The next few months did seem to fly by to Harley. Every day she woke, ate the food they gave her, took the pills to make her baby stronger, and chatted with Dr. Leland every couple of days talking about whatever the good doctor wanted to know. Harley appreciated she was respecting her terms, she never directly asked about the Joker, but did write down in her clipboard quickly anytime Harley spoke his name. It was hard not to, she was in love with the guy after all...
Today Dr. Leland had come in, a bright green blouse and black pencil skirt shining through the drab white doctors coat she always wore. Her hair had been pulled up in a bun with a stylish comb propped up against her hair. Harley thought about what she would do to her hair once she got out...maybe dye it black or red or something...
"What's on your mind today Harley?" Dr. Leland asked watching as Harley drifted back to the here and now.
"Just thinking about whats going to happen after the baby" Harley said shrugging. She looked down to see her swollen belly that was getting bigger and bigger with each week that passed by. She was now almost four and a half months pregnant, and she was showing more since she was already a petite woman.
"Do you plan on giving it away?" Dr. Leland said looking at Harley carefully.
"Of course I do" Harley said shaking her head "I want it to have the best chance it can. I'm not exactly parent material with the line of work I'm in" she said with a half smile.
"Would you want a closed or open adoption?" Dr. Leland said making a note on her paper.
"Closed" Harley said thinking about it "I don't want anyone to know where it came from..."
"And why is that?" Dr. Leland asked putting the pen to her mouth.
"Let's just say I don't want the people who get this baby to know it's parents were insane terrorists" Harley said with a giggle.
"Is that what you consider yourself and the Joker to be?" Dr. Leland asked quietly.
"No that's what the world considers us" Harley said staring up at the ceiling "Nobody gets that part, chaos doesn't have a plan, it just is. Just like me, just like him, we are what we are and nothing can define us under their little boxes they love to put people in."
Dr. Leland just watched as Harley brought her eyes down to her "But yea, I guess if you have to define what we do, you could call us that. This baby is just a product of everything that's happened, but somewhere in myself, I know I gotta give it it's best shot out there. The world is cruel and mean and hard, but that doesn't mean everyone has to start out that way."
Dr. Leland only nodded as she wrote down more on her clipboard, Harley not caring anymore what she thought of her, only remembering the Joker's words in her ear the first night they had laid with one another.
"It's just me and you doll..." he had whispered "You and me against it all..."
God she missed him, she missed his smell and warmth and his touch...
"Well I think that will be all today Harley" Dr. Leland said finishing her notes "Tomorrow I've scheduled you for some open rec time so you can get some fresh air."
"Thanks doc" Harley said quietly starting to lose herself in her thoughts "That would be great.."
"Oh and I have the ultra sound results from your last appointment" Dr. Leland said holding up a small black and white picture of the baby growing inside of her.
Harley held out her hand as Dr. Leland pressed the small photo into her palm, Harley looking at it as if the doctor had just handed her the keys out of this place.
"Congratulations Harley" Dr. Leland said with a small smile "It's a girl."
Four and a half months...
"Four and a half loooonngg months" Joker mused as he lay on his bed, his hands folded up so that his head could rest on top of them. Four and a half months and not one god damn word from her. No phone call, no message, no nothing. She knew the numbers of the burner phones he kept around for a period of time, it's not like they could ever trace the number, so why the silence?
The first month had been the hardest for Joker, he thought he had sliced up about a dozen thugs in his group, but from the thinning herd downstairs it was probably more. It didn't help either that he was getting stared at by the lackies that he actually kept around for a purpose like Roach and Zig. They knew he was on edge, but as the weeks and months rolled by his steaming hatred for Harley had simmered down to a frustrated longing for her again. He would never admit that he missed her, just that he viewed her absence as annoying. He never got sad, those emotions were not real for someone like him, he was an idea, not a human being, so emotions should be non-existent with him. But when he imagined her beside him, her long blonde hair in his face, her body curved against his like it was made just for his body, he felt a small pang in his chest that he couldn't get rid of.
"Fuck" he groaned as he tried to roll over. His matted green hair that flopped in his face was starting to fade, probably because Harley did a better job at it then he ever did...
"That's it!" he growled as he bounced up from the bed and stormed out of the room. He pounded down the stairs until he came to face his merry men who were all looking scared shit less from the look on the Joker's face. Suddenly he clapped his hands and brought a twisted grin to his already permanent scarred smile.
"Alright boys" he said "It's time for daddy to bring mommy back home."
The cell door opened with a buzz as Harley looked up to see two guards walk in and approach her calmly. One was a little bigger, toned muscles and a five o'clock shadow, ex-military from his hair cut and stance from what Harley could tell. The next guy looked like some skinny college student that just took the job to pay off his student loans, he reminded Harley of a cleaner healthier Roach with his shaggy brown hair and brown eyes.
