Judith returned to her shop and unhappily unlocked the door, closing it hard behind her once she was inside. She flipped on the first floor lights, leaving the storefront closed and walked to the mini fridge to get a soda. She popped the tab and took a drink.
"Nice night," a voice spoke from behind her. Startled, she dropped the can, spilling its contents on the floor as gooseflesh covered her skin. She blinked a couple of times and drew a deep breath before slowly turning around.
Perched upon the table before her, swinging his legs was the Joker, dressed similarly to the way she had seen him before as a customer. Just a guy dressed in jeans and a jacket with some terrible scars on his face. He'd given her a sob story, and she'd been taken in by his strange charm; his almost hypnotic gaze. Harleen had told her once that sociopaths tended to be very charming.
Judith reigned in her fear as best as she could and stared at him, her eyes naturally wide open. She remembered him commenting on her eyes before, how interesting they had been.
"I assume you are here for your suit. It's ready. It's upstairs." She said trying not to sound frightened. He grinned at her and she felt sick.
"You look like your sister," he said casually and she felt frozen in place. "Tell me, do you have anything for her too?" Her mouth opened slightly and she nodded.
He knew Harley was her sister. Her mind raced and she remembered Harley's story about his visit in her office. She had showed him her photographs.
He hopped off of the table energetically and grabbed her wrist in one hand; stepping to stand behind her while he took her other wrist. He slowly spun them around in place, their bodies touching and making her dizzy from the fear and proximity to this monster.
"Where are her things?" He said, one of his lips catching her earlobe as he spoke. Her stomach lurched.
"Why?" She croaked as she tried to pull away, he tightened his grip in response.
"She intrigues me," he said closer than before his breath hot on her skin. She closed her eyes like when she was a kid, wishing the Boogeyman away. "Does she know about us?" He asked suggestively. Judith snapped back into reality and wrenched herself from his grip. He chuckled in response.
"Oh, now that is interesting. The secrets that sisters keep from each other. Tell me, Marley, how does it feel when you look at Harley knowing all the things I've done to her, knowing that you made such a nice suit for me? Hmmm?" He reached for her again and she backed away. She glanced at the rack and pointed.
"There!" She said, feeling sick and angry and knowing there was nothing she could do. He would most likely trash the place until he found what he wanted if she didn't show him.
His eyes followed the direction she indicated and she walked over to the rack with him on her heels. She grabbed the wedding dress from the rack that her mother had 'rescued' hours before and shoved it into his arms.
"That was supposed to be her wedding gown, but then you came along. You ruined her life!" She shouted. Joker held up the garment and looked at it curiously. His eyes flicked to hers.
"She's engaged?" He asked passively as he turned the dress around.
"Not anymore!" She snapped and folded her arms across her chest defensively.
"Hmmm, then she doesn't need this anymore," he said disinterested and dropped the dress on the floor and walked across it to the rack. He pulled at the tags tied at the tops of the hangers, reading the names before drawing another garment from the rack.
The red and black dress she'd made for Harley. He looked it over and then looked at her.
"Does this one have a story too?" He asked sarcasm in his tone. Judith sighed.
"I just wanted to make something nice for her," she said and he chewed at his cheek and nodded.
He replaced it and then flipped through a couple more garments before stopping and staring before moving in closer. He pulled the red and black bodysuit from the rack. He turned it around and lifted a sleeve, feeling the fabric in his fingers.
"And this?" He asked curiously, touching a trio of diamonds with his index finger.
"Harley is dancing in the Gotham Ballet production of 'The Nutcracker.' She's the harlequin." Judith looked at his face as he studied the costume and frowned, puzzled.
"The Nutcracker, how appropriate," he said passively. Hearing him say the words made her realize the irony, a smile crept across her lips and she chuckled. He looked at her.
"I would like my suit now," He said and Judith raced up the creaking stairs.
Joker placed the harlequin costume back on the rack and opened a zippered bag which hung beside it, containing ruffled wrist and neck collars, gloves and a red and black hood. The hood had two lilliripes with bells attached at the ends. The front came down over the forehead and ended with eye holes like a mask. He looked over the costume, the high waist and diamond patterns placed high on the arms and the thighs. Harley would look good when she wore her harlequin costume.
And she would wear it for him.
His Harley Quinn.
The stairs creaked behind him and he turned slowly to face Marley, who carried a black bag and looked between him and Harley's costume. She hung the bag on an empty rack and removed its contents, spreading them across the rack. When she had finished she turned back to him, wearing an angry expression.
"I want you to stay away from her," she ordered, mustering all the bravado she could. He laughed and pushed past her to inspect his clothes.
"Nice work," he said as he removed his jacket and pulled his shirt off over his head.
"Hey!" Marley not so much as cried, but squeaked. He glanced at her annoyed.
"There are changing stalls," she said and swallowed. He disregarded her and finished undressing and saw her turn away fully, bringing a wicked grin to his face.
"Perhaps I will have to find another set of sisters to fulfill my fantasies," he purred at her and watched her hug herself defensively.
Someone knocked on the front door. Both of them looked at the front of the shop and Joker turned to his seamstress as he tucked his shirt into his pants.
"I thought you were closed," he said annoyed. People may have to die that night, but he hadn't intended to start there.
