Finally got the last chapter up. Sorry it's taken so long, I've been busy over the holidays.
"So how you holding up?"
After Joker's apparent death Harley was taken to the hospital where she spent the next week recovering from her stab wound at the hands of the Joker. From there she was arrested and taken to Arkham Asylum. Despite a good word from Barbara as Batgirl, and her father, the judge still sentenced her to the asylum, although promising a shorter sentence for her help defeating the Joker.
"You know it's funny, I've been a employee of Arkham for three years, never would I have thought I would be here as a patient."
"I negotiated with the judge as Batgirl after your sentence. You can get out on good behavior within five years."
"I don't think I want to get out Babs."
"What do you mean."
"This was my life Babs, All I wanted to do was help reform criminals, help them turn over a new leaf. That's why I became a therapist at Arkham, to help them. And instead I became one myself. I destroyed my career, my life, nobody will hire me again after what I did."
"I don't believe that Harley."
"I killed people Babs," Harley was weeping now as she talked to Barbara over the glass, the phone in her hand the only way to communicate with her best friend and former roommate. "I killed innocent people I killed..." Harley choked on a sob "Sarah. This is where I belong."
"You also helped me take down the Joker. That alone should be worth something."
"How can you be so forgiving, after everything I did?"
"Because of Sarah's final words. She still saw the good in even in death. I'll admit Harley part of me wanted to give up on you after what you did. For a moment I truly believed all that was good in you was lost. But I kept remembering Sarah's final words, she still believed in you, even after you murdered her. She made me promise not to give up on you. And to honor a dying friend's memory I made sure I didn't."
Harley sniffled as a tearful smile formed on her face. "I don't deserve a friend like you Babs."
"Maybe you don't, but your stuck with me anyway."
"Your secret is safe with me Babs. I promise I will never tell anyone who you are."
"And I promise that I will always be by your side."
"I just want to hug you right now you know that?"
"You will again some day. And it will be the biggest hug you've ever had in your life. I will visit you every Saturday. At twelve sharp."
"I will be there, waiting for you."
"Take care Harley."
As Barbara walked out of the asylum to her car, a tear of her own escaped her eyes. With Sarah's death, and Harley in prison she knew her life would never be the same after this. She wouldn't have nobody to welcome her home after a long day at work. Nobody to waste the weekend away watching Netflix or going to the mall. Nobody to tell jokes or share a laugh with. That was all gone now.
When she started this crusade it was to protect Gotham from the criminal underworld. To give Gotham a savoir while Batman was away, she knew she had to fight for more now. She had to make sure that nothing like what happened with Joker and Harley ever happened again. She had to protect the Harley Quinn's of the world, and if that meant going hardEr on criminals to ensure it than so be it. She had to protect the fragile women out there from those who use them as puppets. For now on she was fighting for more than just the city, she was fighting for the fragile, for the weak. And she would bury anybody to threatened them.
There was still one thing that was bothering her when she arrived to Batcave, how on Earth did Alfred find her at Arkham. Confused on how Alfred pulled that off, she confronted him.
"I got to know Alfred, how did you do that?"
"Come again miss Gordon?"
"Back at the Asylum, how did you find me? How did you manage to disguise yourself like that? How did you manage to operate on me like that?"
"Oh Miss Gordon there is a lot about me you don't know. Like did you know I use to be a actor?"
"You?" Barbara gasped while chuckling.
"Ah yes, back in England in my youth I was a prime actor on the stage, I was able to disappear in a role and wore thick makeup and wigs to be unrecognizable. When Batman contacted me and told me of your plans to go after the Joker I disguised myself as a elderly man to follow you without being noticed. I even followed you after you got shot and when I figured out they were taking you to Arkham I hurried ahead and locked myself in the one free cell they had and waited for you.
As for how I healed you, After I was done with acting I spent time as a medic in the secret service, serving aid to the wounded soldiers who got injured in battle. I performed several surgeries, removing bullets and patching up people near the brink in battle. You should ask Bruce how many times I patched him up over the years. He probably has lost count."
"Wait so Bruce had you go after me? Even after the way I treated him?"
"Bruce may be tough on criminals, but he doesn't hold grudges, especially on his alleys. He still cares for you, and notices the good you are doing for this city. Even though he's miles away, he will always look after his alleys, and so will I."
Barbara couldn't believe it. She treated Bruce like hell unfairly for something she thought he did, and yet he had Alfred follow her, even when she didn't want to be followed, and as a result helped save her life.
"Alfred can you do something for me?"
"Anything Miss Gordon."
Barbara took out the recording Batarange from earlier, the same one she used to record Joker confession when dangling over the chimney. "Give this to him, let him no that the Joker is not his fault."
Alfred took the batarange "I will make sure he receives it Miss. Gordon."
"Good night Alfred."
Barbara turned to exit the bat cave, as she left she took out her phone and sent a text to Bruce.
"Thank you."
"For what?" Bruce texted back
"For sending Alfred after me."
"Anytime." Bruce's text read back
"I'm sorry for earlier"
"Don't apologize."
"Sometimes I don't know how you are able to do this."
"Your doing fine."
Barbara plopped into bed at her now empty apartment. She didn't know where she would go from here in her private life. If she would stay in the same apartment or move on. She did know however that she would keep fighting. For Sarah, for Harley, for everybody in need of justice. As Barbara closed her eyes, she made a vow that night.
"I might not have been able to save you Sarah, but I will make sure to honor your memory from here on out. Your death will not be for nothing. I will not let you down."
Barbara felt herself drifting to sleep but before she gave in to sleep she let out one last thing.
"I saved her Sarah, I saved Harley, I kept my promise. I kept it."
Post credit scene
A young female prisoner about in her mid thirties was laying in the small bed inside her prison cell at Blackgate when she heard the cell door unlock.
"It's your lucky day prisoner number 13646, you've been paroled."
The woman was confused as to who paroled her, after all the only person who really cared for her had left Gotham almost two years ago. Regardless she gathered what few belongings she had and walked out of Blackgate a free woman, where she saw a black Cadillac waiting for her in the parking lot. A strange middle aged man waited for her in the Cadillac, he was bald with a half beard and small circular glasses. When she entered the vehicle the man spoke to her in a low spine chilling voice.
"Glad to finally meet your presence Miss Kyle, or should I call you by your other name, Catwoman."
"Do you mind telling me just who the hell you are, how you know who I am, what you want for me?"
"My name is Professor Hugo Strange, I am a Psychiatrist, and have made it my business to know all the criminals in Blackgate and Arkham. And as for what I want for you Miss Kyle? I am in need of your special skills."
"And just what will I be stealing?"
"That you will learn in good time."
"Why should I help you? What's in it for me?"
"Well I would hope that the fact that I am the only reason your free is enough reason to join me. As a bonus reward though you will be spared from what is about to come."
"Spared? From what?"
"From the cleansing of Gotham."
Batgirl will return in Batgirl: Demons. Coming Soon!