The night had come for implementation of The Joker and Bane's collaborative plan. J had been impressed with the man's intelligence and drive. Bane had been cooperative with The Joker taking over the plan after Bane announced his idea several months back.

The Joker had created enough explosives to take out half of Arkham and with them precisely placed in the asylum with the assistance of his workers on the inside. Word had spread among the incarcerated fiends that they would be let loose to reign hell on the streets of Gotham. If all went accordingly, The Batman would be kept busy wrangling the rogues for months.

"Remember what we talked about, if The Bat shows, you don't touch him. He belongs to me.", The Joker stated firmly during their preliminary meeting.

Bane replied, "Of course! You don't have to worry, Joker. This is your show."

The hour was late as the two rattled along in an old Cadillac. Bane was calm, serene. The Joker glanced at him out of the corner of his eye as he drove. Something seemed off, but he couldn't put his finger on it.

The car came to a stop about half a mile from the asylum. As the two walked briskly along the towering cement wall that bordered the asylum grounds, Joker kept an eye on Bane. Joker carried a black backpack with all the detonators that were connected to each of the twelve explosives in the old building. Arkham was like a second home to him, he almost felt nostalgic when he thought about the old place crumbling in ruins.

They approached the guard booth at the entrance and Joker quickly shot at the man before he had a second to register the unexpected guests. The two made quick work of getting to the nearest fire exit door.

It was 12:03 am and his inside guard was to have disabled the alarm and open the door at 12:05. They rested with their backs to the wall as they waited. Once the door opened, they shimmied inside.

"Listen, we need to get as many inmates out as possible before we detonate. Don't be long, take out any staff you come into contact with. Meet back here by 12:30. Oh, uh, if you run into Jonathan Crane, I wouldn't be heartbroken if you left him in his cage.", Joker instructed. The guard gave them each a key card programmed to work in any cell. Bane and the guard nodded.

The group split as they headed to the different floors. The Joker took the elevator. He whistled to himself as he listened to the overhead soft jazz. Once the door dinged and opened he was face to face with a late shift doctor and nurse. The women shrieked and threw their clipboards and files into the air.

"Ladies, ladies! Why so skittish? Is it the scars?", he gestured to his painted face. The nurse turned on her heel and ran, but The Joker lifted his pistol and shot her in the back of the head without so much of a glance. He slowly walked up to the poor trembling doctor who dropped to her knees as she begged not to be hurt. "Now I wish I had more time to play. I've always had a fondness for the fine doctors here at Arkham. But the clock is ticking!" He holstered his gun and pulled the knife out of his coat pocket. As he descended on the woman he plunged the knife into the blonde over and over. He felt a release he didn't realize he needed. When he looked down at her blood spattered face he could almost see his Harley. Oh how he had fantasized about doing this to Ha-ha-Harley for so long. As the alarms began to go off, the annoying buzz brought him out of his reverie and he felt almost drunk. He growled as he stood up and wiped the sweat and blood off his brow. He jogged down the hall and through two security doors. The halls were empty. The sorry state of Arkham's security hadn't changed much and probably still wouldn't even after this stunt. Inmates cheered and shouted as The Joker ran the key card through as many locks as he could get to.

The yelling and hoots from the escapees was almost defending. The Joker pulled his pocket watch out and saw that it was 12:25. He had five minutes to get back downstairs. He jogged back to the elevator since the stairwells were clogged full of inmates trying to run. There were gunshots heard in the distance, presumably from the few security guards who actually cared. Oh how he hoped The Bat would show up soon. The Joker joined Bane and the guard that was working with them had booked it. Bane nodded his success. The Joker pulled open the backpack and handed Bane six of the detonators. Once they made it back outside to the Arkham grounds, they waited until the flood of inmates became a trickle. "No time like the present!", The Joker stated. The two began activating each detonator and watched in awe as the ancient building cracked and crumbled with the sound of the massive explosions.

"Joker! What have you done?", The Batman finally made his entrance.

"You're a, uh, a little late Bat. No matter, you're in time for your surprise! Do you like it?", The Joker asked with a gleeful voice bouncing like a child.

The Batman descended on The Joker as the two engaged in their old familiar combat. Punctuated by The Joker's manic giggles, The Bat was pummeling his fist into his face. The Joker's laugh ceased and his eyes dilated as the sound of a bullet cut through the air, then another and another. The Batman looked down at The Joker's chest and saw the spread of dark blood across his shirt and waistcoat. He laid The Joker down on the ground and looked up to see Bane standing tall with his arm extended, holding a pistol.

The Joker turned his head to Bane, "You!", he seethed.

