Epilogue for Part 1, Thank you all for reading this story and just wait for Part 2!

With Love ~Dresner

Four months after the Take over of Arkham Asylum-

Harley sat in her cell in her prison orange get up and socks fiddling with her pigtails awaiting a visitor. He visited her once ever month and she always made sure to be awake when he would come to see her. She would fix her oranges to show just enough skin to arouse her bat, fluff her pony tails, and even applied a little home made make up to bring out her blue eyes even more than usual. But this time she wanted to talk to him about something rather serious for once, maybe after a little one on one with her bat.

A knock on the door signaled to Harley that he was here. "Coming Froggy!" She said with a cheery tone as she put on a pair of shoes.

"Madame Quinzel, Batman est ici pour vous (Madam Quinzel Batman is here for you.)" Astor told her in a kind voice as he open the door to let her out. Astor only wore his sidearm around Harley ever since they began talking to one another about their former professions as Doctors and began to bond as friends. She needed one since Ivy was suffering from TITAN poisoning from the Joker's take over four months ago. Things looked grim for Ivy, but she was pulling through as usual. She joined Astor in the hall way with a spring in her step and a song in her heart as she skipped merrily next to him as they walked down the hallways toward a special visiting room where Harley and Batman would meet. The sound of Joker's laughter echoed through out Arkham once more, albeit with less vigor than usual since his incarceration in extreme isolation. But his voice could still be heard through out Arkham through the walls and ventilation systems. She, or rather Harley, was worried about him more and more. Seeing Batman pleased Harleen, but only gave some form of happiness to Harley. Sure she still wrote on the walls "J love H" or "Mista J & Harley Q 4 ever" on the walls, but her affair with Batman was a closely guarded secret between her, Astor, and Batman.

But even though she saw her bat and one some occasions her 'Puddin', Harley couldn't help but worry for him. "But as long as I can hear you laugh, I know your okay." Harley would tell herself as she laid her head against the cold concrete wall at night listening to his laughter. Harleen would then turned her head toward the small window above and look into the night sky telling herself, "But as long as I know your protecting me from him, I know you'll be there for me." as she thought of Batman.

The two Harley's were still divided, but they both couldn't help but feel relieved that with in two months they would be released from Arkham and on to a new life... It all seemed so surreal to her that their was a possibility of going back to a normal life. To returned to being Harleen instead of Harley all the time, that there would be no more harsh living, and that her future was bright for her once again... But deep down she felt like a real heal. She came out on top for once, a light sentence with only a few psychiatric tests separating her from her lover and a new life. Why did she feel this way?

"How's my Joker?" Harley asks Astor out of the blue with a sigh as she listened to his chuckles fading away as she walked on.

Astor shrugged and beat around the bush a little before telling her the news, "He's dying Harleen. The TITAN is killing him."

"What?" She asked in shock and disbelief.

"I don't know really. From what the doctors have said, the large amount of TITAN in his body is eating away at his body like the common termite eating away at a home." Astor explained as they neared the special visiting room. "He doesn't have long, not long at all."

Harley's make up began to run as small tears began to drip from her eyes, "How... How long does Mister J have to live?"

Astor only shrugged his shoulders, "Days, months, maybe a year. I'm not sure." He told her as he put his hand on her shoulder. "But look, I know you, or Harley, or who ever still cares for him. Though it is rather wrong to love a criminal, it isn't wrong for a doctor to care for his patient."

Harley gave a confused and tear filled glare at the french mercenary as they reached the door to a private room. She looked at the door and looked at him still confused on what he meant as he open the door to an awaiting Batman.

With out a word she stepped through the door until the door shut behind her. She could see Batman wearing a new suit as it gleamed in the light of the private room. The room itself wasn't special, just a basic interrogation room retrofitted with carpet and more forgiving lightening. It wasn't the most romantic of places, but it sure was a hell of a lot better than her cell. She wiped the tears from her eyes and walked over to the Dark Knight to rap herself around him in hopes of making the pain of reality go way.

