Winter had taken hold of Gotham, blanketing the city in a deep snow, the air icy as it's inhabitants tried their best to navigate the frozen streets, many choosing instead to hide away in the warmth of the indoors.
Running a shaky hand down her face Harley watched the ice creeping it's way slowly up the outer side of the bathroom window before glancing at the clock nervously and pointedly placing the little white stick down on the top of the toilet.
Why was three minutes so damn long?
It wasn't supposed to be like this.
Lifting her gaze to her own reflection in the grubby little mirror Harley tried to make sense of reality but she couldn't stop the heart wrenching pain deep, deep inside.
It wasn't supposed to be like this, she wasn't supposed to feel like this.
The harlequin had played this particular event thousands, millions of times in her head and it had never been like this.
It was spring and sun shone through the window of their little house with a white picket fence and roses grew around the front door. She would feel elation as blue birds sat on the window sill and sang their song for her and her news.
It wasn't supposed to be like this.
It was in fact the bleak mid winter and she was sat in a dingy flat in the Narrows with nothing but the dregs of Gotham outside her front door. She had this feeling of impending doom, dreading the result she may see, which in all honesty she knew all ready and lets face it birds only sang on your window sill in a Disney movie. This wasn't a movie, this was reality and she couldn't stand it.
Lifting her hand to her face again she prodded the freshly stitched gash on her forehead and winced at her loose, uneven stitches, mentally shaking herself for such a poor job at patching herself up.
'Honey I'm home'
Came Joker's cajoling voice as he slammed the front door unceremoniously behind him. Gasping Harley cursed underneath her breath and grabbed the test from off the toilet, he wasn't meant to be home just yet.
Unbuttoning his overcoat Joker stepped further into his hideout singing an old song as he skipped and danced his way down the hall.
'My funny valentine, Sweet comic valentine, You make me smile with my heart,
Your looks are laughable …'
Kicking open his bedroom door with a twirl he tossed his cars keys onto his dressing table and admired his reflection in the mirror.
' ….Unphotographable, Yet you're my favorite work of art! Is your figure less than Greek?
Is your mouth a little weak?'
Turning Joker spotted the light peeping through from beneath the bathroom door and his grin grew as he crossed the hall and flung the door open carrying on with his song as if Harley were just a straight-man to his performance.
'When you open it to speak, are you smart? '
Beaming down at his moll he hauled her up into his arms, chuckling at her squeak before waltzing around the little bathroom with her.
'But don't change a hair for me,Not if you care for me,Stay little valentine stay,Each day is Valentines day'
'I thought you were in Metropolis for the next three days Puddin'?'
Frowning as she was twirled and then plonked down on to the toilet seat Harley smiled weakly at her beau who was beaming down at her in pure elation, she hadn't seen him in this good a mood for a very long time.
'H-have you been drinking Mistah J?'
Scoffing at her remark Joker crossed his arms and gave her a playful pout the spark igniting further in his eyes. Chuckling to himself he leaned over and breathed obnoxiously in her face before tutting at the blond who wrinkled her nose and turned away.
'I'm as sober as the Bat sweet cheeks! I had one with Lex to be polite of course. Daw come on is this what I get as my welcome home present? Honestly, Lex wanted me to babysit something for him so I thought why not go back home and ..' Trailing off Joker paused for a moment and frowned at Harley who was sat gazing up at him with her usual wide eyed look of adoration but something was wrong, he couldn't quite put his finger on it but something was definitely up. He noticed small specks of congealed blood under her fingernails from an amateur attempt to wash blood off her hands, studying her face again his frown increased as he lifted her bangs to reveal an deep, angry looking cut across her forehead.
'What happened Pooh?' He asked trying his best to look concerned as he prodded the stitch work that a two year old would have done a better job of watching as Harley winced at his action and shrugged nonchalantly.
'I-I slipped over when I went out earlier.' She replied quietly her finger nervously fiddling with the hem of her denim hot pants.
Nodding slowly he straightened up watched her eyes darting around the room, they fell everywhere except the bathroom cupboard, no it wasn't her injury that was wrong.
