Just a little oneshot to stretch my writing wings again
Pam sighed, watching the lightning flash outside the airport windows. Her layover had already been delayed a few hours, and with the storm outside, it didn't look like she'd be getting home any time soon.
Returning to her book, Pam only got a few more lines in before a voice beside her said, "Mind if I use this charger?"
Looking up, Pam locked eyes with a young woman. She was sporting a messy ponytail, the strands that escaped framing her round cheeks, and clear blue eyes that seemed to sparkle as she stared at Pam, waiting for an answer.
"Of course." Pam found her words eventually and the girl grinned, plopping down in the seat beside her, plugging her charger into the port below the armrest.
"Thanks," she sighed, leaning back in the chair and dropping her backpack at her feet. "It's packed tonight. I've been lookin' for a seat forever. The floor was startin' to sound real nice."
"Well, with all the delayed flights, there's hardly room for everyone in the airport," Pam reasoned, returning her attention to her book.
"Exactly." The girl glanced briefly at her phone before setting it in her lap and holding out a hand. "Name's Harleen."
Pam found herself simply staring at Harleen's extended hand.
"Harley works just as good, though," she added, hand still hanging in the air.
Finally, Pam took it. Her skin was rough, calluses covering most of her palm. "Pamela."
Harley's nose wrinkled, the corner of her mouth quirking into a smile. "That's ah…unique. Don't think I've ever met someone your age named Pamela."
"I could say the same for you, Harleen." Pam's reply was clipped.
Harley didn't seem to notice though. She giggled, her eyes crinkling around the corners. "Touché."
Pam pursed her lips, unsure whether to be charmed or annoyed by this woman. Interacting with strangers wasn't exactly her strong suit…Or people in general, really.
"So where ya headed?" Harley asked, briefly checking her phone screen again.
"Home."
It looked like Harley barely held back an eye roll. "An' where's that?"
"Seattle."
"Oooh, nice," Harley's eyes brightened, and she leaned forward in her chair. "I've always wanted to visit the Space Needle…Cept' I'm terrified of heights." She giggled again. "Can't let that stop me though, right?"
Pam agreed, dog-earing her book, deciding she may as well give her attention to Harley as the girl seemed intent on keeping up a conversation. "It's not much more than a tourist trap."
Harley shrugged. "Ain't nothin' wrong with that."
"No, I suppose not." Pam cleared her throat. "Where is it that you're going?"
"Home," Harley replied, the tip of her tongue caught between her teeth.
Pam's lips twisted into a half smile. "And where is that?"
"Gotham."
Pam's brows bounced once. "I just gave a lecture at GCU."
"Really?" Harley leaned against the armrest again, but this time Pam didn't move away. "That's where I go to school! What'd you teach?"
"I was asked to give a lecture on Quantitative Chemical Analysis for the summer semester class. I received my PhD in botany and biochemistry."
"You're a doctor?" Harley's eyes seemed to somehow grow larger than they already were. "Of plants?"
"More or less." Pam decided not to push the fact that a botanist wasn't exactly a plant doctor. And that her degree put her more along the lines of a chemist than a botanist at that...But the point seemed moot at the moment.
"Bummer I missed your lecture," Harley winked, and a flood of warmth rushed to Pam's cheeks.
"What are you studying?" Her voice cracked, but Harley didn't seem to notice.
"Criminal Psychology," Harley beamed. "I wanna become a Psychiatrist."
"You want to dissect the minds of criminals?" Pam's delivery was stilted, each word slow and disbelieving, she was having trouble connecting the face of this bouncy, blue eyed blonde, with that of a hardened criminal psychologist.
"Yeah! I think the criminal mind is fascinating. How does a person become so removed from society that they consider themselves to be without fault when it comes to their crimes? Why do they do what they do? What is it that separates them from you or me?" Harley's smile had gone, a pensive wrinkle in her brows present instead.
"Probably the disregard for any other human life beside their own."
Harley shrugged. "Fair enough."
"So where are you coming from?" She was genuinely curious now. Intrigued by this woman who seemed to be a human contradiction.
"San Jose," Harley replied, glancing at her phone yet again.
"And what's in San Jose?"
