A/N:
The wonderful character Bonnie Hatch is an OC from my FF pal Lily Luna Lestrange III from her amazing story "Seven Words," (which I highly recommend checking out!) :)
Also, Bonnie may be here, but her timeline isn't, so double-fic readers, don't be confused! :)
CLANG!
The sound of something loud and metallic being slammed against the concrete floor startled Sophie awake. Groggily sitting up, she forced herself to open her eyes, despite her eyelids feeling as heavy as a full ton of bricks. It had been the exact amount of days Dr. Fluffay had threatened her with being trapped in the Black Wing, but to Sophie, it truly felt like she'd been stuck there for weeks. Just as he promised, Sophie had been completely alone and isolated the entire time without a single interaction with anyone. No one had come to check on her, nor had anyone brought her food or drink. Sophie had tried to limit her use of energy on her empty stomach, and she had almost gone crazy by being in total silence and darkness on top of being so thirsty and hungry. On her second day, she had screamed and banged on the glass with her fists, yelling for someone to come let her out, but eventually, her throat became dry and sore and she had fallen asleep sprawled on the floor in front of the glass window, too weak by that time to even manage to get up on her bed.
During that time, she couldn't have known it, but Dr. Fluffay actually had come. He had told the other orderlies and doctors that he would be sure to bring Sophie food and water three times a day, but, unbeknownst to anyone, he'd hastily thrown the food away on each of his trips down to "check" on her. Once, as he saw Sophie passed out on the floor, he chuckled to himself before gulping down the glass of cold water that was supposed to be for her before returning back upstairs to report his lie of "Everything looking well with the patient."
On that current day, Sophie thought she had been imagining the figure she saw standing outside the glass window. Dr. Fluffay stood, holding a tray full of food and a glass of water on it, but he appeared as nothing more than a blur trough her cloudy vision. Sophie blinked her eyes a few times, but couldn't bring herself to get off the bed. Instead, she simply stared at him as if he were a strange, ghostly apparition.
"Come for your lunch, Miss Quinzel," the doctor said, cooly, after he swiped his card key and the glass door swooshed open.
Sophie's ears rang for a bit after hearing the first human voice other than her own for days. For a split second, she was so confused that she wasn't even sure what in language he was speaking to her.
"I said, come for your lunch right now, Miss Quinzel." He paused as Sophie continued to stare up at him in shock and awe. He noticed she looked pale and frail even after just three days, and he almost burst into a grin. He had a good feeling her fear and depression had helped contribute to her look of sheer desperation, and it was hilarious to him. "But, if you don't want the food," he continued, evily. "I can always just throw it out like I've been doing all the other times."
With as much strength as she could gather, Sophie climbed off the bed and clumsily walked towards the window. "N-no," she mumbled. "Please!" she choked out, her voice hoarse and scratchy.
Dr. Fluffay didn't hold back his grin as he watched his young charge look completely at the end of her rope. He set the tray down inside her cell with a thud. He had made sure that even if she was getting her first food in days, it wasn't going to be anything she would enjoy too much. Instead of a hearty meal to rejuvenate her body from the nourishment she had lost, he had simply given her two bowls of the gray mush from her first breakfast day.
Although Sophie, this time, didn't argue or make a fuss at all. She stared at the tray as if it were the most beautiful thing she'd ever seen in her life. Despite her deep hunger, Sophie knew better than to eat too quickly or too hastily, lest she would make herself sick. Dr. Fluffay had hoped she would be so desperate for food that she would eat it like a ravenous prisoner, but he frowned as he watched her carefully take one slow bite after the other and daintily sip the glass of water afterward. To Sophie, the water tasted like diamonds and her throat immediately felt better as she swallowed the first glorious gulp, but she didn't want to give him the satisfaction of showing her true feelings of being so grateful for the food and drink. Instead, she treated it as if it were simply a normal meal on any other normal day.
Dr. Fluffay cleared his throat after a few moments. "Have you been having a nice time down here by yourself, Miss Quinzel?"
Sophie took another bite of the mush, swallowed, and looked up at him. "Yes, Dr. F."
She was eating a little faster now, but only just. In all honesty, she couldn't taste the "horribleness" of mush at all. The only thing she cared about was that finally, her stomach felt better after every few bites, so she didn't care what it really tasted like. To her, at that moment, it tasted like heaven and she thanked her lucky stars that at least she had some food inside her. Sophie took a bigger gulp of water, but immediately stopped eating as she felt her stomach gurgle in protest at being fed something other than air for days. She knew she really had to be careful with how quickly she ate.
"And are you going to behave yourself from now on?" the doctor continued.
Sophie took another bite and nodded, carefully keeping her emotions in check. "Yes, Dr. F. I will."
The doctor suddenly smiled. "And, would you like to come back upstairs with the rest of the children, now?"
Upon hearing that she could finally escape the torture of seclusion in the Black Wing, Sophie's eyes lit up a little and she accidentally showed a bit of emotion despite her trying to hide it. "Oh, yes! I would love to, Dr. F.!" she exclaimed, gleefully. "Please, can I go back upstairs? I promise I'll behave, now!"
The doctor saw how excited Sophie became, and he nodded his head. "Well, I can see how much you really want to, and how much it seems like you will behave. But, alas," he said, and he watched with glee as her face fell. "I think another two days down here would be fine and dandy for you, just so I know you really mean it."
