She closed her eyes, trying her damnedest to think not of her impending death, but of beautiful green-eyed goddesses in black satin gowns and diamond jewelry, of dancing the night away in each other's arms, of laughing and loving and being happy together.

"Happiness, I thought I didn't deserve it, but turns out I really really want it anyway…"

She felt the click of the gun, and then, nothing.

Okay, so that's kinda not true. Because she did feel something. And hear something. And see something.

First, there was a whoosh of air, not the kind you feel from a bullet exiting its chamber, more like the kind of rush you get from something whizzing past you. And then, there was a scream – actually, more like several stifled gurglings…

And then, she felt something sticky dripping onto her face. That's when she decided to look.

To her utter surprise, Bucko and company were no longer standing over her, taunting her and eagerly awaiting her bitter demise. Instead, they were pinned to the walls, vines sticking out of their bodies like they were some sort of pincushion, blood oozing from their many orifices to create a freaking lake beneath their feet.

But rather than grimace at their untimely death, or celebrate her second chance at life, or even gape at the fact that vines were here and that could only mean one thing, Harley found herself thinking about how it was definitely time for her to go to church, because she had stopped believing in divine intervention, but if this wasn't God (or more specifically, one gorgeous goddess) coming to rescue her, then religion was well and truly dead.

But perhaps it was all real, because Ivy was now standing over her and Good Lord if it ain't true love because seeing her concerned face brought tears to Harley's eyes and wow, had Ivy always been that beautiful?

And Ivy was kneeling down now and assessing the situation with that keen, worried expression of hers that had her wrinkling her forehead and all Harley wanted to do was smooth those creases away with her thumbs and then proceed to kiss every inch of that gorgeous skin and whisper "I love you," over and over again for the rest of their lives.

But Ivy was talking now and she had to admit she wasn't quite paying attention to the words because she was alive and here with Ivy and she really had thought she'd never get to see her again and wow, perhaps God really was real.

"Harley," Ivy was genuinely worried now, her green eyes growing stormier with each passing second, "Are you alright? Can you stand?"

The jester blinked slowly, then gently, tentatively reached out to touch her green cheek, "You-you found me…how?"

Ivy nodded, wiping away her tears – why was she crying? – as she spoke, "I was going to search for you in Robinson Park when some kid ran up to me and told me you needed my help. I came as soon as I could, but…"

She looked down at the wound (oh yeah, that was still a thing) with pain glistening in her tragically beautiful eyes. "Oh, daffodil…"

If there was one thing Harley had never been able to abide by, it was letting Pam cry. But now, after everything that had transpired, she most definitely couldn't bear to see Pam crying. Not because of her. Not again.

"It's not as bad as it looks. Woulda been worse if you hadn't shown up when ya did." Harley braved the pain to offer her love a signature quirky smirk. "Ya know, I think I'm finally beginning to understand all of that hole-y business."

To her relief, Ivy let out a fond chuckle, her expression softening, "Of course you'd joke around at a time like this." Her gaze drifted back to meet baby blue orbs, "But if you can crack jokes about it, at least that means you're okay."

She brushed soft, silky gentle fingers against the blonde strands of hair. And then, "Can you stand?"

Harley shook her head. Her body had given up on her sometime ago, and she really didn't want to embarrass herself in front of Pammy, though why that mattered at a time like this, she couldn't say.

"Actually, my body's gotten kinda attached to this here pavement …" She somewhat sheepishly patted the ground next to her. "I think the separation anxiety's gonna be a real bitch."

Her heart fluttered like a butterfly when Ivy offered up another soft laugh, "Then I suppose the extraction will have to be a delicate one." One arm tucked under her knees while the other supported her neck, cradling Harley in her secure embrace as Ivy lifted her up from the ground.

Harley wrapped her arms around Ivy's neck like a koala bear and took in a deep breath, her girlfriend's comforting scent of jasmine and lilac washing over her like a soothing balm for her adrenaline-weary body.

Heaven had nothing on this. Probably.

"Comfy?"

"With you, always."

Ivy merely smiled and brought her in even closer, letting Harley's head rest itself on her shoulder. "Then rest, my love." Her eyes were glistening with a million emotions, all of them as beautifully complicated as the woman they belonged to. "The battle has been won. You're safe now."

Cradled in Pam's warm arms and staring into her gorgeous green eyes, Harley did indeed feel like the battle had been won, for surely there was no other way to receive a reward as rich as this.

