Dick and Harley are headed into danger.
And there's not much Bruce can do about it. The two commed in about a lead on their homicide-missing persons case that the Commissioner had them working on, and they haven't checked in since. With the Joker out there preying on them, who's to say that this isn't exactly what he wanted?
In reality, he wants them broken. He wants them scared and alone, broken by the loss of their daughter. He hadn't accounted for the fact that they may be resilient. He hadn't thought that they'd ever be out, looking for him, and turning the tables. And they'd never accounted for this.
The Batcave was dark, Bruce's footsteps echoing in the high stone ceilings, riddled with stalactites silhouetted in the glow of the Batcomputer as he booted it up.
Reduced to sneaking downstairs to check on my son in secret... Bruce chuckled. That's what you get for tying the knot.
His smirk faded when he saw the pending transmission from Nightwing's comm. He pressed play, listening carefully. When it ended, he yanked his shirt off, pulling the door of the display case open. He pulled his cowl down. The elevator chimed as it opened.
"What the hell do you think you're doing?" Selina demanded, stepping out with her arms crossed.
"Dick and Harley may be about to confront the Joker. I'm not about to let them go in alone." His voice was steadfast, and he pulled his Batsuit on, adjusting the heavy bulletproof sleeve over his broken arm.
"You're injured. You aren't going out there." Selina caught his uninjured arm, looking up at him.
"I have to. No one else can." Bruce looked in her eyes, begging her to let go without a fight.
"Yes someone else can," Selina cried. "It's not just you. And... you know what? I could go." She stepped back. "Maybe I should go suit up right now, so you can see how it feels knowing someone shouldn't go out."
Bruce bit his tongue to keep from shouting. "Selina, he's my son."
"And you're my husband. And there is another kid to think about," she pleaded with him. Bruce looked toward the Batcomputer.
"You're asking me to choose. What if something happens to him?" Bruce looked at her.
"I'm not asking you to choose. I'm just begging you to consider your options."
"Fine." Bruce nodded curtly, and then turned to the computer, pushing a button. "Batcave to Nightwing and Quinn."
"Batcave! Didn't I tell you to take the night off?" Nightwing answered.
"Yes, you did," Selina answered.
"We're heading in now. Gordon asked us to investigate a murder, which led us to the victim's house. Her brother has been missing for nearly a week, and on his computer we found the signal blocking the tracer that I planted on the Joker a week or so ago. We followed it here." Nightwing led the way toward the dark building.
"Don't worry, B-man," Harley added, "we're being careful."
"Good," Selina breathed. "Nightwing, I'm blaming you if Bruce has to go out with a broken arm."
"Right," Nightwing laughed. "Got it." He scanned the building and then glanced at Harley. "So. Best course of action? How do we go in?" Harley considered their options.
"Do we want to stick together or split up?"
Nightwing hesitated and bit his lip. "We'll cover more ground if we split up. Scans indicate no large heat signatures, he may not even be here, so get in, and get out. See what we can find. If this is where he's been holed up, he could come back any minute." Nightwing looked at her. "I'll head in the back. Be careful." He kissed her quickly and headed around the building.
Harley sighed before going straight to the front door. It opened easily but creaked loudly. It was dark inside, the only light coming from a streetlight outside. Harley pulled out a flashlight, clicking it on and shining around her as she walked.
"So Mr. and Mrs. Wayne, how has married life been treating you?" she asked. The beam of her flashlight caught dancing dust motes in it as she ran it across some crates. Everything was dusty except for a scuffed clean path on the floor. She followed it slowly, shining her light around every corner.
"You're pretty inquisitive," Bruce said, ignoring her questioning. Selina hit his shoulder.
"We're fine," she smiled a little, watching him. The feed from Nightwing's mask was visible on the screen as he scanned his area.
"Why so defensive?" Harley smiled. "I was just making small talk. It's dark and creepy here, and I'm talkative." Nightwing chuckled over the comms.
"Nothing here so far. Second floor is clean, as far as I can tell. Heading up to the third floor, Harles, if you wanna pass me and go upstairs."
"Yup." Harley skipped up the stairs, waving at Nightwing as her light passed over him. She went all the way to the top, trusting Nightwing to search the levels below. The top floor was a lot less cluttered, but there were still clear indents in the dust where people had walked. She continued to follow them, shuddering as she passed the window the Joker had pushed her out of. "There's a room up here," she told them as her light hit a door. "Office maybe?"
"Check it out. I haven't found anything, but the tracer is definitely here," Nightwing responded, finishing his scan of the third floor.
"Be careful," Batman urged.
