Hey guys! This story is going to be kind of different for me, because I've never written a fic based around comic book characters before. Now I'm going to admit something right out of the gate. I've never read a Batman comic book before, or any comic books for that matter. I may have flipped through one or two, but I've never really sat down and read one from beginning to end. I have however watched the entire original Batman Animated Series and several of the animated Batman movies (including a few animated Justice League movies). I've also played through all four Batman Arkham games, along with both Injustice games. So while my comic knowledge is definitely lacking, I feel like I've got a decent grasp on Batman's character.

But the reason I even bring this up is because if any of you reading this story are big Batman comic fans and you notice that in this story Batman, or any characters for that matter, are completely OOC please let me know. Now I'm not going for a completely comic-authentic Batman, because the Batman in this story will be based off the one from the Arkham games and the animated series. But if you feel like I'm completely screwing Batman up please let me know and give me some possible solutions to fix it, and I will try my best to do so.

Now onto to why this story even exists. I was inspired to write story after playing through both Injustice games recently. Mainly because I love what they've done with Harley Quinn in those games. Harley Quinn is possibly my favorite DC character next to Batman himself. So to see her not just fighting alongside the Dark Knight and the Justice League, but being apart of Batman's personal team, was simply fucking awesome. So after playing through the Injustice games, I decided that I wanted to write a story set in the Batman Arkham game universe, a slightly alternate take though, that is set after the Harley Quinn's Revenge DLC, but before the events of Arkham Knight. In this story we'll see Harley Quinn transform from a villain into a hero, and watch as an romantic relationship blossoms between her and Batman, with a second mystery girl possibly being thrown into the mix as well, who will be revealed at the end of this chapter. With this fic eventually leading into the events of Arkham Knight. This story will pull and mesh together events and references from the Batman Animated Series, Arkham Asylum, Arkham City, Arkham Origins, and the Batman: Assault on Arkham animated movie.

P.S. The Batman Arkham timeline can be a fairly muddled mess, so I'll be slightly tinkering with when events occur in this story.

I also want to let it be known that this story won't be very long, a few chapters at most. More than likely less than ten chapters in total, but we'll see. So don't expect some epic length story, because that's not what I have in mind. HOWEVER! Once this story is completed, and if someone is interested in it, I may pass this story onto someone else and allow them to continue it. But again, we'll see when we get there.

Well I've rambled on long enough, so let's actually get fic under way!

"Speech"

"Thoughts"

"Harley's Inner Voice (Harleen Quinzel)"

Disclaimer: I don't own Batman, or any of DC's characters.

(Saturday at 11:30 p.m.; Gotham Slums)

"Are you sure we still need to be doing this, Bruce?" Oracle's voice echoed into Batman's ear through his communicator. "We've been monitoring her for several months now, and we haven't seen anything yet. I think it's about time we call it quits and leave her alone. We can't keep an eye on her forever."

"Give it a little more time Barbra." Batman said, as he stood on the edge of a rooftop, watching the streets below. The Dark Knight's eyes were fixed on a single blonde-haired woman, keeping track of and analyzing her every movement. "I just can't shake the feeling that we're missing something...that she's getting herself back into trouble."

"Relax Bruce, there's no way she could have slipped passed both of us." Oracle reassured him. "But if you insist, we can keep tabs on her for a while longer."

"Thank you Barbra...I know this must be difficult for you..." Batman muttered, tightly balling his fists. "But I can't let her fall back into a life of crime again...especially now that he's gone."

"*Sigh* I still don't understand why you're so fixated on her in particular...you know that you can talk to me if you need to Bruce..." When Barbra received no reply from Batman, she released another light sigh. "But you don't have to worry...I don't hold her accountable for what happened to me..." Barbra paused for a moment before she spoke again. "I know she was manipulated and pushed into the lifestyle she's living...but-"

"Hold on for a second, Barbra." Batman suddenly said, completely cutting Oracle off, something she found extremely annoying. "I'm getting a call from Tim."

"Oh okay...I understand then..."

"What is it, Tim?" Batman asked, as he crouched down on the roof's edge, putting Robin's call through.

"Looks like Penguin's setting up another arms deal down at the docks." Robin replied, causing Batman's eyes to narrow slightly. "From what I can see...there's about 2 dozen guys...and a whole lot of guns...I'm gonna need your help on this one."

"Alright, continue to monitor the situation, I'll be there in ten minutes." Batman said, as he closed the line with Robin and reopened the one with Oracle. "Barbra, you catch all that?"

