Batman & Robin And Me .:rewritten:.

XV. Me & My Family

BEING A SMALL TOWN GIRL, I had no idea how calling a cab worked. The streets of Gotham seemed almost desolate and I had the feeling that nobody wanted to be out at this hour. After ten minutes of wandering around, a bus rolled by. I raced to the bus stop to catch it.

"Waterfront, please." I told the driver, who nodded and took my cash without another glance.

I climbed into the back and sat down, joining an elderly lady, a guy with a week's worth of stubble and a backpack full of stuff, and a cat. The air smelled like a combination of faintly mildewed seats and the smell that accumulates in buses when scores of people from all walks of life have been climbing in and out of them all day. The seat I chose was clean, if slightly old and crunchy. With a sigh, I leaned against the window and stared out.

I never actually got a tour of Gotham. I almost smiled. This was not quite how I planned on doing it.

The buildings were magnificent. Tall, Gothic structures covered in smooth, angular sheets of marble and an occasional gargoyle. The street lamps were unusually dim; fog added to the mysterious feel of the streets. Despite the modern technology around, such as a few giant screens plastered to buildings, the history and depth of this city felt enormous. It almost suffocated you under the weight of all the lives lived and lost. Or maybe I was just under the gloom of the fog.

I looked up beyond the streets to where the stretch of buildings finally stopped. The rooftops were high and far above the heads of everyday folk. If you didn't look up, you'd forget that there was a sky.

I wished I could have seen Batman and Robin swinging from rooftop to rooftop.

We finally left the confines of the city. Buildings became shorter and shorter and scarcer and scarcer as the highrise buildings shrunk into the fog. The dock came into view, at last. The soupy fog obscured everything around, and my heart sank as I climbed out of the bus, alone.

"You gonna be okay, girl?"

I swiveled around, surprised. The bus driver was watching me with sharp eyes from under his battered cap.

"...Yeah." I smiled forlornly. "Thanks."

He shut the door, and the bus rolled off back towards the city, leaving me standing alone on the waterfront.

"Here I am." I called, stepping the center of the dock. There was no sound. I shivered and wrapped my arms around myself.

"Here you are, and here they are. Here I am, and here we are."

The Joker appeared from the mist, sporting a purple suit and a mile-wide grin.

"Where are they?"

"Oh, don't fret, pet. They're up there." He pointed to a small crate dangling off the edge of the dock, held by a rickety crane.

"Let them go." I growled. The fear in my heart had grown to a thick, near-tangible cloud that weighed on me, but it couldn't even come close to the fear I felt for my brothers. "I will do whatever you want. I'm not going to fight you. But you will set them free. Now."

Glazed, green eyes studied me lazily. "Such an impetuous girl," he sneered, almost singsong. "What makes you think I planned to give them up?"

"They're not worth anything to you." I was worried now. I had known there was no guarantee that he would lose interest in my brothers, but I had been sure that he would. Now, the anger was fading fast in the face of doom. I was scared. "You said it yourself--you wanted me. And you have me."

"But you want me just let them run off? No, no. They'll run to the police. They'll ruin my plans. Miss Harmony, you just can't expect that of me. You can't."

"Please." I choked, holding out my wrists. "Just take me and let them go."

He fixed me with a long stare. I held my breath, knowing that the more amusing choice--not the most prudent, useful, or kind--was likely to be chosen.

"Anything for you, kid." He finally cackled. "Harley!"

The young woman sauntered up to me, a wide grin stretched across her pale face. She had the air of a tricked-out circus clown about her. Her plaited hair was dyed, matching her snug red and purple bodice and flouncy skirt. Her skin was as pale as the Joker's, her lips were black, and her bright blue eyes pinned me with a smug expression. For all the world, she looked like the bi-colored cat that ate the canary.

"Look what we have here," she giggled," a little bird out of the nest."

My wrinkled skirt, hoodie, and unkempt hair each were looked over with the same distaste. I glared at her, returned the patronizing, haughty stare she was giving me.

The Joker pointed to the crane suspended over the water. "Set those little piggies free, and hook her up there. Oh," he reached into his breast pocket and pulled out a small box. "And be a doll and put this on her, won't you?"

"Sure thing." The young woman--Harley--gave his a dip of her head and a smile before turning to me. "C'mon, sugar. We're gonna have a blast."

As the Joker walked off, she wrapped my wrists in thick rope and tugged me over to the crane. A pair of frightened blue eyes peeked from a slit in the box. "Harmie!" Came the muffled cry from above.

"Hang on." I called back up, trying to appear for once as the confident older sibling, and pretending to ignore Harley at my side as she began preparations to lower the box. "I'm gonna get you out of there."

"We're not going to leave you!" Roger planted his small fists on his hips, and Andy nodded.

"You have to." I locked eyes with Roger. "You're the one in charge now. I need you to take care of Andy. Run far away from here--don't look back. Go."

Harley snickered and pushed me toward the crane. "Haven't got all day, sugar. Get out of here, ya little brats."

She unhooked the box and tied my arms to the hook. "Goin' up!" She cheerfully called, clipping the box onto my belt loop before stepping over to the control box. I was lifted into the air and swung over the edge of the dock until I was above the water.

After all the work I went through to keep Bruce and his ward safe, I was going to be the bait to lead my Dynamic Duo straight into a trap.

Tap dat star, kids. I've updated, as I said I would. :)