Circus

Summary-

When Harleen Quinzel first started her internship at Arkham Asylum, she had hoped to learn more about the Joker. Never did Harleen expect to fall madly in love, boarding obsession, with the clown. Nor did she expect for him to make her the queen to his dark empire.

Chapter 1- There's only two types of people in the world

Harleen stared at the large compound before her, her hands gripping the steering wheel tighter as she waited for the guard at the entrance gate to approve her entrance. As her ice blue eyes ran over the gothic architecture, she felt a shiver run down her spine, but she wasn't sure if it was fear or excitement. It was her first day interning at Arkham, she had graduated top of her class at Gotham City University getting a bachelor in Psychology. She had applied for a position at Arkham a day after graduation and weeks later she was here starting her first day.

"You're clear to enter." The guard grunted at her as he handed her her ID card that Joan Leland, the Doctor that, starting today, would be her superior, gave to her during her orientation last week.

"Thank you!" Harleen chirped at the guard who grunted once more while opening the gate for her. Once the gate was open wide enough, she drove through the compound until she got to the medical building and parked in the designated parking space that was secured by another guard station. After parking, Harleen sat in her vehicle and tried to collect herself in a professional manor. And once again, she didn't know if she was calming herself from excitement or nervousness.

Once she felt she was calm and professional enough, she slipped out of her vehicle and locked it before making her way into the medical building with a small skip to her step that she could not hide. Harleen smiled at the guard that was guarding the front door as she passed walking over to the woman standing with her back towards the front door. Even though she couldn't see the woman's face, Harleen knew that this woman was Joan.

"Good morning Dr. Leland." Harleen said coming to a stop just beside the dark skinned woman. Joan looked up from the clipboard in her hands to Harleen with a serious face, this did nothing to Harleen's bright smile.

"You're early, Mrs. Quinzel." Joan said with an approving nod before turning to and walking down the hallway.

"Well, I couldn't sleep, nor could I stay in my apartment any longer." Harleen explained as she followed Joan.

"You will be shadowing me for the next few days and then we will let you start taking on your own patients. Of course your first few appointments will be shadowed by me." Joan informed Harleen who nodded letting the woman know she was listening.

"Who will be my first patient?" Harleen asked.

"That will all depend on you. Remember Harleen, these next few days will be a test for you." Joan told Harleen who looked shocked. "You may have come with high recommendations, but if I do not think you can handle this I will have to regrettably fire you. I like you Harleen, and because I like you, I don't want you to be hurt by the job in any way." Joan said before she continued down the hall.

"So," Harleen started as she continued to follow Joan, "if I prove that I can handle working here, will I be able to work with Joker?" She asked trying to not sound too eager. Joan stopped and spun to look at Harleen who took a step back.

"Mrs. Quinzel," Joan started narrowing her eyes at Harleen, "I do hope that you are not a fan of his."

"A fan of his?" Harleen asked tilting her head, why would Joan think she was a fan?

"I have read your thesis paper on the Joker." Joan said and Harleen now understood and couldn't help the giggle that slipped passed her lips, causing Joan's eyes to narrow even more.

"Please don't misunderstand my interest in the Joker, yes I'm fascinated by him, but not because he is a criminal, but because of the fact that every single psychologist that has interviewed him claims he has a different ailment." Harleen said fixing her glasses, "What I'm fascinated about is why." Joan watched her for a few more minutes before spinning around and continued walking. Harleen gave a sigh of relief before continuing to follow Joan.

-? ﾟﾒﾓ-

The Joker swung from his pull up bar by his legs, his bright green eyes following the guards as they patrolled. His ever present smile on his face, today was a good day even though his escape plan fail, and he would deal with the reason it fail later, he was still in good spirits because he was getting a new toy. He loved getting new toys. It wasn't the shininess of the new toy, or the newness of it. What he loved was testing to see how long it took to break it.

A loud, insane laugh flew from his mouth as he dropped from the pull up bar and landed in a crouch. Of course the warden would try to keep this new toy from him, but in the end the Joker would get to play with the new toy. And the Joker knew he wouldn't have to do anything, this new toy would come to him. He knew this because he had heard from a little birdy that this new toy was a fan of his. The Joker would break this new toy because he wanted too, and the Joker always got what he wanted.

