AUTHOR'S NOTE: ATTENTION: Incase you all haven't noticed, I have went back for a second time and revised the entire story! SO with that being said, it is very important for fans of this fic to go back and skim and read a bit of the previous chapters! I assure you, you will need to re-read some of the previous chapters to understand this futher, however, that doesn't mean I can't stop you from ignoring my notes, however remember: ENJOY!
I.
Harleen tore off her blouse and unbuttoned her clad skirt, allowing it to drop to her ankles as she stared from the hallway of her loft into the large bathroom. Her eyes were almost like glass, merely reflecting the room that surrounded her. Her breathing was on the verge of hyperventalitation as she heard, in her head of course, his voice echo:
"Does it frighten-n you to admit you…ah, actually enjoyed it?"
She fell, naked at this point, to her knees and pulled at her hair, practically ripping her hair from the roots. The physical pain she was inducing to herself was only of miniscule value. Harleen couldn't concentrate on the voice inside her head they kept echoing—she dug her nails deep into her skull hoping to block it all away.
"Does it frighten-n you to admit you…ah, actually enjoyed it?"
She heard his voice again, echoing in her head. She drew blood underneath her nails, and pulled roughly at her hair again. She successfully ripped a few out and stared teary eyed at her palms. Blood painted her fingertips and her blonde hairs a scarlet hue. She sat there, disgusted, trying to absorb her tears back behind her eyes but failed miserably.
Harleen shakily stood and approached the shower, walking in its large beige base and beautifully decorated with flowery white tiled walls. Her tub wasn't exactly a tub but almost like another room, with three showerheads protruding from the three walls and closed off with a translucent glass door. There were an array of different washing products and soaps laying in the built in harnesses and in the opposite directing a built in bench poked out from the opposite wall from the base of shower. She turned on all three of the dials on high…
Harleen's showerheads spewed boiling hot water over her engulfing her within a cloud of steam. The scolding droplets felt like thousands of knives carving her delicate skin but she refused to scream. Her tears were cold running over her cheeks and down the crook of her neck as she slumped over in the middle of the tub. She formed her body into a ball and pulled her knees to her chin and folded her arms around them; she began to rock herself, trying very hard not concentrate upon what happened between her and the Joker.
"Does it frighten-n you to admit you…ah, actually enjoyed it?"
"Shut up! Shut up!" She growled, although barely audible against the rushing water.
She suddenly began to punch the off-white decorative tiles, matting her bleeding knuckles and ripped skin in the cracks of the plaster and glass. Some of the tiles cracked and fell on the floor.
"I don't want to feel," She pleaded, feeling the scorching water seep into her fresh wounds, "I don't! I don't want to feel like this!" Her crying reverberated little sound within the thick steam and loud crashing water. The current encircled her body, making her swell with a red glow. At this rate, with all its' evidence washing on her from the pipes, she'd burn herself just from the water's temperature. However, Harleen didn't care, she couldn't even feel it.
She could however still feel the Joker's lips touching her own. She recoiled from the thought, feeling more tears well up underneath her eye lids but found that her mind began to race, practically reliving the accident between them. She could feel his fingers enticingly gripping her wrists, and pushing all his weight upon the flesh between her thighs.
Another tear rolled from between her lashes and Harleen glanced at her wrists. There were already forming deep purple bruises from which they extended from the bottom of her wrist to her knuckles.
Her body shivered when she remembered how forceful he was, persistent she supposed, when developing into their embrace. His hands were gentle when cradling her chin but then again when she attempted to free herself she remembered how vigorous he was when pressing his entire weight against her frail body.
Her heart skipped a couple more beats and then she felt a twinge of pain pulsating from her hands.
She glanced down to see that knuckles were bleeding very generous amounts and it swirled around her lament figure in the large tub. For long moments she stared ominously at her own blood, washing down the golden drainpipe, a couple feet away. In a fleeting thought, she briefly wished she were dead. She was too tired from her own confrontational problems, which pre-existed within that absent void in her mind. She was too afraid of herself at the moment, the part of her that felt that gratifying escape through a mad man's touch. She would drown herself for thinking such a stupid thing, Harleen thought through a broken frown.
II.
"How was work?" Coleman asked. He was unusually uplifted at the moment as Harleen tended to Sebastian. She was pouring his cat mix into his cat bowl.
"It was…uh. It was fine."
"Fine? Nothing interesting?" He asked with a chuckle longing to hear her soft voice over the line once more as he drove through downtown Gotham.
"Not at all. The usual."
"Hm. Alright."
