"How are you adjusting so far Chelsea?" Harley asks the woman sitting across the table from her. The young woman doesn't respond right away, instead she bites her already very short nails; a habit she developed after arriving at the women's shelter.
"Chelsea?" Harley calls out, Chelsea's vibrant green eyes shoot up towards the blonde.
"You wanna know what would help me adjust?"
"I really would."
"If every god damn shrink in in this building would stop asking me how I'm adjusting." She says frustrated
"I know this process can be frustrating bu-"
"No! You don't know! You have no clue what it's like to fear the person you're supposed to love, to have this crushing feeling that the person who hurt you for years is going to find you and kill you." She snaps. Harley swallows hard, trying her best to remain professional.
"…You're right. I don't know, but we're trying our best to help you and your daughter get back on your feet, away from him." Harley explains
"Yeah, yeah so you can teach me forgive and forget I get it." She says running her hand through her black hair.
"You don't have to forgive him." Harley states, not looking up from her notes.
"Pardon me?" Chelsea asks, stunned by Harley's response. Harley looks up from her notes and back to her patient.
"You're not obligated to forgive your abuser and anyone who thinks that you are is full of shit and is ignorant." Harley goes back to her notes. "Our time is up, unless there is anything else you'd like to discuss."
"Yeah, actually there is. I'd like to change shrinks, if i could I'd rather see you instead of Helman." Chelsea says as she stands.
"I'll see what I can do." Harley smiles at the woman, who was probably no more than 23. "Do you mind if I ask why?"
"You seem more, I don't know…relatable." She shrugs before exiting the office. Harley sadly smiles; the two had a lot in common. Chelsea had been with her boyfriend, Jeremy for almost 5 years, the first two years were fine and once the women had gotten pregnant Jeremy started getting abusive towards her and eventually their daughter, Sarah that was the reason Chelsea had left. Harley always saw a bit of herself in Chelsea, she saw herself in all of the women who came here.
Harley sighs and takes out one of her diamonds earrings and begins to run her finger over it.
"How much of a hypocrite am I?" She asks herself, thinking over the conversation that just transpired.
"You know you are Harleen." A voice echoes through head, Harley takes a sip of coffee trying her best to ignore the voice.
"Harley?" An eerie familiar voice echoes through the room, startling the blonde. But, when she looks up at the door she sees Stanley standing in the doorway.
"Holy Shit, you startled me." Harley curses, putting her coffee cup on the table.
"Sorry that wasn't my intention."
"I'm sure it wasn't." She clears her throat, her hands still shaking. Stanley walks into the room and comes around her desk, standing next to her.
"Harley, I think you're missing an earring." As he says this Harley panics, realizing she had dropped the earring that she was holding in her hand a few moments ago.
"Oh fuck." She says, her Brooklyn accent slipping through a tiny bit. She stands, hoping it would fall off her body and onto the floor, so she could have at least some idea of where it had landed.
"Is this it?" Stanley says, kneeling on the floor and holding up the little diamond stud.
"Thank you so much." She takes the earring from his hand and immediately puts it back in.
"You seem very attached to those."
"Yeah." She responds, not sure how to carry on the conversation. "A very dear friend of mine gave me them as a present years ago."
"Ah, I see." He nods, knowing that a person doesn't buy their friend $1500 gold plated earrings; the friend was obviously sleeping with Harley.
The blonde sits back down in her chair and begins to write in her day planner. As she writes she feels Stanley still standing over her, looking over the items scattered over her desk. She raises an eyebrow when she hears him chuckle.
"Who is the kid?" He asks, noticing the photo of Jonathan on the desk, sitting near the monitor. Harley glances up to it and smiles, remembering the day it was taken. Jonathan was 2 years old, he was in a bright orange rain coat and standing in a puddle with his yellow rubber boots; a huge toothy grin occupying his face.
"That's my son Jonathan."
"I didn't know you had a son. How old is he?" Stanley asks.
"He's 4 years old, I had him when I still lived in Gotham."
"Wow, well your husband is a very lucky man." He states, Harley sighs knowing where this was going to lead, as Stanley knew she wasn't married.
"I'm not married."
"Oh right. Well your boyfriend is sure lucky."
"Jonathan's father isn't in the picture at all." Harley says, uncomfortable about all the questions directed at her love life. "You know I just prefer not to talk about it."
"Oh totally, I understand. I've had my fair share of bad break ups." He laughs; Harley uncomfortably smiles at the tall lanky man.
"You've never had one with the Joker." She mutters under her breath.
"Pardon? Did you say something?" Stanley asks, unaware whether if Harley had spoken or not.
"No, I didn't say a word." Harley lies.
"Gotcha, well I should probably stop bothering you and go back to work. I have an appointment with Marion this afternoon." Stanley smiles brightly at the blonde.
"Yeah, well have a good day." Harley fake smiles back, only wanting him out of her office.
"Maybe we could grab lunch tomorrow since you've already packed lunch today." He suggests.
"Jesus this guy doesn't know when to give up does he?" The voice echoes through Harley's head again, she needed to get her prescription refilled.
"Actually I'm in and out of the schools all this week, so sorry." Harley shrugs.
"Haven't you gone to most of the schools?"
"Stanley, there are over 100 high schools both private and public throughout Brooklyn alone…I've only scratched the surface."
"It just seems you're out of your office more than you are in." Stanley responds as he goes towards the door.
"I like getting out, now if you'll excuse me I have a presentation to prepare." Harley taps her foot impatiently, wanting the man gone from her office.
"See ya Harley." He waves as he leaves. Harley stands from her desk and closes the door, discouraging any more intruders. She goes back to her desk and begins typing away on her presentation on relationship abuse.
"What is he doing do ya think?" The voice asks.
"Does it matter?" Harley responds quietly.
"You know it does. Do you think he misses me?"
"Probably not, he's an egotistical psychopath he probably doesn't notice we're gone."
"He probably doesn't notice you're gone Harleen. He only used you to bring me out to play."
"Leave me alone."
"Our puddin' loves us you know he does and when he finds us, you won't be able to help yourself, you want to be found just as much as I do."
"You're full of shit Quinn"
"Am I? You're the one who didn't change our name." The room goes silent around Harley, the voice of her former self stops. Harley taps her fingers against her desk before going to her search engine, typing in his name. The first thing that appears on the screen is a news article "JOKER ESCAPES FROM ARKHAM."
Author's note: AHHH I've started university so it's like super busy in my life. I promise to update more frequently. Thanks so much for reading I really appreciate the support that this story is getting. 3
XOXO Tamorasky.