A/N: Ok, so I worked really hard on this chapter. I also tried to look up history of Harleen becoming Harley. How the whole transition went and whatnot.
"You better have done all we asked of you, Deadshot," Waller commanded icily.
"We were a bit surprised he came back so quickly," Flag informed me, his unsure tone breaking through his cool exterior.
"So, what? Is he already in?" I asked, trying to sound nonchalant as they lead me down multiple hallways. It looked like we weren't going through the main part of the prison. To go anywhere, in or out, you have to pass through the room holding Harley's cell. This must be a back way Waller uses so Harley, and the rest of the squad don't see her and suspect anything.
"No. There are several barriers," Flag started, holding another door open for Waller and I. "He and his men have made it through a few and have located the area we are holding Quinn," Waller and Flag picked up speed. It took me by surprise to see two people that love to play God look so unsettled. I had trouble catching up and bringing back my cool and collected facade. Truth be told, I was nervous as Hell. Not because of what Harley would do, but because of what J would do when she refused him. He doesn't seem like someone that would let her go without a fight.
Another explosion sounded, causing me to stumble slightly. Flag grabbed Waller quickly, steadying her as she lost her balance due to the explosion. She gave him a stern nod. I guess that's the closest thing to gratitude that Waller will express.
"Why don't we just move her?" I shouted over the alarm sounding throughout the prison. The solution seemed so simple.
Waller looked over her shoulder at me as she picked up her pace. "The Joker would still hunt her down. Too many people would die. If she remains, the deaths will be minimal." She stated matter of factly.
"She's still a person, Waller." I challengers, struggling to keep up.
Flag looked over his shoulder at me, shaking his head sympathetically.
The alarm lights were creating a low, red glow throughout the hallway, but the sound had stopped abruptly. We all stopped in our tracks, looking around slowly.
An explosion sounded a little farther away, causing us all to look at one another.
"Harley," we all stated in unison.
We jogged down the hall, Waller and Flag in front of me, leading me up a flight of stairs and through a doorway. It was the office where the security guards watch us through cameras. The office directly above Harley's cell room. I've been here once before, when I first had to see Waller about fixing Harley almost two months ago. I noticed Bats was back, sitting in the what was formally a video security guards chair.
I rolled my eyes, "What the flying fuck are you doing back?" I scoffed at him as he stood up.
Except, he didn't walk towards me, he walked towards the glass. Flag and Waller looked out as well. I followed suit.
Harley was standing with her hands up, cornered in her cage. Men in SWAT uniforms had removed the bars, and one of them ran in to get closer to her. Harley looked a little nervous and completely unsure of the situation she was faced with. The man they sent in approached her slowly, like she was a scared animal.
"Is that him?" I asked. My tone sharper than I intended.
No one answered. If it was because no one really knew, or that we were all dying to see what was gonna happen I'm not really sure. But no one said anything. We just watched.
The man revealed his helmet to reveal green hair and pasty skin.
I let out a deep, uneasy sigh. That was the only noise within the entire room. Harley didn't even seem to move for a moment or so. Her face studying his, her eyes taking in every inch before moving or speaking.
Her lips twitched slightly upwards, before an entire smile evolved through her face.
I saw Waller shake her head out of the corner of my eye, "This doesn't look like it's going over the way I hoped for."
I didn't respond, but I could tell her smile wasn't that real. Too rough around the edges. She didn't bite her lip before it formed, like usual. I tilted my head at her, smirking. She looked up at the glass, almost as if she knew I was watching, then back at J.
"Puddin!" She exclaimed cheerily, before jumping into his arms.
J caught her in his arms and picked her up, her legs dangling as he lifted her into the air, causing her pink fuzzy slippers to fall off.
"Let's go home," He stated, it sounded more like a command than anything else. Harley giggled less than excitedly as he put her down.
He tiled his head at her, "What is it, baby?" Listening to him speak, all I could hear was manipulation.
"I don't know if I wanna," She responded quietly as she backed up, sitting down on the edge of her bed.
He stared at her blankly for a moment, his smile fading slightly.
"Baby, baby, baby, baby, baby," He half laughed half grunted, "Come on." He commanded as he walked towards her, his hand gripping her upper arm, and yanking her up off her bed.
She stumbled slightly, but yanked her arm out of his grasp, "No, Puddin. I don't wanna,"
He was stunned slightly by her unwillingness to coporate. She took a few steps back and sat back down on her bed. She scooted back all the way back on her bed, her back against one of the bars.
"Okay J's gonna leave. So send me down there," I started towards the door, but was stopped by Bats gripping my arm.
