Unsuspecting Hero (Batjokes)

Chapter 45

The atmosphere wasn't as grim as Jack had expected it to be, for the funerals. Not many people showed up, which he guessed was to be expected.

He was slightly upset, that Harley hadn't showed up. Axel and Jason's funerals had gone by fine, he had said some words himself. Then that was that.

Riddler's funeral was longer.

He hadn't meant for it to be, but when Harley had shown up, he was glad it had been. Bruce had noticed almost straight away, when Harley had specifically chosen to sit as far away from Jack as possible. It made his heart feel heavy, as Bruce asked him. "Did something happen between you two?"

He hadn't told them yet. Didn't want them to know, really, that Harley also knew. It had been a few weeks since Jonny's threat, and so far nothing had been leaked. It was only a matter of waiting, and it left Jack on edge.

"I'll...I'll talk to her" Jack mumbled, standing the moment their was a small break for the funeral as he made his way to her. The girl huffed, the moment she caught him in her peripheral vision, and turned away.

Jack sighed, not letting it teeter him. "Harls-"

"I'm trying to support an old friend here, Jack. What do you want?" She spat the name with venom, and Jack rolled his eyes at her dramatics. "Oh, come on, Harls. When was the last time we both truly fought against the bat? There was no reason for me to tell you, when he was no longer a threat"

"Not like you would have told me anyway, even if he had been!" She yelled, standing up to face him. Jack grimaced, at the sudden eyes on them. "Outside" He tried to get them to talk where less attention would be gained, but she only got more defensive. "No! I'm here for Eddy, I don't want to talk to you!"

"Harley, outside!" He yelled, grabbing her arm and dragging her out with him. She only put up a fight the entire way, as if enough attention wasn't brought towards them. Jack groaned, as he tried to get her out of the door. "Let go of me!"

"Stop being so dramatic, it's a fucking funeral!" He huffed, as he finally managed to get her out the doorway. She tried to get back inside, but he quickly blocked the entrance. "Jack!!"

"Harley, come on! What is truly wrong? This can't be all about the bat"

 He watched the anger simmer away, and felt guilty at the sadness behind those eyes. "I've always been the one there for you, Pud'! I-I really thought you had changed, since all of this Jack business, but I'm still just as much out of the loop as back then. You took an entire day, just to tell me Eddy had died. Even before, I saved you from Harvey! And it took the bat being kidnapped for you to even call me! And then I find out that not only had you known who he was for longer than all of this, you didn't even do anything with that information. Didn't even tell me! We're a duo, Puddin'! Always have been. I thought since you had began to reform, things would be better. Turns out I was wrong. You really just...don't care"

Jack felt his eyes watering, as he pulled her into a hug. She didn't reciprocate the hold, so he only pulled her in tighter. "I-I'm so sorry, Harls. Of course I care. Not a day goes by where I regret ruining your life. I'm sorry you've felt so out of the loop, but now that you know, you don't have to be! I'll tell you everything, I promise. You're my best fucking friend. You always have been, and I couldn't imagine hurting you again. I'm sorry"

It took a while, but once she felt the tears on her shoulder, Harley sighed. She brought her arms up, holding him just as close to her. "Damn you. I can never stay mad at you..." She wetly chuckled, feeling her own tears brewing. "I-I can understand why you were mad. I'm sorry"

"As long as you promise to talk to me about things more, I'll forgive ya. So...what happened with Jonny and Bruce?"

"I told Bruce about it, and he said he was planning to hang up the cowl anyway. He said something about Batman being forced upon Gotham, that Jack Napier is the true hero. I don't really get it, still, even though it's been a few weeks of being told it non-stop"

"Well it's about time. Just think about it, Pud'. Bruce Wayne is the most privileged man in Gotham, there's no need for him to fight for it. But you, hun, you're proof Gotham can change. Gotham needs you, more than him."

"I...guess it makes sense, I just don't really see it. It'd take years, for Gotham to accept me. And even then, would me fighting for them make up for all they had lost because of me?"

"Maybe not. But you can prove that you regret it all. You can prove you're no longer that same man. The Joker is dead. Fully and truly. I'll miss him, but Jack is a much better development"

Jack laughed softly, his chest feeling less heavy than before. They both pulled away from the hug, and Harley reached up to wipe away his tears. "What did Jonny have to say about all of that?"

"I didn't see him, in the end. Thought it would be best to leave the words unsaid. It's only a matter of waiting, for the information to get out"

"It won't" Jack turned, to see Jonny stood there. "Not now that I've heard that"

"Jonny! Nice to see ya!" Harley smiled, and Jack found himself smiling as well. "You won't leak it all...? Why?"

"Granted, it took me months to gather all of that information. But if Wayne is choosing to hang up the cowl, it seems my efforts would be for nothing. Not when I have a certain friend that can help fund Ace Chemicals for me"

Jack giggled, pulling all three of them into a hug. "I will, Jon, promise! Though, maaaaay have to stop you if ya decide to wreak havoc"

"Then it'll be fun, having to fight a friend rather than a foe"

Bruce was worried when Jack had left with Harley. But when he saw them re-enter hand in hand, with Jonny by their side, his worries calmed. He watched as they sat, and briefly wondered if things were going to start going uphill from here. Because God knows Jack deserved it.