Chapter 9

"Are you ready?"

"As ready as I'll ever be."

The hallway floor just outside her room creaked and squeaked in an unforgiving give, startling her and making her skin prickle. She was about to tell her father something so punctually secretive and closed that it charged her heart, caused it to beat to a fast paced thump that seemed to drive her, jump her.

It was fine just a minute ago, she felt perfectly comfortable in revealing the traumatic event that had happened to her just six months ago. But now, as she continued to stare at the dark dusty floor beneath her, crackling and screaming in a deranged 'no', it seemed to become a rather tough doing. How would he react? Would he be fatherly and loving? Or frustrated? Angry? Mad? And if mad, to what extent? Insane? Raving? Or just simply mad?

Would he take her to the side and gently hug her, tell everything was going to be 'okay'? Take her hand in his and smile his brilliant inspiring gleam and show her that this was nothing to be upset about? To gradually and finely move along with her villainous plans and act as if the cruel happenings had indeed never happened?

She rounded the corner of the hall along side her mother and entered the living room. Growing nerves ate away her insides like a feast fit for a royal king.

Joker smiled upon seeing his daughter and comforted himself further into the small couch where he sat, tapping his fingers calmly against the upholstery, "Everything alright Dannie?"

Her jaw trembled. Life had undeniably slowed, each step was like torture, wracking her thoughts, producing a stream of questions and thoughts and ideas and images and things to say and things to do and…it never stopped. It never did.

As far back as she could remember, as early as turning five, it never stopped. The questions that plummeted into her mind, questions she couldn't even begin to understand at her young age were pitiless. Despite being a genius, for this she was absolutely sure was true, she couldn't answer them without being confused about the answer to the question in the end. Though she was much older now and the answers didn't bewilder her much anymore. In fact, she was able to understand most anything, come up with her own reason and response instead of searching for the answer that was already stored into her mind to begin with. The questions were however, still there, all the time, plaguing her and twisting her.

But even then it wasn't just that, not just questions. There were thoughts and ideas that were so sadistic and sick it churned her stomach at night in discomfort. But she couldn't help but laugh.

In the still darkness of her room at night, alone and tired from the sleepless endurance she was put through again and again, she would delightfully laugh at all the images that crossed her path. She would try hard to muffle her chuckles, covering her blanket over her mouth in a pathetic attempt not to wake her mother. Biting her own thumb to somehow stop her mad fit of giggles, praying that inducing pain would silence them, but it never did help.

Then, after the countless minutes of terrifying and dizzying thoughts, her laughter would cringe into a full out holler, echoing against the walls of her room, taunting and mocking her, the shadows lurking and laughing right back at her.

Cheeks strained and sore from the mixture of laughter and tears, Harley would make an entrance and embrace her, wipe away the confused cry that covered her face, hush her soothingly, stroke and pat her back as she would scream into her mothers belly.

It was like that almost every night.

It never stopped. The thoughts, the images, the ideas, the questions, they never stopped.

"I need to tell you something."

"Oh?" he sat up straight and folded his hands properly onto his lap, listening fully to whatever she had to say.

"No wait!" Jasper shot up from his seat and all three of them looked to him with mystification. He calmed his actions and smoothed out his coat. Understanding just why his outburst had received such stares he swallowed and took a steady breath.

Danielle continued her ogle, "What's the matter?"

"I just think," he strolled closer to her and took hold of her hand affectionately, playing with her fingers childishly and lowering his tone for only her to hear now, "that maybe I should leave before you tell your father what happened hm?"

"Why?"

His eyes rolled around energetically as he tried to come up with a justification that could be presentable to her. Not wanting to plain outright say that if Joker knew what transpired, he'd most likely die. Because he had broken a rule in Jokers orders. Simple as that.

The orders and punishments of the job indicated were precise and clear.

About as clear as his memories of the day he had first met Joker, seven months ago.

Eating at an Akham Asylum villain filled table wasn't something he really favored when trying to enjoy one of his many meals there. Sure he was considered a villain himself, a rookie in the eyes of others, most others. He was knew and young, energetic and excited about what he could offer to Gotham City. Plans, capers, and jobs all ready set out in his strapping wits that he could already taste the rush of adrenaline that pumped without direction in him.

"You ain't got what it takes kid," one man had mentioned as he shoved his gravy covered turkey into his mouth. "Being a villain in Gotham…you gotta be able to keep up with The Bat."

"No, no…" Jasper murmured, sipping on his glass of water, "he has to be able to keep up with me. You'll see, I'll be one of the greats, if not the greatest villain Gotham has ever seen."

