I was returning to my love for Harley Quinn x Rick Flag, when I remembered that Margot was also "Barbie" and my mind exploded when I thought of the Rick Flag actor as Margot's Max Steel
Rick Flag/Harley Quinn; I’ve Got A Right To Hurt Inside
In a universe where June and Joker don’t survive.
Also on AO3
"Come on, soldier." Harley gently took him by the arm and led him away from June's still body. "Let's get out of here."
Being no stranger to the loss of a loved one (as of a couple of hours ago) she understood that Rick was currently in a state of shock and that his apparent emotionless response was completely natural. That soon the reality of the situation would sink in and it wasn't healthy for him to be around the body when that happened.
That's when Waller made herself known and threatened to make fireworks out of their heads if they didn't return to Belle Reve. After everything that they'd been through and done this was the thanks they got in return. Ten years off their multiple life sentences.
She heard a hiss to her left and that's when Harley realised she accidentally tightened her grip on Flag's arm in anger. "Sorry, sweet cheeks."
"No, I'm sorry. This shouldn't be happening." His eyes glassy with unshed tears locked onto her too blue eyes. Harley cocked a grin at him and turned back to Waller.
"Hey, Devil Lady. If my pal Floyd over here can make demands I want a couple of favours, too. Firstly, if I have to go back to that cage I want an espresso machine. Second, I want soldier boy here to make weekly visits."
Her terms were met pretty easily. They even threw some Harlequin novels into the deal. Ha.
***
The first time he visited was a week after the incident. He was suited and booted like a good little toy soldier. Posture straight, awkward, not knowing what to do. Not knowing why he was there. He stood a few feet away from the bars.
"I don't bite, y'know." She was disappointed at his cautiousness. Harley unfolded herself from the bench she was seated on and approached the electrified bars of her cage.
"Not much, anyway. Even though I reckon you'd taste good." She grinned up at him cheekily. Harley was good at this. Good at eliciting a reaction from someone. At vexing people. It might even create some sort of normalcy to the situation.
However, the reaction she got wasn't the one she expected. What she wanted was a sneer, some anger. Just a flicker of emotion to let her know that he wasn't left cold by June's death.
Rick turned and walked away.
"If I wanted the cold shoulder I would have asked for Mr. Freeze!"
***
"Hey." Rick's voice was hoarse. Tight and thick with tears already shed and the promise of ones still to fall. Harley's head snapped up from the book she was reading. Attention now solely on the man in front of her. She noticed he still stood a good distance away from the bars but at least he was talking to her this time.
"Oh. Hi. You okay, sweet cheeks?" Taking in his appearance she noticed this week he was in all black. Eyes rimmed red, hair sticking up all over the place like he'd repeatedly run his hand through it. He was hunched over, bent inward, trying to protect something that was already broken.
"Not really. No." She knew it was a stupid question but thought it was important to ask.
"Same."
An awkward silence followed.
"I, uh, went to June's funeral today." Harley figured as much but it was good that he was willingly giving her this information. She wondered if Puddin' got a funeral. No body told her anything in here.
"And how was that for you?"
"Shit."
"It was good that you got to say goodbye."
"Yeah. I suppose." His voice cracked on the last word, bottom lip wobbling.
"Go home and rest, soldier boy."
***
Harley didn't see Rick for a few weeks after that. She understood that she and her team mates served as a reminder of what happened to his girlfriend and didn't begrudge him from backing out of their deal. Didn't mean it didn't hurt any less though.
Since Mister J was gone and all her other friends were back in their cells she was looking forward to the promised weekly visits. She supposed her books would do as company for the time being.
***
Waller visited her about three weeks later. It was a boring business visit but there was a silver lining. The whole gang would be getting back together!
"Hello, Dr. Quinzel."
"Aw shucks, you trying to sweet talk me, Devil Lady? Y'know I ain't a doctor no more." Turns out the board didn't approve of their doctor's running off with dangerous criminals and when they found out Dr. Harleen Quinzel had done just that she was stripped of her medical license. Not that Harley Quinn needed one.