"How were the meetings?" Harleen asked, shoving a triscuit in her mouth.
"Eh. You know how those always go. They're boring and relatively informative for the new year. But I was calling to let you know that I was sorry I left without telling you the other night. You just looked so peaceful when you fell asleep."
"It's fine," Harleen paused, "I'm taking a trip to New Jersey sometime soon."
"New Jersey?"
"Yes. I am meeting someone. Hopefully if they're still around." She said softly.
"Oh. Is it work related then?"
"Hm. I suppose. I'm curious about something that's all."
"You know, Harleen, curiosity killed the cat."
"I know, I know." She was said and then heard her phone beep. Harleen then checked the screen and saw another call waiting. It read in bold print, ARKHAM FACILITY.
"Oh, Coleman, I've got another call from work waiting, can you hold on just a second?"
"Sure." He answered.
Harleen quickly then flashed over and braced herself, after all it was almost midnight and she'd been off since eight o clock. She felt her stomach drop when she heard Amanda over the line in a frantic voice.
"Harleen? Harleen are you there?"
"Yes. Yes what's the problem?"
"There's been an accident in the Psycho's Ward. Room 1021"—
"Jonathan Crane." Harleen blurted.
"Yes. We can't give you details now but if you would"—
"I'm leaving now. I'll be there in five minutes."
"…Harleen?" Amanda spoke quietly.
"Hm?"
"You were right."
"Right? Right about what?" Harleen sounded confused but was greeted by the dial tone that reverberated from the other line. She quickly flashed back over.
"Coleman?"
"Hm?" He hummed.
"I'm so sorry but there's been an emergency in Arkham." She said frantically.
"Oh, well be careful then. Give me a call back when you come home."
"I will.
"I love you." He spoke delicately.
"I…" Harleen was hesitant and couldn't quite place why but then subtle click on the other line meant he had hung up. She stood there listening to the dial tone beep for several moments before slamming her wrist into the granite counter top.
III.
The racket tonight was usually loud and being that it was this way the Joker finally sat up from his current residence against the plush floor cot and peered from his glass cell.
He knew that Jonathan was a bad seed but to poison the cleaning lady was a bit rushed to say the least, he hadn't even made it two feet out of his cell when the security guards grabbed him.
"Ya know," The Joker laughed, seeing Jonathan struggle, "you oughta"—
"You shut the hell up clown!" Jonathan screamed as he was forced back into his cell, however, he untwisted himself from the guards and held out the syringe, and jabbed the air before growling defensively.
"I dare you," He threatened to one of the guards, "Take one more step and I'll make you regret it."
Just then, as the Joker turned his back to all the noise he heard a familiar clicking sound skirting down further from his line of vision down the hallways. He turned his head once more, screwing his eyes to strain and watched as he heard someone yelling as they walked.
"There's been an accident in Hallway 4, on the lowest level in Room 1021! And yes, it's imperative that we have paramedics immediately! Over."
Harleen Quinzel appeared now in his peripheral and a nurse rushed to her instantly from the opposite hallway.
"Doctor!" She called.
"Where the hell is Jeremiah?" Harleen cursed.
"He's on his way down with Amanda," said the nurse, attending to Harleen as she pushed her way through the Security guards by was thrusted back by the Nurse.
"You can't go in there," She said, "he'll hurt you."
"Do you think I'm unprepared?"
"Not at all I just"—
Harleen was flippant and ignorant to the Nurse's precautions and ignored her words, mocking her as she peddled her way through, now scrambling to meet Crane as he still stood with his syringe in his hand.
"Jonathan!" She commanded, yelling defiantly shining her vivacious blue orbs to his own dark eyes.
He eyed her peculiarly, dropping his defensive hands but back up slowly to the adjacent cells' wall.
"Where did you get that?" She questioned angrily.
She could feel her lack of sleep beginning to control her overly analytic features, eyed him cynically, and moving towards him unafraid of him any longer
"What ever do you mean, sweetheart?" He snapped condescendingly.
"The syringe," She counter attacked advancing over him until he moved swiftly from her, "where did you get it!"
"Why, Harleen, I've had it ever since I came here."
"Jonathan, why are you doing this"—! She was cut off when he moved upon her, striking her head against the wall.
All that was happening happened too fast, not enough time was given to the thought that he might have been prepared for a moment like this and instantly Harleen was feeling once more insignificant as she was pushed to the floor.
Harleen's head instantly throbbed, and she could feel it pulsate behind her ears. The sound of her own blood sent her reeling and she no longer felt angry but that familiar feeling of the loss of control started to fight itself into her chest –making her scared just like she used to feel earlier when the Joker made his move.