"Afraid that titles already been given gumball. And its successor is eagerly waiting to be taught by him, to learn all the tricks of the trade! Looks like you'll just have to wait in line."

"Oh yea?" Jasper turned to the man who stood behind him and saw that he was partly covered in a shadow that sheltered his torso and face, concealing the mysteriousness of this other patient skillfully. "And who just happens to be the greatest? The best of the best, the cruelest of the cruel? What gives them the right to hold onto their title when others are there to rightfully take it away if they so please? Successors, that's foolish."

"Oh but there are successors," he smiled and leaned down towards Jaspers face, stopping just a mere few inches from him. "And I do believe with all due respect, that I hold the title of the best of the best, the cruelest of the cruel."

"Joker…"

"Oh good! You know me!"

The clown took a seat next to Jasper and leaned his elbow against the table top. Resting his head in his hand he looked onto Jasper with a great large grin.

"What?"

"I've been watching you, hearing things about you, and I must say it's all quiet promising."

The other men that had been sitting at the table had long since left in fear of Joker, and now it only held the Prince of Crime and himself. "Flattering."

"I like what I hear gumball, and I think you can do something for me."

"And why would I want to do something for you?"

"Because," he intriguingly and coldly began, "I can get you a seat into the Rogues Gallery. The 'best of the best' there eh? And that is what you want I presume?"

Jasper turned to Joker and looked him right in the eyes, "It's a start to what I want. What do you want from me?"

"You've got a mind that I fancy. I won't be modest, you're smart, you're intelligent, you've got strength, and you know how to use a gun. Unlike the suicidal unit in here…"

"What about it? Get to the point."

"I'm getting there. Unlike the other simple minded fools in this habitat, you know that it isn't all about offense."

"Anyone who really wanted a shot at being great would know that."

"Exactly. And that's why I want you to protect my daughter."

"What? You mean…Danielle Quinn?"

"Yes, that's her."

Jasper popped his knuckle and then rubbed there while contemplating, "Why ask someone like me to protect your daughter. Wouldn't you want someone who was a bit more aged, a tad more experienced?"

"I want someone who will do the job without standing out like a vibrant sore thumb. You're new, you're young, you're eager I'm sure. No one would suspect that you're working for me."

"Why does she need protection?"

Jasper noticed his hesitation but let it pass. "She's my daughter and that alone puts her at risk for even breathing. She's old enough now that I'm sure she wanders out of her mothers hands. Though I was positive she was safe with Harley when she was younger, I'm not so sure now. I want someone watching her when she leaves the apartment complex."

"What are your terms?" he took another gulp of water, not looking at Joker anymore but now straight ahead.

"You wait outside their apartment at all times until she comes out, and then you follow her wherever she goes. You protect her at all costs, no matter what, no excuses. And you report back to me with anything that happens to her. Though nothing should happen, got it?"

"Yea, I got it. So I'm pretty much just her bodyguard."

"Yes," he reached a hand to Jaspers plate and grabbed a bread roll, munching on it as he explained. "But if she sees you, and starts asking questions as to why you are following her, and she finds out that daddy didn't trust her to be out alone, then it's game over for you."

"She would be upset that you didn't trust her?"

"More so the fact that she has most of my charming genes, and if she's anything like her father, which I know she is, then she'll be livid."

"Why?"

"Because, I would be. Now," he pulled a lollipop from out of his pocket and unwrapped it, "do you agree to protect my daughter at all costs?"

"I'm going to need money for supplies."

"Already done. I've got two armored trucks loaded and waiting for my signal to transport. You'll have weapons, you'll have cash, you'll have henchmen of your own, and you'll have your own hideout. All I need is a yes."

"Protect your daughter, at all costs. Report back to you if something does happen, keep you informed. And in return I get into the Rogues Gallery?"

"Right-e-o gumball."

Jasper watched Joker twirl the lollipop in his fingers, and then he gently sat down his now empty cup of water. "You got a deal, Boss."

"Good," he pushed forward the lollipop, offering it to Jasper, who only stared at the candy in uncertainty. "Don't like cherry?"

"Not particularly."

"Well good, because it's watermelon. Now be a good little Jasper and take a taste."

Jasper took the lollipop and examined it before turning back to Joker and questioning things, "Why?"

"You ask a lot of questions. It's just candy. Oh I see, you must have had the type of mother that told you never to take candy from psychotic homicidal clowns right?"

Jasper smiled and mouthed the pop, and tasting the burning sensation of cherry against his tongue, he removed it and grimaced. "You said it was watermelon."

