Hope you like this chapter guys. It's a lot more based on dialogue, as I'm planning the next chapter to be very action based, and needed to get this interaction between H & J done first! Really hope it's not boring and you like where it's heading.
Thanks again to all who reviewed, favourited and/or followed the story. I love this community, and it makes me feel so supported as a writer when I see your kind words, so thank you all.
"You look busy."
Harley looked up from her desk. It took her a moment to register the face of the man standing in her doorway: it was the guard from yesterday, the one she had practically knocked over as she stormed away from the electroshock therapy room.
"Hello," Harley said politely, not entirely sure what this man was doing in her office. She only had a few minutes before her next session with Joker, and she was trying to get some ideas down on paper. She thought it might be a refreshing change of pace to actually be prepared today.
"This is awkward, isn't it?" The man asked, a shy smile forming on his face. He was attractive: dark hair and eyes, a strong jaw, good teeth. In fact, he was pretty much the epitome of 'classically good-looking', though that had never really been Harley's type.
Whoever my type is, he's been pretty well hidden for the past two years.
"I'm James," the guard began, stepping further into the office and reaching out to shake her hand. Harley stood up from her desk and presented her own hand. "Harleen."
"I think the handshake made it even more awkward," James laughed releasing his grip, and Harley had to agree. "A little, yeah. What's up?"
James looked a little nervous. "Oh right, well, this is probably going to make things even more awkward, but I thought 'hey, why not?'" He cleared his throat. "I saw you the other day and I, well, I can't seem to stop thinking about you. Ugh that sounds really creepy now I hear it aloud. But I was just wondering if you wanted to go get a drink after work? With me I mean."
Harley was taken aback. She'd not been asked out in a long time, and certainly not by anyone who looked so...well...normal. The last man to ask her for a drink, she recalled vividly, had a lazy eye and a rather pronounced limp.
And he stood me up.
"Oh!" She heard herself say, then kicked herself for sounding so surprised. "I…uh…actually, I can't. I'm busy tonight, I'm seeing a friend."
It wasn't a total lie: she'd be with Sarah after all. But for some reason, despite James' good looks and awkward charm, something didn't feel right. He was persistent though. "Ok, how about tomorrow?"
"I…I'm pretty busy this week," Harley finished lamely.
James smiled, holding his hands up in surrender. "Message received. He's a lucky guy, whoever he is." Without waiting for her response, James turned and left. Harley dropped onto her chair. Why had she done that? Here was a perfectly nice, perfectly attractive man, asking her casually to go for a drink after work, and she had shot him down. Hadn't she been feeling lately like she needed someone in her life? Someone to look after her and make her feel special? Hadn't she been daydreaming about romance?
You don't want him.
There was that voice again, the one in her head. The oh-so honest one who always said the wrong thing at the wrong time. Unfortunately for Harley, the voice had been getting a lot more ballsy recently.
He's too safe, too boring. You're looking for excitement.
I don't know anything about him, he might be very exciting.
Not as exciting as-
LALALALALALA not listening!
Harley shook away the thought that had almost slithered into her brain right then. She wasn't ready for it, and she'd hold it off for as long as she possibly could. Harley looked at the clock on her wall. Now she was late. But that was good, because it meant there was no more time for errant thoughts, she had a session to get to.
"I do enjoy your name," Joker drawled.
Harley looked up from her notes. She had just sat down, and in keeping with her desire to run a more organized session, had reached for the list of questions she planned to ask. Of course, somewhere between writing them, and arriving in the therapy room, she had managed to misplace them. She had been hurriedly searching amongst her papers when Joker spoke. She raised an eyebrow. "My name?"
"Harleen Quinzel." He drew it out, savouring ever syllable."A little bit of tinkering and it becomes-"
"Harley Quinn, like the clown. I know."
"I like that."
"I'm sure," Harley smiled.
"You look very nice today Doctor Quinzel, special occasion?"
That put Harley on the back foot. True, she did look different today: her naturally wavy hair was swept to the side, and she had made a conscious effort to wear lipstick, a pearly pink color that complimented her blouse. Her stockings were, for a change, un-laddered, and her pencil skirt accentuated her small waist. She didn't know why she had decided to make an effort today, but she had.
You do know…
"No occasion, Mr Joker, but I appreciate the compliment."
"You're welcome." Joker shifted a little. "Say, would you do something for me Doc?"
"Anythi...I mean...What's that?"
"Take this thing off?" He wriggled a little inside the straitjacket.
Harley raised an eyebrow. "I hardly think that would be sensible Mr Joker."
"Come on sweetheart, you know I won't hurt you." He grinned. "Not unless you ask me to."
"The regulations about you are quite clear-"
"If I'd wanted to hurt you, my dear Harley Quinn, I could've easily broken your delicious little neck when you were in my cell."
