• Quinn sat in her room, listening to the uncanny silence. It was not a sound she was used to, nor she liked. She was used to romping good times, gallivanting through Gotham central, playing pranks on every poor sucker that came along. It had became her life. But as she sat in the sheer and almost creepy silence, her heart tore in two. Her lovely Mistah’ J was in Arkham again. It was so unusual. Because he always left Harley for the coppers and got the last laugh. But Harley understood why he did it. He knew that she could get out of Arkham very easily. Why, she was a physiatrist there once! She knew how to get out easily! But then again, puddin’ did too… but that’s not the point! Harley turned in her bed, her eyes falling on the costume she had worn for so long. They say wearing a mask covers up who you are. But Harley had learned a long while back that this was actually truly who she was. She never doubted it, every day, putting on the white makeup and black lipstick, she felt like she was looking into her very own soul. She transformed when she put that costume on. As the notorious squeeze of Joker. The femme fatality with a cute but spicy look to her. But no one really knew her. Maybe Ivy, but she and her had problems too. Mostly due to Joker. She thought he was a waste of time. Of course Harley argued back, and it usually ended up as a bitter goodbye.

    But there was silence today. No Joker. Just the hyenas who were unusually quiet, except for the occasional chatter from their dreams and twitch of their feet; probably of chasing after Bats. Harley sighed, getting up and walking over to the single mirror that hung in the room. It was a simple mirror, nothing fancy. Harley tried to rearrange her emotions to a more happy tune, but her face just contorted into a fake unrealistic smile. Her face dropped again. She started to put on her makeup and costume, more out of habit then anything. No matter what she did, she couldn’t bring a smile to her face.

    Why did she even care about that clown so much?

    She didn’t know. She walked out of her room, seeking to get some meat for the Hyenas, something she was very accustom to doing after having them for so long. But as she passed Joker’s room, she paused. Her fingers twitched with curiosity as her eyes were glued to the door. She had never been in there before. And she had never dared to go in his room while he was here. But he wasn’t here, and she was… for once. She froze in the spot after turning and looking at the door. Should she even dare to go in? She knew Joker was very precise about everything he owned. Would he know if she walked in there and took just one peak? Surely not. Just a quick…

    Her hand trembled as she reached out to the knob of Joker’s door. She drew her hand back hastily. Would if he installed a alert or something to make sure no one ever went in but himself? Harley sighed.
    “I’m going do it, ok Harl?” Harley said to herself as she reached out with a seemingly seizure ridden hand. As the cool metal touched her gloved hand, she shivered and gripped the handle. She gripped it as hard as she could, trying to gather the courage to thrust it open. But she gently started turning the knob, looking, and she was blasted with the colors red and black. Harley dropped to her knees. Here, there, everywhere she looked in the room, it was covered with pictures of her, some of them of her blowing kisses, holding a gun, every pose of her. A pop gun with a rubber bullet. Glasses and a lab coat. Even a Harley stuffy lay on Joker’s bed. But what got her the most was the huge picture of Joker and her, holding each other and smiling. Tears rolled down her cheeks as she tried to take this all in. She tried and tried. She even tried looking down to get away from it, but there was red and black carpet. She shut her eyes tightly as she put her head to the floor.

    Was this for real? Did Joker care this much about her all this time? He just never had the courage to say anything! He did not know how to express his love towards her back. Sure they had problems, more extreme then most normal couples, but that was because it was mad insane deep love. Harley sharply drew in a quaking breath, realizing she wasn’t breathing. She slowly opened up her eyes, warm dizzy feelings washing over her as she rearranged herself to a sitting position, looking around the room. Joker really did care. It was such a electrifying feeling to know that he felt the same. It was sickeningly sweet to see all this… the red and black roses… the Harley themed everything… She got up with wobbly knees, and started to walk around a little, careful not to touch anything. There was a book lying open, and Joker had written in ornate letters, a small poem ;

    “Oh how I love the vixen in red and black
    But how can I ever tell her how I love her back

    So afraid to love
    So afraid to lose

    How can I tell this clever little minx
    That is how my heart sinks

    I love her smile, I love her joy
    Even though I treat her like a toy

    She still is my favorite little mermaid
    And the best jester I have ever played

