The Fault in our Scars (originally known as 'Maybe Baby' by Alex Snape)

Chapter 14

The Joker finally ceased his laughter, wiping his hair behind his ear as he approached his son, who covered his coughing as his father picked him up and rested him on his hip. He brushed Jack's cheek with his thumb and noticed the sudden rise in temperature in his skin.

"Hmm..." he smirked. "I think you need to go back to bed, Jacky. You have a small fever."

Harley suddenly got up from her chair and trotted over to them, placing the palm of her hand over her son's forehead. "Oh my God," she gasped. "Go lie down, honey. I'll get you a cold compress."

"Relax, Harl," The Joker told her, putting Jack back onto the floor. "It's probably just a little cold."

However, as soon as Jack's feet touched the floor, a coughing fit overcame him, making him double over as the rasping in his throat grew deeper.

"Jack?" The Joker asked, kneeling beside him with his hand on his back. "Come on, kiddo. Upstairs..."

"I'll call Dr. Stein," Harley panted frantically as she ran to their bedroom to retrieve her phone.

An hour later, The Joker secured his son in his bed and brought the blanket up to Jack's neck and tucked it around the rest of his body. He covered his feet with a quilt that Harley had brought from the sofa downstairs and Jack moaned as a tiny cough escaped his throat. "Dad?" he whispered.

"Shhh. Don't talk right now, son," he told Jack as he patted his leg. "You need to rest. The doctor will be coming soon."

Jack moaned again. "Dad, I don't want to see Dr. Stein. He's gonna give me a shot."

The Joker stroked his son's face to soothe him. "Well, Jacky, he may have to, depending on how sick you are. But it'll make you feel better. I promise."

The Joker watched him as he breathed deeply. Jack curled into a tight ball, whimpering, "Dad. I'm cold."

His father wrapped his arm around his body and squeezed him. "Just close your eyes and stay in the blanket. You'll warm up soon."

Harley approached the bed with a bottle of Children's Tylenol and sat beside her son. "Jack," she said. "I want you to take something to help with your fever." She paused as she set the medicine on his bedside table. "Shoot...I'll go get some water for you, Sweetie." With that, she quickly exited the bedroom and trotted down the stairs.

The Joker looked at Jack and caressed his hair. "I'll be right back, son. You take a little nap, okay?" Jack slowly nodded and let out another hoarse cough.

He found Harley in the kitchen where she had stopped under the cabinet to get a glass. "Harl..." he called out to her.

Harley suddenly put her hands up to her face and started to cry, to which he approached her and put his arms around her. She sobbed quietly into his vest while he rubbed her back.

Harley looked at him, her eyes swollen from all of the crying she had done ever since she felt Jack's face. His fever was high and he couldn't stand up on his own, he was so weak.

She took a deep breath and said through choking sobs, "I'm a horrible mother...just like you said..."

The Joker sighed and rolled his eyes. "Babe, I was angry...you know that..."

"No, you were right..." she said as she looked into his dark eyes. "I was supposed to make sure that he was in bed...I should have checked on him...oh, God...he could have been hurt...and now...he...he..."

She broke down again and The Joker held her tighter and put his face in her hair. He feared the worst as well, but he wouldn't tell her that.

"Harley," he whispered. "He's gonna be okay. Pretty soon he'll be back out of bed and bringing frogs in the house again. We know how much you love that." She giggled as he wiped her cheeks.