I yanked my arm outta his grip, "Don't fucking touch me,"
Bats shook his head, "Just watch. If you provoke him, I'm not sure what'll happen."
I nodded, but rolled my eyes at my helplessness. I don't want her getting hurt. And I don't want to just sit here watching her get hurt.
"I said no!" Harley's shouts snapped us out of little altercation.
His hand was at her throat, his body leaning over hers.
I banged on the window. "Someone better stop this!" I shouted to no one in particular.
She looked up at the window, J's hand still on her throat. Her face contorted into a smirk as she stared up at the mirror glass. I really hoped she could at least sense I was here for her.
She brought her legs to her chest, forcing them into his chest and kicking him back. Hard.
He stumbled back, she pushed herself up off her bed and ran by J as he hit the hard cement ground on his back.
He rolled over onto his stomach, grabbing her ankle as she ran and yanking her to the floor. The fall took her off guard, so he used it as an advantage. He jumped up quickly, grabbing her by her long dyed hair and dragging her brutally across the floor of her cage. As he was dragging her, laughing with every step, she grabbed a jagged, broken piece of her coffee cups and jabbed it into the back of his heel as hard as she could. He let out what sounded like groan mixed with a laugh. Harley pushed herself up, her classic, psychotic grin plastered on her face as she pinned him to the ground by straddling him, her knees keeping his wrists on the cement floor. She drew her fist back to punch him and hit him several times. Hard. She drew her fist back once more, but stopped, lowering her fist and standing up, leaving him to lay on the floor for a moment.
"What the hell is she thinking? She could finish him right now!" Waller yelled, pressing her hands against the glass window separating us from the crazy clown duel below. I ran a hand over my head, nervous for the outcome. I leaned forward, like the rest of us up in the office, my eyes were glued to Harley, hoping she wouldn't get hurt.
"You're too weak to do it, baby." The Joker spat, gobs of blood dripping from his nose.
"No," she shook her head. "I loved you once. I still do, Mistah J. But you destroyed me, and I let ya. No more,"
He looked up at her and for a moment, it looked like J saw his world unraveling. The lost look in his eyes disappeared as quickly as it developed, leaving nothing but the empty, raspy laughter he's trademarked.
He raised his arms up feebly, "Okay! You've got me! So what next, Harley?" He bellowed in a dangerously deranged tone.
She crossed her arms over her chest, "I want you to go,"
I looked over at Waller and Bats. Waller's lips had formed a thin line, but I could tell she was on the edge of her seat for this. Bats, however, was sporting a rare seen smirk, probably happy seeing Harley with some decency in her again. I was still pretty nervous, not trusting J to walk out without trying to get the upper hand one last time.
Harley backed away from him, watching closely as he stood up, hands above his head and smiling like a lunatic.
He limped closer to her as she backed up more. Her back was pinned against the bars, her front against J. She looked away from him, up at the office window like she knew we were there. Her expression looked worn out, her eyes almost tearful. He tilted his head at her as he gripped her chin between his fingers and tugged her face back in his direction.
I felt my fists ball up, an uneasy feeling growing in my gut.
"I don't like this," I muttered, my eyes not leaving Harley.
Bats grunted, "I agree."
Waller put her hand up, "Wait for it. This is where we see if you did your part, Deadshot." She looked over at me with an icy stare.
I sighed, but didn't say anything. I hoped she wouldn't leave with him. More for her sake than my own.
"Baby, do you really want me to go?" He was close to her face, his voice full of false hurt and manipulation.
Her lower lip trembled, tears on the verge, but she nodded.
He put his hands up defensively and took a few steps back.
I let out a breath I didn't know I was holding. Something still felt off though. I'd never had to face off against J, but I've heard many stories. From all these stories, I never once heard of J walking away. I looked over at Bats, someone who knows just how far I will go firsthand.
As if he was reading my mind, "No," his eyes not leaving the clowns below us. "He doesn't just walk away,"
Waller nodded, "He's got something planned. This seemed too easy,"
I looked back at the two, J backing away and Harley standing a little taller than she was moments ago, but not as confident as the aura she usually carries herself within.
"Send me in there. I can put down his crew in seconds and y'all know that," I started, my tone almost a low growl. I didn't want her getting hurt. Sitting here watching wasn't ideal either.
"No. If you run in to save her, he'll kill everyone, including you two. We just have to wait," Waller commanded.
I sighed, but stayed put anyway.
The Joker backed up, but Harley didn't move from her spot leaning against the cage wall. Her head was tilted, skeptical of J's actions. She was watching him closely, waiting for him to do or say anything else.
J gave her a smile and turned on his heel, heading for the opening in the cage he had created.
