet missing her by a fraction, "You're not going anywhere pumpkin pie!"
"Let her go Joker," Batman growled out, his voice threating and cold. The Joker wagged his finger, a fake sadness present on his face.
"You should know better Batsy, I don't like sharing my toys," The crazed man pulled a switch blade and lunged for his rival. Harleen could tell he was overjoyed with the scuffle. After all he believed him and Batman to be kindred spirits, their whole purpose to play a sick game of cat and mouse. Batman dodged the attack, hitting the Joker in the face and making him stumble backwards. Harleen let out a soft snicker, taking pleasure in seeing her ex-lover being bet down, "OW!"
"No more game's Joker, you're going back to Arkham," Batman twisted the Jokers arm behind his back, causing him to hop in a comical matter. Joker's small army of men attacked, Batman held onto his arch rival firmly, switching between hands to protect himself as well as kicking them back when he got the chance. The men holding Harleen hesitated, their grip slipped and she took the opportunity to escape, elbowing one in the gut she twisted and grabbed the others head, pulling it down onto her knee. The thrill of it made her eyes wild and they shone brightly. A gleeful laugh escaped her lips, how long had it been since she had fun like this!
"Harley baby, help daddy out will ya?" his tone was sweet but it made her feel sick. Help him? Why? When had he ever done anything to help her! He had left her to rot in Arkham and now when she had gotten her life back he decides he wants her again! The nerve of him!
"You belong in Arkham, Daddy," she spat out. Turning her back on him.
"YOU USELESS LITTLE! HOW DARE YOU! YOU THINK JUST BECAUSE I LET YOU HAVE A FEW YEARS OF FREEDOM THAT YOU CAN DEFY ME!" she could hear him struggle and she could picture his angry face in her mind. Harleen had seen it many times, suffered many bruises and yet a part of her yearned for him, "I OWN YOU!"
"That's enough Joker," the vigilante growled. The Joker twisted free somehow, moving quicker than anyone expected and Harleen groaned as her face hit the ground. A fist pulling at one of her pigtails and a heavy weight sitting on her back.
"Enjoy your little fantasy while it lasts Pumpkin Pie, you'll come crawling back to me just like you always do," She yelled out as hit bit down on her neck, blood dripped down from the wound and she felt a wet kiss be placed on her cheek. The weight on her back disappeared and smoke filled the room, people started shouting, hysterical laughter faded away and Harleen lay on the ground, to stunned to move.
With a shaky hand Harleen touched her swollen lips. The dark red lipstick still smudged and her hair still in ponytails. It was the first time in years she had seen Harley Quinn in her reflection. Nostalgia hit her, a small smile fluttering to her lips as she thought about that kiss. Even after all this time he could still ignite a flame in her stomach that made her want to follow him to the ends of the earth. Harleen sighed, he really was perfect but he wasn't for her, not anymore. She reached up and tugged the hair ties out and grabbed a flannel to wash her face. It stung when she reached her lips, the bite marks raw and slowly scabbing over. The one on her neck was covered in a bandage, looked after by the medics due to possible infection.
When the makeup was off she stared at her reflection again, slightly disappointed with the person staring back. Plain old Harleen Quinzel, boring Harleen Quinzel. She began to brush out her blonde hair before jumping into bed, Bruce already there waiting for her. Her boyfriend gave her a worried look but she just gave him a small shrug, not knowing what to say to him. A part of her felt abandoned by him, he hadn't been there when she needed him and the other part of her felt guilty. Seeing the Joker stirred something in her, something she knew wasn't right.
"Are you okay?" she rolled over to her side, facing the wall. She really wasn't in the mood to talk. Bruce wrapped and arm around her, pulling her to him and placed a light kiss on her cheek, "Harleen?"
"Where were you," she muttered, scrunching her hands into her pillow. It hurt, he had promised he wouldn't let her down.
"I couldn't get to you Harleen, those thugs were in my way," it was a weak excuse and she couldn't help but think that Mistah J would have fought his way to her. Harleen sighed, she really needed to stop thinking thoughts as that, they would get her in trouble, "I'm sorry Harleen."
"Goodnight Bruce," she closed her eyes, ignoring the way he sighed at her response. She had every right to be mad!
