A/N: Hey guys. Like I said before this section will take a bit longer as I am now in Uni, can't find the time as much. Here's chapter two, shorter than usual. Hope you enjoy and thanks for being patient. :)

Chapter 2

"Police report that the robbery took place this morning, and that witnesses confirm the involvement of the Joker. The Joker recently escaped from Arkham asylum with the help of a Doctor there, one Harleen Quinzel. She was also seen here today, evidently aiding the Joker in his crimes.

Police have yet to find them, and the city is asking; with the Batman no longer considered a hero of the people, who will bring this mad man to justice?

This is Vicky Vale reporting for Gotham City News."

I snorted at the red headed woman on the screen, and stretched in the arm chair. I switched off the telly with the remote and swivelled around in the chair.

The Joker was sat at a small, rickety table behind me, and I gripped the back of the chair as I watched him anxiously. He was bent a piece of paper studiously writing on it, his brow was furrowed and his eyes were focused in concentration. He wasn't wearing any make-up as there was just the two of us in the small office above the warehouse. He had his pale blue shirt on, which was covered in hexagonal shapes and his braces hung down off his trousers. As I watched his tongue poked out a little, a sign of deep thought.

A derelict warehouse wasn't exactly something I would've chosen to live in, but as the Joker was an escaped convict and I was his partner in crime I supposed it was the best we could do. The small office we were in now was located up a very precarious set of wrought iron stairs; it had two large bay windows on one wall allowing a good view of the work floor below. The Joker often stood and surveyed his men as they worked below him, lugging great big boxes around and shouting at each other.

They were down there now, not doing much just sitting around playing cards. There were eight of them, only five of the ten men had made it back to the warehouse after their run in with the Batman. The Joker had punished them for cowardice and letting the Batman get away, most of them need hospital treatment now. Mister J sure was imaginative when it came to punishments.

The men had been speculating about the crate and what the Joker was planning, "The boss likes to keep things pretty close to the chest" they would say. I knew the truth though, Mister J never planned anything or if he did he always liked to say he didn't. I reckoned he just made it up as he went along, adding to the chaos, his favourite hobby. Even so, I had a feeling this time it was different, this time it felt…calculated.

Smiling, I got up off the chair and walked slowly behind him. I couldn't decipher Mister J's short hand, and I gritted my teeth in frustration. Ever since the robbery this morning, all I could think about was that crate. Why did he need something from Wayne Tech? What the hell was in it?

The Joker stopped his scribbling and turned his head slightly to look at me over his shoulder. I gave an innocent smile and walked around the table to sit in the seat opposite to him. He followed me with his dark eyes and didn't stop staring when I sat down.

He tilted his head to the side in that puppy like fashion that I loved, and set his pencil down.

"You know Harley, I've been thinkingggggg. That mask of yours…I feel it's time to find an alternative." I frowned and looked over at my mask which was draped over the arm chair I had just left.

"What's wrong with it? Nobody recognised me in Arkham when I wore it, the only reason they figured out it was me was because they found my finger prints in Monty's office."

The Joker shook his head causing his green tinted hair to fall into his face. He pushed it back and grinned at me.

"Noooooo. It does its job fine. It just gives off a…Batman vibe." His face lost its humour as he spat out that name.

I knew about the Joker's love, hate relationship with the Batman, usually you wouldn't mention his name around Mister J for fear of getting a knife in your side. The Joker couldn't stand the Batman self-righteous behaviour, but he also found him amusing and that's what kept the Batman alive.

"What do you suggest then?" I folded my arms and regarded the Joker as he thought for a moment. His eyes suddenly fixed on mine, and a slow smile spread across his face, his scars stretching sinisterly.

"I knooooooow." Mister J leapt up and ran across the room. I watched him curiously as he began to rummage around his few belongings. He returned to me after a minute and bounced into arm chair I had recently vacated. He patted his lap and grinned at me, wiggling his eyebrows in a comical way. I smirked but stayed where I was, unsure. The Joker grew impatient and quickly reached out grabbing my waist. Giving me a quick spin he pulled me down onto the seat between his legs. I twisted my head to look at him, as I was facing away from him and I was eager to know what he was up to.

"Nooooow, let's see if we can't improooooove your look Harley Quinn."

I heard the sound of a tin opening but I couldn't quite see what it was. The Joker slowly slid his one arm over my stomach and pulled me closer to him, I shivered and the Joker gave a quiet chuckle.

His other arm moved up my side and I felt something cold and wet touch my cheek. I flinched away automatically, but the Joker grabbed my chin and held my head still. The cold, wet something returned and I winced as he covered my face in it. I thought he was done, but then his hands returned to my waist and I gave a surprised 'huff' as he lifted me and span me round to face him.