'Yes, yes the ice is quite treacherous out there, I nearly skidded on the drive up, you should be more careful. Why did you go out anyway pumpkin? Why not send one of the boys to run an errand in this weather?'
Harley shook her head and shut her eyes tightly in a bid to ease the anxiety that gripped her stomach in a vice like grip as Joker stepped closer towards the bathroom cupboard door.
'I-I don't know, I-I forgot'
'That we have henchmen? Really? Tut tut Harley you can lie better than that!' Joker teased before swinging open the cupboard door and spotting 'the' red sports bag shoved hastily behind some towels. Dragging it out he threw it at Harley's feet with a glare and stormed off back towards their bedroom and flung open the wardrobe doors.
Empty coat hangers clinked and clanged together like laughter.
Inhaling deeply, Joker closed his eyes and counted slowly to ten before turning on his heel and walking back towards Harley who pressed herself up against the toilet with a whimper.
'Where?' He asked simply leaning against the door frame, Joker crossed his arms and studied the tiles on the floor.
'I-um-I'
Where Harley?'
'Reds' Harley muttered slowly watching his every move as Joker snorted and rolled his eyes at her obvious answer before meeting her gaze with a cold stare.
'You gonna tell me what I've done wrong this time? Or were you planning on just waltzing off into the night?'
'Nothing' She squeaked immediately, cowering away from Joker as he cocked an eyebrow and laughed at her ridiculous remark.
'Nothing?'
'N-No. I mean that – that it's me. I-I need some space to think things through.' Harley explained, it was a half truth at least and judging by the way he unfolded his arms and looked up at her he seemed to buy it.
'You need space?' Joker repeated spotting again how she fiddled with the hem of her denim shorts, it was like the bathroom cupboard all over again, this was turning into quite the game of Cluedo and he was quickly losing the humour of it. 'Do I look like I have a cape and tights? What are you hiding Harley, show me, now.' He demanded pushing himself off from his spot he stepped further into the bathroom and tapped his foot impatiently his hand outstretched ready for her compliance. Swallowing, Harley scrambled from off the toilet and backed away towards the bath tub frantically trying to think of a way out but coming up with nothing.
'M-Mistah J please just, just give me a sec to explain I-' Before she could finish Joker's fist collided heavily with her cheekbone causing her to stumble and fall against the bath. Storming over Joker pinned the pleading girl against it and delved his hand into the waistband of her shorts and pulled out what was concealed there.
A pregnancy test sat right in the palm of his hand.
Nodding slightly Joker sat back on his haunches as the world seemed to vanish from beneath his feet leaving him quite giddy.
'What's the result?' He eventually forced out, it seemed the correct response to this sort of thing.
'I, I, I' Harley stuttered still slightly dazed from when he had struck her.
Joker had had enough.
He had tried.
He had tried so hard to be understanding and patient but the damn girl seemed completely unable to play her part right. Growling in frustration Joker grabbed hold of her wrist and pressed it hard against the hot water pipe causing Harley to squeal in pain and pathetically try to pull her wrist away.
'Do you know to result? Tell me now!' He bellowed pressing her wrist even harder against the pipe.
'I-I don't know' Harley wailed, fat tears plopping down her cheeks as she looked up at Joker in desperation.
'I don't know please, argh, please you have to believe, you've got to believe me! Argh, please sir stop, I don't know, I don't know' She screeched just as her wrist was abruptly released and Joker disappear from view.
Rising to his feet Joker wet a cold flannel and threw it in her direction trying to ignore how instead of instinctively moving to nurse a wrist that must surely sting she gazed up at him with an expectant fear that made him feel uneasy.
'Put that on it.' He ordered before sliding slowly down to the floor with a thump. Obeying silently Harley watched him lift the white stick to study it intensely, jumping when he looked up in her direction. Coughing slightly Joker got up from his spot and foraged in the bathroom bin to find the box before returning to his spot and sitting back down.
Harley sat in quiet apprehension.
Joker's eyes travelled from the test to the box then back to test again.
