Hope groaned, as she started waking up. As she did, she started hearing the sounds of chains. Hope put her hand to her head.
"How nice to see you again doll face. Where have you been tonight?"
Hope frowned, as her vision cleared.
"Joker? What the hell is going on?" She asked.
"You've been kidnapped, I've just been relocated." Joker said.
Hope frowned.
"Relocated? Where are we?" She asked.
"In the bowels of Arkham. Where were you tonight, dollface?" Joker asked.
"I was at a charity event at Wayne Manor, for the Asylum. Wayne had to leave early, so I left early too. We were hit by a car, and I barely remember being pulled out of the car." She said, frowning.
"You were with Bruce Wayne?" Joker said.
"Why are you here? How did you get out of your cell?" She asked.
Joker was about to say something, when he was cut off.
"He's here to watch what I'm going to do to you." A new voice said.
Harley walked into view.
"What are you doing? You had me kidnapped? Why?" Hope asked.
"Serious?! How can you aske me that? Apparently, my warning didn't take." Harley said, putting her hands on her hips.
Hope looked at Joker, who was baring his teeth at Harley. This was not good.
"This is about him?! I thought that I told you stop terrorizing her! What did you do Joker?!" Hope demanded.
"I did what you told me!" Joker said.
"He's ignoring me now!" Harley yelled.
"Harley, I told him to stop torturing you, and lieing to you. I never told him to ignore you." Hope said.
"She's upset because no one wants her anymore." Joker said.
"You're not helping the situation!" Hope told him.
"Both of you, shut up!" Harley yelled.
"What do you want Harley?" Hope asked.
Harley screamed.
"I want you to stay away from him!" Harley yelled.
"Harley, he's my patient, I have to see him." Hope told her.
Harley grabbed Hope by the back of her head, and brought Hope closer to her face.
"What did you do to my Mistah J?! What spell did you put him under?!" Harley demanded.
"I didn't do anything, I swear." Hope gasped.
"Leave her alone Harley! I've moved on from you, you need to do the same! Do you know how pathetic, and childish you are?!" Joker taunted.
Harley saw red. She threw Hope to the ground, and turned to face Joker.
"How dare you do this to me?! You treat me like crap for how long, then one day you see her, and it's goodbye Harley, I don't think so! I deserve more than that. So I'm going to take it! Since you just love her so much, then you can watch me torture, and kill her, then I'm going to let you wallow in it." Harley sneered.
This was quickly going from bad to worse.
"Harley, please, calm down." Hope said.
"I've heard enough from you Doc. Shut up, or the first thing I'll do to you is cut out your tongue." Harley snarled.
Hope winced in pain.
"If you do anything, at all, to her, I will make sure you know the meaning of torture. Leave her alone." Joker told Harley.
"You're not doing nothing to me puddin'! I'm going to torture the one you love most!" Harley sneered.
"It will be the last thing you'll ever do. I can promise you that." Joker growled at her.
Harley kicked Hope in the stomach. She kicked a second and a third time. Hope cried out in pain, with every kick.
"Harley!" Joker screamed.
Harley looked up at Joker, and smiled. Joker was struggling against his chains.
"There's nothing you can do, but watch me tear your world apart!" Harley told him.
Harley started punching Hope. Blood started falling from Hope's nose and mouth. Joker's screams melted together. Hope was barely conscious, when Harley threw her to the ground. Hope gave a weak cough, and blood dropped from her mouth. Harley kicked Hope again. Harley took a knice out, and showed it to Hope.
"Harley, please, stop, now." Hope gasped as loudly as she could.
"Shut up!" Harley screamed.
"Don't touch her Harley! Hurt me, don't hurt her!" Joker yelled at her.
Harley laughed.
"Why would I listen to you?! Why would I do anything for you, ever again?!" Harley demanded.
Hope watched as Joker slipped out of his restraints, and tackled Harley to the ground. Punch after punch, Joker beat Harley. He would kill her, if he didn't stop. He wasn't going to stop, Harley had gone too far. Hope knew she had to get him to stop.
"Stop, Joker!" Hope yelled.
He didn't hear her. She needed to stop him. She sat up, crying out in pain. She managed to get to her knees, and crawl closer to Joker. Tears of pain slipped out of her eyes.
She put her hand on his shoulder.
"Stop! Don't kill her!" She gasped.
He turned, with a wild look in his eyes, as she fell to the ground once more. She cried out in pain, as she landed. She watched as the wild look drained from his eyes.
Almost instantly, he dropped Harley to the ground, and turned all of his attention to Hope. He pulled her into his arms.
"Is she okay?" Hope asked, breathlessly.
"She's still alive, just out of it. Are you okay?" Joker asked.
"I'm fine, I hope." She whispered.
They suddenly heard footsteps approaching them. She put her hand on his pale complexion.
"I will let them know how you saved me, and everything was because of Harley." She said, her voice was quiet.
"What the hell happened here?!"
Joker stiffened, and held her tighter. Hope whimpered.
Hope knew that voice.
"Bats." Joker growled.
Batman had arrived.
Suddenly, Joker was roughly pulled away from her. She cried out in pain, from the jostling. She watched as Batman threw Joker up against the wall.
"What did you do?!" Batman demanded.
"Careful Bats, you don't want to hurt the hero, now do you?" Joker asked.
"What are you talking about?" Batman asked.
"I saved her from Harley. Ask her yourself, if you don't believe me." Joker said.
She saw Batman turn, and look at her. Batman tied Joker up, then hurried to Hope. He did a quick once over.
"Batman, how did you find us?" Hope asked.