Harley did everything she could to ignore the tingle that buzzed through her body when he called her that. She had to be professional. She was professional. She was his doctor, nothing more.
"Even so, the answer has to be no."
Joker looked genuinely deflated, and a big part of Harley hated herself for not doing what he asked. All at once he looked like a child who had been denied the balloon he so desperately wanted, and she longed to give him a hug. To stroke his green hair and tell him she was sorry.
But that would be ridiculous.
"Is there anything you'd like to talk about today?" Harley asked tentatively. Joker didn't reply, and she felt her stomach sink. Had she lost him for today? For longer? Why did she have to be such a coward? Why did she have to be such a stickler for the rules?
Then she had an idea. There was one thing that was sure to get Joker talking. One thing he was all too happy to make jokes about. Something that he knew embarrassed her.
Harley cleared her throat, and tried to sound confident. "What turns you on, sexually?"
Joker's eyes snapped her way, a smile playing on his painted lips. "Why Doctor Quinzel, what line of questioning is this?"
"A very valid one," Harley tried to look professional. "I need to know what makes you tick, I need to understand all aspects of your life and personality. Sexuality is a huge part of our identities, I'd like to know about yours."
The stuff she said was true, but her motivations were not entirely professional. A big part of her just wanted to get him talking again.
A bigger part of her was curious.
Joker leaned back, watching her, but he still didn't speak.
"Don't you want to play one of your games?" Harley could hear the pleading tone to her voice, and was embarrassed. But she couldn't bear to end the session like this. Finally, Joker spoke. "Ok, something new. This time, I'll answer your questions, but only the ones you yourself are willing to answer."
Harley considered: so everything she asked him, she had to be willing to reveal about herself? It was a good idea, he knew she wouldn't want to give away too much, so she couldn't ask him anything too personal. But maybe he didn't know her that well?
"Ok." Harley agreed.
"Good," Joker grinned. "Oh this is gonna be such fun Doc."
Harley took a breath, unconsciously biting her lip as she thought. Joker's cold eyes were somehow alive with fire, and watched her hungrily. She decided to start with an easy one.
"Are you sexually active Mr Joker?"
"You first."
"No. Not at the moment. Not for a while."
"Why is that?"
Harley shook her finger playfully. "You know those aren't the rules Mr Joker. If you want to ask me a question, you need to answer it first." Her tone was far too flirtatious, but Joker's grin widened, and she knew she had won him back. When he spoke is voice was almost playful. "You catch on fast Doc. Ok, well as you can imagine it's hard to meet people in an asylum when you're kept in solitude." He paused, staring her down. "Or at least it was." Harley tried to ignore the tingling again. Joker continued. "So no, I'm not currently sleeping with anyone, and the reason for me, is being locked up in this place. What is your excuse?"
Harley shrugged. "I'm not in a relationship, and I haven't been for a while. I've been busy, and I keep meeting the wrong guys." She considered her next question. "What sexuality do you identify with?"
Joker nodded at her, and she remembered she needed to answer first. "I've only ever been with men, but I don't feel like you have to fit into one category. I've been attracted to women in the past, and I think you like who you like, you don't need to assign yourself a label."
"Yet you ask me to do just that?"
"Good point, but I answered, so it's your turn."
"I am only interested in women, Doctor Quinzel." He was looking at her hungrily. She wondered if he was getting ideas. Maybe she should stop? That might be the most professional thing to do…
"Have you had many lovers? I've had three."
"So innocent," Joker grinned. "I am less so, and I'm afraid I can't give a number. It's hard to remember which liaisons are real, and which ones I have made up. All I can say with certainty, sweetheart, is that it is more than three."
"What turns you on in a sexual partner?" Harley gulped, she wanted to know his answer, but wasn't exactly thrilled at sharing her own. But it's not like she could lie: he always knew. Joker leaned in, ready to lap up the information.
"I'm embarrassed," Harley admitted, shocked to hear how playful and girly she sounded. Joker seemed to enjoy this tone. "And I'm intrigued, tell tell tell."
"I like….I like…" Harley took a deep breath, she decided to just go for it. She kept her eyes on the table. "I like a man to take charge. I like a man who's strong and assertive, who can tell me what to do and look after me. I like to feel safe." She smiled to herself. "And a sense of humor. I like a man who can make me laugh."
"What does he look like, this hunk of a man?"
"That doesn't matter, not really. I don't really have a 'type', he just has to be….I don't know. He just needs to have something about him."
She chanced a look up. Joker was leaning back now, eyes closed, as if he was savoring the information. Harley cleared her throat. "Your turn."
Joker opened his eyes, leaning forwards once more. "Well Doc, looks like we're two peas in a pod. I like a strong woman."
Why did Harley feel disheartened at that?
"You like to be dominated?"