"Yeah, I looped through the security footage at the docks and spotted some suspicious looking vans arriving about fifteen minutes ago."

"Send me any other details you can find, Robin and I will handle this." Batman said, pulling out his grappling hook and firing it at a nearby building. Feeling the tug of the line, Batman activated the accelerator and launched into the night sky, using his cape to glide through the cool air. "Also...can you-"

"Yeah, I'll still keep an eye on her. You'll hear first if anything suspicious happens." Oracle said, as she cut Batman off this time. "Now get out there and help Tim."

(Thirty Minutes Later: Gotham Docks)

"Damn these guys sure are persistent..." Robin grunted, before he punched one of Penguin's thugs in the face, instantly knocking the man unconscious. "This is the fifth arms deal we've broken up this week...and the buyers managed to escape again too...Penguin must be planning something big to keep dealing with these guys, even after we've broken up so many of their operations.."

"Perhaps...or maybe something else is going on..." Batman said, scanning around the area for any possible clues, or still conscious thugs. "We need to figure out what Penguin is up to...or at least who he's selling these guns to." The Dark Knight perked up when he heard a shuffling sound come from behind him. Whipping around, Batman hurled a batarang at the sound's source, the blade burying itself into the ground right in front of a thug who had been trying to sneak away. Penguin's goon yelped in surprise and jumped away from the batarang. "You really shouldn't try to run, because I can guarantee you won't make it very far."

"Oh shit!" Penguin's thug exclaimed in fear, before he bolted down the boardwalk at full speed, completely ignoring Batman's warning. "I'm not going back to jail again, ya bastard!"

"*Sigh* Do these guys ever learn?" Robin grumbled, pinching the bridge of his nose in frustration. "I'll go get-"

"Don't." Batman said, as he held his arm in front of Robin to stop him. "I've got him." Robin looked at Batman for a second, before simply shrugging his shoulders and stepping back. In the blink of an eye Batman sorted through his utility belt and pulled out his grappling hook. Taking aim, the Dark Knight fired a line of wire at the fleeing thug. Moments later the line caught up with the escaping goon and wrapped itself around his legs several times, causing him to fall to the ground, his face smacking onto the wooden dock. Batman pressed a small button on the side of grappling hook and the line slowly began to retract itself, pulling the thug back towards him and Robin. "I told you there's no point in running."

"Oh god, please no!" The thug cried out, desperately clawing at the dock in a feeble attempt to escape. "Just let me go!"

"Oh we'll let you go alright." Robin said with a smirk, as Batman reached down and hoisted the goon up by his collar. "As soon as we get some information we'll let you go back right back to Blackgate."

"I want to know what Penguin's up to." Batman growled in a menacing tone, causing the thug's eyes to widen in fright. "And don't even try to lie to me."

"I-I really don't know anything!" The thug insisted, as he frantically shook his head. "I'm just supposed to be the muscle during these deals! Ya know, look all tough and shit! They don't tell me fucking anything!"

"Wrong answer." Batman said in a frustrated tone, hoisting the goon higher and cocking his fist back. "You have one more chance before you start losing teeth."

"O-Oh shit! Anything b-but that!" The thug exclaimed in a panic, as he frantically kicked his legs in fear. "I had to go to the dentist the last time I fought you, that shit cost me a fucking fortune! I can't afford to do that again!"

"Then I suggest you start cooperating...and fast." Batman said with a throaty growl, locking eyes with the thug and balling his fist tighter. "Because I'm in a bad mood and I'm really starting to lose my patience."

"Alright! Alright! I'll spill everything I know!" Penguin's thug yelled out, before he ceased his resistance, he knew there was no point anymore. "Look...all I know is that these guns were going to a new gang in town. They're just starting out, so they needed some firepower. Penguin wanted to make some new buisness partners, so he decided to hook them up. Other than that I don't know anything else about what Penguin's planning, I swear! But I do know that he's got something big cooking!"

"This gang...any idea who they are? Do they have a name or anything?" Robin questioned, crossing his arms over his chest. "Because you're not giving us much to go on."

"Nah, I don't know the gang's name or anything, but..." The thug said, as he leaned closer to Batman and Robin, his voice lowering considerably, almost as if he were revealing a secret. "There's a bunch of rumors floating around that this new gang is made up of a bunch of dudes from Joker's old crew." Batman's eyes narrowed slightly when he heard this, starting to put the pieces together in his head. "They also say some psycho bitch is running the gang...and that she doesn't take shit from anyone!"

