My Best Friend Harley Quinn

Eight

"You mean to tell me that Waller has been missing for 3 weeks and no one seems to know where she is?" I ask. I lean against the batmobile as Bruce takes off his mask in the batcave. Batcave is kind of a stretch, it hardly looks like a cave at all. I watch Bruce walk over to a group of large computer screens. A lot of different things are displayed on the screens and it's a little overwhelming. He sits down in a chair and places his mask on the desk that holds the mass of technology.

"Yes, no one knows where she is." He speaks. He doesn't look at me when he speaks. He keeps his eyes down to the ground as if he was thinking.

"Then how the hell are you going to protect her."

"No one knows, not even the people who want to hurt her, that's what she wanted." He shrugged.

"Master Bruce, did you go out in broad daylight?" A male British voice asks from somewhere else in the cave. I raise my eyebrow to Bruce and watch as an older gentleman walks in the room. He looks tired and a bit rundown. He doesn't seem to notice me and walks toward Bruce.

"I did, I had to help out a friend." Bruce points over to me. "Alfred, this is Zoey Hinter. Zoey, this is Alfred Pennyworth."

"Hello." I smile and lean off the batmobile. I walk over and hold out my hand. Alfred takes it and exchanges a handshake. I cross my arms casually after.

"Well I must say, that was the first time the Batman has been out in the daylight in quite sometime." Alfred observes.

"Yes, it has." Bruce speaks, but his thoughts are far away. He looks up to me and a small smile emerges. "Alfred, could you take her up and give her a room, she'll be staying here for awhile."

"Of course sir." Alfred motions me to follow him. I nod and look to Bruce as Alfred begins to walk away. I turn to Bruce.

"Thank you."

"Don't thank me just yet." He responds. He turns in his chair and begins to work. I nod and follow Alfred. I have to run a bit to catch up to him but it doesn't bother me.

"Where are you from Zoey?"

"Central City. I was born there and went to college there. My father lived in Gotham and I came to visit every summer." I ramble off.

"Oh? So you know your way around the streets of Gotham then?" He smiles.

"I suppose so. Although, I wouldn't test that out anytime soon." I smile. We walk in silence as we come to a door, I suppose it leads up to the actual house.

"I don't mean to pry, but how did you get to know Master Bruce?" He asks. I frown slightly at his question. It doesn't anger me, but it requires me to think back and remember.

"Well, I was best friends with Dr. Harleen Quinzel and then friends with Harley Quinn, all the while ARGUS was trying to get me work for them again, I had worked with them in Central City a long time ago. I finally rejoined and I was just under Amanda Waller and I was allowed to know everything. I found out the identity of the Batman but I mean, it made sense when I found out. Long story short, things went to hell and Bruce rescued me." I let out a breath and look over to him.

"You seem to be a very complex character."

"I try. My story wouldn't be fun if I weren't." I smile.

"I suppose not." He answers and opens the door into the main house. A soft yellow light emerges from behind the door and I look into the house. We come out from behind a bookshelf and I stare in awe as it replaces itself. I look around and see the house is very modern. The main colors seem to be white, grey and black. It doesn't look anything like the old Wayne Family mansion.

When I was a young girl, my father would take me out into the country and he would show me all of  the old family mansions. I would beg him to take us to Wayne manor, I loved how beautiful it was.

He always did.

Now the mansion is the hallow skeleton of what it used to be. It is full of hate and rage and fear and terror of a time that has long passed.

I still love the mansion, and if I get enough courage, I'll ask Bruce if I can go inside.

"This way, Miss. Hinter." Alfred's voice comes from my right. I realize I have been blankly staring at a wall as I think. I notice the lack of decor as I make my way back to Alfred. The new house is certainly not as lavish as the mansion used to be. Which makes sense, I am sure a lot of it was lost in the flames.

Alfred leads me up a small set of stairs and leads me to a small door. The door is white and seems old.

"Is this from the old mansion?" I ask excitedly.

"It was. I was able to salvage it from the ruins." He smiles at me. He opens the door to reveal a beautiful room. Inside there is an entire wall with curtains, I assume there is a wall of glass looking out on to the world behind the curtains. The room has a desk and a chair, both made of wood. A queen sized bed is against the back wall, a small table next to it, a vintage looking lamp on the table. The bed itself looks old, but I can tell it has a new mattress. There is a large television hanging from the ceiling in front of the curtain wall. The rest of the walls are bare but painted a grey green color.

"It's lovely." I walk inside and smile.

"I'm glad you like it. Is there anything else you need?" He asks.

"No, this is perfect." I shake my head.

"Call if there is anything." He nods and walks out of the room, closing the door behind him.

I let out a breath and go to the curtain. I open it up and I am met by the green forest.

My breath is taken away as I see how green and dark it looks. It isn't scary, but rather calm and magical. I stare and notice little creatures, squirrels and such, running about. I smile and open up the curtain all the way. The green from the forest causes a green light to fill the room. I feel warm and tired. I go to the bed and lay horizontally on it, so I can watch the forest before I sleep.

I tuck my hands under my head and feel myself drift.

For the first time, I feel truly safe.

I feel young and oblivious and yet old and wise.

I close my eyes and let the wonder of sleep take over.