"Yes sir," Harley mumbled. She pushed the door open, glancing around. "This place is a mess." Harley wrinkled her nose. The Joker's room was still unorganized chaos and broken furniture. While the fire was burning down, there was still a lamp on, so she clicked her flashlight off and put it away as she scanned the room. "I think I see the tracker." She walked forward to the dresser, reaching toward the tracer resting on top. Her foot kicked the pulled out drawer, and she glanced down at a whimpering noise. Haly squirmed in her blankets, waking up. "Oh my God!" Harley gasped, covering her mouth and stumbling backward.
"What?" Nightwing asked.
"Oh my God," she repeated, her voice thick with tears. She knelt down by Haly. "Dick, come here… I just…. Dick," she breathed; she smoothed a hand over Haly's hair.
"Okay, I'm coming to you-" Nightwing turned and gasped as the prongs of a taser hit him in the chest. He fell backwards and the Joker pinned him down with it, lifting the taser over his head and bringing it down in Nightwing's chest again. He screamed before the Joker ripped his mask off, leaning down towards him.
"How did you get here!?" he screeched. "How did you find me?! Are there others!?"
Dick gasped and pressed his lips together tight.
"Answer me!" Joker screamed, tasing him again. Dick howled in pain.
"Harley get out of here!" he stuttered into his comm. Joker's eyes went wide in fury, and he ripped Dick's comm out of his ear, getting up and running both of his hands through his hair in a panic. He paced back for a moment.
"No, no, no, no-" Joker cried, racing up the stairs two at a time. Dick rolled over and stumbled to his feet, picking his comm and mask up.
"Harley! Run!" There was the sound of splintering wood from upstairs before Joker's scream of frustration at where Harley had smashed the boarded up window.
"I'm out," she panted into the comm. "Get free and meet me by the bike. Then we're talking about how I need a grappling hook… after… other things."
"No, don't worry about me, just go-" he choked. Harley could see the Joker's face in the window above her, before bullets bit the concrete at her feet. Nightwing burst out the front door and leapt onto the bike, starting it and making sure one of Harley's arms was wrapped firmly around his waist before he took off down the street. Bullets ricocheted off of the buildings beside them, until they were out of the Joker's range. Nightwing shook his head quickly, his body still trembling from the shocks.
"Dick," Harley's voice was a whisper over the wind, "pull over."
"Harley-" he shuddered violently again, pulling the bike to the side of the dark, snow covered street with some effort. He cut the bike's engine, pinching his eyes closed as another wave of pain burst from his chest. "We need to get back to the Batcave."
"Are both of you alright?" Bruce demanded into the comms.
"Are you okay? Harley rested a hand on his shoulder.
"I'll be fine," he stuttered, taking a deep breath. "We have to go." Dick started the bike again without so much as a glance over his shoulder. Haly cried at the loud noise, and he froze. There was a long silence, and he finally cut the bike off, sitting up as he stared straight forward. "H-Harley?"
"You know, I managed to jump out a window without waking her up," Harley laughed breathlessly, her arms shaking slightly as she held Haly.
"She… what? How?" Nightwing was too afraid to turn around. Too shocked. He looked down at his hands. "Is it… her?"
"He took her," Harley breathed, her voice cracking. Haly cried louder, and she bounced her softly. "He took her. That Jane Doe baby, Nurse Martinez, everything was so… he took her." Everything had been a ploy. Everything. The people Joker and Hatter mind controlled, Batman being distracted, even the possibility of her getting away. He'd even had back ups in place for when Hatter's control broke; the acting mayor still pressuring for her arrest, and Nurse Martinez to take Haly when Dr. Canley was taken to Arkham. Harley couldn't believe how they'd missed it, that he'd taken Haly. She kissed Haly's forehead. "Shh, it's okay."
"Haly?" he whispered, getting off of the bike. He stared at Harley and the baby, still shocked and numb.
"Dick- she's…" Harley rested her nose against Haly's forehead as she sobbed. "Days. He's had her for days… She's- she's our baby. Our baby."
"Our baby…" Dick repeated numbly, a grin breaking across his face and hot tears stinging his eyes. He wrapped his arms around Harley and Haly. The baby squirmed between them, screaming. Harley laughed.
"Maybe she's hungry. I don't know the last time she ate. Maybe we shouldn't take the motorcycle. Bruce? I think we need a car," Harley rambled.
"Selina is almost to your location. She wouldn't let me drive with a broken arm; she'll be there soon. Dick, is it…"
"Yes," he laughed, kissing Harley's head.
"It's her. I can't believe it's really her." Harley smiled up at him, her eyes still watering. Nightwing watched her, still grinning numbly.
"But… how? Why?" he asked, kneeling beside them. "Hello, Sweetheart." He laughed, biting his lip.
"This is your daddy," Harley cooed. Haly seemed to pause at her voice. "He broke everything of yours, so you have nowhere to sleep." Nightwing laughed harder, tears spilling over his mask.