Joker laughed, a short blast of laughter as he shook his head. "No. Just because I like a strong woman, doesn't mean I like that. Quite the opposite."
"I'm not sure I understand-"
Joker leaned closer, so quickly it made Harley jump a little. He whispered now. "You wanna know what turns me on, Doc? The idea of a strong, beautiful woman doing exactly what I tell her. She belongs to me. I tell her what to do and how to do it, and she loves it."
Harley gulped. Why was she biting her lip again? "What does she look like?" She whispered.
"Oh, she's perfection Doc. A vision of loveliness. And the best part is, she has no fucking clue!" He yelled the last part, making Harley jump back. She could see where this was going, and it scared her. What was she getting herself into? Why was she encouraging this?
"But she will, she'll know soon enough," Joker continued. "I've got a plan for her."
Harley was frightened. And excited. And that frightened her more.
"I'm not sure this is appropriate Mr Jok-"
"Come on Doc, don't play coy. Give me something here, how 'bout a little kiss on the cheek?" Joker's grin widened.
Harley felt her face flush. "What? No I can't."
"You wanna do something more exciting? I'm game for that, just free up my hands. I'll make you feel good in places you didn't even know you had." His voice was almost gentle now, and Harley felt like her skin was on fire: a mixture of embarrassment and something else. Joker continued. "You don't even have to untie me, I'll still find a way to make you purr." He waggled his tongue at her.
"We should stop this session, things are getting-"
"Why? It's not like your boyfriend is going to get jealous."
Harley suddenly found herself becoming defensive. "How do you know I don't have a boyfriend?"
"You told me yourself, you're not in a relationship, and you're not fucking anyone. Yet."
"So what? That doesn't mean I'm not dating."
What was that? Did he flinch when she said those words? Whatever happened, it was over in a second, and Joker's face was deadpan. "You're not dating," he growled.
"You don't know that." Harley was getting feisty now. How dare he make assumptions about her? He didn't know her!
"You're not." He was insisting, it was an order.
"Actually I am." The lie was out of her mouth before she could even stop it, but she couldn't take it back now. It was too late, and Joker's face had already hardened.
"That's why you're dressed up?"
Harley jumped on it. "Yes. We're going for a drink after work."
"Who?" He asked.
"I don't think that's any of your business Mr Joker."
"I don't believe you." He sounded like a petulant child now.
"Well that doesn't really matter."
Joker stared at her, his eyes boring into her skull. It was Harley who broke eye contact first, looking down at her lap.
"It won't last." Joker's voice dripped with condescension.
Harley felt her skin prickle again. "Oh, and why's that?" She was trying to sound professional, but it wasn't working.
"Because you don't want it to. Because you're sick of your boring little life. Because you want to find someone you can't predict. Because you'll find a way to ruin it." His eyes were crazy now, and he moved his head erratically as he spoke.
Harley scowled, getting to her feet. "I think our session is over Mr Joker."
Joker sat back against the chair. "Have a pleasant evening Doctor."
Harley stormed out of the therapy room. She was furious. How dare the clown talk about her like he knew her? How dare he suggest her life was boring!
Well it is.
That's not the point. He has no right to say it!
You spend your days dissecting every element of his life, why shouldn't he do the same to you?
Because I'm not a psychopath!
No, but your life is fucking boring. At least he has fun.
Harley threw herself into her office, just wanting her inner monologue to give it a rest. Then she realized, there was only one way she would prove Joker wrong, prove herself wrong. She got to her feet and headed back out of the room.
It took her twenty minutes, but she eventually found James by the checkpoint for maximum security.
"Hi," he said, smiling as she approached.
"Hey," Harley was breathless from her search. "What you asked me earlier, do you still want to go for a drink?"
James looked surprised. "Uh, yeah. Yeah that sounds great!"
"Ok, I finish at six."
"Me too, meet you in the parking lot?"
Harley nodded. "Sounds great, I'll see you then."
She glanced over her shoulder, eyes widening. Joker was being led towards the door. He wasn't on his prisoner transport gurney anymore, it looked like they'd stopped using that, now he was walking with a guard on each side. One of them was Frank Bowles. Joker was still in the straitjacket.
"Clown's had his therapy and his outdoor time, so it's back to his cell," Bowles said to James. Harley purposefully didn't look at Joker as he approached, but she knew he was watching her.
"Ok, let me open up," James replied, pressing the button to unlock the door.
Harley acted on impulse, putting her hand playfully on James' arm. "I'll see you later, can't wait," she smiled her widest smile. Her eyes flicked to Joker, who stared at the both of them wearing an expression she couldn't read. She looked back at James, smiled again, and walked away. She knew the pair of them were watching her: the handsome guard and the crazy clown.
One wanted to have her. One wanted to hurt her.
Soon enough, she would find out which was which.
