I lay surrounded by broken glass. Looking up, Batman had the Joker pinned against the wall by and was shouting. But all I could make out was the Joker's gleeful laugh.
"Ooooh, Bats, I'm so glad you could make it to our little party!"
"Wouldn't miss it for the world."
Batman punched the Joker and he fell to the ground. Then the Bat was at my side in an instant.
"Miss Quinzel, are you alright?" he asked, gently picking me up.
"I'm fine," I insisted, gripping tightly onto his neck.
The Joker coughed and laughed.
"I've...got dibs...Bats, " he strained as he pulled himself up, "so claws off!"
"The cops are on their way up, Joker. you're going back to Arkham."
"Home sweet home! I only wanted a word with you, Bats, and this was the best way!"
"It hardly seems the simplest option..."
"Simple? Who said anything about simple? Ahahahaha!"
Batman gestured towards the table of knives.
"What are those for?"
The Joker sighed.
"Ya see Bats, Harleen here hasn't been very cheerful of late. I just wanted her to be happy, to smile."
"You're sick. Who in their right mind would want to look or be like you?" Batman spat. The Joker's smile faded.
"Well, once I'm done with her, you'll meet Harley Quinn. And if you thought I was something, Batman, wait 'til ya get a look at her! Ahahahaha!"
Batman placed me down slowly and helped me to stand, before putting himself between the Joker and me like a shield.
"Harley Quinn?" he asked.
"Mhmm. A name you'd do best to remember. But what I really wanted you here for is..."
Suddenly the elevator doors opened and 6 officers hustled in, tackling the Joker.
"But Bats...I need to...to tell you...the secret!" he struggled over the cops restraining him.
"What secret?" Batman asked.
"Ahahaha! Guess you'll just have to wait! Nice chat, we should do this again sometime!"
And with that, he was hauled away into the elevator, the doors closing on his smiling face. Commissioner Gordon approached us, picking up the rogue police scanner from the floor.
"Harleen...I'm so sorry. I don't know what to say, I-"
"Don't apologise, Gordon, it wasn't your fault," I croaked, brushing myself off and stepping forward, "You did all you could. The asylum was in chaos...speaking of which, how is Arkham? Is he stable?"
"Safe and sound in Gotham General, which is where you're heading."
"But I-"
"No, no buts. You need to be checked over," Gordon insisted. I nodded and turned to thank batman, only to find him gone.
"Yeah," Gordon chuckled, "he does that."
We passed Slutty Sandra on our way out. She was being questioned by several officers, all the while dabbing her eyes with a tissue. How dramatic, I thought.
The cold air felt nice against my burning skin. The building was surrounded by cop cars and taped off. Some curious members of the public craned their necks to get a good look at the drama. That's when I spotted the vultures lurking to the left...cameras raised - the press.
