Harley was confined to the hospital for the next few days. Bruce showered her with bouquets of flowers and chocolates and gifts so that her entire room looked like a flower shop and Hallmark store had exploded inside it. She thought that, all in all, the giant stuffed bunny was probably making her feel worse rather than better, and asked the nurse to remove it, along with most of the other junk. She would just tell Bruce that it had been a safety hazard, if he asked.
She had asked Bruce about his brother, but he didn't want to talk about him at all, except to say he hadn't seen or heard from him. Harley was worried sick – she knew how harshly Bruce's last words to him must have affected him, and she was paranoid that that, coupled with his failure to kill Joe Chill, might have made him do something rash.
She still had Jack's number in her pocket, and had been trying to call him ever since she had been in the hospital, but he never answered, which only increased her paranoia.
She was about to hang up the phone during her latest attempt when she heard a click, and a familiar voice say, "Hello?"
"Jack? It's Harley," she said.
There was silence on the other end. "What do you want?" he asked.
"I…I just wanted to hear from you…to make sure you're all right," she stammered.
"I ain't the one who got shot, kid," he replied. "Are you all right?"
"Yeah, yeah, it's healing fine," she said. "Not much of a scar. You did a good job."
There was silence again. "Can I see you?" she asked suddenly. "I'm still in the hospital."
"I…I don't think it'd be a good idea for me to come to the hospital, kid," he said, slowly. "Y'know, in case the cops show up. Or…my brother or somebody."
"Please, Jack," she said. "I'm going crazy in here. I don't wanna see the same old people, who weren't there, who don't understand what I went through. I wanna see you."
He sighed heavily. "All right. I'll try to get there soon."
He hung up. Harley spent the rest of the day waiting in restless anticipation, but Jack didn't show. She was just about to drop off to sleep later that night when she felt a movement at her side, and opened her eyes to see Jack taking a seat next to her bed.
"How did you get in here?" she asked, surprised.
"Window," he said, nodding at it. "Thank God they didn't put you on one of the upper floors. Might have gotten vertigo or something."
She smiled. "I'm so glad to see you," she said, reaching for his hand.
He laughed. "Don't think anybody's ever said that to me before, kid," he said, smiling at her.
"Then you must know a lotta idiots," she replied.
He grinned. "I'm glad you're feeling better, kiddo," he said. "How's Bruce?"
"He gave me a giant bunny," she said, nodding toward the closet. "Take a look."
He opened the door and laughed. "Wow, that'll give you nightmares! Creepier than a giant clown!"
"I like clowns," retorted Harley. "Always have. My Dad tells me I used to chase 'em."
He stared at her. "Are you…Harleen Frances Quinzel?" he asked.
"Yeah," she said, surprised. "Why?"
He laughed. "Nothing. It's just…you were a cute kid."
She looked confused. "I met you at a party once," he said. "You were chasing a clown. Never would have guessed you'd grow up to be my brother's girlfriend."
"Yeah…if someone had told me I'd be dating Bruce Wayne, I wouldn't have believed it either. I'm not the kinda girl who has luck like that. Obviously," she said, nodding at her wound.
"Well, I appreciate you trying to smooth things over between us," he said. "But I still don't think Bruce is gonna wanna see me."
"You…think I wanted to see you because of Bruce?" she asked, slowly.
"Well, yeah. Don't you?" he asked.
She was silent. "I've…been thinking a lot about you," she said, slowly. "When I should have maybe been thinking about your brother. But…I don't really love your brother. And I thought maybe I would, in time, but…but now I just find myself preoccupied with…someone else. I don't think time's gonna change that. I find myself thinking that…maybe the Wayne boy I wanna be with isn't Bruce."
He gazed at her. "What are you…talking about?" he asked.
"I think you probably know," she murmured, squeezing his hand.
He gulped. "Harley, you're…my brother's girlfriend. And about half my age…"
"I know that," she said. "I'm not stupid, Jack."
"So I can't really…have anything to do with you…in that way," he stammered. "It wouldn't be right…"
"Are you the kinda guy who's concerned about right and wrong?" she asked. "Or do you just wanna kiss me?"
"I…do wanna kiss you," he admitted, bending down. Their lips met, and Harley slid her arm around his neck, pulling him in deeper as their kiss grew more passionate.
"Harley, I've…I've already hurt my brother enough without trying to steal his girlfriend," he whispered, trying to draw away.
"You ain't trying," she retorted, smiling. "I'd say you've already succeeded."
"It'll break Bruce's heart…" he began.
"What about your heart, Jack?" she whispered. "You do so much for him and for the memory of your mother. Why don't you do something that'll make you happy for a change?"
"Harley, I can't offer you anything," he said, sincerely. "No money, no life, no future. My life serves just one purpose: to kill a guy. No gal could have a happy future chained to that."
"What happens after you kill him?" she asked. "Because you will."
"I…I ain't ever thought that far ahead," he stammered.
"I have," replied Harley. "You make a life with me. You start your life again, with me to help you erase the pain of the past. You reconcile with your family, and you become a good man again, Jack."
He laughed. "God, you're so young, kid," he murmured. "To think people can just start over. To think that a guy can ever be good again once he's gone bad…"
"You're not a bad man, Jack," she whispered. "You've done some bad things, but you've done them for a good cause. I couldn't love a bad man. But I think…I love you."
He stared at her. "If…if a gal like you can love a guy like me…then maybe there is some hope for me," he whispered.
"I know there is," she murmured. "Believe it, Jack."
"And you think…I can ever be reconciled with Bruce after…this?" he asked. "After getting you shot, and then...and then stealing you from him?"
"I certainly hope so," she replied. "Because I'm staying with you. Whatever else happens, I'm going to be with you."
He grinned. "That sounds like a challenge to me, toots."
"You gonna accept it?" she asked, grinning back.
"I'd have to be crazy not to," he chuckled, bending down to kiss her again.
"Stay with me tonight," she murmured as he pulled away at last.
"I can't, kid," he replied. "The doctors will find me here in the morning, and then there'll be all sorts of trouble."
"Mmm, surely Jack Wayne isn't afraid of a little trouble?" she asked, smiling at him.
He studied her and smiled back. "I take it back, kid," he said, climbing into bed next to her. "Maybe I am crazy after all."
"Good. I like you this way," she said, snuggling into his arms. "Night, Jack."
"Night, kid," he whispered, kissing the top of her head. He held her in a firm but gentle embrace as the night passed, and he gradually drifted off to sleep.