Hey everyone, this is Chapter 1 Part 4 I'm sorry I still make some grammar mistakes sorry I'm working on it. This chapter took me a little longer to write… I had horrible writer's block. More updates coming soon. Hope you all enjoy
Disclaimer: I do not own any of these characters or references in this story. They belong to Dc comics.
Chapter 1 Part 4: He's back
The explosion downstairs shook the building, throwing off her balance. Harley was on the floor and she wasn't exactly sure about what just happened. She shuffled to her knees, stopping to take a deep breath in an attempt to make the room stop spinning. Dr. Bartholomew rushed to her aid and with a firm grip on her on her arm helped her up.
"I… don't understand" Harley said trying to keep her balance. The whole room was still spinning and her ear was ringing making hearing from the left side almost impossible.
"I'll explain when we make it to safety, we need to get out of here, and part of the building is on fire." He franticly explained while grabbing her arm, pulling her out of her office. They ran as fast as Harley would let him, which wasn't as fast as Bartholomew would have liked.
"Ok, let's stop, I need to catch my breath, and plus I think I'm going to vomit" Harley breathed heavily as she steadied her pace.
"Ok, let's make this quick" Bartholomew said
Harley looked down and put her hands on her knees to catch her breath.
"Where is Veronica?!" Harley screamed as she suddenly remembered about her dear friend in the building
"She was with her patient in an examination room; they both have made it safely outside." He reassured
Harley sighed in relief and smiled
Thank GOD she made it out; I hope no one has been hurt- Harley thought as her eyebrows creased with worry. The room had finally begun to calm down and her nausea was almost gone. Happy with her recovery, Harley now grabbed Bartholomew and they began to run towards the emergency exit. They ran down the metal stairs, making the old stairs crack aggressively underneath their steps.
Another explosion hit behind them, flipping Harley into the air and off the stairs. She was falling quickly from the second floor. It wasn't that high up off the ground, but Harley held on to the railing with all her strength, her knuckles turning white while pain shot through her arms. Bartholomew had fallen few steps down and hit his face on the railing, breaking his nose. Blood ran down his nose, and into his lab coat. He looked up searching franticly for the young psychiatrist, eyes growing wide as he spotted her.
"Shit HARLEY!" Bartholomew wailed in fear as he surveyed her situation.
"Help me up." Harley yelled frightened, as her hands were slipping. Bartholomew ran to her grabbing her, and pulling her into safety. Harley laid on the metal stairs, thankful for the swiftness of her boss.
"Thank you" She said quietly to Bartholomew.
"Thank me later, come on we need to leave" He said lifting her off the floor. They began their stride downstairs again, in hope that they would make it safely downstairs. Harley's heart beat in joy when they finally made it to the last step and ran towards the front of the building, where police men, ambulances and firefighters had gathered to aid the wounded. Harley was pulled aside by an EMT, and was pulled into huge yellow tent that, where all the personnel were supposed to report to and get first aid if it was needed, she sighed in relief when she saw everyone she knew was there mending their wounds. A nurse pulled her aside, and sat her down on a stretcher. She began to check her vital sings and superficial damage
"Harley!" Veronica shrieked as she ran towards her, "I'm so glad you are ok, I was so worried about you."
"I know me too" Harley said giving her friend a warm smile.
"You are fine" the nurse concluded, " You don't seem to have any deep injuries, just some superficial trauma on the dermis, but you will have to stay at home for a day or two, to make sure you don't have any internal issues." The nurse informed her, walking away to meet more injured people coming in.
"I knew that ass hole was planning something!" Veronica blurted out
"What do you mean? What happened?" Harley asked confused
"I had a feeling The Joker was going to try and escape soon. It seemed too good that he was staying locked up for this long and I had a feeling he was trying to leave." Veronica declared "And plus I have a trustworthy source that told me that he also had a feeling, The Joker was going to escape." She looked straight at Harley, putting her hands on her hips.
