The Joker and his troupe had managed to escape a capture by police by just a hair, but Harley was still curious as to how they'd been found out. It was a complete mystery to her.

"Hey Mister J," she asked, while still driving back to their hideout in daze. "Who do ya think told the police we was there, huh? I mean, it wasn't me, I promise. I kept my mouth shut just like ya told me!"

Harley parked the car and seemed oblivious to the silent ride she'd just been on. The Joker had been too angry to speak a word, and upon their safe arrival, Harley continued, oblivious to Rock and Bugs waving their arms in protest. They could see how upset their boss was, and they were trying to make Harley shut up before she went too far.

"I mean, I thought the reason you had the idea to meet there in the first place was 'cause nobody woulda found us out, right?" Harley said, as the Joker fumed so much, Rock and Bugs were surprised steam wasn't pouring from his ears. "And what happens? Somebody called the cops and almost got us thrown back into Arkham! Can you believe that? I mean-"

All of the Joker's anger exploded out of him just then, and he angrily grabbed Harley by her two dangling tassels, jerking her close to him. "I've had just about enough of you! Can you not, for five minutes, just keep quiet?"

"Well, gee Mister J, I suppose I could...I just never tried," Harley replied, smiling a cute smile. She hoped her cuteness would ease some of his anger. It didn't.

The Joker growled and angrily threw her against the trunk of the car as hard as he could. Anything to make her shut up. He angrily gritted his teeth. "Oh, when I find out who alerted the police tonight and ruined my plans, I'll...well, well well, isn't this interesting?"

Harley gasped as she lay sprawled on the chilly concrete. She didn't notice the impact of her body against the car had caused the trunk to snap open, but she did notice her puddin' had stopped talking mid-sentence, which was something unusual for him when he was on a rant. As she clumsily staggered to her feet, she soon found out the cause of his sudden silence.

There, curled up in a pathetic little ball, was their accidental stowaway. Her eyes were huge with fright and had instantly filled with tears the moment she saw the Joker standing over her. He grabbed the girl by her vest and yanked her out with one good jerk.

"What on earth is this doing here?" asked the Joker, a huge freakish grin on his face. "I don't remember shopping for a kid while we were out tonight."

The little girl was at a loss for words as she stared up at the menacing face of the Joker. He gripped her vest tighter and growled at her. "What's the matter, cat got your tongue, girly? I've got no patience tonight after my plans were ruined by the police, so you had better tell me what the heck you're doing in the trunk of my car before I really lose my cool!"

The girl was so frightened she could barely speak, and she felt all the breath leave her trembling body. "I-I'm sorry, I'm sorry! P-please don't hurt me!" She sputtered, nervously gulping."I-I didn't mean to get you into trouble, honest! I was... I was out walking and I saw some people out by the docks, so I...I called the cops and then I fell i-into your car. B-but I'm sorry! I'm so sorry!"

Even Rock, Harley, and Bugs flinched when they heard the confession from the tiny girl. They saw the Joker's rage building, and he tightened his grip even more. As she saw the Joker's rage building, Harley felt some sort of sudden protective instinct inside of her. She wondered if it was the same instinct Ivy always said she felt with Harley - like trying to protect a kid-sister from danger. Harley had this feeling once before, when she accidentally kidnapped Veronica Vreeland and had taken her for a joyride around town. Harley had no intentions of ever hurting Veronica, and in the end, she was concerned for Veronica's well-being, much like the feeling she was getting now as she watched the terrified look on the poor girl's face.

The Joker's face would have been beet red has it not been already bleached white. He could barely see straight on account of his incredible anger. "What? So, it was you who broke up my meeting? You're the one who foiled my plans? Do you have any idea what you've done, you little brat?" He gripped onto the girl so tightly, his knuckles began to throb.

Out of instinct or fear, she wasn't sure which, the girl suddenly kicked her foot out, landing square in the Joker's stomach, causing him to drop her onto the ground with a thud in his surprise. She stood up, her eyes still wide with fear as the Joker's face became angrier and angrier.

"No, please don't hurt me! Please!" The girl pleaded, backing up slowly, tears streaming down her pink cheeks. "I'm sorry! I'm so sorry! I...I didn't mean it!"

