Chapter 6: The Sound of Silence

"Hello Darkness, my old friend

I've come to talk with you again

Because a vision softly creeping left it's sound while I was sleeping.

And a vision that was planted in my brain

Still remains Within the sound of silence."

Simon & Garfunkel: The Sound of Silence. (1965)

After throwing up her dinner in the bathroom, she'd gotten changed into the pyjamas Peter had laid out for her.

Then a very sour looking Jodie had led her to a tent at the far end of Neverland.

Inside were three little girls, sleeping peacefully.

Jodie slept at the entrance and had sent Harley into the furthest corner, away from her. She'd texted Mistah J seven different text messages, apologizing, asking to talk to him, telling him she loved him, telling him what Jester had said, that someone had it in for them both, begging him to be safe. Finally she'd given in and called him.

All she met was silence.

No disconnected tone, no voice mail.

Just utter nothingness.

After that she'd fallen asleep with the set plan to see him tomorrow, no matter what happened.

Harley had slept through the night without waking up screaming which she thought was a good sign.

"Hey your majesty." Jodie's sarcastic voice had woken her early the next morning. "Get your shit together and get up."

She tossed black jeans and a red shirt on Harley's sleeping bag. "We don't dress like sluts here."

With that she left and Harley got dressed quickly in the tent because she didn't know how long she'd be alone for. The clothes were a good fit, just like the PJs had been.

She put her hair up. Normally she didn't wear it like that because Mistah. J didn't like it. But since he wouldn't be around to see her she didn't care.

As she stepped out of the tent she almost tripped over something dirty, glittering lying in front of the tent.

"Ew." She muttered as she bent down to examine it, it was grayish with faint glitter in places. There was a smell radiating from it that made her scrunch her nose.

"Don't touch them."

She looked up at the voice.

A girl, not quite a child, but also not a teenager was sitting in front of the tent and looked at Harley. She was tall and had blonde hair.

"Jodie told me to take you to breakfast. I'm Lauren."

"Harley."

"I know." The girl said casually and rose to her feet. "The wings belong to Gracie. She's super sensitive about them."

"Wings?"

"Fairy wings." Lauren sounded unimpressed.

Now Harley saw them for what they were. Dirty, broken and lain on the floor without any context she hadn't recognized the form. But know she saw it clearly that they were part of a costume to attach to a little girl.

As disgusted as she was she also saw a certain beauty in broken wings.

"Is that part of Neverland?"

Lauren snorted in a way that reminded Harley of Jodie. "No. Its part of Gracie, she's such a baby. She's six." She rolled her eyes. "I'm 11."

"When were they last washed?" Harley asked.

Lauren laughed. "Never. It was already a huge drama to get her to stop wearing them to bed. She doesn't usually take them off."

Harley straightened up, away from the nasty smell and was about to say something when a tiny girl hurried towards her, pulling the broken wings from the ground and hugging them.

She was small for her age and thin. Her blue eyes and blonde pigtails reminded Harley of a younger version of herself and despite everything she had to smile.

"Hi, I'm Harley."

Gracie stared up at her with a blank expression, obviously understanding her, but not responding, before running off. Harley turned to the other girl who had watched this interaction with little to no interest.

"Yeah." She said in a tired tone as she stood up. "Gracie's crazy."

Harley sighed and followed her.

They had breakfast in the same room Harley had eaten dinner in last night.

It was louder and more crowded than it had been before and Lauren pointed at a large table.

"You can fill up your own plate. Everyone gets one portion, if there's more left over you can have more. Coffee's over there." She pointed towards a smaller table. "Bye."

She vanished, sitting beside Jodie who handed her something with a grin.

An apple, Harley realized, payment for talking to her.

"Bitch." She muttered to herself and then went to grab a plate and eat some breakfast. Usually breakfast was fine. It was the meals in the late afternoon and evenings that made her feel sick.

The fact that there was a coffee-machine made her heart skip a beat and when she made herself an espresso she almost felt normal again.

Some of the Lost Boys stared at her as she sat down at a table by herself. But she didn't mind. She would be staring too.

"Hi!"

The cheerful voice made her look up. It was the girl from the gas station.

"I'm Kaitlyn! You stole from me last night."

Harley massaged her temples. She couldn't believe everything that had happened had been one night. It felt more like a month.