    Harley smiled and giggled, fresh tears rolling down her cheek, her makeup smeared. She sniffled, and smiled, a bittersweet taste in her mouth. How could she had ever doubted her puddin’? Harley’s face hardened, mad at herself for such ignorance. For such unfaithful thoughts.
    “Hold on Puddin’, your pumpkin is coming to rescue you!” Harley said, rushing out the door and closing it, not knowing she had knocked over a red and black glass heart and broke it. She grabbed her mallet and bazooka, and went off to Arkham as fast as she could. A new raging passionate fire had been lit in Harley’s heart, and she wasn’t going to let anyone stop her from going and getting her back. As Harley approached the main doors of the Asylum, her face was hard and determined. She grabbed the first person she saw, someone who worked there.
    “Look pal, I have come to turn myself in. I’m done.” The guard gave her a good long stare, but Harley knew how to play humans very well. She looked straight back at him with “sincere” eyes. The guard shrugged and then put her in handcuffs and started walking her to a cell. She passed old familiar faces like Penguin, Catwoman, and the Riddler, but she knew she was reaching Joker’s cell. Putting her hands together, she slammed her clenched fists into the back of the guard’s head, making his knees buckle and him almost instantly passing out, falling to the ground. She quickly slipped her hands out of the handcuffs, her hands small enough to do so, while reaching in her pocket and pulling out a bubble gum ball. She popped it in her mouth, while strolling along, looking for Joker. Soon enough her eyes lit up as she saw the familiar face of red white and green in a cell. He looked very beat up, but there still was a smile on his face. But the smile grew bigger as he laid eyes on Harley.
    “Just as I thought, she could barely last a week without me.” Joker said with a cackle, his voice unable to carry through the glass. But to see Joker this happy to see her (Seemingly) made Harley’s heart melt as she placed the gum on the glass. Joker stood back as the glass exploded, shielding himself by hiding behind the cot. As soon as the smoke cleared, Joker waved with his one arm that wasn’t in a sling, and smiled the biggest grin he could.
    “Baby, sweetie, pumpkin pie!” Joker shouted over the familiar alarms that blared when they did this. Harley smiled, with a completely different smile. It was a loving confident smile, directed towards him. Joker’s smile vanished for a second. But Harley’s smile was replaced with a frown as she looked at the guards coming to meet them.
    “We better get going soon, puddin’! The wedding crashers are here!” Harley said beckoning to Joker while throwing a hook kick towards one of the guard’s face, knocking him out cold. Outside of the Asylum, the tranquil silence was disturbed by Harley and Joker busting through the doors, and Joker’s beautiful laugh filling Harley’s ears like a sweet memory.
    “Wait puddin’, I want to leave them with a lil’ present.” Harley said aiming her bazooka at the asylum. Joker waved his hand as a ‘whatever’ to Harley as he got into the car. A giant explosion erupted as she shot her bazooka at the Asylum. Memories. It sent a smile across her face as she hopped in the car, and Joker was next to her. On the way back, Harley was tense, and wanted to ask him about his room, but she knew that Joker would have her funny bone for that. No one had ever been allowed to go in there.
    “Thanks for busting me out toots.” Joker said, while staring at his image in the car’s mirror. I need some preening. Pronto. Joker thought to himself. As soon as my Hench wench gets me home. Joker thought, aiming Harley’s bazooka at a cop car that was in the way. BOOM! Went the cop car as it flew out of their way. The familiar smell of havoc and discord entered Harley’s nose, and her ears blessed with the familiar laughter. It was an acquired taste. That had become her favorite sensation. The only sensation she knew. They speedily screeched into their hideaway, and Joker stepped out of the car, brushing off his purple suit, and running his hand through his hair. Harley stared at him for a second.
    “Puddin’?” Harley blurted out, which was replied with a sharp stare from Joker. Joker’s face softened a fraction.
    “Yes, Harl?” Joker said, his eyes locked with Harley’s. Harley looked down and didn’t say what her heart screamed to say. “I saw your room. You must really love me. It‘s true.” Is what she wanted to say to Joker.
    “It’s nothing.” Harley said lugging her bazooka and mallet onto her shoulders and then walking inside. Joker stroked his chin for a couple of seconds, but couldn’t figure it out. Harley was walking back to her room, and she saw that she had left the door to Mistah’ J’s room open. She quickly and hastily shut it, and ran off to her room, hoping that she did not leave anything out of place. But in truth, se had knocked something over and broken it. Joker made his way to his room, slowly and leisurely, whistling a happy little tune. He came upon his room, and then opened it. He froze instantly. He froze instantly because the first thing he noticed is that something was out of place, and even worse. Broken. Then a small cackle emitted from his lips, that grew into a maniacal laughter. He abruptly stopped, his face hardening.
    “So that little minx HAS been in my room. It is hilarious that the only thing she managed to break was my ‘heart’” Laughter erupted from Joker’s curled lips as a single tear fell down his cheek.
    “Too bad these are just crocodile tears, poor, poor Harley, my girl.” Joker said pushing a hidden button, underneath one of the pictures. The room revolved to reveal another whole room full of pictures of Joker himself. A Joker chair, a Joker bed, Joker mirror, pictures, everything. Joker threw the onion he was holding aside, busting up laughing. Joker continued laughing hysterically, until his eyes met a picture on his desk. His harsh laughter died down into a medium cackle, until it was small chuckles as he slowly made his way to the desk. His huge smile slowly died down as he dropped down in the chair, tilting his head to the side, as he stared at the picture. Then a tear rolled down his face as he dropped his upper torso onto the desk, starting to cry. The picture was Harley Quinn.
    “Just crocodile tears…” Joker whispered to himself as he continued to break down.