"I see..." Batman muttered, before setting the thug back down onto the dock. "I think I have a pretty good idea who's running this new gang."

"S-So that's it...I told you want ya wanted to hear..." The thug stuttered out, as he took a few fearful steps back. "Can ya...let me go now?"

"That's not gonna happen. I appreciate your cooperation, but you still need to be brought in." Batman said, slowly advancing towards Penguin's thug, the goon cowering in fear. Seemingly towering over the thug, Batman reached into his utility belt and pulled out a small canister. Batman pulled a pin on the canister and placed it in the thug's hand. "Hang onto this for a second." Moments later gas began to pour from the canister, the thug inhaling generous amounts of it. After a few seconds of wobbling and swaying, Penguin's thug collapsed to the ground unconscious. However, before the thug completely lost consciousness, he could have sworn he saw a small smirk on the Dark Knight's face. "I promise you'll keep all your teeth this time."

"A gang full of Joker's old crew and a 'psycho bitch leader' ..." Robin said, as he walked up next to Batman. The Dark Knight was currently rifling through the thug's pockets, trying to find anything else useful to their investigation. "I can only think of one possible person that would fit both those details."

"Harley Quinn." Batman simply said, standing back up with what appeared to be a cellphone in his hand. "She's trying to restore Joker's gang...and I'm sure Penguin is trying to buy her trust with these weapons...she's probably still not very happy with me too." Turning to face his sidekick, Batman tossed him the cellphone. "Give Gordon a call and tell him about this arms deal, then head back to the Batcave and see what you can find on that phone, anything will help. I'm going after Harley."

"Haven't you been keeping an eye on Quinn ever since the incident at Sionis Mill over a year ago?" Robin asked, as he began to examine the phone Batman had given him. "You had a feeling she'd try something after the Joker died, but she's been fairly quiet recently...hell she was even released from Arkham early for good behavior and cooperating with her treatments."

"I have been monitoring her...Oracle and I have both been keeping close eyes on her." Batman said, turning his back to Robin and beginning to make his way back to the Batmobile. "But she must have figured out I was watching her...so she's found a way to slip passed my surveillance and started to reassemble Joker's old gang. I have to speak with her and try to convince her to stop what she's doing...if I can't do that I'll stop her by force."

"Will you need any back up!? I could call Nightwing! Or I could come with you!" Robin called out, as he watched Batman continue to walk down the dock. "Quinn's unpredictable! You'll never know what she'll do!"

"You need to start going through that phone and seeing what you can find..." Batman said without turning around, his cape fluttering behind him in the light breeze. "But some backup does sound smart...but don't call Nightwing...send her instead to meet me at Harley's place." Robin merely quirked his eyebrow in intrigue, before pulling out his communicator.

(A Half Hour Later: Harley Quinn's Apartment)

"Damn fish breath...callin' me up outta the damn blue and wantin' to arrange some sorta stupid meetin' or somethin'...then tryin' to butter me up with those guns..." Harley grumbled to herself, as closed the door behind her with her foot, before tossing her keys onto a nearby table. "I know he's got somethin' big brewin' but he won't tell me nothin' yet! He's gotta be all secretive until we talk face ta face! I ain't got no time for some stupid schemes! I need to finish rebuildin' Mistah J's gang and then killin' B-man!" With an irritated huff, Harley threw her jacket onto the sofa. As Harley reached up to undo her twin ponytails, she noticed a large shadow creep over her. Immediately realizing who it was, a sadistic smirk spread across Harley's face. "Ya know, it's not polite to sneak into people's homes B-man." Turning around, Harley spotted Batman standing next to the window, his entire figure cloaked in darkness. "I should call the cops and have ya arrested for trespassin'...and I gotta say, I don't appreciate ya spyin' on me...it's kinda creepy."

"We need to talk Harleen." Batman said, stepping out of the shadows and into the moonlight gleaming through the window. "You need to-"

"The name's Harley now Bats...Harley Quinn." Harley corrected with a frown, as she rested her hands on her hips. "And I'd appreciate it if ya didn't call me by my old name."

"Oh please, you just don't want to think about your old life. Before you met that bastard Joker!"

"I don't need your two cents! And you betta keep your damn mouth shut, especially about Mistah J!"

"Fine whatever, but you know I'm right..."

