The Scars Left Behind
This is the Sequel to the Harlequin and the Bat and The Harley and The Ivy.
Important notes: I do not own Batman or any portion of the franchise. I give all credit to DC Comics and respective owners. Except the characters I wrote in my profile.
Warning: Violent scenes to come. These stunts are done by highly trained professionals and should not be imitated by anyone. Except those proficient in martial arts training and weapons, even then it shouldn't be imitated.
Chapter 1
It is now December thirteenth. Over a month since the death of Joker and Bill; Harley has come to terms with shooting and killing Joker…a real killing joke. Bruce and Harley haven't really talked during the time; of course they still live in the manor but things between Bruce and Harley have become strained; Dick, Tim and Barbara are helping clean up the streets of Gotham but they are struggling because of the ever staying depression and atmosphere in the house. Alfred and Sonia have tried to console the worrisome household, but have been little in success.
(Alfred's POV)
"Father, if it is not over-stepping my place, do you think the Master and Mistress will get through this…it has been a fortnight ever since the funeral for The Joker…and a week since Bill's." Sonia spoke politely.
"*sigh* It has been a month Sonia…I do not know if they'll get past this…but Miss Harley and Master Bruce…I hope that they do…" Alfred said solemnly.
Inside the study Barbara was communicating with Nightwing and Robin; she was trying to direct them around Gotham to stop Killer Croc from raiding the banks of Gotham. "God, when did we get to this point?" Barbara spoke sadly.
"We followed Croc to the Banks and are tracking him now…but I know what you're talking about Oracle." Robin answered
"Bruce and Harley…Ivy…all of them deserve better." Nightwing answered as well. "It's just like Jason all over again."
"I know…I didn't want this amount of grief again in our lifetime." Oracle spoke sadly "We can't dwell on the past. We've got to get Croc before he makes an unwanted withdrawal."
"That's not going to be easy. He's stronger than the two of us and he's got a troop with him…we need Shard and Batman." Robin explained
"Well good luck trying to get them. Shard has been away ever since the funeral and Batman has gotten his head in the company." Oracle explained
"And Ivy is always with that plant down in her garden…" Nightwing added
(Ivy's POV)
Inside the garden Ivy stayed with the healing tube, the embryo that was once there has formed into a small child. Ivy trimmed up around the garden and making the flowers grow; always keeping her eye on the child. 'Bill…she's growing every day…I wish you were here…I hope you're burning in hell Joker!' she thought to herself crushing a dead flower in her hand.
(Harleen's POV)
Harley stayed away from Wayne Manor for the last week; she wanted to be alone, everything about that home reminded her of Bruce and Bill. Bruce being the man she loves and Bill being the person who helped her get with Bruce and with Batman. She looked at her costume and gear as it was gathering dust; she turned away from her Bat-Shard costume, she didn't want to be reminded of it. 'I'm no hero…' She thought to herself. She couldn't even hold her Harley loves Bruce bat-plush she lost it ages ago; she held her legs next to her chest in a foetal position and fell down to her bed.
(Bruce's POV)
Bruce continued to work at Wayne Enterprises each day seemed to get worse with him; he couldn't think straight, the days seemed to blend into each other, the company wasn't going under and the work was going well…as to be expected. 'Harley…I'm sorry.' He held his head in his hands.
"Mister Wayne…there is a visitor to see you" the intercom spoke Bruce pressed it.
"Oh…Erm…see them in." Bruce spoke to his secretary
As the door opened a female sultry voice called to him. "Hello Bruce."
"Selina…" Bruce spoke surprised
(Dick's POV)
Nightwing and Robin snuck around to find Killer Croc's men and Croc himself sitting around with their ill-gotten gains, they were all laughing. "Ha-ha! A whole month without the Bat and his little Bitch!" a goon laughed
"Yeah; no Bat, no Shard, just the Dynamic Dunces!" another spoke
"Dynamic Dunce's? Their just asking for it!" Robin whispered
"I know…but they out number us about: six to one!" Nightwing spoke
"Don't be fooled! They maybe young but their Batman's prize protégés! Even without the Bat-Shard, they're dangerous." A reptilian voice roared "*sniff, sniff*"
"What is it boss?" a goon asked
"I have their scent…they're close…" Killer Croc hissed.