It took every ounce of strength Sophie had not to burst into tears at that very moment, but she quickly ate another bite of mush to help swallow the lump she felt in the back of her throat. She stared down into the bowl as if the contents were the most interesting thing she'd ever seen. She just didn't want to look at the sadistic monster standing in front of her or she really would have exploded into angry, wailing tears.
"But, I'm not a cold-hearted man," Dr. Fluffay casually added. "So, I do think you'll get your food and water privileges back. I will, however, be giving you mush for every meal. That's all you deserve."
Sophie slowly looked up at him, thankfully regaining her composure enough to assure herself that she wouldn't let him see her cry about the fact she had to spend yet another two days down in the Black Wing alone. As much as she wanted to, Sophie didn't protest it. She wanted to tell him, with many choice words, exactly where he could go, but she didn't. She knew if she had, he might suddenly decide to not let her eat or drink again, and deep down, she knew she mentally wouldn't be able to handle it a second time. Sophie didn't even care that she would only be given the horrible, tasteless mush. She just needed food, and that meant she had to bite her tongue and just grin and bear it.
"Thank you, Dr. F." Was all Sophie replied as she started to eat again. She was worried he would take the food back, and she couldn't risk it. She had to eat it before he could.
After she finished both bowls and polished it off with the rest of the cool, refreshing water, Dr. Fluffay took the tray and the glass into his hands. He turned to his tiny charge, who was now sitting cross-legged on the floor like an obedient student. "See you later, Miss Quinzel. Enjoy your extra time, here."
With that, the doctor closed the door once more, but on his way out, he graciously turned on the lights so Sophie was no longer sitting in the dark. She gasped and shielded her eyes at the bright lights, and her eyes ached for a while as she forced herself to get used to light again. She couldn't help but smile as she thought of herself as a cave-dwelling monster who was sensitive to bright lights like she was part of a strange fairy tale. Before she could even let out a smidgen of a giggle, she suddenly was overcome with the feeling of nausea, which she attributed to the fact that she had eaten much faster than she had wanted to and her stomach was rejecting it. She dashed over to the tiny toilet on the other side of the room and was hunched over it for the next half hour.
"Next time," Sophie angrily thought to herself as she wiped her mouth with some toilet paper. "Next time, you have to eat slower so you don't barf it up!"
After everything that had happened so far, Sophie now knew it was a battle of will-power: herself against Dr. Fluffay. Since he seemed to enjoy making her life miserable, she was determined not to make him angry, again, or give him the disgusting satisfaction of "breaking" her. So, later that same day when he came to deliver her mush-meal, she smiled, thanked him, and ate it like a normal human as his eyes fixed on her. As he left, she politely thanked him again. He seemed a tad bit impressed as he turned and looked back at her with a raised eyebrow.
The next morning, Sophie had happily greeted him and asked him how his morning had been going before thanking him once more and saying how much she appreciated him bringing her the mush while it was still warm. She didn't bat an eye when he had actually smiled at her, even if he said nothing. For lunch, she was just as cheerful while she ate, carefully handed the tray back to him, and thanked him once more.
When he didn't appear for breakfast or lunch on the third day, Sophie was a little bit nervous but knew she couldn't worry too much or make too much of a deal about it. Just when she was starting to feel hungry again, she saw Dr. Fluffay suddenly appear in front of the door, which caused her to gasp in shock upon seeing him.
He swiped his card key and opened the door with a chuckle. "Did I frighten you, Miss Quinzel?"
He, of course, had all the advantages over her, seeing as the room she had been trapped in was sound-proof and she couldn't hear a single peep until the door was opened. The doctor could have snuck up on her at any moment and Sophie wouldn't have seen him until he was standing directly in front of the huge glass door, almost as if he enjoyed giving her a fright.
Sophie gulped, nervously. "N-no, Dr. Fluffay. It's very nice to see you." She noticed he didn't have a tray in his hand, and she wanted to add, "but it would be nicer if you had some food," but of course, she didn't.
"Are you wondering why I don't have your lunch for you?" the doctor suddenly asked, almost as if he could read her mind.
Sophie gulped. "No, Dr. F.! I...I just assumed it's 'cause you think I don't deserve it, today."
For once, the doctor chuckled and it actually seemed sincere. "Well, you could be right about that, on any other day. But, actually, it's because I think you've finally earned your rightful place back upstairs with the other young inmates."
Sophie was so happy, she almost jumped for joy, but she caught herself before she caused a scene. She still wasn't sure where she stood with him, and she didn't want to say or do anything that could compromise her "good behavior" so far.
"Do you think you can really behave appropriately now?"
Sophie bit her lip. She remembered the last time she had said she would, he had made her extend her stay even longer. She straightened up and looked him square in the eye. "Yes, Dr. F. I will absolutely be on my best behavior from now on."
"And why is that?" he asked, sternly.
Sophie gulped and felt herself begin to sweat a little, racking her brain for the correct response. "B-because I want to be released back into society as a law-abiding citizen of our fair city of Gotham."
That answer seemed to please the doctor greatly, and he smiled down at the tiny felon. "Good answer."
With that, Dr. Fluffay held his hand out, silently instructing her to follow him out of her cell. Sophie could have cried from happiness the moment they started walking down the corridor and towards the stairwell. She noticed Dr. Fluffay quickly close the door to the strange room with the guitar on the front of it as they passed by it, but she didn't think anything of it. She concentrated on going up the stairs...in her eyes, back to freedom. Not the freedom she really wanted, of course, but freedom from the Black Wing was certainly something she wouldn't ever protest. The real freedom she was waiting for was when Harley and Ivy would ultimately break her out. She began to feel nervous the higher they climbed up the stairs. What if Harley and Ivy had already tried to break her out, but hadn't been able to find her since she had been stuck down in the basement, out of sight, out of mind?