"Hi, and uh...sorry."

"Welcome to Neverland!" The girl was tall, kind of wiry with blonde hair and her smile was so bright it made Harley's head spun.

A young man stepped towards her.

"Good morning! Welcome, Harley. I'm Kurt." He kissed Kaitlyn's cheek and she giggled.

"Hi." She sighed. She was tired. These two were full of energy. And so happy it made her heart hurt.

"Enjoy your breakfast!"

They walked hand in hand to the table where Jodie was sitting.

"Hello Harley, how did you sleep?"

Harley almost sighed in annoyance, but when she looked up she saw that it was Wendy, who had sat down opposite her. She was wearing her way hair up in a ponytail and looked at her with a warm smile, a coffee mug in her hands.

"Better than I thought I would." Harley admitted, which made Wendy chuckle.

"We do have a lot of food." Wendy said eyeing Harley's tiny portion. "You can take more if you like."

"No thanks."

Wendy accepted this and let Harley continue eating in peace, something she was grateful for without realizing why.

"The girls in my tent are really young." She said after she had finished eating.

She liked that Wendy just sat by her without forcing a conversation on her.

Wendy nodded earnestly. "Lauren ran away from home when she was 9. Rachel escaped from the foster care system at 10." Harley thought of the little girl with the broken fairy wings.

"And Gracie?"

The woman in front of her looked sad suddenly. "We found Gracie on the streets when she was three. She was wearing her fairy wings and covered in blood." She paused, obviously this was painful for her to talk about. "There was a man. Her...her father." She looked disgusted. "He said we can have her. Whatever money she makes he wants to have."

Harley stared at her blankly trying to understand the implication. Hoping it didn't mean what she thought it meant.

"He seemed to think we were running some kind of prostitution ring."

She felt sick to her stomach and breathed deeply, trying to focus.

"But she's part of us now." Wendy said clearly trying to comfort herself and Harley.

"You saved her." Harley realized.

Wendy smiled. "That's what we do."

There was a silence in which Harley didn't know what to say.

"She never spoke a word. She listens well and understands what we tell her. She's fast and great at picking pockets, but she's mute." Wendy looked thoughtful and Harley didn't say anything. "I know you used to be a psychiatrist, so you know, how traumatic events can render one..." She sighed sadly. "Speechless."

Harley did remember.

"I don't know what happened to her and I may never know." Wendy suddenly looked very sad and despite her being older than Harley she also looked very young. "It hurts me that I might never hear her voice, you know as a mother." She put her hand over her chest. "But I love her and I know she's happy in Neverland and that all that matters."

"What happened to him? The father?" There was that rush she hadn't felt in a while, because she'd suppressed her emotions. The desire to kill someone, the lust for revenge.

"Never heard from him again, I assume he's dead."

Harley's thoughts went to the little girl and her broken wings. "What if he comes looking for her? Demanding her back?"

The smile Wendy gave her caused shivers to run down her spine. "We look after our own."

Just then Jodie appeared at the table.

"Wendy, Peter said it's time."

Harley was surprised by the tone she was using. She'd never heard Jodie sound so polite and gentle before. As if the other girl had read her mind she shot Harley an angry glare.

"Right, Harley dear, we have some things to discuss, so I'll be right back."

She wasn't alone for long. Lauren and another girl came to her table. They sat down in front of her without asking if that was ok with Harley.

Harley thought that was pretty badass. Lauren was the tall one with blonde hair and Rachel the one with straight brown hair and glasses.

"Is it true your boyfriend broke up with you?" Lauren asked.

Rachel asked: "Is it true you're the Queen of Gotham?"

"Both of those things are true." Harley said calmly.

"Why did he break up with you?"

"Where's your crown?"

"Well, we broke up because of a misunderstanding. And I don't have a crown, not all queens need crowns."

"What misunderstanding?"

Harley fidgeted in her seat. The girl was 11. She didn't really want to get into the topic of a false pregnancy and adultery with her.

"It's a long story, but we'll get back together. He thinks I did something to hurt him, but I didn't." Harley looked into her empty espresso mug. "We love each other."

"Jodie says getting back together is unhealthy."

"Yeah, I'm not surprised she'd say that."

Lauren giggled, but Rachel looked angry.