"Crap!" Nightwing whispered "we need to regroup!"
"Okay…lets…" Robin whispered "Nightwing!" he shouted
Nightwing was grabbed by a goon and thrown down into a chair followed by Robin. Killer Croc's men tied the two up. Croc laughed "Well look here boys. The Dynamic Duo: Nightwing and Robin…I told you I have your scent."
(Bruce's POV)
"Selina…what are you doing here?" Bruce asked
"I heard that you were having some girl trouble…I thought I might lend a shoulder to cry on." She spoke like a vixen but tried to maintain a certain amount of innocence.
"How did you…?" Bruce asked
"Hear about you and Harley? It's all over the news: missing girlfriend, Bruce Wayne becomes hermit…Why don't you tell me all about it?" Selina walked over to Bruce.
"What else do you know?" Bruce spoke darkly in his Batman voice.
"Oh…I know about Joker…everyone knows about Joker. How he: warped that poor boys mind, how that same boy committed suicide, how Bat-Shard took him out with…what was it? Five bullets?" Selina spoke what the underworld knew
"One…" Bruce answered darkly
"One…" Selina repeated "That's all it takes isn't it? Just…one…" she leaned forward to Bruce's lips and kissed him.
The phone rang as soon as Bruce broke the kiss "No…we're over Selina…it's been over for a long time. Excuse me. Yes?" Bruce answered almost violently
"Bruce you need to get to the warehouses, Dick and Tim are in trouble!" Barbara answered in a panic
"Which ones?" Bruce answered
"The ones near the old wharf. You've got to go now!" Barbara answered immediately
"I've got to go." He said to Selina "Debra, cancel the meetings for the rest of the day. I'm going home early." He pushed the intercom.
"Oh…okay Mister Wayne." Debra answered
"Seems that the Bat is needed…" Selina smiled
Bruce just scowled "I trust you can see yourself out?" he said going toward the door
"Of course…just remember Bruce: I'm always here." She said innocently going out "Always"she emphasised with her sultry voice. Bruce felt uneasy then left to find Dick and Tim
(Harleen's POV)
Harley looked at her costume for a long time after looking away for some time. She continued being depressed but then broke it after hearing the phone ring. She picked it up "Hello?" she answered sadly
"Miss Harley, Masters Dick and Tim are in trouble! The wharf warehouses" Sonia's voice spoke
"What…?" she spoke in surprise "They-they're in trouble?" she asked
"Yes they need your help!" Sonia emphasised
"But…why are you telling me this? Where's Ivy?" Harley asked Sonia, they didn't exactly part on good terms.
"She's still not talking to anyone; you're the only one she can talk to. And I'm the only one who you actually talk to now." Sonia explained
"But…I'm no hero, Sonia…Joker…Bill…" Harley tried to explain
"Joker is cremated and buried. Bill is at peace; don't carry the weight of the dead…especially the dead who gave his life to save you." Sonia emphasised her concern "Tell me: would Bill want you to carry on being like this? Or would he tell you: you have to learn lessons like this and become a better person?"
Harley was still in silence then she spoke... "Give me five minutes." She said over the phone. Then she put the phone down and then she looked at her costume.
(Sonia's POV)
Sonia put the phone down "She's going in…she listened to me." Sonia smiled looking at Ivy.
"Sometimes you have to learn how to speak the right language to the right person." Ivy smiled while holding a plush flower.
(Dick's POV)
Nightwing was struggling to get free; their tools were taken from him and Robin. Neither of them were getting out of there without bruises or broken limbs.
"Nightwing…what are you doing?" Robin whispered
"Trying to get free…we need to get out of here." Nightwing struggled while whispering to his adoptive brother.
"Hey!" a goon caught wind of what was going on with them and threw a punch into Nightwing's stomach. "Stay quiet! Boss's orders!"
