The Scars Left Behind

This is the Sequel to the Harlequin and the Bat and The Harley and The Ivy.

Important notes: I do not own Batman or any portion of the franchise. I give all credit to DC Comics and respective owners. Except the characters I wrote in my profile.

Chapter 23

*same time as Bill's intervention*

(Harley's POV)

"…And next we have our more famous inhabitants…" The tour guide continued but Harley wasn't paying attention.

'Soon I'll be Mrs Bruce Wayne…and we'll live every day like it's our last: Batman and Bat-Shard. I'll stay with you forever Bruce.' Harley thought.

"Harley…are you okay?" Bruce asked

"Hmm, yeah; just thinking about our future." Harley answered

"Our lion Tyson and lioness Diane have been bred here in captivity and they've had three cubs: Tanya, Ollie and Joe. And now we move over to our rescued duo. Now who can tell me what animal is more closely related to cats than dogs and has a distinctive sound?" the tour guide asked the crowd, since most of them were young children.

As the children put their hands up shouting: "Me! Pick me!" the tour guide chose a young girl in the middle. "Hyenas?" she asked

"Correct! Hyenas, these two were found in the abandoned joke shop near the slums of Gotham, but after much care they managed to feel welcomed here and had cubs themselves." The tour guide smiled as she held her hand out showing the six Hyenas: four parents and two cubs, resting in the sand and grass.

Then suddenly, the two males caught a scent…something familiar…or someone. They stood on their paws, calling out to someone and jumping towards the fence. "Excuse me, they can't get up here can they?" a viewer asked.

"No…they've never done this before. This…this is new." The tour guide pondered to herself "Don't worry everybody. They cannot get up here." She said to reassure the crowd.

"What's going on?" Harley asked trying to see over the crowd.

The Hyenas jumped upon the fence and hoisted themselves up using their jaws and paws, they escaped their enclosure; the tour guide ordered the people back as the Hyenas edged closer. "Get back! Everyone, get back! Security we've got a breach at the Hyena enclosure! I repeat: the male hyenas are out!" she contacted the zoo keepers by her walkie-talkie.

The hyenas continued laughing as they smelt the familiar smell, they raced towards it pushing through the crowd…well I say "push through" they ran for the origin of the smell and everyone ran away screaming "Where's everybody going?" Harley asked.

"Harley, get down!" Bruce tucked her close and ducked her down while shielding her, the Hyenas jumped over their heads and landed behind them.

"Bruce, what's going…?" Harley asked as she looked behind her "Babies!" she squealed as she stood up with open arms. The hyenas ran straight back to her knocking her to her back "Oof! Ha, ha! Bud, Lou! Stop, stop Babies that tickles!" Harley was helpless with laughter as the hyenas licked her in happiness.

Bruce tried to comprehend as the hyenas were showing their affection the way they could: licking her and letting her stroke them. "Erm Harley…I think the hyenas are making a scene." Bruce said trying to get the hyenas off her.

Gasping from the laughter Harley spoke "W-what makes you say that?" she smiled wiping a tear from her eye.

"The hyenas are loose! Call the zoo keepers! The hyenas are eating a visitor!" they all yelled Bruce pointed at the fleeing groups of people.

"Oh…"Harley gave a sheepish smile as Bruce pulled her up and the hyenas still nuzzled themselves under her hands.

(Tim's POV)

*During Bill's and Harley's escapades*

'Venus has been quiet most of the day…we've been around everywhere and seen everything…' Tim thought to himself as Venus looked at the exotic plants.

"Tim…" Venus asked while looking at the wild roses

"Yeah Venus?" Tim asked

"Why do you like me?" Venus asked bluntly

"W-why?" Tim stuttered in disbelief "Because you're fun, cute, you've got a great smile…" Tim listed off

Venus turned with tears in her eyes "Tim…I don't think that anymore." Tim's face looked blank shaking his head "I…looked in the water, mirrors and glass seeing a frightened girl who has this amazing boyfriend." She started to feign a smile "And what have I done for you? Drag you down and stop you from seeing other people. You can get any girl out in Gotham…" she started belittling herself.

Tim gripped her arms and made her look at him "Don't you ever say that Venus. I don't want any girl, I want you! Hell we're both only thirteen and known each other a few months but, damn…I love you Venus!" This confession made Venus cry even more but before Tim could say anything to cheer her more she kissed him full of the lips and Tim reciprocated, and without realising it Venus opened her eyes and saw that the flowers had wrapped themselves around making a: heart topiary. She laughed and saw what she had done. "See, looks like you needed someone to help you." Tim said with purple stained lips.

"Tim…Tim!" Venus panicked as she began to hold Tim in her arms stopping him from falling to the ground, without even thinking she kissed him again with the same amount of love he had shown her. The purple shade had vanished from his lips and his blue eyes had come back alive "Tim, I'm sorry! I'm sorry, don't leave me! Please don't die!" she cradled him in her arms.

Tim whispered something; Venus asked to hear it again. Weakly he said "I said…: can your mum…give me that immunity shot?" he said stroking her rose red hair softly

Venus and Tim laughed as they were the only ones in the exotic flower room, but they heard the commotion from outside: "The hyenas are loose! Call the zoo keepers! The hyenas are eating a visitor!" the other visitors yelled

"Is there any villain that can cause destruction with animals?" Venus asked

"Gorilla Grodd is a giant gorilla…Cheetah is a humanoid cheetah…Beast Boy can change into any animal, but he's a hero…no; none that come to mind." Tim thought back on any villains that used animals. "So…are we still a couple?" Tim asked holding her hand with hope

Venus looked at their hands and saw a wild rose fall on top of them "Yeah." Venus said as she put the rose in her hair "I'd like that." She smiled as Tim kissed her cheek not risking the poison fiasco again.