And so, assured by perhaps the truest words she had ever heard and enveloped in everything that was Ivy, the Clown Queen of Crime allowed her exhausted body to rest.

Just for a little while…

When she awoke again, it was to the wonderful sensation of soft bedsheets and a gentle hand stroking her forehead while another held her – wow, why was her palm so sweaty?

"Welcome back to the world of the living." Ivy's words were sarcastic, but her stormy eyes told another story. Unfortunately, before Harley could comment on it, the woman had blinked, and the turmoil was gone. "How do you feel?"

Harley experimentally nudged her arms and legs, then her fingers and her toes. "I feel great." But then her eyes flitted to Ivy, "How bad was it?"

Ivy's expression was delicately crafted. "You had quite a few cuts and scrapes, but I was mostly worried about the hole in your stomach. You bled out a lot, Harls…" She took a deep, slightly shaky breath here, "But it was a flesh wound, and I was able to dig the bullet out, so you should heal alright."

Her hand unconsciously brushed over the bandage, "I couldn't give you a blood transfusion, for what I hope are very obvious reasons, so I did the next best thing."

Harley was wide-eyed, "You turned me into a plant hybrid?!"

Pam's reaction was priceless, "What? No, Harls…why would I even-" And then she giggled. God, that was such a delightful sound, "Why was that your first thought? Or do I even want to know?"

A sheepish blush crept up Harley's cheeks, "I dunno, I always thought it'd be nice to become a plant hybrid…" Her fingers played with a stray thread on her blanket, "Then we'd have more in common, ya know."

A gleam twinkled in bright green eyes, "I suppose I'll have to keep that in mind for the future…"

Harley's heart soared upon the promise of 'a future', even more at the thought of Ivy actually considering her crazy fantasy, but then, Ivy smirked and added, "Though for the record, I actually like my romantic partners to be 100% human, preferably with adorable dip-dyed blonde hair and a touch of insanity," and Harley felt her brain melting into goo.

"T-That's incredibly specific." She stammered out through the lump in her throat.

Ivy nodded, her smile softening, "What can I say? I have a type." She gave Harley's hand a gentle squeeze, sending the poor girl's heart ablaze with warmth and happiness and love because she had figured Ivy would never want to see her face again, let alone speak to her, but here Ivy was, smiling at her and holding her hand and laughing at her admittedly cringe-worthy attempts at humor and surely that meant Pammy still loved her and wanted to be with her and she was completely forgiven.

Actually, you don't know if she forgave you…you still haven't apologized to her, Harley. Remember?

The words put a halt on her admittedly premature celebration.

Right.

The apology.

A sudden nervousness overtook her once again, lending their conversation to a strange, tense silence.

Harley found herself running her thumb along the back of Pam's hand as she racked her brain for the words she needed to say, the words she'd practiced on her way over here. Even now, they felt inadequate, incomplete. But she knew she needed to apologize, and she knew she needed to do it now.

She took a deep breath and looked up into waiting green eyes.

"I'm sorry-"

Both sets of eyes widened comically. They pointed at each other.

"Wait, you're sorry?!"

Then –

"Why are you apologizing?!"

They burst into incredulous laughter, the tension shattering to return them to stable ground once more.

"Ive," Harley found herself terribly confused. "I know why I'm apologizing, but why are you? You didn't do anything wrong."

The giggling ceased.

"Yes, I did, Harls." Pam's other hand came to grasp their entwined ones. "After you left, I realized how horribly unfair I was to you. You-you didn't deserve what I said. You didn't deserve to be treated that way…"

"You're-" Ivy was shaking her head now, grimacing at the words she couldn't believe she'd uttered. "You're nothing like my parents, and you're definitely nothing like him. I know you'd never actually want to hurt me. And I know if you had understood the consequences of your actions, you would never have gone through with it at all."

"It wasn't fair of me to lump you in with all of the people who've hurt me, because I know you're not like them. But I was upset, Harls. I was wounded. What you did was hurtful, and I felt taken advantage of…" She looked up and her eyes were shimmering again. "But I overreacted. I know I did."

Of all the things Harley had expected to hear, it was not this. "Ive-"

"But that's not all." Ivy took a deep breath. "When I accused you of not wanting to talk about it, I was being a hypocrite, because I'm the one that didn't want to listen. You told me the attention bugged you, but I dismissed it. I'm the one who wasn't being considerate of your feelings…and it wasn't fair of me to blame you for not communicating when I wouldn't let you."