Our noses were almost touching, and I felt the familiar fire in my belly as I looked into his limitless eyes. He shifted himself away slightly and studied my face like an artist studies a masterpiece, what had he done to me? After he had examined me he opened another tin, this time I saw what it was. I pursed my lips as I looked at the small round tin of coloured grease paint. The Joker noticed what I was looking at and his mouth twitched, his tongue flicking out to run across his lips.

He turned his attention to my eyes, plastering paint around the edges. I could pretty much guess what he was doing; I had seen his make up often enough. But why would he want to make me look like him? Mister J always prided himself on being one of a kind, so what had changed?

He finished my eyes and moved on to my lips. I felt the electricity racing through me as he ran his fingers over my mouth. Even after a month I still felt the same way when ever I saw him or heard his voice, but we had barely touched since that night in my apartment. I guessed the Joker didn't hold much priority for a physical relationship, but I still yearned for it.

"Thereeeeee," Mister J sat back and gave one last appraising look before pushing me up and steering me towards the only mirror in the warehouse. "Beauuuuuutifulllllll."

I stared at my reflection in awe I barely recognised myself; Mister J had done a good job. I had the white face and black panda eyes that he sported, but the red on my lips wasn't the crazy, jagged smile of the Joker; it match my mouth perfectly and looked like red lipstick.

I saw the Joker standing behind me grinning at his handiwork, I smiled back.

"Much better than a mask Mister J." I turned and walked up to him seductively. I had used this trick a number of times over the passed month and Mister J usual gave a neat side step to avoid me, but this time he didn't. I was unsure of what to do, he hadn't done anything else since that kiss in my apartment the night I released him from Arkham. But now he was watching me placidly as I reached out and caught his shirt collar in my hand. He didn't protest or pull away he merely stood there, his dark eyes flickering over my face.

I decided to see how far I could go, slowly my hand moved from his collar up towards his face. I was standing on my tip toes, my face moving up as well so I was on a level with him. I kept my eyes on him, reading his expression as I reached out and gently traced his mouth with my finger. He didn't move this was stillest I had seen him, he was tensed liked someone trying not to startle a wild animal.

My fingers mover along his lips and began to follow the bumpy contours of one of his scars. The Joker flinched only slightly as my fingers floated whisper light over the raw looking skin. I watched in amazement as the Joker shut his eyes and started to shiver beneath my hand. It was like I had found his weak spot; he gave a low growl under his breath as I reached the tip of the scar. With a shudder he shook his head violently and licked his lips, looking dazed like he had just awoken from a very deep sleep.

His dark eyes bored into mine for a split second, and they looked some how different. Not filled with the usual confidence and intensity I was used to, they looked almost…childlike. But before I could look properly the moment had gone and Mister J had turned away from me, continuing like none of that had happened.

"Hmmm, well you have been a helllllp Harley. I just wanted you to know you're appreciated." Feeling confused by Mister J's ability to dismiss certain things, it took me awhile to register what he had said. Appreciated, maybe he hadn't dismissed it like I thought, I decided to test his trust. I turned and gave him a coy smile.

"Soooooo, are you going to tell me what's in that crate now?"

The Joker scratched his chin and began to saunter away, I followed determinedly. He went over to the crate and placed a hand on it, tapping his fingers. I guessed he was dragging it out on purpose, he always liked being in control.

"It's an EMP transmitter." I stared blankly at him for a moment.

"An EMP…but why would you want one of those."

"It's not just any EMP transmitter; it is the most powerful EMP transmitter in the world. It is capable of knock out every electrical device in Gotham rendering the city helplesssssss." I looked at him dumb founded, if he knock out every electrical device in Gotham the city would be isolated, alone and vulnerable.

"Why though? Why knock out the cities electricity?" The Joker gave a low, ominous laugh.

"Do remember about a year ago, the DA of this city, the 'white knight' of Gotham, Harvey Dent gave a press conference concerning me?" I nodded slowly unsure where this was going, the Joker's eyes were gleaming this was him at his best. "Him and his fellow musketeeeeeers brought me down and locked me away, something I have never forgiven them for. I thought I had won when I succeeded in breaking Dent's mind, causing him to murder five people but noooooooo. The Batman took the bullet and restored order to Gotham. I hate order." He looked down at the crate and patted it, my mouth was hanging open. I, like the rest of Gotham, had believed the Batman had killed those people, and that Dent had died a hero. Boy, had I been wrong.

The Joker continued, his voice turning into a growl, "The great Harvey Dent said, 'the night is darkest just before the dawn," his eyes flashed up to mine, burning with an intensity I had never seen before. His mouth stretched into a macabre grin, "Well I'm going to make suuuuuure it's the darkest Gotham's ever seeeeeeeen."

He broke into a high pitched, blood curdling laugh, and for the first time I was terrified of the man standing before me.