"John"—
"I've seen those curves before." He shot a hungry wink at her and snaked his hands around her waist, slamming her against the floor again. Her skull popped loudly.
Harleen's vision began to blur and she felt her limbs fall limp. Her fingers started to burn and her toes curled underneath. Her stomach flipped dozen of times as she was pinned to the floor by him straddling her body.
"Jonathan!" She managed to wince seeing that as his face loomed just above hers.
"Please, Doctor Quinzel, stay still this may sting a little!" He went jabbing for her neck until he was securely lifted into a cot by the five larger guards.
He crazily fighting them off of him, kicking and shoving until he was pushed upon the floor, with his arms secured behind his back –the syringe had rolled from his hands and he sat yelling for it.
Jonathan was instantly picked up, handcuffed and he was strapped into a rolling stretcher. His cot was plotted by ropes and tied to the hinges on the outside of the metal stretcher.
"Harleen!" A woman now screamed. It was Amanda; she was running fanatically from down the hallway. Jeremiah was hustling just as close and aided to Jonathan's side before kneeling beside Harleen.
Blood was filling up the cracks underneath Harleen's head and she felt her body go dizzy. Her head was dampening quickly as the guards flushed from the scene. Jeremiah lifted her over his lap and cradled her.
"Jonathan," She wheezed, trying to sit up.
"Hold on there," Doctor Jeremiah said, "you've been through enough for one day, why don't you sit still for a bit?"
It was more of a statement than a question and Harleen tried desperately to calm herself but her chest was heaving to quickly for body. The sounds were beginning to sound distant and her eyes were rolling in and out of blackness and lightness.
"Oh god! Are you alright-what the hell happened?" Amanda shouted curtly to a Security Guard.
"He pinned her down before we could grab him." He said monotony.
"Well for god sake don't look so scared!" Amanda argued in a condescending tone, shooing him away. She knelt down at Harleen's side whom was on the verge of falling into unconsciousness. She labored in breathing and occasionally spasmed but was quickly engulfed in a puddle of her own blood.
Her words were incoherent when trying to identify the two people who hovered above her. They were talking slowly but none of the words they spoke made sense, it sounded vaguely of gibberish and that's when Harleen's eyes began to roll. She could smell her own blood and then threw herself violently up. She hiccupped quickly and then doubled over forward, vomiting on herself and onto the floor. Harleen started coughing choking to breathe and then glanced over, seeing the Joker staring at her with a strange look on his face. It read of concern, something she wasn't used to seeing from someone of his stature.
She blacked out…
IV.
"You're awake," Someone stated kindly, "you feeling alright?"
"Huh?" Harleen managed to squeak feeling herself coming to life as she stared around the room she was placed in.
It was obvious she was in the hospital however she felt as if she facing and out of body experience when feeling Coleman's hands wrap around hers.
"You took quite a bump to the head," He chuckled warmly, still watching her from the seat he was seated in beside her bedside.
"Hm." She mumbled looking at the IV's attached in her wrist, "Coleman?"
"You never called back. I got worried then I got word you were here."
"Oh," Harleen said now registering the oxygen making its way into her lungs bringing her sudden realization. She quietly sat, not making an effort to talk much as to listen to Coleman as he prattled about how worried he had been.
"You're okay?" He asked.
"Where am I?"
"Clayton Regional. You've been here for a week. Your mom and sister just left to get something to eat in the Deli downstairs."
Suddenly Harleen felt a horrible pain absorb through her forehead and she touched the back her head very carefully feeling the damp gauze that wrapped tightly around her skull. She winced when feeling a sharp tang reverberate through her mouth and she tightened her jaw in reaction.
"Ugughh." She sighed, cringing inwardly.
"Ooh," Coleman pulled her hand from her wound and settled it back in her lap.
"Don't touch it." He laughed.
Just then a knock came from the door and a Doctor came through with a smile.
"You're awake!" He said enthusiastically.
"Yes." Harleen answered still waiting for the pain to settle but he quickly attended to it making it extremely painful. Harleen cowered away.
"I'm sorry about this," He apologized, "but the bandages need to be changed before we can released you."
"Release me?"
"Yep. You just need to come in for couple more check ups. You've seemed to have healed quiet nicely aside from the pain."
"Oh. Does that mean I can leave now?"
"Impatient are we," The Doctor joked as he pinned the IV's, "not just yet but in the next couple hours."
"Until then, get some rest and take these," He handed her a couple pills, all extremely large and colorful.
V.
