A/N: A couple things! This is our final chapter, there will be an epilogue and then I'm going to do more with this universe but for RRB this is basically it. Another thing is that I just want to thank you guys for reading and commenting on this ridiclious little story, I know that you had to wait through big pauses in updating and I'm sure major writing styles changes. This was a serious learning experience for me, if I was writing it now it would be different probably. But Still I enjoyed writing this.
Also major tw for domestic violence, blood and general violence.
Harley had never really considered going into the Bat cave, it was just something that even though she knew she was dating Batman. Now walking behind Dick as he leads the way, it still didn't seem real. Any of it. Harley had the slightest inkling in the back of her head that she was just going to wake up in her bed in Arkham. The feeling of dreaming and pretending never left her, floating through life convinced that nothing was really real. Bruce helped with that, he grounded her. When she felt his hands on her shoulders, the refreshing warmth of this body. Without him there the floating was worse like her brain wasn't connected to her body.
"You should not worry", Damian's hand found hers, considering how small she was his head was nearly level with hers, "Greyson has the ability to save Father, and direct the rest of them so they don't botch it"
It was strange, she knew that Damian wasn't one for physical contact but he seemed to sense how bad she was feeling and was attempting to do something for her. Despite the fact, he wasn't Bruce just the feeling of skin to skin contact, the squeeze of his hand brought her down to Earth again.
"Thank you", it didn't matter how he knew that she was upset, if she was just broadcasting stronger signals then she thought. All that mattered was that he was trying to do something for her, "I have faith in you guys. I'm not sure I have faith in me you know?"
He nodded, intertwining their fingers in a clumsy manner that told her someone else had taught him how to, "There was a time when I couldn't trust my own mind. My mother allowed someone else to take over", his voice was quiet and she realized that everyone else was ways of the head of them almost like they were being given privacy, "I was created to become a vessel for my father. My life was never really my own. Sometimes I don't know what to do with the life now that I'm allowed to have it"
Harley felt the almost irresistible urge to grab Damian and run, he was only a child he didn't deserve to put through any of this. He should have been worrying about school and homework, not if he was going to lose his own body to someone else.
"I'm sorry Sweetie", she might not have been Damian's mother but she couldn't deny the maternal feelings that were welling up in her chest, "Can I kick your granddad's ass for you?"
Damian looked up at her, not that he had very far to look, and gave a tiny smirk-y smile, "Appreciate the offer but I think that Father has as Brown would say 'dibs' on the ass kicking of grandfather"
"Well someone should!", Harley crossed her arms shoving her nose into the air with a haughty expression, "Ain't no body should be having kids for such goddamn terrible reasons. Kids should be born because you want them and are goanna love them"
"…I… I believe that you could be an appropriate parent. Even if you are a bit bizarre at times", he looked away from her, all of a sudden sounding like the child that he was rather then the adult he tried to sound like, "If you want to that is"
Harley smiled, trying not to let too much of her excitement shine through. It had always been a dream of hers to have kids, a family the whole nine yards. Sure she knew that Damian didn't dislike her, but honestly, she had never expected him to think of her as anything else but a friend or his father's girlfriend.
"You sure kid? I don't want you to just be saying that because you want your dad to be happy or anything"
Damian snorted, squeezing her hand, "I like you. You treat me like everyone else instead of some rabid dog or something. You… understand"
Harley got that, she knew what Damian meant. No one didn't like Damian but sometimes she could see a bit of apprehension at the suggestion of Damian doing certain things. Not to mention everyone knew about what Robin did, he had grown up but when he had first started out… There was something even to her vaguely disturbing about a child being so violent.
That wasn't his fault, she knew form experience what a controlling force someone you loved could be. Whether it be a lover or a parent, she had felt the control of both of them at different times in her life. When everything was over her and Bruce were going to have a long talk about Damian and therapy. Or just all of the family in general and therapy. They were a tiny bit of a mess all of them.
"I don't suppose someone has a clown suit lying around?" Harley had to admit she hadn't really thought this through, she didn't have her suit and it was what made her Harley Quinn. The Joker would be more trusting if she looked like herself which meant no street clothes and full makeup.
Alfred nodded, presenting her with a pile of clothes with grease paint on top, "Believe it or not Miss Harley, we have most things that anyone could want. I suppose that a hammer would be too obvious, so I found some extendable batons that I believe will work for defending yourself", as she took the pile he leaned in a little closer, so only she could hear what he said next, "And if you so feel the need to give that damnable clown a pounding"
Harley grinned, holding her bundle close to her chest, "I'll do my best for you Al"
Once she started changing Harley found a new problem, she had been aware that during her recovery her weight had dropped but she had just sort of assumed that it had gone back to normal. The suit technically fit, but it was loose around her stomach and breasts, enough that she felt self-conscious. Not to mention never about how much it would hinder her ability to move freely.