Ivy closed her eyes, "Harls…I don't even know how to begin apologizing to you."

Her heart hurt to see Ivy like this. "Pammy, you don't have to apologize for anything. It hurt to hear those things from you…but there was some truth to what you said."

Harley ducked her head, "I-I didn't even realize how much I'd hurt you until you told me, and you were right to be upset with me for that…for not thinking things through. For not communicating with you. You were right to point out how much I hurt you with my reckless, thoughtless actions." She chuckled weakly, "I do that a lot, don't I?"

"Harls-"

"But I'm going to be better, Ive. I'm going to try to be more open with you, to say how I'm feeling before I do something that hurts us both. You know, that whole 'honest communication' bit? I'm gonna try that." She swallowed, "And I'm gonna start…. I'm gonna start by telling you why I was jealous."

Ivy closed her eyes, "Harls, you shouldn't have to-"

"No, you deserve to know, Ive. And the truth is, I was scared to tell you." She shook her head, "Actually, I was scared to admit it to myself…but the thing is, I'm not anymore. I don't know what's going to happen after I tell you, but whatever it is, it doesn't matter, because at least I won't be ignoring my feelings anymore. I'll finally be honest… with myself and with you."

She summoned every ounce of courage and looked up at Pam, "I don't deserve you."

Pam's objection was clear in her pursed lips and stormy irises but Harley pressed on. "Actually, I don't know if I do or don't, but that's how I feel, in any case…."

The blonde found herself caressing the green hand entwined with her own as she spoke. "I was jealous of everyone in that club because in my eyes, each and every one of them was a better person than me…and my biggest fear-" She couldn't suppress the shudder that went through her. "My nightmare is that one day you'll wake up and realize that, and then…then I'll be all alone."

Ivy sucked in a sharp breath. "Harls, I would never do that to you-" She was distraught, disbelieving. "You're all I've loved for so long. I could never live without you."

"But I'm hard to live with, aren't I?" Harley hung her head. "It's okay, Ive. I know I make things difficult for you. I'm always making these big fucking messes that you gotta clean-up for me and I try not to, but it happens anyway."

Her heart ached dully in her chest. "And I do things that hurt you and I'm wild, chaotic, crazy even… I know that. And even though I'm trying to be better, I know it's not enough…but my biggest worry is that one day, you'll realize that too."

"That's why I acted the way I did. I know it's no excuse, but I wanted to tell you everything, cause you deserve that from me. You deserve to know how I feel." Shame overwhelmed her. She hung her head, a mirthless laugh escaping her. "I'm a real piece of work, aren't I?"

"No more than me."

Harley looked up, incredulity written all over her face, "What?"

Pam chuckled softly, emptily. "I've spent years falling in love with you, Harley. And now that we're here, all I can think about is how close I am to screwing it all up, because I know how different we are, Harls." She smiled wryly, "Heck, on paper, we don't even make sense… but I'm trying so hard to be the kind of person you deserve. Someone who can be wild and unpredictable and cast-off society's shackles to truly embrace herself. Someone who can keep up with you and give you the life you deserve."

"Ive-"

"I know you're going to say I don't need to prove anything," Ivy admitted. "But in my heart, I feel like I don't deserve you."

"And when I was forced to confront my insecurity – before you, it seemed – I felt vulnerable. I felt exposed." She shook her head, "That's why I lashed out at you, why I was so unfair. I-I didn't want to admit to myself that I didn't deserve you, but last night, I had to, and that-that's what hurt the most."

Harley found herself at a loss for words. How could Ivy even think such a thing? Ivy deserved the world and everything in it.

"My god, Ive, of course you deserve me. I can't even-I'm so sorry for making you think you didn't." She gulped, "I really messed up, didn't I?"

"No, Harls. You made me acknowledge something I didn't want to confront. You made me realize my shortcomings." Ivy shrugged, "I know we're different, but I wasn't willing to do anything about it. Not until I realized how easy it would be to lose you to someone who looks forward to life as much as you do …to someone better than me."

How Ivy had come to this conclusion, Harley didn't know. But she did know one thing.

"Pammy, you've got it all wrong." The blonde shook her head. "I've had that kind of wild life before, remember?" She found herself thinking back to green hair, wild, crazy eyes and way too many near-death experiences. A cold shiver danced down her spine.

"I've lived in that world… and it took me way too long to realize it wasn't what I wanted." She squeezed their locked hands, "I want you. I want the safety and the security and the love you offer me, because that's what makes me happy…"

Ivy looked taken aback, "Really?"

