Dusk was settling over Gotham.
Harley Quinn knelt on the sofa, clutching her gun, eyes fixed on the street outside. A few hours earlier, she'd noticed the thugs near the apartment had cleared out, so she'd slipped back quietly. She expected Jack to return soon after, but he still hadn't appeared—and that worried her. She worried he might have run into trouble. She worried he might have simply left and wasn't coming back.
Mixed with that worry was a strange sense of loss.
The sound of an engine broke the silence. An SUV screeched to a halt at the entrance.
"You're back."
Harley leaped off the sofa.
"Come help me move this stuff."
Jack got out of the car and opened the rear door.
The back was packed—food, drinks, clothes, toys, everything imaginable.
Harley didn't bother examining any of it. She just helped Jack carry everything inside, then shut the door behind them.
"Where did you go? Did something happen?" She couldn't help asking.
Jack chuckled, pulled a Bat-mask from one of the bags, and tossed it to her. "Just wandered around. Found a spot to practice driving. First time behind the wheel—felt pretty good."
"For me?" Harley caught the mask, surprised. "Is this a Bat-mask?" She turned it over in her hands. "Wait—you couldn't drive before?"
"Never had the chance."
"What... what did you do before?"
"I'm hungry. Let's eat."
Harley hadn't been trying to pry into his past, but hearing that answer, she knew she wasn't getting anything out of him.
She went to cook. Jack organized the supplies.
After dinner, night fell.
They took turns washing up and went to the bedroom.
Just like the night before, Jack held Harley as he fell asleep.
This time, she didn't overthink it. She drifted off in his arms.
---
Over the following days, Jack would occasionally head out—practicing his driving, picking up supplies. When he had nothing better to do, he'd chat with Harley, and every now and then he'd kill a few thugs who tried to approach or break in. Gradually, the local criminals seemed to realize this place wasn't worth the trouble. No one bothered them anymore.
Gotham itself had more or less stabilized.
The calm before the storm, probably.
The city had fractured into rough factions. Bane's terrorists held power. Ordinary citizens hid in their homes, praying. Gordon and the police, along with a handful of others still willing to fight, were quietly planning to take the city back. And then there were the gang bosses who'd carved out their own territories—Penguin, Falcone, and others like them.
Jack fell into that last category.
By now, a lot of people in Gotham had heard about the Asian man who lived here with a girl. Powerful. Ruthless. Left no survivors.
Not exactly a no-go zone—but most people took a detour when they passed by, or at least put their weapons away.
---
Sunlight streamed gently through the window.
Harley sat sideways on the sofa, gun in hand, watching the street. Jack lay with his head in her lap, lazily kneading her chest out of sheer boredom.
At first, she'd been shy about it—flustered, unsure how to react. But gradually she realized there was no real desire behind what he was doing. He was just... bored.
"What are you going to do after Gotham goes back to normal?" Jack asked, his voice languid.
"Go back to school, I guess." Harley thought for a moment. "If none of this had happened, I'd already be in class."
Gotham University. Sophomore. Psychology major.
"How's university life?" Jack asked.
"Pretty good." She shrugged. "Classes, studying, rest—kind of boring, but it keeps me busy. Once I graduate, I want to intern at Arkham." She glanced down at him. "But I'm guessing that kind of life wouldn't suit you."
She hadn't caught whatever he was really asking. Jack didn't bother explaining—just gave a noncommittal hum.
"Who's there!"
Harley's voice sharpened. She gripped the pistol tight.
"I'm looking for that asshole!" a voice answered through gritted teeth.
Jack's interest piqued. He flipped over and looked toward the door.
Standing in the sunlight, dressed in a Bat-suit, was Barbara.
Harley blinked. Batman was well-known in Gotham, but this clearly wasn't Batman. This was a woman.
Her mind went to the Bat-mask Jack had given her.
"Little Bat." Jack smiled, resting his hands on the back of the sofa. "Looking for me?"
"Let me in first," Barbara said, teeth still clenched.
"Put the gun down," Jack told Harley.
Harley lowered the weapon. Barbara walked past the sofa and into the room.
Jack turned to face her, eyes glinting with amusement.
"Coming to me in broad daylight—do you miss me?"
"Please. I've never come looking for you at night either."
As expected. That bastard's first words were always infuriating.
"Well, at night I have to sleep with Harley here, so it wouldn't do you any good." Jack smiled, patting Harley's thigh.
Harley didn't say anything—but her eyes seemed to brighten just a little.
I won't get angry. I won't get angry. I won't get angry.
Barbara repeated it in her head until she felt calm enough to speak.
"Are you really going to just sit here doing nothing? Three months. The nuclear reactor in Bane's hands will explode in three months. If you don't want to die, help us take down Bane and find it."
"An explosion?" Jack grinned. "Sounds scary. But I'm not afraid of death."
A city blowing up? He'd lived through the Big Bang. Still here, wasn't he?
"You're not afraid of death," Barbara said, her gaze shifting to Harley. "But what about her? She's still young. Do you really want her to die with you?"
Jack looked at Harley, still smiling—then turned back to Barbara.
"What does her life or death have to do with me?"