Chapter-9 Did you miss me? (Rewritten)

As the sun sets, the sky grows darker.

Harley Quinn knelt on the sofa, clutching a gun, and gazed at the street outside. A few hours ago, she had noticed the nearby mob quietly departing from her apartment. She expected Stephen to return soon, but she hadn't seen him yet, which made Harley Quinn feel a little anxious. She was concerned about his safety outside and feared he might leave and never come back.

Amidst her worries, there was an inexplicable feeling of loss.

Suddenly, the sound of a car reached her ears, and shortly after, an off-road vehicle creaked to a stop at the front door.

"You came back."

Harley Queen leaped off the sofa.

"Help me bring things inside."

Stephen stepped out of the car and gestured for Harley to open the rear door.

Numerous items were piled up inside.

There was everything from food and drinks to clothes and toys.

Harley Queen didn't pay much attention to these things. She followed Stephen inside and closed the door.

"Where have you been? Were you in any danger?" Harley Queen couldn't help but ask.

Stephen chuckled and pulled out the bat mask from the bag beside him, tossing it to Harley Quinn. "I was wandering around, found a place to practice driving. This was my first time driving, and let me tell you, it felt great."

"Why are you giving this to me?... Wait, is this a bat mask?" Harley Quinn was surprised but didn't dwell on it. "You didn't know how to drive before?"

"I never had the opportunity," Stephen casually replied.

"What... did you do?" Harley Queen inquired.

"I'm hungry, let's grab something to eat." Stephen smiled.

Harley Quinn's question wasn't meant to delve into Stephen's origins, but upon hearing his response, she knew there was nothing to worry about.

Harley Quinn went to cook while Stephen sorted out the things he had brought back.

After dinner, night fell.

Stephen and Harley Queen freshened up and went to the bedroom to rest.

Just like the previous night, Stephen embraced Harley Queen and peacefully drifted off to sleep.

This time, Harley Queen didn't overthink it and quickly fell asleep in Stephen's arms.

In the following days, Stephen would occasionally go out to practice driving and bring back daily necessities. When he was in a good mood, he would engage in conversation and dispatch a few thugs who attempted to approach or break in. Gradually, the local mobsters realized it wasn't easy to mess with those living there, and people stopped considering it a place for robbery. The situation in Gotham began to stabilize.

Calm before the storm.

Four main patterns emerged.

The first involved terrorists led by Bane, the second comprised people who remained hidden at home, praying for salvation. The third consisted of the police, led by Gordon, and justice-seeking individuals striving to save Gotham slowly. Lastly, the fourth category encompassed powerful gangsters like Penguin and Falcone. Stephen belonged to this fourth group.

At least for now. Many people in Gotham were aware of an Asian man strong enough to headshot anyone residing there with a girl.

Even though it was a restricted area, many would take detours or disarm themselves when passing through.

The sunlight gently swayed.

Harley Quinn sat sideways on the sofa, her gun in hand, while Stephen lay lazily asleep on her lap. On a boring day like today, Harley Quinn would reveal her features, including her curves, to Stephen. Initially, Harley Queen had felt a bit shy and uncomfortable, but she gradually realized that Stephen had no intention of pressuring her into doing anything shameful. It was simply a product of their shared boredom...

"What are you planning to do once Gotham returns to normal?" Stephen lazily inquired.

"Go back to college," Harley Quinn pondered for a moment. "If it weren't for this chaos, I would have already started university."

The University of Gotham.

A sophomore majoring in psychology.

"College life... don't you find it boring?" Stephen asked suddenly.

"Very boring," Harley Queen replied. "Every day, the same classes, studying, and resting. Although it's a bit monotonous, it's also fulfilling. After I graduate, I plan to do an internship at Arkham. But I wonder if this kind of life suits me or not."

Stephen, not interested in interrupting her explanations, casually responded.

"Who's there!"

Harley Quinn suddenly exclaimed, gripping her gun tightly.

"I've been looking for that bastard!" a determined voice declared.

Stephen became intrigued and turned over to look outside. In the sunlight, Barbara, wearing a bat suit, stood at the front door.

The sight of Oracle surprised Harley Quinn. After all, Batman was still well-known in Gotham, but the person before her was obviously not Batman; it was a woman. Harley Quinn recalled the bat mask Stephen had given her that day.

"Little bat, do you have something to discuss with me?" Stephen rested his hands on the back of the sofa and asked with a smile.

"Put the gun down first," Barbara said through gritted teeth.

"Lower your weapon," Stephen instructed Harley Quinn. She complied, and Barbara walked over to the sofa and entered the room.

Stephen turned to Barbara with interest. "Paying me a visit in broad daylight. Have you missed me?"

"Bah, I wasn't looking for you!"

As expected, this jerk always manages to be irritating whenever he opens his mouth.

"Well, then I'll spend the night with Little Harley. Unless you want to join us, don't bother us like this," Stephen smiled and patted Harley Quinn's leg. Although Harley Quinn didn't speak, her eyes seemed to twinkle slightly.

I'm not angry, I'm not angry, I'm not angry.

Barbara repeated in her mind until she calmed down, then she spoke, "Do you plan to continue living like this? In three months, Bane will detonate the nuclear reactor. If you don't want to die, come help us defeat him. Bane has located the reactor."

"An explosion, sounds frightening. But I'm not afraid of death!" Stephen grinned. The city had exploded once before, and he was still alive.

"You might not be afraid of death, but is she?" Barbara glanced at Harley Quinn. "She's still young. Do you want her to die alongside you?"

Stephen smiled, looked at Harley Quinn, then turned his head and replied, "What does she have to do with me?"