I'm back!


Chapter 28.

A loud, hammering shot rang out.

The Joker looked down at the revolver still tightly wound in his hands. The shot didn't come from him. He looked over at Jonny, noticing that his weapon was still cold.

Eric looked as white as a ghost, checking over his own body for a bullet hole.

With a confused look, J's eyes wandered across the room. He thought it might of been Harley, making her glorious entrance, but to his disappointment, instead of seeing a beautiful blonde, he saw the cauliflower face of Mark, brandishing his gun to fire another warning shot.

He walked forward, snapping his Cuban heels along the floor. "25 stiches." Mark growled, seeing that the Joker had his father at gun point. "25 stiches to heal my face..." He snapped.

Joker snarled like a dog. "Wow, I really did a number on you didn't I?" He looked over at the mans mangled face. His nose was puffy and still red from the stitches, surgical tape covered parts of his face and were stained a nasty brown colour from the clotted blood. His left eye was swollen and half closed.

"I'm surprised you didn't finish the job.. You going soft Joker?" Mark retorted.

"Oh? You think I let you off easy? Is that it?" J growled. "Well, you're in for a real treat this time round."

Mark nodded his head. "You're on our turf now Joker. You won't be doing anything."

J sighed. "Well, that's were you're wrong... See this-" He gestured to the space around him. "Is mine. Your life and Eric's over here, is also mine. And I'm going to enjoy taking it away."

Frost already had his revolver trained on Mark when J suddenly stood from his seat. He then pointed at the now empty chair. "Pull up a pew." Joker offered.

Mark reluctantly obliged when he realised that he was out gunned. He walked around the table behind his father and took a seat, making sure to never take his eyes of the gun in Frost's hands.

"Now that everybody's calmed down, lets have a nice, little chat." J stalked around them both like a shark, still holding the barrel of his revolver on Eric's head. He then stood behind him and forced the metal to into his skull. Joker looked over at Mark, seeing Jonny copy the same stance.

"You touched something that didn't belong to you Marky-boy, and not only that, you thought smuggling spiked booze into my club was going to go unpunished?" He growled. "You see what problems chasing a bit of skirt can cause huh? What was she doing? Playing hard to get? So you thought you'd slip a couple pills into a bottle... Classy." J mocked.

Mark just sat there, not taking his eyes off the green haired clown.

"Oh and then, then someone interfered... But this someone belongs to me, she's mine and you tried to-."

"If I knew she was yours I would never of touched her, she just looked like a normal floozy!" He cried in defence.

Joker paused for a moment then raised a brow. "A normal floozy?"

"No, that's not what I meant." Mark said. "What I'm trying to say is, she didn't look like yours, she was wearing the same as everyone else. Her hair isn't even-"

"Do ya' wanna know what happened to the last guy who tried to break my things? He ended up howling for mercy, begging for his life."

Mark shuddered at his words. "But we're even now. It was one bottle, I ain't been spiking the rest of your shipment, it was just the one."

J threw his head back and laughed. "Oh you, you think a broken nose is calling it even?" He moved round to the side of Eric's face. "Daddy-O here has been watching me like a hawk ever since we got 'Even' haven't you pops?"

Sweat gathered on Eric's brow. "No, I haven't."

"You're not setting a very good example by lying in front of your kids." J told him. "I've seen the black cars circling my club, I know you have. And to be honest, I'm quite flattered that you've been spending all this time thinking about lil' old me."

"It's just business Joker." The silver headed man snapped.

"Jussssst business... Mmmm..." J moaned. "Well, as an aspiring entrepreneur myself, I can understand that, money and credibility before all else right?"

"Right." Eric agreed.

"In that case..." Joker growled. "You've breached your contract, which means... You're fired." He suddenly pulled the trigger. A bullet flew out of the barrel and penetrated the side of Eric's head, causing his whole body to grow limp and eventually his bullet ridden skull slammed onto the card table.


Harley was standing with the other henchmen, shivering as wind fluttering around the Gotham docks came into contact with her skin. She looked over at the fully dressed goons, wondering how warm they must be, all tucked away in stuffed costumes.

She growled, gripping her bat tighter in the right hand, hoping to god that J would hurry up and give her a sign. Harley leant her back against the metal door, snapping her bubble gum against her mouth bored out of her mid.

She turned her head slightly to catch 'Baby Face' looking back at her... Or was he? She couldn't tell by the lack of eye slights. "Hi." She nodded her head briefly, trying to defuse the awkwardness.

"Hurry up J, hurry up."

Suddenly, the sound of a gun shot rang out, leaving behind a wining aftershock. Harley's eyes snapped into focus and without waiting for the other boys to follow, she ducked through the door and began to run.

Her heart was in her mouth the whole way. What if they had shot her Puddin'? Or Frost, leaving J without backup?

As her pace began to pick up, she glanced back over her shoulder, seeing the Henchmen following her lead. If they had hurt the Joker in anyway, she was ready. She had her bat, revolver and her men to take them all down.

Without hesitation, she burst through the second bracket of doors. Her eyes widened at the sight in front of her. Joker was leaning over a stumpy, rather dead looking grey haired man, laughing in his face, whilst Jonny had Mark at gun point.

Harley's heart settled back to normal rate when it finally registered in her brain that her Puddin' was unhurt.

"Harley!" Joker beamed, finally looking up to catch her eyes. "What took you so long baby? You almost missed the party!"

She smiled sweetly at him and began to walk towards the table, once she clocked Mark, her movements became more precise, swinging her hips provocatively to remind him what the Joker owned, and more importantly who she belonged to.

