The Joker.
There is no escape. There never was. All this time playing house, dressing up and keeping up appearances in the dreamworld of a better life, pretending that they could escape the inevitable; he was always there. Always watching. Waiting for the perfect moment to strike.
Bruce and Selina were halfway to paradise, and Dick and Harley's fight was icing on the cake. When he took her, he didn't just break the two of them. It was never just the two of them. Familial faces surround them, yet they're alone in this. And there's only two outcomes.
Dick watched in dread as the hospital staff rushed around him. As soon as he'd walked in the emergency room doors carrying Harley, it'd been constant motion. He'd taken a second- trying to think through the panic- to pull a pair of sweatpants and a sweatshirt on over his uniform and remove his mask, but as soon as he'd pulled Harley back up into his arms, they'd been ruined by blood. The emergency room staff had scurried over to them as soon as they walked in the door.
"What happened? Get me a doctor!" a nurse called, taking Harley's pulse as another checked her pupil dilation with a flashlight. "We're going to need her name," she told Dick. "I need to know the extent of that damage! Do we have a file on her?" Harley groaned in pain as Dick laid her on a gurney someone rolled up for them; she clutched his hand. "We'll need a blood transfusion! And an obstetrician." The nurse looked at Dick expectantly.
"Oh," Dick was a bit lost by all the chaos, his heart pounding. "Harleen Quinzel. Dr. Canley was her doctor." The nurse seemed to recoil for a moment at her name, her hand pulling away from Harley's stomach. She blinked.
"Go to Canley's files. I think Dr. Brown has them. And call in Dr. Halloway." Another nurse ran off to do as she was told.
"Nurse Martinez!" someone else called, drawing the nurse's attention as Harley screamed from another contraction.
Everyone were blurs around Harley. She held tighter to Dick's hand, whimpering. Haly. Please let Haly be okay. The gurney was being pushed down a hall, and the nurse glanced at Dick when she saw he was still with them. One look at his face, and she didn't object.
"Beth," Martinez called to another nurse. "Get him a pair of scrubs." Harley cried out as Beth pulled Dick away. He tried to protest, fighting for a moment, but realizing he had to go with her. In his panic, he'd nearly punched the nurse.
Dick bit his lip as Beth led him back through the ICU. It wasn't supposed to happen like this. She knocked on an operating room door and said something to the nurse who opened it, but the blood was rushing in Dick's ears too loud for him to hear. The nurse waved him in. The operating room was sterile, with a cluster of people moving around Harley on the operating table wearing scrubs, latex gloves, and masks. One man detached himself; his mouth and nose were covered.
"You must be Dick Grayson. I'm Dr. Holloway." He gestured to Harley's head, and Dick obediently moved and took her hand. Harley's hand clenched around it, pulling it up by her face as she bit her lip and tried not to cry out. The doctor moved back behind the operating theater that had been erected over Harley's chest. She was in a hospital gown, her bloody hair pulled back from her face. "We're unfamiliar with Harley's… special condition," Dr. Holloway warned. "But Dr. Canley did leave notes, and we need to perform an emergency C-section, or she and the baby could be seriously injured."
"Please help my baby," Harley sobbed.
"According to your file, anesthetic isn't going to work. This is going to hurt," he warned. Harley shook her head. I don't care, she thought. Haly.
Bruce stormed into the hospital waiting room, Selina right behind him. He headed to where his family were gathered around a group of chairs.
"What happened?" he demanded as soon as he was close enough.
"We don't know," Tim replied, jumping up.
"All we know is what we told you on the phone. We called you as soon as Dick ran off," Barbara said quietly, tucking a bag under her chair. They all watched Bruce, waiting on his guidance.
"Has anyone got ahold of any doctors?" he asked.
"They won't tell us anything," Damian muttered.
Bruce looked around the room at all of them, Selina standing gravely at his side. He rubbed his face and then sat down slowly.
"That was foolish," he said quietly. "You should have called me." The Joker. As soon as he left, they chose to take on the Joker. "I should have been called as soon as his name was mentioned."
"Dick told us not to," Damian said quietly.