"Steph?" Harley poked her head out of the stall that she was using, looking for the blond.
Instead, Cass came into view, raising an eyebrow in question. Harley stepped out of the room, pulling at the extra fabric around her midsection, "I mean…This can't be safe or nothing right?"
Cassandra nodded before disappearing into a cupboard in the wall. After a few moments of rummaging around, she came out with a pile of black. It wasn't until after she handed it to Harley that it became clear what the pile was. Body amour, it would protect her and pad out her suit enough that it would fit better.
"Thanks", of all the kids she interacted with Cassandra the least probably, for the amount that she was around. She got the feeling that was normal, though, Cassandra was a quiet private sort of person. And… Harley was loud and all over the place, she could see how they didn't always mesh well together, "… Do you think it's alright that I'm here?"
She had Damian's approval, honestly, she had Dick and Stephanie's too but somehow she wanted to know what all of the kids thought. Maybe it was the Disney fan in her that all she could think of was being that evil stepmother that everyone hated.
"I think that everyone deserves a second chance. Bruce gives people those, and if he thinks you deserve one, then I think you do too. I trust my father", Cassandra smiled, tilting her head to the side, "So I trust you"
Harley nodded, turning around to continue to get dressed. She was feeling all sorts of emotional and she had to get all of that under control for the moment. There was a certain way that Joker wanted her to act, and if she didn't act just like that it was possible that everything might go to shit on them.
Standing outside, the Funhouse Harley never felt more alone. She knew that the rest of the family was near by and that in a moment they would be with her, but at the same time… She was scared. This was the first time since the beating that she would be facing him, and that very thought was making her shake.
"It's for Bruce", she took a deep breath, shoving her shoulders back. She could do this, she was Harley Quinn, she had gone head to head with more than one supervillain in her day and lived to tell the tale. NO goddamn clown would get to her.
She took her steps slowly, growing more confident as she went. When she reached the doors, she grasped the handles with force, shoving them open so that she could step through. Once in the doorway she put on hand on her hip and the other in the air, "Harley's back Pudding!"
"Harley!" Joker descended from a stage in the middle of the room, red curtains covering the rest. She was pretty sure that's where Bruce was, but there was no way to know until she got behind there. Joker grasped her by the shoulders, shaking her every so slightly, "Oh how I have missed you my darling!"
Harley grinned, for a moment believing that maybe everything would be alright. It was that easy for her to fall back under his spell, believing that he actually loved her. Out of the corner of her eye, she caught a flash of black and red, snapping her out of that. This was about Bruce, the Joker didn't actually love her if he did he'd want her to be happy. Even if it wasn't with him.
"I knew that you couldn't resist coming back to me", he grinned, white teeth flashing. The tone of his voice was pleased as if he had seduced her instead of threatening the life of someone important to her, "I am very handsome"
"Of course Puddin', you know that I would never leave you! I mean, for someone like Bruce Wayne? It was all just an act, I'm sorry I couldn't let you in on the joke sooner!" she pressed her hands to her chest, fluttering her eyes in an attempt to keep his attention firmly on her.
Joker's hands tightened on her shoulders, his nails digging into her flesh through his gloves and her suit, "I thought we had an agreement Harley…", he leaned in close so that their noses were pressed together, "I tell the jokes around here, understand? I don't care what you and Ivy do, but when you start screwing around with the Batman, I get a little bit angry"
Harley nodded, praying that her agreement would be enough to clam him down, "Of course puddin'! I'll never do it again, not as long as I have you! I'll do whatever you say!"
He leaned back, his hands still on her shoulders though the grip had loosened considerably. Joker lifted one hand off of her shoulder, grasping her chin with his hand, "Oh Harley, I know that. You are truly the only person I can trust", he pressed his lips to hers, it was slick and uncomfortable. All she could think of was Bruce, how warm he was compared to Joker.
Still, she leaned into the kiss, pressing her body against his. God, had he always been so thin? Sickly almost, like she was holding a skeleton rather than a man. Bruce, it was all for Bruce, she had to remember that.
She was so distracted by her own thoughts that she didn't notice as the Joker's hands moved. The one on her chin was just barely resting on her collarbone, his slim fingers against her pulse point. All of a sudden his hand was wrapped around her throat, cutting off her air. He was kissing her as he was choking her. She pounded her fists against his chest, attempting to get out of the hold. His hand didn't let up, only grasping tighter around her throat.
