AN: Totally unimportant but I don't like the character of the Joker, I also dislike the movie 'Joker' even more.

Chapter Eight – Down to Earth

Ivy looked out at the trees and other plants. People often called annoying animals like cats and dogs gentle creatures but they were ignorant and not connected to the natural world. If they actually knew anything about the plant life, they would have no doubt about the gentle nature of them. The ivy wrapped around the branch of the tree and she wished that she could do that to. Hug them in that manner. She closed her eyes and placed her hand on the ground.

"I am doing my best, my darlings. Stay strong," she whispered to the world around her. "I will do everything within my power to protect you. You can make it through this because they won't be able to touch you. I will nourish you and I will destroy anyone who wishes to cause you pain."

Ivy felt the air brush against her and heard the sound of the trees in the wind. This was nature returning her offerings of love and acceptance. She felt the gentle rhythm all around her that only a true botanical lover could hear. She wished that she could share these thoughts with her precious Harley but her mind was warped and Ivy would never forgive Joker for that injustice. They had to stay here where they were safe from harm.

Ivy felt a human hand touch her and knew it wasn't Harleen. She knew exactly how Harley's fingers felt and the width of her palm, she even had memorized those spaces between her fingers which were different with each human. She also knew that this was a man's hand. She looked backwards and her hate intensified with whom she saw.

"Well hello, my potted plant," the maniacal clown said and Ivy glared at him, instantly getting up and into a defensive mode.

"I have my children to protect me," she said and Joker sighed, looking at his hand seeming to take more interest in it than any of the words which she was saying. Ivy stared at him. Was he plotting the destruction of the trees? Was he part of this construction crew, it wouldn't surprise her, he was cruel and sick and twisted. He'd most likely burn the rainforest to the ground only to replace it with an amusement park with multiple constructions of him. "What did you do with Harley?"

"She was easy enough to satisfy," Joker said as he took out a watch. "Why, right now I believe she's shopping using stolen money, hanging out by the pool to catch a tan. Those things that you dislike. You thought you could actually be with someone like her?" he laughed at her and Ivy put her hand on a tree trying to get her strength.

"She's too good for you," Ivy replied angrily. "You've never cared for her in the past, what is it that you want from her this time?" she asked and Joker shook his head.

"She's useful, someone who can follow a plan. She might be ridiculous but she's quite efficient. Unlike someone like you. You think that you're helping these plants, what you're doing my dear is only satisfying your own ego. You know as well as I do that these plants will be destroyed. You know you are only worth as much as Mr. Holland."

"He is so much better than you. He understands the nature of plants," she said and Joker raised an eyebrow.

"I see, just like you," he said before making a gesture with his hand and Ivy felt something attack her neck and although the vines were trying to protect her, she fell to the floor. What was this? Some kind of weed killer. The Joker took a step forward, pressing the sole of his shoe on the back of the woman's neck. Ivy felt her body changing and she feared the worst.

"If you've done anything to take me away from my sweethearts," she said and Joker shook his head.

"Why would I take you away from what you love most? To repay you for taking that damn Quinn away from what she loves most. You knew that she would return to me," he said and Ivy felt her body becoming weaker as she lost consciousness. She hadn't wanted Harley to be hurt and now she had failed her babies and her babe. She wouldn't be able to be with the plants if she was fully human with none of her abilities. They were her children. Although she did love Harley, she wanted to be where she found that natural connection. She didn't want anyone to take that from her.

She sank into the darkness and Joker laughed at her as he saw her body start to sink into the earth. Nobody would ever find her here. She would be burned alive just as the plants that she loved. Well, if she had decided to follow the Batman then she deserved it. She was someone with morals that were far too weak for his own satisfaction.

"Let's leave," he said to his hired goons as he saw Ivy disappear as she was sucked into the earth. "She's not a threat to anyone any longer."

…

…

As Ivy awoke, she felt the stiffness of her own body. Somehow the world around her felt different. She couldn't move her body and as the wind blew around her, she felt that it had more control against her than she did on her own. She struggled and then strained her neck as she saw how tall the trees were around her. She felt the ivy around what seemed like her body.

"Are you okay, my dear?" one of the trees spoke to her and Ivy looked around her, as she struggled to move her arm, she saw that instead of a hand it was a large leaf. She could move her head but as she tried to speak she heard a snapping of her mouth.

"What happened?" she asked before hearing another tree communicate with her. She had never had such a bond with the plants before but something didn't feel right. It was as if her darlings had turned into protective parents towards her. She found a beetle to be crawling onto what appeared to be her leaf and stared up at the trees.

"You are one of us now," the tree told her and Ivy felt unable to even close her eyes. She had always wished to become part of nature, was that what she was? Was she the ivy that she loved, the connection with her name. Had she been given the chance to grow and move as that she cared for. As she felt the connection with the earth, the soil running through her she turned to see Swamp Thing there with a sad expression on his face.

"Ivy," he whispered as he gently reached out for her, "Welcome to the green, you are embraced my sister," he told her and she leaned into his hand, craving his touch for some reason. She saw the sorrow and sympathy in his expression. He didn't have that towards humans, his face always held some judgment towards the world he had once been in but that had rejected him.

"What happened?" she asked and his hand went over her head as one would do with a pet cat or dog.

"You really are a Venus," he told her and Ivy stared at him. What had Joker done to her? Swamp Thing looked at her. As painful as it must be for her when she realized the truth, it was the earth that had saved her when she could have easily died. Pamela Isely really did make a glorious Venus fly trap, ten times larger than a regular one.

End of Chapter Eight

Thank you for reading, reviews are appreciated

Thank you to Aiyhana K for their review on Chapter Seven