"She'll sleep with us," he breathed, smoothing her little tuft of dark hair.
"I am never letting go of you again," Harley told her. Haly blinked up at her, her blue eyes still wet as she slowly calmed down. Dick rested his head against Harley's shoulder, smiling as he closed his eyes.
"I can't believe it."
"She looks like you," Harley breathed, rubbing her thumb along Haly's blankets, tucking them closer around the baby in the cold. Dick nodded, grinning again as Selina pulled the car to a stop beside them.
"You go. I'll take the bike back," Dick urged, opening the car door for Harley.
"I better see your headlight right behind us the whole way, or I will stop this car and come get you," she warned, kissing his cheek before getting in with Haly still nestled in her arms. Selina glanced at her with a smile.
Dick mounted the motorcycle again. He couldn't believe what had happened. Nurse Martinez had been working for the Joker the whole time. Against her will or not, they couldn't be sure, but Dick didn't care at the moment. Their baby… Haly was alive. And she had returned to her family. Dick couldn't imagine what his family would say, or what they would think. They would be relieved, of course. He sped down the street after the car, a grin breaking across his face.
"This is incredible," Selina laughed, beaming. She glanced at Harley, her slender fingers tugging Haly's blanket away from her face a bit. "Oh God, Harley, she's beautiful. She's incredible!" Selina covered her mouth, turning back to the road. "Thank God. Everything will be okay now. Everything is okay!" She laughed, and to Harley's surprise, wiped tears away from her eyes. Seeing Harley's expression, Selina waved a hand dismissively. "I'm sorry. I'm just a bit… emotional is all. Been feeling that way for a couple of weeks." She laughed. "Everything is okay now," Selina repeated, smiling at Harley. Haly was heavy in her arms, reaching one tiny hand out to clutch at Harley's corset. She could still see the headlight of Dick's motorcycle in the rearview mirror as they crossed the bridge out of the city, heading back towards the Manor.
"You know," Harley grinned, "I was a bit emotional once." Harley raised an eyebrow at Selina. She laughed.
"That's why everything is okay now," she burst into sobs, still smiling. Selina wiped her eyes. "I'm pregnant- but Bruce and I couldn't tell anyone- not with you and Dick so… so…" She laughed, clearing her throat. "But it's okay, now," she covered her mouth, smiling. "I don't mean for that to sound- I'm so happy that Haly is… I'm sorry," she breathed, taking Harley's hand and squeezing it.
"Me too." Harley smiled down at Haly. "And congratulations."
"At least you know that she'll have someone to play with," Selina smiled, turning to go up the drive to Wayne Manor.
"So am I supposed to know yet? Or do I keep quiet?" Harley watched Haly sleepily close her eyes.
"We'll keep it quiet for now. Let's focus on Haly," she smiled lovingly at Harley and her daughter, stopping the car in the garage. Dick had broken off to take his motorcycle to the Batcave, where Bruce was probably checking over his taser wounds. Harley followed Selina inside.
"Master Damian," Alfred called once they reached the parlor, "if that is you trying to sneak out again." He stepped out of the kitchen, drying his hands on a towel.
"Hi Alfred." Harley waved the best she could. Alfred dropped the towel, rushing towards them.
"I… My goodness, Miss Harley-" he laughed, smiling down at Haly. Damian came out on the steps.
"I'm still up here, Alfred," he shouted irritably as he came down the stairs. "I'm not going anywhere, thanks to Father's rules-" he stopped when he saw Harley, his mouth hanging open. Bruce and Dick came out of the library, now dressed in civilian clothes. Dick grinned, walking toward Harley, and Bruce ran a hand through his hair.
"Wow," Damian breathed, momentarily dropping his cold persona as he came down the stairs towards her. "She… she's alive?"
"That's the general consensus so far," Harley laughed, smiling at Dick as he came over.
"I'll take her if you want to change your clothes," Dick held his arms out for Haly, smiling gently at Harley. "It's okay," he assured her.
"I know," Harley sighed, reluctantly snuggling Haly into Dick's arms.
"Trust me..." Jason said, walking through the front door and catching sight of all of them, "everyone will be here. Come on guys! What are you all doing here?" Ivy walked in behind him. "You two were supposed to be bed ridden," he gestured at Damian and Bruce, "you're old," he waved at Alfred, "and you two are supposed to be on patrol," he glared at Harley and Dick. "Did you two even go out? Sure you look like it, but he's in normal clothes holding a baby." He crossed his arms before what he said sank in. "He's holding a baby?!"
Ivy squealed and moved closer to look at Haly. She flailed a tiny arm, yawning as she did. Dick beamed proudly. Harley still stood by his side, unable to leave them.
