A/N:
CRed1988-Although Talia will make promise, something tells me both Bruce and Shiva will have more children down the line.
Oof. Tsss, I think I'm gonna disappoint you, CRed.
Ten years. A full decade has passed since Cain's defeat.
During that time, his body did return to its natural state, but his mind never recovered. He was just a shell of a man. Not even Shiva and Batman combined could use their Astral Projection to search his mind for information on the League of Assassins, let alone gain information on Ra's. But he did have uses with his blood, Wu-San-Wayne Conglomerate using it to study Lazarus Water and Venom.
But Cain wasn't the only event to occur in that decade.
Lady Shiva had successfully trained each member of the Bat Family, including Batman himself. Now none of the Heirs of the Cowl needed to rely on their weapons solely. Thanks to Wu-San Martial Arts, they were the weapon, which was basically the mantra of the Wu-San Style.
With Harvey Dent back, and arguably exceeding his previous prime, crime had plummeted in Gotham. Previous crime lords like Black Mask and Penguin were absolutely DESTROYED in the courtroom by White Knight Harvey, their influence in Blackgate taking severe hits due to Harvey's influence. The man had rebuilt his reputation and then some, even going so far as to become Gotham's Mayor, endorsed by the Wu-San-Wayne Conglomerate. There were no signs of Big Bad or Judge. Just Harvey, Grace, and their twin son and daughter.
With crime so low, Nightwing went back to Bludhaven, keeping the city safe alongside his wife and daughter. Bringing back the training he received from Lady Shiva helped him drop Bludhaven's crime rate significantly. Red Hood traveled with his team, The Outlaws. Using his training from Lady Shiva he and his team were able to conquer and defeat their enemies easily and he really gained the attention of his now Amazon girlfriend Artemis. Robin moved on from being The Boy Wonder to becoming the hero known as Red Robin. Using his training, he was to multitask working with the Wu-San-Waynes overlooking Gotham and working with his team, the Teen Titans, in keeping San Francisco safe; causing the crime rate to drop significantly as well.
In this decade, Bruce and Sandra tried to cure the other inmates as best they could, the two successful with some of the less dangerous loons, but not yet able to crack the super criminals, save for their advances with Killer Croc and Solomon Grundy of all people. But criminals like Ivy and Riddler were so abstinent. But the husband and wife could tell they did want help, they were just too proud... or too scared to admit it.
But of course, their biggest target, Joker, was the most difficult. Yet, neither wanted to give up. For Bruce, it was a principal. For Sandra, it was her greatest challenge yet. There was only one thing more difficult for the couple than curing Joker.
Being parents.
You wouldn't think so from seeing Cassandra, though. Ten years old and she's a model daughter. So young yet already had an air of maturity to her. A beauty that will blossom into something spectacular when she reaches age. Trained in the arts of the warrior by her mother, yet taught the ways of humility and humanity by her father. She was raised not as a weapon, but as a daughter, and she turned out better than even her parents had expected.
She was brilliant, powerful, and filled to the brim with potential. Even her parents praised her ability to surpass them and loved her for it, but neither one ever put too much pressure on the girl, letting her be loved as a daughter and not as an heir, allowing the girl to be raised with humility.
Truly, Cassandra Wu-San-Wayne was a magnificent girl who is more than worthy of both the Spirit of the Bat and the Mantle of the Shadows.
The girl was already greatly involved in her family as the new Batgirl ever since Barbra hung up her cape after Joker crippled her father instead of her one dark night. With her father no longer able to be commissioner, Barbra decided to join GCPD and work her way up the ranks under Commissioner Bullock's watch with Detective Yin as her mentor. However, being trained by Batman helped Barbra skyrocket up the ranks.
Good thing, too. Bullock HATES being Commissioner. He even said to Barbra to her face, "Climb the ladder faster so I can give ya yer old man's position. I miss being a detective. Bein' the head honcho ain't for me, Red. You Gordons were made for this job."
