Lucy

The Institute was bigger than I could have imagined. With a lot of stairs.

"This is exhausting," I told Merwin.

"Could be worse," J muttered.

"How can you be so positive?" I asked him.

"I....I've had nothing....and now I have everything.....why.....why.....y.no....positive," he grinned and his grin looked as if Joker was smiling right at you. Like his smile was plastered on Js face. I grinned at him. He looked at me as if I had just told him He won the lottery.

"You're right, more positive," I told him and that's when I realized how lucky I was I had J in my life. He was a light to me, that kept me going when my light burned out. Sweet innocent J.

"He's something isn't it?" Merwin began "I wonder where it gets it from cause we know mom isn't that sweet," she rolled her eyes as I laughed.

"Yeah moms more sassy,"

"Very!" Merwin agreed. I heard mom cough and stopped. She probably heard us, but since we were in danger she wouldn't say anything, except to hurry us up the stairs. Jermone followed behind us. "Hey you know why he's behind us?"

"Cause he's slow,"

"Or maybe,..." she wiggled her eyebrows and I slapped her. My butt wasn't good enough for a boy to look at anyway. Even James told me it was flat, jokingly of course but I knew it was true. I don't have curves and that's ok. Or at least that's what I tell myself.

"Harl,..." Rowan began as he held moms hand. She grinned at him.

"I needed that," she whispered, she didn't want us to hear but I couldn't help but ease drop.

"It's ok," Rowan told her but she shook her head.

"No...," she muttered "I'm Harley Quinn, I'm crazy and insane, I don't get scared,....I......I can't afford to get scared right now;"

"I'm scared to," Rowan muttered.

"Bull, Rowan you're never scared,"

"I just do good at hiding it, do you know how scared I was this morning? When you started screaming and clutching your neck? I thought you were gonna die and....I couldn't take it.., I couldn't live without you,"

"You don't have to," mom told him and that's when I knew why she loved Rowan more over Joker. Rowan was her comforter; her rock and all Joker did was use her to be his "pretend" rock. That was true love what mom and Rowan had. I don't think I'll ever have that. I didn't have that with James, and I need to stop thinking about James. He's not perfect and maybe I'm better without him.

"I won't let her take them,, not after we have them all back,"

"Rowan," mom began as she squeezed his hand. "If,.... if it comes between me or those kids, you save them you hear me?! It's ok if I die," he shook his head but mom continued "please? Promise me?!! Or at least,....just please,"

Wow. Mom was willing to die for us.

"They really love each other Don't they?," I jumped at the whisper of Jermones voice. "Sorry;" he spoke, grasping my shoulders to steady me.

"Uh.....thanks," I mumble.

"Anything for-"

"Jermone," I interrupt. "Um we've been friends for a long time and-"

"I'd love to go out with you!" He interrupted.

"I think we should stay that way," I immediately regretted telling him. His face crumbled and he lost his smile. It was gone and I knew I'd never make him smile again. It's like he died right in front of me but his body was still there. I was about to say something but he beat me to it.

"Uh.....uh,"

"Jermone?"

"Yeah......uh...um...I mean....yeah friends," he fake chuckled which make me cringe. He can't even do a real laugh around me. I've destroyed us. He'll never be honest with me again, we'll never be friends again. At least not the same anyway. Then it was my turn to feel the pain. Something died in me to. Rowan was moms rock. But a lover doesn't have to be your rock, anyone can. Just as long as it's someone you trust and turn to. Jermone was my rock. Was.

A lean man opened the door for us, he was wearing all leather and his blonde locks where hanging to his ears. His eyes had a gold rim around them, he looked young, but older than Merwin and I.

"Hi!" J spoke enthusiastically. Merwin grinned at me.

"He's a cutie," she whispered.

"Too old for you," Rowan snapped.

"I'm sure Lucy likes him Mr.Whitehorn, he's not a red head so he's probably her type," Jermone spat. So he was going to be snappy and moody the whole trip, great. Note my sarcasm.

"Jace, we need to see Lydia," mom told him.

"Hey Harl, how've you been? Haven't seen you in years," he asks.

"Not too good right now we-"

"Jace what's taking so long?" Another guy came up to the door with blue eyes, dark hair, and bushy eyebrows. He along with Jace had tons of marks on their skin. Runes. They give shadow hunters abilities, that's how aunt Lydia explained it to us. "Hey Harley right? Is this Lucy?" He asked in astonishment along with a tone you'd use to a toddler. "You've grown so much, last time I'd seen you,...well you were a baby like a little,-"

"Alec," mom began "we need help,"

"Wow, I thought for sure she was dead," Lydia muttered as Alec nodded. Aunt Lydia looked beautiful. Not that she usually doesn't but she was glowing today. Her hair was down, her make up was light, and she wore a dress. At home she's always dressed for work with her hair back along with dark makeup and no positive expression besides looking stressed. Here she looked relaxed and calm. I suppose being with your friends does that. I know when I'm around Merwin and Amber I feel like I can do anything.
    Lydia muttered some things than began typing away on a computer. I heard a squeal as a girl entered  the room. She was in tight leather and had long wavy black hair. Must be Alec sister, for they resembled  each other. She tackled mom in a hug. Then aunt Lydia did something I've never heard her do. She cussed.

"Hey, stressing won't make it any better," a man with spiked hair and a glitter jacket said. I've heard of this guy, Magnus bane. He sat beside Lydia and tried to calm her down as she slammed the desk.

  "I....I can't get in, well I'm in.-"

  "In what?" Merwin asks.

"I'm in the system but I can't shut the trackers off. It's saying it's disabled but it's still blinking in your skin,....I...." She grasps her hair and tugged. "I just can't," She was about to cry and I wished she wouldn't. Aunt Lydia didn't deserve to cry. She was finally getting her life together, with her boyfriend Thorne and hanging out with her friends for the weekend and here Amanda Waller was ruining that.

  "It's ok, aunt Lydia," I tell her but she shook her head .

  "Hey, we'll figure something out," Alec began.

"Too late for that," I look over to see the devil herself Amanda Waller.

"Why do you always pop up when we least expect you to?!" Lydia snapped. Mom looked like she was about to faint and as I did I as I saw who was with her.
   I'd have to go with her for she had what I cared about and would use it against me.

A/N: thanks so much for reading! Who do you think Waller has? Comment your thoughts down below, comments give me inspiration and I love hearing reactions! Shout out to Emmybae7 for always commenting! Keep it up, I love reading them. Have a great day and be happy! :)