In the cell block at the other end of the asylum, Harley sat on her own bed, her knees clutched tightly against her chest. She heard the door open, and Batman and Dr. Arkham entered. "You explain the situation to the patient," murmured Batman. "I'll be waiting in your office."
"Hey, Batman, if you bust me out, we can have some fun in my garden," murmured Poison Ivy from the neighboring cell, smiling at him.
Batman nodded slowly. "You'll be outta here soon, Ivy," he murmured, heading for the door and shutting it behind him.
Dr. Arkham entered Harley's cell. "Dr. Quinzel…"
"Harley Quinn," insisted Harley, glaring up at him.
"Dr. Quinzel, we have decided to test a new method of therapy on you," continued Dr. Arkham, ignoring her. "It is a method which targets your own particular form of madness, your obsession with the Joker. We believe this form of therapy may break it."
"Nothing can break my love for Mr. J," retorted Harley, firmly.
"Well, you won't know until you try," replied Dr. Arkham, smiling. "You see, your fixation on him, and your willingness to submit yourself to the abusive relationship you suffer in, is based on your ignorance of normal romantic relationships and how they exist. You see abuse and suffering as a natural part of love, when really it is not. This new type of therapy seeks to break you out of this harmful pattern by placing you in a physical relationship with someone else."
Harley stared at him in horror. "You can't make me…"
"Indeed we can, Dr. Quinzel," interrupted Dr. Arkham. "But we do not wish it to come to that. We wish you to be interested in curing yourself of your madness. And the person we wish for you to engage in physical relations with is a man all women want. A handsome, strong, upstanding man. A hero."
Harley's horror grew. "You can't mean…"
"I mean if you voluntarily submit yourself to Batman, he will make you a free woman," murmured Dr. Arkham. "A permanently free woman. You will be out of here forever, as long as you agree to…minister to his physical needs. Come, child, it would be a welcome relief from that clown…"
"That clown is my husband!" shrieked Harley. "And I would never cheat on him!"
"Dr. Quinzel, how many times must we reiterate that your marriage was all in your head, and never occurred in reality?" sighed Dr. Arkham. "Two mad people cannot be married. I think it is a most generous offer on the part of our benefactor. You cannot do better than a hero."
"He's not a hero!" hissed Harley. "He's a monster, a horrible, filthy, disgusting monster, and I would rather die than…"
"Choose your words carefully, my dear," interrupted Dr. Arkham, softly. "If you do refuse this offer, we will be forced to explore a different type of therapy. One which I believe you will find far less pleasant."
"Do your worst!" hissed Harley. "I will never cheat on Mr. J!"
Dr. Arkham smiled and rose. "You are tired from your latest abuse by the Joker," he murmured. "I will give you some time to consider it."
"I don't need time!" shrieked Harley as he left her cell. "I will never do it, do you understand?! Never!"
The door to the cell block slammed shut. "You should consider it," murmured Ivy from next door. "It's not so bad. Better than being in here."
"I could never break Mr. J's heart like that," whispered Harley. "That would be worse than anything in the world."
"J would understand," murmured Ivy. "To spare yourself pain, to free yourself…that's what he'd want, even if he had to suffer for it."
"No," repeated Harley, firmly. "No, Red, I can't even bear to think about it…" She broke off sobbing, burying her face in her hands.
The door to the cell block opened again. "Ivy, Batman's waiting for you outside," muttered one of the guards, opening her cell door.
Ivy smiled in relief. "See? I'm outta here, Harley," she whispered. "Not so hard…and it's worth selling yourself to be free, isn't it?"
The door to the cell block slammed shut again and Harley was left alone. She curled up on her bed again, crying and trying not to panic.
She didn't know how long she sat there, but it must have been hours, when she suddenly heard a soft, grating sound. She looked around, terrified, and noticed that the grate on the floor was shifting. She cast about for something to use as a weapon, when the grate slid off and the Joker slowly emerged from the hole.
"Puddin'!" she gasped, shocked and relieved. And then horrified, to see how battered and bruised he was, as he gingerly tried to pull himself up. She rushed to help him, lifting him gently onto the bed and laying him down.
"Puddin'…how did you…why did you…?" she gasped, tears filling her eyes as she smiled at him. "You know what would happen to us if they found you in here? Are you crazy?"
"Obviously," he retorted, smiling at her.
She beamed, and kissed him tenderly. "Did they beat you again?" she whispered, stroking his hair back.
"Mmm. Good thing I love pain," he added, smiling. "How was your therapy, sweets?"
Harley's smile fell. "It…hasn't happened yet," she murmured. "But they want me to…they want me to…"
She looked down at the floor. He tilted her chin up. "Tell me, Harley," he murmured.
She squeezed her eyes shut. "They've offered to release me permanently if I…become Batman's mistress."
He was silent. "I said no, of course," she continued. "I would never do something like that…I couldn't bear the thought of cheating on you, puddin'…"
"What are they going to do if you refuse?" he asked, quietly.
"I…I dunno," she stammered. "Something bad. But I could never accept that kinda deal…"
"No," murmured Joker. "And we all know how seriously Batman takes deals anyway. He'd probaby dump you back in here the moment he tired of you."
She nodded. "What…can we do, puddin'?" she whispered.
"Right now? Nothing," he replied. "But don't you worry, sweets. I'm gonna find us a way outta here. We escaped once – we can do it again."
"I…I dunno how much time I got before…" began Harley, but she trailed off.
He cupped her face gently in his hands. "So we better not waste a moment of it," he murmured. "We're together, Harley. That's all that matters right now."
She lay down next to him, hugging him tightly. He planted a kiss on the top of her head. "Try to sleep," he murmured, wrapping his arms around her gently. "Mr. J's here. And he's not gonna let anyone hurt his Harley girl anymore."
As she drifted off to sleep in his arms, Joker tightened his embrace. He wouldn't be breaking his promise this time.
