**Chapter 14: "Growing Pains"**

As Aubrey grew older, she began to exhibit signs of her family's dark heritage. At first, it was just small things - a mischievous glint in her eye, a penchant for getting into trouble, a fascination with the Joker's tattoos and chaotic lifestyle. Lily and the Joker watched with a mix of pride and concern as Aubrey's personality began to take shape. The Joker, in particular, was smitten with their daughter's antics. He spent hours playing with her, teaching her how to pick locks and pick pockets, and regaling her with stories of his most daring heists. Lily worried that he was corrupting Aubrey, that he was teaching her to be just like him - but at the same time, she couldn't deny the joy that Aubrey seemed to derive from her time with the Joker. As Aubrey approached her fifth birthday, she began to ask more and more questions about her family and her place in the world. "Mommy, why do you and Daddy do bad things?" she asked one day, as Lily was trying to cook dinner. Lily hesitated, unsure of how to explain the complexities of their lifestyle to her young daughter. "Well, sweetie, we do what we have to do to survive," she said finally. "And we do it because we love each other, and we want to be together." Aubrey looked puzzled, but the Joker intervened, scooping her up in his arms. "Ah, my dear, it's much simpler than that," he said. "We do what we want, when we want. And we don't let anyone else tell us what to do." Aubrey's eyes widened, and she grinned up at the Joker. "I want to be just like you, Daddy," she said. Lily felt a pang of worry, but the Joker just chuckled and ruffled Aubrey's hair. "I'm teaching her well, my dear," he said. "She's a natural." As the days turned into weeks, Aubrey's behavior became more and more erratic. She would throw tantrums and have meltdowns, and she would often get into mischief with Harley, who was more than happy to indulge her. Lily and the Joker did their best to set boundaries and discipline Aubrey, but it was clear that she was growing up in a world that was vastly different from the one that most children knew. One day, Aubrey managed to get her hands on a set of paints and proceeded to cover the walls of their apartment in bright, swirling colors. Lily was furious, but the Joker just laughed and handed Aubrey a paintbrush. "Let her express herself, my dear," he said. "She's a Quinzel, through and through." Lily sighed and shook her head, but she couldn't help but feel a sense of pride and wonder as she looked at Aubrey, covered in paint and grinning from ear to ear. She knew that their daughter was going to grow up to be a force to be reckoned with, and she couldn't wait to see what the future held. As the three of them sat down to dinner, Aubrey looked up at Lily and the Joker with a mischievous glint in her eye. "Can we have a heist, please?" she asked. Lily and the Joker exchanged a look, and then the Joker grinned. "I think that can be arranged, my dear," he said. And with that, Aubrey's education in the art of chaos and anarchy began in earnest.