The Harlequin and the Bat
This is the story sequel to: The Harley and The Ivy.
Important notes: I do not own Batman or any portion of the franchise. I give all credit to DC Comics and respective owners.
Chapter 20! I never imagined myself writing this much, thank you all for inspiring me and for giving me the reviews and follows than you all.
Chapter 20
November Fifth, early morning: seventeen minutes past seven, Harley sleeping besides her boyfriend, hoping for him wake. Alfred opens the door holding a tray with breakfast: bacon and eggs, toast, tomatoes and hash browns with a glass of orange juice, to see Harley holding Bruce while she's on top of the covers.
Alfred placed the tray on the vanity and asked "Miss Harley?" he shook her awake gently on the arm.
"Hmm…Alfred…sorry…I must've fallen asleep." Harley said sleepily
"I know you're concerned, as we all are but you must not keep doing this, you need to sleep." Alfred explained
"I can't…Gotham needs him…I need him…I can't leave him…especially with her around…no offense Alfred." Harley spoke, with the indication of Alfred's estranged daughter.
"None taken Miss Harley; but she has explained that since Sonia has lost her honour within the League, her life in forfeit and now has nowhere else to go." Alfred reassured Harley and gave her an explanation
"Still…What would Talia want with Bruce?" Harley pondered holding Bruce close
"*Sigh* I suppose Master Bruce should've told you; but He and Miss Talia were a couple a long time ago. When Master Bruce was training to become The Saviour of Gotham, he had to join the League of Assassins and use their abilities to further his own." Alfred began to explain
"Bruce, joined the League of Assassins?" Harley asked softly
"Yes and when he trained, the head of the League: Ra's Al Ghul, saw the potential for Bruce rising to become the new head. Ra's ordered Master Bruce to kill a man who committed a serious crime; but staying true to his resolve he did not kill the man and escaped. Ra's told Talia about Master Bruce, Talia and Master Bruce had a relationship but she revealed her true intentions. Bruce broke off their relationship and continued his fight against the League. Talia became possessive of Master Bruce and claimed him as her own, regardless of other women and what he said." Alfred continued
"So…she doesn't want to share…but what did he do to him?" Harley asked having a drink from the orange juice.
"She was going to use a powerful drug, which doubles as an aphrodisiac. It puts the taker in a suggestive yet hazed state and makes them unconscious for the next two days. It's known as Aphrodite's Draught." Sonia's voice came from behind the door. She was now wearing proper maid attire: black suit dress with a white apron, flat black shoes as to retain comfort and efficiency, black stockings and a maid's hat.
"Sonia? How long have you been there?" Alfred turned maintaining his composure.
"Not long, after I finished dusting the vases…I just over heard what she…" Sonia began then Alfred looked at her sternly "What Miss Harley said. I thought it would help with the situation."
"Help the situation? Help the…if it wasn't for you and your Mistress, I would've made up to Bruce a lot sooner and we wouldn't have You and a crazy Rogue assassin coming after us!" Harley yelled
"Miss Harley! I understand your anger, but we must not do so in front of Master Bruce! And Sonia I understand you trying to help, but it is not wise to eavesdrop." Alfred penalised the both of them. "Now we will take this into the study and let Master Bruce rest."
"Yes, Father." Sonia bowed and left for the study.
"Okay, Alfred…" Harley answered she turned to the aged butler and whispered "How do we know she won't turn on us? How can we trust her?"
"I trust her, she's my daughter of course…and Master Bill has fitted a shock collar ankle bracelet that will activate if she attempts to attack us or contact Talia…" Alfred explained while feeling a bit uneasy for his daughter while entering the study.
Sonia stood to attention feeling like a prisoner in a luxurious home; but Alfred, her father, was there the kind man that her mother told her about when she was growing up. She could see why her mother would fall for someone like him: Kind, considerate, loyal and trustworthy…how could she be related to such a Saint-like man?
"She's worth more to us alive than dead Harley." Dick said to reassure Harley.
"She worked for Talia? What else isn't she telling us?" Barbara said "Call me paranoid but isn't having an enemy in our home like opening the front door to them?"
