I have no idea if Harley's family history has ever been covered in the comic books, so I hereby admit to making things up.

Her mother always told her that she was prettier when she smiled.

That not a soul in the world could ever fault her for anything with that angelic smile.

That in a world like this one her smile is one of the few weapons she was blessed with.

Sometimes Harley remembers her mother, remembers what it was like to be loved unconditionally and unquestioningly.

But then he speaks and she forgets all over again. Forgets everything but the most fragmented of memories, one of which is her mother saying that no matter how bad things get, you can always smile and pretend that things are better than they are.

And that maybe if you do it enough, things will be.

The way her mother used to smile, heedless of the blackened eyes, the bruised neck, the broken jaw...

So now Harley smiles the same way.

He slaps her and she smiles.

He beats her and she smiles.

Through all the horrible things he does to her, she smiles.

She smiles until her face aches and her jaws clench against her will because that's what Mamma would have wanted, and because sometimes that's the only thing that keeps Puddin' from killing her.

Even when she's been beaten and bruised to the point she can barely move she still smiles for the benefit of the rest of the world.

After all, just because she's hurting, that doesn't mean everyone else needs to know.

There are times late at night, after the heist, after the caper, after he lies and says he loves her, there are times then when she smiles.

Those rare times when she believes she's happy.

It's in those times when she smiles a genuine smile, one that reaches her eyes and makes them sparkle.

She smiles then because those times in the dark are the best and they soothe away all the wrongs of nights gone past.

She smiles then because he says he loves her and she believes it the way Mamma believed Daddy all those years ago.

She smiles then because it's easier to let him be her master than it is to be on her own again.

But mostly, she smiles because she just doesn't know any better anymore.

A/N: For some reason, I've always thought that Harley must be a part of a family with a history of spousal abuse, just because she's so well conditioned to take it from The Joker. Sure, you can say that she was brainwashed, but there's something that tells me she's been a part of the cycle of abuse her whole life.

Huh. I actually feel kinda sorry for Harls. Quite a feat since I've never really liked her all that much.

Written in response to the one hundred themes challenge over on the When Plot Bunnies Attack forum 'Smile'.