chapter 21

"They were here not long ago. I guess they realized we were on their trail." Dick Grayson angrily threw down the milk carton that he'd found on the coffee table.

"Dammit," Gordon cursed. They had definitely been here not long ago. A couple days, maybe? Gordon frowned, rubbing his neck anxiously. "This is ridiculous. How would they know anyone was even looking? I'm technically off the force," He said with a touch of sadness in his gruff voice.

Dick sighed. "Joker's got eyes everywhere. A third of the city is on his payroll. He's got as many connections as Falcone."

"Who would wanna rub elbows with the Joker?" Gordon questioned, his gloved fingers sliding across the furniture.

"Anybody desperate enough for cash. Or anybody corrupt. Most of that third is officials and cops." Dick gave Gordon a sidelong glance.

"They put me in charge of a city full of rotten cops. It's not easy to fix by yourself." Gordon hated that. He had the Batman by his side for such a long time. Now they were nothing. His fists clenched. "Have you talked to him?" He asked quietly.

"No. I don't want to," Robin told him, freezing in place in the living room. He felt sick as he thought about Bruce.

Gordon sighed loudly. "I'll check the upstairs."

Robin nodded and sighed, wandering towards the next unchecked room. As he flicked on the light, he narrowed his eyes. It was a practically empty room, save for a bare chest of drawers, an empty closet with mirror doors and a four post queen sized mattress. It was covered in stains. Some were obviously blood… Others he didn't want to think about too hard. Leaning down, he took hold of a frayed piece of rope and held it up to his eyes. This must have been where they were keeping her. He couldn't stay in that room much longer. What kind of perverted acts had they done on this very bed?

Dick shuddered painfully and left the room. Gordon needed to hurry up. He couldn't stay there for one more second.

"Why won't you tell me what happened?" Barbara asked sorrowfully as she played with Harley's hair.

"I just can't talk about it," Harley murmurred. She had vowed to never speak of it again. She would lock the memories of it down inside of her and never utter another word. She wouldn't make her puddin' so angry again. At least… That's what she hoped.

"Joker'll get mad?" She asked, wincing slightly. She'd witnessed his rage earlier after bringing Harley in and throwing her on the bed. She had no idea what had happened from the bar back home, and she wasn't sure she wanted to. She never saw such a vacant look in Harley's eyes. As much as Barbara loved the Joker, he still terrified her, and he always would. Jaxon's corpse was still lying broken and dissected in the living room.

Harley swallowed heavily, turning over so that her other cheek rested on Barbara's thigh. She looked up at the beautiful woman above her and tried to smile. "It's all fine, Baby Bat."

"I love you, Harl," She said, smiling back and kissing her lips softly. Harley moaned gently, loving the touch of Barbara's skin on hers, but she wasn't up for anything more than kissing. Harley didn't know if she'd be up for anything for quite a while. She was too exhausted and too mentally drained. Barbara seemed to understand and pulled away, just cradling her close and playing absently with the long, loose strands of blonde hair. Harley made a satisfied hmm of approval, cuddling in tighter to Barbara's warm body. A knock on the door startled them both and Harley jumped. They both looked up with wide eyes.

"Little Bat, mind giving me and Harley girl a moment of privacy?" The look in his eye and the shift of his voice made it very clear that it wasn't an option. Barbara gave Harley a fleeting look of concern and the blonde sat up, nodding at her friend to leave. Once she was out of the room and Joker heard her voice talking to one of the henchmen, he closed the door and leaned against it, crossing his arms as he watched her. She was shivering. Finally, he started walking towards her and knelt beside her on the bed, his knuckles stroking the large bruise on her cheek that the Bat had given her. "You okay, kiddo?" He asked, raising an eyebrow. She nodded, pulling her knees up to her chest and hugging them. She didn't look him in the eyes. Instead, it seemed she looked everywhere but. "Do you forgive Daddy?" He whispered, stroking her hair back. She shuddered at his touch but finally nodded.

"Yes," She said.

"I'm sorry about the bruise," He told her, stroking her cheek again. It stung under his touch, but it wasn't as bad as the ache in her chest.

