We're All Mad Here - Part 20

"So…uh, what brought you here?" Tony asked the masked vigilante who was walking behind them.

He ignored Tim who looked over her shoulder with a 'Seriously Tony!' look on her face.

"Yes, we did not see your signal," Ziva joined in, her eys narrowed. She did not approve of this 'hero'.

The shadow at their backs said nothing.

"Mr J has him on speed-dial, ain't that right Batsy," Harley Quinn piped up from the front of the line, sounding as perky as ever.

Again no reply.

"Yeah, not the conversational type are ya Batsy?" Harley filled the silence, "More the strong and silent type," she deepened her voice and flexed her arm, "Nothing like my Mr J. My Mr J is so in touch with his inner child. And he doesn't mind showing it. No offense Batsy, there is someone out their for everyone and I'm just not that into you. Now I know someone who is-"

They turned a corner and came up against a double-door almost immediately.

"-but that'll have to wait,"

She dropped Tim's hand and they watched Tim flex her fingers in obvious relief.

In a flourish Harley threw open the double doors and struck a pose, arms held high above her head.

"Look who's home!" she shouted.

Shock was what kept them in place as Tim was dragged the rest of the way into the room and pounced upon by every villain that had ever been the subject of a wanted poster.

"Handcuff me baby I've been bad," crooned a voice, breaking their concentration away from the assortment of characters in front of them and focusing in on one inpeticular.

They watched in some discomfort as a half naked, yellow skinned, green haired man pressed closer to McGee as all the others backed away, his face not even an inch from her own, his eyes wide, a maniacal grin stretching his lips.

They stole a quick glance at one another, even Gibbs feeling well out of his depth in this situation, and then to Batman who was standing silently to the side. Surely he should have been swamped by the inmates as soon as he stepped into the room. After all, hadn't he put most of them in here? But there was no swarming or crying for vengeance. All eyes were on McGee.

Much to their surprise McGee didn't seem to be terribly bothered with the way the stranger was pawing at her. And they watched as her open palm met the man's face as she pushed him away. He continued to speak into her palm, nothing but mumbles now, his hands reaching out and grabbing at air like a child on either side of her.

"Just couldn't stick to the patch could you Creeper," Tim groused as she dropped her hand, only for the man to grab it and jerk her into his arms. His hands were everywhere, her body flush against him as she tried to get her hands onto his chest and put some distance between them.

Tony was feeling very uncomfortable watching as some strange (very strange) man groped at Tim. Ziva wanted to plant a bullet between his eyes - second thoughts, maybe she would chop off a part of his anatomy. Gibbs…Gibbs was watching how McGee handled herself. It was an enlightening experience. His fingers tightened about his knife.

"You kidding baby. In here is the safest place to be. The irony!"

He laughed, only for it to be turned into a yowl as Tim's knee connected with his black and green covered groin. He collapsed to the ground clutching at his injury. Once again chuckling.

Tony winced in sympathy while being equally glad the display was over. That was not something he wanted to watch again.

"I love a girl with fire," the man coughed.

Tim glowered in disgust and rolled her eyes, straightening her clothing - her shirt having been pushed from her shoulder to reveal delicate black bra strap - and rubbing her hands together as though to rid them of dirt.

"Keep your hands to yourself Creeper, or lose them," she snapped at him.

It came as a surprise to all of them, seeing how their mild mannered teammate was handling herself in this situation.

The mad man - Creeper? - simply made a kissy face at her before clawing at the air and growling, his injury apparently forgotten.

The team looked around wary of the reaction Tim's violent outburst would have on the surrounding inmates of this mad house.

It was none.

If anything money was changing hands. Men were nudging each other and winking and the women were giving her thumbs up.

"Umm…" Tony spoke up, turning to the dark clad figure at their side, "Aren't you going to do something?"

"She can handle herself," the gravely voice informed him, finally answering a question.

"Um…Okay…" Tony hated to admit it but he was well out of his depth here and much to his surprise the Dark Knight of Gotham seemed to be correct. McGee appeared to have reacted in exactly the right way for the situation. He didn't know she had it in her.

