19Please Enjoy,
Harley forgot when it stopped being funny, when she stopped being able to grin and bear it for her 'puddin'. After spending a dangerous amount of time close to the Joker she'd certainly developed a high tolerance for his attitude and the pain he occasionally, perhaps often caused her. Being able to handle it wasn't impossible, but her smiles were growing dim not that the Joker would notice. Yes, Harley couldn't remember when it stopped being funny, but she didn't have trouble remembering when she decided it was time to leave.
She was a psychologist and she could identify her own problems and why she followed the Joker with such devotion, but somehow she found it hard to break away. The moment she put on that damn suit, she turned into a psycho who was wildly dependent on the Joker and completely subservient. It seemed no matter what she would go crawling back to him, but deep inside she knew there would be a breaking point. Where it was and what would drive her to it she didn't know, but it seemed to be coming.
The Joker had a plan he decided not to let Harley be privy to, but of course he had her come along to do what he needed. This time it was simply to hold off the Bat, as if that was simple. However instead of just Batman she was faced with Batman and Nightwing. Slowing them down proved much more difficult than she could handle for too long, so she made a tactical exit. It was better than being captured, surely the Joker would understand that. He didn't. The plan failed and not simply because she couldn't hold the Bat and the Pretty boy off, but regardless she became a subject of the Joker's ire.
It culminated in her and the Joker facing off with Batman and Nightwing trying to catch them. Of the four combatants the Joker was the least agile and having used most of his tricks and weapons he was vulnerable. Harley was worried for him and stepped a bit closer to help cover him if necessary, but she was surprised by what came next.
With only a glance he shoved her off the roof hoping one of the heroes would try to rescue her and give him a better chance getting away. As she fell Harley had a moment where she realized this was the second time she was falling thanks to the Joker. The first time she nearly killed Batman ruining the Joker's game so she was knocked out of a window and was badly injured. This fall was from much higher and she knew she wouldn't survive, at least right before she died she would finally see how stupid she was for following the Joker. It seemed like her just desserts to be killed by the person who led her down such a dark path in the first place. It was almost funny, but she still didn't laugh.
Harley didn't bother screaming she knew there was no point she merely sighed and whispered to herself, "You could have been so much more Harleen, why did you let it fall apart?" She felt an impact, but it was the impact of another body catching hers. She couldn't see what happened exactly, but when she opened her eyes she saw the blue of Nightwing's suit and found herself on the roof of a much lower building, without any major injuries.
"Are you alright, Harley?" Nightwing asked her. He set her down, but didn't relax clearly expecting retaliation despite saving her. He was right to be nervous Harley had proven time and again that she couldn't be trusted.
"Calm down Bird boy, I'm not going to hurt you. I'm done," Harley rose to her feet slowly not showing her shock at being saved.
"What does that mean?" Nightwing rose an eyebrow crossing his arms still tensed, but in a less aggressive stance.
"I'm done being Joker's plaything, that's what it means. The joke has always been on me and I've been the punchline too often to keep this up, you won't see me again so you don't need to bother arresting me," Harley threw down the few gadgets the Joker allowed her to use. She didn't feel like fighting anymore she was tired of everything, of this entire lifestyle she'd managed to get herself into.
"Just letting you go isn't really in the job description," Nightwing was still looking at her, but now it was almost pitying. She hated that look, it screamed that he felt she was some incompetent girl who let the Joker manipulate her.
"Alright then we'll have to dance one last time, if I end up in Arkham I'll serve my time, but I much rather just escape and fade away," Harley crouched down ready to what was necessary.
Nightwing regarded her carefully for a few breaths time before coming to a decision, "Batman will probably be mad later, but I'm letting you go. Just make sure if we ever bump into each other you won't be committing a crime that goes double for meeting Batman because he holds grudges."
"I thought it wasn't in your job description?" Harley smiled lightly, but her confusion was apparent.
"Take this as a congratulations for moving on and reforming," Nightwing shrugged giving her the benefit of the doubt. That faith in humanity was impressive and naive.
"You're taking my words at face value? I mean I am a wanted criminal and known psychopath," Harley was skeptical it was hard to believe that a hero was just going to accept what she was saying.
"Well are you lying?" Nightwing asked neutrally not taking his eyes off of her.
"No," Harley stated firmly knowing that for once she was going to refuse to go back. She was going to do it this time, Harley Quinn was disappearing tonight.
"Then I'm choosing to believe you, I have a pretty good sense for this sort of thing. Now if I were you I'd get moving, Batman isn't as lenient as I am," His lips quirked into something that could be considered a smile if he and Harley didn't know what Batman's lack of leniency really meant.
"You know Pretty boy you're a real sweetheart, it probably would have been nice to fall in love with you instead," Harley darted forward to give him a kiss before leaping across a gap to a nearby building and disappearing down its fire escape. She laughed at the surprised expression on his face before the enormity of the situation struck her. She was throwing away half of her life, now she was only Dr. Harleen Quinzel and she was going to have to live normally full time, it was daunting.
This would be easier once she could get out of her suit and slipped back into her normal personality or abnormal personality, she wasn't sure anymore. She generally tried to disassociate Dr. Quinzel from Harley Quinn, but she worked in Arkham and the Joker was her patient when he was actually allowed into sessions and left his cell. She wasn't going to quit, but she knew it would be best to switch to less high-profile patients for a while.
A/N
I know the opening was a bit short, but I figured that this was the best place to end it. This story is quite different from the previous one's I've written, but I want to explore this part of my writing which I haven't done so far, it's a bit darker and serious. Let me know what you think.
