Alright My Little Freaklings :) So Sorry I've been gone for a while. Life, sadly, gets in the way of life... if only Gotham were real. If my spelling is bad, i apologize ahead, I'm enjoying Cake flavored Vodka. Its awesome!
A special shout-out to my good friend, Beefpie who messaged me to get off my butt and write more. LOL thanks dearie!
There will be No spoilers, you must read!
I do not own Batman, DC comics, it's affiliates or parents. Not even the distant cousin removed twice on the mother's side..
Harleen didn't remember walking down the halls of the penitentiary. Or out the main entrance. Only when it began to rain did she realize she was outside. She blinked a bit and looked around her. She was walking through the grass, completely oblivious to the dirt path and paid for it with mud and flecks of grass on her heels. Eh, a little water, a paper towel, all fixed. She knew she had to get out of the rain quickly, but wasn't looking forward to going straight to the Warden's office. What would he say about the session? Would he be pleased enough to let her keep him as a patient? She hadn't taken down a single note.. she could always say she didn't want to be distracted and would review the recorder. Yeah, that sounded about right.
As expected, Dr. Leland was waiting for her by the entrance of the Arkham Mansion. Look professional, smile, courteous...
"Ah, Harleen, I see you tried to stay out of the rain, I too just had to rush in," Dr. Leland said, starting to walk with her. Apparently this was her ice breaker for asking Harleen about Joker.
"Yes. It seems the rain won." Harleen did her best to appear friendly toward her but truth be told, she felt a little hostile toward the veteran doctor. She scoffed at Harleen's hopes and goals, belittled them behind her back... it's no wonder the patients didn't open up to them. They reached the doors of the Warden's office and before Harleen knocked, she turned to Dr. Leland, smiling brightly.
"Thank you for your help, I'll let you know how the review went with Warden Sharp." The statement was spoken with friendliness, but it was also clear that Dr. Leland was not invited. Dr. Leland looked a bit taken aback that the intern was casting her aside.
"Yes, well, I would very much like to hear about it. Good luck, Dr. Quinzel," She responded curtly and turned down the hallway. Harleen smiled a bit to herself. It was the first time in a long time she really stood her ground, even for something so little as this. Before she knocked Warden Sharp's 'Come in" was heard and she entered the large office. He was sitting at his desk, per usual. A coffee long forgotten off to the side of the desk on a stack of papers, forms piled haphazardly here and there, but the center of his desk was cleared away, as if he dropped whatever he was doing and was ready to focus on this. Screens buzzing around them were the only noise at first. He gestured to a chair for Harleen to sit, which she did.
When neither spoke right away, she reached into the pocket of her white doctors' coat and set the recorder down in the center of the cleared away spot on his desk. Warden Sharp almost looked apprehensive at it, as if afraid of what it might relay. Giving a reassuring smile, she hit play and leaned back in her chair as it played.
Half an hour later the recorder 'clicked', indicating it was done. Warden Sharp stared at it for a moment then looked at Harleen, face wiped of any expression. Harleen's stomach was in knots from the tension. Although she enjoyed hearing Joker's voice, she kept her face calm the whole time. Showing only what the warden wanted to see was imperative. After a few more moments, she couldn't take it anymore.
"How do you think I did?" Probably not the best approach, but it got to the point. She bounced her leg nervously, hoping for a good answer.
Clearing his throat, he said "You laughed." His eyes showed he wasn't happy.
Aw, crap. "Yes, I did. But I needed to." She hoped he would believe her. If she told him that she actually found him funny, she may get a cell here too.
"Come again, Dr. Quinzel?" He now showed confusion on his face. And concern. He leaned forward resting his hands on his desk, folding them together. Almost as if he were praying.
"I wanted to show a bit of familiarity with him. I thought that if he felt he could get me to laugh, perhaps he would want to talk a bit. And he actually did." This was good, she was surprised she was pulling this off. "Perhaps using his persona he enjoys so much could have potential in getting more responses."
Sharp stared at her for a minute. No other emotional showed other than deep thought. She could tell because he kept squinting his eyes more and more.
"Yes, I will commend you on getting him to talk about a.. sensitive subject." When Harleen's brows furrowed a bit, he went on. "You see, you hit a sore spot for him right away. Most doctors that bring up the subject of Batman usually regret it. But, surprisingly, he expressed ideas with you. We can't assume he told the truth or if he lied. All we can know is that he spoke to you. For that reason alone, I will allow a second session. Let me know when you would like to schedule and I will speak to Officer Cash about it."
Harleen thought for a moment. If she wanted to keep momentum going and not risk Joker shutting down, she'd need to talk to him again, sooner.
"Actually, I'd like to have it tomorrow," she said, slightly holding a breath.
Warden Sharp shook his head a bit. "No, I don't think that would be wise, Dr. Quinzel. Joker is a.. special kind of patient. Wouldn't want to give the wrong impression."