"The, uh," Harley gave a nervous chuckle. "The Olympic Gymnastic Trials?"
Pam felt her jaw drop almost comically. "You're an Olypmic Gymnast?"
Taking a closer look, Pam noticed the girl's wide shoulders, her powerful thighs, the tapered waist…Harley was very obviously an accomplished athlete.
"Well…No." Harley began studying a lace on her shoe. "I missed the mark. Got in as an alternate."
"That's still very impressive, Harley," Pam insisted, almost unconsciously placing a comforting hand on Harley's thigh.
Yup, lots of muscle.
Harley ran her thumbs across her phone screen over and over again, continuing to avoid Pam's gaze. "Still kinda feels like I failed."
"You placed as an alternate, Harley. That's more than the majority of athletes can say. I'm sure you've worked tirelessly for that spot. And you'll have another chance to compete, won't you?"
"Not really," Harley chuckled, finally meeting Pam's eyes again. "I'm ancient by gymnast standards. A granny at 21. Next time the trials come around I might as well be dead."
"Mmm. I see." Harley offered a weak smile and Pam patted her thigh again. It was a really nice thigh. "I think you've got a lot to be proud of, Harley. Personal accomplishment is just as important as external recognition."
"Thanks, Pam." Harley patted Pam's hand in return before turning on her phone screen, frowning, and shutting it off again.
"Waiting for something?" Pam asked, nodding at the phone when Harley seemed confused by the question.
"Oh, yeah…Sorta. I…Jack. My boyfriend. Figured he might be worried. He was supposed ta pick me up when I landed. Called him a few times to let him know what's goin' on, but he hasn't answered. Probably just busy."
Pam couldn't explain the heaviness that formed in her gut at the word 'boyfriend'. "You would think he'd prioritize the arrival of his girlfriend."
"Sure, sure," Harley didn't seem eager to pursue the subject. "He'll call back eventually."
A wrinkle formed in Pam's brow. "If he doesn't show up, is there anyone else who can take you home?"
"Of course, yeah," Harley laughed. "I've got friends, Red."
The nickname seemed to catch them both off guard.
"Sorry," Harley tucked her chin to her chest, embarrassed.
"It's alright." Pam felt heat rushing to her own cheeks again. "Red it fitting, I suppose."
Harley looked up at her again, a smile growing on her lips, one that matched Pam's. A brief silence fell over them as Harley checked her phone again before stuffing it in her backpack, and Pam picked absently at the corner of her book.
Eventually, Harley broke the silence. "Almost midnight. Think this storm'll ever let up?"
"It's Colorado," Pam replied with a chuckle. "Who knows."
Harley nodded, stretching her arms above her head as a large yawn escaped her.
"Sleep?" Pam asked. "I have a neck pillow if you'd like to borrow—,"
"Nah," Harley waved a hand and settled back in her seat, eyes slipping shut. "I'm not gonna sleep. Just rest my eyes for a sec."
Pam pursed her lips to hide a smile as Harley's breathing slowed, and only a few minutes later, began snoring softly.
Opening her book again, Pam began to read. It wasn't long, however, before the words began to swim in front of her eyes, and the next thing she knew, she was waking up, blonde hairs tickling her nose.
Harley had slumped against her shoulder, head tucked in the crook of Pam's neck. For a moment, Pam considered moving. But Harley was so warm, and her hair smelled like cinnamon, and Pam couldn't bring herself to disrupt the peaceful expression on her face.
Closing her eyes again, Pam allowed herself to enjoy the closeness of this fascinating young woman for a little while longer.
She was jolted back to reality by a voice over the loudspeaker. "This is flight 745, non-stop service to Gotham City. We apologize for the delay and will begin boarding at this time."
"Harley." Pam nudged her awake with a gentle bounce of her shoulder. "Your flight is ready."
Harley blinked at her, unrecognizing for a few seconds. Finally, understanding dawned on her and she leapt to her feet, snatching her backpack off the ground.
"Shit!"
"They just started boarding," Pam assured her, unplugging the charger and handing it to Harley.
"Oh…Oh, okay. I—Fuck, where's my boarding pass?" Harley began tearing through her backpack until Pam calmly handed her the pass that had fluttered to the floor when she'd leapt to her feet. "I—Thank you."