"Oops, silly me must have lied!"

"What was on that lollipop?" he inquired, understanding that there had to be a reason for such play.

"Oh nothing fancy, just a tracking device that will burrow into your veins so I can watch you wherever you go. The pain gets tolerable after the first twenty-four hours."

"What?!"

"Ha ha! Just playing with you is all."

Jasper heaved a hefty sigh and rubbed his stomach in agitation.

"I do that from time to time. You'll get used to it." He sniveled and wiped his nose on his sleeve then patted Jasper on the back before standing up. "You better get a move on though; I say you have a good hour before that tracking device burrows into your liver. Woo! The pain that thing causes!"

"I thought you said you were kidding!"

"I was, it isn't your veins and it isn't twenty-four hours, its seventy-two. Now, like I said, it's best you get a move on, in about three minutes at the west end of section J, you'll receive a set of instructions on what to do next."

"What is this? I'm escaping right now with some high tech escape plan?"

"Exciting isn't it?"

Jasper stood up from the table and dusted off his sleeves, "Who's giving me the set of instructions?"

Joker only smiled and shoved his hands into his pockets, "You keep an eye on my daughter. I love her and miss her dearly."

He nodded and before he began his escape, he turned back to Joker one last time and crooked his brow, "Why don't you escape and protect her yourself?"

"She'd be safer if she never saw me again."

He noticed that Joker seemed almost regretful in his words, but he was wasting time as it was. "I'll keep her safe, you have my word."

"I'll be in touch," Joker chuckled a smile and turned away, lost within the mass of patients that filled the cafeteria area in a quick instant.

Jasper began his walk to the exit of the eating area, holding his stomach with pressure to allow guards to see that he wasn't 'feeling well'. He came upon the exit and grabbed the handle of the door, but was stopped sternly.

"Stop! No exiting during eating hour."

"I need to see my doctor, I'm not feeling well," he pushed his forehead against the door and stared at the handle, his hand still on his stomach, and his voice feeble and tired.

"Oh," the guard seemed apologetic for his reaction, "who's your doctor?"

"Doctor Leland."

"Hey Mike!" the officer called out to a nearby guard, "take my post, I'll be right back. I'm going to take this patient to his doctor."

The officer grabbed hold of Jaspers arm and helped him out of the area and down the hall. Being extra careful in his handling with him, he decided to ask a question.

"What's not feeling well? Stomach ache or somethin' else?"

"It's personal, I'm sorry." Jasper saw the entrance to section J just up ahead, as well as the security pass code monitor along side it. He wouldn't be able to get in without an officers pass code, and this dumb little bird on his arm seemed to be just the fellow to help him out.

"That's alright. Do you know which room your doctor is in? I can take you to her and see if she'll let you in to have a quick session."

"I know she's in section J, possibly room 23 or was it 25, I can never remember."

"Don't worry, we'll figure it out." They reached the door and the officer punched in a series of numbers. A red light located on top of the monitor flickered three times until a green one flickered instead, allowing the door to open and letting them both inside.

As soon as the door closed behind them, Jasper spun to the officers back and wrapped his arm around his throat. He reached for the sentinels tazor gun and withdrew it from its holster, and with a heaving shove, Jasper pushed the officer away from him and shot the tazor gun at the stumbling man. As the spears at the end of the wires struck into the back of the guard, Jasper let go of the gun and bolted down the hallway, making his way to the west end. Listening to the screaming and screeching officer behind him bellow in pain.

Thirty seconds later and he was at a dead end in the far west hall. "Now what? I don't see anything. No one's here…what instructions?"

"Stand back."

Jasper whirled around searching behind him to see who had spoken the command, but was unsuccessful to find anyone. "Who's there?"

"I never said 'Knock Knock', should I start again?"

"What the hell?" Jasper turned around again, this time facing the wall, no clue where the voice was coming from.

"If I were you, I'd stand back. In 20 seconds that wall is going to blow sky high!"

He recognized the voice, it was clearly Jokers, but he hadn't a clue how he was hearing him, "Where the hell are you?"

"In your ear, and I can see you skipped spring cleaning this year…my my."

"Huh?" and Jasper reached his hand to his ear and there sure enough, was a small device plugged into his canal. "How did you get a transmitter into my ear?"

"I have ways, now stand back or this whole magnificent escape I organized will be a complete waste of time."

He took a few steps back and narrowed his eyes, preparing himself for the blast that was about to come. Adrenaline pumping in excitement at the thought of becoming a true villain, joining the Rogues Gallery if all went well. This was his chance, and he was working for The Joker, on a job for The Joker. It happened so fast too, Joker had come out of nowhere and offered him this job. He hadn't anything to lose, so he took it, and now he stood waiting for a wall to blow up. It was so perfect.