"And what impression does that give, Warden, other than I want to help him?" Harleen knew she was pushing the envelope by disagreeing with him. She was an intern, and could easily be fired.
"I beg your pardon?" Had Warden Sharp been drinking his neglected coffee, he may have spit it out.
Uh oh. Abort! Abort! "Please trust me on this. I may have been a little afraid to speak to him, and I still am a bit, and I know I'm new but I feel this is the right thing to do."
Sharp let out a sigh and rubbed his eyes behind his glasses. Harleen just sat there, biting her lip hoping she could talk to Joker soon.
"Alright.. alright. But! And let me be clear: If he shows any sign of trying to persuade you to loosen his restraints, tries to come within 3 feet of you, you must end the session and inform me immediately. Joker tends to win people over who give him too much trust. Always keep yourself distant."
Harleen smiled her biggest smile. She stood up and took his right hand in hers, shaking it. "Thank you so much, sir. I really appreciate it!"
"Yes, yes. Good day, Dr. Quinzel," Warden Sharp said, waving her off as she left his office.
Harleen exited the Arkham Mansion again. She didn't feel like going down to her office and since her session was over for the day, she had no other tasks to do but process paperwork. Being a psychiatrist to a patient meant you now had to 'approve' everything in their life with a signature. Knowing she would need caffeine for this, she headed back out to the penitentiary wanting to get a soda from the cafeteria. The rain had stopped, although the clouds still loomed. She wondered if the Gotham weather report read "partly sunny" ever. Once through the main doors she began the habit of swiping her card as she went.
The cafeteria was, again fairly empty. Only a handful of staff, a few patients. She noticed one of the patients was Pamela Isley sitting in the only sun rays in the room. Her female doctor seemed to flirting with a male nurse at the moment at a different table. Once Harleen grabbed her Dr. Pepper and a chocolate pudding snack, she headed over to the table Pamela was sitting at, when she was nearly there, she noticed the restraint cuffs around her ankles to the chair.
"Mind if I sit here, Ms. Isley?" she asked warmly, motioning with her hand that currently had a soda.
Poison Ivy just sat there, eying her with suspicion and immediate distrust. "Why?" she spat back at her.
"Well, this is the only table that ever gets sunlight, and I enjoy sitting in the sun when I can, besides I figured you might want some company since your doctor seems to be.. preoccupied." Harleen glanced over at the said doctor, rolling her eyes. They should be focused on the cares and feelings of the patients, not their own life, Harleen thought.
Ivy gave a forced laugh. "Why interrupt her chances? That prude needs to lighten up." She looked from the doctor back to Harleen, sizing her up. "Whatever, I don't care what you do," she said with a bored air.
Smiling, Harleen pulled the chair out, plopping down happily. "Thanks!" She opened up the pudding cup and dug her plastic spoon, getting a heaping gob to put in her mouth. At the first bite she sighed in bliss, about to shovel another spoon in when she looked up to see Ivy looking at her with revulsion. Suddenly very self conscious, Harleen began wiping around her mouth.
"How can you eat that crap? It's junk food!" Ivy looked at her as if she were a mother scolding a teenager.
"I like sweets and it makes me feel better," Harleen replied. She bit her lip then, wondering if she should be discussing personal stuff like comfort food with a patient.. then again.. it's not as if she were giving away her address. And what was wrong with being friendly?
Ivy shook her head and turned her face toward the few rays of sun that came through the window. The leaves moving on Ivy's skin distracted Harleen's attention for a moment. The vines seemed to weave in and out of her skin, as if she really were a walking plant. The leaves moved with her fluid motions, looking as if they needed to reach the sun with all their might. As if sensing Harleen's stare, Ivy looked back at her.
"What are you gawking at?" Ivy demanded, words heavy with warning.
Harleen snapped her eyes up and blurted out, "Nothing! Well.. um, your leaves move. I just hadn't seen them up close."
Ivy smiled a bit to herself as she gazed down lovingly at her skin. "They are beautiful, aren't they?" She stroked a leaf on her forearm and the leaf responded by curling itself around her fingertip, as if it was hugging her. Harleen watched, fascinated.
"Yes." Harleen said. Not knowing what else to say.
Ivy looked at her with contempt. "Oh, sure. You probably have a neglected plant at home that you're waiting to throw away. That poor darling fighting desperately to live in this disgusting environment you meat sacks have built. Turning beauty into filth... You're all the same!" The last part was laced with a venomous tone. Ivy crossed her arms and raised her head to the sunlight in an indifferent manner.