"One of you should have been smart enough to question his judgement," Bruce snapped. Damian fell silent, looking down again. Jason couldn't meet anyone's eyes. He and Ivy sat quietly, knowing they should have been there to help. Barbara shook her head and looked up.
"Then why the hell did you leave him in charge?!" she demanded. The tension in the room was only matched by the gravity of the situation.
"Because I thought he could handle it. Evidently I overestimated him." Bruce hissed. Selina put a hand on his shoulder.
"No one could have predicted this," she said quietly, and the room fell silent again.
"He's taunted Dick about Harley being alone before," Bruce retorted, "we should have known. We knew he was going to try and hurt them." He took a deep breath. "Where is the Joker now?"
"We don't know," Barbara said, biting her tongue. She wanted to be angry, but all she could feel was worry. Bruce stood up and started pacing.
"Where did Dick find Harley?" he asked. "Has it been searched?" Barbara dropped her head in her hands.
"Hey Bruce, when we said 'we don't know' it meant we don't fucking know," Tim snapped suddenly, looking up at him. "Dick disappeared faster than any of us could follow, and we tried to. Some of us went to their house... and... Harley had obviously been taken, and he was here before any of us could react. He moved as fast as he could. None of us know where she was, Dick is the only one who has all the pieces."
"There has to be something," Bruce snapped back. He ran a hand through his hair. "There has to be something we can do."
"Please sit down," Selina whispered, staring at the floor. Bruce sank into a chair.
"There has to be something we can do," he repeated, his voice weak. Selina didn't answer, putting a hand on his shoulder, knowing she could offer no comfort. A nurse pushed open the door from the ICU and scurried over to them.
"Are you the Wayne family?" she asked. Everyone's head snapped up to look at her, and Bruce stood up. "Richard and Harleen are back in surgery with Dr. Holloway. He's performing an emergency C-section. I should warn you, you may want to prepare for the worst."
Harley cried out, practically crushing Dick's hand in hers. Her other hand was clenched around the table, her knuckles white. Dick didn't know what to do, knowing the pain in his hand was nothing compared to what Harley was going through. He'd practically broken his hand against the Joker's cheek, and with her Antitoxin strength, he knew that his hand may not last the night. He did what he could, pushing her hair away from her sweat soaked forehead. She felt his lips cool against her skin. Why is she burning up!? His hand shook.
"I'm sorry, Harley," his voice trembled. "You're doing incredible. Just hold on." Harley was vaguely aware of him talking and a frenzied beeping that was her heart rate monitor. She just kept trying to breathe; the message from lamaze class repeating in her head, but it felt like a lead weight was on her chest, crushing her. The pain from her stomach was unbearable.
"She's losing too much blood." The words floated over to her. Harley registered this was her fault, that she needed to slow her heartbeat. She realized something else had been said and that she missed it.
"Keep that open." Harley thought that sounded like the doctor. Dr. Holloway. My healing, she thought. "Let's see what's faster. Your healing or my blade." Harley shuddered, her back arching, and she could hear the heart rate monitor spike.
"Dick," she whimpered.
"Shhh, Harley, you need to try to slow your heart rate," he breathed. Glancing at the doctors, he knelt beside her head. She could see him, white as a ghost and a bit fuzzy through her vision. He put the hand that wasn't gripping hers on the side of her head and pressed his lips to her temple. "I'm here. It's okay. Focus on me," he whispered beside her ear. He wasn't sure if he'd ever truly believed or not that there was a God, but his heart prayed desperately now. "Just listen to my voice. We'll be okay. All three of us." Harley rolled her head, and looked at him. She nodded a little before crying out again. Her hand spasmed in his as she started crying again. She felt his hand squeeze back, his lips pressed into her hair just above her ear. He was at a loss, searching for something to say, trying to keep himself calm. Harley could hear his breathing shuddering past his lips beside her ear as he inhaled slowly, and then exhaled. She matched the slow rhythm, and he kissed her head. "We'll be okay," he whispered, and closed his eyes.
