There was a loud knock on the door. Poison Ivy jumped, and dropped her watering can. She sighed as the water flowed out onto the floor, but the knocking didn't stop so she left it; her beloved plants would have to wait. Besides, the soft carpet of moss on the floor could probably use a drink.

"You there, Red?" came the voice of Harley Quinn, thick with tears.

Ivy opened the door, her heart heavy.

"What are you doing here at this time of night, Harl?" she asked, but she knew the answer. "It's nearly eleven o'clock!"

"He threw me out again," Harley sobbed. "And I ain't really got no one else, Red."

Ivy resisted the urge to say anything about "Mistah J" for the time being. She noticed Harley's make-up was smudged and crusted with blood. "Come on in... Let's get you cleaned up."

She took Harley's hand and led her gently through to the dining room.

"Wait here," said Ivy, and went to get her first aid kit from the bathroom. The first aid kit that in all honesty she only used to patch Harley up after nasty arguments with the Joker. Meanwhile Harley sat staring dejectedly at the table in front of her. Ivy closed the bathroom door carefully and made her way back to the kitchen. Harley flinched at the sound of the door closing and Ivy's heart broke a little.

"Here," said Ivy, sitting next to her friend and gently wiping the dried blood from her face. Her eyebrow was split, so Ivy applied strips of plaster to hold the wound together, inwardly fuming that anyone could do such a thing to Harley.

"What happened Harley? Looks like he hurt you badly this time," said Ivy. "I can't understand what you see in him." She knew that it wouldn't help, that nothing she said would change how Harley felt, but she couldn't control her bitter anger and hatred of the man.

"It's nothin'... It was my fault really," she said, wincing as the disinfectant stung the scratches on her face from the concrete floor. Her voice trembled. "Seems I can never do anythin' right – at least, as far as my Puddin' is concerned." Tears were streaming uncontrollably down her cheeks.

"Shh," said Ivy soothingly, as she had done countless times before. "Listen Harl, it's not your fault. It never is. It's his fault for treating you like dirt." She lightly brushed away the wetness from Harley's cheeks. "I'll always be here for you."

"He – he's good to me really, Ivy," said Harley, trying to ignore the dull ache all over her body. "I'm sure he'll forgive me and be awful sorry for hurtin' me."

Ivy sighed. "He shouldn't have to be sorry for hurting you. He shouldn't hurt you in the first place."

"Aw, Red. Always lookin' out for me," said Harley, her head tilted as she smiled at her friend.

If I was really looking out for you I'd kill that scumbag boyfriend of yours, thought Ivy, but she decided to change the subject. "Would you like a drink, Harley? There's some wine in the fridge."

"Sure thing," said Harley. "It's been quite a night. I could use somethin' to cheer me up, and who better to share a drink with than my best friend?"

Ivy returned her smile, somewhat wistfully as she thought about how things would be if the Joker was out of the picture. She fetched two glasses from the cupboard and a bottle of white wine from the fridge and set them down on the table. She poured the first glass and passed it to Harley, who immediately took a sizeable gulp. Ivy filled her own glass, but left it untouched for the time being.

"So, what do you wanna do tomorrow, Red?" asked Harley with a smile. "How's about we go shopping? Or... I think there's a funfair in town! We could go get candy floss and get dizzy on the rides – please can we go?"

Despite everything, Harley never lost her childlike sense of excitement. It both pleased and amazed Ivy.

"I'm sure those things would be fun, Harl, but don't you think it would be a good idea to lay low for a few days? You know how the Joker would react if he saw us together..."

Harley's face dropped. "Aw, you're no fun," she pouted, mostly in jest. "I'm sure we won't run into Mistah J. He's probably too busy with his next genius scheme to get Batman."

"You can't imagine the Joker at a funfair?" asked Ivy. "Isn't that exactly the Joker's kind of place?"

"Nah, I did ask him if we could go, but he said it had no class," she said. "But what do I know..."

