Ch 9
Harley rolled over in bed, she sighed she knew it was early in the morning as the sun had yet to rise. The clock burned five forty-five am into her retinas, it was the same time she woke every day. Her bare feet, which were usually met by cold hard floor, were met with warm fur, she was puzzled for a second before the previous days events came flooding back. She turned her body slightly and found Bruce's spot empty, she sighed it wasn't the first time she'd woken up alone, with Bruce or Joker. She flicked on the lamp that took up residence beside the bed; Bud and Lou quickly caught on and moved out of her way choosing to lie at the foot of the bed. Harley was showered and dressed before six am; she padded her way down stairs the cold hard wood floors chilling her damp toes. She decided to give Alfred a break and make her own breakfast this morning, once in the kitchen she turned on the radio that was unsurprisingly built into the wall, Bruce wasn't one to like things cluttering up his home, and began singing along to the songs it played. She gathered the ingredients to make pancakes still singing, she spun nearly dropping the flour on the floor when someone behind her cleared their throat. Alfred stood leaning on the doorframe smiling, Harley's cheeks burned, not even Joker had heard her sing.
"You have a lovely voice" he chuckled at her increasing blush, he moved towards her "What are you making?"
"Pancakes, I figured I would give you a break and make my own" she smiled "Would you like some?" she asked mixing the batter
"I would be very inclined to see if the rival my own" he laughed sitting down at the island, it felt strange but he would humor the woman for at least one day. She smiled pouring some batter in the pan
"Bruce didn't come home last night" she stated nonchalantly, flipping the pancake
"Master Bruce called after you had retired for the night and said he had a tip on where Ivy, Crane and Joker were hiding out and that he probably wouldn't be home before you woke up but that he would try" Alfred explained, she dropped the spatula and spun around
"He knew where Pam was an didn't tell me!"
"You can understand why he wouldn't" he stood and held her arms to her sides "He didn't want you to get hurt trying to see her, Joker is one thing but all three of them together against you and Master Bruce, for him it was too much to loose"
"She is my best friend" she sighed defeated "She was like my mother through everything Joker put me through. She was the one who bandaged me up when Joker got knife happy. She is my everything Alfred," she almost sobbed looking up at the older man. Alfred put his arms around the shaking woman
"Alfred!" a voice called from the entrance hall, they heard the front door close soon after
"Coming Sir" Alfred called back; Harley pushed past him and ran ahead, she skidded to a halt upon seeing Bruce, still in his bat suit supporting a very broken Pam. Her hand went to her mouth and tears filled her eyes "Oh Pammy" she sobbed rushing forward
"I found her like this in Joker's hideout. I thought you could do more for her than a hospital" Bruce admitted, Harley latched onto the older woman who was very unconscious.
"Are you ok?" she asked quickly looking up at him, noticing his wheezing. Bruce smiled
"I'm fine, just a few bruises and exhaustion" Harley frowned and waved Alfred over
"Could you put her in one of the rooms near ours?" he nodded taking hold of the unconscious woman, Harley waited till Alfred was upstairs, before turning back to Bruce "I know your lying!" she said smacking his arm, Bruce winced
"Fine, I think a rib or two are broken and I'm pretty sure my shoulder is dislocated" he huffed
"You go upstairs and get into bed!" she almost yelled, switching into full on motherly mode. "I'm going to call Luscious and Jerry" Bruce sighed knowing there was no way around her orders, Harley watched him climb the stairs "And have Alfred look at your ankle!" she called after him, she could hear Bruce grumble something while continuing up the steps. She grabbed the nearest phone and dialed Luscious first. "Fox" he answered
"It's Harley"
"Ah Harley, something I can do for you? Do you need something made?"
"No, its Bruce. He went out after Joker last night, but with him breaking out Ivy and Crane it was three against one"
"Is he alright?"
"Few broken ribs, dislocated shoulder and sprained ankle. Apparently Ivy was unconscious when he got there so it wasn't so bad, he was able to get her out and bring her here so I could look after her"
"Just be careful"
"She's like my mother Luscious, I'll be fine. I need you to cover for Bruce there, if anyone asks he fell down the stairs, especially the press."
"Someone will have to cover his nights"
"I'm sure GPD can handle a few nights by themselves"
"Alright, if you need anything just call"
"Thank you" she hung up One down, one to go she dialed Jerry's number working herself up "Dr Arkham" he answered
"It's too much"
"Harley?"
"Bruce and I are going away, Joker attacked us last night in an alley" she lied "We told the press Bruce fell down the stairs so no one would worry. It's not safe for me here anymore. Not with Ivy and Crane after me too"
"A-alright, I'll give you a month off with pay. If he's not caught by then we'll work something out"
"Thank you" she hung up and laughed, Jerry was way too easy too fool, she ran up the stairs, she check on Bruce first finding him fast asleep while Alfred bandaged him up. She moved to the room beside hers and Bruce's, she found Pam laid out on the white sheets her bruises and cut standing out against them. "Oh Red, why did you let him to this to you?" she didn't expect an answer as she looked the older woman over, she was still in Arkham garb, blood stained and torn. She locked the door and proceeded to strip the woman down to her under garments, like Pam had done to her so many times before. A basin of warm water sat on the bedside table, Harley picked up the cloth and went to work cleaning the blood and dirt off the woman's front. It wasn't until she flipped her over that she got the shock of her life; she ran to the door and threw it open "Alfred! I need stitching supplies!" she yelled frantically, the older man came nearly running out of the other room towards her supplies in hand
"Will you be needing assistance?"
"Probably" she replied shakily, he nodded and entered the room. Alfred's jaw dropped when he laid eyes on the wound requiring stitching. Carved into the woman's pale skin was a message obviously meant for Harley, clearly and precisely etched into Pamela's skin were the words 'See you soon. Joker'. Harley was silent whilst stitching the older woman's flesh, as he stood by holding everything she would need.
Harley was curled up against the older woman, wishing she would wake up or show some sign of life. She was constantly checking the woman's pulse making sure Joker hadn't taken her only friend form her. It had been days since Bruce brought Pam to the manor and she was in the same state, the only thing that kept her hoping was the steady rise and fall of her best friends chest. She nearly jumped out of her skin when her cell phone rang, "Hello?" her voice was shaky
"I trust Ms Isley is faring well in your care" she sat up and ran her hand over her face and through her knotted hair
"What do you want Joker?" She sighed, fed up "To threaten my life some more? To brag about beating the only person I have left in the world into oblivion? What?"
"Don't take that tone with me girl!" he snarled "Here I am being nice and checking up on our dear Pamela and you give me attitude" she sighed
"It's your fault she needs to be checked up on! Why they hell did you do this to her anyway!"
"She wouldn't listen, she's a lot like you, you know, not good with jokes. She wouldn't go along with the joke and send you a message her self so I had to do it for her"
"You're unbelievable! She wouldn't go along with your hunt for me so you beat her! God I don't know what I ever saw in you"
"Goodbye my little dragonfly, Ms Isley should be waking soon" he hung up with no further explanation. She threw her phone against the wall and screamed, a groan pulled her from her self pity and drew her attention to the once unconscious woman beside her who was now trying to sit up. "Pammy!"