One more chapter to follow after this one. Enjoy and please review!
Two days later
"Eddie, I don't think you should be putting your arm around me, really," Harley told Nigma as they sat under her favorite tree after lunch. She was trying to read a small novella from the library and kept getting distracted by Nigma's trying to get closer to her and, basically, his presence in general.
Nigma looked at her with a hurt expression. "I thought you liked my company."
"I do, Eddie, but…I really don't want everyone to think that I've started dating again," Harley explained as she put down her book. "I don't want to see anyone right now. You're very sweet, but…my therapy is just beginning and…I feel I'm starting to heal. I just want to be careful. You understand, don't you?"
Nigma placed his arm back to his side and took a deep breath. "Of course," he said quietly. "I understand completely." He sniffed and stood up to leave.
"Eddie, you don't have to go," Harley said, slightly worried that she had hurt his feelings.
"I'm okay, Harley. It's just that…I'm getting a little warm out here and I need to rest before I go to laundry duty."
Harley smirked. "Laundry duty? Since when did they instill that into the volunteer program?"
"Oh, for a while now," Nigma replied, smirking back at her. "I find it soothing. Leaves me to my thoughts."
"Is that a good thing?" Harley joked, giving him a cheeky grin.
He chuckled lightly as he turned away from her. "You have no idea, my dear," he whispered to himself as he headed inside.
As the outdoor period came to a close, Harley sat up from her bench and stretched. She saw Ivy coming her way and she shouted, "Hey, Red!"
"Shhh!" demanded Ivy. "Harley, come here!"
She pulled Harley away from the bench to the other side of the tree. "What's going on?" Harley asked as Ivy looked around to make sure they were alone.
Ivy looked at her and said, "I'm busting out…tonight."
Harley looked at her, hurt. "Oh…really? But why?"
"I try to bust out every three weeks or so," she answered, casually.
"Well, I'll miss you, Red," Harley told her, sadly. "You're really…the only friend I ever had…well, I guess, save for Mistah –"
"You're coming with me, you big dork," Ivy laughed.
Harley blinked. "What? But…what if we get caught? Where would we go?"
"Take it easy, honey. I've got a small apartment under another name. No one will ever know."
Harley sighed in relief. "So…no one knows about it?"
"Well, Harvey knows where I live, but just Harvey."
"Harvey? Why does he know where you…"
"It's a long story, Harl," Ivy interrupted. "Just be ready at ten o clock. I'll come get you."
"Ivy…I just started my therapy. I'm still not over…him…yet…"
Harley's new friend smiled. "Sweetie…when you're with me, the only important thing you need to worry about…is you…" She gently cupped Harley's chin in her hand. "Ten o clock…be ready."
Harley nodded. "Okay. I'll do it. You know? I'm starting to realize who really cares for me. Thanks, Red."
Ivy chuckled. "No problem, Harl." She left Harley by the tree and began to walk inside, saying under her breath, "That, and the fact that your sweetheart won't pull his ego boxers out of his ass to come get you."
Later that night, Nigma was in the basement where the laundry facility was, and he was just about to finish another load of bed sheets when he thought he heard feet shuffling behind him. He quickly turned and looked around. "Who's there?" he called out. "Tetch? Oswald?"
No answer.
He turned back to the dryer and was suddenly caught off guard when he felt a gloved hand grasp the back of his head and slam him face first into the top of the dryer. Nigma yelped in pain and surprise, falling backwards and holding his throbbing forehead. He rolled onto his side to get up but was pushed onto his stomach, and before he could cry out for help, his perpetrator tied a bed sheet around his mouth, producing a makeshift gag.
Nigma muffled obscenities when he saw that the person responsible for the surprise attack was The Joker, now standing above him, his purple coat flowing in the air emitting from the industrial fans around the laundry machines. Nigma's breathing became ragged as he tried to crawl away, but The Joker grabbed his ankles and secured them in tight plastic ties. He turned Nigma onto his back and did the same with his wrists, and when he had made sure they were tight enough, The Joker kicked Nigma in the stomach, making him curl up into a painful ball on the concrete floor.
The Joker flipped Nigma onto his stomach again and straddled his lower back. He let him panic for a moment, but then reached out with his hands saying, "How did you get that scar, Eddie?" He pressed Nigma's left cheek into the floor as he continued to quiz him. "What's the…interesting story…behind that ridiculous scribble?" He roughly traced the punctuation-shaped scar on Nigma's cheek. "Did ya get bored in here? Got sick and tired of jackin' off every night?"
Nigma tried to struggle underneath his captor's grip, but The Joker responded by bouncing his head against the concrete. He moaned in pain through his gag. "Shh, shh, shh," The Joker sarcastically comforted. "Take it easy, Ed. I'm not gonna hurt ya…much." He paused to chuckle to himself as he pulled out his knife and put it to Nigma's throat.