"Zone 2 may begin boarding at this time."
"Shit, Pam. I gotta go. I—," Harley took a few steps away and then changed her mind and hurried back. "It was really nice to meet you. Thanks for…Letting me talk."
Pam smiled. "It was my pleasure, Harley."
The blonde scuffed her foot nervously. "Look, if you ever find yourself in Gotham again, it'd be nice to meet up."
A slow smile spread Pam's lips and Harley matched her.
"Zone 3 may begin boarding at this time."
Harley looked over her shoulder at the line and then back at Pam.
"Goodbye, Red." There was a finality to her tone that brought the heaviness back to Pam's stomach.
"Goodbye, Harley."
Pam watched Harley jog to the line, scan her ticket and hurry into the jet bridge. She looked back once, offering a final wave before she disappeared.
Pam looked down at her book, running her hand over the cover absently. Closing her eyes again, she released a heavy sigh and then watched as the plane pulled away from the jet bridge and rolled out of sight.
/
A warm summer breeze swept through campus, the sun shining brightly in the clear blue sky above as Pam hurried through the quad. Her second lecture at GCU was beginning in just a few minutes and she wasn't even close to the science building.
This year, the Dean of the department had offered Pam a permanent position as guest lecturer. One she gladly accepted.
Lecturing was a nice break from her lab work in Seattle, and visiting Gotham wasn't exactly the worst thing. Sure, it was more polluted than Seattle, and the crime rates were higher…Traffic was worse…Alright, the city wasn't exactly a tourist spot, but Pam enjoyed talking to the students.
She pushed her glasses up the bridge of her nose, flipping through her lecture notes. She was so absorbed in her paper, that she didn't notice the woman in front of her until they crashed into one another.
Pam landed unceremoniously on her rear, her papers scattering around her.
"Oh shit," the woman she'd smashed into was scrambling to grab her papers. "I'm so sorry. I didn't mean to—Pam?"
Adjusting her glasses, Pam looked up to see a familiar blonde standing above her. "Harley?"
A beaming grin split Harley's face. "No way. I can't believe it! You made it back to Gotham!"
It had been a full year since their chance meeting at the airport, but Pam would be lying if she said she didn't think about the gymnast now and then…Or more often than not, really.
"How are you?" Harley grabbed Pam's hand, pulling her to her feet. Same callouses. "You lecturing again?"
"I am." Pam took her hand back, brushing the dirt from her slacks. "Interested in listening in?"
"You know I would," Harley sounded apologetic. "But I have a class across campus that I'm already late for. But…Hey. Would you—Do you wanna meet for coffee after you're done?"
Harley looked nervous, a tick in her jaw telling Pam she was afraid of hearing a 'no'.
Not that she had to worry.
Pam had been waiting for this moment for a year.
"I'd love to."
Harley's shoulders sagged with relief. "Great." She bounced on the balls of her feet and then bolted past Pam. "I'll see you soon! Meet me at the plaza!"
Pam watched Harley disappear across the empty quad before clutching her papers to her chest and hurrying towards the science building.
/
Pam pressed the enter key on her laptop to flip to the next PowerPoint slide. "-is defined as any species produced by a pathogen which is injurious to its host, and directly and immediately plays a crucial role in pathogeneses."
The only other sound that filled the lecture hall, besides Pam's voice, was that of dozens of fingers tapping at their keyboards. That is until the loud creak of the door broke the quiet. Pam looked over from the projector screen, squinting out at the crowd of students.
She caught sight of a small figure ducking into a seat in the back row. It only took her a moment to recognize the messy blonde bun.
Harley caught Pam's eye, and offered a reassuring double thumbs up, paired with a beaming smile.
Pam stared a bit longer than she probably should have before she remembered where she was. Clearing her throat, she moved on to the next slide.
"According to Koch's Postulates, any substance called "toxin" should follow these criterions—,"
/
"Harleen?"
Harley popped up from her seat, rushing to grab the salted caramel, mocha drizzled sugar bomb she called coffee from the counter, leaving Pam to sip at her green tea.
She plopped back down after adding another packet of sugar to the drink and grinned at Pam over the rim of her cup.
