Author's Note:

So, this here is just the beginning. I have most of this story planned out now, which is a first for me. And before anyone asks, the Diamond thing WILL be explained. I don't know how quickly I'll get the next chapter up, but I'm going for speed here…(he's goin' the distance…he's going for speed) –cough-

Sorry. ANYWAY!

Enjoy, and send me some feedback.

I love knowing what people think, and don't be afraid to slander my good name if you're so inclined…just make it a private message. :D

Willow

(Heath's Harley)


"You want me to make your death mem-orible." His lips curled into a devilish and sadistic grin. "Well then, I can do that."

God, I was an idiot!

"Hey, That's not exactly-"

"Ah ah ah, "he wagged the blade like a disapproving finger, "You stared this game. Play by the rules."

The semi jumped, causing him to slump forward and brace his arm on the crate beside my head. My breath came in shallow pulls as my heart raced. He was too close. Despite every dream I'd had, this wasn't what I'd wanted. I couldn't die this way.

"Look at you." He suddenly cooed, tilting his head and sitting strait again, "You're shaking. Is it something I did?"

Oh, god, Here it came.

"Is it my scars?"

I knew this game. Instantly wary, I shook my head, forcing a smile. "I think they're rather becoming."

The truck was silent save the rumble of its engine and he stared at me with an unreadable expression. Glancing around, I noticed the tense gazes of his men. Had I done something wrong? Was false compliment somehow worse than allowing him to complete one of his infamous scar stories?

When he burst into laughter, we all jumped, and I pressed myself back into the crate. He shook his head, covering his eyes as if to wipe away tears then grinned up at me.

"You're a sly little thing, aren't you?" he asked, motioning toward me with a jab of his switchblade. My eyes followed the weapon closely, heart racing up in my throat. He looked me over, seeming to really see me for the first time.

"What's your name, beautiful?"

I opened my mouth to reply, flushing with the compliment, but he brushed hair from my face with the tip of the switchblade, lodging the words in my throat.

"Well?"

I glanced up into his eyes but couldn't hold them. They were dark, too dark, and to tell the truth, they frightened me. The Joker as a whole was beginning to really frighten me. I settled on gazing at his chest, focusing on the strange hexagon pattern on his blue shirt.

"Um.."

"Suddenly you can't speak." He dipped his head to catch my gaze. "Careful. I might lose interest."

The threat wasn't lost on me and I sucked in a shaky breath. I needed to control myself. Keep him talking. If I wanted to live.

"Harleen. " I said in a weak voice, gulping once to try and speak passed the lump in my throat. "My name is Harleen Quinzel, but you can call me Harley Quinn."

He glanced at the others once, then turned back to me, grazing the flat of the blade against my collarbone. In the struggle, the top few buttons of my blouse had come open and you could see the black satin bra beneath my white dress shirt, so I wasn't surprised to find his eyes wander there. I was a curvy girl, which honestly got me out of a lot of trouble.

Flash a bit of ass and the world fits in your pocket, that's what momma always said.

"Harley Quinn," he repeated slowly, rolling the name around in his mouth like candy. His tongue flicked out again and he grinned. "Clever. Like the clown."

I nodded with a tiny grin. It died when he hung his head and sighed heavily.

"Soooo." He said, over-pronouncing the end until it sounded like So-ah "You don't want me to kill you. I get that." And here he straitened the collar of my shirt, making me flinch. "But what else would I do with you?"

"Well!" I began, cutting him off. If he finished that sentence, I would die, that was certain.

Sweeten the deal, Harl. You can do this.

"I'm quick. I can fight." I held up a hand, "Hey, I can pull off any style you want, and-"

He was already bored. It was in the blank frown he gave me now. He licked his lips slower, gazing at me through groggy lids. No more bullshit. I needed to just get everything out there. My fake smile melted away and I lifted my chin bravely, though it trembled.

"Listen. I know I'm young, but who the fuck cares. That just means they won't see me coming. I'm just as bad as your droogies here, but I'm female." For this I tilted my head, "Which means I have a brain."

"Not what I'm seein'" One of the guys laughed to the others, and the Joker looked over boredly, nodding once and looking back at me as if to say.

"What he said."

"I guess the best part is your work has meaning. I think this city is rotting, and you've given us something to keep track of. Something that keeps us interested. Something important. I want to be part of that. I have since I first saw you."

Now his eyes had gone darker. The chocolaty brown had simply darkened right in front of me. He watched me as if I were some kind of exotic animal in the zoo. Like he was seeing me pace back and forth in the cage and wondered what I'd next.

"Tyler," he said suddenly, keeping his eyes locked on mine. "Get us pulled over."

My heart was pounding. Oh god, what had I done now? Was he going to kill me? Had I bored him that much? Shit, I didn't want to die. Not like this, and damnit, not a virgin. I was the embodiment of every girl next door in a horror movie.