Harleen had made her way to her car with Coleman's help, however she seemed to made it fine without him.
"I'm fine," She reassured, kissing him lightly on the cheek, "I promise."
"Harleen," He said as she settled into her car, "You don't have to go there today. You can take a rest you know."
"I know but I need to." She answered pushing the keys into the ignition.
"How did my car get here?" She asked suddenly confused.
"You're sister got it for you when Amanda called her."
Harleen nodded monotony before shutting her door and rolling down her window as Coleman peered at her from where he stood.
"You'll be careful, I suspect?"
"Most assuringly." She mocked with a light laugh.
VI.
Harleen's car pulled up in a higher societal suburban subdivision of house. All of which had upstanding brick foundations, freshly painted shutters, paved pathways and driveways, complete with the most efficient front lawns and beautiful decorative yards.
She was finding herself feeling small, miniscule to all the mighty houses that surrounding her and she even thought about just leaving from here and going back to her little loft in Pilot, however, she had found the right street, written on her paper and turned down upon it's glittering pavement.
Harleen was talking to herself, mumbling over and over the house number in her head and drove slowly down until she saw it.
It was probably one of the biggest houses there, it's lawn wasn't anything too fancy, however the glistening display made Harleen want to sink down in her seat, and crawl from the house but instead she ignored her screaming and mind and pulled into the driveway.
Just as she did so a woman came walking out of the front door and gave her a worried look that told of annoyance.
"Can I help you?" She spoke quietly, shyly tugging at her clothes as Harleen closed her car door.
"Ah, yes," Harleen said, pushing her hand forward to shake the stunning woman's hands, "I'm looking for a Katherine Napier? Do you know where I could find her?"
The woman shook Harleen's hand regardless and nodded solemnly.
"That would be me. Is there something wrong?" She said, walking now towards the mailbox and Harleen began to follow, clearing her throat.
"I know how terribly rude this must be, coming here unannounced but I was wondering if you could tell me anything about your late husband-Jack." Harleen asked.
After Katherine had retrieved the mail, she gave Harleen a worried look. Her green eyes screaming out in objection, and Harleen could sense that Katherine wanted to part in a conversation about the Joker's long lost persona.
"Come in, we'll talk more inside." Katherine said, leading them into the gargantuan home.
VII.
Katherine set down beautiful porcelain set of teacups and plates, and poured Harleen a cup of tea. They were sitting in the breakfast nook, in silence, perhaps because of the awkwardness of such a situation, regardless of how embarrassing Harleen felt, she continued to smile warmly up at Katherine, whom barely showed in sign of emotion.
Suddenly, as Katherine was making herself comfortable at the glass table a tall boy came into the kitchen.
"Mom," He asked, now wide eyed and seeing his interruption within Harleen's presence, "I-I…" His voiced trailed off.
"It's alright, what is it?" Katherine said, turning her attention to him.
"Um. Is it alright if I go over the Caleb's?" His voice was deep, velvety smooth.
"Sure. What time are going to be home?" Katherine asked, as he was walking from the kitchen.
"6!" HE called back; disappearing further down the hallway until Harleen could hear the front door open and slam.
There again, they sat in silence, just staring and sipping at tea. Harleen was afraid to speak and she didn't even know where to begin and not only that but she felt like an intruder. As she looked up, Katherine stared at her, empathy playing all over her hard, stunning features and her eyes bore hard into Harleen's.
"I'm sorry," The woman said, staring at the bandages decoration Harleen's head, "but do you mind me asking, does that hurt?"
"Ah-no. it's fine and yes, it's very painful but I'm okay." Harleen answered.
"How is he then?" Katherine asked apparently referring to Jack.
"So you know he's not dead?" Harleen asked casually, taking the cup into her palms.
"I'll be honest, I've been waiting for someone to come here and ask me about him. I figured it would only be a matter of time. I just didn't know when." Katherine's voice was wistful, innocent and sad. Her eyes were green and lighting up and flailing away all at the same time. Harleen almost wanted to cry just looking at her.
"Why-How…I just"—
"I helped Jack fake his death." Katherine cut into Harleen's sentence, completely springing Harleen's thoughts off the wall as she stared back at Katherine with complete confusion.
"It was because we couldn't pay the bills after Tilda had died in the hospital. She was terribly sick. Jack would always," Katherine, laughed lightly when mentioning the Joker, "Jack always seemed to be this incredibly stupid optimistic man. Even when the Doctors told us it was only a matter of time till she died; he tried so very hard to make her laugh again. He knew she… He knew he'd have to let her go but I don't think death existed to him." Katherine's words stung Harleen.
