Arkham.
The Joker has Gotham's second biggest drug lord tied to a chair as he ceremoniously executes his employees- the rest are locked downstairs with a bomb. Batman, Robin, Nightwing, and Harley are the only people who can stop him now.
But they're just four heroes. Harley can barely stand in the Joker's presence without swooning in fear or infatuation, and Nightwing desperately tries to hold on to her. He may lose her again, or worse; lose them all. And it all boils down to Arkham.
Batman watched the Joker. "Really? Because I was told you were doing this to distract me."
"Wh-what?" The Joker straightened, looking at Batman strangely, a green curl hanging over his forehead. He smiled, his lips quivering like it was a difficult action; he frowned again. "Shut up Harley, I'm working," he hissed to his left, and then looked at Batman, still a bit caught off guard. Harley jumped at the sound of her name and glanced toward the Joker, but Nightwing held onto her. He pulled her body close to his and wrapped his arms around her.
"I've been talking to an old friend of yours," Batman continued. Joker's lips twitched again.
"Have you now? Of course you have. Of course she talked. Okay, Joker-" he rubbed his face, more white makeup coming off on his deep purple gloves. "-you planned for this. You know what to do, just-" He shook his head violently and brandished his crowbar.
"What the hell?" Nightwing muttered into Harley's hair.
Joker grinned at Batman. "How is she? Tucked away in a straightjacket somewhere?" His hands trembled.
"Better now that she's away from you," Batman told him. Joker's face twisted in rage.
"Don't you say that! Don't you even dare!" he cackled furiously, slamming the crowbar against the leg of the chair. Shan tipped over and landed on the floor as the leg splintered. "I was a friend to her when no one else was!"
"You used her!" Robin corrected.
"I liberated her!" Joker screamed, glaring at Robin hatefully. Nightwing covered Harley's ears, holding her head against his chest protectively, whispering reassuringly to her.
"Shhh, Harley, don't listen to him," he whispered, stroking her hair. "Don't listen." Harley clutched at his sides as she buried her face in his collarbone. Nightwing held her tight, his arms around her. She clung to the feeling of safety that the action had always generated.
"She was a sad little timid woman when I met her, and I set her free! She was never one of you! She belonged with me!" he shrieked, growing more and more catatonic as he spoke. "She was a friend to me," he hissed aside, staring vacantly at the floor. Joker snapped out of it and mopped a sleeve across his mouth. "But love her as I may, I guess that it's nearly impossible to find good help these days," he said weakly, his laugh rising from his throat. Harley Quinn skipped down the grand staircase into the lobby. When Nightwing saw her, he closed his eyes.
"You're stronger than him, Harley. Don't listen. Don't listen," Nightwing pleaded, closing his eyes. "I love you. He doesn't. Listen to my voice, focus on that. You need to focus on me." Harley could feel the pain of her broken bones and the burning of the gash in her shoulder and knew she should listen to Nightwing, but she was so confused. Everything hurt. She didn't want to think.
I shouldn't have come, she thought to herself.
"Harles, come on, I need you to focus on me." Nightwing pleaded, racking his mind for anything to distract her. He pressed his lips to her forehead, and to her surprise, he began to sing quietly. "I am Superman, and I know what's happening, I am Superman, and I can do anything…" Harley's surprised laugh was muffled by his shoulder. She wrapped her arms up through his and stood on her tiptoes.
"Thank you," she whispered, kissing him gently. Nightwing kissed her back, holding her close. When his lips fell away from hers, he stroked her cheek, looking into her eyes.
"I love you. Now don't die on me, okay?" He smiled a little, only half-joking.
"Bargaining like four year olds, but I can live with it." She smiled. "I love you too."
"This is my new friend. Say hello to Batman and Robin, Harley," Joker laughed, and the new Harley Quinn wagged her fingers at them.
"Hello there, Batman! Hello, kid!" Harley Quinn giggled.
"Now, since Batman has other things to be doing, I suggest we get this shindig over with and be on our merry, very separate ways," the Joker cackled excitedly, raising his crowbar to bring it down on Shan's head. A wingding shot from the hallway and the Joker cried out in pain as it sliced his hand, causing him to drop the crowbar on the floor. Joker clutched his hand, laughing.
"My favorite Robin," he hissed, as Nightwing stepped out of the hallway. Joker narrowed his eyes. "Were you hiding back there this whole time!? Not exactly the life of the party," he mumbled, and with a glance at the four dead men tied to the chairs added "then again, this isnt a very lively bunch either." He cackled, blood dripping from his glove. Harley Quinn seemed frozen in place. Nightwing looked down at Shan.
"Where are your other employees? What did he do with them?"
Shan glanced at the Joker and then quickly blurted, "they're downstairs, all locked in the boiler room. I think it's rigged to blow-"
"-oh you're all no fun," Joker sighed, hugging his wounded hand to his chest. Robin narrowed his eyes, watching the Joker.
"Shush," Nightwing commanded. "We have unfinished business, Shan," he said. Batman glanced at Harley Quinn where she stood motionless, her eyes fixed on Nightwing.
"If anyone has unfinished business, it's me with you," the Joker hissed. "And this time, I won't miss!" He screamed as he ripped a gun from his jacket, firing it at Nightwing-
-just as Robin shoved him out of the way.
Robin screamed as the bullet tore through his stomach, and Nightwing hit the marble floor. Damian landed hard and skidded a few feet, his mask falling off.
"Robin!" Batman screamed in anger, and the Joker shrieked with laughter. Batman grabbed him by the collar and slammed him down onto the floor.
