Thank you so very much to the two lovely people that left reviews on my story, I was over the moon to hear that you both liked it. I did try to put in the effort of making the chapter longer, previously I was going by 4 full pages for each chapter. However due to request I have made this one a bit longer and it is 7 pages worth of writing. Phew it was a lot to go with but I still managed to write what I wanted at least.
On a side note thanks for being patient, it is a tad late but I've had a really stressful and hectic week. But I should have enough free time now since I'm on holiday.
Disclaimer: I don't own the DC character's DC Comics does.
Chapter seven
The breath of the male that stood behind her tickled her right ear causing Harleen to shiver slightly. A firm hand placed itself unwelcomingly on her hip but she didn't budge instead her eyes went narrow and the grip on the pen tightening again.
"Why didn't you come see me today?" the voice whispered in her ear.
Harleen moved her head away from his breath slightly before answering.
"I didn't have time. I had more, important things to do." She sternly growled. The unwelcome hand slipped itself round to her stomach forcing her closer to the body behind her.
"And I suppose having your break in here, rather than the staff lounge was too, important for you to come see me as well."
"At the time maybe not, but now I realize it was extremely important!"
"You're avoiding me." the voice was low and threatening.
"Maybe I am." Harleen whispered harshly back.
Her body was quickly spun around and she now faced the tall figure that pushed up against her, she cringed at the weight of his body on her and tried not to fall back on the desk.
"What do you want?" she hissed at him.
"You, baby. I've waited long enough don't cha think? I'm up for stage two." Seductively he whispered in her ear, his breath moving closer to her neck.
Harleen gripped the pen and moved her arm in position to stab him but gasped suddenly as she was thrown off by the unexpected contact of a hand riding up her skirt, the figure chuckling at her reaction.
"Get the fuck! Away from me!" Harleen snarled quickly pushing her opponent away.
Off his guard she made a run for the door but was cut off and pinned in the corner. Stuck between the two long arms of the man that stood before her.
"Now, now, Harleen that's no way for a pretty face to talk. Just give me what I want and then, we can move on."
"Fuck you." She spat at him stabbing the pen into his ribs and pushing him over before hurrying out the door. He attempted to grab her but buckled over in pain as he pulled the silver pen out of his ribs. Harleen swiftly moved away from her office as fast as she could trying hard to hold back her tears, she made her way to the one person she knew she could get help from in a situation like this. Harleen frantically knocked on the office door of Joan, who opened it surprised to see a distort Dr Quinzel at her door.
"Harleen? Are you alright?" Joan questioned her.
"I- I need to talk to you, it's important." Harleen responded to her a slow stream of tears falling down her face.
Joan nodded and immediately let her in, she offered Harleen a seat and poured her a glass of water. Harleen frantically wiping her tears.
"What happened, Harleen?" Joan asked curiously with concern.
Harleen took a deep breath and looked at Joan before responding. "It's… Hugh."
"Dr Baytoven? The one you have been with for the past weeks, right?"
Harleen felt stupid and nodded in response to the statement.
"What about him?" Joan pushed on.
Harleen looked at her hands and sniffed slightly before answering. "He- He tried to." Harleen stuttered wiping away the few tears that stained her cheeks.
"Tried to what Harleen?"
"He tried to force himself on me! He tried to, to rape me." She blurted out cupping her face in her hands. "Stupid, fucking, asshole….. I trusted him, I trusted him!" She looked at her lap disgrace and disappointment in her eyes as she sighed heavily.
Joan looked at her slightly disturbed by the knowledge she had just been told. "It's not your fault Harleen. Don't blame yourself for this. I'll talk to Dr Arkham, see what can be done about this, and I'll be sure to see that Dr Baytoven doesn't stay with us for much longer."
"Okay" Harleen sniffled slightly, thoughts raced through her head amazingly she wasn't surprised by his act. She knew all the chivalry he had shown was too good to be true, he only wanted one thing and she felt stupid for acting out so desperately. She didn't even like him truly, he was just a distraction she needed. To get her mind off the Joker. Not that it entirely worked, she still thought about him and his charm. Still visited him every morning, thinking about how sad it was to see him becoming weak. She always compared him with Hugh, he was so much more interesting. 'Joker would never do, what Hugh did to me. He's above this kind of crap.' she thought to herself. She came out of her thoughts and thanked Joan for talking with her. She left to go back to her office leaving Joan quite surprised at the sudden recovery of the previously fragile women that sat in her office.
Harleen made a detour and went to the armoury department, after being granted access through several security points she walked over to a shelf with a small box. "Pepper spray… Perfect!" She squeaked in a hushed voice, before turning around and leaving. Many of the security guards looked at her confused as she walked out with nothing of importance in her arms. Cautiously she walked back to her office the door was closed and she carefully opened it peering in the room for any evidence of a hidden person. Harleen relaxed herself turning to this time shut and temporarily lock her door, she sighed in relief and moved over to her desk.