"Didn't you say the same about Harley when she started dating Bruce?" Tim said looking at Barbara
"This is different! Harley spent months away from Joker, rehabilitating herself and becoming her new self. She's only been here a couple of days!"
"May I have permission to speak?" Sonia asked
"Of course" Alfred said smiling
"No!" the rest of them said
"Go ahead Sonia." Alfred allowed her
"I will not give any sob story that you've probably heard before. I'm not looking for immediate acceptance, but I have lost my honour as an assassin, I cannot return. But I have my Father and that is enough reason for me to protect this place and its inhabitants." Sonia said without sounding disappointed.
"Facts as may be, you're still on thin ice…Sonia." Barbara said.
"I understand…may I ask where Master Bill is?" Sonia asked
"He's on the computer. He said he had to check on something." Dick said
(Bill's POV)
Bill checked the New Bat-Computer and saw the vitals of two people, one of which was Bruce.
"He's okay…he's okay…Harley will be glad to hear that. He'll be awake soon." Bill said holding his head in his hand. He began to sob "God…God…how long do I have left? *choked cry, sniff* those bloody pains: Zsasz, Crane, Tetch, Strange, Nigma…God…give me enough sanity to last for this!"
(Bruce's POV)
Bruce strained his eyes open; he saw pulse wires attached to his heart, a tube connected to his hand. He struggled to wake, as he had lost part of his memory and his head was pounding… "What happened…Where am I? I'm home? Harley…?" Bruce groaned
(Bill's POV)
Bill was surprised to see the vitals for Bruce. He'd woken up! "Bruce, he's awake! Got to tell the others! *sniff*" Bill got up and ran to the manor; he searched for Harley and the others till he opened the door for the study. "*gasp, pant* He's up!" Bill panted for air; Harley was the first one through the doors.
"What's with you?" Tim asked
"Huh…?" Bill looked up at the thirteen year old.
"He said: "what's with you?" you're out of breath." Ivy said
"Ran around looking for you…give a guy some warning where you're going…" Bill panted
"But I told you where we were going Master Bill." Alfred said
"Sorry…I was preoccupied." Bill recovered his stamina.
*Upstairs in Bruce's Bedroom*
Harley hugged Bruce softly while he was in bed; she released him then began to speak to him, "Bruce I'm glad you're safe."
"I am now…I…I'm sorry." Bruce said rubbing Harley's cheek
"Sorry for what? I'm the one that's sorry. I didn't listen to you about the League and you were taken." Harley wept a little
"I…I was taken…the warehouse…I…I can't remember." Bruce tried to remember but the drug had affected his memory. "I'm sorry…I shouldn't have pushed you so far."
"I'm sorry I was stubborn…I don't want to lose you…you risked your life and reputation for me, I'll do the same." Harley smiled holding his head. She then proceeded to make out with Bruce.
*inside a guest bedroom*
"Aphrodite's Draught…" Sonia said softly
"Huh?" Barbara asked
"It's a powerful drug that…Talia…used on Bruce." Sonia answered
"What's the effect?" Dick asked
"It's a powerful aphrodisiac, which makes whoever takes it become almost brain dead and…susceptible to…advances." Sonia spoke while trying to be as careful as possible around Tim in her wording.
"You knew about this, this crazy drug? So Talia wanted to inject Bruce a micky so she could get some nookie?" Bill asked standing up.
"Master Tim, maybe you can go to your room for a while?" Alfred said to the teenage ward
"Yeah, good idea!" Tim said running to his room
"So…Talia wanted to be with Bruce so much…she drugged and raped him?!" Dick was filling with anger. "And he can't remember a damn thing?"
