A/N: Just a quick sidenote, I didn't really get all my disclaimers and
whatnot in the first chapter, so here goes. I don't own any of this, all
the characters and entire Batman Universe were created by a far wiser
person than myself, and I am merely indulging in a little speculation. For
the most part I wanted to try out giving Harley some backbone. It seemed
interesting. Let me know what you think. I welcome any reviews (it means
someone out there is reading) but hopefully you'll be gentle as this is the
first thing I've ever posted. This note is turning out quite long, so I'll
stop here and get on with the story. Oh! I know I'm using the pronoun 'she'
a lot, but it doesn't feel quite right to constantly refer to her as
Harleen.
"Well, how do you? They call me the Joker," he said.
"I'd prefer to use your real name, your. . . given name. Jack Napier."
"Oh, don't you think that's a bit formal for a place like this? I hardly think anyone will mind. I certainly don't. Besides, plenty of other patients around here go by different names than their 'given names' as you so cutely put it."
"I'd prefer to be a little more formal, Jack."
"Hmmm, well, I suppose that's up to you. But what about your name? Ech, who names their child Harleen. . . Did you ever have any nicknames, maybe?"
"No, not really."
"Well, I think Harley is much better. And Quinzel, too long! Quinn!! Yes, there's a nice normal sounding name, how 'bout that?"
"Harley Quinn. Like a harlequin, or clown. Of course. You are the Joker. . ."
"Hmmm, once again they stick me with a doctor that has no sense of humor. I really am getting tired of this place."
The rest of the session wasn't any more productive than the beginning of it. She reassured herself that things would get better with time. Gaining their trust, that first important step. Maybe she should let him call her Harley. . . It wasn't such a bad change. Harleen was a fairly stuffy name.
What was she thinking?! There was nothing wrong with her name. She was a little shocked. How could she let her patient in like that? And so quickly? Not to mention how dangerous he was.
-
Dropping her keys onto a small desk in her cramped apartment, Dr. Quinzel thought only of taking a nice long shower, and then maybe tackling some of the boxes that still needed unpacking. She slowly massaged her neck and took off her glasses.
"You know, I was planning on leaving here today, but I decided I should meet the new help first. See if you won't be the doc to cure me."
She remembered his comments. The playful smile as he gave his little taunts. At least she hadn't had to meet with all of her new patients on her first day. Still, it seemed so ridiculous to have her seeing patients already.
As she stepped into the shower she thought about how silly Jack had looked in those Arkham inmate clothes. The green hair and pale face probably didn't look good next to anything, but the asylum garb was too plain for such an odd person.
"Why do I keep thinking about him?" she asked herself aloud. "I have other patients to concentrate on, and about a million other concerns. Like dinner, I'm starved."
-
"So what do you think of that new doctor, huh Joker?"
"She's a cute little thing, isn't she, Harv? And I do like the name."
Looking up from his all but finished crossword puzzle Edward Nygma decided to join the conversation. "Hmmm, Harleen Quinzel. . . Yes, you would like that name, wouldn't you, Jack?"
"Who asked you, Eddie? Anyway, I doubt she'll last long."
"What, is she the hopeless, idealistic type?" Two-Face asked.
"I wouldn't really know. I wasn't paying attention. I spent most of the entire time imagining how she'd look in red leather."
"You always were quite the chauvinist. . ."
"I thought I told you to butt out, Eddie!"
"Actually, you merely implied that I wasn't involved in your conversation. Back to my point, I hardly think you'll have a chance to fulfill that little fantasy of yours. It's not as if you've had much luck with women in the past, anyway. When was the last time you had a girlfriend?"
"That's hardly important. Besides, I've been spending my time on trying to kill that dratted Batman, I don't have time for girls," the Joker replied.
"Sure, that's it Joker. But if you're spending all your time on the Bat, how come he's not dead yet?" Two Face teased.
"Oh shut up. I don't remember you killing him either. And it's not like your love life is all that great either. Your girlfriend, I mean fiancé, only went out with you so she could kill you. For endangering some tiny little rose, no less. That Ivy really belongs in here, you know."
"She was a little over the top."
"Sexy as hell, though. I wouldn't mind seeing her in leather either," Joker said.
"Hey!!" Two Face objected.
"What? You're not still engaged, and she hates your guts. So what if I think she has a nice body?"
"So? She's my ex. You can't talk about her like that in front of me!"
"Harvey, you hate her guts."