Her body was a perfect fit for the hard build Bruce Wayne, it was almost an hour glass shaped figure that seemed to compliment his stone like body. Her hair was soft and full of life just like she was, which was rather surprising considering the still morbid conditions the prisoner of Arkham Asylum were kept in even after the Joker's attempted take over only months ago. Even through he held his Harlequin in his arms, he couldn't help but sense that something was troubling her.

"Harleen," He asked in a sweet tone. "Are you ok? You seem a little upset..."

Harley picked her head up from his chest and slowly kissed him on the lips. "It's nothing honey..." She replied lightly as she buried her head back in his chest.

"Harley your not a good liar..." Batman says as he takes her head out of his chest to see her eye liner running from crying. "Whats wrong?"

"Harley, don't tell him. Please don't screw this up again, Please!" Harleen demanded.

"You know the frog is right," Harley told herself. "If mister J is dying then we better make the time we have left the best..."

"But look at the last few months with the Dark Knight! He's brought us gifts, stemmed our sentence, and is show us LOVE, TRUE LOVE! Something that clown will never show us and you know that!" Harleen shouted.

"I don't care. B-Man does love us and YOU love him, He's YOUR man, not mine. Or least that's what I think." Harley told her, fighting back the regret in her mind. "But whatever, Mister J maybe be a creep but he was the first man that made us feel alive. Yeah he ruffed us up a little now and then, but that is just his way of showing love..."

"LOVE?!"

"Your the fuckin doc here Harleen, not me, and if I remember correctly the frenchy is right about a doctor caring for his patient. Are you, as a doctor, gunna let a man die because you hate'em? Huh?" Harley spat back to Harleen.

Harleen was surprised by Harley's quickness and conviction. She loved the Joker, even though Batman showed her what real love was. She really did care for that clown, or at least pitted him. While Harleen cared for and loved Batman. But what made the whole idea even more strange was that their reasons for loving the Dark Knight and the Clown Prince of Crime were one in the same-

Both of them harbor a dark past...

She could see it in their eyes, The dark and stoic brown of Batman and the cheery and sadistic green of the Joker, told the same story of two men who fate decided to thrown into the dirt and rip their hearts out. Yet they seemed to build themselves back up.

Both these men, these enemies, need someone to be their confidant, their friend, their lover...

She couldn't hold it in anymore and Harleen couldn't shut her down no matter how hard she tried to stop her darker alter-ego.

"J is dying B-man..." She said in her thick Brooklyn drawl as tears began to fall from her eyes.

"Are you sure?" Batman asks her, letting off slight signs of concern.

"From what Froggy told me, Ya." Harley said unsure of what the Frenchman told her. "I don't want him to die Batsy, I don't... Even if we're together."

Harley took Batman's hands in her own and looked into his eyes, "When I was in medical school I was taught that a good doctor never let a man die, no matter who her was. I can't watch him die, just as much as you couldn't stand seeing him hurt me."

She spoke with such purity, such grace, such truth. He was impressed at how far she had come in such little time in just that moment, she cared for the life of another, even if it was the Joker's life. He couldn't help but feel proud for Harley's progress, but the looming death of the Joker sent a chill down the Dark Knight's spine.

"Does this mean-"

"No," Harley responded. "I still love you Batsy and so does Harley to a point. But I can't let him die, my heart couldn't take it." Her voice became fearful, yet still truthful as her grip became tighter on Batman's hands.

"I understand." Batman said in his stoic gruff as he let go of her hands letting them drop to her side.

"You know you would save him too." Harley told him firmly as Batman slowly began to walk to the door, but she persisted and put her hand on his shoulder. "You know you would..."

Batman only gave a sigh as he turned around to face his Harliquin. He didn't say a word as he gave her one last kiss on the lips and walked out of the room, back into the cold shadows that he called home.

Leaving Harley wondering, did she do the right thing?

Batman entered the Batmobile with a heart full of heart break. As soon as the door closed he removed his cowl and ran his hands through his thick black hair as he wondered why. Why did Harley go back to him, that abusive clown. Why? He slammed his fists against the console and shouted at the top of his lungs "WHY?!"

