Beta: RisqueSno

Spoilers: Takes place right after the episode "Harley's Holiday" in Batman: The Animated Series.

Disclaimer: DC owns all these characters and WB owns DC and Time Warner owns WB and I'm pretty sure the rest of the world.

Ultimate Betrayal

Part 1- The Question

He was in solitary again. He hated to admit that any kind of punishment had an effect on him (and he made sure to never let on as much), but he despised it here. Sure, it gave one plenty of time to scheme. Why, he'd come up with some of his more successful escape plans in this very room! ….It was dreadfully boring though. The only contact he had was when somebody shoved food through the door, but they took off before he could even begin a joke much less deliver the punch line.

He tried to keep his mind off such things by planning his next big prank on Gotham. It was no use though. All he could think of was what got him put in this awful room in the first place. He still didn't understand what happened exactly and it was really beginning to grate on his nerves (particularly the ones around his toes). Maybe if he just sat here and tried to put it all together piece by piece… He'd be a regular detective!

"Now all I need is a kid in bright spandex to attract the bullets!" he declared aloud.

It was a funny line but no one was there to enjoy it and he wasn't really in the mood. Okay, from the beginning then…

It all started about two weeks ago.

Harvey Dent was being escorted past his cell.

"Hey Joker! I hear you're losing your clown girl. They say she doesn't want anything to do with you. From what I understand, she's being released this very day." Two-Face gave a triumphant smirk both sides looking immensely pleased with themselves

All he could do was laugh, changing Harv's smirk to a sneer as the guards pulled him away. If he was trying to get to him, he was going to have to try a lot harder than that. No one knew Harley better than him. She'd be back. She always came back and there's nothing the Bat or these quacks can do about it. In fact, he loved it when she tried to rebuild her old life. It only proved how much power he had when it all came tumbling back down.

News travels fast in Arkham and any news about Harley was bound to get to him especially quick. She was readmitted this evening. Brought in by the Bat himself! A passing thought of getting to see his straight man flew through his mind, but he was sure Batsy wouldn't give him the satisfaction. Then it hit him like a train. It was only a mere day before she returned! That's all it took! Even he couldn't believe it. It was true; she couldn't survive a day without him. He was far too pleased with himself.

He didn't think his ego could get much bigger, but it was always easy with Harley. It's funny when you thought about it. She started out trying to heal him, but, in reality, Harley only fed his mania by feeding his ego. Hell, he's probably gotten sicker becauseof her. The thought sent him into a hysterics. He heard many of his fellow inmates shouting at him to shut up, which, of course, was his signal to get louder.

The following day he was escorted to the community room. He so hoped that Harvey was going to be there and was very pleased to see that that it was the case. He slid up to Two-Face, his already wide grin stretching even further.

"Say Harv, what was it you were saying to me the other day? I think it was..."

The Joker drifted off. Something was definitely wrong. He was gloating, but was quite sure that Two-Face was trying hard, very hard, not to laugh at him. He looked around the room and saw the same expression on everyone else. No one made eye contact with him. Instead they were turning their faces or looking at the floor and they were all trying to stifle their laughter. Every now and then, a chuckle escaped and was quickly silenced.

It was surreal to the extreme. Days went by and everywhere he went he was greeted by similar behavior. The guards were doing the same when escorting him from place to place and he even caught some of the shrinks joining in as well. The worst part was not knowing why. He got the distinct impression that everyone was too scared to tell him what, exactly, was so fuckin' hilarious.

That wasn't the only thing that was odd. He hadn't seen Harley since she'd returned. Usually he would have had a glimpse of her by now. They would have eaten together or at least passed each other in the hall. Sometimes, Harley would even bribe a guard to allow her to see him briefly. So far though, absolutely nothing, no note, no message, nothing! It wasn't that he cared...but it was weird.

Another day in the community room and he was at the point where he'd rather just be left in his cell. Ivy was here today as well. He'd been dreading this, but it seemed the best way to get answers. This all started when Harley returned so he was fairly sure it had something to do with her. She had better not have embarrassed his name out there. After all, everything she did was a reflection on him. Ivy knew Harley almost as well as he did. He may even find out why he hadn't seen her. He really hated the idea of having to go to her though. She'd get way too much satisfaction from it. He sat on the opposite end of the couch where she was watching some weed show on the television. He endured the expected stifling of the laughter and waited for her to calm down.
"So Pammy..." he began.

"No," she answered abruptly.

"No what?"

"No, I won't tell you anything. It's only for Harley's sake. She's begged me not to. Believe me," she snickered. "I would like nothing better."

She didn't even try to hide it anymore and doubled over in laughter.

He's never been known for his patience and thought he'd taken things quite long enough as it was, so he beat her unconscious with his shoe. What was the big deal? Everyone overreacted to it of course. That's when they threw him into solitary. He's not sure how long he'd been here. It's best not to keep track of time down here anyway. It'll consume you. After going over all the details again he wasn't any closer to an answer...what was so funny?

Part 2- The Solution

Jeremiah Arkham paced back and forth in his office. Joan Leland watched him from her seat on the opposite side of his desk. They both knew they had their hands full. It seemed so silly, so juvenile, but they knew what this was going to accelerate into.

"We have to put a stop to this now, Joan!" he stated firmly.

"What exactly do you suggest?" she responded calmly.

"How the hell should I know!" he said as he threw his hands up in the air.

"You already have an idea though. I can tell."

He waved her off dismissingly. "You aren't going to like it. Hell, I don't like it."

"Tell me what it is at least and let me decide."

"Well...we have to get this all out in the open," he began. "There's no way this thing is just going to blow over. We both know he'll eventually figure out what happened. It's better that it's revealed to him in a controlled environment."

"You mean one where we have the guards prepared for it. I completely agree," she nodded.

"And then there's Harley. She's even more of a mess than usual! She still hasn't come out of her cell since her arrival, correct?"

"I can't even coax her out for our sessions," Leland confirmed. "She usually enjoys them. I got the majority of the story prying it out of her from the outside of her cell while she sat balled up in the corner. "

"She will begin to feel better once this is all over with. That much I am sure of."

Joan narrowed her eyes suspiciously. "You're skating around something."

"I suggest a group session," he practically blurted out.

"Now wait just a minute! This is my patient!" she stated adamantly while rising to her feet. "We agreed from the very beginning to never go that direction. 'Couple therapy', the very idea! You said yourself, that it would only validate the relationship, if you can call it that. That's the worst thing we can do for Harley."

"Yes, yes, I know all that! But we can't keep pretending it doesn't exist either. I really thought he'd be sick of her by now, but here they both still are. I know that it's not a relationship that makes sense, but it is there nonetheless. I'm not suggesting we nurture it...just...use it occasionally if need be."

"I want it to go on record that I am completely against this."

"Listen Joan..." He sank into his chair, removed his glasses and rubbed his eyes wearily. "I understand how you feel, but this is the only course of action I can see. We have to let Joker know what has occurred and we have to let Harley be the one to tell him. It'd be far worse coming secondhand. You know that." He leaned in closer and gave her that pleading look she could never say no to. "I need you to take this session. You've always had a special bond with Harley. She's only going to feel safe enough to do this if you are the doctor there to support her."

Joan sighed heavily. She was not looking forward to this. Not at all.