"Tilda? Is that…?"
"Jack always wanted a little girl. He used to tell me he wanted to make her princess but Jack was always so…too sanguine. He used to make her laugh, even when she was a newborn but Tilda was about six months old and Jack had trouble exciting her. We took her to the hospital and since there were no answers for the episode we assumed it may have been a fluke," Katherine's words were becoming soggy and so her eyes were starting to water but Harleen, completely captivated remained silent, "but things starting getting worse. She did it often and Jack was becoming more and more worried and persisted we take her to a pediatrician. I agreed to do so but one of her episodes"—Katherine's eyes welled down, galling a bitter red and her tears slipped through her lids.
"I'm sorry, I just"—
"No! No. I'm terribly sorry for bringing this up I"—
"No, I'm fine, I just remember that night when she starting convulsing, Jack kept tried picking her up but all she did was vomit and cry, and Jack-Jack-I-He didn't know what to do. All he could was hold her while and I-I completely hysterical at that point, called the hospital and all I heard him ask me was, 'Do you think it's my fault?'" Katherine was cupping her lips at this point, screwing her eyes shut and shook uncontrollably.
"Jack always thought he did it to her. He used to say he must've shook her too much when held her up but I-I knew it was neither our faults but to see just how –Jack, he, Jack just died. He started becoming aggressive, quiet and avoided me much as possible but I knew that our since our marriage was failing that Tilda was symbolism for what little hope we still held. It's not that we didn't care for each other we just had nothing in common without Tilda. So…he asked if would I help him escape and I agreed help him," Katherine's sobs quieted a bit, "we faked his death."
"I-I am terribly sorry for your loss, I don't, I don't even know how to apologize"—
"No, no, it's quite alright. That was some time ago. Jack and I we-we were reckless when we fell in love. I mean it was because of the drugs. After we lost our first child because of the heroin we called it quits and I had to go to rehab while he worked for two years straight out of college. When we got back together that's when I got pregnant with Tilda and then when she died it was like…like we weren't meant to be. We just fell apart." Katherine said quietly.
"Can I ask you something?" Harleen asked, "Who was that boy?"
Harleen could tell she struck another nerve but this time Katherine's eyes narrowed.
"Michael was uh," Katherine tried to articulate her words, "was unexpected. When I met Jack it completely by accident. I was actually at a local laundry mat when our clothes got mixed up but when we sorted it all out Jack invited me for dinner and being as naturally charismatic as he was, I took him on the offer but when I came to his apartment I didn't expect to find he had a two year old son. Apparently Jack had been in a former relationship with an older woman who dropped the kid off and ran. She was also the reason Jack did drugs. She introduced him to coke and heroin and how the hell Jack still maintained two jobs, college, and a kid at home –I have no idea how but I instantly felt like he needed me. So…I stayed and somehow we fell in love but too quickly. Our haste became our downfall."
"So Michael directly isn't your child?"
"Not at all. But I fell in love with the kid. He looks so much like Jack." Katherine chuckled wistfully.
"May I ask how Jack got the scars?"
There were long moments of silence and Katherine looked anxiously around as if she was afraid to say something.
"Jack started working for some people, none from his job at the plant he worked at but he was helping them steal these chemicals," She winced, "And for awhile the money that he got in return for the stolen goods was nice. We could even pay back with both bills and Tilda's hospital treatments however," Katherine paused gulping down the last bit of her tea, nervously, "one night the Batman had caught them doing it and Jack, to the say the least, didn't make it out entirely unharmed."
"You mean to tell me Batman did that to him?"
"Oh no, no," Katherine said, "since Jack wasn't able to retrieve the stuff the mob wanted they, as he so gracefully put it, taught him a lesson."
AHH! Yes the life of the Joker has been revealed or has it? Has Katherine been truthful or hasn't she? Has she even told Harleen half of the Joker's story or only the things she assumed Harleen wanted to know? You'll find out soon! I hope you enjoyed!
AND DON'T FORGET TO REVIEW!!
Sneak Peak; Chapter Six "Love Game"
"I'm going to show you the same humiliation you showed me," He spoke venomously, "when you took the liberty of taking my face paint off."
The Joker dug his blade deeply into Harleen's jugular of whom looked completely unafraid and gave him a devious glare. She moved her body in such a way that his groin was now in between her thighs and she thrusted herself upward, catching him off guard and allowing her breath to push upon his lips. Her eyes flashed angrily as she pressed her neck harder against his knife.
"Then," She spoke softly into his ear, "by all means, humiliate me, Jack."
