The Riddler glanced at Scarecrow from the corner of his eye, wondering how torturing people with their worst fears never got old. He had wanted to ask, had even gone so far as to research the reasons on his own, but actually asking his friend seemed impossible. The man enjoyed watching people suffer and scream as their nightmares tore them apart and The Riddler could hardly take that from him.

He glanced down at the tablet in his lap as the tortured man screamed from the screen before them. A report had just been published that Harley Quinn had been detained by Gotham's so called finest. Battered and bruised, Joker had left her behind rather than even attempt to save her. His hands clenched into tight fists and he forced them to relax. She had made her choice, whether her mind was broken or not, and she wasn't his to worry about anymore.

"See that?" Scarecrow purred and The Riddler looked to the screen curiously. Scarecrow almost lovingly caressed the screen with his needle tipped fingers as the man stopped screaming and collapsed. "That's what I love to see. When all hope is gone and they accept their fears as reality. Beautiful, don't you think?"

"We have got to have a night out if that's truly beautiful in your eyes," Riddler responded dryly and Scarecrow looked over at him. Their eyes locked and he saw the gleam in his eyes, indicating that currently no semblance of Jonathan was present.

"Finally over the clown girl?" he asked carefully and The Riddler shrugged.

"It's been three months since I broke out of Arkham and she hasn't once tried to contact me. Actually," The Riddler forced his voice to a lighter tone, "I think we deserve a night out. Me and you, we hit the Iceberg... we deserve a break don't you think?"

"Hoping to catch someone there?" Scarecrow asked warily and Riddler snorted as he showed him the tablet screen. "Ah, she's been locked away. Do you wish to rescue her?"

"Scarecrow, she made it abundantly clear the last time I saw her that she wouldn't want that. So I say fine, let her be that way. She can keep her Clown King and I'll enjoy my life as a single man." Every word that left his lips was a lie, but he hoped Scarecrow bought it. The other rogue seemed dubious, but he nodded.

"Fine. Tomorrow night we'll take off and hit the Iceberg on one condition."

"Name it."

"Make the next riddle a touch easier. Poor Batman couldn't figure out this one out and he didn't get to witness the glory of my new toxin." The Riddler rolled his eyes but nodded.

"Deal."

XxX

Dirty cops were something Harley was used to before she had joined Joker, but now they were a part of her daily life. She had been locked in a holding cell for less than ten minutes when a different guard let her out. To make it look convincing she cracked his head against the side of the bars and took the gun from his belt. Humming an aimless tune, she left out a back door that set off a fire alarm and made her escape.

Gotham was always so busy at night even she could almost get lost in the crowds. It was late and dark, so she slipped off the jester hat and let her blonde hair tumble down her back as she moved through the throngs of people. Above her in the sky the bat signal flashed to life and she scowled as she ducked into an alley. A few homeless people sat against the walls, eyeing her warily as she walked over to them.

"Anyone got a phone?" She barked the question at them and they flinched. "No? Fine! But Mistah J won't be too happy that nobody wanted to help me!"

"Here," a weak voice called out and she turned to see an old woman holding out a battered flip phone. "It only has a few minutes on it, but you can use them." Harley snatched the phone from her fingers and dialed one of the many cell phones she knew would contact Joker's men.

"What?" a deep voice boomed over the speaker after the first ring.

"It's Harley Bobby! I got out!" She had to force her voice into a chipper uncaring tone. "Come pick me up!"

"Be at the toy store in ten minutes, I'll get you there." With that the line disconnected and she tossed the phone back at the old woman. Without another word she left the alley and moved where she was supposed to go.

XxX

The Riddler tossed his bowler hat onto his rumpled bedsheets, exhaustion making him not care. He didn't sleep well as of late, and knew it was all thanks to Joker's schemes and worry over Harley. He tried not to think about the blonde, but found himself looking for her in every corner.

With a groan he collapsed on his bed still wearing his shirt and vest, mind on an easier riddle for the Bat. It was hard for him to dumb it down for the Neanderthal, but he'd try for Scarecrow. He shut his eyes and came up with twenty different ways he could give away the small abandoned house they were going to use for the next victim, trying to decide which was easier.

A slithering noise caught his ears and he leapt out of his bed. He pinpointed the sound and jammed his foot down on the cause of it quickly. A pained whimper met his ears and he sighed. "Ivy? What are you doing?" He moved to the wall and flicked on his lights, his eyes following the vine to his cracked window.