"You're cool." Lauren decided. "I'm glad you're in our tent."

With that she stood up to leave and the other girl left with her.

Harley looked after them, surprised by how touched she felt by this compliment. Homeless, kicked out by someone she loved, in baggy jeans and a shirt too big for her, she certainly did not feel cool.

"Peter and Wendy want to talk to you." Jodie had appeared beside her table so suddenly she basically flinched.

"What?"

"Come with me!"

So she hurried after the other girl with tense anxiety, a part of her convinced, Jodie was leading her into a backroom to murder her.

The backroom was a large kitchen and although the knives suggested bloody murder, the smiling faces of Peter, Wendy and Porter did not.

"Harley, we have a question." Peter pointed towards a free chair at the table in the middle of the kitchen and Harley sat down.

"There have been some gang activities in our areas." He explained. "And we were wondering if you knew who they were. If maybe they were affiliated with your Joker." She didn't know what to say.

"There's a gang that has been attacking us!" Jodie snapped as if Harley herself had been responsible for any kind of attack. "They belong to someone called Captain Hook."

Harley felt uneasy. It was clear where her loyalties were, after all Peter himself had called him 'her Joker'.

"Honey, we are not asking you to rat him out or stand against him." Wendy said in a loving tone. "We're just trying to find out who we are dealing with."

"They wear these Clown-masks." Porter said and slapped a grotesque, bloody, rubber face mask on the table. "And they use small knives only."

Harley had never seen a mask like this. It was supposed to be a Clown's mask, but it was creepy with a strange pattern of black and red.

"It's not Mistah J's." She said. "He doesn't like theatrics like that. He's dramatic and he likes a certain degree if irony, but this..."

This actually looked more like a mockery of Mr. Js lifestyle really.

"Besides." She looked up at Peter and Wendy. "What reason would he have to attack you guys? You never did anything to him, did you?"

She realized then the most obvious question she had not thought to ask. The first one she should have concerned herself with. "How do you guys earn your money?"

Peter and Wendy looked at each other, Jodie closed her eyes and Porter gasped quietly. Harley straightened up in her chair.

"If you guys messed with his deals, then of course he'll come after you!"

"We're not drug-dealers!" Jodie snapped so harshly that even the other three flinched, which would have been amusing if Harley wasn't so annoyed with the situation at hand.

"He doesn't just deal drugs, he's into different investments as well!"

"We are street artists." Peter declared. Harley snorted.

"What?"

"We put on singing and dance performances." He said causally.

"Yeah." She muttered. "Mistah J won't care about that."

What did they think about her Puddin'? He dealt with millions of dollars in his deals, he dealt with illegal substances, with criminals, with thieves and murderers. He wouldn't think twice about some silly street performances.

Wendy actually laughed out loud at her cold tone.

Jodie looked offended, but that seemed to be her natural state, so Harley didn't think twice about it.

"Alright, I think take action then." Porter said, pushing his blonde hair back, his blue eyes blazing. He was handsome, Harley thought and wondered why he was here. "If these Clowns aren't affiliated with Harley we can go against them."

"I'm not a Lost Boy." She said clearly. "I don't need you to show any consideration towards me."

"You saved two of ours." Wendy said just as clearly but with her kind smile. "We owe you and we will not harm anyone you love."

"But she doesn't love these freaks." Jodie poked the mask. "So we can take care of them."

"Great." Porter said, standing up. "I'll round up the boys, we can take them out tonight, one by one."

"No." Jodie sounded tired. "We shouldn't go after them, let's lead them into a trap. That's safer."

"Safe? They almost killed two of our guys last night."

"You're rushing again, Porter and you're impulse." Porter seemed upset by this and Harley was getting bored.

She wanted to call Jester and hear about last night and go home. "What do you mean again?!"

"This is what you do! Head on into danger, without thinking about the consequences..." Jodie's eyes were small. "This is what Alison always complained about."

"You take that back, Jodie!"

"Harley." Peter broke into the argument gently. "What tactic do you think is best?"

Jodie's head shot around, an angry fire burning in her eyes. Porter looked genuinely interested and calm.

"Eh..." Mistah J had never asked her which tactic she thought was best. Every robbery, break-in or mission of any kind, he had planned alone. "I think I'd approve of Porter's idea more."