"You didn't mean it?" cried the Joker, his fists bawled in the air. "You called the cops! You ruined my plans, and now, you're gonna pay for it with your life!"

The girl was sobbing quite loudly now, which only made the Joker more angry. He detested weak beings almost as much as he detested Batman. Joker advanced towards her, his fists clenched almost as tightly as his teeth were. As he threatened to kill her as painfully as possible with his bare hands, Harley suddenly jumped between the two like a spunky red and black a force field. She held her hand against the Joker's chest, determination in her icy blue eyes.

"Hey hey, cool your jets, Mister J,'' Harley said, firmly, as the girl dashed and hid behind her, shaking with fear. "I mean, look at the thing. She's just a baby. She probably didn't know she was crossing paths with the likes of us, did ya?" Harley turned her head as she addressed the girl.

The girl shook her head quickly, still gasping and crying involuntarily out of fear as she clutched Harley's waist. The Joker was stunned beyond words upon having his henchgirl defy him so.

"What's your name, darling?" Harley asked, smiling and gently wiping the tears from the girl's face with her red gloved hand.

The girl backed up a step then, realizing that Harley could have just as well been as dangerous as the Joker. Even if she did seem less frightening, the girl wasn't letting her guard down just yet. "M-my name's Sophie. Sophie Pieska, Miss...Miss Crazy Clown Lady ."

"Miss Crazy Clown Lady!" whooped Harley, with a loud, high-pitched giggle. "Oh, I love it! I gotta write that one down! Crazy Clown Lady, oh, what a hoot!"

"Mmm, Pie-ska. Just like pie. I love pie," said Rock, licking his lips and nudging Bugs with a sly wink.

"The name's Harleen Quinzel," said Harley, sticking her hand out for an introduction. The girl didn't return the gesture. "Call me Harley. Everyone does," Harley added, ignoring the snuff with a giggle. "I think it flows better, don't you?"

The Joker came to life again at that moment, startling the little girl so much that she fell over backwards in a gasp. "This is no time to play Mommy, Pooh!" The Joker angrily pointed his finger at the wide-eyed girl sprawled on the floor. "That little brat ruined my operation and she's not gonna get away with it!"

Harley sighed and patted his shoulder like a teacher scolding a young student. "Look, Puddin'. B-Man never showed up and we got away with no harm done. We still got time to finish the operation, you just gotta have a teeny bit more security the next time, and we won't get found out," said Harley, gently. "Now, you just run along and leave us girls alone for a while...and I promise I'll make it worth your while a little later, if ya know what I mean." Harley winked at the Joker and squeezed his shoulder, playfully.

Rock and Bugs chuckled a little as they watched the Joker's face change from anger to mischievous. He grinned a yellow-toothed grin and did as he was told. Harley knew the best way to get Joker to shut up was to offer what only she could give him, and it worked every time. The Joker may have despise Harley on some days, but he was, after all, still just a man.

Harley noticed Bugs and Rock eyeing Sophie and nudging each other, and it angered her. "You boys get outta here, too!" Harley cried, loudly. "It's girls only. Get out, get out!"

Harley angrily somersaulted at them, kicking them both square in the face. Sophie gaped as she saw how gracefully Harley moved. Still, as her heart raced in her chest, she wondered what kind of trouble she'd be in once she was left alone with her. As Harley cartwheeled back to her, Sophie gasped loudly in fear and stood up. She stepped back, trying to avoid Harley at all costs. Her guard was up, now, and she wasn't sure if she'd live to see the light of day upon being taken to this crazed house of madness. She was afraid of the Joker, she was afraid of the henchmen, and she was afraid of Harley Quinn.

"Hey, what's the big idea?" Harley asked, her hands on her hips. She had meant the question to sound gentle, but Sophie didn't take it as such, and she unwillingly began to sob again, falling to her knees out of both fear and exhaustion. Sophie had no idea whether or not Harley was as dangerous as she thought, but she felt sick in her stomach and weak in the knees because of it.

Harley's face dropped, and she gasped, kneeling down also. Harley gently put both her hands on Sophie's shoulders. "Oh, sugar! Don't worry, ain't nobody gonna hurt ya, now. Especially me! I promise! Cross my heart!"

