Red Hood and Harley

Conversations

Jason and Harley finally decided to get dressed and walk downstairs once their stomachs growled together. Bruce was waiting in the kitchen sipping some fresh tea, watching the two over his cup as they walked in.

"Harley, do you mind if Jason and I go have a chat in the den? Alfred will make you anything you'd like for lunch."

Harley nodded, "Sure B-Man, I'm famished!!" Jason lifted and eyebrow to Bruce and walked off to the den without a word. He already knew this was prolly going to turn into a shouting match.

Bruce shut the door behind him as he followed Jason into the room. "Jason, I'm not going to tell you how to live your life or what to do...." he started slowly, "You're not Dick or Damien, you wouldn't listen anyways. However, I don't want to see you or Harleen hurt. I know the whole house heard you two and we all know you're.... now closer than before. Please remember she may go back to The Joker. She may not want to right now, however Harleen is attached to him and he knows how to manipulate her...."

Jason looked off out the window before quietly speaking, "I know Bruce, but she's not ever going to be Harleen again. She's been too broken and twisted. Ya know?" Bruce nodded. "But she has realized Joker is no good, and shes staying far away from him. She has nothing of hers but a mallet, a gun and some clothes she had at Ivy's. Shes made no mention of even wanting to go back for her shit. And today.... she was unbridled and honest, I can tell. Shes getting comfortable for prolly the first time since she walked out of Arkham with... him." Jason sighed and turned to look at Bruce. "If it doesn't last I won't be shocked, but I don't think she can fake the fear she has of that clown."

Bruce nodded, "I can imagine Jason. I'm looking out for you. I don't want you running off again or doing something reckless." Jason scoffed, "Bruce, I'm not gonna go get killed again and I'm not going to run off like a love sick puppy if she does go back... if there is a Joker to go back to when I find him."

Bruce didn't respond, he had realized over the last few days that perhaps his method with Joker was wrong and he needs to be put in the ground. Jason walked out if the room, over the conversation and Bruce didn't push it. He hollered out, "Can you send Harleen in please?" He wasn't sure how to approach this discussion at all.

Harley padded into the room with a glass of lemonade and a plate of cookies, "What's up B-Man?"

Bruce motioned for her to sit down and began, "Now Harleen," Harley injected "Listen, its Harley. There is no Harleen and she ain't coming back.... even if I wanted her to, I've done things her conscious can't handle." Bruce starred at her for a moment before nodding, even as a psychotic clown she still had her psychiatric training embedded in her brain.

"Ok Harley listen, I don't know what's going on with you and Jason and I have said my piece to him about it. I'm not calling it a good or bad thing, that just isn't my place. After what you've both been through I'm in no place to judge how either of you cope. However, I do want to know the last place you knew the Joker to be. I want to know how many men he has with him and if you know his next plan.... I'm putting a stop to him for good. I will not watch one more soul be broken because of him.... because I allowed him to do it."

Harley starred at Bruce for several moments before slowly responding, "I can't let you do it. You ain't got no idea how to live with cold blooded murder. It changes ya B-Man. You have a vow and you live by it. I respect ya for it...."

she stood up and starred Bruce down with a look that made him shiver, her blue eyes were as ice cold as The Joker's stare. It was borderline uncomfortable to him to keep eye contact so he looked away.

She continued, "Hes mine, hes Jason's, which ever gets him first. But he is not yours, ya ain't getting my revenge, my closure whatever ya wanna call it. This is mine, I owe myself and I owe Jason... and I owe Jac- Joker."

Bruce looked back to Harley with a startle, "You know his real name, don't you!?!" He spoke in a soft and surprised voice. "He told you or you found out for yourself. But it explains why hes tearing apart Gotham for you. It would explain why he isn't going to just let you walk away.... you know his secrets."

Harley looked at Bruce wide-eyed, "Nah, B-Man I don't.... besides, even if I know who he was before that man is dead and Joker replaced him. Trust me, I know better than anyone. And I wouldn't tell him who you really are, I wouldn't tell you who he really is." She stopped before adding, "hes tearing apart Gotham for me?" She looked surprised. "I really didn't think he'd care at all but honestly hes prolly outta clean underwear and food. Hes not really all that domestic, ya know?"

Bruce shook his head, "Harley, I can't let you go after Joker. It's too dangerous, Jason I'm sure won't allow it either."

Harley laughed, not her bell like laugh he had heard the last few days but a twisted and dark laughter that was picked up from her years with Joker, "oh B-Man, lemme tell ya something... you nor Jason will tell me yes or no or what I can or can't do. Nobody will ever do that again. Besides, I'm immune to his toxins and I know his fighting and tricks better than any of ya. Sorry, but I'm the best option. I can walk into Grin and Bare It tonight and he wouldn't bat an eye letting me upstairs. You don't have that ability. I've been gone long enough he wouldn't even beat me, he would play so sweet for a day or two."

Harley turned heel and walked out leaving Bruce speechless.

As Harley walked out she bumped right into Jason who snatched her by a wrist, "if you're taking out Joker, you're not going alone. I won't let you..." he paused pulling her close against him, leaning into her ear, "I'll watch you pull the trigger. I'll watch you beat him senseless but I will not let you go in alone." He kissed her softly and smirked, "I deserve to watch him die, and to have it be you would be fantastic. He deserves it to be a woman he wrote off weak."

Harley smirked and shrugged, "Well puddin, ya can come but ya gonna do it my way. Ya might not like it. But hes not getting the grand death he wants. No show, no game, no grandious fight... me and him, alone and a bullet. I already have this thought out." She paused to kiss him, "and I'm going tonight. I need to get ready."

Jason starred at her and smiled, nodding "ok, you're way princess."