Another round of unanswered knocks was followed by the sound of the door unlocking. Marley gasped and looked between the door and Joker. She shooed him further into the back and looked at the front with a frightened expression.
"Judy?" Harley's voice carried through the quiet rooms. Marley looked at Joker and he grinned, barely able to contain his laughter.
"Stay back here," was her whispered command. She smoothed her hair and walked to the front while Joker took his time dressing, making unnecessary inspections of his clothes.
"Harley, what are you doing here?" Marley asked her sister with forced annoyance. Joker once again bit his tongue.
"You told me that you finished the dress, I wanted to come and get it," Harley replied.
"I thought you were staying home," Marley said. Joker crept toward the front and peered at the unfolding drama.
"I decided to go out," Harley said in a tone he knew well. She was pissed off. "I've spent enough time cooped up at home, or at the hospital, or Arkham. Delicate little Harley has to stay in a little box like a little China doll. She's so fragile that everyone has to protect her."
Harley's face was flushed red and Marley's mouth moved silently.
"You know what? I don't even know why anymore! I can't spend the rest of my life hiding from what might happen to me. I've spent the past year in a little room with the most dangerous man Gotham's ever seen and look at me! I'm just fine! Yeah, he's out there somewhere but damned if I'm going to live my life afraid he's going to pop out from around the next corner!" Harley brushed her blonde hair out of her face and swept it behind her ears and shoulders.
Marley looked toward the back room and Harley saw her and peered in his direction as well, frowning. Then she sighed and shook her head derisively.
"Oh, you have a man back there, right? Well, I won't trouble you, sis. Just get the damn dress and I'll leave you with Prince Charming." Harley snapped. Marley slapped her and Harley's hand flew to her cheek and her mouth dropped open. Judith stared at her hand as if it had acted on its own.
Joker smiled amused.
"Oh God, Harley," Judith said slowly. "I didn't mean to, I don't know what…" she stammered and Harley grabbed her shoulders and sniffed while tears fell from her eyes.
"It's okay," Harley choked and then wiped her face. "We've been through a lot, it's perfectly rational. Perfectly rational." She looked at her feet, her blonde hair falling in her face and obscuring her features.
"I'll get the dress," Judith said distantly and walked into the back room.
She glared at Joker as she passed him; he ignored her and focused on Harley. She stood bent slightly like a puppet with her strings hung loosely, the fire from a few moments before snuffed by her sisters' blow. Marley strode past him with the dress and Harley looked up and smiled faintly.
Marley hung it in one of the changing stalls and Harley followed, closing the door once her sister left. Marley stood in front of the door, protectively. Joker grinned and looked at the stairs. He quietly climbed a couple of steps, just enough to see the show.
Harley shed her red overcoat and kicked off her low black leather boots. She unbuttoned her black blouse and slid it off, revealing a black lace bra. Joker leaned against the railing, taking in her creamy bare skin from the back and the mirrors reflection of her chest.
Her small breasts filled out the cups of the bra nicely; round and enough to fill a man's hand. She slid off her blue jeans which had diamonds embroidered on them. Most likely by Marley's hand.
Joker took in her slender legs, toned yet not enough that it was overtly obvious. Harley reached behind and unhooked her bra and deftly removed it. Joker raised his brows as she turned his way, toward where the dress hung and he was given a full view of Doctor Quinzel's nearly naked body.
She was quite pleasing to look at and he felt stirring warmth as his body responded to what he saw. Almost a shivering came over him and a relaxed smile crept across his scarred lips.
She pulled on the dress and it began to enhance her form, her natural beauty as she tried to zip it closed. He would have liked to help if he knew she wouldn't fall over at his sudden appearance, most likely shrieking and ruining the whole mood for him.
It seemed worth it.
She left the stall and Marley helped zip the dress closed and Harley seemed to float to the three mirrors angled about one another and stepped up before them. She examined her appearance and took in breaths and exhaled, poking her flat belly. She scrutinized herself the way every woman does, and while the act annoyed him in the past with Jeannie, Harley seemed cute.
He was by no means comparing the two women as he had with others since his wife's death. He held no allusions that the women were anything alike. They were blue-eyed blondes, but that was where the similarities ended.
Jeannie had loved the idea of who he was. Even when the truth had been revealed, he knew she continued to fantasize that she was living that idea, and when reality set in she hurt herself.
Harley. Harley knew what he was about.
He watched Harley twirl before the mirror and listened to her laugh and knew he could never make her happy. She may be under the delusion that she cared for him, but ultimately he had hurt her in ways she would not ever be able to get past. The crumpled wedding gown behind him was symbolic in that Harleen Quinzel would never again see life and love as she had before she met him.
And that was his cue.
Joker pulled on his long purple overcoat and cleared his throat theatrically as he entered the front of the store. A smile crept wide across his face as Harley's eyes caught his.
"Hello Beautiful," he purred.
A/N: Hello Constant Readers! Thank you all for reading and reviewing and leaving me messages, they have been greatly appreciated. Your patience has been appreciated as well. I've had some health problems and spent some time out of state with my parents and then just started a new job last week. I have a lot of work written and am in editing with 3 of these stories. I hope you've enjoyed this part.