No Place in My Heart for a Criminal Like You

People seemed to be flocking the streets more and more as the van approached closer to the heart of Gotham. Already the roads were filled with total and utter madness. Chaos ran thickly in each and every direction and I still had no idea on what was going on, while everyone else did. The screams and wails of Gotham’s civilians as they ran frantically from place to place was enough to say that they knew exactly what was happening.

The Joker added more pressure to the pedal making the van speed up, making the terrified pedestrians scream even louder as they dived to dodge being hit by the lunatic driven van. The actions of the van became too erratic as it swerved corners sharply and came to halt almost instantly and then started up again soon after.

“Stop it!” I screamed, gripping my seatbelt tightly as if I was holding onto my life. The Joker slowed the van down quickly making me choke on the seatbelt and then began easing it down the roads. That way he was able to absorb in what he had done to Gotham and it’s inhabitants. He licked his lips slowly and lengthily, enjoying every second of his work. His excitement was almost overflowing as little giggles and raspy chuckles quietly began to escape from him.

I shook my head disapprovingly, still confused with what he had done. “Okay, Joker. We’re in Gotham now and I still don’t know what you’ve done, so you’re going to have to tell me. I can’t figure out what the surprise is and I’m not going to be able to, unless you tell me right now,” I said trying to act calm.

“Isn’t this enough, Harley?” He asked as he waved a hand towards the window, presenting all of the scared citizens running around like headless chickens. “This is what makes the world go around. Who needs TV when you can just watch this?! This is your surprise, toots!”

“This wasn’t what I wanted though. I wanted to know what you’ve done and you said I’d find out when we get to Gotham. We’re here and I still don’t know, so just tell me because I’m never going to find out.”

“Even if I didn’t tell you, you’d find out soon enough anyway.”

“Tell me!” I screamed, not able to remain calm any longer.

The van came to sharp stop soon after and then The Joker opened his door abruptly as he ordered, “Follow me.” I looked out of the window and saw that we at the back of some dilapidated looking building. The whole area looked as if we were in the Narrows. In fact, I’m pretty sure we were. There were hardly any civilians rioting the road in this part of town. Only a few stragglers would run past, too concerned with their own lives to even notice The Joker exit the van.

Since I didn’t obey The Joker’s orders straight away because I was to focused on my surroundings, he heaved the door open, unbuckled my seatbelt and yanked me out of the seat, earning a pained yelp from me. “Grab the bag,” The Joker commanded one of his henchmen as he dragged me to towards the metal stairs leading to the top of the building.

By the time we reached the top I could hardly breathe or stand up properly. Just because The Joker leaped up the stairs almost three steps at a time while I attempted this, but couldn’t keep up, therefore I was pulled up the majority of them, my legs being forced to walk up them.

“So…Are you….Are you going to tell me?” I asked, still out of breath.

“Shh, shh, shh, shh, shh. Let’s just listen to the sounds of chaos for a moment,” he said as he stood at the edge of abandoned warehouse, peering over all of Gotham’s buildings and down at all of the citizens running around wildly. He looked completely at ease, observing all of the madness. This was complete ecstasy for him, which made him look oddly peaceful. “Lovely night for this occasion,” he observed as he looked at the sky.

I had to admit, the sky did look beautiful as the sun had began to set. Various different shades of pinks, reds, purples and oranges consumed the whole sky as the darkness began to encroach into it. “What occasion?” I sighed as I stepped next to him on the edge of the building. He slowly turned around to face me and placed a hand on the back of my neck pulling my lips to his. My eyes widened, shocked at the sudden affection, but soon closed cherishing the gentleness. My hand spontaneously made it’s way to the side of his face, pulling him closer to me.

“How do you do that?” I asked softly once he pulled away. He simply smirked in reply and then walked towards the goon holding the duffel bag. He took the bag from his grip and then walked back over to me.

“So, I think it’s time I tell you what is going on. As you know, you’ve been fluttering around me for awhile now. And within that time, I managed to turn you into something that you never thought you’d be. Therefore you became my accomplice and you helped out with a few minor tasks which weren’t really important. I just thought you were fun to have around. In between the time you were helping me out, I was else where doing more important and productive tasks.”

“What kind of tasks?” I asked.

“Ah-tah-tah-tah. Don’t interrupt, Harley. As I was saying, these tasks although important were very subtle. Therefore, no-one in Gotham was expecting it, since I had you to distract them from me. People would have been suspicious if I hadn’t made any appearances in awhile. And that’s where you come in, puddin’. People were too focused on the fact that I had an accomplice to even consider that I had another concern other than you. So, while they worried about you and I, I hooked up bombs to major locations in the city, including the new refurbished hospital, Gotham University, the Wayne Enterprise tower and many more. Couldn’t have done it without ya, Harley.”

“So…I was just…a decoy?” I questioned not being able to take it in.

“That’s exactly what I’m trying to say.”

“For how long? When did you start planting these bombs and thought it was alright to use me?”

“Use is such harsh word. I was just borrowing, technically as I did this with the best intentions, I swear. I didn’t want it to hurt you in any way. Even from the start when I first escaped from Arkham, I had no intentions of trying to crush your feelings. I hope you’re not offended.”

“I can’t believe this,” I breathed dazed. I was too shaken-up to even be angry with him and instead began to hyperventilate.

