Captain America: Super Soldier, Fragile Heart

Chapter 9: A Hero's Cost

Steve stands over the rooftops staring down at the city, there was something about this city at night he thought. The all so familiar sounds of sirens and people shouting, it too seemed like a city that never slept. He could see Wayne Tower standing amongst the city skyline lit up, Bruce must have an ego the same size of Tony's he laughed to himself staring at the large bright sign on the side of the building spelling Wayne. He looked away noticing the sound of tyres screeching and vehicles accelerating, he ran to the other side of the roof to see several vans speeding past the building. He begins to chase after them to find out what they're doing, he jumps across rooftop to rooftop to keep up with them. Jumping off the ledge and landing in an alleyway, sprinting out onto the street and continuing along the sidewalk, he felt like he had ran fifteen blocks before the vans eventually stop in the middle of the street. He glances across the street noticing the GCPD building, this can't be good he thinks to himself.

He keeps his distance standing behind the dumpsters in an alley, watching as doors open and several people get out of the vans, dressed in various clown related costumes, masks and face paints, "Clowns, why is it always clowns." He says angrily through gritted teeth, noticing some of them with guns, he gets his shield ready and begins to walk out of the alley to confront them. "Go get 'em boys!" Steve froze in place knowing exactly whose voice it was as one of the vans back doors opened. It was her. It was, "Harley." Steve says under his breath as he watches her hop out of it, in her usual red and black costume holding a mallet that was resting on her shoulder, "Now remember what Mistah J said! We gotta keep the GCPD busy for his big plan tonight!" Steve's mind was in torment from the sight of her for the first time since the rooftop incident, he was frozen in place whilst all the memories of that night replayed over and over in his mind, he couldn't move an inch, "Harle-". *KABOOM* Steve snapped out of his trance once some of the thugs had bombed the GCPD patrol cars parked outside.

The street erupted into a warzone, Joker's thugs shooting at the building while the officers fired back through windows and behind what cover they could find. Steve didn't know what to do, he knew he had to stop them, but she was there. Hanging his head and exhaling deeply he knew the right thing to do. He charged at the thugs, kicking one of them back into a van and slamming the door on him before breaking the lock, turning back and beginning his assault to stop this attack. While shielding himself from one gunman's bullets, he grabbed the gun from another and smacked him in the face with it, turning around to throw the gun at his current shooter, knocking him out too. Another thug grabs him from behind, "You clowns are really starting to piss me off!" Steve quickly grabs him by the arms, throwing him over head and into the side of a van, kneeling down to knock the thug out with a punch.

He turned around to see that she hadn't noticed him yet, she was crouching behind a car keeping out of the line of the fire. One of the thugs next to her was about to throw a bomb, but an officer shot him down before he had a chance to throw it. It falls near her feet, "Yikes!" She screamed, Steve turns noticing the bomb and runs towards it, throwing his shield at the car, embedding it into the side of the door surprising Harley, she turns to see Steve sliding between her and the shield covering her as the bomb goes off *Kaboom*. He grabs his shield and Harley's hand, noticing she was still in shock from the ordeal, he quickly makes a dash for the nearest alley, while the GCPD were still dealing with the current threat.

As they ran down the alley, "Steve!" He continued running, "Steve! Let go of me!" She was still shocked to see him as he stopped running and released her hand, "Steve how are you.. here? I saw you get shot? You fell to the ground? I thought you were dead!" She looked at him still puzzled, "Just lucky I guess." He faces the floor not wanting to think about that night. "Well I'm glad you're... alright." She says looking away as well. A few seconds of silence passed before Steve finally looked up at her, she was looking the other way, there were many things he wanted to say to her, but now wasn't time. He took a deep breath, a look of frustration forming on his face as he placed his hands on his hip, "What were you doing back there Harley?" She turns back to him sitting down on a box, leaning her mallet against it before folding her arms, "I was there for one of Mistah J's plans which you have most likely ruined!" He shook his head not wanting to believe it, "Look what almost happened! You could've gotten yourself hurt or worse!" She looked up at him remembering how worried he gets. "You're better than this Harley." Folding her arms again with annoyance and looking the other way, "No I'm not, you might be a good person Steve, but I ain't." He turned to face her, "I don't believe that for a second." She stood up grabbing her mallet, "Believe what you want, but it's true!" She begins to walk away. "Where are you going Harley?" Turning to glare at him "Back to my Puddin!" Steve hung his head, the sound of that nickname cutting through him like a knife, "You know I should be taking you in Harley." She walks back up to him holding her wrists out, "Well then do it already!" Steve brought his head up, staring into her eyes like so many times before, "You know I can't do that, I won't." She turns walking away back down the alley, he wanted to say something, anything. "Just...just take care of yourself, Harley." She stopped turning back around to face him.