The Batcave was suddenly filled with green fog and a giggle symphony echoed all around the place, sweet laughter coming from a little girl and her mother as two men disputed loudly and screamed at each other.

"WHAT THE HELL HAVE YOU DONE NOW, JOKER?!"

"I told you the sulfur would provoke an undesired reaction and you insisted anyway, Batbooger!" the clown spat back, coughing and waving the fog away from his eyes. "Who's the chemist here?"

"Daddy!" Lucy giggled and nuzzled her nose against her mother's chest. The smell was hideous so Harley made her way towards the exit, followed by Bruce and J who kept arguing between coughs.

Once they reached a fog-free environment, Joker's hands reached for his baby girl's face, a soft grin pulling his lips up as the little one cackled along with her mother. Neither of them had noticed their skin had been powdered by green paint too, looking as if they had dived into a matcha pool.

"Guess we all need to get a bath, little monster." said J as he pulled the happy baby into his arms, and as expected, her laughter and enthusiast clapping increased.

A year and a half had passed so quickly, the clown baby had grown to be a smart toddler. She was the happiest girl in Gotham, spoiled by her devoted parents and adopted uncles. However, it was known by everybody that Lucy's hero was non other that the former criminal and crazy green haired man. Who could blame her, having such a fun father, wrapped around her small finger.

"Alright, Lucy! Come to mama. You need a bath and I'm sure Alfie's got bubbles for ya." said Harley to which the lovely little girl squealed with happiness at the thought of being surrounded by a pile of pink bubbles and foam.

The room was suddenly quiet and solemn, Bruce's face stern as he walked silently towards his office. J followed, wondering what was bothering the bat's mind. It couldn't be the explosion – he had managed to turn the Batcave upside down in several occasions –  and non of those had caused such an aggravated expression on his face.

"What's gotten into you?" asked J without wasting any second as soon as the door was closed, "you've been in a terrible mood today. Well, it's not like you're the most cheerful member of the team but–"

"Shut up." Bruce's voice cut the clown's insistent argument as he moved behind his desk, a deep sigh getting stuck on his chest painfully when his eyes met the calendar sitting on the table. "It's like a cruel coincidence, getting this kind of news today."

J opened his mouth but was suddenly too confused to say something funny, smart, ironic or sarcastic. Then it hit him, the memory of a young boy, bleeding profusely before his feet. Four years ago Robin found his death and a sudden strange guilt filled his body, making his hands numb and his head swollen.

"If I could turn back time and do things differently, I would. I have Lucy now, isn't it clear how hard I've been working on a better environment for my girls? If you are expecting me to apologize I–" The clown was interrupted once more when Bruce lifted his hand and pulled out a letter from the drawer.

"I have to leave tomorrow to meet this little boy." he said, his dark eyes glued to the closed envelope, "His mother died and he has been left under my care."

Bruce opened the letter and handed it to J, whose ice blue eyes turned wider as he read each paragraph. He could have laughed at the last words written on the piece of paper, but the slight sympathy he felt for the gloomy man before him prevented the clown from being, well, the annoying former heartless clown both of them were used to.

"I will need some parenting advice from you, clown."

•••

"Are you for real?" Harley said, astonished, looking up from her book, her blue eyes wide as she watched J undress, getting ready for bed.

"I am. Apparently our honorable Bruce Wayne had his flings and it resulted on leaving a love child behind." Joker threw his pants away and smirked down at his wife, whose eyes were staring straight into the fireplace, as if trying to understand the situation, too distracted to notice the green haired man moving closer to her on a seductive manner.

"But can we pretty, pretty, pretty please not talk about Bruce right now?" J grabbed Harley's book and placed it on the night stand, his hands moving underneath her clothes, hoping he could get some of her attention, "Lucy is finally sleeping, your Puddin had a weird day and he's honestly so, so, so horny right now."

Harley's lips were covered by his before she could say anything else, her body pressed against the mattress by his muscular torso. His movements were fast and desperate, basically ripping Harley's night clothing and as soon as every inch of her skin was bare, he claimed his prize with a moan escaping from their lips.

Being able to enjoy each other was getting more and more difficult since Lucy was now capable of escaping from her crib and interrupt any kind of activity their parents attempted. If the little rascal wasn't getting all of her daddy's attention, she made sure to do the impossible to get it.

But hopefully that night would be different, J needed his wife desperately. The memory of the bird boy had stirred something deep down in his heart, though he wasn't sure what it was.

He watched his beautiful woman closely as he moved slowly and deeply inside her. Harley's eyes showed nothing but pure adoration and he still wondered, after all those years, how such a gorgeous goddess, a young smart and talented beauty like her could have chosen to love and spend her life with someone like him. Someone who had murdered countless of people in the most gruesome ways, a man that had committed a great number of crimes without remorse. Was that part of his life really dead and buried?

"Puddin?" Harley's voice snapped him back to reality, he wasn't aware that he was getting lost in thought. The softness of her hand as she caressed his cheek was comforting and he resumed his movements, earning a little laugh from her.

A knock on the door startled the couple and J moved away so fast that he fell from the bed. He put his pants on so quickly and clumsily to notice they were upside down, leaving Harley laughing hysterically as he approached the door and opened it to find a crying Lucy, clutching the plush version of her father against her chest.

"What's wrong, baby?" He said, closing the door behind him. Lucy raised her arms and J wasted no time on picking her up, holding her close. "Nightmare?"

The little girl nodded and buried her face on his tattooed chest, sniffling back her tiny tears and motioning towards her room. Lucy was still so young to talk, she had just started learning a few words but their connection was too strong and they knew each other so well already, Joker always knew exactly what she needed or desired.

As they reached Lucy's room, J sat on the armchair and rocked her back and forth as she slowly stopped crying, her chubby little hand tracing his tattoos.

"I'm not letting anything or anyone hurt you." he whispered, "Don't be scared, my little doll. It was just a dream."

"No," Lucy said, shaking her head and looking up at her father with teary eyes, "Bwird."

J frowned as Lucy hopped off his lap and reached for her story book, she pointed desperately at the illustration of a red bird and he instantly understood.

"Was that little bird in your dream?"

Lucy nodded, her eyes getting teary.

"Did it hurt you?" he asked and she shook her head, stroking the drawing lovingly with her tiny finger.

Then she mimicked a bird falling, seemingly not waking up from the fall and more tears ran down her cheeks. J's chest hurt and wondered if it was a coincidence or a weird prediction.

He pulled the crying girl back into his arms and stroked her her until she fell asleep. His own eyes felt watery as he buried his face on Lucy's hair.

The confusion and regret he had felt all day was now replaced by fear and finally, after all these years, he understood the pain Bruce must have had experienced when the bird boy died. He was terrified life would get back to him, take Harley or Lucy away just like Robin was taken away from Bats.

•••

Hello!
I finally got this chapter done. Geez!!!

I wonder what's going to happen with that little boy? 🤔

By the way, I thought I'd share this with you:

In the chapter, Lucy is holding a little Joker doll and this is what it looks like. 🙈 Because I am sappy and ridiculous AF.

Love you baby clowns!