Harley woke up sore and tired, she realized just how much Bruce went through almost every night "I told Dr. Arkham that you wouldn't be in today" Bruce said from the doorway. She sat up still in her 'costume', she looked away from him, she knew he was upset with her she could tell from his voice. "What were you thinking!" he growled
"I just wanted to help," she said quietly
"Help! You nearly got yourself killed!" he yelled storming up to her, he grabbed her arms and shook her violently "I told you I didn't want your help!" he yelled in her face
"Master Wayne!" Alfred called from the door, Bruce snapped out of his rage and found Harley cowering in his grip, tears running down her face mumbling apologies, not to him but to Joker. Was he really acting like the deranged Clown Prince? He dropped her arms as if she was on fire; he knew her arms would bruise where he had grabbed her. He mumbled a quick apology and ran from the room. Harley brought her knees to her chest still sobbing, still muttering apologies to 'Mistah J'. Alfred sat beside her on the bed ignoring how she flinched when he had gotten close "Shush now dear girl" he said softly, putting his arm around her, she leaned against him
"I just wanted to help" she hiccupped "Make him see I wasn't useless" Alfred sighed knowing it wasn't Bruce she was talking about, it broke Alfred's heart to see a grown woman so abused that a few words and a few rough touches could reduce her to body racking tremors and uncontrollable sobs. "Shhh, every things ok" he stroked her hair. He was suddenly aware of the wound on her leg and every appearing bruise on her face "Come, let's get that wound cleaned up and get some ice on that bruise" she nodded weakly.
"I'm never going to get over him am I Alfred?"
"That's up to you, dear. No one can force you to just get over him, after everything that happened between you and him I'm not at all surprised you still haven't gotten over it" he said, cleaning her leg. She sat on the sink counter
"I didn't mean the abusive part" she sighed "Some where deep down in the more sadistic part of me, still loves him and tells me everyday to just go back, to forget everything Dr. Leeland taught me, to just turn away from everything Bruce helped me build back up and tear that wall right back down." She looked to the wall "The night of the Masquerade ball, someone asked to cut in on Bruce and I" she half laughed "Bruce being a gentlemen obliged and off I went, I swear I was passed off between at least ten men, before it stopped. We danced in silence until the end of the song, but when the song ended he wouldn't let me go. I asked him what he wanted from me, I don't know how I didn't notice before, but it was Joker" she sighed "I knew he wouldn't do anything to me, so we went out on the balcony, I asked why he was there and he told me he was there just to see me to make sure that I was happy. I almost fell into his trap Alfred, I almost fell right back into his claws"
"But you didn't and that's the point" he looked up at her "You didn't fall in, which is what Dr. Leeland taught you. You took that sadistic part of you and proved it wrong" she smiled less that half-heartedly
"Al, could you call me something a little less formal?"
"And what would you prefer?"
"I don't know, my name or something"
"How about dear?"
"Perfect" she looked down to the tiled floor, "You're like the grandfather I never had," she said sadly
"No grandfather?" she shook her head
"He died before I was born" she closed her eyes "My father died soon after I was born, it was just me and my mom till I was done university"
"Did she re-marry?" tears fell silently from her eyes
"She was killed in a drive by, she got caught between the two rival gangs and couldn't get out"
"Shhh dear" Alfred hushed rubbing her hands, trying to calm her down before she go too worked up "We're going to have to go down to the cave this bullet wound needs stitches: he sighed, she nodded silently hopping down off the counter.
Bruce stormed through Wayne Enterprise looking for one man. He threw Fox's door open, his secretary yelling something behind him "We need to talk" Bruce growled darkly, Fox put his hands up
"Alright Mr. Wayne, just calm down" Fox opened the secret door in his office and led Bruce through, once downstairs Bruce let loose
"How could you? She nearly died last night! She's lucky all she got was a bullet wound and a black eye"
"With all do respect, all I did was create what she asked for, would you have rather she had followed you out to fight Joker unprotected, like when she was running around with him? Would you really have liked to seen her end up like she used to when he beat her?" Fox fought back, Bruce stayed quiet knowing the older man was right "Is that really why you came here Mr. Wayne? To yell and blame an old man for protecting your fiancé?" Bruce sighed and slid down the wall his hands fisted in his hair, not caring about the suit he was wearing.
