When did I go soft? I had never cared about anything before but now as I stared at my dying wife, I suddenly felt scared. It started out as just a minor cold. She was four months pregnant so all she could do was rest. All three of the other kids, parasites sucking the life out of me were at school, giving Harley all the time alone she needed. After a few weeks, her minor cold turned into a sinus infection. The doctor gave her some medication and hooked her up to an I.V. since she wasn't able to keep anything down. I still wasn't worried until Violet ran into my office one day, hysterically crying.
"Daddy, daddy, Mommy won't wake up! I kept nudging her put she wouldn't move!" Violet cried.
I ran into the room, suddenly terrified. Her chest was still rising and falling, indicating that she was still alive, but when I tried to nudge her she wouldn't open her eyes; I shook her roughly but nothing happened. I yelled at Frost to get a car ready and gently carried her downstairs to the garage. The drive to the hospital was eerily quiet. I kept my hand wrapped around her wrist to keep an eye on her pulse. I ran out of the car with Harley in my arms when we got to the hospital and gave her to the first nurse I saw.
"She won't wake up…she's pregnant."
It wasn't long until the Bat arrived. He found me sitting alone in a private waiting room that one of the nurses let me wait in. They were terrified of me but I unloaded my gun to show I wouldn't hurt them as long as Harley was being helped.
"Joker." He said deeply.
"It wasn't supposed to happen like this Batsy. She was just a way out of Arkham but no matter how hard I tried I couldn't get rid of her. I tried to leave her to drown in the vat of acid but I couldn't and from then on, she had me trapped. I never thought I would be a family man Bats but now, now I'm living the American Dream; three kids at home, one in the oven, and a wife at home that greets me every night with a scotch and a kiss. Where the hell did I go wrong?" I ranted.
"You have kids?" He asked me quietly.
"That's all you have to say? I sure am disappointed Batsy. Violet's seven, she's the oldest, my princess; she looks exactly like her mother and is just as deadly but she's got my brains. The twins are five, identical boys, Harls named them Ace and Spade like my tattoo, she said it's her favorite; those boys are the apple of their mother's eye. Ever since J.J. died she wanted a boy and she got two." I mused. "She loves those kids to death, possibly more than she loves me."
"The doctor said she'll most likely be fine." He told me.
"Then what Bats? Are you going to arrest me at Harley's bedside?" I asked him, my tone mocking him.
"As much as I hate to say it, no, you haven't done anything to be arrested for in the past few years and now I know why." He said.
"I almost missed my princess' birthday the last time you got me. The first few days were nice, I hadn't had any quiet time to myself in years, but after a week I realized I missed those pests, and my Harley-girl, dear god I missed revving up my Harley. When I got home, I realized that it wasn't worth it, for now at least." I told him
We sat in silence until the doctor came in. He told me that Harley was stable and that she and my daughter were doing fine. Her cold had turned into pneumonia and she was too weak to fight it on her own.
"My daughter?" I asked him.
"Oh, oh I'm sorry Mister Joker I didn't realize you didn't know." He stammered.
"Take me to her room." I ordered him.
She looked so…peaceful. There were tubes connected in her nose, to help her breath the doc said, and so many in her arms. She was still asleep so I pulled up a chair and held her hand in mine. Batsy was still here, lurking in the corner.
"Pud." Harley whimpered.
"Sh, don't move Pumpkin, I'm here." I told her.
"Where?" She asked me.
"I needed to take you to the hospital, you wouldn't wake up." I explained. "Violet found you, she was scared shitless."
"Baby." She said, touching her stomach.
"It's fine." I told her shortly.
"My head hurts." She whined.
I pushed the button to call the nurse. They gave Harley something to help her head and to help her sleep. Frost came after a little while and brought the kids. Bats was still here, much to my dismay. I guess he had to meet the kiddos one day. Ace and Spade ran right to their mother but Violet stayed in the doorway.
"Violet." Harley said to her.
She shook her head as tears ran down her face. I let out a sigh and took Violet out of the room into the private waiting room from before.
"Princess what's wrong?" I asked her. "Why don't you want to see Mommy?"
She wrapped her arms around my neck, crying into my chest. I knew why she was scared, she had thought Harley was dead.
"Is Mommy going to be okay?" She asked me.
"She's going to be fine Violet. I'm sure she would feel a lot better if you would go visit her." I told her.
"Who was the big man?" She asked once she had calmed down.
"That my angel was Batman, Daddy's best friend." I explained.
A week went by and Harley was finally able to come home. The kids worked all day on a sign that read "Welcome Home Mommy!" It was the kind of crap I usually hated but I had to admit it put a smile on my face. The past week had been hell on Earth; raising three kids alone was horrible. Someone always needed something. Sure, I loved the little pests but after a week of no Harley I couldn't take it anymore. Harley was still on bedrest for another two weeks but at least she could help the kids with homework and keeping them occupied. I knew I took her for granted, but I would never tell her that. Deep down I knew that she knew I needed her, more than I would ever care to admit.