Harley and Alice drove to a nearby mall and went inside the first clothing store they came to. They walked around the store looking at the clothes, but neither of them were thinking about clothes.
"Do you want to talk?" asked Alice hesitantly.
"It's not fair!" said Harley, so loudly that the people around them shot them dirty looks. "Why can't my parents at least pretend to like Mistah J for me? And why do they feel the need to try to make me love someone else? Do you know what it's like, Alice, to love someone that no one approves of? To have everyone tell you you're making a mistake when you know you're not?"
"I have a pretty good idea," admitted Alice as she set Ben down and held his tiny hand. "When I started dating Peter, no one thought that anything would come of it, so when I fell in love and agreed to marry him, everyone thought I was making a mistake. They said I should have married someone with money or power, like a lawyer or a doctor or something. When I first agreed to date him I didn't think anything would come of it either, he wasn't exactly at the top of the list of guys I was attracted to, but the heart wants what the heart wants, and you can't help who you fall in love with, I suppose."
Harley stared at her as though she were seeing her for the first time. "Finally, someone who understands! You know, when I first started treating Mistah J the thought of dating him never even crossed my mind, much less love. But over time, I felt myself falling deeper and deeper in love with him, until I couldn't take it anymore. I wanted to be with him, but I couldn't because of my job. It was almost funny, my job had brought us together and it was keeping us apart. But then he broke out and a few days later Batman dragged him back to the asylum, a beaten, bloody pulp. It was then that I knew what I had to do. I gave up everything for him and became Harley Quinn and I've never regretted it, not once."
"Aren't you afraid he might, y'know, kill you?" asked Alice as she looked at some dresses.
"Well of course there's always that possibility, but even though Mistah J could kill me at any time I know he never would, he loves me too much. I trust him with my life, and my heart," said Harley adoringly.
"That's really romantic, in a weird and twisted kind of way," said Alice, unable to comprehend the girl's infatuation. Sure, he had a primal animal magnetism about him, and he could be charming when he wanted to be, but still.
"Ya know, I'm really glad you chose to marry Peter despite what everyone said, 'cause you're a great sister-in-law. The closest thing I've ever had to a sister is my friend Red, so now I guess I have two sisters!" said Harley happily as she embraced her.
"I'm glad you're my sister too, Harley," said Alice, meaning every word.
xxxx
Alice and Harley arrived home a few minutes after Don and Peter carried in the tree, with the Joker cheering them on from behind. Once the tree had been set up next to the fireplace, Marie brought out the ornaments and they began to decorate the tree. Don, having had enough of the Joker, left the house with Marie to go on a walk as the rest of them decorated, with the exception of Alice, who was sitting on the couch with Ben in her arms. Being a two year old, Ben couldn't stand being restrained and kept squirming and whining to be let down, but Alice didn't want to risk the Joker getting his hands on him.
"Alice, why don't you let me hold him for a while? I'm great with kids," offered the Joker with a friendly grin.
Alice quickly racked her brains for a plausible excuse. "I would Joker, but," she sniffed his clean diaper. "I think he's got a dirty diaper. I need to change him." And with that, Alice walked as fast as she could out of the living room with breaking into a sprint.
"I'll help you, honey!" called out Peter as he followed her, and a few minutes later they left too, leaving just Joker, Harley and Adrian to finish the tree.
"I'm not feelin' so hot, I'm gonna go upstairs," said Harley, sick of being around Adrian and wishing that Joker would do something to him already.
"I think I'll go check on her, make sure she's okay," said Adrian as Harley went up the stairs and disappeared down the hall. "You mind finishing the tree?"
"Not at all," said Joker as he hung an angel ornament. "Say, do you think this angel would look better next to the snowman or the reindeer ornament?"
Adrian went up the stairs and into Harley's room, where he found Harley sitting on the bed clutching a clown doll close to her chest.
"Hey Harley," said Adrian as he sat down next to her. "Are you all right?"