"Now calm down, Bats," Joker cackled, holding up a bomb trigger. "All those people downstairs, you don't want them to die on account of some petty revenge. We all know how that works. Let me go, or we all go- sky high!" he threw his head back and shrieked with laughter, his green curls laid out on the marble. Nightwing rushed to Robin, putting pressure on the bullet wound in his stomach.
"It's- just a graze- Grayson- d-don't act like I'm- going to-" Damian choked, putting his mask back on with trembling hands.
"You're not," Nightwing snapped, pressing as hard as he could into Robin's side. "Not if I have anything to say about it."
Batman released the Joker, his rage coursing through his veins. Joker held up the trigger, his thumb threatening to press the button as he stumbled to his feet. He grinned.
"Now you have a choice. Save your bird, or save those people," he tittered, a laugh escaping his lips. The Joker's face darkened. "Since this seems to be a hard decision, I'll make it easier. Five."
Robin coughed, blood dribbling from his lip.
"Four."
Nightwing pressed harder. "Stay with me here, Robin-"
"Three…"
Batman met Nightwing's eyes.
"Two, Batman, two-"
"Go!" Nightwing shouted at him.
"One," the Joker hissed, his finger dropping on the button.
Nothing happened.
"Civilians are secure, bombs disabled," Harley said, stepping out from the hallway. The Joker froze, and he choked, his eyes growing livid. He turned to see her standing by the door, cocked his head, and then smiled broadly. He grabbed Harley Quinn and pointed the gun at her head, holding her in front of him.
"You know I'll do it." He hissed at Batman, not taking his eyes off of Harley standing in the door, her hands hung limply at her sides and she seemed unable to move. Harley Quinn whimpered as the Joker backed toward the door. Her eyes met Harley's, pleading her for help, before they both disappeared into the street.
"Batman he's gonna bleed out!" Nightwing barked, wrapping the bandages he'd pulled from his glove around the cape that he'd been using to stop the blood. Batman shoved Nightwing aside and picked up his son, racing for the doors. He pressed the button to call the Batwing down to the street, and loaded Robin in the seat.
"Go," Nightwing urged him. "We'll finish here, just get him out of here!" Nightwing watched the Batwing take off before turning back to look at Harley. She was rooted in the same spot with her arms wrapped around her stomach.
"No, no, no. This can't be happening. This is all my fault," she whispered to herself. Nightwing quickly grabbed her shoulders and looked at her.
"Harley this isn't your fault. You didn't have any hand in this, you wanted him to go away and he refused. It's okay," he urged, looking her earnestly in the eyes.
"I knew this was a trap," she objected. "I shouldn't have let you guys come. Oh God, Robin." She shook her head feebly. Nightwing stopped her with a hand on her cheek, and he made her look at him. His head was bent to look at her directly, and he nodded seriously.
"You told us that it was a trap, and we were fully aware of the possible scenarios. This is what we do, Harley. It is not your fault, I won't let you blame yourself. None of us are to blame here." Harley leaned into him, and Dick wrapped his arms around her shoulders, resting his chin on her head.
"What if… what if he…" Harley mumbled unable to say it. "He better be all right," she demanded sternly. Nightwing smiled at her defensive reaction and held her close.
"He'll be fine," he assured her, though Nightwing couldn't bear the thought of losing Damian. He closed his eyes, his stomach knotting as he remembered Damian diving in front of him and knocking him out of the way…
It should have been me.
Harley leaned away from him a bit to look into his eyes. "I don't think I ever told you how…happy you made me by coming to see me at Arkham. I was prepared for you to hate me. The fact that you don't and that you love me is…" she trailed off. "I want you to remember how much I love you right now."
Dick reached up and pulled his mask off, smiling at her gently. He brushed a strand of flyaway hair behind her ear. "And I want you to remember that I love you, no matter what your past is like. As long as I am a part of your future, I'm happy."
"I don't care about the future," she said, brushing the matter aside. "I just want you to please remember right now. Please," she pleaded. Before Dick could respond, she stood up on her tiptoes and kissed him. Dick inhaled sharply in surprise, and he gently rested a hand on her hip, holding her against him. Harley's hands twisted in his hair desperately, pulling his face closer to hers as she kissed him urgently, and Dick was a bit shocked at her intensity. He kissed her passionately, their lips fervent against each others. His arms wrapped further around her waist as she moved one hand to the side of his neck, her thumb trailing up to his jaw. Dick shuddered and his lips fell away from hers, but their noses still touched as he gasped a little, his eyes still shut tight. She could feel his heart pounding in his chest. He opened his blue eyes and looked at her seriously, concern etched on his handsome features.
"Harley, you would tell me if something was wrong, right?" he asked softly, his gloved hands on her back, his arms protectively around her. A small smile played at the corner of her mouth as she moved her hand out of his hair to trace his lips.
"Richard John Grayson Wayne. You are one of the best men I have ever met," she said, ignoring his question. "I'm nowhere near good enough for you, but I will try to be someone you deserve."
"I love you just the way you are," Dick smiled a little, but it faded as he realized that she hadn't answered him. He looked at her, his uneasiness increasing. "Harley, what's going to happen? What aren't you telling-" he was interrupted as Batgirl's voice came over the communicators.
"Batman, Nightwing, Robin," she called.
Dick stared at Harley worriedly for a split second longer, before putting his mask back on and pressing the comm. "It's just me, Batgirl, Robin was… injured. Batman took him back to the Batcave, and we can assume that they're both out for the night. Go ahead."
"Red Robin, Catwoman, and I found the Joker's plan." She told him hurriedly before pausing. "This is going to be really bad."
"Spit it out, Batgirl," Nightwing snapped, his hand slipping into Harley's.
"Arkham," she whispered in horror. "He's breaking everyone out of Arkham."