But it wasn't just the bat Family Cassandra was involved in. She aided her parents in running their Conglomerate, her ideas vastly increasing their stock values. She was also already a high-ranking and respected member of the League of Shadows, with even the Master Shadows, like Tigress or Onyx, seeing her as the next Grand Master of the League.
Yes, Cassandra grew into a fine young woman. And this same girl was walking toward the library of her mansion with documents in her hand.
Cassandra then opened the door. "Wǒ běnlái xīwàng nǐ huì zài zhèlǐ. (I was hoping you would be here)."
In the library sat Cassandra's beautiful mother, virtually untouched by time in the ten years, sitting by the sunlit window with a book in her hand.
Sandra looked up from her book and smiled at her approaching daughter. "Cassandra. Nǐ bìng bù jīngcháng qù zhǎo nǐ de mǔqīn. Yǒu shé me shì ma? (It's not often you seek out your mother. Is something the matter?)"
"Wǒ bù huì rènwéi zhè shì yīgè wèntí, māmā. Wǒ zhǐshì xiāngxìn wǒ kěnéng yǐjīng zhǎodàole guānyú xiǎochǒu de nántí de jiějué fāng'àn. (I wouldn't call it a matter, Mother. I just believe I might have found a solution to our conundrum concerning The Joker.)"
Cassandra then heard a cooing, followed by a sweet and adorable laugh. She then looked down to see a cute, laughing baby in her mother's arms, the baby reaching out toward Cassandra with an illuminating smile that only a baby is capable of.
Cassandra smiled at the baby as she reached out one finger, letting the baby grab it before she poked the baby's little nose, making it laugh. "Nǐ hǎo, Damien," Cassandra said happily to her little brother.
Cassandra giggled as she played with her baby brother, watching the baby laugh and coo as he flailed his little hands around.
"Cassandra?"
She jolted, blushing with an embarrassed smile before looking up at her mother, who was smiling down at her with a raised eyebrow.
"Nǐ de jiějué fāng'àn? (Your solution?)"
"R-yòu. Duìbùqǐ, Māmā. (R-Right. Sorry, Mother.)" Cassandra then handed her notes to her mother.
"Méiguānxì. Hěn gāoxìng kàn dào nǐ yǒu duō guānxīn nǐ de dìdì. Bìjìng jiātíng hěn zhòngyào. (It's quite alright. It's good to see how much you care for your little brother. Family is important, after all.)" Sandra then read Cassandra's collected data. "Hmm. Zhè shì xiāngdāng lìng rén yìnxiàng shēnkè de. Bùguò, nǐ de yánjiū tài…xīnxiānle. Nǐ zuìjìn cóng xiǎochǒu shēnshang cǎijíle xuèyàng, bùshì ma? (This is quite impressive. However, your research is too... fresh. You took a blood sample from Joker recently, didn't you?)"
Cassandra shrugged. "Wǒ gānggāng jìnrù ā kǎ mǔ, chōuqǔle yī zhùshèqì de xiǎochǒu xiěyè, ránhòu zuòle wǒ zìjǐ de yánjiū. (I just went into Arkham, extracted a syringe's worth of Joker's blood, and did my own research.)"
"Yǒu jīhuì bèi rén kànjiàn ma? (Any chance you were seen?)"
"Juéduì méiyǒu. Wǒ shén zhì bùshì yī zhǐ wénzi. (Absolutely none. I wasn't even a mosquito.)"
Sandra smiled before she gently grabbed her daughter's head and kissed her forehead. "Nà shì wǒ de bǎobèi nǚ'ér. (That's my baby girl.)"
"Māmā," Cassandra went with an embarrassed smile.
Sandra giggled before looking over Cassandra's notes before handing them back. "Mm. Nǐ yīnggāi bǎ zhèxiē dài gěi nǐ fùqīn. Tā huì fāxiàn tāmen fēicháng yǒuqù. (You should take these to your father. He'll find them very interesting.)"
Cassandra took back her notes. "Gōngzuò bàngōngshì? (Work office?)"