"Has that wall blown up yet?"

"Uh, no. No it hasn't." Jasper responded back.

"Hmm. Didn't think it would, but I thought we'd wait and see anyways. Now, go into the room on your left."

Jasper shook his head and opened the door leading into the room, "Okay, now what?"

"Take care of the ninjas and then open the envelope on the desk."

He looked around the empty room, obviously no ninjas were here and Joker was just enjoying his time. Jasper picked up the envelope on the far back desk and opened it. Inside were two keys, one purple and one green, attached to a plain keychain. "What do the keys go to?"

"Use the green one to open the bottom drawer of the desk."

"What's inside the drawer?" he walked around to the back of the desk and knelt down, inserting the key into the lock.

"It's a surprise! I'm not going to spoil the fun…"

"Where are you? I think it'd be a little strange for you to be talking to yourself in the middle of the cafeteria, at least others might think it strange."

"Does it matter?"

"Just wondering," he pulled the drawer out and inside was a black pistol, loaded and ready for use by anyone with a happy trigger finger. "Nice surprise."

"Now don't be shooting that thing off just for the hell of it, you've already attracted a number of guards by killing that sentinel in view of the security cameras. Sloppy work gumball."

"I'm learning. You picked a rookie. I'll be honest with myself; I need to learn a lot. And you were aware of that in the beginning."

"And still you're better then all the rest."

Jasper held the gun at his side, "Now what?"

"Oh, I don't know. Pull the fire alarm. That'll get Arkhams panties in a bunch."

"Serious?" he made his way to the fire alarm in the room and waited in front of it.

"Beats me, I don't even know if he wears unders that bunch, let alone unders at all!"

Jasper sighed and cleared his throat, "I mean to pull the alarm, do you want me to?"

"It'd be splendid if you perchance did."

He grabbed the small handle of the alarm and forced it down, resulting in a blistering high pitched alarm that sounded off at what seemed to be five second intervals. "Okay!" he yelled over the alarm, "It's pulled!"

"Really?! I didn't think you had! What with this bothersome beeping and all, it hadn't occurred to me!"

"Alright enough of the sarcasm! What now?!"

"The alarm will shut off in approximately five minutes. They'll realize there's no fire and shut down the system. That should give you enough time to scurry your happy little way out of here while in the fit of all the commotion without being seen."

"Where do I go?!" he continued to shout over the alarm.

"Back into the hallway."

Jasper hurried his way back to the thin hall and upon exiting the room, he glanced at the large agape hole that resided in the once normal wall, showing the outdoors and all its wonderful blue skies. "Uh, that wall you had me stand in front of…"

"Ye-es?"

"It, blew up."

"Well lookie there! Just our luck! Is there a knight in shining armor and his life long companion of a rearing majestic stallion waiting at the bottom?"

"No," he managed to smile. Obviously, he figured, the alarm was loud enough to hide the noise of the small blast to the wall.

"Damn him…I better get my deposit back. No matter though! You'll just have to jump into the pile of bushes at the bottom."

Jasper took a deep breath, "But I'm fives stories up from the ground, even those bushes won't break my fall."

"It'll help, I've done this jump many times."

"So you blow up this wall regularly then?" he readied his jump, placing his gun into one pocket and the keys into another.

"When it pleases me, yes."

"Alright, here I go." Jasper took another deep breath and leaned over the edge of the opening to approximate the distance and thrust he needed to land in the bushes, but upon looking over he noticed a rope secured to the side of the building and a small harness. "You were seriously going to make me jump?!"

"What?"

"There's a fucking rope and harness attached to the side of the god damn building and you were going to make me jump!"

"Well that's convenient."

Jasper listened to Jokers chuckles while quickly strapping the harness around his waist, "And what if I would have jumped? Then this whole plan would have been shit! I could have died if I had jumped!"

"Oh please, you wouldn't have died. Maybe a few bruises and a possible broken bone, but you wouldn't have died…exaggerator…"

Jasper descended the wall smoothly, the alarm still sounding off every five seconds. Finally he reached the bottom and removed the harness. "Okay, I'm at the bottom."

"Alrighty, head to the staff parking lot."

"Got it." Jasper followed the edge of the building, ducking and quietly dodging away from the large windows that resided in the walls. "So your daughter, how old is she?"

"Fifteen."

"How long has it been since you've seen her?" Jasper noticed a somewhat long pause, but he didn't ask Joker the question again, he was sure he had heard him.