She began organising her papers and setting up her computer. Sitting down in front of it she pulled out a small article from the inside of her white lab coat and placed it on the desk before proceeding to take off her coat and hanging it over the chair. She glanced at the article that sat on the desk next to her and began to transfer the words onto a document on her computer, she felt bad for taking the article from Jonathan's file but she knew in her mind it was for a better cause. Especially if it meant helping her Joker. Besides she would be able to put it back once she had finished writing the rest of her notes.
After about two hours spent in her office Harleen decided it was a good opportunity to put the article back, she put her coat back on and made sure to lock her office door before scooting down the halls to the files room. She once again entered the large room and flicked the light switch, tall filing cabinets once again came into Harleen's view. She scaled down the same row she went down before, scanning the letters in her mind as she passed them.
When she reached J she scrolled through them until she found Jonathan's, carefully she replaced the small article with the same papers she first took it from then placed the folder back in the draw. For a short moment she paused, then flicked through the rest of the files. There were about 30 behind Jonathan's but at the very back of the draw she found what she was curiously looking for. An old skinny cream file labelled 'Joker'. She pulled it out and opened it, an old picture of the Joker was paper clipped to a questionnaire, she read over it briefly and he had produced similar answers to the ones he had given her only in less detail. Harleen looked over another page in the folder it was a physicals test.
Enhanced physical strength despite deceiving body build.
Enhanced agility.
Nerve damage to scarred tissue around mouth, no sensations.
Enhanced reflexes.
Data not recorded.
Data not recorded.
Data not recorded.
Data not recorded.
Intrigued by the data she couldn't help but smirk at the fact some information was missing, she knew that he probably would not have been cooperative with the rest of the testing. She was slightly surprised they got recordings of his scars. She was always interested in them, how he got them. Before he went into the medical ward she was so close to finding out, but now she was back at square one again. Harleen frowned then replaced everything back in the folder, all except the black and white photo of his mug shot.
On her way back Harleen decided to stop in the lounge for lunch it was noon and she still hadn't eaten since this morning. She poured herself a well deserved coffee and grabbed her butter chicken curry from the fridge and warmed it in the microwave. She was determined to actually drink her coffee hot this time and with success she gratefully savoured its bitter texture along side the spice of her lunch. She picked a quiet corner that was away from everything else and happily ate her lunch without a care in the world, she had soon forgotten about the incident early this morning but was soon reminded when she caught a glimpse of Hugh walking over to the fridge.
She froze in her seat and stared at him holding her fork with chicken mid air, he moved from the fridge unaware she was present in the room with him but they weren't alone there were two other doctors in the room a ginger haired lady and a partially blonde man sat together quietly at a table. She locked eyes on him as he fiddle about with a container on the main bench before placing it into the microwave, grabbing a hot beverage while he waited for the microwave alarm to interrupt the silence in the room.
He turned around and caught the gaze of Harleen, she shook her head slightly to break her dazed expression before giving him a disapproving glare. Unconsciously his hand moved to his side on the inside of his coat, a small blood stain was visible from where she had stabbed him. He looked over at the other co workers before turning his face to his feet disgrace was written across it, he was saved by the ring of the microwave and evacuated the room as soon as he had gathered his meal. Harleen looked down at her fork which now bore no chicken as it fell off before it reacher her mouth, greedily she replenished it and scoffed down her meal.
Harleen sat in her office once again, the afternoon sun was shinning through the thin gaps of her blinds, she hoped that Joan was winning the argument of having Hugh dismissed, how she hated his guts. She reached into the pocket of her lab coat and pulled out the photo she took from the Joker's file. He had barely aged, the only difference was he looked more refreshed the stress of being on the street for many years hadn't fully affected him yet, but over all he still looked quite handsome; scars and all.
Not much had changed his hair was only a tad shorter, but he still wore his trade mark devilish and mischievous smile which Harleen loved. She began to wonder just how old the Joker really was, he surly couldn't be more than 40 she figured he was at least in his late 30's but she honestly didn't care how old he was, age didn't really concern her. She placed the picture on her desk and looked at the clock, she had an hour before she left for home and quite frankly she couldn't wait.