She first noticed the hand holding the box begin to shake before the clown closed his eyes and chuckled darkly. He didn't need to say or do anything else for her to realise what the result was, she knew anyway, deep down but to have it confirmed winded her more than a kick to the gut. Tugging at a pony tail she let a tear roll silently down her cheek, making sure to keep her eyes on the floor tiles.
It wasn't supposed to be like this.
'What are you gonna do?'
Gasping as Joker's voice sent her crashing back down to reality Harley shook her head pitifully, shrieking as a hand twisted it self around the front of her shirt and lifted her off the ground to Joker's fuming face.
'I said. What. Are. You. Gonna. Do.' Joker repeated anger suddenly erupting within like an explosion of tiny electric shocks.
'I don't know. I don't know. I don't Know.' She repeated over and over again as she was dragged from the bathroom and shoved into the chair in their bedroom with calculated carelessness. Placing a hand against her mouth Harley swallowed down a wave of nausea as Joker paced the floor in front of her, his hands clasped firmly behind his back.
'What are you gonna do Harley?' Joker asked again, darkly, stopping his pacing he watched the blond shake her head and bury her head in her hands.
'Please sir I don't know.' She sobbed 'I'm sorry, I'm so sorry'.
'Well, lets start with how you were going to tell me hmm? Is that a good place to start?' Joker yelled glowering down at her before returning to his pacing.
'When were you going to tell me huh? A birth announcement in Gotham Times? A father's day card? Or was the kid gonna show up on my door step in twenty odd years?' Pausing abruptly in his tirade he placed a hand to his mouth and chuckled. The menacing tone sent tremors through Harley's very core. Looking over at his moll Joker walked over,grabbed hold of her face roughly and stared into her eyes in disgust.
'Oh, oh now I see. You were gonna get rid!'
'No! No! I would never do that! Never, ever!' Harley yelled back shaking her head violently through her tears to prove her point.
'Well what then? Harley what?' He bellowed throwing his hands out in frustration and turning his back on her to massage his temples. 'Oh boy, oh boy. I take it back kiddo you sure do know how to give me wonderful welcome home presents!'
Taking her chance in those few seconds he had his back turned Harley lunged at the dressing table and grabbed hold of the Joker's keys. Tripping over her feet as she made a break for it she leant her hand against the door to steady herself before careering down the stairs to the front door.
Lifting his head Joker cursed and followed quickly behind her yelling her name as he went.
The Narrows were unnaturally quiet. Snow fell gracefully down from the heavens as yet another warring couple brought their domestic out for public viewing.
No one cared about the desperate shrieks or the banging.
T. TV's were turned up and lights turned off, nosey children were quickly whisked away from the windows leaving behind only a wisp of cartoon curtains.
'Harley, don't be ridiculous! Come back inside, we need to talk about this.' Joker shouted as he pulled on his over coat and trudged after the girl who slipped and skidded along the pavement in a desperate attempt to gain ground from him but was failing miserably.
'No!' Harley yelled back throwing fistfuls of snow from the roof off the parked cars back at him in anger. Taking in a steadying breath, Joker focused on the keys held firmly in her hand and increased his pace to close the gap. Catching her by the wrist he forcefully span her around and slammed her against the door of his car.
'Your not leaving Harley, now please be a good girl and come back inside for Daddy!' He tried to reason, his finger digging painfully into the burn from earlier knowing full well the weight of his words. Shaking her head Harley sobbed heartily as she looked up at him, sorrow overflowing in her eyes.
'I hate you. I hate you so much.'She proclaimed bitterly watching as Joker nodded and reached to remove the keys from her hand.
'Of course you do sweetheart, just give me the keys and we'll talk ..' A sharp force struck his cheek leaving him staring up at the stars in bemusement from the concrete of the side walk. Lifting a hand to his face he frowned at the blood seeping from the gash she had given him and looked round to see the door to his car slamming and the engine starting.
His eyes fell to the boot and the precious package that was inside it.
'Oh no you don't' He huffed underneath his breath before scrambling to his feet and breaking into the nearest car. Getting into the drivers seat he watched his car speed away. Fiddling with the wires for some reason his gut twisted at the thought of the icy roads. Secretly, he hoped that he could catch up with the dumb broad before she totaled his god damn car!