"Think fast." Dick caught the water bottle Jason launched at his face. He was out of breath and sweaty, the punching bag still swaying in front of him. "How long have you been in here?" Jason asked. He twisted the cap off of his own bottle and took a swig.

"I don't know. How long ago did this shift start?" he asked, emptying half the bottle before taking a deep breath. He'd taken off his gloves, jacket and boots, but he still wore the torso of his Nightwing uniform and pants, the cuffs gathered around his wrapped feet. His hands were wrapped as well, and he dropped the water bottle off to the side of the room.

"If you've been in here since sunrise, that's just sad," Jason told him and set his bottle down. He'd come in for a short break during his city patrol.

"Can't sleep," Dick responded, situating his hands in front of his face and taking a stance in front of the punching bag.

"You know what your problem is?" Jason asked. He walked around to the other side of the punching bag to face Dick. He stared at Jason for a moment before throwing a right hook at it, and the force nearly swung it into Jason. He caught the bag. "You need to get laid."

"No," Dick snapped, and then rubbed his eyes. "Let it go, Jason, is that all you think about?"

"No. You've just been really," Jason landed two quick jabs on the bag, letting it swing between them, "pent up recently. Is it because of Barbara? Word around the tower is that you two might have a thing."

"Believe me, we don't. We got into a fight the other day."

"Interesting. I'm assuming it was your fault."

"I don't even know if either of us finished it, let alone who started it."

"It's you," Jason shrugged, "so it's probably your fault. Just saying."

"I know, I know, I know," Dick hit the punching bag harder with the last word, dropping his head against it. "I just feel so guilty all the time and I'm trying so hard to please everyone, Jason. Now nobody's happy, and I failed. I'm in the expert business of burning bridges lately," he sighed, closing his eyes. Dick panted a bit, and pulled at his collar. His dark hair was pulled up in a lazy bun, and a bead of sweat trickled down his neck.

"It's refreshing to know that even when the world goes to hell," Jason grinned, "your life still sucks so much more than mine."

"You didn't used to think that. You used to get so much pity for being the 'failed' Robin. Not 'failure' mind you, your life sucked so much worse than the rest of us because he failed you. But glad to see you're finally over it," Dick laughed, stepping back and throwing a few more punches. He swung around with a back kick, almost hitting Jason in the face.

"Watch it," he cried, purposefully missing Dick with a right hook. "And everybody's failed everybody recently, so I thought the bitter Robin bit could take the back burner for a while."

"Do you really think my aim would be that bad?" Dick teased, taking a step towards Jason. In an instant he had thrown two jabs in quick succession, and then he spun around to kick him again. Jason caught his leg.

"I don't know. You are getting pretty old and senile." He pushed Dick's leg away, using his temporary unbalance to sweep the other out from under him. Dick fell, but he caught himself on his hands and rolled into a front handspring and landed on his feet again.

"Not that slow, I could always beat you," he grinned.

"I'm in my prime, old man." Jason shrugged his jacket off and tossed it to the side. "You're just a has been."

"A has been that always has been better than you," Dick grinned, mopping an arm across his face. He came at Jason with a few quick jabs, easily blocked, and then he suddenly changed maneuvers and leapt up, knocking Jason back when he kicked him in the chest. His armored suit protected him for the most part, but it still knocked the wind out of him. Had he not been wearing it, the blow could have cracked his ribs. Dick landed on his feet with a grin, his hands in front of his face again.

"Well if you want to play dirty." He made two quick jabs that Dick easily blocked but were hard enough to leave bruises on his arms. He grabbed Dick's arm, twisting it behind his back.

"What's the matter. Don't think you can handle it?" Dick smirked, tossing his head back into Jason's nose.

"Son of a bitch." He put Dick in a headlock and kneed him in the kidney.

"Jason-" Dick coughed- "anger in check-" he laughed, still instructing through the pain, hooking his chin under Jason's arm and simultaneously forcing it away from his neck with the heels of his palms. Dick took a deep breath, jumping up. He swung forward with his full weight, throwing Jason onto the mat face first as he flipped and landed on his back, jackknifing to his feet and stepping away. Jason rolled up to his knees.

"It is in check." He stood and circled around Dick. "What's the matter? Can't handle it?" he taunted. Dick grinned.

"I can take whatever you throw at me," he countered, watching Jason carefully. He cried out and dodged when Jason threw a batarang at him. It embedded itself in the wall across the room.

"I thought you said you could catch anything," he said innocently.

"I said I can take it," Dick laughed, dodging a second one as he ran at Jason. Just as they were about to attack, Dick slid under his legs and back on his feet, sidestepping as Jason turned around, swinging an arm. Dick ducked below his second attempt, and laughed.