"Who? And please don't tell me it's Crane"
"Fine I won't tell you, but he knows The Joker, he's worked with him and he told me to be expectant of a big spectacle of his escape, so he…" Veronica said in an uneasy tone
"So he planted bombs" Harley finished looking down trying to hide her distressful eyes as she looked down at the gravel, this gesture always seemed to give away her feelings. Veronica noticed this old habit of hers and was about to point it out, but Dr. Bartholomew walked up to them.
"Harley? Are you alright?" He asked worriedly as he examined her for any superficial trauma.
"Yea, I'm fine, only some scrapes and bruises, nothing deep" She assured him, giving him a small smile. "How about you? I'm pretty sure you have a broken nose" she said as she stood up from the stretcher gently placed her index above the septum of the nose. "Yea definitely broken" she said as she stepped back and started to look around for a nearby nurse, they all seemed occupied with other patients at the moment so Harley returned her attention to her boss and her friend. "So tell me what happened"
"I was in my office, reading some patient files, and tending to my business, when two guards, Mateo and Jeremy, barged into my office, you remember them right?" He asked in a monotone voice.
"Sort of, I hadn't meet all personnel, but I'm pretty sure I might have seen them somewhere" she replied while she searched her memory, trying to pictured their faces. She couldn't remember Mateo, but she vaguely seemed to remember Jeremy. He was tal,l sort of thin, and she always thought he seemed too weak and thin to be a warden.
"Anyways," He continued, his voice brining Harley back to the present. "They were pointing their guns at me and I immediately pressed the emergency button beneath my desk. Thankfully they took no notice of that, which saved my life" He said exhaling deeply. "Joe and Bruno answered the distress alarm, and wanted to paralyze the two treacherous ones, Joe grabbed Mateo, and dragged him by the hair to the ground, and Bruno kicked Jeremy's gun out of his hand, Jeremy didn't like the fact that he didn't have a weapon and that he was exposed, so he jumped and kicked Bruno straight in the chest, bringing Bruno to the ground. He tried to wrestle the gun out of Bruno's firm grip, but then Jeremy fell back, Bruno shot Jeremy in the stomach and he was quickly bleeding out. Jeremy and Mateo always worked for The Joker, they let him out his cell." He finished and looked around, his eyes deepening, showing the anger he felt.
"How do you know that?" Harley accused, crossing her arms, giving him a serious stare and raising her eyebrow. He was taken a little off guard about her reaction and stepped back.
"Because," he began, giving her a questioning look, "The Joker told me" He said not shifting his eyes from her, watching her carefully. "After he heard the bang of the gun, he barged in. I think he was expecting me to be the dead one, he looked strongly annoyed that his henchman was the one who was shot, but he composed himself and he laughed the way he does, and told me that these guards had broken him out, I thought he was going to leave just then, but that's when the explosions came and from the smoke, I could barely make out his silhouette, making a run for the door, my ears were throbbing but I think I heard him say something about how Gotham's king was back…" He trailed off lost in thought and shuddered. Harley and Veronica waited for him to continue, but it was apparent he wasn't going to speak.
"Well I heard him too…" Harley confessed trying to give comfort to Bartholomew.
"Dr. Bartholomew?!" A news reporter rudely shoved Veronica and Harley out of her and the cameraman's way. "Do you have any comments on what happened tonight at your asylum?" She pointed the microphone to his mouth and he looked straight at the camera.
"Yes actually, I just want Gotham to know, The Joker has escaped Arkham once again, we are still trying to work out how exactly it happened, but…" He started to say before he was interrupted
"Once again? As head of Arkham, don't you think you need to do something to prevent The Joker from escaping all the time? Aren't you worried about Gotham's safety?" She pointed the microphone at him almost hitting him in the face with it.
"Of course I'm concerned, and I find it extremely ignorant of you to say that, because anyone that is well prepared for an interview would know that Arkham has done everything in its power to prevent any more premature departures from the patients." He finished as he shoved her away and walked away. Harley stared back at him with wide eyes, she had never seen him show any emotion that wasn't kindness, but now seeing him in outrage; she realized how foolish she had been about The Joker.