Sophie's loud sobbing slowly turned into a few tears, and she looked up, slowly. She did have to admit that from the look of her, Harley didn't seem so bad, for a criminal. And Sophie hadn't forgotten that Harley did stop the Joker from killing her, so she at least had a little credibility as a nice girl, so she was able to relax. But only just a little.

Harley smiled and cupped Sophie's face in her hands, gently. "Well, geez. Aren't you just the cutest little thing anyone's ever seen? You'd definitely make a killin' with the right outfit in the right place. You look like a little baby doll that everybody should just cuddle and cuddle all the time!"

Sophie gasped as Harley jerked her into tight hug, still holding onto her face. She realized Harley probably wasn't going to hurt her, (as she'd previously imagined,) figuring if she was indeed a goner at the hands of the crazy clown lady, the last thing her killer would do is squish her cheeks together and hug her Harley was doing.

Sophie was finally able to find her voice after a moment. "B-but you said if you caught me, you'd feed pieces of me to fish!" Sophie said, through a smushed face. She hiccupped loudly and wiped her eyes again. "I-I heard you say that when I was in the trunk!"

Harley waved her hands in the air, dismissing the remark like it was nothing. "Oh, that's just tough talkin', kiddo. That would take way too long. I mean, if really I wanted to, I could just shoot you right now, BANG!" Harley made her two fingers like a gun and pointed it directly at Sophie's face. "It would be much faster, although I'd hate to get blood on my nice outfit. Like it?"

Sophie didn't look at Harley's nice outfit. Instead, upon hearing how easily Harley could dispose of her, her stomach churned and her throat tightened. She couldn't stop the tears flowing again no matter how much she wanted to. She was surrounded by killers and she had no means of escaping. No amount of hugs or kisses could change that fact, and Sophie had to remember that.

Harley slapped herself on the forehead after realizing what she'd said. Of course she'd frightened the kid once more, and she felt like an idiot. "Oh, Harl, you and your big mouth! Hey, listen, honey," she said, quietly. "You don't gotta be afraid of me, really. I'm not so bad, honest. Look!" Harley pulled off her headpiece and took off her mask, revealing her pretty blonde hair and sparkling blue eyes. "Nothing scary, here! Well, unless my roots are starting to show, that is!"

Sophie stopped crying after a moment, and slowly looked at Harley, unmasked. Her face broke into a tiny smile, and her eyes began to sparkle, too. Suddenly, without her mask, Harley didn't seem at all threatening or dangerous, and it calmed Sophie a great deal. "Oh, hey! It's just a costume! Like for Halloween! I love Halloween!"

"Right-a-rooni, my dear! I'm just as normal as you are. At least, I think I am. The folks down at Arkham Asylum might think otherwise, though," Harley mumbled. "But, I promise I'm not gonna hurt you. Never ever!"

Sophie smiled a little and sat beside Harley, her nerves calming somewhat. Sophie found herself believing Harley's promise of not hurting her, and she only hoped her naïve thinking wouldn't get her killed in the end.

"So listen. Let me give ya a little word of advice for the future, okay?" Harley said, seriously. "It's pro-ba-bly not in your best interest to ever rat out criminals of any kind, not unless you do wanna end up fish food. You got it?"

Sophie nodded. "Yeah, especially when you're as clumsy as I am and wind up falling into the trunk of their car," she mumbled. "I guess I'm a criminal now, too. I assisted in a kidnapping of... myself."

Harley was silent for a moment, then she burst into giggles. "Oh, sweetie, you're a riot!"

Sophie frowned, and her cheeks turned even more rosey-colored as she blushed. She definitely found nothing funny about her current situation, especially the conditions in which led to it. Harley noticed the sour look on Sophie's face, and stopped laughing.

"Well, I don't think it's so funny," Sophie said, her eyes narrowed. She crossed her arms over her chest, angrily.

"Aw, you gotta admit, it is kinda funny. I never heard of someone helping out in their own accidental abduction!" Harley said, giggling again.

"Yeah, it's hilarious," said Sophie, angrily, a huge frown forming on her face.

"C'mon, cutie. Turn that frown upside down!" Harley cried, with a laugh.

Sophie ignored the remark, still just as serious as could be.