The thug rolled open the side door, hanging onto the woven handle for support. He swung his top half out and banged on the door with his outstretched gun. The horn blew and we slowed. By the time, we'd stopped, I was ready to flat out beg, though I knew he would just hurt me longer before he killed me.

The Joker stood and grabbed the front of my shirt, lifting me to my feet and toward the open door. He still held his switchblade and it made me want to cry. He moved me to the intersection that led into the Narrows. I whimpered, but he spun to face me.

"You'll pretend this never happened later, Harley," he laughed softly, lifting my chin with the tip of his blade. "There's something strange about you, so I'm going to let you run away." He sighed then, as if the very idea was he didn't quite know why he was doing it. When I didn't move, he arched a brow.

"I didn't mean later."

I took off then, grinning like mad passed my petrified tears. As I neared the underpass, I spun and blew him a kiss. The Joker's head tilted and he frowned in surprise, and a little confusion. I turned back and sped into the dark part of town. I'd just lived through a meeting with the Joker, because he liked my style. I couldn't be more excited. He'd thought I had potential and it made me want more.

xXx

"He just let you go?" Batman asked unbelievingly. I nodded once.

"Confused me too, but I guess he just found the one person who would get him. Maybe he really was lonely."

Davis laughed without humor.

"What has this city come to? When did the kids start losing their minds?"

I smirked and the Batman gave a short sigh. Davis looked disbelievingly at me.

"Why don't you hate him? I mean if nothing else, look what he did to your arm!"

My eyes flicked to the permanent diamonds scarred into my right shoulder. I didn't dwell on that past nasty. Instead, I looked to Batman.

"I know you hate him. And I know he scares you." I looked the Bat dead in the eyes, unwavering and he matched the challenge. "Not many people scare you, do they, Hero? Some confuse you, some make you sick, but he's not like the others. And THAT is what keeps you so twitchy."

Now I leaned forward, Gordon moved back ever-so-slightly, and Davis watched me with morbid fascination. Each clung to my every word, and that's all I wanted.

"The criminals in this town want cash or fame. All but him. He has no rules, no code, no established victims or motives. He's got no story you can pick apart. No past horrors you can use against him. He's the perfect rival. He's your other half."

I leaned back in my chair and laughed. "You complete each other."

"It's like she read my mind."

The occupants of the room stiffened in unison until the Batman shot to his feet. We all knew the voice over the com. My heart was racing and I beamed excitedly.

"Now, if you wouldn't mind, Harley, darling, why don't you go to the door?"

I jumped to my feet, the chair scraping backward and toppling over. Halfway across the room Mr. J tsk'ed. The boys were going after me.

"Ah ah ah, Let's not get overly, "there was a very feminine sob from his side of the speaker, "excited."

"Jim!" It was Ramirez, the two-faced pretty cop that worked with Gordon, and by the sound of her, my puddin' had a shiny little blade at her slender throat.

"Stop!" Gordon barked and Batman clenched his fists holding his ground beside the table, though he watched the two-way glass as if he could see the clown behind it.

I squealed when the door lock buzzed open and swept through, slamming it closed immediately after. Someone slammed into it, and bellowed furiously. Batman could fume all he wanted, my attention was on the purple coat and bright smile standing in a mass of crumpled bodies.

Ramirez whimpered into the intercom while I hurried over to Mr. J. He licked his lips, looking me over closely. For a moment, I could only smile at him, then, I got impatient. The cop was between us, and I didn't like to share. I grabbed the back of her head and bounced it off the intercom button. The static was sharp for a second, then went to a soft buzz as she crumpled unconscious to the floor.

Kicking her out of the way, I stepped into his arms.

"Hello there." He said in a low, playful tone. A tremor went down my spine and I leaned into him.

"Take me home?" I asked softly and he glanced up at one of the thugs, nodding. The guy moved to stand guard over the interrogation room door as we headed quickly for the exit.

In the garage a cop pulled his gun.

"Drop your weapon and-" Mr. J fired a few rounds into him without breaking stride. I couldn't help my soft giggle and he squeezed my hand, dragging me along.

The boys pulled up with a dark, windowless van and the side door slid open. I jumped into the back without comment and sat down in the bench seat along the opposite side.

Mr. J slid the van door closed, then slapped it twice. We lurched into motion. My smile was huge when he turned those dark eyes on me. There was no humor there and my joy faltered. What was wrong? What had I done? When he held out a hand and a slow grin spread across his lips, I glanced around nervously. The Joker grabbed my wrist with a sudden jerk and I popped off my seat and onto his, slumping beside him.

I saw the blade a second before it sank into me, and gasped at the invading steel. It felt too big and obtrusive. The pain made me momentarily nauseous.

"Now." he said pleasantly, slipping into the sing-song tone he used for torture. "What did you tell them?"