"There was to sign of escape out of the Asylum, and the Asylum was searched. We found the enterance joker used." Batmans said.
"No. It wasn't him. Harley kidnapped me, Joker saved me." Hope rasped.
"What?" Batman said.
"I told you." Joker said.
"How did Harley kidnap you?" Batman asked.
"I left Bruce Wayne's charity event, on my way home, when a car hit us. We flipped, they took me. Alfred was left behind...Alfred! He's still there!" Hope said, getting louder, and more frantic.
"Calm down Dr. Lake, Mr. Wayne's butler is fine. He has a few cuts and bruises, but he is fine for the most part. He is worried about you though." He said.
"Where is he, I need to see him." She said, as the room started slanting.
"He's at Wayne Manor." Batman said.
"Take me..."
Her eyes rolled into the back of her head, and she passed out.
X*X*X
Hope woke up, to find herself in a cave of some sort. Batman was there, next to her, tending to her wounds.
"Where am I?" She asked.
"The bat cave." Batman told her.
"Where's Alfred?" She mumbled, as her eyes drooped closed.
"Calm down, relax." He told her.
"Bring me to Alfred." She mumbled.
Hope passed out again.
X*X*X
Hope groaned as she started waking up.
"Mistress Hope, you're awake."
Hope turned, and smiled.
"Alfred, You're here." She said.
Alfred gave a laugh.
"Yes. I heard you were very worried about me." Alfred said.
She laughed.
"Yes, well, you were driving me home, when we were hit. I kind of felt responsible. So, you spoke with Batman?" She asked.
"Yes, he did bring you here." He told her.
"I guess that something in the universe is telling me that I should have stayed for Bruce to get back. Oh no, is Bruce okay?" She asked.
"Master Bruce is fine. He was in here earlier, watching over you, as you slept." Alfred said.
She raised her eyebrows.
"Was he now?" She asked.
Yes. Mistress Hope, are you hungry, can I get you anything?" Alfred asked.
"Alfred, you should rest." Hope said.
"Hush, you're the one that is hurt. You rest, and I'll make you something to eat." Alfred told her.
He gave her hand a pat, then left her alone in the room. Her eyelids were so heavy. She wanted to look at her surroundings, but her eyes wouldn't stay open.
Moments later, she heard the door open. Her eyes wouldn't open to see who it was. She felt someone sit on the bed next to her. She felt the person run their fingers through her hair.
"I'm so sorry. I shouldn't have left you. I should have been here to protect you."
It was Bruce. He blamed himself.
"Bruce." She mumbled.
He took her hand in his, and squeezed gently.
"I'm right here." He told her.
"It wasn't your fault." She mumbled.
He gave a laugh. He threaded his fingers through hers.
"What happened?" Bruce asked.
"Harley. She kidnapped me, to torture Joker. Joker saved me. Batman brought me here." She mumbled.
"The Joker saved you?" Bruce said.
She gave a smile.
"Yes. Harley was jealous of me. Apparantly, Joker is in love with me. Don't tell anyone I said that though, I could lose my job. Patient confidentiality." She sighed.
"Your secret is safe with me." He told her.
He kissed her forehead, as she drifted off to sleep once more.
X*X*X
Hope had requested Alfred take her home, as soon as she woke up. She was getting homesick. Alfred helped her inside, and into bed. He stayed long enough, to make her something to eat, and do dishes for her. He told her to call him, if she needed anything, then he left. About five minutes after Alfred left, Batman showed up. He sat down next to her on the bed.
"What do you remember?" He asked.
She exhaled loudly, and looked away from him.
"It wasn't him, as much as you think it is, or want it to be, it's not. Harley snapped because Joker started ignoring her. I left Mr. Wayne's benefit, and there was an accident. I was taken, and brought to Arkham. Harley was a little rough. Just before Harley could hurt me with her knife, Joker managed to slip his chains, and save me from her. That's when you showed up." She said quietly.
During the retelling, she looked back at him. He gave a nod, and put his hand on hers.
"I'm sorry, I should have gotten there sooner." He rasped.
She patted his hand.
"I am fine. Harley didn't escape, I'm still alive. I'm sure that you have much bigger concerns, than me, right now. Thank you for coming to find me though. I appreciate it." She said.
He gave a nod, and stood up. He went over to the french doors. She sat up, putting her feet on the floor. He paused.
"Why did you leave?" He asked.
"What?" She asked.
He turned to face her.
"Why did you leave the event at Wayne manor?" He asked.
She knitted her eyebrows in confusion.
"Mr. Wayne was called away on business, so I decided to leave as well. It was his party, so when he left, I left. Why?" She asked.
"I was just wondering how Harley knew where you were going to be, to grab you." Batman said.
Hope exhaled loudly, as she shook her head.
"I don't know." She said, shaking her head.
She stood up. It was too quick though. She got light headed, and the room slanted. In the blink of an eye, Batman was at her side. He steadied her.
"Thanks, I just stood up too quickly." She said.
"Maybe you should take a few days off." Batman said.
She laughed.
"You tell me to relax again, and I'll go to work, just to spite you." She threatened.
His lip twitched.
"I apologise." He rasped.
He helped her sit back down on her bed.
"When do you plan on returning to Arkham?" He asked, as she settled down.
"I'm taking two weeks, after everything that's happened." She said, with a sigh.
"Good, you deserve it." He told her.
She smiled.
"You should probably get to work." She whispered to him.
He smiled.
"There is much to do." He said.
"Be careful." She whispered.
"Good night Doctor Lake." Batman told her.
"Night." She mumbled, as her eyes closed, and she drifted off to sleep.