"Let's have a chat, Edward, old boy," he growled as he forcefully lifted Nigma off the floor and slammed him against a dryer. The Joker stood above him and gave him a cold glare. "So…how long have you been in the laundry room gig?" He waited for an answer and then remembered that his prisoner was still gagged. He bent down and grabbed the sheet. "You scream for help…and it'll be the last thing you ever do."
Nigma coughed as The Joker pulled the bed sheet from his mouth. He took a deep breath. "A week…maybe…"
"Oh, really?" The Joker asked, feigning interest. "Funny…that's exactly how long…my Harley-girl has been here. You wouldn't happen to be 'volunteering' just so you can put your greasy fingers on her panties, now are you?"
"That's absurd!" Nigma protested. "I would never…"
"Really? Then what the hell were these doing under your pillow?"he growled as he presented a pair of red satin panties from his coat pocket and held them in Nigma's view. "And don't tell me…they're not hers…I know they are…they were a gift from me." He showed Nigma the three black diamonds that were stitched onto the left hip. His prisoner's eyes grew wider as The Joker put the panties back in his pocket and then drew his gun, eyeing Nigma darkly as he attached a silencer to it. "Start talkin'," he commanded.
"Okay," Nigma whispered. "I sneaked in here…knowing that new patients are issued new clothes…and I found the basket…with her outfit…and I …"
"Thought you'd take a little souvenir?" The Joker sneered in disgust. "Thought you'd go through another man's property?!"
Nigma was silent for a moment and then his devilish smile crawled across his face. "She isn't yours anymore, Joker," he casually stated. "She's forgotten all about you. You'd be amazed at what a tiny little pill will do to…supposed love."
The Joker glared at him. "They're medicating her, huh?"
"Oh, yes. Three times a day," Nigma grinned. "Wiping the slate clean. And when it's done…haha…she'll be mine. I've already shown her my sweet side, Joker. Only a matter of time before I get to show her my dirty side. Haha!" Nigma's high-pitched giggling echoed around the laundry room and The Joker pressed his gun into Nigma's bruised forehead, making him laugh harder. "Oooh, Joker. Why so serious?"
"You mother-fucker," The Joker whispered angrily.
"Aww, I do apologize. I guess I should have made my move before you ever did. I would have had her too…right across her desk…I would watch her as we had our sessions…playing it out in my mind…feeling her heat…hearing that cherry…pop."
The Joker cocked his gun and placed it under Nigma's chin. "You're digging your own grave, asshole."
"She doesn't have your influence anymore, Joker, and that drives you crazy, doesn't it? You're not around to 'fix' her, huh? Don't worry, old man. Uncle Eddie will make it better." Nigma gently pushed the gun away from his chin and leaned toward The Joker. "I get to smell her sweet scent every…single…day. Does it bother you…that my sheets smell like her…and yours don't?"
The Joker hit Nigma's jaw with the butt of his gun as the maniacal giggling enveloped him again. He continued to hit him as he growled in anger, and he pushed Nigma onto his side and soon his giggles became hiccups as The Joker kicked him repeatedly in the stomach.
When he stopped, he knelt down and pressed his gun into Nigma's temple, but only got a laugh instead of a plea. "What's so fucking funny?" The Joker demanded.
Nigma caught his breath and said, "Here you are…Harley's…knight in shining armor…coming to save her…hahahahaha…and…hoohoohoo…she isn't even here! Hahahaha!!!"
The Joker paused and stared at him in disbelief. He grabbed him by the collar and snarled, "What the hell are you talking about?!"
Nigma finally controlled his laughter. "She left…Ivy escaped just…haha…two hours ago…taking her new friend with her…." They stared at one another in a short, cold silence, until Nigma snickered, "Looks like I'm not the one who stole your girlfriend after all, clown! Haha!!"
The Joker threw Nigma to the ground and kicked him with incredible force in the face, knocking him unconscious and leaving him on the laundry room floor.
Ivy and Harley soon found themselves running up the back stairs of a small apartment building. "I'm on the sixth floor, Harl," Ivy whispered behind her. "Try to keep up."
"Why can't we use the elevator?" Harley panted.
"We'd be caught too easily, girl. Now, come on. We're almost there."
An hour later, Harley came out of the bathroom, drying her long blonde hair. "Oh, man!" she exclaimed. "It feels so good to take a real shower. I hated those community baths."
Ivy was busy tending to her plants that she had left unattended while she was away. "I've got an old t-shirt in my bedroom. You'll have to use that as pajamas." She turned to her fern and cooed, "Easy, baby. Mama's home."
Harley giggled. "Weird…" She rummaged through Ivy's closet and found a black shirt. The cotton felt soft against her moist skin and she wrapped her arms around herself and squeezed. She looked in the full length mirror that was on Ivy's bedroom door and smiled. "Things are lookin' up for you, Harl," she whispered to her reflection.
