The Harlequin and the Bat
This is the story sequel to: The Harley and The Ivy.
Important notes: I do not own Batman or any portion of the franchise. I give all credit to DC Comics and respective owners.
Warning: Psychological scenes to come.
Chapter 5
(Harleen's POV)
Harleen went back home to find another dress for the evening, but she couldn't. On account that Penguin tore her only good dress she owned.
"Damn it Penguin, why did you crash the party? My dress…no way I'll be able to fix it without looking like a Cinderella knock off." Harleen said disappointedly then she heard a knocking at the door. "Who's that?" and saw a package carrier.
"Package, for Ms. Harleen Quinzel." The mid twenty courier said.
"Oh that's me." Harleen answered
"Sign here please." He handed the signboard to her, gave her the package and then left
Harleen went inside to see what was delivered to her: it was a plain white box with a red bow tied around it. Between the bow was a letter:
To Harleen
I remember what Penguin did to your dress from last time,
I hope that this is acceptable.
Bruce
Harleen opened the box and saw a stunning starlight silver dress, her eyes widened and filled with joyful tears. She had never been given a dress like this before; she'd never seen a dress like this before. The time was nearing five, the party was at seven. "Okay, Harleen. Time to make an impression!" she said standing up then placing her new dress back in its box and went to the shower.
As Harleen stepped into the shower, she grabbed her favourite lemon shampoo and lathered it into her hair. As she scrubbed she began singing the song she and Bruce danced that night to, she imagined herself dancing with Bruce, dressed in the starlight dress he had bought for her and him in a fine black suit and tie. His fingers running through her hair, stroking her skin, she looked at her beau and expected to see Bruce's smiling face…but instead she saw Joker. The flash of her former life faded in an instant as she rinsed the suds out from her hair; she thought nothing of it thinking it was just a passing phase. She lathered herself with a rose perfume body wash and attended her body as she sung their song. She saw her imagination going away with her; she felt joy as she imagined them in Bruce's bedroom, him caressing her skin tenderly. As she smiled at her imagination she felt a pain in her arms as she saw Joker once again holding her tightly as he threw her through a window laughing as she descended to the crates below; snapping back to reality she found herself on her bathroom floor. She was crying her time with the Joker was relapsing back in on herself: the cruelness and hurt, the maniacal laugh, the pasty white skin, toxic green matted hair and bloody red grin…he was more real in her mind than Bruce was. The time was half past five Harleen limbered to her phone, she nervously pushed Poison Ivy's number. The dial tone rang, hoping to talk to her friend the moved into a foetal position on the settee.
"Ivy residence." Ivy answered
"I-Ivy…help me…please…I'm scared." Harleen cried over the phone
"Harley? Where are you?" Ivy answered panicking for her friend
"I-I'm home please…I'm scared…help me!" Harley continued
"Stay there, Harls! I'll be five minutes!" Ivy slamming the phone down racing to Harleen's home.
And true to her word Ivy was five minutes to Harleen, she opened the door to see Harleen still in that position calling down the phone: "Please…come…help me…Ivy…I'm breaking…" Harleen continued crying as Ivy put the phone down for her and comforted her.
"*hush* I'm here Harls. I'm here. What happened?" Ivy looked at her friend.
(Bruce's POV)
*Time: four thirty*
Bruce had organised the Gala for Gotham's Hospital. He had sent Harleen a beautiful dress she saw during the first week of their dates. He was happy to see the Hospital getting the funds that it needed but he was more excited to see Harleen again; for the past few nights, she said she was busy with: errands and work at Flora Plush. But he could tell she was getting stronger, physically. Something he respected for her, she didn't get much exercise being thrown around by the Joker.
"Hey Bruce, daydreaming again?" Dick asked knowing full well what Bruce was daydreaming about.
"It's not any of your concern…but yes." Bruce answered
"Harley?" Dick looked with raised eyebrows
Bruce sighed and nodded.
"*sigh* Bruce…I just want to apologise." Dick begun while Bruce looked shocked "I'm not sure which one of usshould be more surprised: you or me. But I can see that you're really in love…even though it is with Harl…" Bruce glared at Dick "…een. But in any case, I give you my blessing to be with her."
Bruce smiled and placed his hand on Dick's shoulder "Thank you Dick. You're a good friend." As Dick smiled and looked at the floor
"You two aren't going to make out are you?" Barbara's voice called out
"God almighty Barbara; give a guy some warning next time!" Dick said holding his heart.
"You're getting better in your stealth training Barbara." Bruce complemented her while hiding his scared episode.
"Still it's better seeing you two together, than you and Harley, Bruce." Barbara said coldly
"You've been looking up those sorts of Fanfictions and pictures again, haven't you Babs?" Dick said looking really ticked off.
"Grow up you two." Bruce said holding his head in his hand.
"Master Bruce, telephone for you." Alfred said
"Thanks Alfred, play nice you two." Bruce looked at his companions and left.
(Dick's POV)
"So…" Barbara then Dick said.
"You told Bruce what you thought?" Barbara asked
"Yep." Dick answered
"He believed you?" Barbara asked
"Think so." Dick answered
"You're both fools." Barbara said walking off
Dick sighed and spoke "Maybe she has changed Barb. Maybe we've been caught up so much with the crazies we've forgotten that they're still people needing help."