"Hey, listen, honey. If you're gonna hang out with me, you gotta learn to laugh. It's required, and you're gonna do it...whether you like it or not," Harley said, a sly grin forming on her face.

Before Sophie knew what was happening, Harley reached out and tickled her ribcage, sending her into a fit of uncontrollable giggles. Harley had found her weakness.

"Come on, cutie pie! Say it was funny, or you're really gonna get it!" said Harley.

"Okay!" Sophie gasped, giggling and squirming with no escape. "Okay, okay! I guess it was sorta funny. I guess."

As Harley stopped her torture, Sophie still tried her best to keep her scowl, which just made Harley laugh even more. She gave Sophie a few more quick pokes in her sides, grinning.

"I gotta hand it to you, though. You had me fooled earlier tonight, just for a second. I was sure I saw somebody on the roof, but you disappeared like lightning. You're so quick!" Harley said, a little awe in her voice.

Sophie smiled and blushed. "Yeah, I'm quick but clumsy. I guess it doesn't go well together, huh?"

"Well, considering where you're sitting now, I'd say not," Harley, said, laughing. "Better luck the next time around, S.P." Harley gasped a little. "Hey! Sophie Pieska...S.P. That sounds a lot like "swee-tie," doesn't it? Sweetie Pieska. Oh, geez, even your name is cute!"

Sophie giggled, too. "I never thought of that."

Rock and Bugs had been hiding out in the shadows at that time, eagerly waiting for their golden chance. They agreed with Harley's earlier remark - they both thought Sophie was a cutie, too, and were itching for a taste of just how cute she could be.

Rock walked back into the room, slowly and carefully. "Yo, Harley. The Boss wants to see you. He says you'd better get back there pronto. He's ready for the...business with you."

Harley's eyes grew wide, and she squealed with delight as she jerked her hat back onto her head. "He's ready for business already, huh? Well, I hope he's really ready for it!"

Sophie jumped up, too. "What kinda business? Financial stuff, right?"

Rock chuckled as he walked away. "Yeah, right, kid. Financial stuff."

Once Sophie realized what she'd said, she found herself blushing yet again at her stupidity. After a moment, she was able to realize just what Harley meant when she said, "business."

Harley burst out laughing, too, after hearing what Sophie had asked. "I think I'm gonna bust a gut with every word you say, kid! You're a real comedic little clown." She ruffled Sophie's hair. "Unfortunately, given my puddin's track record, I'll be back sooner rather than later. So, don't go anywhere, okay?"

As Harley sprinted off, eager to talk "business" with the Joker, Sophie gulped again as she looked at her surroundings. The Joker's hideout seemed much more frightening now that she was alone in the murky place. She looked around at all the random toys scattered everywhere. She noticed a tiny clown down which eerily resembled the Joker, and gasped after looking at it. The Joker himself still scared her, and seeing a tiny replica of him didn't make her feel any better. As she stood up, she gasped again, but this time, it was because Rock and Bugs were standing behind her. Her stomach dropped as she looked up at the two big thugs.

"Harley was right, wasn't she, Rock? This kid probably is the cutest little thing I've ever seen," said Bugs, with an evil, sly grin.

Sophie backed up nervously as the two men advanced towards her. "I'm actually not that cute, I-I promise."

Rock licked his lips, again. "Oh, I bet we can find something cute about you if we look hard enough."

"No, leave me alone!" Sophie cried out, angrily, her eyes filling with tears. She knew her tiny, 5 foot frame's chance of escaping or overpowering them were less than zero. Both men towered over her, and she felt sick in her stomach.

Bugs grabbed Sophie's arm and held on tightly. "How about I go first, Rock. You can have seconds, alright? I'm just raring to go."

Sophie tried to kick and punch him, but her attempts were futile against his rock-hard body. "Stop it! Leave me alone, please! Please!"

Bugs shoved Sophie hard onto the ground, and she gasped out in pain. She tried with all her strength to kick and scratch Bugs, as her eyes brewed fresh, terrified tears.

"Stop it, stop it!" Sophie screamed loudly, still kicking her as hard as she could. Rock kneeled beside them and pinned her legs down, until she was completely unable to move.

"No!" was the last pathetic, sobbing scream Sophie made before she saw the huge brown mallet come swinging over her head and crack into Bugs' shoulder.