Damm it Harley! Why are you so fucking stupid? He's a criminal, why did I ever think he might be different than what the media says or that he may have some feelings for me or even be a good man… He bombed the place where I worked. He knew I was inside, he knew I could have died. I am really FUCKING stupid. He's not good, and I though he had made a connection, I thought those looks he gave me and the way he treated me meant something, but in reality they meant shit to him, I thought I saw his potential and that's what blinded me stupidly…ughh –Harley thought angrily to herself, she sat down on the stretcher again and put her face in her hands, but pulling them away when she felt moist.
What the actual fuck? I'm crying over this bastard? I'm such an idiot, why does he make me feel this way? – Harley hit the stretcher and stood up angrily, pacing quickly away. Veronica noticed when she walked out the tent, and quickly followed after her.
"Harley?" Veronica called after her "Wait for me! What's wrong? Harley!" but Harley didn't stop walking. Veronica noticed Harley wasn't going to stop and she ran towards her, grabbing her shoulder to stop her and spun her around.
"Harley, what is…." Veronica stopped mid-sentence, shocked at Harley's tears.
Something was really upsetting her… she NEVER cries for anything not worth her tears… but there was nothing really to cry about… she was fine before, so it must have been something later…- Veronica franticly searched her mind to find something that could had upset Harley, but still couldn't think of a coherent answer.
"Fuck off!" Harley shouted at her in outrage, pulling her shoulder forward, running away. Veronica watched her run off and sped away in her car. This time Veronica didn't stop her, she was rooted to the ground hurt and confused.
Harley has NEVER cussed at me… What the hell is her problem? - She thought as she began to silently let out a couple of tears
…
It was 2 am and Harley was stumbling out of a dirty bar on the east side of Arkham. She never drank, she never wanted to fall into her dad's footsteps and fuck up her life, but finally, her feelings became too much and she needed a couple drinks. But tonight, she had more than a couple drinks, and at this very moment she was a complete mess. She dangerously swayed from the left to the right of the sidewalk. She made her way to her car, but she stopped before opening the door, she was too drunk to drive.
I'm not trying to kill myself… I'm not that's stupid to drink and drive… guess I'll just walk then, or wait no , taxi is better- Harley decided not realizing how late it was. She sloppily made her way to the main road, and stopped, looking from right to left in hope to find a taxi; her luck seemed to be running out because no cars were coming from either side.
"Fuck it then" She said loudly, making her voice echo through the empty street. She began walking, giving extra effort to keep herself on the sidewalk and not walk into the road. She looked straight ahead and she thought her efforts were paying off, so when her legs gave out on her, she was disoriented and stayed on the ground for a couple of minutes. She watched the road for cars but none were coming, then she shifted her eyes, and she saw someone watching her from across the road. She quickly tried to stand up, letting her eyes and hands trail down to catch her just in case she lost balance again, and pushed herself off the ground. When she looked up, there was no one there.
I'm seeing things; I'm NEVER getting drunk again-she laughed quietly to herself.
Just as she was going to start walking again, a sweaty dirty hand grabbed her face and covered her mouth. Harley tried to scream but with his hand clamped tightly on her mouth nothing came out. She was pulled back and Harley tried to push away from the place she was being dragged to. Harley kicked and tried to scream again but all her efforts were no help to her situation. She was now dragged into an alley and away from the public view, she wanted to run but couldn't, she bit her aggressor's hand as hard as her body would let her, and he screamed. He took his hand off her mouth and as soon as that opportunity came up, she took it and screamed at the top of her lungs.
"HELP! PLEASE SOMEONE HELP!" She yelled loudly in hope that someone heard. Her aggressor's hand quickly returned to her mouth.
"You bitch!" A man wearing a mask clown whispered at her then slapping her hard across the face "You bit me!" He yelled at her now, slapping her again, harder this time again.
"Mateo please, don't harm the lady any longer" A voice said hiding in the shadows. "She's my special lady." He added, stepping out of the shadows.
Harley saw a familiar figure come closer from within the shadows, and stepped into the only light coming into the alley, she inspected him from his feet and moved up from there. He was wearing dark purple dress shoes, which matched perfectly with his tuxedo, a mustard yellow dress shirt stood out, along with an emerald green bow tie. She looked up his face, his familiar eyes, the same shade of green looked down at her own. She gasped when she realized it was her former patient, The Joker.
