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.
Chapter 13
Time has passed for Bruce and Harleen (who is now going by her nickname Harley) they have been taking it easy. Dick has taken the mantle of Batman; it's so Bruce and Harley can finally have some alone time. Barbara, Bill and Ivy are discussing on new techniques, as well as designs for new meta-human armour for Bruce and Harley.
(Harley's POV)
"I guess I'll have to face the music when we go out." Harley said sadly, her dual dyed hair gently being stroked by Bruce's hands; her head lying softly on Bruce's lap.
"What do you mean?" Bruce asked
"Well, I've hardly been discreet being Quinn have I? All the stuff that I've pulled off: the robberies, the knocking out robbers for their share of the loot, the exploding cars, dying my hair red and blue, the panty raids…"Harley listed off
"Yeah…those were…wait panty raids when did that happen?" Bruce asked
"Somewhere between the diamond heists and the freeing the tigers from the zoo I think." Harley said sadly.
"Oh yeah…I remember Bill getting some of the tigers to heel; Ivy seemed to enjoy the carnage a little bit." Bruce reminisced
"Yeah…that sounds like her. I'm pretty sure that I broke into a bio-dome and stole a rare plant." Harley said
"She did day, Viva la Flora, when you did that." Bruce joked
"I was so scared Bruce…" Harley felt tears forming
"I know you were. You told me, but you were and you are strong! You've become someone free from the past. You've evolved from the broken shards of the Harlequin and have been re-forged into a beautiful bat-woman and the woman I love." Bruce gazed into her beautiful teary eyes
"*sniff* Do you always use these moves an all the women?" Harley asked
"Only the ones I'm serious about." Bruce smiled
"So just me then?" Harley asked thinking just a bit vain
"No…there were others. But that's all in the past Harley; I've not seen them in what seems like years." Bruce said honestly
"Bruce…shut up and kiss me." Harley said getting up and crawled to him like a cat.
"Gladly." Bruce said stroking her hair behind her ear then passionately kissing her lips.
Harley lay on top of Bruce and snaked her arms around his neck; Bruce moved his hands slowly down Harley's slender well trained body then placing his hands on her hips then onto her buttocks. Harley grabbed Bruce's hands hen placed them on her hips, "Nah-ah Bruce…you've got to wait for that. But it'll be worth the wait…I promise." Harley said seductively rubbing noses.
"You learn that trick from Ivy?" Bruce smiled and massaged her back
"If I learned any tricks from Ivy, I'd be wearing those provocative clothes more often." Harley said hugged Bruce then nuzzled his neck.
'Then I'll have to wait.' Bruce thought 'No matter how long.' And continued to hug his girlfriend.
(Barbara's POV)
Tim was training down in the bat-cave; he was hitting the training dummies with his robin-rangs and martial arts moves. Barbara was trying to work out how Bill survived his time in Arkham.
"Hey Barbara…what are you working on?" Tim panted
"Just looking into Bill's history…how does someone like him survive Arkham for five years?"
"I don't know…why not ask him?" Tim spoke
"Yeah…ask a guy who can bruise the internal organs of a Venom induced goon in a single punch, about his origin. I can't see that going wrong?" Barbara said sarcastically
(Bill's POV)
Sighing; Bill spent hours, pouring over these books keeping his records of his sales. He noticed that the time of the month came once again.
"Damn…guess it's time again…I bet he's wondering what the hell I've been doing…I just got the feeling back in my toes from the last time." Bill said suiting up "Just hope I'm not there too long, last thing I need is an artificial foot." He collected a large amount of dollars and compiled them into a bag-pack.
Bill travelled down to a secluded section of Gotham; people didn't go near it because of the immense number of crime. Now most sane people would heed that this place was dangerous and just drive past it…Bill isn't like most sane people. Bill went down to the warehouse closest to the ocean. Not even the ships docked in the ports would go near here; there was every chance they would be hijacked by bandits, robbers and psychopaths.