For a moment, it seemed everything was still. Waller moved in slow motion, telling Flag to send a guard into the area to grab Harley. Bats moved in slow motion, attempting to stop her. Everything moved in slow motion, until a single guard entered the room, interrupting J's exit.
"Harley Quinn, I am here to-" A single shot rang out. I felt myself flinch, considering I wasn't watching the window at the time. I didn't look for a moment, praying that it wasn't Harley that was on the receiving end of that shot.
We all looked back down to see the guard shot dead on the spot. Harley was looking behind her, her face thoughtful.
I raised an eyebrow in curiosity. Harley had a plan.
"I was about to say I wouldn't do that if I were you," Harley said as she turned around, J's gun pointed in her face.
She raised her hands up, a teasing smile forming on her face. "Don't hurt me," She laughed, "I'll be your friend,"
The Joker raised his eyebrows and scoffed, "You said it yourself, Baby. We're not friends anymore,"
Harley's face turned cold, "Then do it,"
I felt myself flinch slightly. I didn't like this.
"What the Hell is she thinking?" Flag exclaimed, leaning towards the glass.
Waller stepped towards the glass as well, pressing her hands against it, "I have no fucking clue," Her expression was hard.
Bats hung back a little bit, his eyes were curious, his jaw set in place.
She was walking towards J, the gun still in her face. She seemed to have gotten the upper hand. Only slightly, though. You had to look really closely to see the slight loss of confidence in his eyes.
"Do. It." She challenged, stepping closer to J, causing him to step back.
"What are you trying to pull here, Harley?" J bellowed, his demoner falling slightly.
"Do it, Mistah J!" Her voice got louder, almost angry.
She snatched the gun from his grasp and laughed tauntingly at the stunned Joker.
She stared at the gun for a moment, then looking back up at J.
"I was right about you, Puddin," She growled with a smirk, shoving the gun back to his chest.
He held the gun against his chest and stared at her weakly for a moment, before raising an eyebrow and plastering on a fake, confused smile.
"A heart still scares ya, J. Cause you won't shoot mine," she let out a wink as she walked past him towards the back part of her cell, bumping his shoulder as she did.
His eyes were lost for a moment. He didn't even move.
"Bats, what's happening?"
Batman's jaw was tense, his eyes fixed on the clown. "I-I don't know,"
J's eyes became hard and angry once again. He spun on his heel, reaching out and grabbing the ends of Harley's long hair. He yanked her head back towards him.
"Oh baby, guns don't scare me anymore," he hissed in her ear and grabbed her shoulders, spinning her around to face him.
She stumbled slightly due to J's harsh movements, but couldn't regain her composure before J took his pistol and slammed the butt of it against Harley's head. She her body crumpled under the force of his blow to her face.
She weakly tried to push herself up, a spiteful smile forming on her face.
"Still didn't shoot me," she growled, spitting out some blood.
He scoffed slightly, rolling his eyes. "You're not who I thought you were, Harleen." He stressed her real name for dramatic effect.
"Get me down there!" I yelled at Waller, who had ordered Flag to stop me from leaving after I had to watch J pistol whip my girlfriend across the face.
J walked around her body. She could barely lift herself up, but she forced out a strained chorus of giggles, "You're not who I thought you were either. Pussy," she spat blood out as she stressed the last word as he had stressed her real name.
This made him stop in his tracks. His smile faded and he ran his hands through his hair slowly, fixing the pieces that had been distorted during their fight. He then looked down at her, smirking and shaking his head.
"You know," he grabbed her hair in his fist once more. This time, it was closer to her head. He yanked her neck in his direction so hard I was afraid it would snap in two. "You're still just a pain in my ass,"
She smiled back at him, eyes burning with resistance, "What are ya gonna do? Ya gonna kill me this time, Mistah J?" her voice sounding haunted.
"Nah, baby. I not gonna kill you," he started as he gripped her hair tighter. His eyes bored into hers once more, "I'm just gonna hurt ya. Really, really bad." he finished venomously as he slammed her head down onto the hard concrete floor. He let go of her hair, now stained with the metallic red color of her blood. Rubbing his hands on his pants, as if disgusted with dirt on them, he whistled and rounded up his crew. They all exited out of the giant, gaping hole in the wall they had created not too long ago.
Although, I didn't much care for that. My only concern was the blonde clown that had finally faced her demons, and stood up to them too. The blonde clown that was laying on the hard floor, unmoving with her head bleeding heavily.
Next Chapter: Waller brings doctors in to work on Harley, whose condition has worsened. Boom and Croc find out about Deadshot's "mission," and they don't like it. Zoe is brought to Belle Reve to see her father.