"Am I the only one still sane here? She is Harley Quinn! The lackey of Joker, the most psychotic, deranged, mass murdering monster Arkham has housed! He's killed more people than the Black Plague, have you forgotten that he killed J…?"Barbara raised her voice
"I haven't forgotten! I've never forgotten, but Quinn wasn't there! That was all him! Do you remember what she was like after we went there? She cowered away from us! She didn't want to fight, she was reluctant. If there's one thing I know this family is supposed to be good at it's being detectives! For God's sake Barbara you're the daughter of the Commissioner of Police!" Dick started to sound like a husband towards Barbara when he questioned her methods.
"I know who I am Dick! But remember he was your brother not mine!" Barbara said trying to hold back her tears behind anger. "That's what made it worse! And now Bruce, this City needs people like him! I don't want to lose another member of this family any more than you do Dick!" Barbara said wiping her eyes.
"That's why you don't want him being with Harleen? 'Cause you're scared he'll die? Barb…" Dick held Barbara by her shoulders "Bruce got me out from Hell; when my folks died…I wanted revenge…if he could get me out from that place…I'm sure he can do the same for Harleen." Dick said looking into Barbara's eyes.
"*sniff, sigh* When did you start calling her Harleen?" Barbara asked moving her glasses up her defined nose and composed herself.
"Just before you came in." Dick smiled
(Bruce's POV)
Bruce overheard everything Dick and Barbara said…he was glad to know that Barbara and Dick cared for him deeply, he needed to talk to her then but he needed to take this call that Alfred distracted him to.
"Okay Alfred, what is this phone call about?" Bruce asked
"What phone call, Master Bruce?" Alfred said slyly
"Oh-ho…You're getting good Alfred." Bruce said pointing his finger at his former guardian.
"Thank you Master Bruce, but there is an important matter to attend to: the Gala tonight, you do not think that this particular date is a bit dangerous?" Alfred asked
"The date, what do you…you think that the Joker will attack? It being the date He and Harleen first met." Bruce figured it out.
"Exactly…he may find it an insult to say the least." Alfred said
"It'll be a good precaution to have Nightwing, Robin and Batgirl at the Gala then isn't it?" Bruce said
"Very good Sir, but remember: The Joker is unpredictable, even with the extra security." Alfred said sadly
"I know Alfred, but I can't risk cancelling the Gala…too many lives are at risk." Bruce said looking conflicted.
(Harleen's POV)
*Time four minutes past six*
Ivy listened to all of Harleen's flashbacks, each horrible sight. "Harls…He can't get you; He's been missing for near a month, he doesn't know where you live!" Ivy tried to calm her holding her in her arms.
"He always finds people Ivy…that Charlie guy…he went away from Gotham and began a new life, but he found him…that's not what's scaring me…I'm losing it. I can't see Bruce, I see Joker…I think I'm falling for him again!" Harleen sobbed
"Harley, you are the most precious person I care about! You've been trying to beat this…this demon since you got out of Arkham. You've come on leaps and bounds from the Harlequin lackey to…to this!" Ivy looked around and picked up one of Harleen's throwing stars and showed it to her. "You took the initiative to change; not Joker!"
Harleen looked at Ivy then the reflection in the throwing star, then the mirror. "I see her again…the other me Ivy…I see Harley. I'm afraid if I put on that dress and makeup I'll revert back to her." Harley began to flow with tears.
"You won't…" Ivy said hugging her friend "Because you have Bruce and the Bat…two people who believe that you've changed. I know you've changed, Bill knows you've changed, prove to yourself that you've changed.
Harleen looked inside the mirror and saw her Harley Quinn face paint covering her looks, she looked at her throwing star and saw the reflection; she returned to the mirror and wiped it away.
"Wax on…wax off." She smiled then turned to Ivy. "I'm ready…"
"Attagirl, here let's get you into that dress you told me about." Ivy said
Ivy got Harleen dressed into her starlight silver dress, as Harleen unwrapped the towel from around her chest Ivy saw some small marks from where Joker had hurt her: a few stitches on her arm and leg from when he pushed her out the window, small cuts from his knives. Ivy noticed a single mark near her wrist from where she injected her with her Immunity Serum. Luckily the dress was a snug fit and the zip went straight up to the top. Harleen managed to bring out her best assets with her makeup: black mascara and ruby red lip stick.
"Okay let's see the end result." Ivy said covering her eyes then seeing Harleen emerging into her sight.
'Radiant' that's the only word Ivy could think, Harley Quinn the Arkham clown girl was gone. Tonight she was like Cinderella going to the Ball. Ivy began to weep and smile.
"That bad huh?" Harleen asked embarrassed
"No…Bruce is lucky to see you like this Harls. You're like a new woman." Ivy said growing a new flower from a seed; a beautiful white rose and placing it in Harleen's hair.
Harley smiled and saw the time: quarter to seven.
"Go. You're Prince Charming is waiting. I'll lock up." Ivy said
"You're the best Ivy." Harleen said hugging her friend then leaving.
To be continued
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