The waiting room was silent. Damian was scrolling through messages on his phone, curled up in a chair beside Stephanie. Her hand was clutched in Tim's with their heads bent together as they spoke quietly, their voices a soft murmur in the quiet. Cassandra's fingers tapped the arm of her chair. Barbara scuffed her shoes on the carpet, staring at the floor. Jason and Ivy sat off to the side, Jason slumped in his chair with Ivy staring off into space thoughtfully beside him. Bruce looked around at all of them numbly, Selina's hand held in his. He looked down at their fingers laced together, the dark metal band around his finger shining new in the light. How many times had they been in this situation? Desperately waiting for news on a loved one- and how many times in recent months had Dick been the one on the other side of that door? He looked around at them. Damian, Tim, Jason, Cass, Steph, even Barbara; they were all just children. He'd been so sure that his guidance would help them. Barbara stood up suddenly.
"Sam," she said in surprise. The officer stood with Commissioner Gordon and Will Collins, in full uniform, looking grave. Two other uniformed policemen followed behind them. "What are you doing here?" she asked.
"We… got a call that Harleen Quinzel was here. There is still a warrant out for her arrest," Will said quietly, snow still melting on his heavy black jacket.
"You bastard-" Tim stood angrily, and Jason was on his feet as well. Bruce put a hand up to stop them.
"Commissioner…" he trailed off. He didn't know what to say.
"I'm sorry Bruce," Gordon sighed. "We're supposed to put officers on her once she gets out of surgery."
"That's bullshit," Damian snapped. Bruce looked at them.
"No, it's the law," he said calmly, and Tim stared at him in outrage.
"She's our family, Bruce! They can't just do that!"
"It's our job," Will looked down. "I'm sorry kid, we did what we could do."
"She should be arrested," one of the other officers said. "And you all should be charged with harboring a-" he cut off when Sam put a hand on his arm.
"Don't," he advised.
"Isn't there some law against jailing mothers with babies!?" Steph cried.
"She'll be able to stay with the baby for a week maybe," Gordon told them. "Then Dick will hopefully be able to take custody, if not… it's the foster system."
"That's…" Tim looked furious. "That's not fair. That's not humane. You can't just…" he shook his head. Damian looked down.
"It will ruin him. You can't," he looked up at Gordon.
"Why now!?" Barbara demanded. "Why do you suddenly care so much now!?"
"I'm sorry." Gordon shook his head. "The acting mayor; he's determined to provide results. Harley Quinn off the streets would be good for votes. I'm sorry."
"Do you remember what it was like when we first met?" Dick's voice was a whisper against Harley's ear. His eyes were closed. He didn't know if she was listening, or if she could even hear him. He didn't know what to do. He just knew that he had to keep her calm. Keep her breathing. "I wasn't expecting to have you fall on me when I walked into your office. But I did catch you. I've been catching you ever since… you were just so cute that I couldn't resist. I think I fell in love with you on the trapeze that night," he babbled on, holding her hand tight. "You remember that night?" he asked. "Think about that night," Dick practically begged. He could still smell her rosy perfume mixed with the blood and the sickly clean smell of the hospital. Harley nodded a little, her head rolling toward him. Her eyes focused on him, and she squeezed his hand. She gasped a little, the heart rate monitor jumping. Her eyes glazed over, her hand nearly slipping from his.
"Doctor!" a nurse called.
"Get that closed," he called. "We need to stop the blood flow."
"Her- it's the healing- how-"
"Nurse Martinez," Doctor Holloway continued giving instructions, "I need you to hold here." Another nurse came around the partition. He looked into Harley's eyes, checking her pulse. The beeping had slowed.
"I'm going to need you to move back," he told Dick. He stared at Harley in horror.
"What? N-no," he looked at the nurse, shaking his head. "No," he said more forcefully, and cried out as someone pulled him back, his hand tearing away from Harley's. "What's happening!?" he shouted, trying to get back to her.
"Sir, you need to calm down," the nurse holding him insisted. Two nurses were working around Harley's head.
"We need to get her oxygen," one of them ordered. Dick couldn't see her around them as they worked.