(Dick's POV)

Dick was training down in the Batcave, his mind was still on the night he and Barbara spent together; they both were: responsible adults, hell they even made sure that the protection wasn't faulty. But still he had this horrible feeling that Barbara might be in the family way. After training with his own night sticks on the training dummies he grabbed his towel and wrapped it around his shoulders aiming for the shower. 'I've got to talk to her. No matter what crazy thing happens I've got to talk to her!' As he towelled himself off he headed off to the library. "Hey Sonia." Dick bumped into the former assassin who was carrying a tray of tea for two.

"Ah, back from training master Dick?" Sonia asked politely

"Yeah…I'm just heading to find Barbara; you and Alfred having some time to yourself?" Dick explained

"Yes; we hardly have any time while Master Bruce and you are here, it makes each time out we have that much more worthwhile." Sonia smiled

"Okay…don't over exhort yourself on the lemon and honey though." Dick smiled

"I've been told not to. Miss Barbara is in the library." Sonia smiled

"Thanks." Dick carried off walking toward the library 'I still can't believe that one of Talia's former bodyguards is living here. It only seems like yesterday she was here to take Bruce to that psycho.' Dick thought to himself 'Okay Grayson, you can do this! You've faced a giant crocodile man, you've faced a crazed clown killer and you've made out on your own as a hero. This'll be a piece of cake…oh god don't let her be pregnant! Well at least not yet!' he mentally prepared himself.

Dick entered and saw Barbara conversing with the Rogue, or more realistically: she was talking; he was standing there like a statue. "Look we appreciate what you've done to help us; but who are you?" Barbara demanded an answer but the Rogue did not reply.

"Answer her damn it!" Dick shouted running to him but he leapt through the open window "Damn! What. Is. With that guy?! Oh Barbara…" Dick groaned then composed himself. "I erm…"

"Dick, I wanted to talk about that night we spent together." Barbara got straight to the point "I understand if you don't want to talk about it but, it's been on my mind."

"Huh? No. no; I wanted to talk about it too. We haven't really talked since then…" Dick wanted to talk about it too and he didn't want to get out of it. "Has your dad found out? Or is it something…else?"

"Dick…what happened…I don't want it to be a one-time thing." Barbara started "If this relationship is to go anywhere…we need to make this work."

"Barb…I want to make this work. Really I do. It's just I thought you were mad at me or…something else." Dick wanted to make the relationship work still.

"What do you mean by: something else?" Barbara asked looking at Dick's shifting eyes to her stomach then back at her "You think I'm…Richard Grayson are you afraid of being a baby daddy?" Barbara laughed

"Yeah…" Dick said in embarrassment "look I'm sorry, it's just. It's been on my mind and…" Dick started to trail off giving his explanation then Barbara grabbed his hand gently.

"Dick, I'm not pregnant." Barbara smiled "And even if I were; I'd tell you."

Dick exhaled "Oh thank you!" Dick said slumping down in his chair as Barbara looked at him with a: "Really? You just did that?" Look. "Err what I mean is…well…are you messing with me? Barb seriously don't look at me like that, come on!"

Barbara laughed at Dicks plea and spoke "You've got a lot of making up to do after what you just said Wonder Boy."

"Erm; Master Dick, Miss Barbara…there's something you need to see on the television." Alfred approached the two in the library.

"What is it Alfred?" Barbara asked as Dick wheeled her downstairs.

*In the Lounge*

"According to recent reports; Gotham Zoo's male hyenas: Bud and Lou have escaped from their enclosure and jumped on a visitor a one: Harleen Quinzel, Fiancée of Bruce Wayne. Now we have several reports on the subject: some saying Miss Quinzel has been eaten, some saying she's still alive but cannot be rescued and some even saying that they just escaped to get a fuss from the person in question. More in development as we continue. This is Vicki Vale reporting." Vicki Vale spoke professionally but not believing what was transpiring at the zoo.

"No freaking way…" Dick couldn't believe what Vicki just said.

"I don't believe it…" Barbara groaned pinching the bridge of her nose.

"I don't understand…why are Master Dick and Miss Barbara groaning?" Sonia asked

"Harley's Babies…I can't believe that they remember her." Dick answered in disbelief not fully answering Sonia's question.

"Miss Harley has had these hyenas from before?" Sonia asked innocently

"Yeah, back when she was…different…" Dick tried to explain as gently as he could "She raised them with…Him…and they loved her more than Him. I guess they must've been missed when Harley's old live was re-written." Dick finished

"That…or maybe they were affected and they've remembered her from her scent. You can alter memories, but you can't alter the smell of someone who raised you from birth. Nature's instinct." Barbara added.

"I just wonder what's going to happen with Miss Harley." Alfred expressed his concern "if I remember correctly the false memories dictate "Harley Quinn" owning the hyenas and not Bat-Shard."

"And if we can put two and two together…" Dick started

"It won't be long till others figure the connection" Barbara finished

To be continued

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