"Hái yǒu shé me dìfāng? (Where else?)"
Cassandra bowed to her mother before walking away.
Cassandra walked through the manor, reaching her father's closed office door before bowing.
"You don't need to bow, Cassandra," Bruce's voice went from the other side. "Come in, honey."
She opened the door to see her father, still as handsome as ever, with a tiny sign of crow's feet on the eyes, and subtle grayness on the side of his hair, typing away at his computer. "Hi, dad," Cassandra said with a smile.
Bruce chuckled. "You know, your mother notices how you're so much more casual with me than with her."
"You give me that kind of freedom, you know," she retorts as she walks up next to him and hugs him.
"Translation: I spoil you."
"Oh, yeah."
"So, you had something you wanted to show me?"
Cassandra handed her the notes, which Bruce read. His smile was then replaced by a look of indifference before it became a serious expression. He then got the Batglare.
"Um, dad?"
"Cassandra, do you have any plans later today?"
"Um. No."
"Alright." He then placed his hand on the intercom. "Alfred, Cass and I are going out to visit a friend."
"Very good, sir. Do you prefer the family car, the bonding car, or the OTHER car?"
"Bonding car."
"Ah. My personal favorite. You haven't spent much time with your daughter. During the day, anyway."
"Um, grandfather, I'm in the room."
"Oh, dear. Well, I hope you enjoy your bonding, my dear."
"Of course," Cassandra said with a smile.
Bruce then pressed a different button. "Sandra, I'm taking Cassandra out for a drive."
"I thought as much. Don't take too long. It's two more hours until dinner time, and Alfred has gotten used to fixing food for the family at this time."
"And whose fault is that," Bruce said with a raised eyebrow and smile.
Sandra giggled. "Kate and Barbra have been quite the team, so crime is much more easily manageable, not needing you to get involved, and my Shadows keep petty crime down."
Bruce sighed. "I love you."
"I know."
Bruce then ended the call before grabbing his jacket. "Are you ready, honey?"
"Of course."
The father and daughter were now driving down the streets of Gotham.
If someone from ten years ago saw it now, they would think they were in a completely different city. There were absolutely no signs of litter. One of Mayor Dent's mottos was "If you want people to follow the big laws, you need to enforce the little ones."
It really was a beautiful city now. Successful businesses, families walking together, smiles as far as the eye can see, without even homeless to be seen. The work of the Wu-San-Wayne Family was truly being felt.
Hopefully, their greatest success will be accomplished soon enough.
Bruce drove down a street filled with apartment buildings before parking in front of one. He and Cassandra got out before climbing the steps to the door, Bruce ringing the door.
"COMING," a beautiful voice called. The door then opened to show a beautiful woman with short blonde hair, blue eyes, and wearing glasses. She smiled. "Well, well, look who the bat flew in. It's been a long time, Bruce."
"Hello, Harley."
"Well, no point standing out here all day. Come on in," Harley said as she invited the Wu-San-Waynes into her home.
"Mom, who wa- UNCLE BRUCE! BIG SIS," a cute girl with black hair went.
"Hello, Jackie," Bruce said with a genuine smile.
A boy with blonde hair who looked to be the same age and height as the girl appeared. "BIG SIS!"
"Ó, zāogāo (Oh, crap)," Cassandra said with a nervous smile.
"Language, young lady," Bruce said with a chuckle before his ten-year-old daughter was tackled by the two five-year-olds.
Five years ago, for just a moment, Bruce and Sandra were able to cure Joker and bring back Jack. Harley spent the entire day with her husband, that blissful day resulting in their twin children. The Wu-San-Waynes had all but adopted the Napier Family, with Jackie and Bryce growing up seeing Bruce and Sandra as their uncle and aunt with Cassandra being their cousin. They all loved each other, but those twins were possibly the only things that could overpower Cassandra.
Bruce and Harley chuckled before Harley led Bruce to the dining room, Bruce sat down as Harley served them both some iced tea. "So, what brings you all the way out here, Bruce? Want to hear about Iv again?"
