Disclaimer: I do not own any characters or the universe in which suicide squad, batman, or anything else of the DC universe exist in. these are the property of DC and Warner bros.

Monsters and Performers.

Chapter one - Somewhere over the black and white rainbow

The clouds were fluffy.

Harley had her head against the glass, the only part of her that wasn't strapped down to something. She was staring out into the afternoon sky, she decided that the clouds were fluffy from so close and longed to stick her hand out there and run her fingers through them, it was probably like going through fog, where the only thing that was clear was right in front of you, everything else just mist.

Looney toon. Her mind chided and she grinned.

So what? The looney toons were fun, besides she wasn't really a looney toon, she just acted it really, really well.

Okay, so yes she was crazy, you try surviving that much shock therapy and then a quick dip in the chemical bath and come out looking like a million bucks.

Then again, crazy was such a relative term.

So many flavors of crazy, sociopath, psychopath, maniacs, disorders, the list went on and on.

Honestly, compared to the normal people who insisted they were sane, she was perfectly in her right mind.

Now which one of those minds was the bigger question.

No one understood that, even her puddin missed the mark from time to time. Staring at her with a raised eyebrow and a look that said, really, you're going there.

It wasn't that she heard voices in the traditional sense, the text book version of schizophrenia, no what her situation was, well she considered it an evolution of sorts.

It was like, all these different versions of herself suddenly merged together and they shared a single body.

Hers.

Most of the voices were her own, just different sides.

One or two weren't but they were so closely connected to her, they held the same honor. Well, most of them did.

"You know I wouldn't let you die, don't you baby doll?" Her puddin's voice whispers in her ear and she smiles wider.

"Of course not." She says, startling the guards who are seated around her.

The government has paid a lot of money to relocate her.

This is the third flight they've taken, a private jet. Small, domestic airports. Landing strips. Making sure that no one knows where they're taking her.

She hasn't thought that far ahead, she's still recovering from the knock to the back of the head.

It was the guard's fault, he wanted to watch her use the toilet. It was unbecoming of a lady.

You aren't a lady. One of her voices scolds. It sounds a little bit like her mother, that stern, disapproving scold that she never liked. Her thoughts are blurry when it comes to her actual mother, not because she can't remember her, more because she doesn't want to.

I am a lady, actually I'm more than a lady, I'm royalty.

Royalty? You're a whore and a criminal, a murderer and thief. That's the things you are.

I'm a royal of crime mommy. Daddy was a criminal, just a common criminal but my puddin made me a queen.

It was almost the perfect fairy tale, she was just the common girl, a psychiatrist, the daughter of a second rate con artist and a struggling mother, a dead beat brother who still doesn't worry about his kids and her Joker had whisked her away from it all and given her an empire to play in, he'd given her a whole world of fun.

To him she was the princess, the queen, royal by something far deeper than blood.

Her soul.

I'm ashamed that you're my child. Her mother's voice whispers and Harley laughs at that.

Her mother couldn't even look at her during her first trial, she was sobbing, horror stricken by what had happened to her.

How pale her skin was, her hair bleached, the crazy look in her blue eyes. The fact she was wearing this stupid orange jumpsuit, like anyone looks good in this color orange.

Her brother as always looked disinterested. Though he'd actually dressed up for her trial, his eyes held that emptiness in them, he'd given up on life before he ever had the chance.

He disgusted her.

Still, until her last encounter with batman, when he'd pulled her out of the water, stuck her in that car and driven her away, she'd been covering his child support. She'd buy her niece and nephew the things they needed even as what she was now.

Her puddin knew but never stopped her, just shook his head and went back to planning as she packed up a box to be delivered to the house where her niece lived. Or came in with a new outfit for her nephew's first day of school.

The sad thing was, their mothers had her on speed dial and not her brother.

What ya think of that mommy, I'm a monster and your grandchildren love me more than they love their own daddy.

Your projecting.

Another voice, more analytical, one of her own.

So?

It's not good for us.

It doesn't matter, good for us never helped us.

"Quinn, you hungry?" The lead guard beside her asks and she turns, a bright, cheerful smile on her face.

"Oooo, what's for dinner?"

"You get a sandwich." He tells her coolly and she pouts.

"What, no lobster? I'd even go for a pizza."

"Sorry princess, we don't cater here." he says and gets up.

It isn't the first jab at her, they've been poking fun about her titles since they heard it from the commissioner of police.

That guy just needed to stay out of her business.

Conspiring with the bat to get her out of the city, secretly, hushed, making sure no one knew. No one in the police department who could be paid off. No reporters, nothing.

No one knew what happened to her.

She wasn't even going to get a trial this time, terrorist.

That was her new title.

Terrorist.

Terrorists didn't get played with the same, no insanity plea. No Arkham asylum or other place like that, no deals.

This was new to her, this was something completely different.

The bat had watched, stood there while they strapped her in, the ultimate precaution against her skill.

She still remembered what he said to her before they boarded her onto the plane.

"You had a chance to walk away Quinn, you left us no choice."

"My puddin will get you batsy." she'd purred with a seductive smile. "He'll rain down hell and fire for taking me away."

