i thought you were dead | joker x harley

too young to be broken

In the weeks that passed, Joker had sent his men in search of Harley but to no avail, his favorite toy was no where to be found. On every mission, Frost hoped that they wouldn't find her; that she'd be far far away.

Harley opened her eyes and stared up at the white, plain ceiling above her. She laid in her bed and stared blankly at the room she was in; the room that had seen her at her worst. Harley's bruises had all but disappeared now and the memories of her and Joker were just that now, memories. That part of her life seemed so distant now and it was making her crazy. As she looked around the room she was in, she took note of how normal and empty it seemed. It had a bed, a nightstand, and one small window; this room didn't compare to the one she once shared with Joker. She made her way to the living room and found Alyssa sitting on the brown couch, staring at the tv. Harley's stomach grumbled and she made her way to the kitchen, taking out the milk and cereal and sat at the small wooden table. She ate in silence and found herself daydreaming about the life she had always wanted with her Joker.

She remembered all the sessions she had at Arkham with him and how much she would look forward to them. He excited her and made her want to be free; she loved him unconditionally and nothing he ever did would make her feel differently. Eventually, she finished her breakfast and walked back towards the living room. She walked in to find Alyssa still sitting on the couch, staring at the tv; it seemed like she hadn't even moved an inch. It was eerie. Harley walked over to Alyssa and waved her hand in front of her face; no reaction.

"Doc?"

Harley walked closer to Alyssa and reached for her, before realizing that she was dead. There was blood pooling from the back of her head and as Harley touched her, she fell over. Harley stood there in complete shock, trying to comprehend what was going on before the door was kicked down and dozens of police officers filled the room. Immediately, they swarmed her; one placed handcuffs on her wrists and as Harley noticed their gold color, her blood went cold. She knew now what was going on. The man that placed the cuffs on her, stepped in front of her and took off his mask, revealing his true identity. Joker.

"What's the matter harls, cat got your tongue?"

Harley stared at the man that stood before her and a rush of emotions coursed throughout her body; fear, joy, confusion. She had truly missed him but she didn't miss the beatings and his endless torment; she didn't know wether to burst into tears because of happiness of being reunited with her Joker or because of despair, knowing that she would just be returned to his punching bag. Unfortunately, she didn't have much time to decide because she was soon being rushed out of the small house she had shared with Alyssa. She was thrown into the backseat of a black SUV, as Joker climbed in next to her. His men drove for hours, taking them back to his mansion and at the sight of it, Harley felt like she was home. Joker noticed the look in her eyes and simply smirked, he knew that he had her wrapped around his finger; she'd always belong here, to him. He pulled her out of the car and they walked into the regal home, as they did so, Frost was standing near the staircase. As he saw Harley walking in with Joker, his face fell; he hated seeing her here. Frost remembered when Harley was so full of life and wild, and now, she stood there, fragile and lifeless. Broken. He couldn't see her like this, so he excused himself and went on his way.

Joker removed the handcuffs from Harley's wrists and stood in front of her. He stared into her eyes and as he noticed how sad and empty they looked, he felt a faint sense of sadness. Sure, he beat her and toyed with her, but he never thought he'd hurt her so much that she'd ever consider hurting herself. He always thought of her as strong and lively; now, she stood there, a shell of the person he had brought into his life. He noticed her bony frame as his eyes washed over the rest of her and he took a step back.

"C'mon, let's eat." He said coldly.

"I--I'm not hungry.." Harley whispered. As she thought about what she had just said, she feared she had upset him and tried to apologize.

Joker saw how afraid Harley looked and, for a moment, a wave of guilt rushed over him. He sighed and as he looked out the window in the living room, he noticed how late it was.

"Then let's get some sleep." Joker grabbed Harley's hand, and guided her up the staircase and into the room they shared. On the gold, king size bed laid Harley's favorite pink silk robe; she walked over to the bed and placed her hand on the robe, closing her eyes and smiling as she felt the soft silk beneath her fingers; remembering the way it felt against her body every time she had worn it before. Harley turned to face Joker, who was still standing in the doorframe. She put on her robe and climbed onto the soft, clean bed, yawning.

Joker's face held a slight smile and began walking to his closet. He stepped out in his black sweatpants, shirtless and pulled himself under the covers of their bed. He turned over and found Harley fast asleep; her face seemed tired and weak. He felt a faint sense of guilt, knowing his beatings had led her to the state she was in but he couldn't control his anger and he hated himself for it. He truly did care for Harley but didn't know how to express that part of himself with anyone. He had to do something though, if he didn't want to lose her; but that would be for another day.

He placed a faint kiss on her forehead and whispered, "Goodnight Harls."