Archive of Our Own ^beta

Chapter Text

       Present Day

"Patient interview 6. Patient name Y/N L/N, an accomplice to The Joker and Harley Quinn."

At the mention of their names, you squirmed in your straight-jacket, slightly startling the doctor that sat across the table.

"Patient has been in custody for nearly 4 weeks. Regular sessions have been inconclusive, as she has been actively refusing to cooperate- either by choosing not to speak or with unpredictable intense emotional outbursts."

"So, Y/N, I wanted to start off this session by wishing you a happy 21st birthday."

You glared at the young doctor, fantasising about all the ways you could kill her, your feet tapping repeatedly against the floor. Maybe you could drown her in a tank of piranhas, or let her overdose on Laughing Gas. Or perhaps just a classical crowbar.

Letting your eyes wander, you looked around the cell you'd been locked in for the past month. It was dark, and boring, and looked exactly how you'd expect an asylum cell to look. Scattered all over the floor, were multiple copies of crayon drawings of the two familiar clowns. God, how you missed them.

"Y/N, why don't we talk about your life as a vigilante, before you were kidnapped? Before Joker and Harley?"

Before Joker and Harley? I was  nothing  before them.

Chapter Text

Rushing across the limitless amount of Gotham City's rooftops, you attempted to pick up speed, despite your throbbing chest and aching legs begging you to slow down. It was a calm, quiet Sunday night; the only sounds were your rapid footsteps and your cape flapping wildly behind you. A few buildings ahead, you could vaguely make out the silhouette of Dick Grayson beating you at your weekly race.

Finally giving in to your body's cries, you skidded to a halt on the edge of a building, taking in the oxygen you desperately needed. 
"Ok, ok. You fucking win!" You breathed into your earpiece.

"Ha! 6 weeks in a row!" Nightwing's smug voice boomed in your right ear.

Folding your arms, you shot daggers at the former Boy Wonder that stood smirking four rooftops away. You rested at the edge of the apartment building you were perched on, letting your legs dangle over the empty streets below.

"Nightwing. I need you at Arkham as soon as possible."

Batman's gruff voice crackled through your earpiece, causing both of you to freeze.

"Dick. It's urgent."

It took a long few seconds of silence before he got a response.

"S-sure, Bruce. I'm on my way."

Out of the corner of your eye, you saw Nightwing rise from the rooftop. Without waiting another moment, you quickly asked: "Can I join?"

The silence that followed your comment dragged on for an excruciatingly long time, the only noise being the quiet flapping of your cape in the breeze.

"Aww, C'mon! What's this 'urgent' situation anyway?"

"...The Joker and Harley Quinn have escaped from Arkham." Batman admitted, his voice radiating with serious intensity.

For once, you were stunned into silence. For the few months you'd been classed as a 'superhero', you'd heard countless amounts of horror stories about the Clown Prince of Crime and his Queen. You'd even begun to slightly fear them.

"Well, it's about time I finally meet your arch-nemesis, right?" You joked, attempting to mask your nervousness.

You could almost hear the gears in his head turning as he decided whether or not to let you join this mission.
"It's going to be dangerous, Y/N."

"I sent the Riddler to Arkham, out-smarted Two-Face and fought dozens of random criminals." You protested. "Hell, I even had a run in with Killer Croc in the sewer last week! I'm sure I can handle two crazy clowns."

"Well, it was more like you ran away from Killer Croc in the sewer last week." Nightwing added.

"Nobody asked for your opinion, Dick."

The seconds slowly ticked by as you anxiously waited for Batman's verdict.

"Fine. I'm heading in your direction now. Be ready."

-----------------------

Sitting in the leather passenger seat of the Batmobile, you could feel your stomach twisting with an odd mixture of excitement and terror. This was the moment you had been dreaming of, yet dreading for the longest time. You were finally going to meet them.

"Why does she get a ride?" Nightwing's voice mumbled through the earpiece.

"Because I need you to be on the look out. And she's younger than you." Batman answered.

"Hey, you don't have to treat me like a baby, Bruce." You pouted. "I'm almost 18!"

"Your birthday is in 8 months."

Nightwing's panicked voice broke through the conversation.
"Batman, I see them! They're in a police car-"

As if on cue, a police car pivoted around a corner in a flash of blue and red lights. The Batmobile instantly became rapid, briskly streaking after the stolen police car.  Chasing after the crescendo of crazed laughter and blaring sirens, you were intoxicated with a fusion of adrenaline and panic. With an unexpected jolt, the two vehicles suddenly crashed into each other, running the police car off the road, straight into an unsuspecting lamp post.

A man wearing an orange prison uniform with bright, green hair and smudged lipstick stepped out of the wreckage. He stopped to stare into the Batmobile window, and a large, crooked grin spread across his pale face, before he rushed off into the streets of Gotham.

