Inside Joke
Harley had a secret. One that she had never told anyone save two people. One that she kept tenderly, guarded with every fiber of her being and one that not even her Clown Prince had the key to unlock.
It was the secret that kept her sane. The secret that kept her from losing that last little thread of herself when she was with him. Whether pulling a heist, in his arms or being thrown up against a wall the secret was foremost in her mind. Telling the entire world that Harley Quinn still had a tiny bit of Harleen in her through this deception she watched over masterfully.
When it had happened it had happened quick and without a plan in mind she concocted one instantly. He often forgot that she was a psychologist in the beginning, and a genius one at that. That beneath the grease paint make-up, the skin tight costume and the bleach blonde hair a brilliant mind still covertly lurked in the shadows, waiting to be used and all too eager to get her out of trouble.
She had gone to Ivy with no one else to turn. Pam was good to her, scared for her but understandably impressed by the plan. They took her to Arkham. She went in voluntarily, only all too aware he would break her out when he discovered where she was. She swore her doctors to secrecy. Telling them she could leave or kill herself at any moment. Poison Ivy had placed a toxin in her bloodstream with a common trigger, she could commit suicide with a thought. It made them listen, it made them respect her and they were never to breath a word of the plan. It was too important, too much was at stake. Her first rule was that no one must know. She herself would have forgotten if it were possible, but it was not. Pam was there, innocuous, not to be arrested, granted immunity for the 'event'. The Bat was there too, not because she wanted him to be but because it was necessary. She needed protection and the only one who could do it was him. He was the only one their kind feared. Of course it was funny that he should be the one to help them in this time. A great, big, ironic joke.
He busted her out of Arkham the moment he knew she was there. It had been almost a year and he had gone out of his mind looking for her, or so he said. Can one really go out of a mind when you were never in it in the first place? It was those questions that she asked herself as she was whisked away on a getaway car. They released a story saying that it had been a medical experiment, that they were testing new chemicals on her and in a freak accident all the doctors died. The chemicals had poisoned them when a fire broke out (unintentionally of course,) and the evaporated forms of the chemicals were released into the air. She had survived because of her immunities. So he never questioned the depression, or why she was tired and weak. Physical changes and discomforts were blamed on experimentations and for awhile he was loving, caring and gentle. It was these moments she nearly cracked, nearly broke away from her secrecy or retreated fully into her mind. Lying to the world was one thing, to the man she loved, quite another. Still, in the middle of the night, while he was asleep, and her hands ran through his green hair and those piercing eyes were closed she thought about how different it could be.
Suburban Gotham was far off from the Gotham City the world knew. It was practically a different world with white picket fences and shiny green lawns that fell in front of identical houses. Mini-vans lined the driveways in a variety of colours and as the school bus stopped from Gotham Cities prestigious Kane College, little children poured into the gated community, happy and eager to get home.
Amelia Isley sat on the front porch of her house, smiling to herself and sipping a hot tea. The women next to her bore an intense family resemblance, with the same deep green eyes and the flaming red hair. They looked as typical and cordial as any two women in this community could be. Amelia looked the more collected of the two, despite being the younger of the sisters. Her hair drawn back into a relaxed braid, a smooth clean white blouse one button short of her throat and a pair of khaki pants that screamed 'Yuppie Mom'. She looked the part of the suburban homemaker despite being a well reputed therapist.
"You've got a hyrbird car?" the elder sister asked suspiciously, adjusting the dark lensed glasses which rested on her perfect nose.
"I did!" laughed the other, "Until you sent that electric model to my house on my birthday. Really Pam, you've never been subtle have you?'
The other woman smile over her tea and laughed lightly, "Nope. Plus I liked the colour. It's called 'Forest Green', I thought you could use it."
"We can and do." Replied Amelia before taking a more serious tone.
Reaching to her side she produced a plan brown envelope and smoothly slid it across the rod iron table to her companion. A green gloved hand snaked out and elegantly slipped it into the accompanying bag before removing a wrapped brown package from her bag as well and exchanging it.