"Just dandy, why wouldn't I be," said Harley through gritted teeth.
"Have you thought anymore about what I said, about giving us another chance?"
"You don't wanna know what I've been thinking," grumbled Harley.
"Kiss me Harley, like you used to. One kiss won't hurt, and the Joker never has to know. You've been with him for so long you've forgotten what it's like to truly be loved, to be treated as you deserve, with respect. Give me on more chance before you decide who you want to be with. Kiss me once and then tell me to leave," whispered Adrian in her ear.
"It would take a lot more than one kiss to persuade me. I will never love you again, my heart belongs to Mistah J," said Harley as she tried to get off the bed, but Adrian grabbed her and forced her to kiss him. She pushed him away, disgusted with him and herself for the kiss even though it hadn't been her fault. He didn't stop though, and he grabbed her again and forced her back on the bed and kissed her again, more forcefully this time.
"Mistah J! screamed Harley as she tried to fight him off. The serum Poison Ivy had given her made her somewhat stronger, but he was still stronger than her and refused to give up. She continued to scream for the Joker as he yanked her pants down and she threw him off of her. She tried to run for it again but he grabbed her and pulled her back again and Harley felt tears streaming down her face as she tried to fight him. Where was the Joker? She knew he could hear her screams for help, so why wasn't he coming to rescue her? Harley started to feel like it was pointless to fight back, all she cared about was the Joker's love and approval, and if he didn't care enough to save her then what was the point?
Just as she began to succumb she felt someone pull the man off of her. She looked up and saw the Joker pin Adrian to the floor and shove a blade in his mouth.
"So Adrian, having fun with my girl?" he said, his voice deathly quiet and all traces of friendliness gone. "You know, I don't like sharing my toys, but maybe you didn't know that. Maybe you thought anyone could do whatever they wanted to my dame and I wouldn't care. You thought that you could steal from me and get away with it, and when you couldn't steal her you decided you wanted to play with my toy anyway. You thought you could do whatever you wanted to her, but I'll have you know that I'm the only one who's allowed to play with or break my toys. You thought that I wouldn't, or couldn't, kill you. Is that what you thought?"
"N-No! I'm sorry, it won't ever happen again, I swear!" Adrian pleaded helplessly, trying not to slice his tongue on the knife.
"You got that right. It was very rude of you to try to steal my gal away from me, and then you tried to have your way with her, even I don't take things that far, which is what separates me from scum like you. Apologize to Harley, Adrian."
"I'm s-sorry, Ha-Harley," said Adrian, looking up at her with desperate eyes, pleading for mercy.
"Do you accept his apology, Harley-kins?" said Joker as he looked up at her, his expression livid.
"No, no I don't," spat Harley. "You hurt me and tried to steal me away from my Puddin', and I don't like it when people try to come between me and Mistah J."
"You heard the lady, Adrian. Now, I was going to kill you all along pal, but I wanted to see if you could behave yourself. I've been on my best behavior this entire time but you, not so much. Now you've given me a reason to kill you, besides the fact that you once dated Harley and you have an ugly face. But first, you and me are gonna have some fun."
The Joker made Adrian stand and he dragged him downstairs, never taking the knife out of his mouth. Harley followed and opened the door for them and helped him force Adrian in the car. Once they had driven off, Harley went back inside and slumped on the couch, exhausted physically and emotionally.
"You have such a nice boyfriend, Harley," said Nana with a smile as she sat in her rocking chair, knitting as always. "You're a very lucky girl."
"I sure am," agreed Harley as tears of relief and joy slid down her face. The Joker still cared about her after all, and she had been stupid to think otherwise. How could she not have trusted him? He always looked after her, and even when he didn't, even when he hurt her or left her he always came back and apologized, even that time when he had pushed her out a window because she had ruined his plan to kill Batman. Though he almost never showed it, he truly did love her, of this she was sure.