"Stay here." Batman ordered, and then he sprinted after the man known as The Joker.

Only a short period of time sitting alone in the Batmobile had passed before you noticed the blonde woman that was sprawled out on the front of the crashed police car. You exited the Batmobile, and cautiously walked over.

She was laying on the bonnet covered in glass shards, seemingly unconscious.  Her pale, blonde hair was tied in loose pigtails and she was wearing the same orange uniform the Joker wore. She looked quite innocent, and not as much of a threat as her partner did.

As you took a few attentive steps closer, her eyes snapped open, and she grabbed a knife hidden in her uniform, then attempted to bury it in your chest.

You jumped back, barely missing the knife's blade. Harley Quinn pulled herself off the car, picking up a baseball bat from the front seat.

"You're Batsy's new pet, huh?" The clown smiled as she stalked forward, bat in hand.

"I wouldn't say I was a-"

She threw her fist at your face, but you ducked, and survived the attack (much to your surprise). Before you could celebrate your minor victory, Harley kicked you in the stomach, sending you flying through the air until you collided with the Batmobile's bonnet. The breath had been knocked out of your lungs and you watched, stunned, as Harley swung her bat at your face.

Once it made contact with your face for the third time, you heard the crack and felt the blood trickle into your mouth. Clutching your broken nose, you crumpled to the floor in a fit of pain. 
Harley kneeled down next to you and tilted your chin upwards until you made eye contact with her.

"How come Batman gets all the pretty toys?" Harley pouted.

Harley suddenly turned her head in the direction of a sound you were unable to hear, pecked you quickly on the cheek, and then ran out of sight.

"Y/N?!"  

Chapter Text

"There she is, Mistah J! The girl I was telling ya about!" Harley exclaimed, pointing excitedly at Gotham's newest hero running along a rooftop, Nightwing and Robin at her side.

"Bats' newest employee, eh?" The Joker inquired, watching the girl with intense curiosity.

"Mmhm. I broke her nose last week, and she didn't even fight back!" Harley laughed.

"Hmmmm." The Joker continued to watch the girl, deep in thought. "Harley, don't you think it's unfair that Bats has all those beloved little comrades?"

Harley nodded frantically, a huge Cheshire Cat grin spread across her face.

"I think it's time to make a new friend."

----------------------------------------------
A Few Weeks Later

Oracle's fingers glided over the Bat computer's keyboard, her eyes glued to the screen. You and Robin stood beside her, watching the monitor with wide, frightened eyes. Batman loomed behind the three of you with Nightwing at his side, glaring at the scene in front of him.

Live footage from the Gotham General Hospital surveillance cameras played on screen. The waiting room was filled with men wearing clown masks, holding guns to the heads of terrified hostages. Neither Joker or Harley Quinn were visible, but it was clear this was their doing.

"This is a trap." Barbara stated. "The hostages are obvious bait."

"Too obvious." Jason mumbled.

"But we can't let those people die." You added.

Batman moved away from the screen and stomped over to the Batmobile.

"Robin, Y/N, focus on saving the hostages. Nightwing, you can help me take out Joker and Harley."

The three of you nodded in unison, ready for battle.

"And Y/N," The Dark Night turned to face you. "Be careful this time."

-----------------------

Batman crashed into the hospital waiting room, taking out two Joker goons before you and the rest of the team rushed in.  You ran towards a man who was pointing a pistol to the head of a petrified elderly receptionist, and grabbed a small gun from your belt.

"What?! You have a gun?" Jason gasped in annoyance, delivering a final punch to another one of the Joker's minions.

"Nah. It's just a taser." You explained, aiming the stun gun at the man, before firing and leaving him pulsating on the ground. "Batman wouldn't let me have a real one."

Rolling his eyes, Robin disappeared into the sea of violence, and you tasered a few more minions, before an unsettling chorus of laughter echoed around the room. You immediately ducked behind the front desk.

"Come on, boys! They're just a man and his kids in fancy dress!" A familiar sinister voice laughed hysterically. "Go get 'em!"

Peering over the desk top, you recognised the tall, pale-faced man on the other side of the room. Your pulse grew rapid in fear just at the sight of his disturbingly crooked, red-lipped grin. Something felt...wrong. Looking around, you realised the room was clear of hostages. Everyone was safe, yet the mission didn't feel complete. It was too easy.

Your uneasiness skyrocketed when the clown's emerald eyes met yours, and his already huge grin tripled in size. One question formed in your mind, and your trembling heart froze, crippled by terror.

Where's the  other  clown?