"Alright freak." A guard called using his billy club to hit the bars of Joker's cell. "Dinner time." The guard said slipping a plastic tray full of goop that the workers here called food.

"Ooh~!" The Joker sung out jumping like a frog to the tray. "My favorite!" He joked as he grabbed the tray.

-? ﾟﾒﾓ-

Harleen sighed as she entered her office, she had been working for Arkham for almost three months now. She had been allowed to take on patients of her own, but they were all low profile cases. For the past two months she has been asking, begging, to have a higher profile case. She was hoping that if she could prove that she could handle a high profile case then they would let her work with Joker. But each and every time she asked she was denied.

With another sigh, Harleen sat at her desk and turned on her computer. Yesterday she had sent in another request, and she was really hoped that this time her request would be accepted. Harleen had heard that an older Psychologist had a breakdown and had to be let go. So maybe, just maybe, she would be able to take his place and be that much closer to working with the Joker.

A knock on her office door caused her to jump and giggle at how silly she was being. Harleen quickly stood up and walked over to the door and opened it to see Rebeca, the Warden's receptionist. "Oh, hello." Harleen said, she had only met Rebeca a few times.

"I tried to get a hold of you." Rebeca said.

"You have?" Harleen asked, why would the warden's secretary be looking for her? Was she in trouble? But why would she be in trouble? She was never late to work, she was also professional, got her paperwork done on time. And even if she hadn't, it wasn't the warden who normally got on to people for that, it was Joan. "What for?"

"You haven't checked your email yet have you?" Rebeca asked with a small smile.

"I just go in, had just turned on my computer when you knock." Harleen said.

"Well, the warden wants to talk to you about your request for a higher profile patient." Rebeca told her.

"Really?" Harleen asked. Was the warden going to allow her request? She surely hoped so, but at the same time she didn't want to get her hopes up.

"Yup, he sent me to get you. Apparently it's very urgent that you speak with him." Rebeca said and Harleen was barely able to hold I'm her squeal. She was nearly hopping down the hall as she followed Rebeca to the warden's office.

-? ﾟﾒﾓ-

Harleen nervously sat in front of the warden's desk, beside her sat Joan and leaning against the wall on the other side of her was the head Doctor, Dr, Arkham, the real owner of the Arkham Asylum. The warden was just there to run the guards and nothing else. As the silence in the room continued, Harleen had to fight the urge to pick at her pencil skirt.

"Am I in trouble?" Harleen asked finally breaking the silence.

"Of course not." Joan said and Harleen let out a breath of relief.

"The reason you were called here is because of your request for a higher profile patient." Dr. Arkham said pushing off the wall and walked over to the warden and stood behind him. "After reviewing all of your patient transcripts and speaking with your supervisor, Dr. Leland. Me and Warden Sharp believes it is time that you are allowed a higher profile patient." Dr. Arkham said and Harleen smiled. "However, there is one small concern." The way he said this made Harleen's smile vanish instantly. What was the problem? "The only high profile patient that is we currently have waiting for a new psychologist is inmate #0801." Harleen's heart skipped, she was already being assigned the Joker! "With this knowledge, do you still wish to be assigned a high profile patient?"

Harleen took a minute to think. Was she really ready for the Joker? Of course she had been hoping to pick his brain at one point in her career, but that was after working her way up the high profile patient ward. Did she really want to jump head first into the deep end of the high profile patient ward? Could she handle it? There was only one way to find out.

-? ﾟﾒﾓ-

The Joker's loud, insane laugh echoed throughout the ward. It had taken less time for his new toy to get permission to let him play with her. A passing guard hit his billy club on the Joker's cell bars and the Joker lept off his bed and dashed up to the bars and lashed out at the guard with a snarl. The guard quickly backed up trying to hide his fear, but the Joker saw it. The Joker began to laugh again before literally dancing away from the bars.

He couldn't wait until their first session. The Joker let his eyes roam his cell while ringing his hands and laughing. What was he going to wear? His best suits were at his home, and all he had was his tattered jumpsuit. How was he to make a good impression? The Joker began to pace his cell, chin in hand. He made a couple circulations before bursting out into mad giggles. Why was he worrying, the warden had made sure he always had the perfect outfit when playing with his toys.