Escaping with Ivy made The Riddler wonder why he hadn't tried it before. Three guards rounded the corner outside their cell block and immediately she lashed out with her vines, poisoned thorns piercing their skin. They froze on the spot, Ivy smiling seductively as she walked up to them. "Come along my pets," she cooed and The Riddler raised an eyebrow as they all nodded assent, falling into step behind her like the mindless zombies they were now. As one the group of five moved down the corridor to the vault where all inmate gear was stored. With a nod of thanks, The Riddler walked over to his suit, tsking at the sloppy way it was hung up.

"Eddie," Ivy sighed his name and The Riddler tensed, not liking her tone, "I'm sorry about this, really I am." He whirled, the sight of the thorn flying to his neck spurring him into action. Blindly he reached behind him, grabbing onto the familiar curve of his cane handle. He brought it up just in time to deflect her thorn, her howling as the tip snapped off.

"Really now Pamela?" he asked with annoyance. "I brought you a flower and everything."

"You helped, but Mother Nature needs no man," she sneered and before he could react he felt vines climbing up his legs, sharp thorns digging into his pants and the flesh beneath them.

"Poison?" he asked as the world swirled dark around him.

"I don't want to kill you Eddie," she said as she walked up to him, pressing a gentle kiss to the corner of his lips. "You'll wake up in a few hours."

"Why?" he tried to ask, but as the word went to leave his lips she released her hold on him and he collapsed bonelessly to the concrete floor.

XxX

Harley heard the alarm sound, indicating an inmate was trying to escape. She glanced at The Joker still crouching on her borrowed desk, a letter opener held in his hands as he twisted it around, catching the light menacingly. "What's the chatter boys?" he asked his guards and Harley turned her eyes from the gruesome scene to see one touch his earpiece.

"Riddler and Ivy broke out."

"Guess greenery is his thing!" The Joker chuckled and Harley cut her eyes back to him. "Now... my sweet Harley," he licked his red coated lips and she swallowed hard, "let's play-"

"Boss," one of the guards stepped forward and The Joker whirled on him. The man tensed but continued with his words anyway, a slight tremor in his tone. "We need to get you back to your cell. Ivy is on her way and if she hits us with that poison of hers..." The Joker snarled and leapt off the desk, jabbing the letter opener into the man's jugular. Harley screamed and leapt to her feet, horrified beyond belief that he just did that. Blood poured from the wound like a geyser as The Joker just howled with laughter, his men shaking as they raised their weapons.

"Take me back to my cell," The Joker said as the man fell to the floor, his blood flowing much slower now as his hand slipped from the wound lifelessly. The door to the office burst open, five new guards armed and aiming their weapons at The Joker.

"Down on the floor Freak!" the leader shouted behind his riot mask and The Joker gave Harley a wink as he was shoved out of her office, a laugh leaving him that made her shudder.

"Stay in here for now Doctor," one man said firmly and she nodded as she sat behind the desk again, willing her eyes to look anywhere but the fresh bloodstain and body on the floor. "We'll give the signal when we're all clear." With that he left, closing the door behind him. Harley doubled over, tears and a frightened sob strangling their way from her.

XxX

The doctors were gathered in a large meeting room, the overhead light humming above them distracted Harley from the first of the conversation. "...but The Riddler is in the infirmary."

"Riddler?" she questioned and half of the doctors turned to face her.

"Yes, apparently they tried to scheme together and Poison Ivy turned on him, he's in a coma until her toxins are out of his system."

"Was she controlling him?" a different doctor asked and the head of the table shook his head.

"Video feed in their cells show him handing her a flower he picked from the gardens. It gave her just enough power to break them out."

"But why turn on him?" Harley mused more to herself than anyone else.

"Because they're criminals," Doctor Johnson snapped at her, Harley rolling her eyes at him.

"When is he expected to wake up?" she asked of the room and everyone began muttering.

"We don't know," a feminine voice spoke up and Harley looked to the slight frame of Doctor Young. "He could be out for hours, days... it depends on how his body fights the toxins."

XxX

Harley sat beside The Riddler's bed in the infirmary, the first and only volunteer to do so. She stared at the dark green marks on his skin, his normal complexion pale and sickly. This was completely unprofessional, Harley knew that, but let her hand touch his hair gently. She brushed a few stray strands from his face, trying to keep calm and her mind on anything other than the horror she had witnessed not a few hours ago.

"I wish she hadn't poisoned you," she whispered to the sleeping man in the bed, "but selfishly I'm glad you didn't get away." She smiled at her own foolishness, shaking her blonde head before lowering it to her hands.

"Harley?" She jerked her head up quickly, her eyes finding The Riddler's on her curiously. "Why are you here?"

"You're awake," she beamed at him, wanting to hug him.

"It happens," he said with a half hearted smirk. Then the smirk fell as he tried to move. "She turned on me... I should've seen that coming."

"You're safe now," Harley said quickly, a blush crawling up her cheeks as he regarded her silently. "What?"

"It seems I have my own guardian angel," he said softly, his hand taking hers gently. Harley let him, her heart speeding up as his grin lazily crawled up his lips. "No one else would have stayed Harley... Thank you." He brought her hand to his lips and kissed it gently, his lips brushing over her knuckles feather light.

"Anytime Eddie," she said a little breathlessly and he lowered her hand back down, still holding it.

"How did Joker treat you?" he asked, his voice taking on a dangerous quality.

"I found out he has several guards working directly for him," she said carefully and he smirked. "Do you?"

"I might," he responded cryptically. "It doesn't matter though, not in the grand scheme of things. What does matter is that you're safe."

"Why does my safety matter?" Harley asked and he smirked as he shut his eyes slowly.

"Because kindness begets kindness Harley." He released her hand and folded his over his chest, the picture of a sleeping man and she rolled her eyes.

"I've treated you as any human should be treated Eddie, nothing more."

"It's more than anyone else," he said as he cracked one eye open and looked at her. "Never doubt what kindness can mean to someone who's known too little in their time." His eye slid shut again and she smiled when she realized he had fallen asleep. The door to the infirmary opened and she turned to see Doctor Young standing there.

"He woke up for a minute, now he's back out," she said and the doctor nodded.

"I'm here to relieve you, go home Harley." Harley smiled down at The Riddler fondly before standing up to go.

XXX

Sorry this update took a bit! Shout out to my reviewers last chapter: kattenmusen10, the guest, and Jimson Hardy Jr (my babe and his dorky reviews make me laugh). Anyway, let me know what you think! Much love, Leigh.