"Okay...we need to discuss some things Harley." Batman said, taking a step towards the blonde harlequin. "You were released from Arkham early because of your good behavior...you actually have a real chance to finally pull your life together...that's why I can't let you get involved with whatever the Penguin's got planned and continue to reform the Joker's old gang. I can't let you keep throwing your life away Harley, you'll end up spending the rest of your life rotting in prison."

"*Gasp* I can't believe you'd say somethin' like that B-man." Harley said with a fake surprised look, feigning shock at Batman's accusations. "I gotta say Bats, for the 'World's Greatest Detective' you're sure makin' a lot of accusations without any evidence." With a smirk Harley sauntered up to her couch, sitting down on the armrest. Doing her best to keep Batman's focus elsewhere, Harley slowly reached an arm behind her couch, where she kept her baseball bat hidden. "I've been such a good girl since I got outta Arkham, I ain't done nothin' wrong..." Her smirk widening, Harley leaned forward and rested her head on her fist. "...yet."

"You're even stupider than I thought if you actually think this'll work. I can guarantee you that he already knows what you're planning."

"I told ya to keep yer mouth shut!"

"Fine, don't come crying to me when you get your ass kicked."

"Don't play stupid with me Harley, I know you're much more intelligent than you let on." Batman said, as he noticed that one of Harley's hands was subtly reaching behind the couch. "I know that the Joker's old gang is being reassembled...and I can all but guarantee you're their new leader..."

"And why do you say that?" Harley asked with an innocent smile, her fist clenching around her bat's handle. "I ain't seen any of Mistah J's crew in months."

"One of Penguin's thugs says otherwise. He seemed pretty adamant that they were selling guns to guys from the Joker's gang." Batman explained, as he noticed Harley's body tense ever so slightly, telling him that he had caught her redhanded. "Harley, don't go down this path again. Leave this life of crime behind...leave the Joker behind." Harley's blue eyes suddenly widened in anger, and Batman knew he had touched a nerve. He knew that the Joker was still going to be a sensitive subject for Harley, but there was really no way around it. "Listen to me Harley...with the Joker gone you have a chance to turn your life around. You don't have to keep falling back into this cycle of crime and prison."

"Why the hell should I listen to you?!" Harley exclaimed, pulling the bat out from behind her couch and launching towards Batman. "You're the bastard who killed my puddin!" Leaping into the air, Harley raised the bat over her head and prepared to hit the Dark Knight. However, Batman had predicted Harley would try to attack him and was prepared for her. Simply stepping to the side, Batman avoided Harley's wild overhead swing. When the blonde harlequin spun around to swing at him again, Batman grabbed ahold of her wrist and yanked the bat out of her hands. "Give that back, ya bastard! Just let me bash ya head in!"

"Gee who would have thought that wouldn't work? I mean it's like he totally knew you'd try and attack him."

"GRAH! Shut the hell up!"

Harley glared daggers at Batman, as she tried to yank her wrist free. But his grip was like iron, and no matter how hard she pulled she couldn't free herself. However, this didn't deter Harley and she continued to struggle against Batman's grasp. When Batman raised up her bat, Harley reflexively winced, expecting to be struck by the blunt weapon. But Harley was surprised when the hit never came. Instead Harley watched in mild fascination as Batman carefully examined her bat, gazing intently at the various designs and scribbles she had meticulously painted onto it. She fully expected the Dark Knight to snap the weapon in two, but to her surprise he simply tossed it onto the couch, right next to her jacket.

This simple action caused Harley to pause her struggling for a brief moment. She became acutely aware that Batman hadn't tried to hurt her, in fact she couldn't remember the last time the Dark Knight had actually hit her. Whenever Harley had gone up against Batman, she could only remember him throwing her around, or maybe hitting her with a couple light strikes. He never once gave her the concussion inducing beatings he would dish out for other criminals. In fact, in a strange way, Harley felt as if Batman was usually fairly gentle with her.

"Unlike that prick Joker, always treating us like a damn punching bag...using us as bait whenever it was convenient for him...always tossing us away like garbage whenever we upset him. How you managed to put up with that asshat for as long as you did I'll never know."

"STOP TALKIN! Don't you dare talk about my puddin' like that! He really loved me! Just like I loved him! He...He...did...there's no way he didn't."