"No…well yes…and no" Bruce clenched his teeth and squeezed his eyes shut
"Care to explain?" Fox questioned, pulling a chair up to the disgruntled man
"Last night I just let her fight him, I let her toy with him, I thought maybe if I let her get it all out last night maybe she wouldn't follow me out again. But this morning when I woke up I realized just how stupid I was being; I mean this is the woman who followed a deranged psycho wearing make-up around for almost three years and let herself get the shit kicked out of her" he sighed "And then I saw her face, I could see most of the left side of her cheek and eye are going to be bruised. I just snapped I grabbed her and shook her and yelled in her face, I'm sure I'd have done worse had Alfred not come in after hearing my yelling" Bruce shook his head trying to rid himself of the memories "She was shaking so bad and crying so hard, god. The worst part was when I snapped out of it she was apologizing to the damned clown! She actually thought I was him… so I ran, cowardly I know but it was the only thing I could think to do" Bruce gritted his teeth and slammed his fist into the wall.
"You said she had injuries?" Fox questioned, Bruce nodded "And why are you not tending them?"
"I told you I just couldn't stay there not after hurting her like that, I promised to keep her safe, to never let anything happen to her"
"Did you hit her?"
"No! I would never!" Bruce looked almost disgusted at the question, Fox smiled
"Then I don't see the problem, yes you were a little rough with her but you were just looking out for her safety, but you didn't strike her so in my eyes you are still way above the clown" Fox extended his hand to the man "So don't go comparing yourself to him"
"There all stitched up" Alfred smiled
"Do you think you could run me a bath, Alfred" she just needed to lie in some warm water and not think
"Right away dear" she slid off the gurney wincing; the wound was more tender now than it had been this morning. Once upstairs she could hear Alfred in the bathroom humming to himself and running the water, she grabbed a pair of pajama shorts and one of Bruce's vary few t-shirts from their room and slowly walked to the bathroom. "Ah there you are, your bath is ready"
"Thank you Alfred" she smiled and locked the door behind her, she was thankful there was a small TV in the room for some background noise, she flipped it on and began her bathroom routine. Her hairbrush dropped when the next news headline came up "Joker strikes Arkham" she quickly turned the TV up,
"Harvey Dent, former District Attorney turned psycho, was found in his cell early this morning, his face slashed beyond recognition, along with know lover and henchwoman Sugar who was found dead with both cheeks slashed wide open resembling the known scars of the Joker. Dent is now in stable condition at Gotham General. Gotham police had no leads up until they reviewed the security tapes and found none other than the Joker skipping down the halls of Arkham"
Harley sat on the edge of the tub, her hand over her mouth and her heart try to beat right out of her chest, her pulse whooshed in her ears drowning out everything around her. Her body felt numb "This is my fault" she whispered to her self "I never should have told him about Harvey" she felt sick, she'd caused Sugar's death, jealousy raged through her trembling body overpowering the nausea. "What was he doing with Dent's lovers!" she spat into the silence around her, she suddenly gasped "Oh my god" the news broke her out of her disturbing thoughts.
"This just in! Gotham police have informed us that upon searching for evidence and calming the inmates it seems after the Joker killed Sugar and attacked Dent he set two of the inmates free. Gotham Police have yet to release the names of the two inmates, but are urging all of Gotham to be cautious when leaving the house and to call police if anyone sees anyone suspicious or the Joker him self. Update in twenty minutes"
She ran from the bathroom skidding across the hardwood into her and Bruce's room, she grabbed her cell phone '2 missed calls' flashed across the screen, she ignored them and dialed a familiar number, she paced the room waiting for someone to pick up "Dr. Arkham?"
"Who?" her voice was shaking
"Harley?"
"Who Jerry! Who did he break out!" she was yelling now, her body shaking so hard it was difficult to function
"Isley and Crane" he answered quickly not wanting to set the woman off anymore "You're not safe in Gotham Harley, I'm sure Bruce could find you somewhere to go till they're all caught"
"I'm perfectly fine Jerry, I'm not leaving my home"
"They want you here for questioning, I'm sure it's just a technicality as you were Dent's psychologist. I doubt they'll ask you anything about Joker" she didn't respond just hung up and paced, could she go down there now? Her phone beeped in her hand '2 voice mails' flashed on the screen now; she hesitated to listen to them, she sucked in a breath as the first one started
"Ah Cupcake, I'm sure by now you have seen the news and seen that I have taken care of your problem… sort of. Next time you will pick up my call, lest Daddy get angry."