"Yes Joker, it's all coming together now. I know you're angry, but you'll soon learn your place if you survive."

Batman stepped forward over The Joker. "I'll show you your place." He launched himself at Bane. Bane's hidden strength took Batman off guard. But it seemed for a moment that Batman had the upper hand as he whipped punches and kicks at the strong man. But Bane quickly turned it around and tackled Batman to the ground. "I'd like to say that this will be the first of many meet ups for us, Batman, but I just don't think you're going to cut it." As Batman tried to roll over on his side to get back up, Bane grabbed him by his thigh and shoulder and raised him high overhead For a moment he stood there, holding his trophy as The Joker watched helpless and weak from the ground. Bane swiftly brought the Bat down upon his knee with a splintering sound of his back cracking. The Bat let out a groan as he was dropped to the ground. Bane looked at the two defeated men laying a few feet apart. "Gentlemen, I introduce you to the new King of Gotham.", and he bowed at them then turned and walked away from the burning asylum grounds.

The Joker and Batman laid on the ground panting, both unable to move themselves. The Joker touched his stomach and lifted his hand to see the blood. He let out a chuckle and reached in his pocket for his phone. "This isn't how I expected this to go, Batsy." Batman turned his head and let out a breathy sigh at the predicament they were in together. The Joker dialed a number and held the phone to his ear.

"Ouch! Hannah Banana! You're stepping on your mama's bladder!" Harley had been feeling sorry for herself all day and decided to make it up by doing something special that evening. She was sitting on the couch watching Pretty Woman as she ate homemade butterscotch pudding out of a large mixing bowl. She wore baggy sweatpants and a too small tank top. She rubbed her stomach and smiled as she felt the baby's movement. "Oh Hannah, this is the best part! She's gonna gonna go back to the dress shop and show those-", her cell phone rang next to her and she jumped, almost spilling the pudding. "Ah! Hello?", she answered.

"Haaaarley." The Joker's voice drawled on the other end of the line.

She sat up straight with sudden jolt and confusion swept through her brain. "Mista J?!"

"I need your help, Harley girl. Daddy's in trouble. I need you to get Felix and some of the guys to come get me right away. I'm at Arkham, in the grass on the north west side. I'm hurt, sugar, okay? Tell them to bring the first aid kits. Uh, Harl, fast."

Harley was shaking and tears were filling her eyes. As he spoke she was already slipping on her flip flops to run next door.

"And Harley, I don't want you to come, hear me?"

"Uh-huh, okay." She was so frazzled she didn't realize she had barely said a word.

"Harl?"

She stood still for a moment. "Daddy?", she hiccuped.

"I love you, sweetheart."

She took a deep breath and suddenly felt so much worse. "Don't worry. They're coming." She hung up and then cursed at herself realizing she didn't return his rare sentiment.

She ran next door to the other side of the duplex where the henchmen lived. She burst through the door where several men were watching a movie and a few others were drinking and playing poker. A newer man who had never seen Harley before stood abruptly and raised his gun at her. "What the-". Felix cut him off and pushed his arm down.

"Mick! That's Miss Quinn, the boss's wife!", he chastised.

"The who?"

Freddie, another longtime employee shook his head, "You've got a lot to learn, boy."

Felix looked to Harley who he hadn't seen in months. None of them had known about her pregnancy and they were all a bit shocked to finally see her and to see why she had been in hiding. "What's up, Ms Quinn?"

"It's Mista J! He's hurt.", she breathed heavily, "Take all the first aid kits. We have and get to Arkham now! He's laying in the grass in the north west lawn. Hurry!", she yelled. Several men jumped up and ran to grab the supplies. They loaded up into the van and Harley went with them.

It was an usually clear night in Gotham as The Joker and Batman stared up into the starry sky. Batman had just called Alfred and his help was on the way. The Joker slightly lifted his head before feeling too dizzy and letting it fall back to the ground. He sighed.

"I owe you an apology, Batsy."

Batman grunted, "Why's that?"

"I let that fool put his hands on you. No one touches my property. Now look at you. You're pathetic."

Batman scoffed and almost let a smile sneak out at the absurdity of the situation they were in.

The Joker's help arrived first. The van pulled up onto the asylum lawn. Sirens could finally be heard in the distance as well as a helicopter. Several men jumped out of the van. "About time! I'm bleeding to death over here.", the Joker said. Just then Harley jumped out of the van and ran to his side as the men were lifting him up.

"Oh Puddin'!", she cried.

The Joker grimaced, "Harley, I told you to stay home."