"I swear to god, I have this stuff to thank for passing my finals."
"I'm…not surprised," Pam replied, watching her down the drink with a tinge of disgust. "The amount of sugar—,"
"Sssh," Harley interrupted. "We don't think about that part."
Pam leaned forward, wiping a smudge of whipped cream off Harley's nose with her thumb.
"Thanks," Harley giggled, and blushed a bit (if Pam wasn't mistaken). "I liked your lecture."
Pam scoffed. "You don't have to say that."
"No, I did! It was interesting. I can see why they gave you that PhD."
"They didn't give it to me," Pam objected, unduly offended. "I earned it."
"Relax, Red," Harley's grin crinkled her eyes. "I'm messing with you."
Red.
It felt good to hear the affectionate nickname again. But it reminded her of…
"So how's Jack?"
Harley's face drooped and she ran her thumb around the lid of her cup. "We broke up last month. Things were…They just weren't good anymore."
"You're single?" Pam blurted before she could think to stop herself.
The look that crossed Harley's face told Pam she'd given herself away. "Er…Yeah. I suppose I am."
"That's," Pam trailed off, becoming very interested in the teabag floating in her mug. "That's nice."
"Sure," Harley's reply was slow. "I guess it opens up my schedule, doesn't it?"
Pam's head shot up and she came face to face with Harley's blinding smile.
"Maybe you could…show me around Gotham, then?" Pam asked hopefully.
"How long ya here for?"
"A week."
"Good enough for me." Harley downed the rest of her drink, licking the last vestiges of whipped cream off her lips. Pam's eyes followed her tongue. "We should get started then."
"Wha—Now?"
"Why not?" Harley was already on her feet, offering her hand to Pam. "Gotham's a big place."
Eyes flickering from Harley's eyes to her hand, Pam finally took it and the blonde helped to hoist her to her feet. "Come on, Red." Harley's voice was low now, her blue eyes nearly half lidded. "I got a lot to show ya."
Pam flushed as Harley laughed and led her out of the coffee shop.
So maybe Gotham wasn't as tourist friendly as Seattle.
But as Harley's hand tightened around hers, Pam had a wonderful feeling she'd soon be visiting it far more often.
/
The terminal was full of people again, but this time there was no storm to delay her flight. Nothing to keep her in Gotham a little while longer.
Harley stood with Pam just outside the security line, her hand wrapped firmly around the red head's.
"You'll come see me again soon, right?" There was something like a whimper in Harley's voice, her blue eyes round and pleading.
"Of course I will," Pam assured her, squeezing her hand. "I can't tell you how amazing this week has been."
Harley's face melted into a relieved smile. "Good. I'm glad ya had fun. I'd…Well, I'd really like it if maybe you could make it down for my graduation. My ma and Pa an' little bro will be there and they'd love to meet you. You don't have to or anythin'. I just…It'd mean a lot if you came."
"Meeting your parents so soon?" Pam teased, her heart hammering against her ribs as she continued. "Why Harleen, you've hardly even kissed me yet."
Harley's expression was completely earnest when she dropped Pam's hands and cupped her cheeks instead. "I can fix that."
Before Pam had a chance to speak, Harley's lips were pressed against her own. In comparison to her rough hands, Harley's lips were soft and warm and they moved against Pam's so gently it made her chest ache.
Quickly, before Harley could move away, Pam wrapped her arms around the blonde's waist, pulling her closer. Harley let out a muffled squeak, her lips curling into a smile against Pam's.
They separated slowly, arms still wrapped around each other. Harley was the first to break the silence, brushing a stray strand of hair out of Pam's face.
"I'll see you soon, then?" she asked, voice small.
Pam was unable to do more than swallow and nod.
Harley pressed a final featherlight kiss to her lips, then her forehead, and finally her nose, twisting out of Pam's grasp with a giggle. "Fly safe, Red. Don't be a stranger."
She gestured towards the line, and finally Pam tore herself away, stepping in with the throng of people. When she turned around, she saw the messy blonde bun bobbing above the heads of the crowd. Pam watched Harley until she couldn't see her anymore.
Once she was alone, Pam allowed herself a small smile. One that quickly stretched so wide her cheeks hurt.
I'll see you soon, Harley...