The center light flickered, beaming on Cassidy like a torch.

All else was dark- an invisible barrier- keeping her to the floor.

"Guess some things really do run in the family"

Joker's words echoed in her mind. What was the point? There was nothing to win. The hostages were going to die anyway.

She didn't want to carry on. She didn't want to save anyone.

Not even herself.

Giggling grew, coming from nowhere- but it didn't get a reaction.

"I knew she shouldn't have come here"

Voices circled around her, forming into familiar shadows of the Arkham staff: Joan, Hugo, Aaron. Only the whites of their teeth were human.

"Indeed. It appears the apple doesn't fall far from the tree"

The sound echoed as another figure fell beside Cassidy in the dark. A gunshot wound still bleeding from the gaping hole in her head, the rictus smile.

Pearl had been dead hours before. But somehow, she was there, grinning.

Cassidy twitched.

"Who's idea was it to bring her, anyway?"

"What a mistake"

"Does she think anyone likes her?"

"Wow. That's sad"

Cassidy huddled into herself.

The sniggering, not a proper laugh, was more like gargling spit. But they didn't notice the change in her.

Her clenched fists brimmed with a long-repressed feeling.

Rage.

"No surprise- I mean, look at her. You know she'll end up like them"

The laughter built to a crescendo.

Enough.

She finally had enough.

With gritted teeth, Cassidy pushed herself off the floor- and that was all she needed. The laughter stopped. Even if it was still there, Cassidy couldn't hear it. She didn't need to.

Standing tall, she noticed the room had changed. Charcoal remains, nothing left except an old mattress, and crying, coming from a heap on the floor.

Her mother, Katherine.

Cassidy approached.

At first, she didn't know what to do. She peered down at her mother, sobbing in her pajamas. Her ginger hair drooping over the best part of her face.

It was another trick. And yet... Cassidy knelt, wrapping her arms around her.

There was no gasoline, only the strawberry scent of Katherine's hair as Cassidy leaned her head close.

She would have been happy to stay like that, even though she knew it wasn't real.

Time didn't matter. Only the bright sunflowers of an old kitchen, her little legs dancing as Katherine spun her around. Henry- rocking her to sleep...

And after that- the people she met in Arkham, the friends she had made...

Cassidy was loved. Just as she was.

And always would be.

Cassidy looked, once again- and her mother was gone. Nothing but ashes on the floor.

Her hands dropped, but there were no tears. She smiled.

"... Goodbye..."

Cassidy walked toward the door, and as she opened it, she turned back one last time.

The room, she found, was a decrepit cell all along.

Nothing more.

///

"C'mon you stupid-"

Harleen sat by the 1st Floor door, fiddling with the padlock numbers as Pamela Isley watched over her, despondent. Every combination was a failure.

"Harley- enough. It's not going to-"

Like a toddler, she yanked the padlock before stamping her feet on the door in a tantrum.

"Look, this isn't working..." Pamela soothed, putting her hand on her shoulder.

"But we gotta try! Otherwise we're-"

Suddenly, they heard footsteps, turning to see Cassidy from a distance.

"Oh great! Look who's joined the party!" Harleen said, throwing her arms in frustration.

"What's going on?"

"'What's going on'?!" Harleen barked. "Some asshole's spreading gasoline around like a slip 'n' slide! "We've been tryin' ta get out!"

"Lyle..."

"Huh?"

Cassidy's expression soured.

"Hello?! Earth to wedding Barbie! Ya mind repeating that?!" Harleen yelled.

Mouth pursed open, the memory of it slipped over Cassidy like a blindfold...

///

"You know Arkham's policy-"

Voices emerged from the 1st Floor, getting louder as she approached.

"For God's sake, they're for my wife! It's Valentine's Day!"

The elevator opened as a doctor chased after one of the guards, carrying away a pot of tulips; gift-wrapped in cellophane with a ribbon bow on the front.

"Collect it after your shift, Dr. Cavendish" the guard sighed, shoving the pot inside a hazard bag. "You can't keep it here"

///

Back in the present, something clicked.

Cassidy rushed around the staff lockers, searching- oblivious to the dumbfounded looks from the women behind.

"Uh, kid? Mind tellin' us what you're doin'?"

"... If I tell you- then you have to promise me something"

"Promise what?" Harleen asked, cocking her eyebrow.

"Just... When you get out of here... Please..."

Cassidy paused, fearful.

"... Save the hostages..."

Overhearing this, Pamela laughed. It was the suggestion, the mere ridiculous suggestion, that made her sneer in contempt.

"Why would we do that?"

"Because if you don't- Joker will win... And I know what he's put you through-"

"No, sweetie, ya don't" Harleen cut in with a dark glare.

There was a deadly pause. Unnerving, as Cassidy stood on edge- hesitant to meet their glares, for fear it would be the last thing she would ever see.

Then Harleen laughed, breaking the silence.

"Eh- I'd do anything to wipe that cheap grin off his face! Ya got a deal!" Harleen exclaimed, shaking Cassidy's hand.

Cassidy exhaled, relaxing her shoulders as she turned around.

"I'm looking for something Dr. Cavendish brought in... but- one of the guards took it-"

"Hate to tell ya, most confiscated items ain't kept for long- it's probably been destroyed by now"

"No- no, he said he could get it after his shift, it'll be in his locker"

"You mean this locker?"

Dripping with sarcasm, Pamela pointed at the one three rows behind- and Cassidy rushed over.

Her expression turned sour.

"Shit... No key"

"Seriously?" Harleen groaned, taking a hairpin out of her pigtails. "Don't ya know how to pick a lock?"

Harleen fiddled with the lock, twisting until a sharp 'click!' rang through.

"Tada!"

Like a proud magician after a reappearing act, she swung the locker open as Cassidy rummaged inside.

The hazard bag, bright neon, weighed heavy at the bottom. She pulled it towards her, inch by inch- but at the last moment, a pair of hands snatched it out before Cassidy could protest.

"Holy shit!" Harleen gawped, her eyes sparkling. "She's right, Red! This is our ticket outta here!"

She showed Pamela the inside of the bag, and for once, Dr. Isley herself was speechless.

"... Tulip plants..."

"You can use the soil! C'mon!" Harleen whined, making a run for it.

"Wait!"

They stopped, turning back to the small voice behind them.

"You'll keep your promise... Right?" Cassidy said, pleading.

Harleen rolled her eyes.

"Ugh. Fine! But only 'cause we shook on it!" Harleen said as Pamela reached for her hand.

"Let's go!"

Smiling, Cassidy watched them run to the East Wing. There wasn't much sense in following; she thought it best to leave them be. They knew what they were doing.

Cassidy wandered over to the Arkham entrance, and it was strange.

Seeing it empty, not at all like how she first got there- even the metal detectors seemed like they weren't working anymore.

She leaned against the reception booth glass, looking out at the windows ahead. It was a starless night. But that didn't matter.

She sighed.

This is it...

Until she heard it... Coming from behind...

The click of a handgun.

BANG!

A/N: And just when things were looking up...