"Oh, right."
"Speaking of the lovely Dr. Isley, I overheard that she's one of Dr. Quinzel's patients as well," the Riddler interjected.
"No kidding? Now that would be something to see. I hear Ivy doesn't get along with girls too well," Joker said.
"She doesn't get along with anybody too well," Two Face stated.
-
"Well, how do you? They call me the Joker," he said.
"I'd prefer to use your real name, your. . . given name. Jack Napier."
"Oh, don't you think that's a bit formal for a place like this? I hardly think anyone will mind. I certainly don't. Besides, plenty of other patients around here go by different names than their 'given names' as you so cutely put it."
"I'd prefer to be a little more formal, Jack."
"Hmmm, well, I suppose that's up to you. But what about your name? Ech, who names their child Harleen. . . Did you ever have any nicknames, maybe?"
"No, not really."
"Well, I think Harley is much better. And Quinzel, too long! Quinn!! Yes, there's a nice normal sounding name, how 'bout that?"
"Harley Quinn. Like a harlequin, or clown. Of course. You are the Joker. . ."
"Hmmm, once again they stick me with a doctor that has no sense of humor. I really am getting tired of this place."
The rest of the session wasn't any more productive than the beginning of it. She reassured herself that things would get better with time. Gaining their trust, that first important step. Maybe she should let him call her Harley. . . It wasn't such a bad change. Harleen was a fairly stuffy name.
What was she thinking?! There was nothing wrong with her name. She was a little shocked. How could she let her patient in like that? And so quickly? Not to mention how dangerous he was.
-
Dropping her keys onto a small desk in her cramped apartment, Dr. Quinzel thought only of taking a nice long shower, and then maybe tackling some of the boxes that still needed unpacking. She slowly massaged her neck and took off her glasses.
"You know, I was planning on leaving here today, but I decided I should meet the new help first. See if you won't be the doc to cure me."
She remembered his comments. The playful smile as he gave his little taunts. At least she hadn't had to meet with all of her new patients on her first day. Still, it seemed so ridiculous to have her seeing patients already.
As she stepped into the shower she thought about how silly Jack had looked in those Arkham inmate clothes. The green hair and pale face probably didn't look good next to anything, but the asylum garb was too plain for such an odd person.
"Why do I keep thinking about him?" she asked herself aloud. "I have other patients to concentrate on, and about a million other concerns. Like dinner, I'm starved."
-
"So what do you think of that new doctor, huh Joker?"
"She's a cute little thing, isn't she, Harv? And I do like the name."
Looking up from his all but finished crossword puzzle Edward Nygma decided to join the conversation. "Hmmm, Harleen Quinzel. . . Yes, you would like that name, wouldn't you, Jack?"
"Who asked you, Eddie? Anyway, I doubt she'll last long."
"What, is she the hopeless, idealistic type?" Two-Face asked.
"I wouldn't really know. I wasn't paying attention. I spent most of the entire time imagining how she'd look in red leather."
"You always were quite the chauvinist. . ."
"I thought I told you to butt out, Eddie!"
"Actually, you merely implied that I wasn't involved in your conversation. Back to my point, I hardly think you'll have a chance to fulfill that little fantasy of yours. It's not as if you've had much luck with women in the past, anyway. When was the last time you had a girlfriend?"
"That's hardly important. Besides, I've been spending my time on trying to kill that dratted Batman, I don't have time for girls," the Joker replied.
"Sure, that's it Joker. But if you're spending all your time on the Bat, how come he's not dead yet?" Two Face teased.
"Oh shut up. I don't remember you killing him either. And it's not like your love life is all that great either. Your girlfriend, I mean fiancé, only went out with you so she could kill you. For endangering some tiny little rose, no less. That Ivy really belongs in here, you know."
"She was a little over the top."
"Sexy as hell, though. I wouldn't mind seeing her in leather either," Joker said.
"Hey!!" Two Face objected.
"What? You're not still engaged, and she hates your guts. So what if I think she has a nice body?"
"So? She's my ex. You can't talk about her like that in front of me!"
"Harvey, you hate her guts."
"Oh, right."
"Speaking of the lovely Dr. Isley, I overheard that she's one of Dr. Quinzel's patients as well," the Riddler interjected.
"No kidding? Now that would be something to see. I hear Ivy doesn't get along with girls too well," Joker said.
"She doesn't get along with anybody too well," Two Face stated.
-