"You've been making great strides with her, Harley."
"Mm, I wonder. It's really awkward, being your ex's therapist. Though, she might take up Sandra's offer. Harv likes the idea of making the city greener. I mean, free fruit right off the tree? What's not to love? And whether she wants to admit it or not, Iden has a lot of potential to improve the planet. You know, without killing most of human life, of course."
"She wanted to kill ALL of human life, Harley."
"Mm," she shrugged. "Oh, and you were right about Eddy, by the way."
"He lets you call him Eddy?"
"Well, on his good days. But the technology he developed before becoming the Riddler. Bruce, you should have seen the way his eyes lit up when I put it on and solved all of his riddles WITHOUT Google! The things he could do if..." Harley sighed. "If it weren't for that damn grudge of his. That trauma. I don't think I can fix that, Bruce. You or the Lady might need to do your whole Deadman deal."
"The technique takes a lot of concentration, Harley. It drains more than it shows. Besides, the more damaged or powerful the mind, the more difficult it is to... purify. It's why we haven't used it on any of the other inmates. Harvey was the only one who had enough good in him and enough control to help Sandra destroy Big Bad once and for all. But Joker is still too powerful. However, this might fix it," Bruce said as he placed the pamphlet on the table.
"Hm?" Harley took it and read it. Her eyes widened as she looked through it. "Is this... is this real?"
"Cassandra wouldn't have shown it to me if it wasn't."
"Bruce this... this is it! I could kiss that kid of yours," Harley yelled excitedly as tears went down her face. "This is it. He'll be back. He'll finally be... Wait. . . No. No, no, no."
Bruce sighed. "That was the only flaw I could find."
"Ace Chemicals has been closed for YEARS! Even with Joker's blood, we wouldn't be able to recreate that crap, let alone reverse it perfectly! We could study Creeper's blood and STILL wouldn't be able to recreate it! How are we-" Harley began before she read the next page. "Whoa. . . Are we sure this is such a good idea? Dimensional travel? Really?"
"I've done it before. The various Earths I've seen. I've been to. I even know of an Earth where Joker was completely cured and lived a normal life until YOU pushed him back into the same vat and made him into Joker again."
"I WHAT?! WHY THE HELL WOULD I-"
"One. Joker lost his memories. He wasn't even Jack Napier."
"Oh."
"And two, Joker needed to come back in order to free the Justice League from a book of fairy tales."
"A book of what," Harley asked with a raised eyebrow.
"Queen of Fables."
"Ah," Harley said with a bored expression. She then sat back down. "Still, are you sure about this, Bruce? You yourself have told me how dangerous it is to mess with other Earths. Codename: Injustice?"
"And Codename: Blackest Night. Codename: Deceased. Codename: He Who Laughs."
"Yeah, yeah, I get it. There are a lot of crappy Earths. Seriously, you marrying Lady Shiva was the best thing to ever happen. Who'd'a thought? You ever find an Earth where I become Mrs. Wayne," Harley joked.
"Several, actually."
"Whoa," Harley said, genuinely surprised.
"This Earth I found is... strange, to say the least. However, it's the one with the chemicals we need. Flash and Mr. Terrific already have the machine ready to send me there."
Harley sighed. "And what do you need from me?"
"To be ready next week."
"Is that the day? Is that the day I get my husband back?"
"The day everything ends one way or another."
Harley raised an eyebrow before she realized it. "You're going to go into Joker's mind."
"It's the same situation as with Harvey. The surgery may have fixed his face, but Big Bad needed to be dealt with in order for Two-Face to NEVER return. If we gave Jack the cure, just like every other time we've attempted it, Joker would just resurface. Even on the other Earth I'm going to, Joker nearly resurfaced several times. I NEED to go inside Jack's mind and put an end to the Joker."