"The Joker didn't kill her. He stole her. And we got her back," he said quietly. Jason moved over to see her.
"She's so... squishy," he whispered. Ivy smacked him. "What?! She is." Haly hiccuped a sob before she started screaming.
"Look what you did," Damian accused Jason.
"Hey!" Jason cried, matching volume with the baby.
"It is not Master Todd's fault," Alfred scolded. "I will prepare her a bottle, and we can wash and change her while she is still fussy, then I am teaching you how to swaddle her properly," he warned Dick before heading into the kitchen. Haly kicked in his arms, still screaming. Dick bounced her a little, humming soothingly. He shot a glare at Jason.
"Don't shout."
Cass appeared at the top of the stairs in pjs. "Is there a baby crying down here?"
"I thought you left," Bruce said.
"Like I was leaving to just come back tomorrow," she scoffed, skipping down the stairs. "Why is there a screaming baby?"
"She's just hungry," Dick said casually, unable to stop smiling.
"Okay, now I'm going to change quick," Harley kissed Dick's cheek, "give her a bottle. Do we have any diapers or onesies here?" she asked as she walked toward the stairs.
"No, we didn't bring any," Dick sighed.
"I'll go get her some!" Jason volunteered, whipping his keys out.
"Tired of the crying already?" Selina asked.
"I can scream in your ear," Jason offered, heading to the door; Ivy reluctantly followed. Dick looked around. Damian was walking away, Alfred hadn't returned, and Bruce and Selina stood nearby talking quietly. He cleared his throat.
"Scuse me?" He smiled sheepishly. "I... I read a whole bunch, but I don't know what to do. We should give her a bath, but..." He cradled Haly, supporting her tiny head. "I don't know what to do."
"Sponge bath," Harley answered, hurrying back down the stairs. She smiled at Dick and Haly, running her hands through her hair. "Let's take her into the kitchen." She smiled down at Haly. "Alfred probably has a bottle ready for you. Then we can get you clean."
Dick happily followed, letting Harley lead the way as he talked soothingly to Haly. She continued to cry as they walked into the kitchen.
"Here you are, Miss Harley," Alfred handed her a bottle. "Some formula left over from... Well it's not important."
"Here. You feed her." Dick smiled at Harley, offering her Haly. Harley happily took her back, supporting Haly's head with her elbow.
"Here you go," she cooed, coaxing her to take the bottle. Dick beamed proudly at them. Alfred smiled a little.
"I kept some baby formula that I bought for your daughter before she was due, knowing that Master Dick would be the forgetful sort. I put it all away when she... Well she's home now." He gently smoothed her hair. Dick, standing behind Harley, wrapped his arms around her waist. He kissed her cheek and rested his chin on her shoulder gently. He seemed more relaxed than he had been in weeks.
"She's home," Harley repeated, the reality of it still hitting her. She watched Haly sucking happily on her bottle. "She's really here."
She felt Dick's jaw tighten as he tried not to cry. All he could do was nod, unable to come up with the words to describe his feelings; their daughter was alive. Bruce cleared his throat as he stepped in. "How is she?"
"Quiet, for now," Dick smiled a little. Bruce watched him, holding his beautiful little accidental family.
"Once she's... More nourished and in better health, I think we ought to do a blood test, just to be safe." Bruce's tone was calm and fatherly, and Dick knew that he was just trying to take care of them in his own way. He smiled a little and nodded.
"That may be a good idea. Harley?" Dick looked at her over her shoulder, squeezing her closer gently. Haly drank hungrily. Harley sighed.
"I know the reasoning behind it, but can we just be happy and not worry for a moment? We just got her back." She watched Haly wiggle her arms in her blanket. "What if we hadn't found her?" she breathed.
"Let's not think about that," Dick whispered. Bruce nodded. Harley looked up at Dick.
"I want him to suffer for taking her," she admitted. "And that's putting it mildly. If he ever comes near her again..."
"Yet for murdering her, you wouldn't let me take his head off," Dick muttered, smiling a little.
"I was going to take his head off for murdering her," Harley mumbled, watching Haly. "Once I got over being terrified of him," she admitted. "You're just not allowed to blatantly murder someone."
"Neither of you will be killing anyone," Alfred instructed, moving about the kitchen and getting things out to make something to eat.
"What are you doing, Al?" Dick asked quietly, looking up at him.
"Well you two were off gallivanting around the city, wasting half the night, Master Bruce was wandering the halls and half the boys were missing-" he looked at his watch- "It's almost morning. Did you think your breakfast just prepares itself?"
"It's almost morning?" Harley asked, looking at the clock; it was past midnight. "It's Christmas Eve." She smiled at Haly again. "It's going to be your first Christmas." Dick smiled a little.
"Hmm. I hadn't thought about that. It's Christmas."