"She never forgets does she?" she the younger woman marveled sadly.
"It's all in here then?" the elder woman replied, removing her glasses and narrowing her eyes on her sister.
"Of course." Amelia smiled offhandedly, never deviating from the package, "Medical reports, psychological make-up, grade reports, my own notes and pictures. Everything she could ever want- save the one thing she does."
Pam nodded, looking down at the package as though it weighed more then the entire world. And for one woman, her only friend, it did. She would have continued, asked her sister more about what she had said when they were interrupted by a series of high pitching giggles that sounded like wind chimes. Her eyes shot up to see a small rounded face peering around one of the large bushes in the front garden. Before she knew it the little form came bounding up, faster then a normal five year old, and more adept at depositing herself in the woman's lap then anyone she had ever seen.
"Auntie Pam, Mommy didn't say you were coming over today." She cried happily, throwing little baby arms around the smiling woman, "Do you want to see my Halloween costume, you won't believe it! Mommy didn't want me to get it but I did anyway!"
Without stopping for a breath the high pitched little creature dropped her school bag at the woman's feet, flew off her lap and back into the house.
"She looks like them." Pam stated softly.
"I know." Amelia replied.
"Tell Merry I had to go and that I'm sorry." Pam stated suddenly, rushing to her feet and gathering all the papers that had surrounded her.
"Don't overuse my I.D. I know they don't remember who Dr. Amelia Isley actually is but if you keep getting arrested they are going to put two and two together Pam." Amelia warned as she hugged her sister goodbye.
"I know. I'll call you later. Let you know how it went." Pam replied as she headed down the front walkway towards her car at the end of the driveway.
Amelia nodded. It had been five years since she had received the phone call. She had been recently widowed, wealthy and the proprietor of a thriving psychiatric practice when Pamela had called. Amelia had immediately driven down to Arkham, meeting the young women in the medical ward. There, under the watchful eyes of Batman, Police Commissioner Gordon, Dr. Joan Leland and her sister Amelia agreed to take the baby. Nine months later she became the guardian of Merry, the love of her life.
She was the keeper of a secret, a secret that kept her sane. Only one other person guarded it as viciously as she did.
Looking up she smiled to see the little girl with those bright green eyes and darkened hair in her jester outfit. She had unwrapped the present on the table, giggling happily as she waved around the marionette, one of many she now had in her possession.
"Merry Darling," Amelia smiled, shaking out her revere and climbing to her feet, "Come inside and get changed, it's time for dinner and we don't want to be late for trick or treating tonight."
The little girl giggled happily offering no argument and rushing to her mother with arms spread.
"Can we take a picture of my costume tonight Mommy?"
"Of course baby." Amelia laughed, scoping up the little girl and closing the door behind her.
Dr. Joan Leland looked at her patient with soft eyes. Sitting next to the woman who would easily be known as the psychopathic consort of the Clown Prince of Crime was the most deadly woman in the world. They were holding one another like traumatized teenagers and honestly Joan couldn't blame them.
"A beauty ain't she?" Harley sniffled gripping the picture tightly in her hands, and attempting a smile for her friend "Looky Red, she's got his eyes and hair."
"She does Harley and your smile." Pam replied gently, "Amelia said she is really smart. Can't decide what she wants to be when she grows up. I am pushing for botanist."
That earned a sharp laugh before Harley reluctantly handed over the photo. Pamela embraced her before leaving hurriedly.
"Harley you know you can be with her again." Joan began carefully, "If you get better Amelia has agreed to allow visitations. You can see Merry, she can know you."
Harley's reply was soft but firm. Her head shaking No as her pigtails rocked from side to side.
It was the same every time but Joan understood and let the issue drop. If Harley behaved while she was incarcerated Pam would visit without being arrested and bringing updates of the little girl, then the woman would take them with her when she left. Filing them away god knew where so HE would never find out. In all their years together she knew Harley's mind. Her love for the Joker was solid, her devotion unwavering and her fidelity as steadfast as the day she had met him. She loved him totally and fully. She would have given him anything in the world he asked for.
Save one.