"He really needs to get a closer accommodation…" Bill half joked as he approached a warehouse that was cold to even look at. "As well as turning off the air con." Bill smiled at his joke. He knocked on the icy door, the hinges and cracks were covered with ice. Icicles hung above Bill's head with little to no signs of breaking and coming down.
The door opened and the blast of freezing air filled Bill's lungs, even suited in a cold resistant suit it chilled him to the bone. Inside the warehouse was an containment tube housing: a beautiful blonde haired woman, her skin looked white as fresh snow, draped in a stunning snowflake style gown. She floated in an unknown liquid that was keeping her in this temporary immortality. Connecting to the tube were pipes containing the same liquid, Bill kept his hands deep in his pockets and looked upon the inscription: Nora Fries, loving wife, the perfect snowflake.
Bill sighed and turned to see upon a blue skinned muscular man in a scientists suit, he brandished a laser type gun in his right hand and aimed it straight at Bill, his eyes were protected by a special made pair of goggles…they're special made because Bill designed them.
"Still working on the cure Victor?" Bill asked kindly
"Bill…you're back…you haven't…?" Victor asked. Victor Fries also known as Mister Freeze was a dangerous man, even more so if you threaten his wife Nora. He once worked in Wayne Enterprises before he fell into his cryogenic chemicals freezing him inside and out. His only goal now is to cure his wife Nora, who was diagnosed with a still incurable disease, and hopes to save her.
"Don't worry Victor. I'm here for your monthly drop off. It's all there: fifteen thousand, just like I agreed to." Bill shuddered from the cold more than Victor's weapon.
Victor counted the money and placed the payment on his table "Thank you…you keep doing this and you may warm my frozen heart." Victor spoke in gratitude.
"I'd prefer if you cure Nora, Victor…people may start to talk if they hear: "Bill from Bill's Armour and Tech, thawed Mister Freeze's heart!" besides, hope you won't be insulted if I leave before my manhood shrinks into ice drops."
"No of course…Bill, I want to know…why help me? Why do you give me this money every time?" Victor asked.
Bill shrugged and said "I'm a hopeless romantic. This is like a continuing love story…can't wait for the end. And you're my friend Victor…friends help each other out." Bill smiled
"I guess that makes sense." Victor thanked Bill "Like you helped Bat-Shard out?"
"You know about her?" Bill asked shuddering, huddling his arms under his armpits
"Of course, I know that it is your armour that kept her safe…before she went mad." Victor said making a drink.
"So you know too…" Bill implied
"Of course…one of the few…I will not go after her…I know what Miss Harley means to you." Victor said understanding the situation.
"Thanks…Ah crap!" Bill said in gratitude then annoyance.
"What?" Victor asked
"My testicles have shrunk back into my body. No need for a cold shower when I make out with Ivy later!" Bill joked
"You and Miss Ivy? I thought…" Victor asked
"Yeah, yeah…kiss her and die…but only if you don't have poison and toxin immunity." Bill smiled waving goodbye to Victor "See you later Victor. Keep out of trouble!"
(Harleen's POV)
Harley stepped into the shower, the waters cascaded down her battle and abuse scarred body. She lathered the shampoo into her hair and felt the bubbles roll down her back and chest. 'Free…I'm free of Quinn…but why am I using her name? Is it that I don't really want to lose the part of my life that attracted me to Bruce?' Harley rubbed the bubbles from her dual coloured hair and thought back to what Bruce said, about ex-girlfriends. She thought how many real girlfriends did he have…one…two…six? But then her thoughts turned back to when he said: he couldn't imagine life without her and how he can really be happy without wearing that social mask. Harley sighed then thought about the picture she drew ages back, the one with Bruce and her at the altar…her imagination became flesh in her mind: the flowers, the bat decorations, Ivy as her maid of honour, Dick and Tim being there with Bruce as Best man and ring bearer. Harley sighed and spoke "If things go smoothly…maybe soon…someday soon."
"Someday soon…?" a female voice spoke seductively
"Argh! Ivy what are you doing here?" Harley screamed
"I (sort of) live here…what do you mean by someday soon?" Ivy said getting into the shower behind Harley.