"Or die trying. Bruce, this is risky. Joker knows everything, EVERYTHING about you! The number of times he's nearly killed you, nearly destroyed Gotham, nearly destroyed the WORLD! Superman humiliated him one time, and the next time they went against each other, Joker nearly BROKE him! What would happen if Joker beat you and got a hold of your body?! It would be Codename: He Who Laughs all over again, but on OUR Earth!"
"Harley, do you trust me?"
"What? Bruce, after everything you've done, how could I NOT?! But I also love you like family."
"Then trust me like family," Bruce said as he stood up and gently held Harley's hand. "Trust me to bring back your husband, Mrs. Napier."
Harley stared into Bruce's eyes before she sighed. "Cass, I swear, if your dad loses, I'm kicking his butt. Got it, mooncake," she said as she looked over at Cassandra, who was letting Bryce sit on her shoulders while princess-carrying Jackie.
"If he loses, I'd even let you use your favorite bat."
"And yet you wonder why I love that kid so much," Harley said with a smile at Bruce.
The two adults chuckled before Harley hugged him. "Just... come back safe, alright, Bats?"
"I will."
One week has passed since Bruce met with Harley, the beautiful psychiatrist pacing back and forth before she heard a door opening, seeing Batman himself walk through the doors.
She ran toward him and hugged him before looking up with hopeful eyes. "Did you-"
Batman moved his cape to reveal a suitcase. He opened it to show a large cylinder filled with chemicals. Harley covered her mouth. "Is that-"
"It is."
She began to tear up before she looked at Batman to congratulate him, only to notice his eyes. "Batman, you look BEYOND exhausted."
He sighed. "That world is... insane, even by our standards. The Joker was the mayor of Gotham."
"HE WAS WHAT," Harley and a nearby guard went.
"Seriously, Batman, where did you go? Bizarro World?"
"It might as well have. Bruce Wayne in jail, the Legion of Doom practically a business in the middle of Gotham, Talia Al Ghul being the conservator of Wayne Enterprises-"
"WHAT," Harley went.
"As I said, Mrs. Napier, that Earth is a mess."
Harley looked around before moving up to Batman's ear to whisper. "How did the wife take it?"
"She was furious to know that it's common on most Earths for me to not be Cassandra's father and she's not Damian's mother. Even angrier when she found out Talia is Damian's mother on those Earths. So, to answer your question, Harley, she was less than pleased to know she took over my company on that Earth."
"And... is my Jack-"
"No. He never even existed on that Earth."
"Oh," Harley said sadly as she stepped back, looking down before taking a deep breath. "Well, that doesn't matter. My Jack is going to be back on this Earth. That's all that matters."
"Mrs. Napier, this is going to be extremely risky. You realize one of the worst case scenarios would be... death."
"I know. God, do I know. But I have to take the risk. The twins NEED their father. I've told them stories and they see him as a superhero, and I thank God they do, but stories won't do it. Jack needs to be their dad, Bats. And besides, Gotham has suffered the Joker for long enough. He dies today, one way..." She looked at a nearby guard. "Or another," she said sadly.
Batman looked to see that the guard was armed... with a handgun instead of the standard Freeze Pistol. He didn't object. He just walked into the Ward, followed by Harley.
It was... quiet. So many inmates were either in Blackgate or passive due to Harley and the Wu-San-Waynes' efforts. Over a decade ago, this wing was loud with some of the most vicious and dangerous criminals the world has ever known. Now, there were empty cells or quiet inmates.
Back in the day, they would have goaded Batman as he walked by. Yelled profanities or promised horrors onto him. Now, they were just close to docile. Quiet. Some even crying the moment they saw either him or Harley. As soon as Harley walked past Ivy's cell, looking in to see her ex, Ivy turned away.
"Pam-" Harley began as she placed her hand on the plexiglass.
"DON'T! You came to save your husband, didn't you," she asked with a breaking voice. "Please. Just go," she said, close to sobbing.
Batman looked back at Harley, looking a bit sad.
"So, today's the day, huh?"
Batman looked at the cell. "Waylon."
