A/N- I'm glad everyone liked that last chapter. Here's the next one!

Chapter 8- Disturbance

Harley felt her puddin's arms wrap around her as he slept. She was trying desperately to sleep, but she just couldn't.

She was afraid to fall asleep. But why? What reason would she have for fearing sleep? As this thought came to mind, she noticed that the room was getting steadily darker. Well, she thought drowsily, I guess I ain't that scared after all.

However, the room was suddenly filled with the sound of a pouring rain. Then, Harley realized that it wasn't the room. She wasn't in the room. She was out in the middle of an empty street, sometime in the dead of night. A dark, rainy night.

Her outfit was soaking wet and the rain was cold, but she didn't care. Her attention was elsewhere. She was looking straight ahead, at a person who was oblivious to her presence. This person was a woman with dark hair and was wearing a trench coat and a scarf over her head. She was carrying a bag of groceries up the steps to the front door of an apartment building.

Harley edged quietly closer. Before the door shut completely behind the woman, Harley slipped silently inside. The woman was halfway down the hallway that stretched before the door. The hall was dark as it was so close to midnight. As the woman opened the door and entered, Harley was right behind her.

The woman turned on a small table lamp right inside the door and gasped as she turned to see Harley.

"You're her, aren't ya?" Harley said, shutting the door and advancing on the woman.

"What do you want? Who are you?" the woman mumbled, backing away.

She sat the groceries down on the same table as the lamp and continued to back away.

"He said your name last night! I couldn't believe it!" Harley hissed at the woman.

"I'm calling the police. Get out of my house, now!" the woman said, no fear in her voice.

"I couldn't believe it when I found out…my puddin' had been unfaithful to me! With you! What's so special about you? What do you have that I don't?"

"Who are you!"

"Harley Quinn…let me guess," Harley answered, sarcasm entering her voice, "your name is Mary, right?"

Mary backed away. "Quinn…no…has he sent you? You can't have her!"

"What are you talking about! I've come to make sure my puddin' never has a reason to think about you again!"

At that moment in time, two things happened. One, Mary deliberately pulled open a drawer in the table, but there was no weapon or any means of defense inside. Two, Harley raised a handgun equipped with a silencer and fired. Two shots, directly through the heart.

Harley sat up in bed with a start. Her puddin' stirred beside her and grumbled, but did not wake. She sighed. A dream…that was all it had been, she told herself. But she was lying. The dream had been real. Sure, it had happened a long time ago, but it had happened. Laying back down, Harley started up at the black, dismal ceiling, unable and unwilling to go back to sleep.

…………………

Catherine Massa was quite sure what she was doing was illegal in some way, shape, form, or fashion. But what charge could they get her on, honestly? Illegal use of the Bat-signal? Well, they could probably get her on breaking and entering since the door to the roof had been locked.

She knew she only had a short time from the moment she turned the signal on, to the moment Batman arrived, to the time when the cops noticed. She only hoped for a chance to talk to the famed Dark Knight.

Walking quickly to the signal, she flipped its switch to on. The huge spotlight shone on the night sky. Tapping her foot impatiently, Catherine waited for Batman's arrival. Minutes later, she heard the moving of something fabric and a voice.

"Commissioner Gordon?"

It was a gruff, deep voice that suited the shadow-specter it belonged to.

"I used the signal, Mr. Batman. My name is Catherine Massa, and I need your help," the woman said, suddenly feeling rather feeble as she stepped forward to greet the legendary figure of Gotham.

"You're not supposed to be up here, Ma'am," Batman said, turning.

"I know. I'm sorry. You see, my niece, Joanna Ker, she's been kidnapped. Well, the police think she ran away, but I know her. She wouldn't do that. I need you to help me find her. She's all I have," Miss Massa said, her eyes cast downward.

Batman seemed shocked. However, all he said was, "I'll find her."

Then, he disappeared. Catherine could hear footsteps pounding up the stairs that led to the police station's roof. She flicked off the signal and waited to explain herself.

End Notes: Okay, sorry that that took so long to get out. I got off on some other stories and temporarily lost inspiration for this fic. However, I recently purchased the third volume of Batman: The Animated Series. Who could ask for better inspiration? Anyhow, hoped you liked it! Please R & R! Thanks!