Chapter 2: Taken
Five days later:
It was a typical night in Gotham, police sirens blaring and the wind making it even colder. To make things worse, the police are currently in pursuit of Joker and Harley. This is a regular occurrence for the Gotham P.D.
Joker and Harley were being chased by the police after an armed robbery at a jewelry store, they did it so they could hire people to get things for their daughter, but the worst thing was they had their daughter with them and she was not happy.
"We have to get out of here!" Harley yelled, clutching her baby in one arm and a gun in the other.
The noise from gun shots frightened Joanna and she began crying, but was hushed and comforted by her mother.
"Shhhh…shh… it's ok mommy's here" Harley soothed Joanna and gently bounced her up and down.
"Don't worry doll we'll shake the cops one way or another" Joker reassured.
"PULL OVER!" a policeman shouted over the blaring sirens only to get his tires blown out by Harley.
"So long suckers!" she shouted when they were no longer being followed; by the police that is.
Once they arrived back at their hideout, Harley put Joanna to bed in her makeshift crib that was in another room. Joanna instantly fell asleep. Seeing this, Harley walked back into the main room to argue her concerns with Joker who was waiting in the main factory area.
Batman was following the couple's every move and found their hideout 'they think they can get away well they're wrong' he thought silently entering the old factory. He watched the couple from the shadows as they went into another room but he was curious to what Harley had in her arms 'that isn't anything from the store' he thought and he swore he saw the bundle move. Batman had already informed the police to the whereabouts of the Joker and Harley Quinn and they were on the way. As he approached the room they were in he heard them arguing but it was quiet, like they didn't want anyone to hear, or didn't want to wake something.
"I told you we shouldn't have brought her with us" Harley whispered.
"I didn't expect the cops to show so quickly and it's not like we can call a sitter" Joker argued.
"Well what's done is done but from now on she'll be staying here, no way she's ready she maybe our…" she started only to be shushed by Joker.
"Shush… we're being watched" he said.
"All right Batsy you can come down now" Joker laughed. Batman jumped down from the beam he was on and landed right in front of them.
"So you knew I was here" he said.
"Of course I'm more vigilant than in our last encounters" he smirked.
"And why is that?" Batman asked.
"That's none of your business" Harley answered in an angry, but quiet tone.
"But it is my business to protect the innocent and I saw something in your arms Harley and it wasn't jewels" Batman said calmly.
"You will not take her away from us!" Harley screamed as Joker pulled a gun, a .46 magnum, and put it to Batman's face.
Joker didn't get a chance to fire one shot before sirens were heard. He knew it was only a matter of time before they would find his daughter, but he was going to fight until the very end to keep his child.
"Looks like reinforcements have arrived" Batman said while they looked but when they turned around Batman disappeared into the shadows.
"Where'd he go?" Harley asked, but was brought down and fell unconscious.
"HARLEY! Tonight you die Batman!" Joker shouted and started shooting wildly. Batman successfully dodged every bullet and waited until the gun was empty.
"Damn" Joker muttered as Batman brought him down as well. The police and Arkum doctors came into the factory a few minutes after the shooting had stopped and arrested Joker and Harley for a list of crimes, without the inclusion of the jewelry store robbery. They were both put into straightjackets and hauled out of the factory. After the arrests police commissioner Gordon walked next to Batman. Both Batman and Gordon were unaware that they were going to get the biggest shock of their lives when little Joanna decided to make her presence known.
"Thanks for the help Batman" Gordon said.
"No problem" Batman said, with little emotion.
"So what was with all the shooting? I mean I know they have a grudge against you but that sounded like they were trying to keep you away from something" he asked. As Batman was about to answer a small cry was heard somewhere in the factory. Joanna had woken up.
"What was that?" Gordon asked.
"It sounded like a baby" Batman said and he went in search of the noise.
