Sorry for the long delay! Here we go again!
Riley was crying, beside her, the unmoving form of her best friend.
-It was all my fault… she pushed me… and then…
Lucas hugged her.
-It was not your fault… not hers either…
Riley took Maya's hand in hers, the whitish color scared her.
-Lucas… they can cure this right? Turn her back to normal?
The teenage boy glared at the pleading eyes of the teenager trying to decide whether or not to tell her what he had heard earlier when a doctor had told one of the nurses that the effects of the chemicals on Maya's skin were irreversible.
-They will do their best, you can be sure of that. - he finally replied
Meanwhile in their hideout Harley was completely out of her mind.
-I WANT HER BACK! I WANT MY LUCY BACK! - she yelled while breaking anything and everything with her mallet
The Joker, sitting nearby had been enjoying seeing Harley that upset, but was also pondering a plan to get his daughter back.
-OK OK, enough, I'm going to tell you how to get Lucy back, just stop messing the place around.
-Sorry Mistah J… - Harley said putting down the mallet.
-Ah yes, we'll do it just like when I paid a visit to my old friend Harvey
Harley's eyes opened wide as she remembered how her puddin had single handedly demolished the whole hospital to retrieve Harvey Dent a couple of days after he scarred him for life.
-You mean… destroy everything?
-huh? No, what's the fun in repeating the same joke twice? But we're getting our Lucy back… I'm pretty sure we can find something equally funny…
At the Batcave, our heroes confer.
-I'm worried about Maya or Lucy or whatever her name is. Do you think she'll wake up as crazy and maniacal as her parents?
-I hope not Robin, but I'll need Tim Drake to go check on them. If I know Harley she's not going to wait long to get her daughter back.
With a nod the boy wonder made his way to the hospital at the same time as a group of what seemed to be nurses arrived at the entrance of the hospital, one of them with a very characteristic blonde hair done in pigtails and with shades of red and blue, she approached the information desk.
-I'm looking for Lucy Quinzel. - she declared
-I'm sorry we don't have anyone under that name and
The woman went pale as she saw the barrel of a gun before her.
-You better check again sweetheart and give me a satisfying answer. Now she's have my hair and my eyes.
-I… I think I know who you mean… she… she's in room 314…
Smiling Harley used her bat to push the monitor off the desk. As it shattered she pointed at the woman with it.
-Now you better not be lying to me… because the next thing I'll shatter will be your head.
Then she and the Joker's henchmen proceeded to room 314. There Riley was all alone with Maya, Lucas had left to get her something to eat.
-Maya please wake up… Peaches we need to go back home… to just forget about this… to…
At that precise moment Maya began to groan and opened her eyes slowly.
-Maya! Maya are you… OK?
But the girl was oblivious to her best friend, she glared at her hands and arms, noticing the whitish color it now had, first she started to giggle, then she started to openly laugh.
-M… Maya… why… why are you…
The blond girl finally realized the presence of the brunette.
-Didn't I told you that my name ain't Maya no more? I'm Lucy… Lucy Quinn…
-NO! YOU'RE MAYA! MAYA PENELOPE HART! PLEASE!
Maya glared at her with nothing but a mix of rage and craziness.
-Look at me… LOOK AT ME! MAYA HART DIED IN THAT CHEMICALS FACTORY! I'M LUCY! LUCY QUINN! GET THAT IN YOUR HEAD!
Riley began to cry
-no… you're my peaches… you're the person I care for the most in the world… thunder and lighting remember?
Riley offered her pinkie finger, what happened afterwards was something she never expected in her life, Maya smiled, but instead of crossing her pinkie finger, she took her best friend's in her hand and with a swift motion broke it. She laughed as Riley held her hand crying in pain.
-I'm Lucy… understand? Now
But as she was about to continue the door opened and a group of what seemed to be nurses came in.
-OK, we're having fun here what do you… MOM?
Harley removed her disguise and hugged her daughter much to the dismay of a now scared to death Riley.
-I see you've been having fun without me. By the way, I love the skin tone. Now let's go, your dad is waiting for us.
She turned to leave but suddenly she stopped dead on her tracks as she saw the gun her mother had in her waist.
-Wait… I just got a funny idea… can I have your gun?
-I don't know… I haven't asked Mistah J if you can have a gun… but what the hell… you can have it as a reunion gift…
-OK… go wait outside, I'll go out the window…
-No. They'll wait outside and WE will go out the window - Harley said
The woman glared as Maya pulled Riley from the floor and tied her up.
-Maya please… come back to your senses…
-Want me to hit her with my bat to shut her up? - Harley said
-No, I got it mommy…
Ripping up a piece of Riley's blouse and proceeded to gag her.
-So now you're going to shoot her?
Maya laughed.
-No, I have a better idea…
As they were about to leave Harley cleaned the tears from her eyes.
-I can't believe it… I wish we could stay and see it go off… or get Mistah J to see it… but we must go now, let's go Lucy.
Riley only cried, she had been tied to the bed which was set for her to be sitting looking at the door, in front of her, Maya had tied Harley's gun with another piece of cord tied at the trigger, the very second someone opened the door the cord was to pull the trigger and she was going to get shot straight on the chest. All a crazy idea from someone who used to be her best friend. Riley closed her eyes and prepared for the inevitable as she heard footsteps outside the room, she knew it was going to be Lucas, her only hope was that he managed to understand that her death wasn't his fault…
To be continued...