Leave Me Here to Swing

Chapter 7: Mar-Bear

"Marion, do you know what today is?"

Marion struggled to pull her attention back towards her psychiatrist, her dark eyes scanned over the doctor. The blonde girl was emotionless as she tilted her head to the side and dissected every inch of the shrink before her. The brunette doctor shifted, almost uncomfortably, and Marion lifted her eyes to make eye contact.

"No." she whispered, her voice hoarse from lack of use.

"It's your birthday."

Marion raised an eyebrow.

"You're thirteen today."

Marion's gaze casted back down to the ground, lost in whatever chaos had wrapped itself around her mind.

"Marion?"

"Hm?" she answered, lifting her eyes but keeping her head down.

Before the doctor stated her question, slightly surprised by the fact she was answering at all, she noticed that Marion Nett seemed almost comfortable in her straight jacket, "Why are you here?"

"Because Batman caught me and put me here."

"You've been here almost two months."

She nodded, "I know how long it's been."

"You're usually only here for a week or less."

Marion raised an eyebrow, "What's your question?"

"Why…. Why hasn't your father come to get you?"

Marion closed her eyes, took a deep breath and laughed.

----

Marion paced in her small cell, her hands folded behind her back, and her eyes narrowed. Her dark eyes were downcast at the floor and her feet moved of their own regard. She had been there a month and twenty four days. She growled at the floor, that was a month and twenty four days too long.

A hollow tapping noise broke her thoughts and she looked towards her left wall. She crawled on top of her table and tapped on the hollow brick in her wall, answering the call. She folded her legs and rested the back of her head against the wall, staring at the reflective surface of the metal table beneath her.

"Mar?"

"What, Jess?" she asked, glaring at the brick over her shoulder.

"Happy Birthday."

Marion nearly jumped off the table as the nearby explosion shook her cell. Her wide eyes stared at the dust and debris that now rested in front of the cracked glass that made the front wall of her cell. She forced herself to climb off the table and to approach the wall.

"Mar-bear?" a voice called from within the smoke, the voice slightly sang out the pet name.

"Mama?" Marion called placing a hand on the glass, "Mama! Over here!"

"There's the birthday girl!" Harley said approaching the wall, as well, "Stand back sweetie."

She smiled and backed up, ducking down and covering her face.

Harley lifted the gun and slammed it into the wall a few times. On the third blow the wall shattered and glass flew through the air. Marion stood, brushing herself off and smiled as her mother handed her a machine gun. Marion ran to the cell beside hers and nodded at her brother.

----

"Marion, sweetheart?" Harley asked, knocking on the door to the teen's room.

"Yeah, Mama?" she asked, pulling herself away from the window.

"I have a present for you." Harley said happily, holding out a large box for her daughter.

Marion smiled bright and bounced over to her mother, taking the box gently into her hands. She placed it on her bed and kneeled in front of it. Gently she pulled off the red ribbon and opened the box. She let out a happy squeak as she removed the tissue paper.

"A new uniform?!" she asked happily as she pulled out the dress.

"Do you like it?"

"Mom, it's perfect!" she said happily before she turned and leaped into her mother's arms, "I love it!"

Harley hugged her back, "Put it on, and I'll help you with your hair."

"Thanks, Mama."

"Happy Birthday, baby girl."

----

Marion twirled in front of the cracked mirror. The purple skirt flared out over the white under skirts that created the bell form that hung to her knees. A black vest rested over her chest and the white blouse that's bubble sleeves hung down to her elbows. The fingerless leather gloves on her hands matched the skirt and the leather choker on her neck. A diamond J rested against her throat, her black finger nails gently playing with the charm. The black boots rested on her feet and hugged her calves, laced up with purple ribbon.

Two black lines were painted on either side of her lips, creating the effect of a wooden mouth. Black eye makeup rested over her eyelid, accented by purple shadow just under the brow bone and along the bottom lid. The eyeliner crossed on the corner of her eyes, enhancing the shape of her eyes. She had small dots along the line of the eyeliner on the outside corner of her eyes. Her purple lips stretched into a smile as the door opened.

"Where's you learn to do that?" Jester asked smiling at his sisters' makeup design.

"Aunt Ivy, I like your outfit."

He laughed, "Matches yours." He said holding his arms out.

He wore plain black pants; they fit him well and seemed to make him look even taller than he already was. His purple shirt was rolled up to his elbows, revealing the scars that wrapped around his forearms and on his hands. His face had healed nicely, only two scars were obvious and both rested just above his left eyes. His hair hung loose over his face and eyes, constantly having to push the dark, sharp ends away from his eyes.

"Here, I have something for you." He said holding up a black leather belt, he placed it around her waist and helped her fasten it, "Your wire is right here, there's enough in there for you to hang from the empire state building and touch the ground."

"Must be thin."

He nodded, "Excellent quality though."

"Thanks Jess."

He kissed her cheek, "Your welcome. Want me to fix your pigtails?"

Marion helped up a black ribbon in one hand, and a purple in the other, "Mom was supposed to."

Jess gently took the ribbons, "I don't think she'll mind."

----

The Joker smiled a bit as he heard the door open. He turned around in his chair and his smile grew even more, "Marion! There you are." The thirteen year old smiled and spun around a bit, "What do you think?" she asked giving him a bright laugh.

The Joker threw his head back, "You look just like a doll."

She nodded, "So, Mom said you wanted to see me?"

He motioned to a box on the corner of his desk, "For you."

She ran over to it and quickly ripped it open, jumping as confetti exploded at the motion. She laughed with him as she continued to tear through the package, finally wrapping her hands around an ivory handle. From within the box, she removed a switchblade with a hand-crafted an ivory and Charoite handle. Her dark eyes grew a bit as she looked at it, "Wow." She whispered as she pressed the button the silver blade sprang forth. The Damascus steel sparkled in the light and reflected the amazement in her eyes.

"There's something else." He urged with a smile.

She reached into the box again and pulled out a matching gun. Her eyes grew wide as she turned it over in her hand, noticing the pearl design on both of the weapons. On the bottom of the handle, a silver M was placed overlapping a J. She smiled up at her father and quickly hugged him, "They're beautiful."

"You're old enough to handle yourself, and now you can. There're holsters in the box for them, Do not let them leave your sight."

"Yes sir." She said smiling as she pulled them out and placed one of him on her thigh and the other on her belt. The gun rested beneath her skirt, the knife on her hip. She turned, but her father had gone.

She laughed a bit as she caught her reflection.

"Marion, let's go. We've got work to do." Jester called and she quickly followed him, laughing hysterically by the time she had reached the door.