"When are you going to wake up and realize that piece of shit did nothing but use and abuse us!? He only ever kept us around when he thought we could help further his schemes! Whenever he thought we weren't useful he'd treat us like dirt and leave us behind! How many times did he put our ass on the line to save himself!? Open your damn eyes, you were just a tool to him! He never loved you!"

"Stop! Just stop it! You're making me all confused!"

"Harley!" Batman's sudden exclamation pulled the blonde harlequin from her thoughts, tears forming in her eyes. "I need you understand, I didn't kill the Joker...he basically killed himself." Harley's eyes widened in shock when she heard this, not knowing what to think. "I drank half the cure for the Titan toxin, I was going to give Joker the rest...but he snuck up behind me and stabbed me in the shoulder...maybe he was afraid that I wouldn't give him the cure, I don't know...but I dropped the cure, shattering the vial on the ground."

"I...I..." Harley stuttered, as she slowly shook her head, not knowing how to process what she had just heard. Was Batman telling her the truth? Did Mistah J basically throw away his life trying to get in a cheap one on Batman because he was scared? No, there was no way that could be true. Mistah J wasn't an idiot, he would never do something so foolish. Feeling anger bubble inside her once again, Harley glared fiercely at the Dark Knight. "LIAR! How the hell can I trust what ya say?! I know ya killed Mistah J! It had to be you!"

With a growl Harley kicked over a nearby nightstand, revealing a red and black customized revolver taped underneath. Reaching down before Batman had a chance to react, Harley grabbed the revolver. But as Harley began to raise the gun, she felt Batman grab her other wrist. Once again the Dark Knight yanked the weapon from her hand. With a flick of his wrist, Batman opened the revolver's cylinder, dropping all of the bullets onto the floor. With the gun now empty, Batman tossed the revolver over by Harley's bat. Fed up with Harley's attempts to attack him, Batman grabbed both her wrists and hoisted her arms above her head, slamming her back against the wall. Batman got in close to Harley, his face only a few inches from hers.

"Damn it Harley! I didn't kill the Joker...I don't kill! I always try and find another way!" Batman exclaimed, punching through the wall next to Harley's head, which caused her to yelp in surprise. Yanking his fist free, Batman released a shaky breath. "Even after everything he's done...all the death he's caused...the countless damage he's done...I was still going to save him..."

Harley didn't want to believe Batman, she wanted nothing else than to be sure that he had killed the Joker. But the tone of Batman's voice, it was filled with pain and guilt, something that caught Harley off guard. Then there was his eyes, normally hard and focused were now full of regret, something that Harley would often see reflected in her own eyes. Harley could tell that Joker's death had greatly affected Batman, more than she could have ever imagined.

"Do you really still doubt him? Does everything he's said sound completely unbelievable?"

"I...I don't know...I...don't know anymore. I don't want to believe him...but..."

"You've seen those eyes before...full of pain and regret. You saw them every time you looked at yourself in a mirror after Joker treated us like dirt...every time he hit us...every time he abandoned us. They're the eyes of someone who wishes they could go back and do things differently."

"Alright...alright...I believe ya..." Harley said, as she hung her head, feeling a few hot tears stream down her cheeks. "I knew ya didn't kill Mistah J...it's just...I was so sad and angry...and a thousand other emotions after he died...I just kinda felt lost, ya know? I just needed somethin' or someone I could place the blame on."

"I understand Harley..." Batman muttered, releasing a heavy sigh, painful memories from the past flashing through his mind. "More than you know."

"Uh Bats...I don't want to spoil this little moment we're havin'...but do you think you could let me go, my arms are startin' to cramp up." Harley said, as Batman eyed her suspiciously, something she couldn't fault him for. "I promise I won't try anything else...scout's honor." The Dark Knight continued to lock eyes with her for several moments, but eventually he uttered a soft grunt and released Harley's arms. "Thanks B-man..." Walking over to her couch, Harley plopped down onto it, briefly eyeing the two weapons next to her. "Oh...and thanks for not breakin' my toys."

"I can tell you put a lot of work into customizing them and making them your own." Batman said with his back towards Harley, turning his head to glance back at her. "Don't make me regret not destroying them."

"Hey, I said I wouldn't try anythin' and I meant it. I know when I'm licked, there's no point in brawlin' with ya right now." Harley said with a shrug of her shoulders, as she stared intently at Batman, her eyes analyzing his mysterious figure. "So what are ya really doing here, Bats? If I had known you were gonna stop by I'd have prepared some snacks, or somethin'...maybe even spruced the place up a little."

