Shadows of the Past

Chapter 2

Harley gaped at him in astonishment. "Jack Napier?" she repeated. "Who...who's that?"

"That's who I am," he retorted, firmly. "Jack Napier. I remember everything about my life very clearly, except..." He frowned. "Except...the recent past is very hazy. I was at...Ace Chemicals and there was...some guy in a Bat costume who...accidentally knocked me down into a vat...I remember falling down, down, down...but that's it. That's the last thing I remember before I woke up here. Wherever here is," he said, looking around. "This place is hideous. All these grinning clown images everywhere. I hate clowns. They creep me out. Which is why I want to know which practical joker did this to my face, with the makeup and everything. Was it you?" he asked. "You got some on your face too..."

He reached up a hand to try to rub what he thought was makeup off his face. And Harley saw him begin to panic when he saw that nothing was coming off in the mirror. "Oh...my God," he stammered. "This...this isn't makeup, is it?"

Harley shook her head. "It's...what happened to you because of the chemicals," she whispered. "It's permanent."

"Oh God!" he gasped. "Oh God, I look ridiculous! I can't walk around with a face like this! What will people say? What will Jeannie say? She won't want me after this! No woman would want a clown-faced freak!"

He buried his face in his hands, and then looked up at her. "Where is Jeannie?" he asked.

"Who's...Jeannie?" asked Harley, slowly.

"My wife," he said. "Where is my wife?"

"Wife?" repeated Harley, horrified. "But...but no, no, you ain't married, puddin'!"

"Of course I'm married!" he snapped. "I remember my wedding day very clearly! We got married in a little chapel in Gotham, and honeymooned in Niagara Falls. Jeannie always wanted to see Niagara Falls."

"No, I always wanted to see Niagara Falls!" shrieked Harley. "That dumb broad stole my honeymoon idea and my man! Doncha remember me at all, Mr. J?" she asked, desperately. "Your Harley girl, who gave up everything for you? Who gave up her job and her sanity to help you bust outta Arkham..."

"Arkham?" repeated Joker. "Arkham Asylum? I've never been to that horrible place."

"Oh yes, you have!" snapped Harley. "That's where we met! You can't have forgotten that! You can't have forgotten...me..."

She trailed off at the blank look in his eyes. "Mr. J, please," she whispered, touching his cheek. "Please stop pretending. Please just let this all be a joke. I won't even be mad. I just want my Joker back."

She leaned forward to kiss him, but he gently shoved her away. "Look, I'm...sorry," he stammered. "I don't know who you are. But I'm a married man, and I can't just...I mean, clearly there are some gaps in my memory, and clearly if I...didn't remember who I was, I might have...led you to believe...that there might be something between us. But I am married, and I love Jeannie. I don't know what's been going on since I fell into the chemicals, because I can't remember any of it. But I can remember my life before then very clearly, and I love my wife. I couldn't just...I'm sorry."

"But...but you're my Joker, puddin'," whispered Harley, tears in her eyes. "My Joker."

"I...don't know who that is," he repeated. "I'm sorry. I'm Jack Napier. If I can find Jeannie, I can prove it. She'll recognize me, even like this. She vowed to always love me, for better or for worse...I need to find her," he said, heading for the door.

"But puddin', it's the middle of the night!" exclaimed Harley.

"I know this city like the back of my hand – I grew up here," he said. "I know where our house is, and if she hasn't moved..."