"A while."

Jasper scurried under another window as he made his way to the parking lot, "I can tell you love her a lot. More so then what people say."

"It's been ten and a half years since I've seen my daughter physically. I've seen pictures in the news, in the media, but it isn't the same."

"I can understand that. What about Harley Quinn?"

"What about her?"

Jasper could see the parking lot, now about two hundred yards away, "She's got sane papers I guess. Told the doctors that she was working with that she wasn't going to cause any trouble, and she's stuck to her word supposedly."

"I know that already."

"I guess I'm asking if you want me to watch her too." another long pause went on.

"Your main task is to watch my daughter. If you see something that just so happens to involve Harley…then I'll assume you'd protect her as well."

"Alright, I'm in the parking lot."

"Right then, find the vehicle stall numbered 23D."

Jasper began his vehicle stall searching, "23D…23D…does it happen to be this purple vehicle?"

"What's the license plate say gumball?"

Jasper grinned and read it aloud, "It says 'SMILEZ', I'm guessing it's the one."

"What makes you say that?"

He ignored the question, "Does the purple key go to the purple car?"

"Possibly."

Jasper used the key to open the car and he got in and started the vehicle immediately, "Where to Boss?"

"Open the glove compartment and attach the GPS to the holder of course. Hit the 'Go' button on the screen and follow the directions it gives you until you reach your destination."

"Who set all this stuff up? I understand you thought of it, but-"

"I have lots of people everywhere, able to set up different things for me as long as I can adequately tell them where to find this and that."

"Why not just have one of them keep an eye on Danielle."

"I wouldn't trust one of those gobble heads if I asked them to keep watch on road kill! That's why I found you."

Jasper neared the security exit and promptly readied his gun, "Do you want me to kill this security guard up ahead, or just incapacitate him?"

"Whatever floats your boat, I could care less."

He aimed his gun and pulled up along side of the small hut like building where the security guard stood. "Open the gate."

"Whoa," the guard shot his hands up, "alright, let me just reach for the switch okay?"

Jasper watched the man's hand steadily reach for a small red switch, but he wasn't buying it, "Don't even think about flicking the security breech switch. I believe it's quite apparent which button operates the gate." He then motioned with the tip of the gun at a large button that had the word 'Gate' labeled on it.

"Please, I'm sorry, I was just trying to do my job. Here!" The guard hit the gate button and Jasper watched out of the corner of his eye at the rising gate.

"Thank you," and he re aimed the gun at the guards head, blasting a shot quickly and watching the blood splatter against the back wall.

"Well then. It should be a nice drive from here on out. How about a chat?"

He popped his neck, "About what?"

"Why you got put into Arkham in the first place. I know why according to your files, but I don't think it really happened like that."

"What does it matter? It happened, it's over with."

"Because you'll be protecting my daughter and I want to know all about you. I know a lot that's for certain, but I want to know it all. That shouldn't be a problem, should it?"

Jasper smiled and checked the rear view mirror, following the instructions from the GPS device, "Considering I'm starting to feel pain in the area where my liver would be, I'm taking a wild guess and saying that you weren't kidding when you put a tracking device in one of my organs. With that, I also know you're fucking out of your mind when it comes to protecting and making sure your family is safe. If you don't know everything about me, aren't confident that I'd protect your daughter, I'm sure all you'd have to do is tell one of your lesser henchmen to come by wherever I'm located and pop a nice bullet in my skull. So no, it's no problem."

"Smart boy."

"Though there isn't much to tell, sorry to formally disappoint you. I was brought up in a criminal family, not much of the high end jobs, more house robbers and street thieves, anything to get a little cash in your pocket to make it by for the week. Nothing like the indescribable stuff you do. Dad, mom, brother, and hopefully my little sister in the future…we were all involved in the family business. And I loved it."

"Tell me what happened."

"I came home one night after a robbery; I went out alone that time. Everyone was sitting in the living room, like they were all half alive. No one had any expressions on their faces. I set all my gear down on the coffee table in the middle of everyone, and ask what happened. Mom spoke up pretty quickly, told me like it was of no problematic occurrence that dad had been shot, killed. Supposedly he'd been on his own as well, though he was doing a more respectable job, robbing a real small bank on the corner of 5th and Main. He was stupid for going alone."

"But you didn't go all fuddy duddy just because daddy died."

"No, I didn't. I didn't respect him like I should have, but how could you when you knew he hurt your own mother every night. I know it seems a bit unsettling, but, I almost smiled knowing he was dead. The second mom told me, I almost smiled."