"Really. And you definitely don't have to prove anything to anyone, but especially not to me." She locked eyes with Ivy, her baby blue eyes burning with sincerity, "I want you. Only you. I really, really don't want anyone else. And if I made you think I didn't want you, then I'm the asshole here." Harley ducked her head, "Honestly, I don't even know if you should, but do you think you could ever forgive me, Ive?"

Green eyes softened as Ivy brought their conjoined hands to her lips.

"Harls…" She kissed their combined fingers, "Of course I forgive you, completely and unconditionally. But you're not the only one who needs to ask for forgiveness…" She hung her own head, shame evident in her slumped shoulders. "I hurt you just as much, if not more. And I did it out of spite, because I wanted you to feel my pain."

Regret morphed her beautiful features. "Can you find it in your heart to forgive me as well?"

Harley could feel the tears prickling at her eyes. This angel was asking her for forgiveness?

"Oh, Ive," It was Harley's turn to kiss their entwined fingers. "You don't even have to ask. I forgive you for everything. I'll always forgive you…"

She smiled now, earnestly, honestly, even through the tears sliding down her cheeks. "I love you, Pamela Isley. I love you so, so much."

The dopey smile that came across Ivy's face was the most beautiful thing she'd ever seen. "I love you too, Harleen Quinzel…"

And then, the redhead surprised her by letting out an incredulous, bubbly laugh, "We really are a couple of idiots, aren't we?"

"The biggest," Harley admitted with the widest of smiles.

But it didn't even matter that they were both idiots, because they were idiots in love with each other and they'd admitted how much they couldn't live without each other, and Ivy was smiling and leaning in now and Harley was rising up to meet her and then –

"Ow!" Her side twinged something awful. Right, the hole in her stomach.

Ivy smiled, "Maybe let me do the moving for a while. You won't be able to do much for a day or two."

"That long?!" She whined. But Ivy was awfully close to her now and it was hard to maintain a pout when all she wanted to do was kiss those soft, soft lips.

"You're lucky you're alive at all, Harls. Sitting still for two days is a breeze compared to the months of rehabilitation you would otherwise need."

She had to admit the woman had a point, but all she could focus on was Ivy's warm breath puffing ever so gently against her cold skin. "So, what you're saying is I need to thank the doctor who patched me up."

Ivy's eyes sparkled with understanding, and a hint of mischief. "I think you owe your doctor much more than a simple thank you." She didn't miss the way Ivy's eyes flickered to her lips.

"Oh?" Harley smirked with a wicked gleam of her own. "What do you suggest I do to repay her?"

"Hmm," Ivy pretended to think about it, biting her lower lip in an attempt at concentration and unwittingly driving Harley to madness. "Perhaps a kiss would be enough."

Harley was tilting her head up now and raising a curious eyebrow, "Just one kiss?"

Pam nodded, her eyes never leaving Harley's, "She's awfully complaisant like that."

"That she is…" Harley admitted with a sly smile. "But I think I owe her far more than just one kiss. After all, she saved my life. A miracle like that deserves something special."

They were so close now that she could count each and every one of Pam's long, curly eyelashes.

"I suppose that makes sense." Pam admitted. "What do you have in mind?"

Perhaps it was on purpose, perhaps it wasn't. But Pam was licking her lips and suddenly, Harley could wait no longer.

"This."

She wove her fingers into Pam's flowing red hair and tugged her into a passionate kiss. One filled with love and understanding and forgiveness and happiness, because finally, things felt alright and the weight that had been on her shoulders no longer existed and she and Pam were talking now and really communicating and god damn if she wasn't proud of their accomplishment and growth because that's what couples did and even though it had been touch and go there for a bit, at the end of the day, they were still together.

They were still a couple.

And it was everything Harley could ever want.

Well, almost everything.

She drew back with a plea, "I need to feel you, Ive."

But Ivy was pulling away with a frown and the gesture was sending a spike of dread through her being cause maybe she'd misinterpreted everything and had she really been so foolish to think everything would be fixed with one apology?

"Harls," Pam brushed a hand against her cheek, "I'm not saying no…I want you too. God, I want you so much. But maybe we should wait until you're healed."

"But…" Her mind swirled with thoughts and emotions and feelings that made her soul ache in ways she couldn't express.

Words, Harley. Use your words.