"Oof! God!" Nightwing struggled as he spat at the floor.
"And you! You best be quiet…or you'll end up like your friend here." The goon pointed at Robin then Nightwing.
Robin nodded then collected his thoughts 'Bruce, Harley, anyone come help!'
"What the…? Who the hell?" a goon yelled out
(Harleen's POV)
Bat-Shard flew to the wharf warehouses her costume dusted off and her resolve hardened she needed to get to Tim and Dick.
"Just hold on boys…I'm coming!" she spoke out "Please be okay." as she landed on top of the rooftop opposite. She could hear fighting inside; she saw what was transpiring inside.
(Bruce's POV)
Batman drove as fast as he could; he wanted to get Dick and Tim out of there quickly as possible; he found the warehouse and stopped. 'Hold on you two. I'm coming!' he thought as he exited he snuck into the darkness trying to find a way inside trying to find Dick and Tim but what he saw was something else.
*Inside the warehouse minutes before*
"What the…? Who the hell?" a goon yelled out
A figure slammed down onto two goons; their heads smashed on the concrete floor, their blood trickled from their heads and two other struck him. The Rogue struck each of them with a pair of tonfa, smashing their teeth from their jaws.
"You again?! Where the hell have you been?" Nightwing roared
"Good to see you again…behind you!" Robin called out the Rogue looked over his shoulder and saw them.
"Batman, here? After him!" the goon shouted running in with a chain.
The Rogue struck back with his cape blinding the thugs then cracking their ribs with his tonfa making them cough blood. Each one fell but some of them had broken arms to follow. "God damn! Who is this kid? Some sort of killer Bat-Spawn?" a goon spoke clutching his arm in pain
"I don't know…but this kid smells…delicious! *Roar*" Killer Croc spoke salivating then roared
"Get us free. We can help!" Nightwing ordered but the Rogue didn't heed him.
"Oh no you don't! Batman's Boy Wonders are mine!" Killer Croc roared as he said running to the Rogue.
The Rogue stood his ground against Croc as the reptilian man raced towards him with his fangs bare; the Rogue disappeared in a cloud of smoke. Killer Croc looked around and saw no-one there; no Robin, no Nightwing, no Rogue. Killer Croc roared and demanded he show himself, the goons ran because they knew messing with Killer Croc in a rage is a sure fire way to lose a limb…or your life. "We-we'll check round back boss. See if they haven't rabbited." a goon said fearing for his life
"Then find them!" Killer Croc roared then the lights went out. "What's going on? Hide all you want boy…but I have your scent!" he roared
The Rogue flew down and landed on Croc's head kicking him in the nape of the neck; forcing him to edge forward. The Rogue flipped over Croc's head and kicked him in his eyes, Croc roared in anger and frustration but always he had the scent of The Rogue. He raced towards the scent but was unsuccessful…while this was happening Robin was being untied by one person and Nightwing another.
(Harleen's POV)
"Robin!" Bat-Shard raced over untying her estranged boyfriend's ward.
"Shard…Am I glad to see you!" Robin whispered
"Really…? I thought that…" Bat-Shard asked
"Look we'll deal with the pleasantries later. Right now there's that Rogue Assassin in there kicking Killer Croc's butt! You got to help!" Robin explained
"Okay: you hide, I'll go in…" Bat-Shard explained "Tim…it's good seeing you again." she smiled. Robin smiled and went off to hide. "Ready or not, here comes the Bat-Shard."
(Bruce's POV)
"Nightwing! What were you thinking taking on Croc by yourself?" Batman asked sternly.
"Well it's not our fault you were having a month long pity party with Harley. *groan* Look: inside is that Rogue Assassin, the one from ages ago. He's in there toe to toe with Croc; you have to get in there!" Nightwing groaned in pain while giving his mentor a life lesson. "Look I'll go hide, get in there and strike some fear into that guy."
Batman nodded and went in with his batarangs at the ready. "I'm coming Croc!"
To be continued
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The next chapter coming up soon.
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