"My name is Harleen Quinzel and this is my story, It's time you heard it..." The sound of the tape player startled Batman as he soon realized he placed the player in his console. But he didn't turn it off as the sound of a tired and regretful Harleen spoke of her past.

"I'm a Brooklyn girl, I guess you figured out that one pretty quick eh bats? My mom and dad weren't really around much when I was growing up, Divorce coupled together with a resentful mother and kind heartened father never really mixed well together, neither did growing up poor. But growing up poor made you grow up quick and so did working three jobs at age 15 to help out papa with rent and groceries. It made me want a better life for myself and maybe make my Dad proud as well. Then he died at the end of Freshman year of High school. I was heart broken, even more when I had to look at him in the casket as they put him in the ground..."

A brief pause filled the car until a faint sound of sobbing caught his attention as she began again.

"After Papa died I went to live with my mother. She wasn't the best of people, always lying and cheating her way out of everything, always yelling at me and blaming me for her faults. I was abused by her every day I came home for the smallest of things... But I always kept my chin up... I always tried to smile... But it just became to much and I ran away to Gotham. I worked my ass off for two years and won enough awards for gymnastics to put myself through collage where I became a Doctor. Two years Bats, Two years... In two years I went from rock bottom to wearing a cap and gown for the second time in my life and holding my degree in Psychology. Crazy isn't it? Bet cha ya didn't know this blonde bimbo had enough smarts and conviction to do all that in such small time eh? *Giggle* Then I went to intern for Hugo Strange in Blackgate..."

"But you know the rest... Everyone in Arkham knows it..."

"Before all that, before Harley Quinn, Before Joker, and before Blackgate I took a night off to the Iceberg Lounge to unwind after another 'Wonderful' session with that freak Calender Man. Vodka tonic was my favorite drink and god knows how badly I needed one that night. I sat back in a booth alone and listen to the band and Penguins lovely rantings about class and money until some guy offered to buy me another tonic. He was a kind man, very swav and all that jazz, but he wasn't rude or trying anything on me. We sat together, listened to the band, laughed at Cobblepot, and just enjoying the night together. His name was Bruce Wayne, at the time I didn't know he was some billionaire playboy, but even if I did know it wouldn't have mattered. Bruce was a sweet guy with a good heart and didn't try anything on me, but tried on him *Naughty giggle*. Time seemed to pass away as we just enjoyed our time together, then I made the first move and kissed him. One peck turned into a kiss and... Well you know... The next morning I found myself alone in my bed without anyone their to cuddle with. He just disappeared... I saw him later on TV and soon it hit me, I slept with a playboy, boy did that make me feel like a piece of shit. The next couple of days were just so much shit that I diagnosed myself with depression. Then the Joker came and played on my mind, now here we are. But I bet your wondering what all of this has to do with you? You remember when you saved me from Blackgate five years ago? That was when I noticed something... I noticed your eyes, those deep brown eyes that you hide cowl. Their's a saying that everyone's eyes tell a story and yours told me a story that brought out the very best and worst of me... At the time I saw you as some hero complex bully and others as a lost soul looking for a cause. But you know, tonight changed all that... Tonight made me wonder, what made you the way you are B-man? What made you you? Was it tragedy like Joker? Or was it circumstance? Whatever it was Bats I want to say that I'm here for you. That you too have someone who cares for you. I love you Batman, not because you need some help, but because you chose to help me. You chose to help me so I won't go any farther than Mister J. Maybe you'll get this tape and listen to it, maybe Mister J will finally put a bullet in me if he finds it, or maybe it will sit in Arkham gathering dust like my office. Whatever happens Bats, I want you to know I love you... And I always will..."

The tape ended leaving Batman with a semi mended heart as he started the Batmobile. He placed the cowl back over his face and took one long breath before speeding away into the darkness. But he couldn't help but wonder, Did he make the right choice that night, Leaving her to save Gotham from another criminal? Should he had just until the dawn would she still have become Harley Quinn? Could he have saved her from herself?

To be continued...