"Nurse Martinez," Dr. Holloway said calmly from the other side of the partition, "we need to get this healed properly." Dick yanked his arm away from the nurse.
"Don't tell me to calm down- do your job!" he cried, running his hands through his hair. He hated feeling this useless. Dick tried to move to see what they were doing, but he couldn't see over their shoulders. Harley gasped, the monitor spiking before stabilizing again. She coughed, the nurse stepping away from her head.
"Dick!" she cried weakly, trying to find him. He cut back through the cluster of nurses to her, catching her hand.
"I'm here Harley. It's okay," he held tight to her. Her hand held weakly to his.
"We need to make sure this stays stable," Dr. Holloway instructed.
"Haly? What about Haly?" Harley looked around, trembling slightly. Dr. Holloway stepped around the partition toward them, his latex gloves coated in her blood. The nurses on the other side cleaned everything up.
"We need to get you to recovery. You've lost a lot of blood, and we don't know how you'll-"
"-No," Harley shook her head. "My baby. Where is my baby?"
"No," Dick choked. His hand loosened in Harley's. They couldn't hear crying.
The doctor looked down, shaking his head slowly. "The damage is… was…" He sighed. "I'm sorry." Silence fell for a brief moment, the people around them seeming to slow for a second before it moved on. She could see Dick, still frozen as the nurses moved around him. He scarcely breathed.
"No," he repeated. "Why… No…" his voice faded out as he looked down, his light eyes unfocused. She'd seen that look before. She'd seen it at her own funeral, watching him from a distance.
"We need to get her to recovery," the doctor repeated, everything around them moving again as if nothing had happened. As if their hearts hadn't just stopped.
Harley shook her head, bracing her hands against the table. There was an ache, worse than anything else she'd gone through today. "Please," her voice cracked as tears streamed down her face. "No." Dick's hand slipped out of hers, and he sank the rest of the way to the floor, staring down at his hands. He wanted to breathe, but the breath had already been released from his lungs.
"Miss Quinzel, you-"
"No!" Harley cried, cutting the doctor off. "She can't," she wailed. She struggled to sit up, ripping the wires connecting her to monitors out. "This can't be- no."
"Miss Quinzel!" Dr. Holloway and a nurse tried to hold her down.
"No!" She screamed again, sobbing. She pushed them away, fighting her way off the table and falling to her knees. "I can't," she gasped, "please, no." Blood was still smeared across her arms, neck, face, and body, everything about her a mess.
"Harley!" Dick shouted angrily, catching her before she could collapse to the side. "Let them help you," he said quietly. His pale eyes were numb. "Just let them help you." His voice dropped to a whisper as he stood, holding her in his arms.
"No," she whispered. "No." She struggled back to her feet, stumbling forward. "I can't stay here… this place… no," she wailed.
"Harley stop it!" Dick shouted, his voice gruff and cutting through the quiet as he caught her arm and pulled her back. Dr. Holloway took her other arm gently as two other nurses stepped forward, and he did his best to force her gently onto the waiting gurney against her struggling. Martinez pulled Dick away from Harley. He didn't fight back this time.
"No!" Harley screamed. "Get me out of here! Please," she begged, still struggling. "Please. Haly." She collapsed back against the gurney, sobbing. Dick watched her over his shoulder as nurse Martinez led him out. She didn't say anything as she guided him through the halls. She didn't have to. When they came into the waiting room, she left him standing in front of his family. Dick stared at the floor, numb with shock and anguish, before he collapsed weakly to his knees.
"Dick!" Bruce grabbed his shoulders. "What happened?" Jason stood up, his hand held in Ivy's; Barbara covered her mouth at the sight of the blood on his scrubs.
"Are they okay?" Tim asked.
"I didn't…" Dick looked pale, his jaw tight. He gasped and looked around, seeming lost. He stared at Bruce, his eyebrows knit in confusion and pain, an expression that Bruce had seen too many times on his son's face. "I was too late. She's gone and I… what did I do wrong?" he asked weakly, his eyes unfocused. Disoriented. "Why couldn't I save my own daughter?"