"He left you to die Harleen, I don't think he cares."

"You're wrong bat, you just don't know how wrong you are."

"It doesn't matter, even if he does come. We're even, he took something important from me, I'm taking something from him."

She laughed at him.

"Still feeling so sore about sweet little Robin? Well batsy, that's on you. Own that yourself. You brought a child into the game, what did you think was going to happen?"

She'd spoken with such venom in her voice, such hate. What had he honestly expected?

"Goodbye Harleen." He said then walked away from her.

"It's Harley you jerk."

She wondered what the bat would do now. Did he just not care anymore?

Loss could do crazy things to you.

Crazy, crazy things.

"Quinn open up." the guard said, coming back with a sandwich.

She wrinkled her nose at it, it wasn't even fresh bread.

"What's that?"

"A sandwich, look, there is even lettuces in it."

"I'm not eatin that shit, that's not a sandwich."

"Well it's all your getting till we get you home."

"Speaking of home, we're taking an awfully long time getting to Gotham, I mean, I hate to be ungrateful but you know, I've got things planned. I have a hair appointment, then I had a dinner party to plan and oh there was the bank heist on Tuesday."

He smirks at her, shaking his head.

"Oh, you can forget about Gotham."

"Oh, well, where ya taking me?" she bats her eyelashes at him.

"Sunshine, if I told you that then I'd get into trouble. The last thing anyone wants is for you to get out of those restraints and go call your boyfriend, the point is to get you away from that crazy clown."

"Crazy clown prince." she corrected. "Show some respect."

"Crazy bitch." He mutters under his breath and she laughs loudly into his face.

The rest of the flight is spent in silence, she doesn't eat the sandwich and her stomach is complaining the missed meal.

She wishes she could have some strawberries right now, with some chocolate syrup and cream. She grins at the memory of the treat, a very fun treat.

She's bored already, she had more fun at Blackgate than here.

You sound like your father.

No, I don't. He's dead, I'm not.

You nearly were. He left you to drown.

So?

Doesn't that bother you at all?

She thought about this, sticking her tongue out dramatically and looking out the window.

Maybe, a little but he would never let me drown.

You can't even say his name. Puddin? Mr J? You're scared of him.

No I'm not.

Then say it, say his name.

The Joker, his name is Joker.

He'll find someone new.

Never.

What makes you so sure, you don't know.

I do know, he'll never find someone like me.

He'll make someone new.

You can't remake Harley Quinn.

Your name is Harleen Quinzel. Not Harley Quinn.

No, my name is Harley Quinn, it's been that for longer than my birth.

That's not the name I gave you, I named you Harleen.

It's the name I gave me. You wanted me to be someone, well I am now aren't I mummy?

"You have to fight this Harleen, you have to be more than what he's tried to do to you." she remembers what her mother said to her after the Joker had tortured her, unlocked the compartments of her mind and started the process to freeing her from her past, from that life, the life that wasn't meant for her.

Her mother couldn't understand, no one could. She had wanted all of this, she had wanted this life, at his side, in his world and not just because she was an addict and he was her drug.

It was for herself.

It's cost you everything, you gambled your whole life away for a lunatic who left you to die.

He hadn't though, the bat saved her, he wouldn't have let her die. Her puddin knew that, he would always save her. He was a hero, that's what they did.

The guards suddenly shut her window, all of them, the interior of the plane darkens and they all start moving.

She's missed a queue.

Someone blindfolds her, another puts a gag over her mouth. Thre people grab her arm which is still strapped down and carefully release it, slipping on a sleeve of a shirt, only backwards. The rest of her is still on her chair, strapped in, they get her other arm and repeat the process. Crossing her arms in front of her and she understands. A straight jacket.

She feels the pressure drop and it clicks.

They're landing.

Oh goody, maybe they're taking another fuel break.

Part of her wonders if they're taking her overseas.

That actually would be a smart idea, the Joker's influence didn't outstretch that far so easily.

It would cost more, it would mean reaching out to people the joker had on a short list. Her puddin, wasn't the most social of characters.

She had complete faith in him though, utterly convinced that no matter where they put her, he'd find her. That was her puddin, her hero, her savior, her king.

You're a fool.

So are you.

These are government agents, they won't put you somewhere where he can find you.

You heard the bat Harley, he wants the Joker to suffer.

Mr J will be stronger than that.

He needs you, he depends on you too much. You've made yourself too big a part of him.

That's a bad thing?

It is now.

Harley feels her ears pop, she laughs from behind her gag and imagines that they're all staring at her like she's missing too many screws.

It's better that way, for them to think she's just a crazy girl, it's the mask she needs to play now, if she doesn't she might break down and that isn't an option.

She doesn't trust them, she can't. In her experience the ones who call themselves good guys, tend to make bad guys look decent.

Someone puts headphones on her, with blaring music. Her head bounces to the beat but she's convinced now, they're messing with her, this has got to be a joke. Soon, someone is going to pull of the restraints and her puddin will laugh at her expense and it'll be funnyy.

But he doesn't.

The plane lands and there is a very long pause, the only sound she can hear is the sound of the music.

