AN: Hi, everyone! Thank you for checking out my new Harley Quinn origin story! I have tried to do this twice already, and failed, so I'm hoping that this is much better. Please feel free to give me constructive criticism after reading this.
Disclaimer: I own nothing, everything here is DC's, I'm only writing for my own amusement and practice(: so ENJOY!
Dr. Harleen Quinzel walked into Arkham Asylum under the impression that she would be able to make a difference in the lives of her patients. After graduating top of her class at Gotham University, she had been hired immediately after submitting her application to the mental institution she had so very badly wanted to work at.
She had loved psychology from an early age, always questioning how people's minds were different and made them do different things. How someone could justify certain things, like killing another person. She easily sympathized with those who she called 'children of circumstance'. She knew it was not their faults that they had been victim to something outside of their control, that they had been led down a dark road. So she wanted to help them, to guide them back onto the right track.
So as she walked into Arkham Asylum, with a box of her belongings on her hip, she felt proud, excited, and hopeful. She would change these 'criminals', make them good people once more. She was going to make a difference. This was her calling.
A tall woman with dark skin was waiting just inside, a smile on her face and a clipboard in her left hand. She stuck out the right hand, and Harleen took it, giving a good, firm shake.
"Hello, Harleen, I'm Joan Leland. I'm going to be showing you the ropes in the Asylum. Essentially, I will be your mentor and friend, if you ever need it. Sometimes working here can get a bit tough." Her smile was now slightly apologetic.
"You can call me Harley, Joan. Everyone does."
The older woman nodded. "Excellent. Come with me, I'll show you to your office, then give you a tour.
xxx
The two doctors walked alongside of each other, already getting along very well. Every so often, Joan would say something important to know for the job, like being especially careful near some cells that held sexual predators who would go wild at the sight of a woman. Male doctors were usually the only ones to venture in those areas.
"So, what made you decide to work here?" Joan asked, as they ventured into the maximum-security wing. "Not to pry, but this place is known for holding Gotham's most well-known criminals, who are quite the lethal bunch. Many doctors leave here dead or maimed. So why not somewhere safer, less dangerous?"
Harley stopped, shrugging her shoulders. "Well, I've always been attracted to extreme personalities. Gotham's rouge gallery is actually quite fascinating."
"You won't be able to work with patients like them for a while…" Harley's head tipped to the side as she heard a strange, high-pitched sound. If she didn't know any better, she would have thought it sounded like…whistling? But she waved off the thought, and began to tread slowly towards the source of the noise, which was at the end of the long rows of cells containing a variety of inmates, including a red-haired woman tending to a plant, and a short, balding man licking the glass, until she finally reached her destination.
Harley stared in astonishment at the man who was indeed whistling. He was very tall and lean, wiry arms crossed over his chest in defiance, and she realized that his skin was an unusually light shade, almost bone white. Vivid green locks were tousled wildly, a few curls falling across his forehead. He had an angular face with sharp features, like his strong jaw and prominent nose. His lips were scarlet, the color of blood, and Harley watched, enraptured, as the ends pulled up into a wicked smile, and she finally met his eyes, frightened yet mesmerized by the emerald orbs' intensity.
A pale, slender hand rose up and the long fingers wiggled in a wave. Harley was surprised as she realized she had started waving back, and she immediately brought her arm down.
Leland had followed her, still talking, but fell silent, dark eyes widening when she saw who her new friend was so casually greeting. "Harley?" She murmured quietly. "That's the Joker."
Dr. Quinzel glanced to her and nodded, slightly dazed. "I know. Interesting man, isn't he?" The pair made their way back down the hallway. "Imagine having him as a patient…" She spoke softly, possibly to herself.
"There is no way I would let you have that monster as your patient, Harleen." Her voice was stern. "He is incredibly violent and basically impossible to deal with. He would tear you apart!"
The young psychiatrist attempted to conceal her hurt at being essentially being called inexperienced and incapable, and instead corrected her superior. "I told you, Joan. It's Harley."
She sighed. "Perhaps in time you could try your hand at analyzing him. I'm only looking out for you, Harley."
A burst of excitement ran through her, but she acted calm. "I understand. And thank you. I appreciate it." She smiled brightly at her new mentor.
"You're a wonderful woman with a lot of potential. We wouldn't want to waste that."
xxx
After spending another hour going over rules and procedures, Joan finally released Harley to go to her office by herself to unpack a bit. When she arrived outside of the door, she gave a small laugh as she smirked at the title- Dr. Harleen Quinzel, MD.
"Look at you, Harl!" She grinned to herself. "You go, girl."
She sauntered into the room, which was still bland and not yet personalized, but it didn't matter- she had her very own office! As she started to laugh once again, she stopped suddenly, and turned to look to her left.
"Oh my God…"
There was a single rose in a black vase, with a small note attached. Harley, still stunned, picked up the piece of paper and read it, a soft smile growing with each word. She pressed a hand to her mouth, suppressing a light giggle.
Come down and see me sometime. –J
"Wow…" Harley whispered, picking up the flower by the stem, taking care to avoid the sharp thorns, and closed her eyes as she inhaled the deep, lovely scent.
She would be making a trip to a certain inmate's cell soon enough.
AN: Got the first chapter done! I'm on a road trip right now, so I'm writing. Anyways, I really hope you enjoyed it, because the first couple of times I tried this, it didn't go very well. I'm sure I'll go back and edit it a little bit, but for now, this will have to do. It was a bit too short for my taste, and too quick, but I'm working on slowing down. I have to pace myself!
REVIEW to give me feedback, good or bad, and FOLLOW to be alerted about the next chapter! :D
Also, go check out my profile. I have some JokerXHarley oneshots there!