Author note: Well this is it! I have been working on this story for 9 years and finally it is complete. It hasn't quite hit me yet but I'm sure it will later. Thank you to everyone who have favourited, followed and commented over these years. It gave me the motivation to get this story done. And here it is, the last chapter! I hope you enjoy as much as I enjoyed writing it.
x Mer

Bruce Wayne set his newspaper down on the table next to his breakfast dishes. The Gotham Times had written an article for the anniversary of Arkham's death and the Joker's disappearance. The headline read "JOKER STILL AT LARGE, PRESUMED DEAD." The article contained details about the fight on the roof, the riot at Blackgate Prison and the murders. It also mentioned Harley being acquitted of all charges relating to Arkham's murder. Bruce felt in his heart (and in his gut) that the Joker was still alive, but when would he make his appearance? …and how? Harley was exhausted from the continuous questioning from police. All of the Joker's hideouts had been revealed and raided with no luck. Bruce knew one of Gotham's worst must be housing the Joker, but which one is a mystery in itself. Criminals were either afraid of the Joker or hated him although none of them would dare rat him out. Bruce was frustrated with the fact that he potentially had to just sit and wait around for the Joker to make his move. Alfred saw the concerned look on Bruce's face.
"Master Bruce, might I be so bold to remind you that you achieved what you originally set out to do? You helped Miss Quinn into recovery and most likely saved her life. That was only phase 1 of the plan, sir. Taking out the Joker is phase 2."
"I had him that night and I let him go." He rose to his feet "Harleen will never be safe while The Joker is still out there."
"We're only human, master Wayne." Alfred said collecting Bruce's breakfast dishes. After a slight pause he adds, "Even the Batman."

Joan Leland took the temporary position as Warden at Arkham. She didn't hesitate to announce that "Elizabeth Arkham's Asylum for the Criminally Insane will no longer be hosting clinical practice for student doctors." A plaque honouring Jeremiah Arkham was erected at the front doors of the Asylum.
Harley reached out and scraped her hand against the engravings in the plaque. "Do you think he believed I would get better?"
"Walk with me. I'm expecting an important visit from Commissioner Gordon." Leland said, turning around to go back inside. She beckoned Harley and an assisting orderly to follow. "Mr Arkham took a lot of risks for you." She began quietly for only Harley to hear. "He could have been stripped of his license and charged if the Union found out what rules he had broken for you to sit in on other patient's sessions. Not to mention the money he spent on your therapy. I could have been in some huge trouble as well. Mr Arkham had his doubts but it was important enough to him to make him try."
Harley's screwed up her face a little. She felt a pang of guilt. Leland smiled warmly.

"So! Your appointment is only a month away! Are you nervous?" she playfully bumped her shoulder into Harley's as they walked up the stairs to the second floor. Harley was a little nervous. Her incarceration at Arkham was coming to an end. The following month, a group of doctors from Wayside Psychiatric Hospital would perform a psychiatric analysis on Dr. Harleen Quinzell and a parole hearing would be organised if Harley is deemed well enough for out-patient care. Wayside Hospital was 2 hours outside of Gotham. It would be Harley's first time leaving Gotham in a long time.
"I hear one of the doctors coming from Wayside has a nice a-", Leland was interrupted by the activation of the Asylum's alarm to warn of a new arrival. The alarm was to clear the hall of resident's and staff to make way for the cavalcade of police and security.
"Take her to her room, please Warren." Leland instructed orderly before rushing down to the ground floor to greet the new arrivals as they came through the front doors.
"Wait," Harley told the orderly. "I want to see if they've finally caught Eddie." Harley looked down over the metal balustrade to see Commissioner Gordon pass through the doors and shake hands with Joan Leland. Gordon was followed by two police officers side by side. They were leading another officer wheeling a figure strapped to a body trolley. Another pair of officers came through next and lastly Batman entered. The large doors slammed behind them. The man in the trolley had on a human muzzle but his pale flesh stood out from underneath. His wet, blood stained, green hair was matted across his forehead. Inmates screamed and guards clapped as the trolley went past. The heavy steel gates at the end of the corridor buzzed and the men disappeared into the bowels of the asylum. Harley felt the blood drain from her face and her chest felt tight. She realised she had stopped breathing and gasped for air. She felt dizzy and stumbled backwards a little into the orderly. She was escorted to her room where she demanded her room be dead bolted as well as electronically locked.

"Why was she still there when I told you to take her to her room?" Leland demanded at the orderly a little while later.
'She wanted to stay behind to see who had been caught."
"Well now she's too petrified to come out of her cell." she pushed past the orderly and entered Harley's cell.
Harley was reassured that the Joker was heavily sedated and under tight lock and key. Harley stood in the corner of her cell, Leland just inside her cell door.
"He won't be getting out a second time. He's too doped up to even know where he is." Leland promised her. Harley wasn't convinced.
"I also came up here because I wanted to ask you something. Would you like to work for me? It'll just consist of archiving old files but it's something to do until you leave for Wayside? You can have Angela's old desk outside my office."
Harley didn't reply. She walked over and threw her arms around Leland.

A month went by and suddenly the day Harley was to leave to for Wayside had arrived. Gossip of the Joker's rehabilitation had passed and Harley had not seen him once since the day he was wheeled back into Arkham. Harley had spent the last hour finishing her work and packing up her desk. All that remained on her desk was her portfolio. The sun had set and the Asylum was fully lit with bright florescent lights. Leland had already gone home. Harley picked up her portfolio, ready to leave, when she noticed something slip out of the folder and land face down on the desk. Her heart picked up speed as she recognised what it was. It was a single playing card. With a shaky hand, she slid the card to the edge of the desk and flipped it over. A message scrawled across the Ace of Hearts in red ink made Harley's heart stop. Tears began to form in her eyes as she read the words,
"I miss you. J"

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