Cautiously, he moved to it and peered outside. On the rusted fire escape Poison Ivy was sprawled out, her body oozing the green liquid that made up her blood from the deep lacerations in her green skin. "Eddie? Please I need-" he opened up his window and hopped onto the fire escape, eyeing her for a moment. "Help me."

"That's rich Pamela, considering how you poisoned me last time. I thought Mother Nature needed no man."

"Eddie," she wheezed his name and held out a weak hand. The Riddler took her hand and helped her to her feet, catching her when she faltered.

"How'd this happen Pamela?" he asked as he eased her back into his room. He sat her at the chair for his desk and waited for her response.

"Batman... he attached my babies. I had to... save them." The Riddler rolled his eyes and moved to his dresser. He always kept a first aid kit in his room, a precaution he had learned when a spring had gone off in one of his traps and almost sliced his thumb off.

"I don't know exactly how to treat you, but I'll do my best-"

"Water and rest. Do you... have a shower?" Her eyes locked on his and he calculated the risks to determine if he'd regret his next actions in the morning.

"I do. Come on," he lifted her into his arms and walked into is en suite. As delicately as he could, he eased her to the tiled floor of the shower and flicked on the water. A whimper left her lips as the water sprayed her, but he ignored it as he unbuttoned his vest.

"Are you joining me Eddie?" She gave him a weak wink and he huffed.

"You said water would help," he grumbled as he worked his shirt and green slacks to the floor, "and I bet you need it to hit more of your skin than it will if you're bunched up on the floor. So yes, but not like that."

Keeping his boxers on he stepped into the spray and helped her to her feet. Ivy leaned heavily against his chest as he turned them so the water sprayed against her back. She whined when he tugged the ruined shirt from her torso, and he scowled at the vicious marks marring her skin. Red and angry, they looked like electrically charged batarangs had sliced into her stomach.

"Pamela," he frowned down at her, "you've gotta take better care of yourself. What happened? Why'd he do this?"

"I... I grabbed that boy he's been running with. I was mad because last time he caught me and sent me to Arkham my greenhouse was left to rot. I wanted to feed the boy to a new plant I developed."

"You should know better," he scolded gently. He let her lean against him and ran his hands over her bare back, silently fascinated at the way her wounds were closing up.

"Can I stay Eddie? Just for the night?" It was always odd to him whenever she acted like a normal person. She, who hated mankind, begging for his company made him feel a genuine stab of pity for her.

"Of course Pamela," he responded gently as he pressed a kiss into her red hair.

XxX

The next morning The Riddler woke up to vines covering his body. He cracked open one eye and found Poison Ivy sitting beside him, her eyes closed as her vines slithered to his window to absorb the sunlight.

"I suppose I should be grateful you didn't smother me with them," he grumbled and she looked down at him with a smile.

"It was tempting, but you were so sweet to take care of me last night I could never do that to you." She surprised him by leaning over towards him and pressing her lips to his. "I feel I should repay my knight in green armor," she whispered against his lips and he pulled back.

"I don't know if I can trust you Pamela," he admitted, eyeing the opening of her borrowed black button up shirt.

"No toxins, I swear," she pouted at him with that, her own eyes roaming down his lean body. He tossed the idea around in his mind, a bit torn. He didn't care for her, they'd done this before, but Harley...

The Riddler growled and pulled her on top of him. Harley wasn't his anymore and he knew that. What was the harm in indulging himself?

XxX

The night found Harley slipping into a slinky cocktail dress, the red and black diamond print hugging her battered body in all the right places. She checked her pigtails once more in the mirror, forcing a smile to her painted red lips. The white face paint was applied thickly, successfully hiding her blackened eye and bruised cheek. Joker hadn't been happy about the failed job and had blamed her.

"Harley!" The Joker threw open the door to their shared bedroom and she tried not to flinch. "Hurry up! I've got it on good authority that the Iceberg will be packed tonight and I don't want to be late!"

"Ready Mistah J!" Her tone was a lot happier than she felt, but she gave him her best smile as she slipped her feet into the patent leather black heels. As she grabbed her bag her mind went over everyone Joker was hoping to see tonight, which led her to a stray thought of Eddie.