"Yes…I was against the idea…no-one deserves the fate from the drug." Sonia answered truthfully
"What about the Rogue? Is he one of yours?" Ivy asked
"No, he's not one of ours…his scar has been left, he's approached: Cluemaster, Firefly, Mad Hatter, Penguin, Two-Face, Scarecrow, Mister Freeze, Riddler, Hugo Strange and Solomon Grundy. He's assaulted: Firefly, Mad Hatter, Penguin, Scarecrow, Riddler and Hugo Strange in previous engagements in order to receive information regarding Talia's Father: Ra's." Sonia explained
"Yeah…that explains why he showed the picture of Ra's to us before and he bolted when we found Bruce." Dick explained
"He went after people on my list…" Bill whispered, Dick's Bat-Caller sounded.
"Crap! It's Hatter and Zsasz!" Dick spoke "they're capturing people and killing them throughout Gotham!"
"Two more…two more…" Bill whispered
"Bill…?" Ivy asked
"I'm going too. Don't stop me. I need this." Bill stood up to Dick
"Okay…is your arm okay?" Dick asked
"I'll use the other one." Bill smiled and he walked out to his room Ivy followed as Dick got Tim to get into action.
*In Bill's Room*
Bill was getting his armour and gauntlets ready for the fight, Ivy entered in a worried anger. "This is for your revenge list isn't it?" she spoke
"Yeah…it's for that." Bill spoke quietly
"Bill…it's not worth it. Remember what happened with Nigma? You barely came back from that." Ivy tried to coerce him back from revenge
"Ivy…it's more than that. You remember my old Arkham file?" Bill asked and Ivy nodded "Riddler tried my knowledge, Crane tried my fear, Hatter humiliated me, Zsasz carved me like a piece of meat and Strange made me question my own sanity…" Bill spoke softly
"Bill, whatever happened between them…you said to be the bigger man and to turn the other cheek. Do it this time, be the man who really loves for me." Ivy said hugging her lover.
Bill nodded "Ivy, I do love you…ever since Arkham, regardless of the pheromones." Bill said while holding Ivy's cheek "They took from me something…I can never get back. I intend to see they pay the piper in full. Riddler and Strange have already paid." He said while turning to get his armour on, Ivy hugged him, he stopped.
"Bill…promise me." Ivy said
"Promise what?" Bill said holding her arm
"Don't kill Zsasz and Tetch…and stay the same." Ivy answered
"I promise not to kill Zsasz…but I can't stay the same. Check the new computer and you'll see what I mean." Bill said getting his armour on "I promise to scare Zsasz…and I promise to not kill Hatter…but I'm far from the boy you met back in Arkham." Bill said getting his gauntlets on and leaving with the others.
"Bill…" Ivy called to him; he turned sound on the stairs "What will I see?"
"The descent into Wonderland…" Bill answered and joined: Nightwing, Robin and Bat-Shard.
(Harleen's POV)
*After Bill and Ivy went into his room*
"It seems we have to send a couple of people back to Arkham." Harley said while smiling
"Looks like it." Bruce reciprocated "I'm sorry it hurt…" he called out.
"I'm not hurt, why did you say that?" Harley asked
"I don't know…maybe a repressed memory…it'll come back soon I hope. Maybe it'll give me some clairvoyance." Bruce said
"Just rest up; I, Dick, Tim and Bill will take this one." Harley kissed his nose "I'll see you later." Harley smiled then went.
"Bill, are you okay?" Nightwing asked
Bill looked at Nightwing and smiled "Yeah…I'm going to get some exercise."
Nightwing, Bat-Shard, Robin and Impact took the Bat-Copter and flew to see a large group of people in Wonderland masks all running in a circle below.
"What the…?"Robin asked
"It's the caucus race." Impact replied
"What's it for?" Bat-Shard
"It's Hatter, remember? He's obsessed. I'm more concerned of the bodies over by the roads!" Nightwing said as he set the copter to auto-pilot and they jumped down to the roof tops.
"Looks like they're exhausted." Robin pointed out
"I hate to say it but, I think Zsasz is going to kill anyone who doesn't carry on with the race; the thrill of the kill for Zsasz and the Wonderland parody for Tetch." Impact said darkly
"That's sick…" Bat-Shard said
"that's life in and out of Arkham." Impact said frowning
"Come on, let's find them." Nightwing said "Impact…Don't kill anyone."
"Ivy told me, don't worry." Impact smiled
To be continued
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