"Mr. Joker?" she asked, not wanting to tear up and cry
"Yes, my harlequin. The one and only." he said grabbing her arm, pulling her of the ground
"You son of a bitch!" Harley yelled at him furiously "I could have died!" She said clenching her fists and stepping closer to him. Mateo pushed her and she fell backwards making her scream again
"Get the fuck out of here Mateo!" The Joker yelled, threatening him to retreat with an old knife.
Mateo quickly backed up and waited in the shadows.
"Damm, I wanted to talk to you, but you since your keep on screaming… the bat probably heard you, dear. I'm pretty sure the he's on his way, so I guess we'll have to do this talk another time." He said putting the knife away. "But before I let you go," he ghoulishly smiled at her and stepped towards her, he cupped her chin with his hand and pulled her hips closer to him with his free hand and he leaned in to kiss her. Harley flushed at his proximity and then he leaned in further down and kissed her tenderly waiting for her reaction. At first she was stiff, stricken with fright. She closed her eyes and relaxed, pushing her body closer to his, accelerating the kiss. They kissed for a few minutes and she felt his scarred smile spread while he kissed her. He slowed the kiss, pulling her off him slowly and when she finally let go, he let escape an eerie laugh, frightening her.
"The deed is done" he whispered mysteriously
Shit…Shit…SHIT! What did I just do…? He's my patient… Er I mean he was, but that's not the point... Shit, I think I'm crazy… I must be…
Harley's thoughts were abruptly interrupted when The Joker pulled her closer to him, and stepped in front of her shielding her from something she could not see.
"Let her go" A deep voice said in front of them
"Nice of you to join us Batman." Joker commented, as he smiled widely at him in a menacing way.
"Just leave her alone" another voice said from the shadows
"Why don't you make me?" Joker teased "I'm always ready for a good show"
"Don't worry; you'll be featured in this show, we'll even take you to your dressing room at Arkham, no charge." A third voice said, this one shocked Harley, as this one sounded like a boy's voice, and puberty hadn't struck this one yet. They stepped from outside the shadows confirming Harley's thoughts
How irresponsible bats… brining a child out so late at night.
Harley froze when The Joker pulled out a gun and pointed it at her head. "Come closer and I'll shoot her." Joker said, laughing when he saw her petrified expression. She looked up at the dark night sky and realized that on the roof above, Joker's henchmen were lined up all pointing guns at Batman and his entourage; she looked at Batman and his sidekicks giving them a warning look. Nightwing took in her expression and slowly followed her gaze upward and tensed a bit to see how many men Joker had watching his back. Mateo glanced back at Harley and then at Nightwing, seeing their little interaction and pulled up his gun and fired it at Nightwing. Harley screamed as she saw Nightwing jump back as the bullet barely missed his right shin. She kicked the Joker in the knee and he fell down. Then bullets began to fall. Batman rushed forward, grabbing her and covering her with his body, he was wearing heavy armor that protected him from the bullet shower. Batman had saved her life. They all began to quickly rush out of the alley.
Mateo jumped, ready to start sprinting after the girl.
"Mateo! Stop " Joker commanded jumping up, placing his left arm in front of Mateo in order to stop him. "She'll be back" he smiled as he stared at Harley running off to the darkness with Batman. She stopped a little, turned back to look at him, her heart yearning to stay, but she couldn't find a good enough reason to stay, so she kept running.
He was going to shoot me, he bombed the place where I work, knowing I was inside…. He's trying to kill me… - this thought pained her and she almost began to cry again.
They kept running for a couple of blocks, until Batman stopped in front of a dark, sleek, powerful, sports car. Batman pressed a button on his wrist and the doors opened.
"Please, come into the Batmobile" Batman said gesturing her to come inside
"You aren't going to kidnap me are you? She asked eyeing them skeptically.
"Of course not!" Robin rolled his eyes "Batman is going to escort you home"
"It's not a good hour for a young woman like you to be out in a shady part of town." Nightwing added
Harley looked at each of them and nodded, slowly getting inside the car.