She was in dire need of an early nights sleep considering the last few nights she had been out with Hugh and or stayed up late doing research on the Joker, she yawned slightly and stretched her arms above her head. Her shoulder's have tensed up a little over the last few days and Harleen began to think about having a long hot bath when she got home, one with candles and wine. She sighed out loud 'I could even put rose petals in it, like they do in the movies.' She thought to herself smirking looking back at the photo of the Joker. 'Red rose petals, like the red rose you gave me' she thought while she continued to stare at the photo. It was nearly time for her to leave but she decided to quickly visit her patient before she left.
x-x-x
A plain white vase sat on its own on the dinning room table nothing had situated itself in it, it was empty. The women looked over at her 14 year old boy who sat at the table a comic book in front of him, but he gazed up lightly at the empty vase before returning his attention to his comic book. The women smiled slightly and gazed at the vase herself before returning her attention back to her cooking. The early afternoon was warm as summertime was setting in the suns beams settled themselves on the table lighting the room with a nice orange glow. The teenage boy turned the page in his comic once again looking at the vase then at the clock. It was about 2:30pm his eyes glanced over at his mother who still continued to prepare their dinner unaware that he was staring at her.
The boy closed his comic book and went upstairs to his room placing it back in its designated spot on the shelf. He turned to his bed and kneeled on the ground reaching under for a wooden box, dragging it out he unhooked the necklace around his neck and used the key charm to open it. Inside was a photo of his mother a pendant a couple of green, black and white marbles, a deck of cards and a jar of coins. He pulled out the jar and emptied the coins into his hand before placing them in the pocket of his blue shorts. Quickly he shoved the box back under his bed then swiftly moved downstairs.
"I'm just going to the corner shop alright mum." He told her sitting at the bottom of the old stairs putting his old grey sneakers on.
"Okay, but come straight back home I don't want to you out after 3 alright." She warned him softly and he nodded.
"Okay, I won't be long" he assured her and soon ran out the door. He jogged lightly along the road amongst the fields until he reached the main village. He walked over to the small florist shop and entered, a bell dinging behind him as the door shut. His nose filled with the fragrance of different flowers. He looked around so many colours to choose from, purple, white, yellow, pink, orange but one flower caught his eye. He grasped it gently in his hand and sniffed the sweet aroma that invited itself to fill his nose and he smiled as he exhaled its scent. Approaching the clerk he placed the flower on the counter and a pretty young brunette lady met his eyes.
"Just the one?" she said to him in a soft tone.
"Yes, just the one" He said smiling as he stared at the flower.
"Okay, is it for someone special?" she giggled lightly as she grabbed the flower gently and checked the tag laced around it.
"You could say that."
The lady wrapped a white ribbon around the base of the flower bud before handing it to the boy. He smiled warmly up to her as he gave her the change he had in his pocket.
"Thank you." He gently grasped the flower in his hands and went to leave.
"Your welcome." She called after him just as he left.
The boy swiftly jogged back down the roads and past the fields back to his cottage house. He quickly ran upstairs and placed the flower on his bed then took his shoes off placing them back in their usual spot. He gently grabbed the rose and took it down stairs his mother was still busy preparing dinner not noticing her son with the flower, he carefully put it on the table then grabbed the white vase taking it to the sink and filling it with a little bit of water. His mother finally noticed what he had bought when he placed the flower in the vase and set it in the middle of the table. She smiled at him proudly and gave him a sweet hug, which he took greedily.
Later that night the dreaded thuds of a drunken man echoed off the walls of the house as he stormed in. The boy quietly sat up stairs reading comics a sudden crockery smash pricked his ears and he soon became alarmed. Screaming started coming from the man down stares and the cries of his mother soon followed. The boy knew he had to stay out of the way but he was getting older and more impatient with the violence that put him to sleep each night.
He quietly crept down stairs and stuck to the shadows. His father roared accusing his mother of cheating, the white vase laid broken on the floor next to the table the delicate flower laid amongst the debris. The boys eyes widened with anger and tears, his mothers explanations where ignored a hesitant tone of mercy in her words as the man smashed her head on the edge of the table. Blood from her mouth stained her lips trickling down the side of her face and marking the table. Each smash of her head to the table made a thicker stream of blood run from her mouth, so much that it dripped off the table and stained the flower. The boy grew reckless as he watched his father ruin one of the most perfect memories he could ever have and intervened when the man pulled out a knife. He tackled his large frame the unsteadied man taken by surprise but quickly recovered.
"Jack! No!" The call of his mother's voice rang in his ears, but he blocked it out. His fathers raged figure charged at him tackling him to the ground pinning him next to the broken vase, his father gripping his face as he struggled to break free. In an attempt to push him off the boys mothers pulled at the weight that held her son down only to be thrown off, her tears flying with her.