"Actually, I don't have any. I'm not home enough to. And it doesn't help that I'm absentminded. So no plants, no cats, no fish. I figure if I know I'll forget, why bother. (Putting another spoonful of pudding in her mouth.) But I do enjoy looking at them. Flowers are very pretty. And seem to make a room cheerful, ya know? (Sip of soda) I wish they'd liven up this place with some flowers, but no one seems to care how it looks. They-"
Harleen stopped short when she realized 1) she was rambling 2) her new york accent had slipped through and 3) Ivy was watching her out of the corner of her eye.
"Sorry," she said, regaining composure, "I'll stop bothering you. You probably have enough doctors blabbing at you, huh?" She started to get up, slightly embarrassed, when Ivy turned toward her and spoke.
"You don't have to leave." Ivy's head turned toward the sun again but she kept her eyes on Harleen. "At least you have enough sense to know you're irresponsible."
"Oh, um.. thanks?" Harleen half asked/half said. She readjusted herself back in her seat when Ivy's doctor came over, as if just noticing Harleen was sitting there.
"Hello. I'm so sorry I didn't come over sooner, I was discussing scheduling with a coworker," the nameless doctor said.
"Yeah, I'll bet," muttered Ivy. Her doctor shot her a look then softened her features again, turning her attention back on Harleen.
"Anything wrong, Dr...?" she started.
"Quinzel. Dr. Quinzel. Nice to meet you. And no, nothing is wrong. Ms. Isley was nice enough to let me sit with her and try to soak up some Vitamin D for the day."
"Oh, well that was very kind of her. Dr. Quinzel? I heard you have the Joker as your patient. Well, I wish you all the headache medicine in the world for that one. Unfortunately, Pamela's time is up. Come along, dear." The doctor motioned to two orderlies who came over quickly, as if waiting to assist. As they unshackled her, Harleen soon realized why. The orderlies would brush up against her leg or touch her arm, although it wasn't necessary. Nothing that could get them into trouble, but to Harleen, it was clear that Pamela didn't like it.
"Have a nice day, Ms. Isley," Harleen said cheerfully, as they escorted her away.
Ivy just looked back at her as if to say 'you're kidding, right?' making Harleen laugh under her breath. Ivy lips twitched into a half smirk, which Harleen figured was the closest thing to a smile she gave. After Harleen finished her pudding cup and drank down the rest of her soda, she felt the sugar coursing through her and decided to take a walk. Seeing how she was already in the penitentiary, she figured why not around here?
She walked out of the cafeteria and turned right to go into Intensive Treatment. As she started down the main hallway, she swiped her badge as she went until she came to the 3D scanner. It was like a giant metal cylinder you had to stand in, the scanning waves were a pinkish tone that reminded her of a disco light. As if someone would want to party at an asylum, she thought half-heartily. She waited for the guard behind a glass window to activate the 3D scanner, which looked for prohibited items such as knives, guns, bombs, ect. After the scan was over, she continued toward the elevator and hit (2). She wasn't sure why she felt like going back down to the Maximum Security Wing, she just followed her feet. It was later in the afternoon and so the only lights here were the last of the sun's barely-there light coming through the high barred windows and the low hanging ceiling lights.
The lights always cast a light path on the floor down here. It always reminded her of a red carpet, only yellowish, going down to the "Super Criminal's" cells. Most staff walked along the light path, unless they had to remove a patient from their cell. It was as if one was supposed to stay in the light, as if the shadows were the buffer between the dark inmate cells and the light which felt secure. Like the shadows were a warning: Don't stray into the shadows.. it will lead to the cells.
Shaking the dark thought from her mind, she began to look around at the patient cells, most were full now. She had already passed the Mad Hatter's cell, poor Mr. Tetch was crying about a Jabberwocky coming to his cell. She wondered why no staff ever came to comfort him. Or how Pamela only received a few hours of sunlight a week, when clearly she needed more. It suddenly made her very mad. The more she thought about the needs of the patients from this so-called "Mental Health Facility," the more it seemed they didn't care about the patients at all. They were all trying to be recognized for treating or curing a patient. "You're all the same!" Poison Ivy had said. She had been right! The staff didn't care about the patients. It seemed only SHE cared for them. SHE wanted to help them. To understand them. It was infuriating! Her hands balled into fists as she continued to walk only now her walking turned into stomping down the hallway.
As she continued down the hallway, any loud chatter from the inmates surrounding her quieted to a dull murmur as they all watch her stalk down the hallway, clearly fuming. She only stopped when a familiar voice that was just a few feet from her pierced her thoughts.
"Ya know doc, I don't know whose head you're about to rip off...," Joker started from his dark cell.
She then realized that she was in the lighted path next to his cell. The only parts of him she could make out were his smile, eyes and his wiry arms crossed in front of his chest. He moved closer to the glass door of his cell and stood with both hands on the glass, arms stretched out and head down as if he wanted to push the door down with all his might.
"But...," he started again, head snapping up, a wicked grin looking like he wanted to rip something as well, ".. I hope I'm invited. HaheheheHaHa!"