Sophie shook her head. "No," she thought to herself. "If Harley had come for me, she would have found me for sure." Sophie knew Harley would have turned the AAJD upside down until she did find her, so she knew that both her partners were probably still just as stuck in Arkham as she was.
Sophie noticed that even the air upstairs seemed fresher than in the Black Wing, which was something she hadn't noticed when she had first arrived there. As they reached the top corridors, she slowly turned to the doctor, not wanting to make any sudden movements, or the wrong one, for that matter.
Dr. Fluffay seemed to realize what she was doing, and he smirked. "Ah, I see you really are true to your word, aren't you, Miss Quinzel?" he said, laughing. "You'll have your lunch now, and then, you have an appointment with your psychologist."
"M-my psychologist?" Sophie repeated, curiously. "Who's...who's my psychologist?"
The doctor narrowed his eyes, and Sophie felt her blood run cold. "Dr. Martinez is the appointed psychologist for all of you in the Pink Wing. After lunch, you will be escorted to the therapy room where you are to have your session with her."
Sophie was about to ask where the therapy room was, but she clamped her mouth shut before saying anything else. She just nodded and allowed Dr. Fluffay to lead her into the mess hall. As he opened the door and Sophie walked inside, again, the mess hall became so quiet a pin drop could have been heard.
"Yes, children," the doctor said without missing a beat. "Our loud little clown girl has finally returned after her, in my honest opinion, too short of a stay in the Black Wing. And I know she won't be causing any more problems around here." He turned to Sophie, who felt her cheeks flush a little pink as the others stared at her. "Will she?"
Sophie quickly shook her head but didn't say a word out of fear she would say the wrong thing.
Dr. Fluffay smiled, then turned his attention back to the other children. "Alright, children, enough gawking. Finish your meals. Afterward, it's therapy sessions with Dr. Martinez and Dr. Chang for all of you." He cleared his throat. "Don't be late." He glared down at Sophie, who nodded again, before scampering off to the lunch line.
The chatter of the children slowly started back up again, and Sophie could again feel their eyes focus on her as she gathered her lunch together: a tiny cup of green peas, the smallest piece of chicken leg she'd ever seen in her life, and half a cup of dry-looking rice. Although now, she knew she was never going to complain about any food at that place ever again. After being starved for three days when she had first been thrown into the Black Wing, now any food was alright for her. As she took the tray and turned around, her eyes scanned the hall until she caught sight of someone with a head full of bright red hair and square glasses who was sitting alone at the end of a far away table. With a grin, Sophie dashed towards the only...friendly face she could find. Unfortunately, in her haste, she suddenly tripped over something and fell flat on her stomach. In some weird twist of fate, she didn't spill her lunch - rather, the tray graciously slid away as she skidded on her belly like a penguin. Around her, she heard loud laughs and snickers. Sophie looked up and saw Regina's outstretched leg in the same place where she had tripped.
"Walk much, Clumsy?" Regina sneered.
"Quinzel!"
Sophie gasped as she heard an orderly call her name.
"What's going on, here?"
Sophie grabbed her tray and stood up, gulping as a disgruntled woman stormed towards her to inspect what had happened. "I-I'm s-sorry!" she sputtered. "I uh...I tripped over my foot."
Regina smirked from her place out of the orderly's eyes. "Smart move," she mouthed quietly as Sophie glanced her way.
The orderly sighed and shook her head, grumbling under her breath. The moment she left, Sophie fled from the chuckles of Regina and her gang and continued to make her way over to Bonnie.
Once she reached her, Sophie plopped her tray down on the top of the table. Bonnie, who was lost in her own thoughts, was startled at the loud sound that had materialized in her ear.
"Hi..." Sophie mumbled, carefully. Sophie had remembered how upset she had made Bonnie the last time they had spoken, so she was nervous in case Bonnie would tell her to take a hike. But, to her great relief, she didn't.
"Hi," Bonnie replied quietly, making eye contact for a split second after Sophie had slammed her tray down.
"Can I...d-do you mind if I sit with you?" Sophie asked, hopefully.
Bonnie shrugged. "I...I usually sit by myself, but..." she paused for longer than Sophie thought necessary. "If...if you want to, it's okay."
Bonnie wouldn't admit it out loud, but she was quite curious about how Sophie's time in the Black Wing was. She had never spoken to any of the other inmates, especially none like Regina who had been there countless times, so she had only overheard bits and pieces of conversations of how it was down there. In a weird way, she wanted to hear about it. But, Bonnie's shyness prevented her from speaking more than she had to, so, she didn't say anything more. She just had to hope that Sophie would start talking about it on her own...seeing as she seemed like the type of person who didn't know when to stop talking. Luckily for her, Bonnie was right about that, and Sophie continued making conversation even when Bonnie hadn't started it.
Sophie took in a deep breath. "I...I just wanted to tell you that I was sorry," she said softly, staring awkwardly down at her pathetic cup of peas. "I'm sorry for using-" suddenly, she realized her voice had grown louder, so she lowered her volume to almost a whisper. "For shouting your rogue name outside in the rec yard the other day."