"Oops, my bad." Dick evaded when he attempted to take out his legs. "Stand still you little shit," Jason muttered.

"Be faster," Dick urged. "Anticipate my moves. I'd say you're getting slow, old man. Don't tell me you peaked in your teens," he laughed, leaping out of the way of Jason's fist coming at his face.

"You know the thing about talking so much?" Jason asked, his eyes narrowed as they followed Dick.

"It's charming and makes people like me more than you?" he asked, his muscles tensing. Jason's elbow snapped back to where Dick's voice came from behind him. It connected squarely with his gut.

"It makes you easy to track." Jason smirked. Dick inhaled sharply and coughed, grabbing Jason's elbow and his shoulder and forcing him down on the mat, his arm behind him where Dick held it, ready to pull it out of it's socket. Jason pitched to the side, and Dick was yanked forward toward the mat. Jason kicked him away with both feet, his boots making contact with Dick's chest. Dick fell back, his head snapping back and hitting the mat as he coughed, seeing stars. He groaned and laughed wryly, pinching his eyes closed.

"Touche," he wheezed, getting unsteadily to his feet. He hesitated and then pulled the top of his Nightwing suit off, grateful for the rush of cool air clearing his head. Leveling his hands in front of his face and turning to Jason again, he smiled. "Don't go easy on me," he joked, chuckling. Faded scratches were reddened on his shoulders and down his back.

"Looks like someone already didn't," Jason commented. Dick glanced at the marks, and Jason took the opportunity to knock him down. "So what happened to you?" he asked, leaning over him.

"Don't worry about it," Dick grabbed Jason's ankle, yanking it out from under him. He fell beside him.

"I'm going to worry if you're losing fights to vicious cats." He rolled back up to his feet. "So what happened?" Dick sat up, draping his arms over his knees.

"I said don't worry about it, Jay," he sighed, looking up at him.

"If you don't tell me I'm just going to keep nagging you," Jason warned. Dick stood and shrugged, gathering his things and walking towards the door.

"Aw, come on!" Jason scooped up his jacket and water bottle and followed him. "Why won't you tell me?"

"Because it's none of your business. I need a shower," he muttered. Dick pulled his jacket on, covering the scratches. He got into the elevator and pressed the button to go up to the floor where his room was.

"Seriously," Jason stepped into the elevator before the doors could close, "why are you being so secretive about this?" He crossed his arms and leaned against the wall.

"I'm not, I'm just-" Dick bit his lip, looking down. "It's just nothing, really."

"Bullshit. I'm going to start guessing," he threatened. "You know I'll see it on your face when I get it right."

"Jason come on! Why can't you ever just leave it alone you've been doing this for ten years-" Dick groaned and rubbed his temples.

"Yup," Jason grinned. "Now let's see, you didn't react to it being cats that caused it. Catwoman? No. Zombies? Damian? Annoyed citizen? When you fought with Barbara? Really vigorous with a loofa? A girl- A girl?!"

Dick fought to keep his face straight, but he involuntarily bit his lip and then groaned. "Damn it, Jason, I told you it was nothing." Jason burst into laughter.

"Good for you. I didn't know you were into stuff that rough," he admitted in an almost impressed tone, "but good for you. Glad you took my advice."

"I didn't… mean to." Dick sighed, rubbing his face. Jason's smile faded, and he narrowed his eyes at Dick.

"What do you mean you didn't 'mean to?' Why is it such a bad thing? What did you do?"

"Jay, you can't tell," he said angrily, having flashbacks to their childhood together. "It's not what so much as who…" They reached Dick's floor, but Jason hit the close elevator button when the doors slid open.

"Alright, who did you do?" he muttered once the doors were closed.

"Damn it, I didn't mean to it just sort of happened! I was on patrol just minding my own business and then she waltzes up dressed like- like she's a friggin' Batman villain stripper, that's what- and it just sort of…" Dick sighed, not looking at Jason. "Harley Quinn. Freaking Harley Quinn."

"What?" Jason choked. "You did not just say… Harley Quinn," he whispered her name. "What the hell?! You banged the Joker's girlfriend?" He paused for a second. "I'm actually kind of impressed."

"Yeah well. It won't happen again that's for damn sure."

"Why?" Jason shrugged, crossing his arms. "Aside from the initial shock of you deciding to dip into the rogues gallery and the fact that Batman will kill you, it's not actually that bad. I mean, you clearly enjoyed yourself." He looked meaningfully at Dick's shoulder. Dick smirked and then bit his lip nervously.

"He will kill me if he finds out, don't you dare tell him," he urged.

"Oh hell no. He rides my ass enough as it is. If he finds out, I didn't know anything."