"Never you mind! Get out; this is my "Me Time"!" Harley said pushing her friend
"Your "Me time" ended ten minutes ago…now its "Us time"…" Ivy said seductively
"Ivy…Ivy don't…don't you dare…not the loofa!" Harley backed into a corner as Ivy stepped towards her with the bathroom implement then a scream was heard.
(Bruce's POV)
Dick came back after a session trying to find out the meanings of these clues left by Riddler…no such luck; beating bad guys and finding their hideouts was one thing, but Dick particularly hated riddles. "Riddler's got a sick sense of humour Bruce…I can't make sense of any of these!" Dick handed the pages to Bruce as he examined them Bill entered still wearing his insulated suit. "Where've you been?" Dick asked
"Out…we've got a problem." Bill said solemnly
"What is it?" Bruce asked
"Freeze knows about Harley." Bill answered
"Freeze…as in Victor Fries; as in Mister Freeze?" Bruce asked
Bill nodded "Along with a few more…Victor has promised not to go after her as long as…hmm." Bill stopped abruptly but knew he said more than he needed too.
"How many more? And why were you with Freeze?" Bruce asked
Bill sat down "A few, I didn't get a set number…*sigh* I went to give him a deposit so he could live at his location and focus on Nora; okay?" as he confessed Bruce and Dick couldn't believe it.
"How many friends do you have in or out of Arkham?" Dick asked
"A few…Crane isn't one of them…we maintain a rivalry but we aren't friends." Bill explained
"But why are you giving money to Freeze? Is he extorting you?" Bruce asked sounding concerned
"No, he isn't extorting me out of anything. We met back in Arkham, he told me about his wife, I could see why he'd do it so I give him funds to continue his research and maintenance." Bill explained looking at the riddles
"I guess that makes sense, but be careful Bill…making deals with devils is never a good thing." Bruce explained, thinking on his deals with Penguin in the past.
"Sometimes devils come to you. Here look at this, the letters are replaced here with symbols." Bill pointed out.
"So?" Dick asked
"So…why not replace the symbols with letters and that may spell out what Riddler's planning to do." Bill explained.
"Worth a shot. Let's see…" Bruce said before hearing a scream.
"Harley!" the three called out
They raced upstairs where they went to the source of the screams; Bruce tried opening the door but couldn't get it open.
"Stop! Stop it!" Harley screamed
"Harley, hold on!" Bill kicked the door open which exposed the naked Harley and semi-naked Ivy.
"Stop it Ivy! That tickles! I said stop with the loofa!" Harley was fine except she was being tickled by Ivy with the loofa and soap suds
Bruce, Bill and Dick stood in awe of the two women in the soap suds costumes. They turned around as to make sure Tim didn't see this and to deny anything that Barbara may accuse them of.
"Sorry…was I too loud?" Harley asked slipping away from Ivy.
Bruce made a pinch gesture with his left hand "err…a little bit." He couldn't bear to see Harley without her clothes on…lest she gets even with him.
"And me without my camera." Dick joked
"Don't be a dick, Dick! Do you need a towel?" Bill asked making sure he didn't see Bruce's girlfriend naked.
"Err… I'm good." Ivy said slowly getting up.
"I could use one." Harley asked.
Bruce went in removing his shirt and placed it over Harley. "sorry it's a little big." He said looking at his covered girlfriend.
"I don't mind." She smiled; Bruce then picked her up bridal style and carried her off to her room. 'I could get used to this…this is great practice' she thought smiling.
"I better go…deny my being here!" Dick raced off sliding down the stair bannister.
Ivy and Bill were the only ones near the bathroom, Bill turned and said: "So…"
"So…"
"Anything happen, during your tickle fight?" Bill asked Ivy knowing what she was capable of.
"Nothing you couldn't figure out for yourself…" Ivy answered
"The loofa and vines?" Bill asked
"The loofa and the vines…" Ivy answered
"Round two…?" Bill inquired
"Yeah, go on!" Ivy grinned as they slammed the bathroom door behind them both and giggled, behind the door Ivy squeaked "Hey, no loofa!"
To be continued
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