Arms wrapped around your neck, a hand holding a chloroform soaked handkerchief to your face. Before you had the chance to struggle, your vision blurred and a numb feeling instantaneously spread across your body. Foggy thoughts whirled around inside your head, as you began to feel drowsy.

"Night, night, Sweetie!" A high-pitched, Brooklyn accent purred in you ear, as you lost consciousness. 

Chapter Text

    ~8 and 3/4 Months Earlier~

It was approximately 4:37am on a Wednesday morning. The rain had been pouring down seemingly endlessly for at least an hour or so by then, soaking your black leather jacket and ripped jeans. You stood a few metres away from the police cars in front of the Gotham Museum of Antiquities, calmly watching Commissioner Gordon as he forcibly shoved a struggling Edward Nygma -that you had (accidentally) stopped from planting a bomb in one of the city's most prominent buildings- into one of the cars.

Batman loomed next to you, also silently watching the scene unfold. A few months earlier you had feared him, but not anymore.

"Y/N." The Dark Knight broke the silence. "What you did tonight...the person you were, would never be able to find the will to do that. You've changed, for the better."

"Ha, don't get all emotional on me, Bruce." You replied. "It was just a one time thing. I'm no hero."

He turned to face you, smiling slightly.

"That's a shame. I think Gotham could use a new hero."

----------------------------------------------

Your eyes snapped open. Black. Pitch, black darkness was all you could see. Shuffling forward slightly, you noticed you were restrained with handcuffs and were chained by your neck.

What..? Where am I?

Letting your eyes adjust to the lighting, you realised you were in some sort of cage. You shambled over to the bars and peered outside. In the semi-gloom, you could just about make out the silhouette of a Ferris wheel in the distance. Looking around, you spotted a carousel, multiple stalls and even a roller coaster.

Is this a...fun fair?

You craned your neck, attempting to look at the cage you were being held captive in. You weren't able to see much, but you did briefly catch a glimpse of the outside, which was painted bright red with unintelligible words written in yellow. It was some sort of old-fashioned carriage, the kind they used for circus animals, like tigers that jump through flaming hoops or dancing bears in tutus.

A stream of light suddenly blinded you, as it cascaded from a red and yellow striped tent to your left. Cacophonous laughter boomed in your eardrums and you felt the terror strike.

"Oh Puddin'! She's awake!" A familiar, shrill voice rang through the air.

Harley Quinn appeared in front of the bars, grinning wildly, causing you to jump backwards. The Joker loomed at her side, his smile even more disturbing than hers.

"Oh Harley, look at our little girl!" The Joker exclaimed.

...Little girl?  'Our'?!

"I wonder what dear old Batsy's gonna do when he figures out his puppy is missing." He continued. "Or maybe he won't even notice. I mean, he does have a lot of spares."

That struck a nerve.

"When Batman gets here, he's gonna kick both of your crazy asses back into Arkham where you fucking belong!"

There was a pause. The two clowns stared at you in shock, before their usual grins returned to their faces.

"Tsk, tsk, tsk. No bad words." Harley wagged her finger at you. "Unless you want a good spanking."

The clown lurched forward towards the bars as she growled the last word, and then laughed when you flinched.

"Harley, I think our baby girl needs a little timeout. Let's leave her to...adjust."

The Joker soon disappeared into the shadows of the carnival, and Harley blew you a kiss before following him.

-------------

You'd been in timeout for days. Maybe weeks. You'd already lost track of the time.

You sat curled in the corner of your cage, your wrists and neck bruised from where you had been struggling against your restraints. Your hair fell in greasy, matted knots and your weak limbs trembled, as an aching pain shot through your stomach. God, you were starving.

God,  Batman, where are you?!

Footsteps echoed in the darkness outside your cage, and you dared to hope, to believe it was Batman or Nightwing rushing to your rescue. Every second in that cage you had spent fantasising about the day you'd go home. How happy everyone would be to see you, and you couldn't wait to have those psychotic clowns behind bars.

When the figure stepped closer, you felt your heart sink in disappointment. Today wasn't the day of your great escape.

"Ya done sulking, sweetie?" Harley chirped, peering through the bars.

Feeling stupid and hopeless, you fought the tears that stung your eyes. It was idiotic to believe that anybody was coming to save you.

"...go to Hell." You croaked, hating the weakness in your voice.

Harley burst into a fit of giggles, her black and red curls bouncing. 
"Cute, but that just earned you another day in timeout."

The clown grinned, and you watched her skip cheerily back into the darkness. You waited until she was out of sight, before allowing yourself to cry.

Hot tears streaked down your cheeks, as you tucked yourself into a ball of pained cries and ragged breaths. Your chest heaved, as you struggled to breathe in between sobs.

P-please Bruce...

You let your sorrows soothe you into sleep, allowing your exhausted body and mind to escape for a few hours.