"I meant what I said earlier Harley." Batman said, turning around to face Harley and walking over to her, stopping right in front of the couch. "I want you to give up on reforming the Joker's old gang...and I want you to stop getting involved in whatever the Penguin is planning, because whatever it is it's not good and you're gonna be putting yourself in danger."

"No offense B-man, but you have no right to tell me how to live my life." Harley said, as she turned her head away from Batman and crossed her arms over her chest. "I'll live my life any way I want, even if ya think the decisions I'm makin' are dumb. I told ya earlier that I felt lost after Mistah J died...maybe if I continue down this path, and get his old crew back together, I'll find my purpose again."

"I'm serious Harley, if you keep this up you'll end up throwing your life away. You'll either end up getting killed during one of your schemes, or you'll spend the rest of your life going in and out of prison." Batman said in a serious tone, leaning forward and placing his hands on Harley's shoulders. "You can finally turn your life around Harley...you can try to live a normal life again...this is your chance to leave a life of crime behind."

"Ya just don't get it B-man." Harley said with a small smirk, as she turned her head back and locked eyes with Batman. "I can never go back to just bein' a normal stiff...workin' a 9-5 job...followin' all rules...livin' a boring ass life..." Harley's smirk widened as she leaned closer to Batman, her lips only a few inches from his, her hot breath on his face. "I need some action in my life...I don't think I can live without the danger and excitement anymore. I'm too used to the rush it gives me."

"Hmmm..." Batman hummed, mulling over what Harley had just told him. With a soft grunt Batman stepped away from Harley, leaving her somewhat disappointed, and began pacing back and forth in front of her. It made sense that over time she'd gotten hooked on the exhilaration of being a villain, and that returning to normal society would be difficult for a seasoned criminal like her, but Bruce didn't want to give up on her just yet. Hearing a couple soft beeps, Batman raised his wrist and a holographic display projected up from it, alerting him that his backup was closing in on his position. Seeing that alert put an idea in Batman's head, an idea that many would say was crazy, but he figured it was at least worth a shot. If the person he had called for backup was any indication, then maybe he had a chance to turn Harley's life around. "Alright Harley, I understand your situation, but I think I may have a solution that will work for both of us...but it may sound a little...unorthodox."

"Unorthodox ya say? Oh now ya have my attention." Harley said with a grin, as she kicked her feet up onto the small coffee table in front of her. "Lay it on me Bats, I'm all ears."

"I want you to fight crime with me." Batman said bluntly, causing Harley's jaw to literally fall open in shock. For several moments Harley simply stared at Batman with wide eyes, unable to form a rational thought. Eventually Harley came back to her senses, and she literally had to pinch herself to make sure she wasn't dreaming.

"Hold up. Hold up. Hold up." Harley repeated, as she waved her arms frantically. "Did I just hear ya right? Are you seriously askin' me to be a goody two shoes hero like you, runnin' around in a cape and stopin' bad guys?"

"The cape isn't necessary, but yes, I'd like you join my team and help me fight crime in Gotham." Batman said, standing in front of Harley once again. "This solution would solve both our problems Harley. You'd be stopping your life of crime and you'd be able to get the rush you seek by fighting against criminals, instead of the cops."

"You're gonna have to give me a sec to process all this Bats, because ya just laid a seriously heavy decision on me." Harley said, which caused Batman to nod his head in understanding. The blonde harlequin could definitely see where Batman was coming from with his suggestion, and in theory it seemed like a good way to work solve both problems at hand. But something about the idea just didn't sit right with Harley. She wasn't against doing the odd good deed every now and then, or stopping some asshole who was stepping out of line, but doing it full time though was a completely different story.

"I can't believe you're thinking so much about this. What we need to do should be obvious."

"You might think it's obvious, but this is a huge decision that could change my entire life. After I met...Joker...my life completely changed, and I thought it was for the better...but I don't know anymore. Bats has a point, I don't want to spend the rest of my life in the slammer...and I've put myself in danger more times than I care to remember...but it hasn't been all bad. I have made some really great friends livin' this life."

"I guess you do have a point there. Maybe we should bring that up to Batman. He may seem scary and intimidating, but he's really going out of his way to try and help us right now. Usually he'd be throwing our sorry ass back into Arkham, but instead he's trying to get us to turn over a new leaf. He'll likely listen to us if we try and reason with him."

"Yeah...Bats usually isn't this...reserved...and he's been actin' kinda weird since he got here. I guess it can't hurt to try."