Next to approach their team mate from the milling crowd of costumed crazies was the one all of them could recognize as the Mad Hatter - the top hat gave him away.

"My Tim-Alice!" he shouted approaching her with his arms wide open, stopping when he was a few feet away.

He drew in a loud horrified lung full of air, his face frozen in terror as he lifted a hand and pointed it at her head, shaking slightly.

"What is this travesty?"

"Huh, what?" Tim was just as confused as they were.

"This….this…thing…on your head," the man clarified, approaching her like you would a wild animal and lifting a strand of brown hair from her shoulder and holding it out enough for her to see it.

He dropped it as soon as her face lit up with recognition.

"Its a wig, Jarvis, that's all,"

Another horrified gasp of air.

"You poor girl,"

And just like that the pins that held the wig in place were slid from her hair and thrown to the side, the wig torn from her head and sent flying after them.

Next to go was the hair net that kept her hair plastered as neatly to her skull as it could.

It fell to her shoulders in straggly green waves.

"Much better," the Hatter announced.

"Uh, Jarvis-"

"Not now sweetie, nearly done fixing you," a comb came out of nowhere and was dragged through a slightly cringing Tim's hair, "It is all about the presentation,"

Next a hat was put onto her head and was arranged to the Hatter's satisfaction.

"There's my girl," he clapped his hands and stepped back to reveal his handy-work to the room.

Tony looked to Gibbs and then Ziva in opened mouth shock when there was an audible "Awww" from the room at large. And he was sure he saw more than one person with hands clasped in pride and glassy eyes to match. Tears of pride? Joy?

This was not what any of them had in mind when they came to Arkham.

Tim was standing with her arms folded over her chest and tapping her foot in some annoyance. Although there did seem to be a faint smile struggling to becoming a full blown grin on her lips.

She looked cute with her green hair curling along her shoulders and contrasting with her pale face - had she always been this pale - and then there was the hat. A smaller more feminine version of the one on the Mad Hatter's head, and it was sitting at a jaunty angle over her curls, throwing her eyes into shadow.

"No need to thank me," Jarvis smiled, polishing his finger nails.

"Harley," a sultry voice drew their attention away from Tim and to a curvy red head dressed in Green. Tony's eyes nearly popped out of his head, his inner teenage boy ramping up. Gibbs smacked the back of his head.

Great. So Gibbs was reading thoughts now. They had hypothesized over it, but now it was a fact.

"Thanks boss," he hissed.

"I think its dead," the red-head was still speaking, sounding almost bored. Unfazeable.

They followed her gaze to the harlequin who was beating at the wig on the floor repeatedly with a bat.

Tony looked at his hands. His empty hands. When had she taken her bat back?

Harley looked up from her bashing of head gear, her eyes wide and innocent.

"I thought we agreed that we were going to be understanding and accepting of Tim and any changes she has gone through," the redhead was taking the bat from a pouting Harley.

"I was accepting, Red. He-" a finger was pointed to the Hatter, "was the one who took that-" finger pointed to the very dead wig, "of her head. I was just finishing the job,"

Hi guys.

So I am half asleep as I type this. I have re-read this chapter two (and a half - don't ask)) times and I am sure I have missed and have probably added more mistakes.

But tada! Hope you enjoy.

So as requested.

- chapter is a wee bit longer :)

- Harley beating up the wig with her bat :)

Next up - Mr J will be making an appearance and why is Arkham safer than the outside? Dun dun dun.

Creeper is from the animated series - Beware the Creeper. He went a bit crazy when the Joker laughing gassed him and dropped him in a vat of...something. Batman came up with a patch to de-crazy him (you know...because he's Batman and that's how he roles). So there's a wee bit of background there for you.

If you google fem joker cosplay there is some amazing green hair out there! ;)

Hope you all had a good Monday.

Take care :)

PS-As always, the feedback you guys give is so encouraging! x