A visible shudder ran through her body at the mere thought of him. She couldn't talk to him. She couldn't look at him. She couldn't acknowledge his existence in any way.

They left their hideout and made it to the Iceberg Lounge in record time. Joker led the way into the club, announcing his arrival with a trademark eerie laugh. Harley scanned the gathered faces she could see, hunting for the one person she would have to ignore all night. A few people gasped as they passed their tables, but most just pretended that someone so notorious wasn't walking by.

Finally they came to a darkened corner of the dining area where they were ushered into a booth. The semi circle gave them a fantastic view of the rest of the club and Harley used it to her advantage. Her blue eyes roamed the visible heads and she froze. There, barely three tables away, sat Eddie.

XxX

The Riddler tried to ignore the duo that had walked in just a moment before, focusing on his drink as Scarecrow scanned the crowd for potential victims. Pamela had tagged along with them, much to Scarecrow's displeasure, and she would be back from powdering her nose in a bit.

"Eddie, looking dashing as ever." He turned his head in the direction of the voice, trying not to spot the blonde a few booths away. His eyes landed on Selina Kyle and the extremely tight shiny purple dress that hugged every curve perfectly.

"Selina, as breathtaking as ever," he greeted with a grin. Sure Catwoman wasn't his favorite female rogue, but the distraction she offered was more than welcome. Rumors were swirling about her and Batman, ones that cast her in a dangerous place.

"Can I join you?" she asked as she tucked a stray lock of almost black hair behind her ear. The short style was hard for many women to pull off, but Selina made the look work.

"If Scarecrow and Ivy don't mind," he looked over at his friend to see the gas mask covered face turn to keep some poor waiter in sight, the gloved hands gripped in tight fists.

"You and Pam? Is it serious?" Selina asked with a coo as she took the spot beside him. He couldn't help the snort and she laughed. "You know," she dropped her voice down to a whisper and pressed her lips against his earlobe, "Joker's girlfriend over there keeps glancing at you. Anything you need to confess?" He turned his head to look deep into Selina's eyes, the blue deceptively sweet as they dissected his facial expressions.

"Nothing to confess... now. Before she was Harley Quinn though I might have had something to confess." He gave her a wink and she slapped his arm playfully. He caught her offending hand and held it momentarily, giving her a serious look. "You know what people are saying right? About you and the Bat?"

"I know," she huffed as she pulled her hand from his grip.

"Selina, if there's any truth to it you need to stop. The others won't allow for a relationship like that and they'll retaliate against you."

"Are you worried about me Eddie?" she asked with a small smile. "You could help me ease their fears you know... if you really care."

XxX

Harley watched with poorly concealed rage as the Cat obviously flirted with Eddie. Then Ivy came back to the table and sat beside him on the other side, carefully avoiding Scarecrow. Her thin fingers wrapped around the stem of her wine glass hard, her knuckles turning white. Why was he with them? Was he happier in their company? Didn't he care? Everything she had done, all the pain she had gone through... was it all for nothing?

"I'll be right back," she said unnecessarily to Joker, who was too busy scaring some poor idiot sent by the Falcone family to negotiate. She leapt to her feet and stalked past the tables, intent on getting to the bathroom to collect herself.

She made it to the short hallway that led to the bathrooms, trying to keep her breathing under control. How dare he! How could he-

"Harley?" She jumped at the voice and whirled to see Eddie standing behind her. He was wearing his dark green suit dotted with black question marks and his dark green domino mask that made his eyes stand out beautifully.

"Eddie," she barely breathed his name. Her anger left her and she suddenly felt weak. She swayed and he stepped forward, his arms catching her easily.

"Harley are you okay?" Concern oozed from him as he steadied her on her feet. She wanted to launch herself back into his arms, wanted to remind him of how good they felt together, but she stood her ground.

"I'm fine, just as I see you are," she spat at him with venom. He frowned and glanced back over his shoulder before looking at her again.

"Selina needs to rebuild her credit around the others and Pamela... well, boredom and loneliness you know," he shrugged and she couldn't control herself. Her hand moved in a fast blur as it connected with his cheek. He staggered a bit, obviously caught off guard, and she felt the prickling sensation of tears burn her eyes.