Ivy looked at her quizzically. "You know a lot Harl. You might not put your talents to the best use as the Joker's lackey, but you certainly have no shortage of brains."

Harley looked intently at her fast disappearing glass of wine, contemplating the sting behind Ivy's words. She wished her friend could see her Puddin' on a good day. Then maybe she'd understand why she couldn't ever forget about him.

"Well I thought it would be fun, anyway," said Harley. "We can do whatever you want."

Ivy took a sip of wine. What she really wanted was off the table, but she was determined to cheer Harley up before she went back to the Joker. "If it means that much to you, we'll go." She smiled weakly. The beginnings of a plan were forming in her mind.

Everything about Harley's face lit up, from her sparkling eyes to her full, grinning lips. "Yay yay yay! You won't regret it. We'll have so much fun!"

She refilled her glass. "I always have so much fun with you."

"Me too," said Ivy, a faint, sad smile on her lips. Until you inevitably go crawling back to your precious Puddin'. She blinked slowly and pushed those thoughts to the back of her mind. Just enjoy being with her while you can. But waiting for the heartache was never easy. It got harder every time.

"We make a great team," said Harley.

"Well, you can stay here as long as you like. You know that." Ivy took another small sip of wine.

Harley nodded, and drained her glass.

Ivy raised her eyebrows and looked at the nearly empty bottle on the table. "There's more if you want it."

"Thanks, Red," said Harley, tipping the rest of the wine into her glass. She looked a little tipsy, but who was Ivy to judge after the night she'd had?

Ivy watched her friend sloppily drink another gulp, angry bruises visible under the smudged make up. She resolved to get revenge on the Joker somehow. It wasn't that this particular incident had been worse than all the rest that made her so angry, rather the unremarkableness of it, the heart-breaking regularity of having to pick up the Joker's pieces. Harley deserved so much better. She went to get the next bottle from the fridge.

After a brief struggle with the corkscrew and a loud pop, Ivy put the bottle on the table, drained her own glass and poured another for herself.

Harley giggled. "Wow, I've never seen ya drink like that, Red. Somethin' the matter?"

"Nothing. I'm just playing catch up," she lied.

"Maybe after the funfair tomorrow we should hit the bar," said Harley. "Remember that time we got kicked out after you punched that guy in the face? Heh. Always protectin' me."

"Yeah, well. He wasn't much of a charmer," said Ivy. "I don't like particularly like bars or the people in them... but if you really want to, we'll go. Whatever makes you happy."

"Thanks, Red. You put up with so much for me." Harley bit her lip. "I really appreciate it, ya know."

"I'd do anything for you," said Ivy. If only her friend could know how much she meant that.

Harley smiled. Wine flowed. It wasn't long before the second bottle of wine was empty, and Harley was sloshed. She was leaning forward, one elbow on the table, her hand propping up her head as she chattered incoherently. Ivy smiled.

"I think it might be bed time, Harl – if you want to go out tomorrow, anyway."

Harley stood up, but stumbled sideways. Ivy quickly stood up to catch her. Putting her arm around Harley's waist and wrapping Harley's arm around her neck, she held her up. "Come on – bed!"

"Always protectin' me, Red," Harley mumbled, and turned to kiss her friend on the cheek, but her aim was off and the kiss landed closer to Ivy's lips. Ivy felt herself blush, and her body was aching to kiss Harley back, kiss her properly, but she turned her head away.

"Let's get you to bed. I didn't realise you were so trashed," said Ivy.

"I'm sorry, Red. I just... I just love ya is all. You're the only one who really cares for me – apart from Mistah J, that is."

Ivy carried Harley over to the bed and laid her down. She turned to the drawers and passed her some pyjamas. "Here. You should get changed out of that costume."

Harley mumbled something, her eyes closed, and wriggled under the duvet, snoring softly. Ivy shrugged, changed into her own pyjamas and curled up next to her.