"Thank God," he muttered. He pushed the button to get out of the elevator, and Jason followed him. Dick rolled his eyes and smiled a little. "But yeah. It was really… really good," he laughed, pushing his bedroom door open.

"I really don't want know the details," Jason smirked, "but good for you. Keep it up… you beautiful lady killer you," he taunted as he laughed, and Dick smacked his hand away when he went to pat his face.

"I can't. That's not happening again. Ever," he sighed, dropping his jacket on the floor. Dick pulled the ponytail out of his hair and sat down on his bed. "She forbid it. Apparently still loyal to the Joker. God, I can't even believe I'm saying that."

"Okay, bad mental image. But her lackluster choice in men aside, you slept with the Joker's girlfriend," he said. "Again, bad mental. Think about it... Not her and the Joker, but you literally tapped his best resource. His only loyal ally isn't looking so loyal anymore. I say her loyalties becoming conflicted is just a bonus to great sex. Even if you can't get info out of her, you're still getting something."

"Well way to make me feel guilty," he chuckled. "That is true, though. She didn't seem so loyal then. If I could..." Jason stared at him for a long time. He sat at the table with a sigh.

"You have feelings for her don't you?"

"What- Jason come on. We had a thing for a few hours, and that was it. I don't. I was only saying that it would be a huge blow on the Joker if we could actually manage to rip her away from him." Dick rubbed the scratches on his shoulder.

"Well don't do it if you don't want your heart broken because first, it might not succeed and second," he kicked his legs up on the table, "hope is written all over your little puppy dog face."

"Shut up, Jason," he snapped.

"Okay." He held his hands up in surrender. "So what are you going to do? Hasn't she 'forbidden' it? Must not have been as good as you thought."

"No, she was... Upset? About cheating on the Joker. She hasn't 'forbidden' it, per se, but she's said that it 'can't happen again.'" Dick looked away at the sun outside the windows, shining on the glass buildings.

"Well lover boy," Jason stretched, "it's time to put your moves into action."

"Yeah," Dick looked down. "I should sleep," he added lamely.

"I thought you said you weren't tired?"

"Well I can sleep now, now that I have an idea what I'm doing," Dick sighed.

"Uh huh, sure." Jason stood up and yawned. "Well have fun with your screwed up life." He left to get back to his patrol.

"Yeah, you too," Dick chuckled, dropping back against the sheets. He sighed. What am I gonna do?

Ivy walked in her front door and saw Harley lying face first on the bed.

"What are you doing here?" She dropped her keys in a bowl by the door as she relocked it. She'd been lucky there had been keys in the room when she'd found it. She looked back at Harley, who hadn't moved. "What's wrong with you? You're never this quiet." She crossed her arms and watched Harley. After a minute she walked over and nudged her.

"Are you dead?" Ivy asked as Harley made a strangled noise. Ivy sighed. "What is it?" She couldn't hear when Harley mumbled into the pillow. "What?" She leaned in when she mumbled again. "Seriously, what the hell?" Harley lifted her face off the pillow.

"Tomorrow is day four," she cried before face planting again.

"What does that even mean?"

"It means," Harley rolled over, "that the sun is going to set, an' when it rises, it's day four."

"You make no sense," Ivy muttered. Harley looked at her with wide eyes.

"I did a bad thing."

"What did you do?" Ivy demanded.

"Well… um…"

"What?"

"It was just an accident…"

"What?"

"It won't happen again, but…"

"Tell me," Ivy snapped.

Harley cringed and said in a rush, "I slept with Nightwing." Ivy stared at her.

"You what?"

"I didn't mean to," Harley rambled quickly, "I just remembered what ya said about him liking me and-"

"-that didn't mean do him!" Ivy cried.

"I know, but then the flirtin' got out of hand, an' it turns out he does like me… I think. Or something like that. It coulda just been cuz I was dressed like a stripper." Ivy shot her a look. "What?! The outfit was cute," she defended. "Okay, okay, I know. I shouldn'ta started talkin' to him. And then he kissed me, and… He's a really good kisser."

"Harley!"

"I know! I shoulda stopped, but I couldn't. I mean, it was great-"

"-Harley," Ivy warned.

"I know!" Harley cried. "I cheated on Mistah J!" She sat up as Ivy reeled back.

"That's what you're worried about right now?"

"Well, yeah."

"You just slept with Nightwing. Batman's right hand man."

"The sidekick," Harley added quietly.

"The Joker's hated enemy's favorite Robin, and you're mad at yourself for being unfaithful?"

"Well, yeah," she repeated, falling back against the pillow. "He'll never forgive me."

"He'll kill you," Ivy corrected. "I told you to be careful!"