"You bastard!" she hissed at him. He took a step closer to her and she backed up against the wall, fear coursing through her. Would he hit her? Would he hurt her? He placed both hands against the wall on either side of her head, stepping in close to block her exit.

"Harley, I know whatever is going on with you and Joker isn't what you want, and I'm here to offer you a way out. Please take it."

"You don't know what he'll do Eddie," she whimpered as she stared at his lips, so close and yet so far away. "He'll hurt you."

"Let him try. I want you safe Harley, I want... dammit I want you to come back with me! Together we can take on any challenge they throw at us! You're so much more than what you're letting yourself become." She stared at him, her eyes flicking between his and his lips.

"I... I don't know Eddie. He's so twisted and wrong and scary and..." she trailed off as he leaned closer, her heart speeding up. He placed a gentle kiss to her lips and she knew instantly that it wasn't enough. She wrapped her arms around his neck and pulled him against her, happy when he didn't pull away in disgust. In fact the opposite happened.

He leaned into her as she deepened their kiss, both of them painfully aware that they were in public and shouldn't be doing that at all. After a moment he pulled away and she smiled sadly at him.

"Please come with me Harley," he whispered and she shook her head.

"Eddie I can't. I know what he's going to do to you if I leave and-"

"He won't! Harley please," he cupped her face gently in his hands and she met his eyes warily.

"I love you Eddie, please know that," she gasped around tears and tore herself from his arms. She clicked sharply in her heels to the door of the bathroom and shoved it open, letting the tears fall. A warm hand wrapped around her arm and she caught sight of Eddie in the mirror. "This is the little girl's room Eddie," she said through her tears but he seemed to ignore her. Her eyes followed him in the mirror as he came up behind her and wrapped his arms around her waist.

"I love you Harley, and I'll always be here to help you. Please," he pressed a kiss to her neck, "come back with me. He won't hurt me and he won't be able to hurt you anymore." She shut her eyes and leaned against him, letting the safe warmth he provided wash over her.

"Well now," Selina's voice made Harley jump, "a girl could get jealous of the way you look at her Eddie. Thought you didn't have anything to confess." Harley looked to see the Cat smiling playfully.

"Will you?" Eddie ignored her, his eyes only on Harley who worried her lower lip between her teeth. An eerie laugh floated into the room and Selina rushed forward.

"C'mere," she growled as she shoved him into a stall. Harley watched in stunned shock as Selina followed him in and closed the door. The lock slid into place just as the bathroom door banged open.

"Harley! I've been looking for you!" The Joker looked furious and she tried to hide a flinch.

"Just checkin' my makeup Mistah J, I'd hate for people to think less of you if I weren't presentable!" She flashed him a smile and turned to the mirror, smoothing her dress. She felt Joker's eyes leave her and watched through the mirror as the maniac noticed the feet visible under the stall.

"Riddles? Is that you?"

"Well that voice can sure kill a mood," Selina's voice huffed and Harley watched Joker's green brows rise in shock.

"The Cat and Riddles? Ha!" He howled for a moment and Selina emerged from the stall, looking a bit ruffled. Harley knew it was a ruse, but it still set off a flash of jealousy as Eddie stepped from the stall a moment later. His shirt looked hastily tucked, his hair was wild, and he had a smudge of Selina's lipstick on his neck and lips.

"Maybe it's for the best we were interrupted," Selina purred as she leaned against Eddie. "After all you promised both me and Pam a good time. Oh," she flashed a smile at Harley as she gripped Eddie's arm, "hey Harley. Love that dress!"

With that they left the bathroom and it felt to Harley as if the room dropped ten degrees. Joker glared at her and advanced, his fists tight. She cringed and shook her blonde head furiously.

"Mistah J, I didn't know he was in here honest! I figured it was some dumb call girl with her John! I was just-" she didn't get to finish her sentence. A gloved first connected with her head and the world went black around her.

XXX

God I love examining relationships between different characters and twisting them to work with my story. I know in the comics the girls find Eddie to be more awkward and they usually poke fun at him, but I figure that a man who's smart enough to truly keep Batman on his toes would know what he's doing and could navigate social interactions if he deemed them worthy of his time. And poor Harley! So close to freedom! What happens next? Stay tuned! And thank you to everyone who keeps reading this, and a huge thank you to those that review. I can't tell you how much it means to get that notification. It's amazing. Let me know what you think! Much love, Leigh