"Time for some open recreational time Dr. Quinzel" Skinny said as Ex-Mil looked at her sternly.
"Oh goodie!" Harley said standing up, her belly poking out significantly now from the small patient scrub she had received when she first got there. Ex-Mil suddenly took something out from behind him and presented her with a fluffy white robe.
"Ooooo what's this?" she said laughing "a present?"
"It's a little chilly today Dr. Quinzel" Ex-Mil said "And Dr. Leland doesn't want you to catch a cold."
"Chilly in August?" Harley said with another giggle "Guess it's going to be an early winter for you boys."
She took the robe and realized that it was actually as soft as it looked. She would have to thank Dr. Leland seeing as how she knew the asylum wouldn't provide their patients with this kind of comfort on the regular. Either Dr. Leland was just being nice or she was trying to bribe Harley into giving her something.
"Well fat chance of that" she thought as they made their way down the hallway "I haven't cracked in months and I won't be cracking anytime soon. Better just enjoy myself while I have it."
The open rec room was about as much of a joke as it was when she was working here, but at least it did have a TV like Dr. Leland promised and Harley was surprised to find a window with bars had been opened to let in the chilly fresh air. A chair had been positioned in front of it, as if the good doctor knew she would want to sit there first above all things.
Harley went to the chair and indeed sat, her eyes closing instantly as she inhaled deeply the air that blew through the window. She ignored all the stares from the other patients in the room, their eyes following her and watching her intently as she had this private moment to herself. It was very clear now to everyone why Harley Quinn was in Arkham Asylum as her pregnant figure sat quietly by herself breathing in the air that smelt like the city and the freedom that came with it.
Harley had seen the few people she recognized from her time with the Joker that the Batman had caught and contained here at Arkham. In the few seconds it took her to go from the door to the chair she had spied Jonathan Crane aka Scarecrow sitting on the couch reading a book, his quick eyes darting up to see another former doctor turned patient strolling into the rec room. Harley had also seen Killer Croc sitting by himself in the corner, his clawed hands fiddling with some cards as he only glanced at Harley and then resumed his game.
Harley breathed another deep breath in before she heard the shuffling of a chair and quiet but deliberate footsteps coming her way.
"Dr. Quinzel" Crane said behind her as he stepped in front of her and positioned himself leaning against the frame of the window.
"Dr. Crane" Harley said without opening her eyes.
"I was curious on why such a devious individual would get caught up with the Joker, let alone let herself be apprehended by the Bat, but now looking at you I see I have all the answers I was looking for" he said as a smile crept along his face.
Crane had been Harley's superior before he had overdosed himself on his own fear toxin. When she had been treating the Joker, Crane had been locked up as well and was one of her various patients she visited. Harley opened her eyes and looked over at Crane with disinterest.
"If you are referring to my figure Johnathon you are being quite rude about it" she said looking away from him to the window, her face solid as steel as she guarded herself on whatever was about to come from the Scarecrow.
"Ah yes I guess I am being rude" Crane said laughing a little to himself "That tends to happen when you've been locked up like an animal and have watched a fellow colleague run a muck with a deranged clown."
Harley looked over at him with a deadly glare, her anger spiking from Crane's comments about her Mr. J.
"Tell me" Crane said coming closer "Will the bundle of joy have a proper name? Or will you two name it something ridiculous like Bozo or Lala?"
That was it.
Harley moved pretty quick for being pregnant as her body swiftly darted out of the chair as her hands held on to the back of it and with full force picked up the steel chair and swung it right into Jonathon's face, sending the Scarecrow flying back with a nasty bloody nose starting down his full lips.
"Golly jee Dr. Crane" Harley said with a baby voice "I hated to do that but you just wouldn't shut your fucking mouth."
Guards rushed in and quickly removed Crane from the rec room as they held Harley still, afraid that she would continue the altercation. Harley remained calm, a smug look plastered on her face as she watched Crane be dragged out of the room, his violent screams cursing Harley for no doubt breaking his nose.
"Dr. Quinzel we are going to have to take you back to your room now" a guard said already leading Harley to the doors.
"Awe man boys I was just having a lil chat" Harley said pouting "He was the one that started it anyways."
As she was briskly walked out of the room Harley could swear she heard Killer Croc laugh a little to himself at her comments about Crane. Harley smiled over at the big reptile as she was firmly pushed out of the door and back to her cell.
Harley was still giggling to herself when the lights were turned out, thankful that she got some of her anger pushed out, even if it was on Crane. It look the edge off of the whole missing the Joker and being locked up while preggars.
Harley finally ceased giggling and laid down on her cot with a sigh, her mind wandering now back to the baby and if it would get the same kick out of hurting others like she did...