"Harley, I'm gonna need an answer." Batman said, snapping the blonde harlequin from her thoughts.

"I don't know B-man...I mean in theory your plan sounds like it's great, but..." Harley trailed off slightly, as she began to twiddle her thumbs. "I just don't know if I'll be able to fight against some of the baddies we go up against...some of them are my friends ya know? I don't know if I'd be able to fight them..."

"Hmm, that would propose quite the problem. The last thing I would want is you to end up aiding a criminal I'm trying to stop." Batman muttered, stroking his chin as he brainstormed. "Is there any way we could work around this issue?"

"Maybe..." Harley said, as she stood up from the couch, standing directly in front of the Dark Knight, who stood almost full head taller than her. "I want you to give me a chance to talk them out of whatever they're doing." Even though he was wearing a mask, Harley could tell that Batman had quirked an eyebrow in intrigue. "You're going out of your way to try and get me to give up my criminal ways peacefully B-man...I'm just asking you to let me try and do the same for them." The Dark Knight simply stared at Harley for several moments, analyzing what she had just told him. Harley jumped in surprise when Batman suddenly held up his index finger.

"One chance." Batman said simply, causing Harley's eyes to light up in joy. "If we run into a criminal you're close too, I'll give you once chance to try and talk them down. If you fail I'm taking them down, regardless what you think. I'm not about to endanger innocent lives, because you have an emotional attachment to certain villains."

"Oh thank you B-man!" Harley exclaimed with a bright smile, as she lunged forward and hugged Batman without thinking. The Dark Knight stood dead still, seemingly unfazed as Harley nuzzled her head against his armored chest. However, Batman's mask was hiding the fact that he was blushing slightly. "I just know this is goin' to be so fun! Me and the freakin' Batman fightin' crime together?! Ah, I'm gonna be like a super hero or somethin!"

"Harley." Batman said in a calm, yet stern tone, pulling Harley out of her thrilled stupor. "I'm glad that your excited, but could you please let me go? If you're gonna help me, we need to get going and get you ready."

"Huh?" Harley said in a confused tone, as she gazed down. Her eyes widened in embarassment, seeing her ample breasts pressing against Batman's chest. With a loud squeak, Harley practically threw herself off Batman, quickly putting some distance between them. Despite the white makeup she wore on her face, Bruce could tell that Harley's face was bright red. "S-Sorry about that B-man...you're gonna learn real fast that when I get excited...I can be little clingy...I'm just really affectionate."

"Hmmm..." Batman hummed, staring at Harley as he crossed his arms over his chest. "Just make sure it doesn't interfere with missions, because when we're out fighting crime I need you to be focused."

"Ya mean...you won't hit me or nothin' if I end up huggin' ya or get a little too clingy?" Harley asked in a nervous tone, as she turned her head away from Batman, glancing at him out of the corner of her eye.

"Like I said Harley, as long as we're not on a mission I don't really care." Batman said, placing a hand on Harley's shoulder, which caused a comforting feeling to wash over her. "But I will promise you one thing Harley, I would never hit you for something like that."

"What about...what if I ever screw up on mission..." Harley asked, as she felt her heart begin to pound in her chest. "If I ever mess up...will ya leave me behind and abandon me...toss me away like a piece of trash?"

"If you ever botch a mission I'll scold you, I'll be hard on you, but that's because I don't want you to make mistakes and I want you to succeed." Batman replied, causing Harley to turn her head back, locking eyes with him once again. "But I would never abandon you. I'd bring you back so that we can learn where you went wrong and work on ways to make sure it doesn't happen again. And if you ever get captured, or find yourself in a tough situation, I'll do whatever I can to get you out. That's what it means to be apart of my team."

"Working with Mistah J for all those years...ya have no idea how happy I feel after hearin' all that." Harley said, as she felt tears well up in her eyes once again.

"Are you ready to begin Harley?" Batman asked, extending his gloved hand out to the blonde harlequin. "Because once you're apart of my team I'm going to work you hard. I'll train you until you can barely stand, and I'll pound my tactics and lessons into your head until you get them down perfectly. It's not going to be easy, you'll probably want to quit at some point, but if you push through you'll be ready to help me clean up this city."

"Yeah! Let's do this!" Harley exclaimed with a bright smile, as she quickly wiped away her tears and shook Batman's hand. Taking a step away from Batman, Harley clacked her heels together and saluted. "Harley Quinn reportin' for duty, sir!"