"Why, so, serious!?" The man on top of him roar in his face and with two swift swipes the boy cried in pain as his cheeks burned and blood filled his mouth, spitting it out over the blood red rose that he had bought. The blood red rose that symbolised his last real happy moment. Screams emitted from the boys mother as she kicked off the man that dangled over her son. The boy in shock quickly got up and ran out of the house, and he kept running and running. Trying his best to hold onto the last of his salvation, the last image of his sanity. The last scent and image of that one blood red, rose.
x-x-x
Harleen ran a hot bath and lit candles after adding rose scented bath salts and rose petals to the rushing water, before walking into her kitchen and grabbing a bottle of wine and a glass. It was only 7:30pm but she planned on going to bed early, carefully she placed the bottle on the side of the bath the wine glass down with it. She moved into her room and stripped down wrapping her white towel around her curvy figure tightly she pulled her hair out of its tight bun and brushed it out gently with her fingers moving back to the bathroom which now smelled completely of roses.
She stopped the running water and hung her towel on the rack of the door then slowly eased herself into the water, sighing heavily she let the heat sink into her skin and sooth her tense muscles. For a little while she twiddled her fingers in the water flicking petals around her gazing at the steam that rose from the water. She loved the colour of these roses, their blood red hue tainting the water to look a slight pink. She never used to think so much for roses, at least not till the Joker had given her one in thanks after she visited him when he was first in the medical ward for injured ribs. She gathered a heap of petals then flicked them all away, pouring herself another glass of wine which she drank in a matter of minuets.
After washing her hair, shaving her legs and fiddling about she decided to finally hop out of the bath. She collected all the petals placing them in a bowl with water then pulled the plug, the water gurgling as it slipped away down the drain. Wrapping her hair in a towel Harleen began to hum a made up tune that echoed around her, she patted her light cream skin dry and tightly wrapped another towel around her. Exiting the bathroom along with the bottle of wine abandoning the glass on the side of the bath, she took a big gulp of the wine and sculled it down regretting the action as it burned her throat. Coughing slightly she set the bottle on her dining table then took off the towel on her head ruffling her hair in it before hooking it over the back of a chair. Picking the wine bottle back up she wobbled over to her apartment window and opened it allowing the cool breeze to flick at her damp hair.
She stared out over the roof tops and sighed, the sky was clear the moon was full and the air was cold. Mid Autumn was making itself known and Harleen couldn't wait for Christmas to be here soon, she loved Christmas, especially the Christmas trees. She attempted to take another drink from the wine bottle unconsciously whacking it against the wall breaking the top half off the glass cutting her fingers lightly as it was knocked out of her hands. Wincing slightly she watched as the other half fell out of the window smashing in the ally way bellow, the sound echoing amongst the streets near by.
"Shit." Harleen whispered looking down the side of her apartment building. 'Eh' she thought to herself and walked back to the kitchen of her apartment, carefully she took out her first aid kit rinsing her hand in the sink before applying a bandage. She decided that it was time to go to bed and settled herself into her bed sitting up and leaning against the head board, she examined her hand the bandages where already stained red from the bleeding but she dismissed it and figure it would hold till morning. She proceeded to turn off her beside lamp but paused when she saw the picture of the Joker, she wondered where she left it and made a mental note to take it with her when she left in the morning. Yawning once more she flicked her lamp off and settled into a comfortable position before drifting to sleep.
x-x-x
In the morning Harleen sleepily looked at the photo of the Joker grasping it in her small hands gently, her eyes focused and she suddenly had and idea. She put the picture on the dining table before taking a quick shower and getting dressed. She gathered her keys and put the photo in her briefcase, locking her apartment door she dashed quickly down to her car and pulled away quickly. She was five minutes late to work and dashed to her office to put her briefcase away. She exited and locked her office then raced down the halls to the medical ward and quietly entered, she walked over to the Joker's room and gazed through the window sighing in relief to see him still asleep.
Cautiously she entered the room seizing up slightly when she saw him twitch at the sound of the door clicking shut, she walked to the side of the bed and looked over him she was glad his results would arrive tomorrow. She missed there talks in their sessions. Her breath caught in her throat after she sighed out loud making him rustle slightly, she looked at the clock in the main room through the window, it was nearly 8:30am and she needed to get back to work. She waited another five minutes before leaving the room and returning to her office.
Around ten minutes after Harleen had left the room the Joker woke to the scent of something familiar. When he looked to the side of his bed his green eyes grew wide at the sight of an upright, single, blood red rose with a small note attached. 'See you soon ~ Q'.
Had a busy time writing this mostly because it's a lot bigger than the other chapters and so I had to think a bit harder to bring it to the conclusion I wanted. I really hope its alright, I do have major plans as to what happens in the future especially since the Joker's test results will be back soon. Hint, Hint, Nudge, Nudge. Ha-ha.
Next chapter is due between 27th Nov. 2015 - 3rd Dec. 2015 .Please review I would love to hear more feedback! Also fav, follow etc and please stay tuned. Thanks again. R.E