He sighed. "You, the Waynes, and Doc Napier are the only ones who call me that, Bats. Every time I think I'm used to being Killer Croc, you two bring me back."
"You're not chained up anymore."
"Mm. Baby steps, right? Once upon a time, all of the guards were terrified of me. Now, even Cash is looking at me like I'm... just a man."
"That's because you are one, Waylon. You're not a beast or a monster or anything else you've been called. You're just a man who was dealt the worst of hands."
Waylon looked up at the ceiling. "The worst of hands, huh?" He held up and looked at his scaly hand. "You know, cut off this hand of mine and another one grows back, just like any other reptile. You know how many vets or crash survivors would kill for this?"
"I do. But you won't be a guinea pig, Waylon. You'll be given the respect you deserve before your next release and be given a life without crime. I wish Gotham could be a home for you, but you deserve better. If anything, you deserve to be left in peace. But you can still do good in the world."
"Make sure no one else goes through the same hell I did? Make sure there's never another Killer Croc," he asked as he looked at Batman.
"Exactly."
Croc stared at Batman before looking back up at the ceiling. "Good enough for me. I wouldn't wish this life on anyone. If you can make a cure using my scaly ass, go for it."
"Thank you, Waylon."
"You'll be saving a lot of lives, Waylon. I promise," Harley said.
Waylon glanced to see that she really was there before looking back up. "Just go save your husband before thinking of saving anyone else, Doc."
"Yeah. . . Same time this Thursday," she asked with a genuine smile.
". . . I'd like that."
Harley smiled as she and Batman walked away.
"Bats." He stopped and looked back at Walyon. "Careful, alright? You may think I'm just a man, but I've still got some animal instincts in me. Senses that I trust. And I don't feel right, Bats. Something in me is just telling me to be on edge. Keep me on my toes. To be READY. Something big is going to happen today. And whatever it is, I don't like it."
"Thank you, Waylon. I'll keep it in mind. But whatever comes my way," Batman began before walking away. "I'll handle it."
"You sure as hell better, hero. . . We need you, Batman."
Batman and Harley stood before a high-security vault with a symbol on it, a Chinese Han character with a giant W behind it. It was the symbol of the Wu-San-Wayne Conglomerate.
This vault was developed by Bruce and Sandra themselves, the two spending years together to perfect it. They had Zatanna use some of her most powerful spells to escape, let Flash Vibrate his way out, and Superman punch his way out.
With the help of the Magic-based Justice League members, including Zatanna herself, the Wu-San-Wayne Conglomerate developed a magically immune vault that Dr. Fate himself said that not even Klarion the Witch Boy or Child with her Flaw could escape. Fate called it the perfect cell of order.
Batman, Flash, and Mr. Terrific worked on the security measures of the vault. The three made the vault so thick that it took Flash five minutes to vibrate his molecules through the vault, more than enough time for a security team to arrive. Flash said not even Zoom would be able to get out in time. The three then worked in the security system. It took Mr. Terrific eleven minutes to crack his own code. It took Flash eleven minutes and fifty-five seconds to crack his. Batman needed ten. Even his brilliant daughter could only shave a few seconds off her father's time, and she admitted it was pure luck that she was able to do so.
None of them could break the code fast enough.
Finally, Superman helped test the durability of the vault. He helped Bruce create a new form of alloy. An alloy Bruce affectionately dubbed Supernium. It was so strong that not even Clark's strongest punch could leave a dent in it. Completely immune to Superman's Heat Vision, Ice Breath, and Super Breath. Martian Manhunter and Wonder Woman also tested their strength against it but to no avail.
Even Sandra and Cassandra tried to escape it. Being trained by her parents meant Cassandra knew every single escape technique, yet not even she could escape in under ten minutes with her mother at her side. The Wu-San-Wayne Women were practically the World's Greatest Shinobi, the Perfect Ninjas, and the Ultimate Assassins. Yet these two could not beat the time limit placed upon them to escape.