"Of course you would!" Jodie snapped.

"Jodie." Wendy said in a calm, but warning tone.

"Why is she even here?!" Jodie shot back. "She said herself she isn't one of us! She shouldn't be here."

It was the first time Jodie had said something Harley actually agreed with and she stood up.

"I hear ya, sister. See ya around."

"Harley, wait!" Wendy called and Harley stopped because there was a desperation in Wendy's voice that reminded Harley of her own voice.

"Please don't leave in anger." She looked at Jodie. "She's the one who saved you if I'm not mistaken. And you want to kick her out?"

Jodie looked torn.

"Thanks for saving me and Aiden." She said and Harley could hear the strain as she tried not to sound too cold. "Have a nice life."

Harley laughed. That was good enough for her.

Porter looked sad, so did Peter. Wendy was struggling to keep her emotions in check.

"Will you visit?" She asked and sounded so genuinely worried and interested that Harley found herself saying:

"Sure."

Then she turned around and left the four of them to their strategic planing. The food hall was empty accept for the little girl, Gracie. She was sitting on the floor, playing with an old rag doll. She was wearing the broken wings and had dirt in her face.

"Bye bye Gracie." Harley said. "I'm leaving now."

The girl stared at her blankly as if she'd spoken in a foreign language.

"Right." She remembered. "You don't talk. Well, see ya."

Harley left the strange girl to her toys and games. She was going home, to her Puddin', to the man she loved. She was going home where she belonged.

Walking home during the day time was a strange experience. The world was so much different in the sunlight. The streets she owed during the night time seemed foreign to her in broad daylight. The darkness that kept her hidden and safe was missing.

When she approached the penthouse she and Mr. J currently lived in her heart began to beat faster. She remembered when they had first moved in.

The previous tenants had died of a 'mysterious illness', according to their death certificates anyway. Harley knew the mysterious illness had been a new form of a poison he had created. He had told her he'd seen the house and wanted it immediately. Just like he had seen Harley and had wanted her immediately.

She'd been so happy when he'd told her that. They moved into the large house in what felt like seconds. Every room had been cleaned out completely, getting rid of any evidence the house had ever belonged to anyone else than Mistah J and Harley.

Four stories high with a large patio at the top, they had enough privacy for each other and for his men. Of course the couple had their quarters on the fourth floor. Up high, overlooking Gotham City she truly had felt like a queen.

Her entire idea of home had changed when she had met Mistah. J. As soon as she resurfaced from the chemical vat home had been very simply wherever he was. If it was in a small apartment over the club, or some halfway house where they laid low because the Bat once again had it in for them.

This house however was theirs more than the other places they had stayed in. He had chosen it for her and she loved every part of it.

She'd never thought she would feel nervous to go inside.

She wished, she'd thought to bring her phone from Neverland. It was still in the tent.

One of the girls would probably find it and have fun with it until the battery eventually ran out. She hadn't thought to bring her charger.

There were no men out front, which meant that Mistah J was awake.

It was after noon, but that didn't mean anything.

"Ok." She whispered to herself, walking up the stairs to the entrance.

The door was unlocked as it usually was, because they had so many armed people inside. Besides it was ridiculous to think anyone would break into the Jokers' house. He'd probably love it if it ever did happen.

She stepped inside, took a deep breath, to prepare herself to yell: "Puddin!" at the top of her voice.

But as she stepped inside her home all the air left her lungs as if she'd been punched in the stomach.

The silence that greeted her made her sink to her knees.

The entrance room had been cleared out. It was completely empty.

No pictures, not a single spot of blood or color of hahaha was anywhere to be seen.

No chair, no table, no lamp.

Not even a grain of dust.

"Puddin?!" She screamed now, but not at all as she had envisioned it, not happy and full of excitement, but a desperate cry from deep down. "Mistah J?!"

She struggled to keep herself upright, as she walked inside. The entire house had been wiped clean. Any trace of their life together had been completely and utterly removed. He hadn't left anything.

No note, no riddle, no drawings on the wall. I

t was as clear as the day outside. He wanted to forget all about her and their time together. Because nothing was left for her to find, he thought she ought to do the same.

Mistah J had left her.

Poor Harley...thanks for your reviews and messages!