"And why didn't you?"

"Because I know it would have broken everyone else's heart. I was the only one in the entire family who loathed my dad. I'm probably just the same as every other patient in Arkham…family issues."

"You had a pretty big family issue, after all you did kill your brother and mother."

"Mom had a hunch that I was pretty pleased with the death of my father. I didn't truly seem phased whenever his name had popped up into conversation. I guess mom just didn't like my attitude. It was strange that she wasn't happy too, I mean now she didn't have to worry about not having the bed made just right, having the towels in the bathroom that hung from the towel rack a thumb widths apart, floors polished just right so dad could see himself in the reflection, she didn't have to worry about being repeatedly raped anymore. And she was sad it seemed, just so depressed and gloomy."

Jasper turned into an apartment complex where the device had told him to go, and parked the car in a shady spot.

"I'm here, at…Grove Apartments? That's where the GPS told me to go."

"Just sit for a moment. But then she went daffy on you and the family, right?"

"Yea. I never told that to my doctor at Arkham. How'd you know?"

"Like I said, I know a lot about you. Not to mention it's sort of clear that not having the strict husband around to beat her into line, just like she always had, was too much of a change to her already brittle and crumbling mind."

"You sound like a damn doctor."

"I did say 'I do' to one."

Jasper laughed, "You've got a pretty twisted love story in your belt."

"Yes, it's all truly maddening. But tell me, why did you kill them?"

"I'm not going to go into the whole thing with detail. My mom kept hurting my little sister, kept trying to drown her, poison her, murder her. I don't know what was going through her mind, or why she wanted to kill my sister, but she was relentless. If I wasn't watching out for that kid twenty four seven, she would have been killed eventually. Then one night, my mom has a gun pushed into her stomach and I decide that if I want my sister to live, mom is going to have to die. And I loved that kid, only about four months old, not a damn clue what was happening to her. So I shot my mom, and my brother comes out of his room, screaming and cursing…obviously he hadn't a clue what my mother was doing to this kid, and he pulls a pistol out on me. I was always a quicker shot, and I did away with him. Now it was just me and my baby sister, safe for the time being."

"And what happened to your sister?"

"I took her to a hospital. I was in no condition to care for a child, I was young, in a dangerous profession…I decided it was better for her to go to a family that could always take care of her and let her live in a life that was normal and safe. I remember handing her over to the receptionist, 'I found her in an alley screaming, I didn't know where else to take her'. Then after that, I started to work by myself of course, no more family hanging along and I got motivated to start bigger and better jobs, which resulted in more killings, more public knowledge of my existence. The only real reason I get put into Arkham, is because I get uncontrollable in the middle of a job, it's like a rush I can't even describe. But it's desirable."

"You got put into Arkham because you can't control yourself?"

"Well I can control myself, but like I said, I can't even describe it. It's like I'm crazy only for the time I'm in a job. I don't know if the death of my family urged it on, but I never felt anything like it before when they were alive. The cops say, if you don't mind me using you as an example, that I'm like a young Joker without all the punch lines. It's what they say I act like, but I wouldn't know…I'm too focused on my task at hand to worry about the way I act. I guess you'd have to see me in a big situation to really understand, hell I don't even understand it myself."

"And that, Jasper, is the true reason why I picked you to watch over my daughter."

"What?"

"I've seen you on the news fighting cops, fighting rivals, fighting Batman…I've seen just how you act in a situation. To be truthful it's like watching a young me, of course without the jokes like you said. And what better way to protect my daughter with none other than the same methods I would use?"

Jasper furrowed his brow and lightly wetted his lips, "You agree then, that I act like you in combat?"

"Irrefutably."

He pushed his head back against the seat and felt a tight lump in his throat. He didn't even know what to make of this, the greatest villain in the world, at least to him he thought, was saying that his own methods were the same. And he hadn't even done that on purpose; when he fought it was to win and that was that. He didn't pay attention to how he acted, he just…acted. "What do I do now?"

"You wait until my daughter comes out. And wherever she goes, you go. There is a picture of her in the console. I'll be in touch gumball, I had a pleasant chat."

"Wait, Joker?" he waited for a response, "Joker?" but was left alone.

And that's how it all started, a memory so planted in his mind it was like his favorite bed time story to read about again and again before he went to sleep. And now, if Danielle told her miserable tale to her father, Joker would know that he had slipped when trying to protect her. And that would be his downfall, his end.

"Well, maybe it would be easier for you if it were just the family?" Jasper asked Danielle as she narrowed her eyes in thought.