He flew backwards, causing Rock to gasp and let go of Sophie's legs. Sophie's eyes were still cloudy from her tears, but as she sat up quickly, she saw the flash of red and black swing the mallet again, this time hitting Bugs on his head.

"If either one of you slimy, disgusting pigs ever lay a hand on that kid again, I'll bash your skulls in! You got that?" Harley screamed so loudly that Sophie's stomach dropped at the sound of pure rage in her voice.

Rock nodded. "Relax, Harl. We were just havin' a little fun! We weren't gonna do nothing, honest!"

Harley's answer came as a swing from her mallet right on his temple. He fell backwards into a crate of boxes. "Yeah well, you just try it again. I dare ya."

Bugs and Rock rubbed their heads and shuffled away, grumbling to themselves. Harley threw her mallet away as Sophie stood up, wiping her eyes with the back of her hand.

"Are you okay, sweetie?" Harley asked, walking over to her, her eyes filled with concern. "I figured those two idiots had set me up once my puddin' kicked me out of the room as soon as I came in. But don't worry, I'll make 'em pay, later, that's for sure."

Before any other thought came to her mind, Sophie threw her arms out and hugged Harley as tightly as she could. "Oh, Harley, you saved me! You saved me!"

Harley laughed again, but her laughter soon turned to chokes as Sophie's grip grew tighter. "Hey, easy there, kiddo! You're crushin' my lungs!"

Sophie gasped and released her rescuer from the bone-crunching hug, blushing again. "Oh gosh, I'm so sorry. It's just...if you didn't come when you did..."

Harley waved her hand to shush her. She didn't want to think about what would have happened, because she might have just gone ahead and disposed of both Rock and Bugs at that very moment. "Yeah, I know what could have happened, sweetie. So tell me, are your folks gonna flip when they find out what you've been up to? Maybe they've already sent out search parties for you!"

Sophie shook her head a little sadly. "Who knows where my dad is. Who knows who my dad is." She smiled a little as she remembered, and Harley could see her face change to sadness. "Once, when I was four, my Mom promised me some ice cream, so we drove downtown. I was so happy, 'cause she never did ...motherly things like that. She used to tell me how she hated being a mom, and she wished I'd just grow up and leave." Sophie looked at Harley in total seriousness, but still managed to smile a little. "Mom let me out on the curb and told me to wait a few minutes while she found a parking spot." Sophie closed her eyes for a moment, then opened them before she spoke again. She chuckled a little. "Wait a few minutes. Right. She dropped me off like a pile of trash, and then never came back."

Harley gasped, putting her hand over her mouth. "What?"

Sophie shrugged her shoulders. "I guess that's one way of letting go of motherhood, huh? A girl saw me on the street and started talking to me, and then the police came. I got sent to an orphanage that very day. Anyway, last I heard, my Mom bit the bullet not long after that. I never could stay adopted, though."

Harley had listened with as much sympathy as her confused little mind could handle, but her heart still broke, and she cupped Sophie's face in her hands. "Oh, sweetie pie, that's horrible. You really don't got no family at all?"

"Just myself, but it's okay," Sophie replied, with a tired yawn. She sat down on the floor, completely exhausted after the days craziness. "The other kids in the orphanage used to beat me up 'cause I was so much smaller than they were. I actually joined a city cheerleading squad only 'cause I thought learning all those jumps and kicks would come in handy someday, and it did. I could out-flip and get away from those kids without even trying." She yawned again and rubbed her eyes, sleepily. Harley said nothing. "But, living in the orphanage wasn't for me, so I split two years ago. You'd think after living on the streets I'd be more tough and brave, but I'm about as tough as a marshmallow bunny and I'm afraid of everything. I guess I'm pretty pathetic, huh?" Sophie managed to smile and give a little giggle, trying to find humor in her story. A second later, she couldn't find strength to hold herself up anymore. She curled up into a tired little ball as Harley frowned, still unable to speak. "If I could be half as strong as you, Harley," Sophie whispered quietly, "no one could ever hurt me. I just know it."

Sophie closed her eyes then, and before she knew it, she was fast asleep. She was just unable to stay awake any longer after such a hard day. For a long time, Harley sat and thought. She stared out blankly into the darkness, just thinking as hard as she could.