"I'll cut to the chase then, will I?" Waller continued. "There's a new threat. One back in your home city. We're assembling Task Force X to deal with it as Batman is out on Justice League business."
Ha! What a hoot! Good ol' Batsy couldn't help his own precious city for once, and it looked like Harley would have to swoop in and be the hero that Gotham needed. She couldn't help the manic laugh that escaped her lips.
"I don't quite find what's so funny about the situation. Gotham City is being threatened to be wiped off the map. Including Arkham Asylum, which I hear houses a woman with an affinity for plants."
Well she certainly knew how to wipe the smile off a face.
***
"You know the rules. Don't break them or you'll be joining Slipknot."
"He'll be mist!" Harley giggles at her own joke joined by Killer Croc's dark chuckle. The rest of them just roll their eyes at her.
Her laughter dies down when a jeep pulls up with a sour looking Rick Flag.
"You're late, Flag."
"Sorry, Ma'am."
His eyes scan Task Force X noting that everyone was there. Including Harley Quinn. Who's leaning into whisper something to Deadshot while keeping her eyes on him, a sly smile spreading over her red painted lips. His frown deepens.
"By now you're all aware we're headed to Gotham City. We have reports of four separate terrorist attacks, all seemingly random. However we've gained intel that lead us to believe the next attack is Ace Chemicals."
Harley freezes at this and turns to look at Rick straight on. "Hate to interrupt, sweet cheeks. I just have a tiny, quick question. What were the other four places?"
He lists The Stacked Deck, the jewelers they performed their first heist together at, the shop they bought her first costumer at and finally their main apartment. Ace Chemicals was just another puzzle piece that created a picture of their time together.
"He's alive. He has to be. This is Mister J's way of letting me know he's alive!"
Rick's eyes locked with hers. "Want to clue us all in?"
"Well, y'see, they're all places that mean something to Puddin' and I. The last one, the apartment complex in Burnley, that's where Mister J and I stayed. Y'wouldn't be able to make the connection without that knowledge." She was vibrating with excitement.
Rick's expression darkened at this new bit of information and at Harley's reaction.
***
"You're not my Puddin'!" She punctuated each word with the bash of her baseball bat through the brains of some lunatic that had already being lying vulnerably at her feet. Some loser that couldn't come up with his own schtick and even tried to charm her into becoming his Queen with fancy explosions and garters made of guts. To forget about Joker. To forget about the man she would live for.
By the time Rick reached her the copycat's head was no longer recognisable as such and Harley was crying as she continued to bring her bat down onto it. As she brought her arms back up to deliver another blow Rick grabbed her wrist to spin her around and stop her doing any further damage.
"Harley. Stop."
"That my friend asking or the soldier commanding?" She sneers through the tears. "You gonna push that trigger if I don't? Make my head look like his?" Her head twists around to indicate at the mess behind her.
"Your friend." Rick drawls. All of Harley's fight leaves her after that and she slumps forward, dropping her bat, resting her head on his shoulder. Rick's still holding onto her wrist and can feel her rapid pulse beating against his fingers.
"He's really gone." She sobs. Rick gently rubs a circular motion with his thumb on her wrist, unsure of what to do. How to comfort her when he was barely even dealing with his own personal loss. He feels her free arm circle around his waist, her hand tightening on the back of his jacket. When another gut-wrenching sob releases itself from her lips, he brings his other arm around her drawing Harley in closer.
"Let's get out of here."
A/N - I really like the idea of an alternate universe where June and Joker aren’t comic dead but dead dead. A universe where Rick and Harley start a tentative understanding that one day turns into actual friendship and then something more as they help each other heal (something which I didn’t really go too far into in this). There may be inspiration to add onto this one day. Anyway, I want to thank you all for taking the time to read this, so, thanks!
Title is from Good To Love by FKA Twigs.