"I tried!"

"No you didn't." Ivy stood up and walked over to the kitchen. "And I don't know what your fascination with the Bats are. They're not cute. They're annoying."

"Have ya ever tried not fightin' one as soon as you meet 'em?" Harley asked. "Works a lot better." Works too much better, she amended to herself.

"Actually," Ivy said stiffly, "I have." She rolled her eyes at the look on Harley's face. "The Red Hood one followed me around Gotham to make sure I didn't break anything. I really just wanted to break his neck," she muttered. Harley practically flailed as she sat up.

"You like him."

"No I don't," Ivy snapped. She took a bowl out of the sink and tried not to slam it down when she put it away.

"Come on, they're cute."

"No."

"Just a little?" Harley pried.

"No."

"Yes."

"Harley, no."

"A little bit."

"Fine!" Ivy cried. "A little bit." Harley cheered triumphantly. "But that doesn't change anything. And don't try and change the subject. You," she pointed an accusing finger at Harley, "slept with one of them."

"Jeepers!" she shushed her. "Ya don't have ta announce it to the whole neighborhood. And I feel bad about it, okay. It won't happen again."

"Sweetie he killed Selina, and she wasn't even that close to him. What would he do if he found out that you betrayed him?"

"I wouldn'ta told ya about that if I knew you'd use it against me," Harley muttered.

"Harls, this is serious!"

"I know! I know it is. It's not like I meant ta screw everything up. I just wanted ta push his buttons," she mimed jabbing the air, "and I just wasn't thinkin'. It all just happened, and I knew I shouldn't do it, but I did, and I don't know what ta do." She grabbed the pillow and hid her face in it. "What do I do?" Ivy sighed and leaned against the counter. She glanced out the window. The sun was setting, and the room was getting dimmer; she'd need to light candles soon.

"How about don't sleep with him?"

"Thank you!" Harley cried. "Big help. One point to the plant. I coulda never thought 'a that on my own."

"I'm serious. Don't see him again. You didn't get caught this time, but you can't do it again. As much as I hate the Joker, you can't piss him off. We're all trapped here in Arkham, and he's in charge."

"I know, what would I do without him?" Harley leaned across the pillow as Ivy let out an annoyed sigh.

"Be happy? Be independent? Not be in a stupid ass relationship?"

"Stop it. I love him. I just made a dumb butt mistake." Harley punched her pillow.

"Fine, but no more mistakes then. You can't tell him, and you need to be careful. No more seeing Nightwing." Harley puckered her lips. "I know you Harley. No more seeing him."

"But tomorrow's day four. It's his patrol day." She was technically still on the hook for trying to get intel. She'd made a pretty big deal of it to the Joker in order to justify wandering around and talking to whoever. And she did still want to be helpful. Maybe if she kept her distance and set ground rules...

"No. No. Harley! You don't want to make the Joker suspicious."

"Why do ya keep sayin' that like he's a dog I need ta tiptoe around so he doesn't bite me? He loves me. Maybe he'd forgive me if I told him." She didn't like the idea of lying to Joker. They knew everything about each other, and she didn't want to start keeping secrets now. Joker was by no means the only person she'd been with since taking up the persona of Harley Quinn, but she'd never lied to him about it before.

"Arguable on both counts."

"Okay, we may have our problems, but he's always said he was sorry or let me come back."

"And how many times was he saying sorry because you'd left? Or because he didn't succeed at killing you?" Harley clenched her jaw as she stared back defiantly at her. "Just," Ivy took a deep breath, "be careful Harls. And don't go see Nightwing again."

"But what am I supposed to do? You and Mistah J are always busy, Dent is still caged up in Gotham, and I'm bored," she whined.

"Take up knitting. I don't care. Just don't go see him again."

"What if I don't flirt with him?"

Ivy laughed. "Harley you aren't even aware of how endearing you not flirting can be. I think it's the craziness, but I don't know. Don't go see him."

"Fine. I'll just die of boredom and bean overdose." Harley crossed her arms as she pouted. Ivy watched her, unsure if she'd really keep her word.

"You know, I don't have to give you any food."

"If it's beans, I don't want it."

"And if it's watermelon?" Ivy asked.

"Then I apologize." Ivy laughed as she opened the fridge.

"That's what I thought."

Harley rolled onto her back with a sigh as Ivy cut up the fruit. She considered trying to get back to the tower before nightfall but decided it didn't really matter. Joker had been locked up in his office and hadn't even noticed she'd left. She knew Ivy was right and that she should stick behind the wall, but great sex aside, Nightwing had been fun. He'd taken her into the city and actually talked to her. She thought he was right, they could be friends.

She glanced over at Ivy. What am I gonna do?