Even just being reminded that Sophie had almost blown her cover made Bonnie shiver. Sophie noticed, and she flinched a little as she hoped she wasn't going to scare Bonnie off again. "I-I mean, I guess my big mouth was what got me sent to the Black Wing in the first place," Sophie continued, quickly. "So, I promise to start thinking before I speak from now on."
Bonnie barely knew her, but she had a sinking feeling that Sophie was not going to be as successful at that as she hoped she would be.
"I just..." Sophie gulped as her voice trailed off. "Being down in the Black Wing was so bad, I never wanna go there, again...so I will really have to be careful with what I say from now on. Have...have you ever been sent there?"
Bonnie shook her head and took a nervous gulp from her cup.
"Well, it's this small room next to this weird Music Room or whatever that is," Sophie continued without missing a beat. "The bed is as hard as a rock, the blanket is as scratchy as a potato sack...and...and there's not much light down there." Sophie paused. "So...you just have to sit, in silence, all by yourself, the whole time. And...and if you're as unlucky as I was...you don't get any food or water, either."
Bonnie actually gasped when she heard what Sophie had just told her. That was definitely something she hadn't ever heard Regina or any of the other inmates say, before. "N-no food or water?" she managed to say.
Sophie smiled, sheepishly. "Like I said...if you're as unlucky as I was. But, I think Dr. F. kinda... enjoyed telling me that I wasn't gonna get to eat or drink for days. He's..." she paused again and glanced around them to make sure no one was listening. "He's not a very good guy, I think."
Bonnie almost scoffed when she heard Sophie's observation. Bonnie had already been in the AAJD for months - she knew he wasn't a good guy. Never had been, even when he had introduced himself to the, at that time, five other children who had been admitted after the AAJD had been established: Bonnie herself, Regina, a boy named Mario, a skittish girl named Daisy who just happened to be Bonnie's equally silent roommate, and a second boy called Harry. Bonnie remembered barely learning the names of the four other children before every staff member at the AAJD had been instructed by Dr. Fluffay to only call the inmates by their last names. Daisy had thought it was because it made it easier for the doctors to know who was who. Bonnie, however, thought it was because they simply didn't want to bother getting to know the children. Still to that day, Bonnie couldn't figure out who had been right, but she was almost certain that she was.
Bonnie watched as Sophie took a huge bite of her rice, then choked a little before quickly washing it down with water. "N-not that I'm complaining or anything," Sophie said, choking on a piece of dry rice. "But, sometimes I think they need to fire the cook. Some of this stuff shouldn't be consumed by anyone!" She drank a few more sips of water before continuing. "Then again," she chuckled. "After not eating for three days, even this stuff seems like heaven!"
Bonnie was at a loss for words. Sure, she had eaten almost all her lunch, but the horrible food was something she had just grown accustomed to. It didn't phase her much, anymore, and she had never once complained. She was naturally a closed person, anyway, so she went through her days at the AAJD one day at a time and never really tried to bring attention to herself, so questioning anyone about the food was something she just didn't do. Staying under the radar was exactly the way she liked it, so she never even considered asking anyone in authority such things.
Sophie glanced up at the head table, where Dr. Fluffay was enjoying what looked to her like a t-bone steak with salad and a baked potato, while the rest of his staff ate, again, what the children had. She shook her head. "Do...do none of the other doctors wonder why they can't eat what he does?"
Bonnie stared at her, her eyes growing a little wider. "I...I guess they don't want to question his authority," she said, her voice as soft as a spring breeze. "It's...it's been like that ever since the beginning. He...he gets the good stuff, while everyone else gets the...other stuff." Her gaze guiltily drifted down into her cup, almost as if she had said too much.
Sophie took a bite of her chicken, winced as she swallowed, but ate the whole thing, hungrily. "Has anyone ever stood up to him before?"
Bonnie whipped her head up. "Not anymore. Just...just you."
Sophie giggled and ate the two pathetic bites of peas it took to completely clean her tray. "And look where that got me?"
Bonnie finished her water with one good gulp. "I...I guess...that's why no one tries to misbehave if we can help it. We all just...let him be. I mean, a few kids have been sent down to the Black Wing before, but...but they only go once. That's enough for them. Regina...Regina really made him mad one time." Bonnie stopped, nervously glancing in Regina's direction as if she could hear them. She instinctively lowered her voice a little. "It was...it was after she had just come back from the Black Wing, that same day. She...she shouted some...questionable words at him 'cause he told her she had to have two therapy sessions with Dr. Martinez, so he took her back down there, and they were both gone from breakfast 'til dinner. But, after...after she came back, she was a little...different. I heard her tell her friends something about loud music or something, but that's all I heard. But...after that, she stopped saying anything out of line to him for some reason. Now...now she just takes her aggression out on anyone else she can find," Bonnie felt her mouth go dry. "But... 'cause of whatever happened to Regina down there...n-nobody wants to be sent down the Black Wing, so we just try to behave and do as we're told. Then, we...we can get out of here. So, the...the less we piss off Dr. F., the faster we can leave."
Sophie scoffed. "Boy, if only Mister Joker was here! He'd spray that stupid Fluffay guy with a face full of Joker Toxin in a heartbeat!" She gripped her fork, angrily. "That would show him!"
Hearing Sophie mention the Joker's name made Bonnie flinch unwillingly. Sophie noticed.