"Harley!" Bruce's voice cut through her oxygen deprived brain, spurring her into action.
Harley sunk her teeth into his bottom lip, tasting blood as she did so. Joker jerked back but Harley's grip didn't loosen, blood flooding her mouth as a chunk of his lip came away with her.
She spit out the flesh and blood, grabbing the baton from her belt as she jumped back from the Joker. He laughed, wiping the blood from his lip though it was replaced just as quickly. The chunk of his lip that was missing was clear, almost all of his bottom lip was gone leaving a blood mass and yellow teeth showing through.
"You fucking bitch", he giggled, "I'll kill you. And then I'll kill your precious little Batman"
"Bring it Mister J", she grinned, aware that her makeup was most likely smeared not to mention the blood across her face.
Red Robin jumped down from the rafters, landing with a soft thump, wincing as he did so. He, Batgirl and Nightwing had been sent in to retrieve Batman, Black Bat, and Robin were watching Harley making sure she didn't need any assistance. Nightwing was already on the stage, examining the canon so it wouldn't blast all of their heads off.
Batgirl stood off to the side, fidgeting with her belt as she looked towards the curtain, the thought that the Joker could come through at any minute was scaring the shit out of her.
"Are you alright Batman?" Red Robin asked, taking a step just a bit closer to Batman, though not close enough to be in the line of fire, "Sorry we didn't come sooner"
Batman didn't reply, as there was a rag stuffed in his mouth. Though he did give Red Robin a look that said he would have rather they didn't come.
"It's not loaded. Or real", Nightwing knocked his fist against the canon, it let out a hallow sound, sounding nothing like metal, "I think it's Styrofoam"
Red Robin nodded, rushing to Batman's side to began removing the ropes, starting with the rag in his mouth. He began sawing at the ropes with his bird-a-rang, glad that the Joker hadn't decided to use some kind of metal just to screw with them.
"Where's the Joker?" Batman asked rubbing his wrists as they were released from their bindings, "You didn't let Black Bat and Robin take care of him did you?"
"Harley's on it", Nightwing admitted, wincing as Batman gave him a withering glare.
"You brought Harley", Batman repeated his voice low, "You. Brought. Harley"
"Batman", Nightwing started, but Batman was already on his feet leaving Red Robin holding the ropes behind.
Batman stomped to the edge of the stage, pulling back the curtains. They hadn't heard any noises that might indicate violence so he was hopefully that Harley was okay. Instead, he found the Joker with his hand around Harley's throat. If she hadn't been covered in white paint, he was sure that her face would be turning blue.
"HARLEY"
The Joker ran at her, the blood still pouring out of his mouth. She wasn't sure if it was the blood lost making him act irrationally, or the very existence of Batman behind him, but either way it gave her the advantage. As he came at her his fist came at her but she ducked, whipping the baton at his legs. She caught him hard enough that he tripped, his legs going out from under him.
When he was on his knees Harley swung her foot out, catching him in the stomach. The breath came out of him with an oof as he fell to his side, giggling the whole time as he went.
"Oh shut up", Harley groaned, "We both know that you aren't fucking sick, you're just a goddamn bastard", she brought her arm back and brought the baton down on his face with enough force to cause the blood to splash up on her. Somehow that wasn't enough so she did it again, letting it come down again. He had raised his arm, trying to grab at her baton but instead she jammed her knee into his arm with a crack,
"If I had a choice they'd take you away in a body bag"
Joker rolled over on to his knees again, coughing up blood on to the floor, "What you aren't tough enough to kill me? Don't know if you can live without me huh Sweetie?"
Harley could have sworn that red flashed across her vision as she brought the baton down again, and again, barely hearing the snap it made as it hit his back. It wasn't until a strong hand came around her wrist that she stopped.
"He's down", Batman whispered in her ear, taking the baton out of her hand, "You're okay"
For the first time Harley noticed that she was crying, she could feel the makeup running off of her face. She turned around, pressing her face into Batman's chest and just sobbed. She had thought that she could do this, that she could handle this. She wasn't strong enough. Batman's arm wrapped around her, holding her close to him. Harley felt her knees start to shake, her legs giving out beneath her. Batman knelt, taking her with him as she cried against his chest.
They stayed there, kneeling on the ground, her sobbing and him attempting to comfort her the best that he could.
"I'm sorry", Harley choked out between her tears, "I'm sorry"
She wasn't sure if she was talking to herself, to Bruce or maybe to the Joker. IT didn't really matter; all she knew is that she was sorry to someone.
