When Jerome Meets Harley

Chapter 2

I began my journey to walk home, when suddenly someone grabbed my arm. I turned around to see Penguin. I kind of thought he was dead for a moment, to be honest.

''Kid, did you see a lady take off?!'' He said all in one breath. Should I play dumb so maybe I won't die? Or just tell the truth and hope he shows me mercy? Wait, why in the hell would I be scared of a slender and gawky little man who can hardly walk straight? Oh, right. I'm not.

''Which one?'' I smirked. Okay Harley, you are definitely going to die. He's going to call in the big guns! Ha! Get it? Because they had bazukas!

He grunted, frustrated. ''Tall, short hair with red in it, and really scary!'' He exaggerated.

I acted as if it came to me suddenly. ''Oh! Yeah, Fish Mooney? Yeah, I think she went that way.'' I pointed towards the city. Then put my finger to my chin. ''Or maybe the other way. Hmm, I can't remember. Sorry!'' I said, then proceeded to walk away. I waved and giggled.

He frowned and grabbed me again. ''Listen kid, I am the last person you want to trifle with! I'm the king-''

''King of Gotham, ya da ya da. Yeah, I know.'' I said, folding my arms over my chest, unimpressed.

He gave me a fake smile. ''You're awful feisty. What's your name, kid?'' He questioned.

''Why do you wanna know?'' I asked, raising my eyebrows.

He smirked. ''So I know who I can send my men after.'' He said.

I rolled my eyes. ''Really? Threats? Okay, why don't you listen to me?'' Damn Harley, don't let your fear show or anything. The voice taunted. What fear? I thought.

''I'm not afraid of you or your men, Penguin. As a matter of fact I work for someone that you should be afraid of.'' I lied. Quick, think of someone menacing, someone Penguin might fear. Oh! Got it!

''And whose that?'' He questioned, still smirking.

''Jerome Valeska.'' I said, smiling.

Then he started laughing. I frowned. ''What?'' I questioned, growing angry.

''That teenage psychopath? The dead teenage psychopath?'' He laughed once more, thinking that he won.

I folded my arms over my chest. ''Ha! Dead. You're so funny!'' I said.

He raised his eyebrows. ''Are you stupid or something, kid?''

''Are you?'' I fired back. ''I'm guessing that guy, that Hugo Strange brought him back. Because I saw him, alive.'' I confirmed and smiled triumphantly.

He still looked confused. ''Yeah, sure. And you work for him?'' He questioned mockingly.

''Well yeah,'' I said.

''You're lying,'' He said.

''No, I'm not.''

''Yes, you are.''

''No,''

''Yes,''

''Are we gonna do this all night?'' I said, annoyed.

''Perhaps.'' He said. ''Or you could come with me?'' He asked.

''Why?'' I asked.

''Because I like you, kid.'' He said.

This time I was confused. ''Um, you're quite older then me. I don't think that's legal. And your icky.'' I said.

It took him a minute before he understood what I was saying. His eyes widened. ''Oh! No, not like that.'' He exclaimed. ''I meant you should come to my club with me. Have yourself a little fun.'' He suggested with a smile. "And I'm not icky." He added.

''Even though I'm working for a 'teenage psychopath'?'' I questioned.

He smirked. ''Sure, even though your really not.'' He said.

I groaned. ''Wow, you are annoying!'' I said.

He chuckled. ''I get that a lot.'' He said.

I smiled slightly. ''I gotta get back home-I mean back to the boss. But thanks, pengy. I'll see you around, I guess.'' I said, beginning to walk away.

''Wait!'' He stopped me. ''I never got your name.''

''And you're not going to.'' I smirked.

He rolled his eyes which caused me to roll mine as well. ''It's Harley. Harley Quinn.'' I said, James Bond style. Made me look more....professional.

---

I sighed and walked through the door. ''Where were you, Harleen?'' My mother questioned, standing by the couch.

I rolled my eyes. ''Like you care.'' I said, scoffing at her 'I'm a wonderful mother' act.

That made her mad. ''Just go to your room!'' She shouted.

''Fine. That's where I was going anyway.'' I said.

As soon as I made it to my bedroom, I slammed the door closed and threw a few things in a bag and went through the window to leave. I don't even know why I came back home. It's the same old routine, I make a sarcastic or sometimes disturbing remark (shocking right?) she yells at me and I lock myself in my room, or sneak out the window and roam the streets, either one. But I've had enough, I want more.

I made my way through the streets of Gotham, it was pretty late, so the only people on the streets were the criminals and the homeless. I was zoned out when someone grabbed the bag from my grasp and took off running toward an alleyway. ''Hey!'' I yelled. I ran after this person until I couldn't see them anymore.

''Looking for this?'' A feminine voice asked, dangling my bag as she hung from a ladder off an apartment building. What is she, a monkey?  How did she get up there so fast?

I glared at the girl who appeared to be a couple years younger then me. She was wearing a leather jacket, some type of goggles on the top of her messy hair, and an all black outfit.

I quickly changed my glare to a smirk. ''Why don't you just save yourself a fight and give it back?'' I said.

She smirked back and jumped down, landing right in front of me. Dang, she's got cat like reflexes. Ooh, I can call her cat! Or better yet, kitty! It sounds better then monkey anyhow.

''You wanna fight? Over this?'' She said, stepping forward.

I stepped foward myself. ''If that's what it takes, then yeah I do.'' I said.

She suddenly started laughing. Okay then? Can you say bipolar much? (A/N. Not meaning this in a rude way, I'm bipolar myself. I hope that doesn't offend anyone!)

She throws the bag back to me. ''You don't have anything of my taste in there anyway.'' She said.

I smiled. ''What? Red isn't your color?'' I questioned.

She smirked. ''Nah,'' she said. ''I'm Selina, you can call me cat.''

''Actually I think I'm gonna call you Kitty!'' I said, excited.

She rolled her eyes. ''Okay, whatever.''

''I'm Harley Quinn. Nice to meetcha!'' I said, holding out my hand.

She glanced at my hand and hesitantly shook it. ''Why do you have a bag full of clothes anyway?'' She asked.

''I'm getting away from my crazy mother and deadbeat father for once. Just for the night though, I gotta go back and get the rest of my stuff.'' I explained.

She pursed her lips. ''Want some help?'' She asked.

''Help with what?'' I questioned.

She rolled her eyes. ''Getting your stuff, a place to stay...'' She said.

''Really? You would help me?'' I asked with a smile.

She rolled her eyes, but smiled. ''Sure. Got nothing else to do anyway.'' She said.

''Lame excuse, kitty.'' I said.