“So, do you wanna help, hmm?” He asked as he kneeled down and unzipped the bag, pulling out a detonator out of a pile of many other detonators.

“Jesus Christ, how many buildings did you rig!?”

“I don’t remember exactly.”

“You don’t remember!? How do you know that this building isn’t rigged?!”

He looked up at me dumbfounded and asked dryly, “Do you really think that I’m that stupid? Of course it’s not rigged! This isn’t a death wish.”

“What about the people? Do they know which buildings are rigged?”

“No. I thought it’d make it more exciting for them and me, if I didn’t tell them which buildings were about to explode. I have to say, puddin’, you’re taking this pretty well.”

“Well…there’s not much I can do stop it, is there?”

“Unless, that Batman comes and ruins everything for me like he always does,” The Joker growled through clenched teeth. He shook his head out of the thoughts and cleared his throat. “Anyway, enough about him. I think it’s time we get the party started, huh?” With that said, he instantly pressed the button of the first detonator, causing a tall skyscraper to implode and then collapse helplessly to the ground. He held my hand as we both watched the destruction happening throughout Gotham. “Help yourself,” The Joker said as he kicked the bag towards me.

“I want no part in this whatsoever,” I muttered downheartedly as I turned my back to the crumbling buildings and walked away from the edge.

“Whatever you say. More fun for me.”

I no longer could see all of Gotham tragically get torn apart, but I could still hear it. The loud explosions and the follow of bricks and debris falling like snow as the building completely caved in. And just like the buildings, I collapsed pathetically to the ground. Tears full of different emotions began to stain my face as I finally completely broke down, not being able to take anymore events like these. I felt used, abused, unwanted, unneeded, mistreated, uneasy, afraid. These were only a few of the many emotions and they were all so overwhelming.

“Oh, Harley. There’s no need to cry. Don’t cry on your last night,” he told me as he tilted my head up to look at him.

“My last night?” I asked through sobs. “Are you going to kill me?”

He laughed loudly before saying, “Stand up, Harley.” I did so straight after. “Harley, we’re not good for each other. It’s time that I let you go. Besides, I took what you said last night into consideration and I thought that maybe you should get away from that house.”

“But, I-”

“No, no. You said that you wanted to get away from that place and now I’m letting you get away from me. I thought this would have been what you wanted. Besides, you contradict the fact that you still want me around so I think we should go or own ways now, hmm?”

“I still want to be with you though. Even if I did say I wanted to leave the place. You can’t just do this to me now; it isn’t fair. Please don’t leave me. What am I going to do? Where do I go?” I questioned helplessly.

He pulled out a wad of bills from his coat pockets and shoved it into my hand. “I don’t know. I think you’ll find away to survive, toots.” He looked over my shoulder to look at the goon who was still standing in the same place. “Go start up the van,” he ordered him as he chucked the keys towards him. The goon caught them and darted towards the stairs. The Joker’s focus was then back onto me. “Don’t follow me, Harley. This is what you wanted, so I’m letting you go.”

“I don’t want you to go,” I cried uncontrollably.

“Ah-shh-shh-shh-shh. Don’t make this harder on yourself than it needs to me. And don’t take it personal. You’ll still be my puddin’, puddin’,” he said reassuringly and his tone almost sounded soothing. He rubbed some of the tears away from my face, yet they still continued to fall. “Dry your eyes and before I go; one last kiss.”

Slowly and shakily I wiped the stray tears away from my face and then The Joker’s hands were placed on the sides of my face pulling me in for the kiss. My fingers entwined with his greasy, wavy hair as our lips touched softly. I tried making the moment last forever, but I knew it wouldn’t. I didn’t want it to end like this, but I guess it’s my fault. I’m the one who said I wanted to leave him. But it hurt to know that he was leaving me and I wasn’t going to see him again.

As he pulled away from me, I whimpered from loss of contact. “Farewell, Harley Quinn,” he whispered huskily and then walked past me. As I heard his shoes patter down the metal steps, I fell to the ground again in tears. He was gone. And now I had nowhere else to go.

I was even considering ending it all and jumping off the building at that moment until I felt a hand touch my back gently. I quickly turned my head wishfully thinking that The Joker had came back for me. My smile faded once again when I realised that it was Batman. The tears fell smoothly down my face unwillingly as I stared out towards Gotham where rubble and shattered buildings were placed everywhere with smoke fumes emitting from them.

“You’re too late, Batman. He’s gone,” I informed him miserably as I watched a familiar white van drive past the building.

“I know,” he retorted as he rubbed my back.

“He’s gone and out of my life. I just don’t understand it. I love him and now I won’t see him again. He‘s destroyed half the city, he‘s completely ruined everything I was and no-one even caught him. He got away with everything. He‘s won.”

Batman gently began to pull me up to my feet as I continued to cry softly. As he placed a hand to my back again he lead me towards the stairs while saying, “Come on.” I didn’t even have to know where I was going to make me follow him. I didn’t care. As long as I had somewhere to go. I had nothing now. Not even The Joker. I was happy as long as there was someone to help me along the way. I couldn’t even cry anymore. I had cried out every emotion I had and so now I was emotionless and broken. And for all this, he was to blame. He had completely managed to turn my whole life upside down. He had utterly broken my heart. He was no longer there for me. He, I was still entirely and sickly in love with.

The End...