He found he could barely put weight on his legs without them giving out underneath him. Two more men came and carried his legs while the other two hooked their arms under his shoulders. They gently lifted him into the back of the van.

Batman watched curiously as an ambulance and several cop cars began to pull up onto the lawn. Was it just him or did Harley Quinn look pregnant?

The Joker was sprawled out on the floor of the back of the van. The fairly new recruit, Mick, was the only one with any medical training. He had been an EMT before his alcoholism got in the way a few years back. Someone switched on the overhead light so Mick could see better.

Harley sat cross legged, cradling The Joker's head in her lap. He was looking more lethargic as he lazily licked at his scars. Harley caressed the sides of his face and leaned down as far as her belly would let her, placing a small kiss on his nose.

Mick was undoing The Joker's shirt. "Boss, do you know how many shots you took?"

The Joker was bleeding heavily and held up three fingers. He closed his eyes.

"I need help sitting him up." He gestured to the other men. They quickly moved to lift their boss into a sitting position as Harley reluctantly let go. They removed the rest of his clothing only to see that there were three holes in his back, but only two exit wounds in the front. "You still got one of those suckers in ya boss.", Mick said. He began to dress the wounds he could see and applied pressure.

The van made it home quickly. Felix had called Dr Armstrong while they were picking up The Joker and he was already at the house by the time they got home. The doctor talked the men through how to bring him inside gently and how to place him on the kitchen table on The Joker and Harley's side of the duplex.

The night was long. Mick and Felix were the only henchmen who stayed to assist the doctor. The doctor requested that Harley stay away while he worked due to her condition and the stress she would be put under if she were to watch. When The Joker weakly nodded in agreement, she listened.

Late the next morning, Harley woke up in a panic, not meaning to have fallen asleep. She looked around and The Joker was no longer on the table. Mick walked out of the kitchen and saw Harley.

"Oh, uh, Ms Quinn. He's upstairs resting. He's gonna be okay."

"Oh thank God.", she sighed.

"Would you like some coffee? I mean, its caffeinated.", he gestured to her stomach.

"No, I'm fine thanks.", she rubbed her forehead trying to escape the fog left from only a few hours of sleep. The adrenaline rush had exhausted her, but left her feeling shaky.

Mick sat down in an opposite chair. "Sorry about raising a gun at ya last night. You took me by surprise. I didn't know the boss was married."

Harley rolled her eyes, "Yeah, yeah, doesn't surprise me." She looked at the stairs and considered going up, but thought maybe he would rather rest, but what if he needed her?

"So, by the way. The doc was only able to get two of the bullets out. One is stuck near his spine and the doc said that it was best to leave it rather than risk further nerve damage."

"Further nerve damage?"

"Yeah, so apparently he's going to need some rehab or therapy or whatever. He can't walk great right now. The doc doesn't think it's permanent, but his legs are real weak right now so he's gonna need support. If you need us to help move him or whatever, a couple of us can stay over here or he can come to the other side and stay with us."

Harley felt numb. It was almost too much to take. Who did this to her Puddin'? No one breaks The Joker. She made up her mind to go upstairs to see him.

Outside the closed bedroom door she rested her ear against it. Then she opened it just enough to peer in. He was laying asleep on the bed with an arm draped over his forehead. She crept in and sat next to him, making the bed frame creak under her weight.

"Haaaaarley.", he drawled. So he was awake.

"Yes, Mista J.", she crawled over to him.

"Did they tell ya?"

"Yeah.", she said quietly. "It's gonna be okay Mista J, I'm gonna-"

"Harl-", he cut her off. "Do daddy a favor and wash my make up off. Would ya?"

She jumped up and retrieved a warm, wet rag from the attached bathroom. Sitting by him again she stroked the rag gently across his painted face. She had done this before and always enjoyed the intimacy of it. She hadn't been this close to him in months. As she kneeled next to him on the bed, her blonde hair hung over his face and he reached up twirling a strand around his fingers. She worked at the stubborn red paint lining his scars and she stared into his eyes.

"Daddy, I don't know what to say.", she said quietly as she ran a hand through his matted curls.

"We've got a while to talk about whatever we want Harley girl."

She tossed the rag on the floor and laid down next to him. He wrapped his arm around her shoulders and allowed her to snuggle close. She breathed in his scent and sighed. He closed his eyes and after a moment they shot open. He felt something. He felt something small rhythmically kicking his ribs from Harley's belly.

Thank you so much for taking to time to read through this series. It means so much to me when you read, favorite, and comment. I'm excited for the future of this story and I only have a couple more stories in this collection.

Song credit: Issues by Julia Michaels