"Puddin'!" She called out, sauntering over to him to plant a lingering kiss on his blood speckled cheek.

"Now were are your manners baby? Aren't you gunna greet our guest?" J mocked, gesturing to a rather pale looking Mark.

His skin had turned an awful shade of white and freckles of his own Father's blood decorated his chin.

Harley giggled, then her expression instantly turned into a frown. " How rude of me." She turned on her heel and strutted towards the man, still being held captive under Frost's revolver.

Now facing him, she bent over seductively and pinched his chin inbetween her fingers. Harley turned his face to meet hers and she visibly winced at the sight of his bashed up face. "Nice to see you again Handsome."

Under all the excitement of J killing Eric, they had neglected to remember that Mark still had a gun, neatly tucked under the table. He slammed his head backwards, knocking the revolver out of Jonny's hand. Mark quickly stood and pulled out his own weapon, pointing it directly at Harley.

She laughed as he pulled her body close to his, pressing the barrel of the gun to her temple. "I bet you feel like a big guy, holding a damsel like me hostage with your water pistol."

Joker began to chuckle, then it soon progressed into full on laughter. Harley's sarcasm always got his blood boiling in the most delicious of ways.

"Put the gun down Marky, before you hurt yourself." Joker growled. "Or before she hurts you."

Despite the look of sheer terror on his face, Mark stood his ground and narrowed his eyes at the Clown. "She didn't hurt me much last time, did you Harley?... I'd say you rather enjoyed out last encounter." With his hand still full of her hair, he pulled backwards, exposing her neck widely. He moved the barrel of the gun and traced the side of her neck with it. Harley couldn't help but whimper when the cold metal touched her skin.

Joker tensed up, watching her being pulled about like a rag doll. He knew she could handle herself, but this guy just didn't know how to quit.

Frost in the mean time was carefully picking up his gun, trying not to make a sound.

Mark's eyes flickered to the open corridor then returned to stare the Joker square in the face. "Maybe I won't kill her." He said firmly, bringing her head back down. "Maybe, I'll dose her up on my special home brew and keep her chained to the bed. Or maybe I'll fuck up her face, like you did mine. But this time.. No medical supplies."

Joker looked into Harley's eyes. Why wasn't she struggling? Why was she letting this man get away with holding a gun to her face?

"Let her go." Joker spat, feeling his last ounce of patience dissolve.

"Yes, maybe I will chain her to the bed... She'd be so hooked on that stuff, that she'd do anything, anything to get some more.." Mark pronounced, rather smugly.

"Let. Her. Go." Joker shouted, flexing his finger over the trigger of his revolver.

All of the Joker's goons placed on foot forward and cocked back their Ak-47's taking a precise aim on the man holding their Boss's girlfriend hostage. Which meant in total, Mark had over a dozen guns facing his head.

"You're out numbered and out gunned." Joker stated with a smirk. "I don't like your odds."

Ignoring J's attempt of intimidation, Mark glanced back over to the open corridor. Harley felt his arms around her loosen, as if he was about to make a move. She caught the Joker's eyes and gave him a quick wink.

During all the commotion, Mark's men slowly and carefully filtered in from the corridor, lining themselves up opposite the Joker's goons.

"Changed your mind about the game of cards then?" J teased, looking at the henchmen.

Mark took this tiny distraction as an opportunity to move. He began to slowly shuffle backwards dragging Harley along with him. All she could do however was giggle as he attempt to move her unnoticed.

"Gunna take me to your bedroom now?" Harley giggled, shifting under his grip.

"Shut up!" He snapped. "Or I'll blow your brains out!"

"Awh." Harley pouted. "No foreplay first?"

Mark dragged her over towards his men, standing right in front of them facing the Joker, he used her as a human shield.

Joker smiled at his girl. "I have to warn you Marky-boy, she tends to bite. But you know that already don't you." He laughed, looking at the stiches on his ear lobe.

Mark looked back over his shoulder once more a his own henchmen. Suddenly he grabbed Harley's wrists and pinned them behind her back. Despite her discomfort, she kept on giggling throughout the hole charade.

Joker stepped further forward, while Jonny and his henchmen lined up behind him, soon they were all face to face. Fury meeting fury as the tension thickened in the air.

Mark stumbled backwards slightly but stopped when he knocked into his own men. He grasped Harley's wrists harder then suddenly pushed her forward away from him, causing her to yelp as she stumbled over her own heels.

Joker lunged forward and caught her before she fell. She grabbed onto his biceps and a small smile spread onto her face. He quickly set her on her feet. "You okay?" He asked, barely above a whisper.

She nodded discreetly and ran her right hand behind his back. Jonny saw her make a motion with her fingers. It didn't take him long to realise what she wanted. He bent down behind the Joker and picked up her bat off the ground. He subtlety slid the handle into her waiting hand and stood sharply as if nothing had happened.

Joker felt her wooden bat rest against the back of his leg. He knew what his little Harlequin was up to now, and it sent a rolling shiver of excitement down his spine. Oh, this is why they were made for each other. Moments like these reminded him of how bad, and bloodthirsty his little shrink could be.

"Make Daddy proud." He murmured into her ear, keeping direct eye contact with the soon to be battered men in front of him.


Cliffhanger?

I know some of you have started to read my 'mini' story called 'Christmas Puddin' and I just wanted to let you all know that I will not be neglecting this story! Since my idea of a one shot now consists of a few chapters I wanted to start rolling out the Christmas fic as soon as possible. But please do not panic. I can and will do both. Besides, it's Christmas and I'm feeling uncharacteristically generous!

You guys rock my socks!

- Mabel x