Batman was getting closer to the source of the crying and what he found surprised even him, it was a baby. The five day old infant was sitting in a make-shift crib surrounded by large, fluffy blankets and stuffed animals. And when she saw him she started reaching for him like he was her mother and whimpering for him to pick her up.
"I don't believe it" he muttered under his breath 'this child can't possibly be theirs' he thought, but as he pulled the covers back he saw a little patch of green hair, he also concluded that the child was a girl because of all the pink blankets, pink pajamas, and girly toys. He picked up the baby girl and bundled her up so she wouldn't get cold from the outside weather and she snuggled into his arms and fell asleep. Batman brought her out to the awaiting officers, who in turn gasped seeing the little girl in Batman's arms.
"NO. YOU CAN'T HAVE HER!" the cops looked back to see Harley and Joker, who had woken up minuets earlier, screaming and attempting to get out of their restraints and the Arkum Asylum armored car. The lieutenant walked up to the truck and used his cocky attitude to ask a simple question.
"Did you kidnap this kid?" lieutenant Harvey asked.
"NO! She's our daughter and you're not taking her away from us!" Harley screamed. All the officers gasped and looked at each other. Harvey backed up and looked at the commissioner. Batman also turned to the commissioner with the child in hand.
"It's true commissioner. Look at her" Batman said holding out the baby girl, whom was still sound asleep in his arms. Gordon looked at the supposed daughter of the Joker and saw the patch of green hair on her head "well what do you know they had a kid. And it looks like there's going to be a new addition to the adoption agency" a rookie said, looking back at the child's parents.
"NOOOOOOO! GIVE ME MY JOANNA!" Harley screamed as the truck drove away to the asylum.
"This little one is lucky and hopefully she'll never know her parents" one rookie said.
"She's not out of the woods yet rookie we need to get her to the hospital so they can see if she will have a future other than what her 'parents' wanted her to be" commissioner Gordon said as he took the baby from Batman and took her to the hospital.
~Arkum Asylum~
Orderlies and doctors are having a difficult time controlling their repeat offenders Joker and Harley Quinn. The doctors were notified about the child and were ordered to keep the child's location from the both of them. They knew that there would be no stopping Joker and Harley from trying to get their daughter back, but they had to do everything in their power to protect her.
"GET ME A SEDATIVE NOW!" the doctor yelled, while four orderlies attempted to restrain Joker and two restraining a frantic Harley.
"LET GO OF ME! YOU WILL NEVER KEEP US AWAY FROM JOANNA!" Harley continued to scream, but a doctor finally got the sedative and the orderlies were holding her still.
"Now this will help you sleep and after you calm down maybe we'll talk about Joanna" the doctor said calmly.
"AHH!" Harley shouted as the needle pierced her skin, but then she started to drift off into sleep. Next, it was Joker's turn. He was slightly calmer than Harley, but he was still very much upset and the doctors and orderlies knew it would be extremely difficult to sedate him when he was like this.
"All right Joker you can go quietly or we can sedate you" the doctor said.
"You think you can tell me what to do" Joker said, laughing. "Well think again".
Without warning, Joker slipped out of his straightjacket and the guards grip. He jumped passed the doctor and ran toward the exit. Thankfully, the orderlies brought a tranquilizer gun with them. They quickly loaded and shot the dart. It hit its mark dead on. Joker went down laughing like he always does.
Next day…
Joker and Harley sat in their cells thinking about the previous night and their daughter. They were also thinking about how they were going to get her back. The orderlies made sure to keep them separate, they put them in different wings, but overlooked the vents that connected their cells.
"So mista J, are we gonna get our daughter back today?" Harley asked quietly through the vent.
"No, not today Harley, we won't be able to get her back anytime soon while we are under maximum security lockdown." Joker said smiling.
"But I want her back now!" Harley said, obviously upset.
"I know Harley and we will get her back, just not now. Be patient and everything will fall into place" He said reassuringly.
"OK puddin', but I can't wait until she's in my arms again" Harley said
"I know Harley and she will be with us again someday" Joker said smiling and chuckling to himself.