A/N: Phew long time no update I know! I have to say I'm amazed at how many follows this story is still getting, I really appreciate the love and have been desperately trying to get over this writers block for you all! This new chapter is a little shorter so I hope it doesn't disappoint, just trying to get back into the flow after so long. Thank you all so much for sticking with me! Hopefully I can get the creative ball rolling again!


I'm not going to lie, seeing the actual Joker in person sent shivers rippling down my spine. He sauntered in, cool and confident, his eyes raking over all of us before turning on Harley as she beamed at him.

"Look puddin! My team, still alive and kickin!"

"Didn't have the time to bust us outta that shitbox too while you were at it?" Deadshot questioned. Harley pouted at him while the Joker surveyed the assassin with an evil eye. Finally he spoke, and his voice was even more chilling than his appearance.

"Now, see...why would I go and do a thing like that?" He slurred. "How are you ever gonna learn your lesson if you just go free?"

"I suppose the rules don't apply to you then?" El Diablo piped up. The Jokers eyes swivelled on the fire starter and he slowly smiled.

"I like your face. And no, no they don't. I'm not a man restricted by things like rules."

Diablo looked taken aback as a short stream of laughter suddenly left the Jokers lips, his teeth glinting menacingly.

I didn't like the way he spoke one bit, whereas Harley was fun crazy, this man was straight up legit crazy. Instinctively I clutched onto Diggers arm, trying to mentally hide myself against him. As soon as I made the small movement however, Harley's eyes caught it, and they lit up.

"Oh my god! Don't tell me that you're with him?!"

I opened my mouth to reply but no words would come out, so I sheepishly nodded.

Harley positively giggled with glee. "So ya finally caught yaself a girl Boomer? What are the chances! Puddin! This was the girl I wanted you to meet!"

This was so not the direction I had wanted the conversation to go, and I tried not to look too pathetic as the Joker finally seemed to really see me. I almost felt as if I were being x rayed. Slowly, with even steps he closed the distance and stood in front of me, biting his lip as he looked down his nose at my frazzled form.

"Soooo, what makes you so special then?"

"Umm..." My hand was gripping the Captains arm so hard it would probably bruise.

"Umm? Not a very compelling argument doll. Come on, speak up, I won't bite." He gave me a wide metal smile.

I took a deep breath. "I wouldn't say I'm particularly special, I steal things, to put it simply."

"She's part of the team," Deadshot added suddenly. I gave him a grateful look as the Joker continued to smile eerily at me.

"And how good are you?"

"I...I'm alright I guess?"

The Joker let out a tsk tsk sound and leaned into my personal space. I felt Digger tense beside me but he remained still. The Jokers eyes searched mine and I tried my best not to look away.

"I think you're hiding something," he said softly. "There's more than just basic robbery behind those peepers. What else did you steal?"

I was almost biting my tongue at that point, and the whole room felt warm, the eyes from everyone gathered all seeming to bore into me. Suddenly a voice spoke up breaking the tense silence.

"This is ridiculous, she doesn't have to answer to the likes of you!"

I looked up in horror, Rick was positively seething, and he was staring the Joker down while June tried desperately to shush him. The Joker just smiled at him before turning back to me.

"Tell the class please, what did you steal?"

Harley giggled from behind him. "Come on hun, I'm dying to know here! Gold star for answering correctly!"

A tear slowly escaped the corner of my eye and the secret I had been carrying was let slip. "A life. Two lives."

The Joker watched me closely. "Well, which is it? One or two?"

"Two...she was pregnant."

His smile widened at my answer. "There, not so hard now is it? You stole two lives, now that makes you a champ in my books, and I don't read much."

"It's not my fault," I blurted. "She got in the way, it wasn't supposed to happen."

"Oh but it did, didn't it? And trust me doll you kill once you'll just want to kill again, it's addicting." He let out a loud chuckle and I cringed. I looked up at Digger and he was staring down at me in complete shock. I felt a couple more tears escape and looked down at my feet.

"That's enough," Diablo spoke up. "We all make mistakes, don't make us bad people."

The Jokers head swivelled toward him and he snorted. "Never said it did my fiery friend. Quite the opposite actually."

Suddenly sirens began to blare in the distance and the Joker snarled, baring his metal teeth.

"Time to leave everyone!" Harley announced clutching the bat in her hands.

"We're not going anywhere with you," Rick seethed.

Harley tilted her head and smiled at him. "Did I say you were invited?"

"I should have been more specific, ya ain't going anywhere neither. You're going back behind bars."

I looked at my big brother in shock as Harley and the Joker both burst out laughing.

Hearing the two of them laugh in such a gleeful, synchronized way put all of us on edge, so that when the sound of a gun shot rang out and the laughter stopped dead, it took a second to even register it had happened at all. But as if with lightning speed Harley had whipped out her pistol, and it was still pointed directly at my brother. I stared with wide, uncomprehending eyes as red started to bloom out of his chest and June screamed as he fell to his knees.

"Like I said, parties over lovelies," Harley tittered. "Let's go!"

Captain went to move forward and I stood in place, staring at Rick who was being cradled by June.

"C'mon love, we gotta get while we can," he said, pulling on my arm.

I shook my head as tears welled up. "No."

The rest of the team had grudgingly moved to follow the lunatic couple, I couldn't blame them, it was a chance at freedom. Killer Croc gave me a sad little shrug and turned away. Only Deadshot held back and looked torn.

"Please," I begged him. The Joker gave Harley an exasperated look and tapped his watch, I chose to ignore the pair.

For a moment I really thought the pity that flashed behind the assassins eyes would be enough but after a moment he shook his head.

"Sorry Mal, he's done, we have to look out for ourselves now."

I glared at him before looking over at June, who sat on the floor in tears, giving me the most heart wrenching look I had ever seen. She took a deep breathe "Go."

I stared at her in disbelief but before I could argue the Joker was grabbing my face and turning my attention to his dark gaze.

"Play time is over, you've been given the opportunity of a lifetime here doll, now let's go, my dinner will be cold, much like G.I. Joe over there."

"Nothing personal honey," Harley said, giving my cheek a pat. "He's just a buzzkill is all, don't worry about it! You're gonna love our little slice of paradise! C'mon Boomerang, grab your girlfriend and let's skedaddle!"

This time, Digger simply picked me up, which was easy because I was still too frozen in shock and horror.

"M'sorry," he said quietly as I laid my head against his chest and followed the rest of the group out of the damaged building.

Four cop cars sat outside and I noticed they had already been taken over by the Jokers goons, and I tried not to vomit as I saw the lifeless bodies of the former occupants littered on the pavement. I barely remember being put into the back of one with the Captain, all I could do was cling to him for life and watch out the rear window as the building that held my brother inside faded away.