Harleen sat at her desk watching the clock tick slowly towards six o'clock. Ever since she had been deemed legally insane, she'd been working in her old job at Arkham Asylum. A pile of finished paperwork was stacked to the right of her and Harleen just wanted to go home. Finally the clock struck six and she practically raced out the door.

As she ran by one of the cells, she slowed to a walk. Her heart started pounding and the edges of her vision were slightly fading to black. Harleen shook her head a few times and it cleared away. There was nothing to be afraid of. He wasn't here. As she started to take another step the flashbacks began.

Images of green hair, a purple suit, and the most wicked grin you'd ever seen streamed in front of her eyes. A raised fist, shouts, and wounds also accompanied the vision. As the flashbacks took complete hold, she braced her hand against the wall only to find it sliding down, dragging the rest of her with it. She curled up in a ball on the floor and was only faintly aware of the tears rolling down her cheeks.

She thought she must've been screaming as well because she could feel her mouth getting dry. Harleen wished the memories would go away, wished the pain that came with them would go away. She would rather feel nothing at all rather than all of this. She had tried everything to get rid of them, even hypnotism, but nothing had worked.

As the vision flooded her senses she became vaguely aware of someone calling her name. At first she thought it was part of her memories but she started to realize that the voice was different. At this point it didn't matter. Harleen felt as if the world had shattered and she was in an abyss. Maybe she'd gone mad again, or maybe he had actually come back and was exacting his revenge for her leaving him.

Suddenly she felt arms lift her up, scooping her up like a bride after a wedding. Please, please, please don't be him, she thought. As the person carried her away from the room, her vision slowly cleared and the memories retreated to the deepest vaults of her mind.

"Harley. Harley are you okay? Harley!" a voice kept repeating over and over. Slowly, Harleen looked up. There was only one person who would say her name with such urgency, with such care. Pamela Isley, or as Harleen liked to call her, Red.

"Hey Red," Harleen said weakly. "What are you doing here?" A single tear rolled down Red's cheek and fell onto Harleen's forehead. Red stopped walking and sat on a bench. She realized they were already outside of the Asylum and were now in the gardens surrounding it. With her legs resting on the bench, Harleen laid her head on Red's lap. The position was familiar to her and even in her lab coat and heels, it was the most comfortable place in the world for her.

"I came when you didn't show up for dinner. It's already seven o'clock." Red gently began stroking her hair while she talked. "Did you see those visions of him again?" Harleen nodded slowly. "I've said this a thousand times Harls, he's not coming back. And even if he does, I'm not going to let him anywhere near you."

Harleen shifted to stare up into Red's face. The face of the person who protected her more than anyone else and, more importantly, loved her no matter what she did. Red's eyes shimmered as they looked down at Harleen. Red wasn't one to cry and if anyone else was around she would have hidden her emotions.

"I know that Red. I know. It ain't him coming to get me that scares me. I mean it does, but there's something scarier. The fact that I might run back to him even after all he's done to me, done to you, scares me the most." At this, Red raised her up into a sitting position and hugged her tightly.

"You scared me Harley. When I saw you curled up on the floor, I was so afraid that I had lost you. You're the only meatbag in this world that matters to me. Right then, in that moment, I thought my biggest nightmare had come true. That the Joker had finally gotten to you and I was too late."

The hug probably lasted a good ten minutes and by the time they finally pulled apart, tears were streaming down both of their faces. "Harleen Quinzel," Red said. "Harley Quinn. Harl. No matter what name you go by, no matter where you go, I'll stay with you."

They were close enough that Harleen could see the small pale scars at Red's hairline. The Joker, no, Mistah J, had made those scars. The man she had loved and the man who had hurt the one she loved were one and the same. If she separated them in her mind it would be far worse if he ever returned. Before responding to Red's declaration, Harley gently leaned in for a kiss. It wasn't strong or passionate, but a soft, tender kiss that showed how Harley had treasured Red's words.

"It's the same for you, Red. Pamela Isley. Poison Ivy. Daffodoll. Each represent the same bundle of chlorophyll that I love." Harley cracked a smile at the last part and was pleased to see that it had made Ivy start laughing. Her heart burst at the sight. Ivy loved her but Harley still wasn't sure of what jokes she could make.

"Ready to go home?" Ivy asked as her laughing slowed, a smile still lingering on her face.

"Sure Red. Let's go. I have to make up for missing dinner." Harley winked at Ivy as she swung her feet off the bench and stood. She stretched out a hand to Ivy and Ivy took it as she stood. They strolled hand-in-hand to Ivy's convertible and drove home, the sun setting behind them.