"I'd like for you to stay, that would make it easier."

"But maybe not as easy for your father?"

"Why don't you want to stay when I tell him?"

"I'm not saying I don't Dannie love! It's just…"

She cocked her head, "Just what?"

"I…I just don't think it to be appropriate. That's all."

Forgetting all about her nerves, she smiled, "Stay."

"But Dannie!" he harshly whispered as he lowered himself to her ear, pleading with his voice for her to not share what happened to her with Joker. But she wouldn't have it, and she happily patted his shoulder.

"Stay. It'll make me happy."

Harley took a seat next to Joker and snuggled into his magnificent side with a petite frown. She didn't look forward to this discussion, but she did feel it could help in making them feel safe. Because Joker always did have that charm, he could always make her feel safe in even the most dangerous situation.

Joker watched Danielle and Jasper sit down in the matching couch just across from him, noticing his daughter's eyes were slightly watery but not teary. "So Dannie, what do you need to tell me?"

She looked down at the floor and sighed quickly, and feeling a reassuring hand rub her lower back she looked at Jasper and smiled. "I don't think there is any easy way to slide into a discussion like the one I'm about to have with you dad. So I'm just going to tell you what happened to me."

"What do you mean 'what happened to me'?" his voice already strident and tight.

And that was enough to send her into a spasm of tears and she covered her face in shame. This was hard. She didn't sob, just let her tears slide down her face, "I'm sorry."

"Sweetheart," Jasper held her and removed the hand from her face, "look at me. You're okay."

Joker still sat, eyes questioning and brows furious, "What the hell happened to you?"

"Give her a minute," Harley spoke to Joker quietly but he protested.

"If someone doesn't tell me what happened to my daughter right now, I will force it out of one you. Now tell me what the hell happened!"

"Give her a god damn minute! Obviously what she wants to tell you is very difficult for her! So give her some respect!"

Joker stood up and Harley grabbed onto his arm, "Puddin'! Don't!" but she was forcefully shoved away.

"How dare you yell at me! You unfit piece of slime! Have you no idea who I am?"

"I know exactly who you are, a coward for running away from your family when they needed you most! Look at her! Look at your beautiful daughter in tears trying her best to tell you something! And all you do is demand an answer now from anyone! She respects you more than anyone I know and you act like this when its clear as day that she needs a stable and calm moment…how dare I? How dare you..."

"I'll kill you!" Joker felt Harley grab hold of his waist, wrapped herself around him like she did so long ago and buried her head into his chest.

"Please Mistah J, just sit! Please!"

"Stop," Danielle raised a hand. "Everyone just sit down. Damn Mount Vesuvius has nothing on you three."

Joker looked at Harley then back to Danielle and edgily took his seat once again.

"Thank you," Harley sighed in relief and kissed his cheek.

"Okay, I'm jumping into this. Six months ago I was kidnapped. Taken hostage by someone I've never known, and still don't know. I was outside walking around the park out back…and I felt something plunge into my neck, some drug that knocked me out within thirty seconds. Next thing I know I'm in a pitch black room, barely being able to breath."

Jaspers eyes were red and bothered. He had heard the story so many times, but it never got any better. The pain he felt for her was only a fraction of the pain she must have felt, and he couldn't help but feel it to be all his fault.

"About fifteen, maybe twenty minutes later, and this tall black figure looms over me." She hitched a breath but continued, "And he hurt me, beat me, he kept asking for information about you dad. But I didn't know anything."

The anger sat in his eyes, but Joker was quiet and calm in his question, "What did they ask you?"

"Your real name, where you grew up, your family. Just anything about you, the questions were limitless, they never ended."

"How long?"

"Four days," she looked away and grabbed Jaspers hand, "but they didn't just beat me dad. It's hard to say out loud, it's hard to even say the word, let alone think."

"No," Joker pleaded and let his shoulders slump, "no Dannie…"

She bit her lip and held Jaspers hand tighter and nodded at her father, "I was."

Joker pushed his head back against the couch and stared at the rotating fan above. Mouth closed, breathing quiet, and eyes tired, all he could do was hate himself for ever meeting Harley. It was simple throughout all the years he had even known Harley, if he hadn't met her in the first place, none of this would have happened, ever.

"That's just the quick version of everything that happened. But, I'm getting better dad. It's just hard to talk about, that's all. Really I'm not that traumatized by it, and Jasper and his guys are trying to figure out who did it. You don't have to worry." She could see the horror hiding underneath her fathers skin, and she knew that he was blaming himself. "Dad, it is not your fault."