"Not that he would, of course," Sophie added quickly, as to not frighten her friend any more than she seemingly already had. "He's...he's too busy with his new toys to worry about me and Harley, anyway. And besides," Sophie's eyes lit up, then her voice fell into a whisper as she leaned closer to Bonnie. "I shouldn't even be here too much longer. Harley and Ivy are gonna bust me outta here just as soon as they can!"
Bonnie's eyes also lit up, but with pure shock. "But...but they can't break in here."
Sophie giggled. "Of course they can! They can do anything! You don't know 'em like I do. They're the smartest people I know. Really! I mean, do you know how many times they've already escaped from Arkham? Like...like a million!"
"B-but...but the AAJD is different," Bonnie said, quietly. "This...this place is Dr. Fluffay's Fort Knox. He would destroy anyone who even tried to break outta here...or anyone who tried to break in."
Bonnie wasn't trying to be unkind, and she certainly wasn't questioning Harley and Ivy's abilities at all. She was simply stating facts about how guarded and protected she knew Dr. Fluffay had made the AAJD. It was almost like his obsession to know what every child, every doctor and every orderly was doing at all times, and she, like many of the other children there knew that even someone like Superman probably couldn't even penetrate their walls.
Sophie, though, didn't seem to be at all bothered by Bonnie's opinion, and she just waved her hand in the air. "Whatever you say, Bon." Sophie noticed Bonnie's expression change once she heard the nickname, and Sophie quickly cleared her throat. "Uh, Bonnie." She chuckled, nervously. She was so glad to finally have someone to talk to that she really didn't want to mess it up, again, so she tried to change the subject. "Dr. F. said I have to talk to a psychologist after lunch, but...but I don't really want to. I...I don't even know which one it is."
"Dr. Martinez," Bonnie said, simply. "She's the psychologist for the Pink Wing. We have Dr. Chang."
No matter who it was, Sophie really didn't feel like talking to any psychologist. "How...how are they?"
Bonnie shrugged her shoulders before she spoke. "They're...they're psychologists." She said it almost as if Sophie should have understood what she meant. The obvious blank look in the blonde's huge dark blue eyes made Bonnie realize she was going to have to elaborate in order for Sophie to comprehend what she was saying. "They pretend to give a care what we say just so they can write it all down in their little books and brag to everyone about how 'far we've come,'" she explained. "It's faker than the Mystery meat they serve here on Tuesdays."
Sophie stared at Bonnie, curiously. "So...so you don't tell Dr. Chang anything?"
Bonnie shrugged, again. "I tell her some stuff. I just...I just want her to get whatever basic info she needs about me so I can get out of here...but I don't tell her more than she thinks she needs to hear. I don't need to be analyzed by her. I...I don't trust those psychologists. I don't trust...I don't trust anybody around here."
Suddenly, Bonnie saw Sophie's eyes weirdly sparkle, again, but she had no idea why.
"Well, but we're friends, now. You can at least trust me!" Sophie cried, excitedly, a huge smile forming on her face.
Suddenly, a loud bell rang from overhead.
"Blue Wing, Pink Wing! Disperse into your education groups and head to your classrooms!" called out a gruff orderly as the other children began standing up from their tables. "Gottova! Quinzel! Front and center, now!"
Sophie's ears suddenly perked up as she heard her name. "Uh-oh," she said to Bonnie, jumping up from the table. "I guess that's my cue to skedaddle!"
Bonnie stayed seated, still in a bit of a shock after what Sophie had just said.
"We'll catch up once I'm done, okay?" Sophie said with a little giggle as she started to walk away. "See ya later!"
As Sophie bounded off towards the orderly who had called her name, Bonnie sat, dumbfounded for a few seconds before another kid mumbled under his breath that she needed to hurry up and head to class before she got them in trouble. Bonnie quickly stood up and merged with the rest of the inmates, her mind racing. Sophie had said they were friends. Friends. Bonnie had never had a friend, before. Never wanted a friend, nor had she ever needed one. Just like in her own life on the outside, Bonnie was content with being a loner inside the AAJD as well, and she wasn't used to the idea that someone there actually thought of her as a friend. She especially couldn't believe that it was Harley Quinn's ward who wanted to be her friend. But, if Bonnie was honest with herself, she could probably get used to the idea, eventually...and she wasn't too upset about it, either.
As Sophie bounded up towards the orderly, she caught a side glimpse of Regina and her gang. Regina was sure to give Sophie one hard nudge as she walked by. The mini attack went unnoticed by the orderly, but the force was still just as painful as Regina had intended it to be. Sophie said nothing, she just glared at Regina as they walked away. Sophie wondered what Regina would look like after finding a lit Apple Bomb under her pillow, and Sophie only wished she could see it in action.
Two young doctors appeared next to the orderly just as the majority of the other children had filed out. One doctor was holding a blue clipboard in her hand and gently took the arm of the raven-haired girl who was standing as far away from Sophie as she could manage. As they started to walk away together, the second doctor gave a forced smile down at Sophie through her dark green eyes.
"I'm Dr. Dora Martinez." The doctor professionally introduced herself as she gripped tighter in her plink clipboard she was holding. "Right this way, Miss Quinzel."
Unlike Dr. Chang had done with her charge, Dr. Martinez didn't take Sophie by the arm...and Sophie was glad she didn't. This gave Sophie the opportunity to walk with her arms crossed over her chest, which perfectly reflected her current mood. The last person Sophie wanted to talk to was this woman with a pink clipboard, and she certainly wasn't going to pretend otherwise. She was quickly led down a corridor until they reached a cheery-looking gray door with a tiny smiling sun on the top of it. Sophie stared quizzically at the door, and Dr. Martinez wasted no time in opening the door and motioning for Sophie to enter.