"You didn't do —" She immediately rushed to reassure him that he didn't do it, but caught herself quickly. "It's okay," She whispered, closing her eyes. His hand had froze and he was still beside her. He caught her slip.

"Even after all that, you're still telling the same story…" He whispered. She flinched harshly, afraid that he would hit her, but he didn't raise his angry fist.

"You aren't lying… Are you?" He phrased it like a sentence, not a question. He knew she wasn't lying. Unable to hold back her tears, she started to cry again, a pathetic whimper rising from her throat. He pulled her into his chest, kissing the top of her head, but staring off into space. The Bat… Raped my Harley? He thought to himself. A boiling rage built up in his veins.

"Oh, Mr. J!" She cried, clutching at his vest and burying her face into his shoulder. "I tried to get away, I tried so hard but he tied me down and I was lost and we were in the Bat Cave," She paused her speech only to hiccup. "When I woke up we were in the car again and he dropped me off outsida' Gotham!" The Joker shushed her rhythmically, brushing her hair back to soothe her. "Please don't be mad at me," She begged. "I'm sorry I said I hated you! You know I love you, puddin'. More than anything…" He felt her warm tears cooling on his shirt.

"Oh, darling," He whispered. "I'm not mad at you. But I'm definitely angry."

She whimpered, looking up at him with her big baby blues. "I'm sorry, Mr. J…"

"He's gonna pay for this, Harls. Wait and see, baby girl. Daddy will fix this whole mess." His voice was firm and intimidating, but it wasn't directed at her and she felt comforted by it. He believed her. He was going to make the Bat pay. "Nobody touches my stuff," He snarled.

She shook her head and curled up closer into his arms. "I'm all yours, Mr. J."

"And don't you forget it," He warned, flipping her onto her back, making her squeal. He captured her lips desperately in his, kissing her passionately but sweetly and she relaxed onto the mattress in bliss. He grinned down at her when he released her lips and she smiled back.

"I love you, Daddy," She told him quietly with a bite of her lip. He shivered.

"Don't make me hurt you, little girl," He said with a wild smile and a smack on her bottom. She giggled quietly, rolling back over on the mattress and cuddling up under the blanket beside her. "Good girl." The Joker watched her for another moment before leaving the room. He had a lot to think about now.

His first thought was wild, unadulterated fury that washed through his veins like a storm, only soothed when he took a sip of his whiskey that warmed him from the inside out. The second, was that obviously the Batman was changing, too. He hadn't only destroyed the family… But he was destroying each individual inside of it. How long would it be before Robin finally cracked? Before Batman finally lost it? Barbara had awoken something primal in him and his sexual urges were now overpowering his thinking. The Batman that he knew and loved would never have done something like this… He hated that, but he could use it to his advantage. The third section of his thinking was specifically focused around the two Bats. Barbara was his dog, she'd do anything he commanded, even going back out into the city and fucking their enemies brains right out of his cowl-covered skull. She needed to push him off the edge.

And the Joker wanted to be there to see it when it happened.

He looked down into his crystal glass and grinned wantonly at his reflection in the orange drink. Oh, J, He thought. This is gonna be good.

Hello everyone! I know this chapter wasn't terribly exciting, but we'll get back to the action soon! I know that the book has taken a turn ever since Barbara fell, but I hope you guys are still enjoying the way it's going.

Responses to reviews!

Bethany: I'm not sure, yet. But hopefully yes. Since there's some interest I would absolutely love to. Actually, I've already plotted out the epilogue to this book, and it leaves off at a very interesting place, and I'm thinking of writing a spin off, or part 2! But of course, it'll be in a while, because I still have to finish up this one and another story I'm writing called Revelation. :)

Drake: Thank you soooo much! You guys make me feel so loved. I love writing her more than anything, she's one of my favorite characters, aside from Harley and J, of course.

Everyone else that I've never responded to: YOU GUYS ROCK. I didn't even think about responding via chapters until recently, but to everyone who has ever commented and I haven't been able to respond to, you guys are amazing, and your reviews make me cry because they mean so much to me.