He let his eyes fall to the bottom corner of his sockets and tentatively looked into his daughters eyes. "I'm going to tell you something that I want you to always remember. Think of it as your first lesson."

"Okay."

"You yearn to become something like me. You crave to be the greatest. What's the point of craving an end? Once you become the greatest, then what? You sit with it in your hand like a prize, and it's all over. You're left thinking that achieving that desire was what made it all worth while. Well it's not Dannie, becoming the greatest isn't what makes all those jobs and fights and capers worth while…it's indeed quite the opposite. All those jobs you delight in pulling off, all the fights and pain you endured…that's what makes becoming the greatest worth while. It's the journey, not the end result. Don't forget that."

And with that, Joker stood up, sighed heavily, then made his way to Harleys room.

Jasper kissed Danielle on the cheek, "You feel better?"

"Yea, I do. But he shouldn't blame himself. It's not his fault."

"Sweetie girl? You sure you okay?" Harley asked.

"Yea, I'm fine. I already feel better about dad knowing, is he going to be okay?"

"I'll check on him, you two turn on the television and take a breather kay?"

Harley entered the room a few minutes later and found Joker wound tightly in one of her thin sheets. His coat and undershirts had been tossed onto the floor as well as his slacks and shoes. She crawled onto the bed and spooned him from the back; she then slowly reached one arm over him and pressed her hand against his tummy. "It's okay."

"How is it okay? My daughter was raped."

"It isn't your fault, she doesn't blame you, I don't blame you. You couldn't do anything about it, nothing to prevent it."

His body shook against her, fighting back emotions, "I hate you…"

It hurt, but she let him vent out his withheld emotions that practically died to escape, "Why do you hate me?"

"If you never showed up, none of this would have happened. We wouldn't have fallen in love, my sweet Dannie would have never been born, she wouldn't have had to go through life the way she did, she wouldn't have been hurt by that worm Oswald, she wouldn't have been raped! I hate you! You and all your damn woman tricks to make me fall in love with you!"

"I didn't make you fall in love with me Puddin'..."

"Then who did?! It wasn't me!"

"I think it just happened. It was something we couldn't really control Pud." His body convulsed and he curled up tighter. "Aw baby," and she crawled over his body and repositioned herself to be face to face with him.

His eyes were red and painful looking, a sea of purple surrounded by unrelenting fire. Joker grabbed her hand and pulled it up to his mouth. Pressing his lips against her hand he spoke, "I hate you!"

"Please stop saying that, it hurts Mistah J."

He gritted his teeth and spoke through them, growling in hatred, "I hate you Harley Quinn!"

Her jaw trembled, "Okay," and eyes began to fill with fresh baby tears.

He cried but wasn't loud about it. Just let his emotions run wildly. As he spoke, his voice cracked and splintered, "Harley?"

"Yea?" she squeaked in a fight to fend off her tears.

"Do you remember why I told you I fell in love with you?"

Slowly she nodded. She could never forget any word he ever mumbled to her. "Because I gave you a chance."

"Damn you for giving me a chance Harleen Quinzel."

Harley blinked and those few newborn tears ran free. He hadn't an idea of how much this was hurting her, at least she implored he didn't.

"Damn you."

Then she felt his familiar finger curve under her chin and his wonderful lips press against hers. Not a doubt in the world she kissed right back with thankful tears. Joyful amounts of thankful tears.

Joker planted pecks and kisses along her mouth and jaw and cheeks and neck, not sure where to start or end in his apology to her. "Harley..."

"It's okay," she smiled, "it's okay! Ya don't hate me do ya Puddin'?"

"No," he shook his head, "I don't hate you."

"Ya still love me?"

"I told you long ago that no matter what I say, you should always remember that I'll still love you."

"Oh!" she latched on to him and kissed his neck, causing him to finally smirk. "You scared me!"

"I didn't mean to scare you. I didn't know how else to react. I never thought something like that would ever happen to Dannie…I was never in the slightest prepared. My god Harley, our daughter was raped. I acted foolish, I just got up and left her."

"Considering you're The Joker, I think you acted just fine. And she's worried about you, not angry at all that you got up and left. She just kept asking if you were okay," she gave another smile and kissed the tip of his nose.

He smiled back, hating himself for letting his daughter be hurt, but understanding that it had happened and there was really no use in 'crying' over it. What needed to be done was to find the ill creature that hurt her and figure out why.

"Joker! Joker!" Jasper banged harshly against the door.

"What the hell do you want?!"

"You have to see this, hurry!"


Please leave a review, thank you for reading and hope you enjoyed this chapter.