The room itself was quite large, with a table with four chairs carefully positioned around it. On the opposite side of the room was a brown chest that Sophie could see was packed full of stuffed animals, and not too far away from that, two sofas sat opposite each other with another small table between them. A small potted plant was on the smaller table, and Sophie felt a pang of sadness as she thought about her own plant, Julia, who was all alone in their hideout, now. A cup filled with markers sat on the larger table near a stack of white paper. A 64-pack of crayons was propped up beside the cup, and Sophie almost smiled. Almost.
"Shall we have a seat?" Dr. Martinez asked, casually walking over to one of the sofas. She sat down and motioned for Sophie to sit beside her.
Sophie, her hands still crossed over her chest, met her gaze but walked over to the other sofa, and sat down across from her.
Dr. Martinez cracked a smile. "Alright, we can talk like this."
"Why should I talk to you?" Sophie huffed her first words to her doctor.
Dr. Martinez cleared her throat. "Well, because I'm here to help you with any problems you have."
"I'm not the one with the problems," Sophie replied. "I think you do."
Dr. Martinez narrowed her eyes. "I don't have any problems, Miss Quinzel. I'm a psychologist, so it's my job to help you."
"No need to deny it, Doctor. I mean, you're the one who's a psychologist, after all. I think you really are the one with the problems." Sophie sat up straighter.
Dr. Martinez raised her eyebrows in curiosity. "How...how do you figure that?"
"Well..." Sophie began, slowly, her voice trailing off a bit. "Haven't you heard what they say about psychologists?"
Dr. Martinez's eyes grew a bit wider, but she didn't reply.
Sophie leaned over and motioned to her with her index finger to come closer. Dr. Martinez leaned in, as well.
"They say psychologists are even crazier than their patients," Sophie finished in a loud whisper, her blue eyes sparkling as her lips curled into a mischievous smirk.
Dr. Martinez quickly sat up and shook her head. "I-"
"So who really needs help, here?" Sophie asked, smirking more as she noticed how uncomfortable she was making her. "Maybe it's not me after all, is it?"
Dr. Martinez adjusted her pencil-thin gray skirt before continuing and pulled her white coat tighter around her shoulders. "M-Miss Quinzel," she stammered, then cleared her throat and sat up even straighter, suddenly regaining her composure. "Enough of this nonsense. Listen, I know you're new here, and I know you've had a rough couple of days since you arrived. What...what can you tell me about that?"
Sophie made a face as she stared at her for a second. "Rough?" she spat, angrily. "By rough, do ya mean when Dr. Fluffay locked me in the Black Wing with no food or water for days? 'Cause yeah, not getting fed would be what I'd call rough, wouldn't you?"
Now, it was Dr. Martinez's turn to stare at Sophie, but her answer was something Sophie had not counted on. "Miss Quinzel, I'd just like you to know that we have a zero-tolerance for lying at the AAJD. Making up false wild stories about Dr. Fluffay starving patients isn't going to fast-track your release date, I can assure you."
Sophie's mouth dropped open and she felt her arms slowly drop to her sides. "Do you...do you think I'm lying about that?"
"Miss Quinzel," Dr. Martinez said, a bit more gently than before. "Dr. Fluffay delivered food to your room each day you were in solitary confinement. The cooks can confirm he was given food and water specifically for you, and he took the empty trays back himself. Everyone saw him."
Sophie couldn't believe what she was hearing, but she knew it was anything but true. "So...so he probably threw it away, somewhere! I didn't eat anything!" she squeaked. "I was there! I was the one who wasn't fed, not you!" Sophie's anger rose even more as she saw the doctor started to write on her clipboard. "What're you writing down, huh?" She felt her fists clench up the angrier she felt. "Are you writing down that he starves us as an extra punishment? Write it down, 'cause it's true!"
Dr. Martinez stopped writing and looked up into Sophie's furious eyes. "Miss Quinzel, I'm only here to help you. But, I can't help you if you aren't going to be honest with me."
"But, I am honest with you!" Sophie cried, almost desperately. "I swear to you, Dr. F. starved me for days, and he even made me stay in the Black Wing extra days just for the heck of it!" When Dr. Martinez looked back down and started writing again, Sophie wanted to throw the plant directly at her face for being so frustratingly calm. "I'm telling you the truth! It's not my fault you don't believe me!"
Dr. Martinez looked up at her again and smiled. "I will believe you...the moment you start telling me the truth, Miss Quinzel. Let's talk about something else, shall we?"
Sophie scoffed and nodded her head. "Alright. Okay. You want the truth?" she asked. "The truth is...you really must be crazy if you think I'm gonna talk to you, anymore."
Dr. Martinez gripped the pencil in her hand a bit tighter. "But, I'm the appointed psychologist for the Pink Wing. You have to talk to a psychologist so we can properly diagnose you and work towards your rehabilitation."
Sophie narrowed her eyes at her. "You want a second truth, Doctor?" She sat up straighter in her place on the sofa. "Then you listen, and you listen good. The only psychologist I'll talk to is Dr. Harleen Quinzel." She sat back a bit on the sofa and crossed her arms over her chest. "I'll tell her whatever you wanna know about me. But, I'll talk to her and only her."
Dr. Martinez stared at Sophie for a second before she spoke again. "You know that can't happen. She's...she's an inmate at Arkham, as well."
