Harley wasn't quiet very often yet as she leaned against the greenhouse's doorframe with her hands crossed over chest and her clear eyes fixated on Poison Ivy, she felt at peace. The botanist leaned over her desk, mixing chemicals and substances in various beakers with practiced ease and a concentrated expression painted on her face. The sight had a magical quality to it whilst outside, the sun begun setting, bathing the room in a golden light. The jester shook herself from her trance and approached, slipping her arms around Ivy's waist as she peeked at her experiments, resting her chin on Ivy's shoulder.

"Ye shouldn't be up Red, the docs said you needed some rest."

"I'm fine Harl."

"No one's ever fine when Puddin' gets mad. I know a little something about that."

Ivy set the beakers down and turned around, meeting Harley's gaze with her own. Seeing the concern and the deeply rooted sadness shining in Harley's eyes made her feel a sharp stab of guilt and she took the jester's pale hands in her own.

"I'm okay. I promise."

Harley's hands slid out if her own to prompt Ivy's tank top up just enough to expose the gauze hiding the wound. The redhead kept still as white fingers traced its edge but she couldn't hide a sharp intake of breath when they brushed over the injury. Pain was one of the few emotions plants and humans shared and one she was much more accustomed to causing than to feeling.

"Ye shouldn't have gone after him Pammy. You could've gotten yourself killed."

"I know…I just-"

"Got mad."

Ivy nodded. Part of her was waiting for Harley's outburst of anger the way so many other conversations about the Joker and their abusive relationship had ended but Harley seemed impossibly calm and for once dead serious as she cupped Ivy's visage in her hands and brushed her thumbs over her cheekbones.

"It ain't your job to protect me Red. I can manage on my own."

"You can't. You're addicted to him, unless someone kills him first, one day you'll go back to him like you always do and you'll end up dead. The Joker is a disgusting, abusive leech but you can't see it, you're convinced he loves you and you keep choosing him."

Harley shook her head.

"Not this time I didn't. I could've let him kill ya , but I didn't and one week later I'm still here."

In the chaos of frustration, anger and pain that had followed Ivy's confrontation with the Joker, the botanist had overlooked two crucial details that now downed on her and made her speechless. One: Harley had hit the Joker. Two: Harley was still here with her, for the first time in the duration of their relationship, the jester hadn't left in the middle of the night to crawl back to her puddin' leaving Ivy to wake up to an empty bed and betrayal. The blonde smiled and gave her a soft kiss on the lips.

"I'm staying Pammy. I promise."

"I'm still killing The Joker when I get the chance."

"Okay, but next time I'm doing it with you."

Harley knew The Joker was an indissoluble part of her. She was bound to miss him and the temptation to go back to him was going to come back and plague her eventually, perhaps she would even give in and have a relapse from time to time (who better than her could know the psychological implications of recovering from an addiction.), but she was done proclaiming her love for him. He had used her, hit her, manipulated her and tried to murder her and in return she had gotten nothing but insanity and trips to Arkahm Asylum. It wasn't worth it. It had taken her a long time to realize Ivy was better, that the shelter and protection she offered could constitute a new Joker free life but now that she had seen it she had no intention of going back.

"Red?"

"Yes?"

"Did you mean it when you said you loved me?"

Ivy looked back at her surprised.

"I wasn't really asleep you know? I heard it."

The redhead pondered what to say. Was she really ready to tell Harley the truth and make herself vulnerable to betrayal and mockery? Harley could still go back to the Joker and this time around, it would go far beyond refusing a friend's help. Love was powerful, it could do wonders but it could also be used to hurt people. Was she willing to take the risk?

"Yes, I meant it. I love you."

"I love you too."

Plants didn't feel love, animals did and humans more than any other kind. Harley was different than any other human, somehow she managed to bring to the surface the humanity that Jason Woodrue had stolen from her all those years ago and Ivy knew that as long as the little Jester was by her side, she would remain human after all.