Zatanna couldn't magically escape it, Flash couldn't phase through it fast enough, the Wu-San-Waynes couldn't use their techniques to break out, and Superman couldn't punch his way out of it. The Wu-San-Conglomerate had developed the ultimate inescapable cell. Even Cadmus envied the Conglomerate's creation. There are rumors of Cadmus even wanting to purchase the blueprints, since Wu-San-Wayne Conglomerate has proven to be impossible to steal from.
However, neither Bruce nor Sandra are totally pleased with their creation, both believing it can be even further improved. As such, they both agreed that it won't be sold any time soon.
That virtually impenetrable vault was what Batman and Harley stood in front of, expecting to join the vault's first and only prisoner inside.
"This is it. One way or another, it all ends here," Harley said.
"Harley, if this is too much, you can still back out. Once you step in, there's no getting out until it's all over."
"I know. I know. But I want to see this through. Either I walk out with my husband and my children's godfather... or I walk out alone." Harley looked at Batman with determined eyes. "You'd BETTER make sure I don't walk out alone, Bats."
Though her voice was strong, Batman could still see the wavering fear and unease hidden within Harley's eyes. He then looked back at the door. "I'd never forgive myself if I did."
Harley sighed as she held open her psychiatrist coat... and saw both the serum to cure Jack... and the gun next to it. She then looked at the door. "Time to finish this."
When she said that, Batman walked up to the vault. He allowed the retina scan to occur. When the hand scanner appeared, he placed his hand on it, his batsuit allowing the scanner to read through it and analyze Bruce's palm. Next was the keypad, Batman punching in a code so fast that only a speedster could see his fingers move. Finally, what looked like a puzzle appeared, which Batman quickly solved.
The vault then opened, letting Batman and Harley enter. It closed right behind them.
It was a large and dark room, but there was also a plexiglass prison inside. On the other side of the plexiglass was a bound Joker, wrapped in a straightjacket, strapped to a dolly, with his legs tied together.
"Well, well, weeeeell. Isn't this one big family reunion," Joker chuckled. "Wait a minute." Joker gasped. "Where are the kiddos?! Didn't they want to see Daddy," Joker asked in a sad tone.
"Oh, they'll see their father soon enough, clown," Harley said.
"Clown? No Mista J? Really, Harely, you've gotten so cold in your old age. You use to be SOOO much more like Marian. MARIAN, SWEETIE, CONGRATS ON BEING BETTER THAN THE ORIGINAL!"
"The Vault is soundproof, Joker," Batman said as he sat down in the chair across from Joker.
"Ooh, then we can tell all the dirty jokes we want to in here. Ah, but this is a family show. PG-13, of course, but still, you can watch it with the little ones. Let's start off with something wholesome. LIKE A GROUP PHOTO! Actually, let's just have a picture of you and me first, Batsy. Then me and Harls, then the three of us, and then one with- WHOA-MAMA! Harley, Flu Season isn't until next month."
"Well, you're getting your shots early this year," she said as she flicked the needle, making sure it worked properly as she gently pushed the plunger.
"Wait. What's that in your jacket, Harley? That's a MUCH more interesting toy. How about giving me a shot with that?"
"Tempting, but I'm trying to get my husband back. This is Plan B."
"Plan Batsy? I thought you didn't use guns, Brucey! YA FINALLY GROWING INTO YOUR BIG BOY PANTS! Must be thanks to the missus. Shoulda known marrying an assassin would make you into a killer eventually, Bruce."
Batman didn't respond. "Harley, do it."
Harley stuck the needle into Joker's arm. "This is goodbye, Joker."
"We'll just see... about. . . that," Joker went before falling unconscious.
"Ready Bruce?"
"Ready." Batman then closed his eyes and began to concentrate.
His Astral Projection then appeared, his soul being fully Batman.
He stared at Joker's body, already hearing the endless mad laughter.
"COME ON IN, BATS," Joker's voice echoed. "THE PARTY WON'T START WITHOUTCHA!"
With that, Batman dove in, ready for his final battle against The Joker.