Paranoid, aren't they?

She counts to five hundred and they start to move her. She feels the vibrations of their footsteps through the chair, at least ten guards.

Easy.

A ramp, they're rolling her down a ramp now and more people, more vibrations. Her skin tingles, it's cool outside, not cold, just cool, a breeze and the smell of water. Strange, where are they?

Are they changing planes again?

No, another transport.

They're picking her up, chair and all, she wants to get away but they have several of them holding her down.

She starts to laugh harder, the sound muffled by the restraint covering her lips.

Harley tenses whens he feels someone's hand on her shoulder, squeezing throught he material to make a silent threat. Behave girl.

She feels others climbing aboard her ride, six of them.

Do they not realize she can get out of this thing?

The door is closed with a heavy thud and the guards go through the process of locking her down. Her legs, her shoulders, her waist.

A car seat had less safety features.

They start to move but no one releases her eyes, ears or mouth.

It's funny.

See no evil, hear no evil, speak no evil.

Ha! she gets the joke.

The music keeps playing and she wonders where they get this stuff, it's loud in her ears.

She's analyzing it in her head, they want to make sure she has no idea where she is. The problem is, there are better, easier ways to let your loved ones know where you are than trying to memorize a route.

Finally, someone removes the gag, the headphones and the blind fold. She finds herself in a dim almost dark square.

A truck, they're in a transport vehicle.

Straight jacket, restraints, padding, no weapons near her body. All the guards in SWAT uniform. They're all holding their guns in their hands, twitching to pull the trigger at her. Except for one of them.

He's staring at her, his eyes focused on her face and no where else. She blows him a kiss and he flinches and looks away.

He's from Gotham, he has to be. No one else knows the penalty for staring at her for so long. Amusing, she loves it. Even like this, on her way to a cell that's so far away from her home, her life. Her mere presence has the power to strike fear into a young man soul.

He wants to look but her puddin's ghost is haunting her, haunting this truck and only the Gotham man can hear his laugh, feel the tension as he smiles at him.

"What's a boy like you doing with these guys?' she asks cheerfully.

He jumps a little, too small a thing for the others to notice but she does, he's close, only a seat away from her. He sat across from her on the plane and she didn't miss the way he secretly studied her body.

He doesn't respond and she laughs. Letting her head fall back against the side of the moving prison and she closes her eyes for just a second. Her mind remembering the last few days.

No Arkham, no Blackgate.

Nowhere, they said they were taking her nowhere.

No trial in Gotham, no lawyer by her side, dirty, smart, paid handsomely to keep her out of Blackgate and in Arkham where she can easily be extracted. Where the guards know better than to stop him when he comes for her. They know them both too well, they'll loose their lives, they don't want that. They'll keep her, they won't set her free but when it happens, they just step away.

She isn't going to be there when he comes, what will he do? What will her puddin think when he finds out that the bat didn't play by the script?

"Hey you're a guy right?" She throws the question to the man from Gotham

He regards her but still says nothing.

"How would you react if your girlfriend wasn't where she was supposed to be after a long weekend?"

He frowns at her, not getting what she's talking about.

She watches him carefully, gauging his reaction time, he's quick enough, damn, she was hoping he'd be slower, she can manipulate slower guys a lot quicker.

"He won't find you there, he'll probably be mad." He tells her dryly. "Though, knowing your boyfriend, it's a good thing I'm not going back to Gotham"

Harley rolls her head to the side and giggles even louder.

Yeah, he's right, her puddin will light the sky with flames and clouds of green and pink gas when he figures out she's not in Gotham

The queen of Gotham city, the Clown princess of crime has left the building.

And I didn't even get to say a goodbye speech. She pouts to herself and turns her head, looking out the tiny little holes, wondering where the hell they're going with her.

Heroes have it easy, they don't have to worry about SWAT teams and going to jail.

They get a nice get out of jail free card.

What do villains get?

Bad guys get jail time and all their dreams taken away from them.

It's part of the balance thing, good verses bad. That's what they try to say anyway but it's not like that at all.

They'll never understand.

Their minds can't cope with how their world really is.

Their world. The Joker's world.

It was as much her world as it was his, always had been. It had just taken him to enter her life to make her realize it.

There was a time, when she believed that she could escape it, when she thought she could find a place outside of it but she'd been running from destiny, fate, herself.

She had always been Harley Quinn, she'd just been too afraid to accept it.

Not anymore.

Not ever again.

A/N Hi everyone, this is my second fan fic and is connected to my first story. Chaos. You can read both seperately but I'd love it if you read both, up to you guys. So I know this is an origins story but I wanted to start at a stimulating place in the movie that obviously doesn't exist. Hope you guys like.

For all of you who've followed from chaos, welcome back and I hope you enjoy the new ride. For allt he new people, welcome to the mad house and please leave your comments, your favs and follows if you like the story. It helps me write faster. I'm not going to update this one as quickly as the other one, just cause Chaos is my main focus but I think I'll be updating this one every three days, instead of every two. So keep an eye out. Anyway, hope you all enjoy.

See ya laters.