She shivered as the message ended with Joker laughing hysterically. She hadn't gotten to changing her number and upon further thought she figured changing her number would just anger him further and it was better that it was her he was terrorizing than someone else. She let out the breath she was still holding as the second message started
"Blondie! Come on answer your phone! J gave me this number, I hope it's the right one, he broke Crane and I out sometime last night. He can't manipulate me but Crane will break quickly, so just be careful babe please. I love you Harls"
Tears pricked her eyes "I love you too Pammy" she whispered to the phone, she whipped away her tears when someone knocked on the door, Alfred poked his head in "Done your bath already dear?"
"I…uh…never got a chance to get in. I need to go to Arkham, like ten minutes ago. I'm sure you've seen the news" he nodded "He broke out Ivy and Scarecrow, Alfred. I need you to drive me and then call Bruce and tell him what's going on" he nodded again
"I'll ready the car" she threw on long dark blue jeans and a t-shirt, she picked her lime green heels, just like her red ones, for today.
She walked quickly down the main hall of Arkham, police were everywhere scouring for clues, clues she knew they wouldn't find she was surprised he had left the security tapes; she figured it was because he wanted her to know what he had done for her and wanted all the credit. A sound reached her ears and stopped her dead in her tracks "No" she mouthed, she rushed down the hall as fast as her heel clad feet would allow, she found the room the noise was coming from. She threw the door open and would almost a dozen cops struggling, the noise became very clear, laughing, not human laughing though. She barked loudly not caring how crazy she seemed, the laughing silenced. "Boys!" she yelled over the cops "Sit!" dominance laced her voice, the cops looked towards her "Move" she pushed her way through them and found her babies, two burgundy hyenas sitting stock still in front of her, Bud with a purple collar and black right front paw, Lou with a green collar black left front paw and right hind paw. "These are yours!" a cop yelled in disbelief
"Years ago. Joker bought them" they started again at the mention of their owner "I said shut it!" she roared. The hyenas laid down showing their submission, she grabbed a passing by nurse "Do we have any fresh meat down in the kitchen?"
"Just in, why?"
"I need two of the biggest pieces, raw" the nurse stared at her "Now!" the nurse jumped and scurried away
"What do you hope to accomplish by feeding these things?" another cop questioned, clearly disgusted, she felt like punching him in the face
"Clearly they are starving" she lifted Bud's collar for effect, at least four inches of space between the k9 and the leather "These collars used to fit perfect" the nurse came back with two hunks of meat, Harley took them thanking her, she turned back to the two hyenas "Nicely" she extended her arms to each of them, each taking the meat as gently as possible "I'll take them from here"
"Dr. Quinzel, I can't allow you to take these animals" Commissioner Gordon's voice came from the doorway.
"Commissioner, I've had these two since they were pups. If they are going to listen to anyone its me"
"I'm sorry Dr. Quinzel, these animals are going to be terminated" her blood began to boil
"You will not harm my babies" she snarled, like a mother protecting her pups, Bud and Lou snarling right beside her "But if you'd like to try, be my guest" she said sweetly, no one mover "Now if you'll excuse me" she moved through them, the cops keeping their distance not wanting to be bit. She was thankful she had asked Alfred to wait for her, she almost laughed at the size Alfred's eyes went as she exited the hospital flanked by two huge hyenas. "Did you speak with Bruce?" she questioned, he nodded "Don't worry Alfred they won't attack unless instructed to" he nodded again opening the rear door "In" she barked, they jumped in with their tails between their legs
"You're bringing them to the manor?" Alfred asked
"If I leave them here Gordon will have them killed" she put her hand on Alfred's arm "It will be fine, they're very well trained and behaved, complete opposite to who trained them. Plus they're completely obedient to me as I had spent the most time with them through their life" Alfred nodded hoping she was right, she sat in the front with Alfred, something neither were used to.