Sophie shrugged her shoulders and sat back fully on the sofa. "Then, these sessions are sure gonna be a waste of time for you, Dr. Martinez." With that, Sophie made a "zipping" motion with her thumb and forefinger and ran them across her lips, re-crossed her arms, and stubbornly placed them over her chest once more.
Dr. Martinez started writing on her clipboard again, and through the silence, the sound of each scribble and scrabble she made on the paper was magnified times three. Suddenly, she stopped writing and looked up, slowly. "Miss Quinzel. Harley may be your...your..." her voice trailed off, almost as if she were searching what word to say, next.
"Friend," Sophie finished.
"Friend," Dr. Martinez continued. "But, it's impossible to have a session with her because she's no longer a psychologist, here...even if she used to be." She paused. "There really is no way you can see her. It's against Dr. Fluffay's rules."
Sophie felt desperate tears well in her eyes, but she quickly suppressed them and stared down at the ground, not wanting to cry in front of the doctor.
Dr. Matrinez stared at Sophie for a moment before continuing. "Although..." She took in a deep breath. "I may have...an alternative."
Sophie whipped her head up, curiously.
"Even if..." Dr. Martinez seemed to be struggling with what to say, next. "Even if this is a bit unorthodox...if you won't speak with me, and you can't speak with Doc...with your friend...perhaps there's someone else you might be interested in speaking with?"
Sophie raised an eyebrow at the suggestion. She had no idea who else she could possibly want to speak with, let alone if it were a psychologist, too. She had her heart set on seeing and speaking with Harley, so a new option was something she hadn't wagered. "Who...who did you have in mind?" she asked, cautiously.
Dr. Martinez broke into a small smile, and she stood up from the sofa. "Give me just a moment, please."
With that, the doctor turned and walked towards the door. As she reached for the handle and opened the door, she smiled again and turned to the slightly confused Sophie. "In the meantime, don't think about trying to run off, Miss Quinzel. We always have a guard posted at the door during visiting hours or sessions."
After she left the room, Sophie rolled her eyes as she glanced at the open door. "Run off?" she mumbled to herself, angrily kicking the table between the two sofas. "Where the heck does she think I'm gonna run off to?"
As she sighed and sat back on the sofa cushion, Sophie glanced at the treasure chest of stuffed animals, and a tiny part of her wanted to sneak over and inspect them. Sophie bit her lip as she debated in her head about staying firm and seated on the couch, but in the end, she decided she really did want to check out the animals. She bounded up from the sofa and dashed over to the tiny chest and began pulling out animal after animal. She hoped to find something that could remind her of her beloved Sprinkles, which in turn would remind her of Harley, and would finally give her a little peace. Although, after finding nothing, she sighed heavily and glanced towards the open door. From her place on the floor, she wondered how far she would get if she tried to make a break for the main part of the Asylum, but the idea of Dr. F., catching her and sending her to the Black Wing again quickly changed any idea she had. Instead, she began picking up the stuffed animals and tossed them one by one back into the chest. After she was finished, she stood up and walked over to the table. She plopped down into one of the chairs and ripped a piece of bone-white paper off the notepad that was propped up beside the box of crayons. Just as she reached for a pink crayon, she suddenly felt the presence of someone else in the room, and she glanced up.
Seeing another doctor standing in the doorway, Sophie gasped, dropped the crayon, and jumped up from her place at the table.
"Oh, I'm sorry, Sophie. I didn't mean to frighten you," said the doctor, kindly.
Sophie put her hand over her chest, trying to still her thumping heartbeat. "H-how do you know my name?"
The dark-haired doctor smiled as she closed the door behind her to give them some privacy. "Harley told me all about you."
Upon hearing her name, Sophie gasped and felt more tears form behind her eyes. "Harley?" she gasped, quickly wiping her eyes.
The doctor smiled, warmly. "Yes. I'm Dr. Joan Leland. I'm Harley's psychologist, and she-"
"Oh!" Sophie interrupted, loudly, her eyes shining with happiness. "How is she? Is she okay? I...oh, I miss her so much!" Sophie was very near crying by that time, and out of sheer desperation, grabbed one of Dr. Leland's hands. "Could I...could I please see her, Dr. Leland?" she squeaked. "Please? Please?"
Dr. Leland smiled a little, and Sophie was confused, as the smile seemed sincere...almost as if something she was about to say pained her. "I'm very sorry, Sophie. Harley asked me the same thing, but...I'm afraid it's just not allowed. Dr. Fluffay has strictly forbidden interactions between the minors and the inmates in the main asylum."
Sophie frowned and slowly loosened her grip on Dr. Leland's hand. "I know," she mumbled sadly, as she slumped down into a chair at the table.
Dr. Leland sat down in a chair next to her and put her hand on Sophie's shoulder. "I really am sorry that we can't make it happen. But, what I'm most sorry to hear, is how you refuse to talk to Dr. Martinez. She told me everything."
Sophie shrugged her shoulders defiantly, but a small smile appeared on her face. "But, I don't have to talk to her now, since you're here, huh?"
Dr. Leland smiled wider. "That's not how it works, Sophie. Dr. Martinez told me that you said you wouldn't talk to anyone but Harley, so she thought I could be a nice substitute for today since I'm her psychologist."
"Just for today?" Sophie repeated, slowly. "You mean...you can't be my psychologist, too?"
