Harley Quinn Romance 3

Chapter 9: Harley Plans Something

Batwoman was waiting on the rooftop of the police station when Commissioner Gordon opened the door and led Batman outside. She nearly knocked Gordon over as she brushed past him to embrace her husband. Even with the pain suppressants she'd been taking, her bruised ribs complained with the movement, but she thought it was worth it to have him in her arms again.

"Welcome back to the sweet land of freedom," she bid to Batman before giving him a kiss.

Batman smiled at her, but when his eyes flicked over to notice Gordon, the smile vanished. Unconsciously, Batman reached up to adjust the tie he wasn't wearing, and Batwoman snatched his hand with her own before his mannerisms gave him away.

"Time to go," Batwoman encouraged.

"I'll check into the financial records of Clayface, and see if I can find any information on who might've hired him," Gordon promised.

"I'd like to know why," Batwoman added. "Was this personal, or was someone just trying to get Batman out of the way? Maybe it was a test run."

"Test run?" Gordon prompted.

"Yeah," Batwoman explained. "They kill some people as Batman, and the cops go after him. Now that they know it works, they can keep doing it anytime they want Batman gone."

Batwoman winced as the words left her mouth, glancing toward Batman in silent apology for voicing the thought. He responded by gently squeezing her hand.

"We'll let you know if we find anything," Gordon offered.

"Thanks, Jim," Batman accepted.

Diving off the roof, Batman and Batwoman spread their capes and glided across several blocks before landing in an alley where the batmobile was parked.

After they climbed in and the canopy sealed shut, Batman sat motionless, staring out the windshield.

"Worried?" she asked.

Batman flinched as if forgetting he wasn't alone in the car.

"Considering possibilities," Batman admitted.

"Why don't you think out loud," she suggested.

"I was wondering about the three people who were killed to frame me," Batman told her. "If it was just a test to see if the police could be turned against me, how many are to die when those responsible really want something?"

"I don't know," she admitted. "I've never seen Clayface scared before, but he was scared when I faced him. Would've rather been dissolved by acid than tell me about his employers."

"There's something else," Batman mused. "What if this is their way of destroying Batman? By framing me over and over, I'll spend more time in custody than out. It will get to the point I won't be able to be Batman anymore. Batman was supposed to make criminals afraid, but if this keeps up, the innocent will be scared of him too because they'll never know which one they might encounter - the hero or the killer."

"The bad guys' only advantages right now are you don't know who or where they are," she pointed out. "You're the world's greatest detective, remember? You'll find them, and we'll put such a hurting on them, no one will be stupid enough to ever try and frame Batman again for fear they'll get the same."

"Thanks," he told her.

Reaching over, she put her hand on his.

"Till death do us part, Puddin'," she reminded. "Whatever affects you, you'll never have to deal with it alone."

Batman nodded before putting the car in gear and driving back to the batcave. When they arrived, he headed straight for the large computer dominating an entire ledge with in the cave.

"Is Master Bruce alright?" Alfred queried as the butler approached the batmobile where Harley was removing her cowl and wig.

"This is personal, Alfred," Harley answered. "Bruce is fine putting his neck on the line, to stand between the innocent and the criminals trying to hurt them, but now they're hurting the innocent to get to him, and he doesn't know how many more are going to die before he can stop it, assuming he can stop it at all."

"Oh dear," Alfred replied.

"Maybe we can distract him by giving him something better to think about," Harley suggested. "I've got an idea, but I'm gonna need your help."

                                                                                               ***

Gotham was quiet, unnaturally so. Batman and Batwoman stood on a rooftop, looking across the sparkling lights of Gotham as it fought against the darkness of the deepening night. The still air lacked the usual police sirens the city never went a night without hearing. Even the clatter of the elevated train and the occasional car horn from the congested streets couldn't dispel for long the oppressive silence. It was a near tangible thing, draped over Gotham like a shroud.

"Something's wrong," Batman growled.

"You feel it too?" Batwoman asked.

"It reminds me of being out in the wilds," Batman explained, his eyes searching the city for the source of his unease. "All the birds and animals go silent because they know there's a predator nearby, and they don't want to draw its attention."

"It's the same in prison," Batwoman agreed. "Before an inmate gets attacked, you can feel it in the air, the anticipation of violence. The way people look at someone, or deliberately avoid looking at them, you can tell something's about to happen, and it's never good."

"Do you think Clayface is hunting tonight?" he asked.

"No," she denied. "I think his mission was to discredit Batman and get you in jail. Once he was exposed as a double, Clayface was done."

"I agree," Batman stated. "More than likely, his employers have come to town. Whatever they've been planning, it's started."

Glancing toward Batman, she saw the tightness of the muscles in his neck and jaw. She knew she needed to change the subject and quickly.

"Speaking of things planned and started, we should be getting back as I have a surprise for you," Batwoman told him.

"Such as?" he questioned, making no move to leave his perch by the rooftop railing.

"If I told you, it wouldn't be much of a surprise now, would it?" she asked in return. "Whatever is going on has even the locals keeping their heads down, so we can actually have a night off."

Batman continued to stare at the city roadways and alleys.

"If we're right about something bad about to happen," she reasoned, "Gordon can contact us by use of the bat signal, but until then, let's make the most of a rare moment of peace. What's better, staying here and stressing over something you can't do anything about, or relaxing a bit so when whatever it is does show up, you're rested and ready to face it?"

Batman finally turned to look at her, and she offered him a warm smile he couldn't resist. His own smile appeared and he nodded in agreement with her.

They departed the roof and returned to the batmobile for a fast drive back home. Batman did turn on a police scanner during the trip. Batwoman considered switching it off, but she knew Batman had control issues. Thinking back to one of their earlier encounters made her giggle.

"What is it?" Batman asked.

"I was thinking of a time you asked me to help you catch the Joker," she explained. "We were riding in the batmobile, and I wanted to play the radio."

Batman nodded. "You fired the jet thruster instead and almost made us crash."

"Almost," she defended. "It just scraped up the fender a little."

"As I recall, I handcuffed you to the car before the night was over," Batman reminded.

"I sure can think of better uses for those cuffs now," she suggested, walking her fingers down his muscular arm.

"Don't distract the driver," Batman mockingly reprimanded. He removed one hand from the steering wheel to hold her hand and keep it under control.

Her giggles became laughter, and she sandwiched his hand between both of hers while resting her head on his shoulder.