"You get lost, honey?" came Ivy's voice.
Harley giggled as she picked up her towel and dried her hair more. "Nah," she answered as she walked into the living room. "Hey, Red? When you said that Harvey knew where you lived and I asked you why just him…well, you never answered me."
"I told you," she replied as she gently pruned her daisies in her window sill. "It's a long story."
"Well, tell me the short version. I promise I won't tell." Harley plopped herself onto the sofa and put her feet on the coffee table. She sighed. "Please? I'll be your bestest friend."
Ivy chuckled. "Fine. Since you asked nicely and put up an equally nice offer…" Harley giggled as Ivy sat beside her. "Harvey and I…well, we used to…date…kinda…"
"Oh!" Harley exclaimed, turning toward Ivy. "How cute! I always thought Harvey was handsome…well, you know, even with his burns and all…"
"Well, like I said, you kinda have a thing for scars," Ivy laughed. "Anyway, it didn't last too long. Our…uh, careers, I guess…got in the way. We argued a lot…but the sex…oh boy…"
"Make up sex is the best," Harley sighed. "Mistah J and I…" She stopped and bit her lip. "Oh, man. I knew this would happen."
Ivy moved closer to her. "Hey, it's okay. It's hard for you right now, I know."
"But, I'm scared. All these days of therapy…and now I'm not doing it…and my meds…I'm scared I'll start having withdrawals."
"Harley, it wouldn't surprise me if they were just placebos Leland was shoving down your throat," Ivy joked.
Harley laughed and rubbed her arms. "Yeah…I should know better, huh? So what happens now, Red?"
"We lie low is what happens," Ivy sighed as she put her arms behind her head. "It'll be okay, though. I need to tend to my babies and you can have time to relax. Then…well, we'll play it by ear."
"I don't know. I tend to get cabin fever really easily."
Ivy giggled. "We won't be in hibernation too long. And don't worry about anyone finding this place. We'll be just…"
Ivy was interrupted by a loud knocking on her door and both women gasped loudly as Harley jumped to her feet. Ivy stood up and grabbed her wrist, leading her to the door. "Here," she said, handing Harley a baseball bat. "Use this if they try to come in."
"What?" Harley asked, shocked. "Where are you going to be?"
"Back here," Ivy said, holding a wrench.
"Oh, so I have to make the first blow?" Harley asked, beginning to panic.
"Harley! The papers said that you were a killer with a mallet! So, how would a baseball bat hinder you? Just use it if you feel threatened!"
"But…"
"Just go with your gut!"
The knocking came louder and Harley slowly turned the knob and threw open the door, the bat gripped tightly in her hands. "Oh, shit," she heard Ivy mumble and Harley looked in front of her to see The Joker standing in the doorway, a box under his arm.
When he saw Harley, he smiled broadly and stretched out his other arm and exclaimed, "Baby!"
For a second, Harley stared in disbelief at the man of whom she had spit in the face a week ago and of whom had turned his back on her and let her leave, obviously not caring that she spent an entire week doped out on medications and having to endure day after day of excruciating and heart-breaking therapy. Then…
"Hii-yah!" Harley shouted as she swung the baseball bat and made it land in The Joker's side.
He grunted as one of his knees hit the floor and the box dropped from underneath his arm. "Ugh…Harley! What the hell?!" Harley brought the bat down onto his back. "Ahh! Jesus Christ, woman!"
"You bastard!" Harley screamed. "How does it feel, huh? How…does…it…feel?!" She swung at him with every angry word that passed through her lips.
"Harley!" The Joker growled at her. "Stop it! I swear…OW! If you hit…STOP IT! Just one more time, you fucking harpy! AH! Son of a…" He hissed through his teeth and finally lay on the hallway floor, panting.
Ivy ran to her. "Holy hell…" she muttered as Harley put down the bat, her eyes streaming with hot tears.
They lifted their heads when they heard footsteps running toward them and saw Harvey Dent's surprised face. "What in the hell…?" he said as he looked down at The Joker, who was still grunting in pain. Two-Face looked at Harley and said, "What happened?"
Harley sniffed loudly and wiped her eyes and declared, "Ivy told me to 'go with my gut!'" She and The Joker looked into each other's eyes and Harley hid her face and ran into Ivy's bedroom, slamming the door and throwing herself onto the bed.
Ivy helped Two-Face lift The Joker to his feet and escort him to the sofa in the living room. Once they laid him down, The Joker could hear Harley's sobs coming through the bedroom door and he sighed as Ivy went into the kitchen to get a bag of ice.
Two-Face leaned over his friend and whispered, "Man…that had to be embarrassing."
The Joker gave him a vulgar gesture and closed his eyes as his muscles painfully throbbed, Harley's crying still ringing in his ears.
The 'ego boxers out of his ass' quote comes from Joker 'n' Harley. Thanks! XD