Dr. Leland shook her head. "I might be able to speak to Dr. Fluffay and ask if it's possible to have a few meetings with me as well, but you have to also speak to Dr. Martinez. It's her job to help the kids at the AAJD, and it's your job to talk to her."
Sophie frowned more. "Well, yeah, maybe. But, I don't want to tal-"
Dr. Leland quickly held up her hand to shush her. "I think you're well past getting to do what you want to do, Sophie."
Sophie raised her eyebrows at the brashness of Dr. Leland, but her stern voice commanded respect and made Sophie shut her mouth and listen without feeling the need to retaliate.
"The simple fact is, you broke the law, and now you have to pay the consequences and let us help you." When Sophie didn't reply, Dr. Leland continued just as firmly. "And I can assure you there will be no way Dr. Fluffay will allow you to see me, too, unless you do as you're told and have sessions with Dr. Martinez just like you're supposed to." Dr. Leland paused when she noticed the sudden change in Sophie's face, and she narrowed her eyes at Sophie. "That means you have to talk to Dr. Martinez, not just sit here in this room for an hour in silence."
Sophie sighed, heavily. It was weirdly like this doctor knew what she had planned to do. She looked up at Dr. Leland, who suddenly reminded her of Ivy with her strictness, and she checked herself immediately as she noticed Dr. Leland cross her arms over her chest. Sophie dropped the defiant look on her face in an instant. On the other hand, Dr. Leland also reminded Sophie of a kind teacher she'd once had in kindergarten, and she felt very comfortable in her presence. The fact that she was also Harley's psychologist helped a great deal, too. Dr. Leland suddenly became the one doctor Sophie thought she could possibly learn to trust, especially if Harley trusted her, too. That must mean she wasn't entirely bad. Sophie sat up a little straighter. "Fine. I...I promise I'll talk to Dr. Martinez...if I can talk to you, too, sometimes."
Dr. Leland smiled. "I'm really glad to hear that you'll speak with her, and I promise I'll talk to Dr. Fluffay about assigning me to some sessions with you too, alright?"
Sophie smiled, too, then slowly bit her lip. "And...and you really can't let me see Harley? Not even for just half a second?"
Dr. Leland shook her head slowly, but smiled, again sincerely. "I'm really afraid not."
Sophie felt her stomach ache, and she sadly glanced at the ground, feeling tears start to form behind her eyes, but Dr. Leland clearing her throat made her glance up, again.
"But, I can do something else, if you like."
Later that evening, Dr. Leland held a thin paper bag in her hand as she walked down the long corridor towards her charge's cell. When she reached the window, she saw Harley sitting on her bed looking quite glum indeed. Harley was, in fact, feeling pretty low the whole day. She hadn't seen Ivy for days, she couldn't get the idea of the Joker potentially having a ball with the Ying Yang Twins out of her head, and she was worried about Sophie having to deal with Dr. Fluffay.
Upon seeing Dr. Leland standing by the window, Harley actually smiled a little. "Hiya, Dr. Leland!"
Dr. Leland swiped her card, opening Harley's cell. The guards on either end of the corridor tensed out of sheer habit.
"Hello, Harley," Dr. Leland said, also with a friendly smile. "I brought the things you asked me for."
Harley bounded over to her, a huge grin on her face. "Oh, Dr. Leland! You really are the best of the best!"
Dr. Leland smiled wider. "I appreciate that, Harley."
Harley quickly opened the paper bag like a Christmas gift, and eagerly pulled out a second picture frame, very similar to the one she already had on her night table. Then, she reached further into the bag and pulled out a newspaper clipping, and her beloved polaroid pictures of she and Sophie that Dr. Leland had sneakily taken from the storage closet. In a flash, Harley placed the photos and the newspaper clipping into the frame and admired it: the few sweet pictures of she and Sophie, and the newspaper clipping of she, Sophie, and Ivy in costume grinning at the camera. She instantly felt better upon looking at the photos of her friends, and she felt overwhelmed with happiness.
Dr. Leland closed the door and started to walk away. Then, she turned back around. "Oh, and Harley? There's...there's a little something extra in the bag for you...even if it's something you DIDN'T necessarily ask for."
"What?" Harley said, curiously, reaching inside the bag for anything she might have missed. Suddenly, she felt her hand touch something at the bottom of the bag. It was a piece of folded paper, which she quickly grasped and pulled out.
"Just a little special delivery from a friend," Dr. Leland said, quietly.
Dr. Leland watched with a smile on her face as Harley unfolded the note as quickly as she could. As her eyes scanned it, she read it out loud. "Hi, Harleykins." Harley gasped but continued reading. "I miss you so much, and I hope you're doing okay. I wish I could see you, but the stupid mother..." Harley didn't read the next part out loud, but her lips curled into a smirk. "-Doctor F says no. I'm sending a hundred hugs to you and I love you very much. Hope we can see each other, soon. Love, Sophie."
Harley gasped and looked up at Dr. Leland with shocked tears in her eyes. She shakingly held the letter up. "H-how did you get..."
Dr. Leland smiled and shrugged her shoulders, put her fingers to her lips, and walked away.
Gasping a second time, Harley reread the note again and gently clutched it close to her chest. She kissed the paper and walked to her bed, tucking the note under her pillow so that no one would be able to find it. She placed the new photo frame next to the smiling portrait of the Joker and sat on her bed.
Harley sighed as she looked over at Ivy's still empty bed. "Come on Red. Where are you? We just gotta get outta here, already."