In Another Life IV

Chapter 5

The next evening, Jack was reading Harleen a bedtime story about the Joker and Harley Quinn, and it was doing the trick, because she was curled up against him, her eyes heavy and drowsy.

"You can go to sleep if you wanna," he whispered.

"Nah," she yawned. "I wanna...hear how the story ends."

"Ok, then I'll skip to the end," he said, flipping some pages. "And they both lived happily ever after, together forever."

Harleen smiled. "I like that ending," she whispered, snuggling up against him. "Goodnight, Joker."

"Night, Harley," he whispered, stroking her hair. He continued to gaze at her as she dropped off into a solid slumber. "Gonna miss you, kid," he whispered, kissing her forehead.

"Do you know there is nothing more attractive than a guy who's good with kids?" said a voice from the doorway.

Jack looked up. "Crystal?" he said, surprised, as a pretty woman wearing glamorous clothing entered the room. "What are you doing here?"

"Your Daddy called – said he wanted me to be here," retorted Crystal. "But he ain't here, is he?"

"No, he...he's out on a bank heist," stammered Jack, gently laying Harleen down and standing up to meet her. "He should be back in a few hours...he'll probably want you then..."

"Yeah, he told me he'd be here at midnight," she said. "But I came early to see you."

"Me?" stammered Jack, stunned.

"Well, you're a handsome guy, just like your Daddy," she whispered. "Thought maybe we could get to know one another a little better. What do you think, Jack?" she asked, twirling her hair around her finger and smiling. "You wanna find out what your Daddy sees in me?"

"I think...uh...Crystal, you're my Dad's...mistress, and I don't think he'd...want me to..." stammered Jack.

"He ain't gonna know, is he, handsome?" she whispered, approaching him and laying her hands on his chest. "C'mon. I know what boys are like at your age. So many new desires racing through your body, so many strange, incredible, frustrating feelings on the road to manhood. It must be so hard, keeping all that frustration pent up inside you," she whispered, sliding her hand down to his belt. "So why doncha release it into me? C'mon, baby. Doncha wanna be a man at last?" she whispered, bringing her lips to his.

He let out a soft moan and returned the passionate kiss. Crystal grabbed his tie and began tugging him toward the door. "Crystal, I can't...I...I have to watch the kid," he whispered.

"She's asleep," she breathed. "What kinda trouble could she get up to? Not as much as we can, huh, baby?" she whispered, beginning to undo his belt.

He seized her in his arms, crushing her body against his and kissing her harshly. He slid a hand down the top of her dress and she cried out in pleasure. Harleen stirred.

"Mmm...Jack?" she whispered, opening her eyes.

Jack immediately ripped himself away from Crystal. "It's ok, kiddo, go back to sleep," he whispered, rushing over to her. Harleen gazed at him in shock.

"Why were you kissing that woman?" she whispered. "When you promised to marry me?"

Jack laughed. "I ain't gonna marry her, kid..."

"Then why were you kissing her?" she asked, sincerely. "A kiss means true love. And you marry your true love. Which means you're gonna marry her, but she ain't your true love! I am!"

"I know, sweetness," he whispered. "Look, a kiss don't mean nothing..."

"It means a lot to me," she whispered, tearfully. "Don't you love me, Jack?"

"Of course I do, kiddo," he said.

"You should go," said Harleen, sternly, glaring at Crystal. "He's mine."

Crystal laughed. "That's sweet, kid, but..."

"I think you should do what she says," whispered Jack.

Crystal stared at him. "You're serious?" she asked. "You're gonna let that little brat spoil our fun?"

"I shouldn't even be having fun with you," he retorted. "You belong to my Dad."

Crystal was glaring at him. "I don't belong to any man," she hissed. "And you'd better not refuse me, Jack, unless you want me to tell your Daddy what you just tried to do to me. How when he was out, you tried to stick your hand down my dress and feel my ti..."

Jack slapped her hard. "You watch your language in front of her," he muttered, nodding at Harleen. "Now get the hell out."

She adjusted her dress and stormed out. Jack turned to face Harleen, who was still glaring at him. "Say you're sorry," she snapped.

"I ain't sorry," he growled. "I wasn't doing anything wrong."

"You don't love her!" cried Harleen. "You shouldn't have kissed her if you don't love her!"

"Christ, Harley, what the hell do you know about anything?!" he demanded. "You're four years old!"

"Fine!" she shouted. "Go after her then, if you wanna!"

"I don't!" he retorted. "I don't," he repeated, quieter. "I shouldn't, for a lotta reasons. My Dad would kill me, and I...I don't wanna hurt you."

He sat down next to her. "You're just a little tyrant, ain't ya, kiddo?" he muttered. "Never letting me have any fun."

"That wouldn't have been fun," retorted Harleen. "Being with people you don't love isn't fun."

"At least I'd have been with someone," muttered Jack.

"You're with me," snapped Harleen.

"I don't mean...like that," he retorted.

"What do you mean?" she asked.

"Just...never mind," he said. "You're too young to understand."

"You keep telling me that," replied Harleen. "It's patronizing."

Jack stared at her in confusion. "It means it makes me feel small," explained Harleen. "My Daddy and I play a game where we flip to a page in the dictionary and I point to a word and we learn it. That was one from last week."

Jack snorted. "Nerd," he muttered, but he smiled at her affectionately.

"Who...was she?" asked Harleen, nodding at the door.

"My Dad's...uh...friend," said Jack, slowly. "She's been hanging around here for a few months. Very...uh...attractive woman."

"I don't think she's so pretty," retorted Harleen, scowling.

"Well, not as pretty as you, naturally," he said, grinning at her. "Don't be jealous, my little Harley Quinn."

Harleen folded her arms across her chest. "I wish I was grown up now," she muttered. "So we could get married and you could kiss me all the time, like you kissed her."

"I'll kiss you if you wanna," he retorted. "Not like that, though. Better."

"Better how?" asked Harleen, suspiciously.

He grinned, and then kissed her nose. "Like that. Because you have such a pretty nose. Too tempting to resist."

"Yeah?" asked Harleen, hopefully. She wriggled her nose. "Again," she demanded.

He kissed her nose again, and she giggled, curling back up against him and shutting her eyes. He brushed his lips against her eyelids. "Now go back to sleep," he whispered, kissing them each in turn. "And dream of being back home with your Mommy and Daddy."

"And you, Jack," she whispered, clutching his hand tightly.

"And me," he agreed, stroking her hair with his free hand as she dozed off.