Authors note: general disclaimer, I don't own any characters or anything to do with batman (I wish!)

Italics are character thoughts.

Any feedback is much appreciated x

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Ivy tried to raise herself from up under the debris but could only move her babies. She heard the satisfying huff of the Joker hitting the floor but that feeling ended as she felt the two henchmen lifting her up. The Joker was up again, and pissed. At least he's not focusing on Harley anymore.

No Red! Harley knew exactly what she was trying to do and she needed to stop her, if she could focus Mistah J's energy and anger all on her then there's a chance the others could escape, she had seen Batman and Selina gesturing to each other. I can take it. I have before and I will again to save Red. She began trying to stand, her limbs shaking like jelly.

Batman watched the scene unfold carefully, he had managed to pull his upper body up to help Selina loosen her hands and they began signing possible plans of action to each other.

The Joker picked himself up and spun to see the irritating plant witch alive. "Note to self need to buy better weed killer." A disgusting smile spread across his face as he noticed her body sagging against his henchmen. "Oh dear is the little weed wilting?"

Ivy could see the blonde struggling to stand and tried to make eye contact with her, the emerald eyes tinged with tears pleading, willing her not to get up, not to fight again. Don't let me see you suffer again...my heart can't take it. Let me take this for you.

The Joker saw Ivy's eyes flit from his own to Harley's. It made him sick to watch her face him again, head held high, like some kind of martyr. He laughed as he faced the blonde. "Aw isn't that sweet? The little seedling wants to stand tall like a tree and protect all the little insects that thrive off it." He went and stood by Harley, making a point of looking into Ivy's eyes as he raised one foot slowly. "You know how to kill a bug don't you?" He pressed his foot into Harley's middle and began squishing his foot down, harder and harder until she began crying out in pain.

"Noooo!" The scream took so much out of the green goddess that she sagged and almost dropped to the floor. The only thing keeping her up were the henchmen.

The Joker giggled delightedly "Oh look it's an effective weed killer too!"

"Joker. Stop this." The serious voice floated down from above. Come on. You know it's me you want really.

The Joker's smile vanished and his anger seemed to grow. With one more vicious stomp to Harley's midsection he gestured to Tweedledum and Tweedledee who grabbed the redheaded beauty and proceeded to hog tie her up, and lay her next to Harley.

"Hoo-whee! The Bat's finally awake huh?!" The Joker set his maniacal mask back in place but his dark eyes reflected his unamused state of mind. He grabbed a gun off one of the henchmen and aimed it at the Dark Knight. "Wanna play?"

Selina couldn't help but let out a small whimper, Bruce looked at her sternly, this was all part of his plan she knew, but the Joker was so unpredictable, despite what Bruce said, sometimes even he didn't know what he would do next.

Selina no! The Dark Knight knew his nemesis too well. The Joker may call him predictable but that predictability was reflected in himself. Their games of cat and mouse, neither of them taking that final step, Batman knew what he was doing, but Selina's pure heartfelt reaction to seeing a gun pointed at him...it was the reason he couldn't be with her...the reason everyone close to him got hurt...the reason she was in trouble now.

The whimper was like music to the Joker's ears and he swiftly moved the gun to point at Selina and pulled the trigger gleefully. The chorus of 'no's' that bounced off the walls provided a lovely chorus to the song, the crescendo finished off wonderfully by the sound of Catwoman crumpling to the floor.