He had heard the cacophony of noise all week as he sat patiently in his cell. The rumors abounded, plans were made… The new doctor had arrived.

There was only speculation of course, until the first wave of people from the common room came back to their cells.

"Did you hear? Jace said she walked right by his cell. Young one, too, pretty." Joker heard the voices echoing down the halls.

"Jace is who you're gonna trust?" Another voice responded. "The new doctor's probably some old man."

"Everyone shut up!" Dalton, the good old faithful floor guard for the Rogue's Gallery, spoke.

Joker stood to go to the bars of his cage as the cell block filled with the sounds of the inmates silly obstinance. Soon, doors would be opening, the sound of a baton would fill the air and if Dalton was really lucky, they'd quiet down for a few moments.

Across the hall from him, Edward Nygma was waiting just as patiently, with a small, knowing smile.

"Oh, you know, don't you." Joker guessed, giving Riddler what he wanted, an audience. "You saw the new doctor and you want me to ask you all about them."

Riddler merely continued to smile. "We have no reason to care, now do we? Fresh meat never hits the Rogues Gallery till it's been through the grinder a few times."

"Well, I love me some hamburger." Joker commented. He turned back towards his cot but Riddler's voice stopped him in his tracks.

"I do have one piece of information you'll find intriguing."

"I doubt it." Joker said, but turned to face him anyway.

The smile on Riddler's face was obscene. "Our new doctor is in fact a pretty, young female. And her name is Harleen, Harleen Quinzel."

Harlequin.

The Joker began laughing, it was a twisted, dark sound and it mingled with the sound of Dalton's baton beating on some poor sap before rising above it to emerge as the only noise in the cell block.

Within minutes, Dalton was in front of his door, surveying the man who was nearly doubled over with laughter. "The hell is your problem, Joker?" He asked.

The Joker wiped a tear from his eye. "Oh, it's really nothing, my dear Dalton." He said. "But, may you, perhaps, speak with Dr. Arkham for me?"

Dalton hesitated. Only one time before had Joker asked a guard to send a message for him and needless to say, that guard didn't work here anymore. "What's the message?" He asked, suspiciously.

"Tell him I'd like to talk about my treatment." Joker said, slowly stepping towards the bars.

"You've been seeing the same damn doc for four months now and you ain't said a word to them, what makes you think Dr Arkham's gonna listen to you?" Dalton asked.

Joker leaned against the bars, lazily letting his arms hang through. Dalton took a few steps back and Joker chuckled. "I've had a change of heart." He said.

Dalton still wasn't convinced but after a moment's thought he nodded. "I'll think about it."

Joker moved so suddenly that Dalton almost dropped his baton, but he merely bowed. "Thank you, so much for your kindness." He said.

Riddler watched Dalton go. "What was all that about?"

"I just thought we might skip the grinder." Joker said, laying back on his cot he began to whistle a jaunty little tune. He hadn't had a good joke in awhile. Really, he'd been such a good boy, he deserved a little fun.