"I like the enthusiasm." Batman said in a mildly amused tone, causing Harley's smile to widen. "Alright, let's get going." The Dark Knight tried to walk passed Harley, but was stopped when he felt something grab his hand. Looking back, Batman saw that Harley was the one who had stopped him. "Harley?"

"Let me know just one more thing before we go B-man." Harley said, as she locked eyes with Batman. "Why are you doin' all this for me? You seem to treat me different than the other baddies you fight. You never wailed on me like you did Mistah J, and whenever we did fight you seemed to really go easy on me. Hell, there was that one time after I got out of Arkham and tried to go straight, but there was a misunderstandin' with a dress I bought, and you spent all day chasin' me around to try and reason with me. You even gave me my dress back, and I kissed-" Harley stopped mid-sentence, realizing what she was about to bring up, her face flushing in embarrassment. The blonde harlequin didn't like to admit it, but she really enjoyed that kiss with Batman. It was possibly the best kiss she'd ever had, and she'd be lying if Batman wasn't on her mind for days after that. Her thoughts about him ranging from fairly innocent to full on NSFW that would get you fired on the spot. Fighting back her blush, Harley locked eyes with Batman once again. "A-Anyway...why the hell you goin' this far for me?" Batman said nothing for several moments, appearing to be in deep thought.

"I don't know..." Batman replied, gazing down at the floor. "Maybe I feel guilty...maybe I feel partially responsible for what happened to you..." Hearing this caused Harley's eyes to widen in surprise, she had no idea Batman felt that way. "As soon as I found out you were the Joker's psychiatrist, I should have had a closer eye on you...I should have known he'd try and manipulate you..." Gritting his teeth in frustration, Batman tightly balled his other fist. "Maybe I could prevented you from becoming a criminal in the first place..."

Harley felt her heart begin to race again as she stared at Batman. How long had Batman been feeling like this? How long had he felt responsible for what Joker did to her? Again Harley had heard the regret in his voice and seen the pain in Batman's eyes. It may have been fueled by guilt, but it was obvious to Harley that Batman did care about her. Harley felt a flurry of emotions rush through her, as she released Batman's hand and stepped closer to him. Resting a hand on Batman's chest, Harley stood up on her toes, her face inching towards the Dark Knight's. As their lips grazed together, Harley felt a sudden chill fill her apartment.

"Hey Batman, you about done in there? I already secured the area and reported to Oracle." A feminine voice asked from the hallway outside the apartment. In an instant Harley stepped away from Batman, hands behind her back and adverting her gaze, acting as if she had been caught doing something bad. The door to the apartment suddenly opened and in stepped a person Harley had not seen in several years, in fact it was a person she believed was dead. The person had changed very little since Harley last saw them, even their costume was virtually unchanged. The only differences Harley could notice were a partially hidden scar on the person's forehead and a new green bat symbol on the chest of their costume.

"Glad you could make it Frost." Batman said, gesturing to a stunned Harley. "I'd like you to meet the newest member of our team."

"Frosty? Is that really you?" Harley said in disbelief, as she took a step towards the pale blue-haired woman. Without warning Harley pulled Killer Frost in for a hug, much to her annoyance. "I thought you died during our mission at Arkham."

"Uh...okay..." Killer Frost said, pushing Harley away and staring at her confusion, before turning her attention to Batman. "Who the hell is this broad and why is she hugging me?"

And done! The second love interest for Batman in this story is none other than Killer Frost! How did she survive the Suicide Squad's mission to Arkham Asylum? Why doesn't she seem to remember Harley? You'll have to wait until the next chapter to find out! If you don't know what Killer Frost from Assault on Arkham looks like simply do a quick Google search. She'll have the same appearance in this story, except for a new scar on her forehead and the green gem on the chest of her costume is now a green bat symbol.

I don't know when the next update for this story will be, but my work on this story will be quite sporadic, because I have several other stories I'm working on right now. I'll try not to wait too long, but this story is gonna be on the back burners for now until I do some work for my other fics. But the next chapter will pick up where this one left off and will delve into how Killer Frost became a member of Batman's team, and will show the start of Harley's training.

Remember to follow/favorite if you enjoyed, PLEASE REVIEW (I NEED TO KNOW IF YOU ALL LIKE THE PREMISE OF THIS STORY), please check out my profile and other stories, and PM me ideas you have for any of my stories.

So until next time, I'm outta here!