"Ive…I know you forgave me, but I still feel like I need to make up for what I did. And I'm not good with words…you know that." She reached for Pam's face, clasping her cheek with a sincerity that came from deep within. "All I can do is show you how I feel."

Ivy hesitated. "Harley, I…"

"I want to show you how sorry I am. I need you to feel how sorry I am." She stroked the green skin, "Please, Pammy?"

To her surprise, Pam seemed almost speechless, her bright green eyes flowing with love and surprise and astonishment. "I…" She shook her head and turned away. "I'm not sure I have the words to express how I'm feeling right now either."

Harley nudged her shy eyes towards her with a pale finger. "Then, show me."

The words, simple though they were, released something between them, driving the two women together like magnets. Ivy's fingers found sanctuary in Harley's loose blonde hair while Harley's eager hands ran over her lover's frame, memorizing each and every curve and dent and dip because my god, it had been too long since they did this – not really, but it felt that way - and she had so much she needed to say but couldn't.

All she could do was show Ivy how she felt and hope she understood.

She leaned in, and though she couldn't do much more than use her hands, she made sure they compensated for her limitations, wrapping them around Ivy's waist, palming her breasts through her shirt. And then – "Take these off, Ive. I wanna see you."

Ivy pulled away to quickly strip herself, and then she was back in Harley's arms within seconds. She fell onto the bed next to Harley, careful to avoid the bandaged areas as she ran her hands across the jester's lithe body.

But even that wasn't enough for Harley. She nudged the sheets that covered her body, silently thanking Ive all the while for neglecting to slip her into some clothes after she'd patched her up. And though it was a relief to feel the cool air on her flushed skin, it unfortunately meant that the injuries she'd suffered were also painfully visible.

So much so that Ivy seemed to stop in her tracks, leaning back to rest on her knees rather than continue their delicate dance.

"Ive?"

Pam wiped at her eyes with a shaky laugh. "Sorry…I don't know why it's just hitting me now. Heck, I'm the one who patched you up." She offered a weak smile, "I guess it's been a while. I forgot how much it hurts to see you like this."

Harley reached for Pam's trembling hand and brought it to her lips, pressing a comforting kiss to the palm. "I'm okay, Ive. And I have you to thank for it." She smiled, "You've always been around to drag me out of a sticky situation," She chuckled, "Sometimes literally."

Ivy nodded, "And I always will, Harls. But I'd rather not have to do this for a while. Actually, maybe even forever." She managed a smirk, "I'm aware I play the role well, but I'm not actually that kind of doctor, you know."

"Duly noted." Harley replied with a teasing smile of her own. "That being said, you're definitely the sexiest doctor-not-that-kind-of-doctor I've ever seen, so I can't make any promises about being on my best behavior…. but," And here, she knew she was definitely grinning like the idiot she was, but she couldn't be bothered to care, "I can make it worth your while."

"Is that so?" Ivy leaned forward, pressing her body flush against Harley's and wriggling suggestively over some very delicate areas. "I hope this means you intend to keep your promise from earlier…" She batted her eyelashes, "You know, the one about repaying me properly for my miracle-working abilities?"

Harley was finding it hard to concentrate, what with the way Ivy seemed to be invading her every sense. "W-well, I'm a 'show-don't-tell' kind of gal, so I'd rather just show you what I mean to do."

"Then by all means, my love," Ivy was hovering just above her lips now, her eyes flush with desire as she uttered the two words that seemed to be the theme of the night.

"Show me."

Their love-making that night was magical, ethereal, Fingers found new sensitive spots to tease and taunt to completion, hungry lips discovered new rhythms to dance to and two souls managed to weave themselves ever closer, surrounded by love and gratitude and the sheer relief that came from opening their hearts to each other completely and unconditionally as they muttered those three magical words over and over again, free to do so with fervent passion.

And when they came, they came together in a crescendo, Ivy biting onto Harley's exposed collarbone while Harley let out a low moan against Ivy's ear, their heartbeats synchronized to perfection as their breath mingled in mid-air and evaporated into the chilly night.

And even though they were sweating and sticky and nursing sore fingers that were sure to be a problem come morning, the two lovers found themselves completely satiated and utterly relieved.

Ivy wrapped herself around Harley, spooning her from behind, mindful of the bandages that littered her girlfriend's body. "That was wonderful." She pressed a soft kiss to the pale neck before her. "I love you, Harls."

And though Harley had heard that all night, had heard it for almost two years before that, those three simple words brought her to tears once again.

Because it meant they were fine.

Because it meant she was forgiven.

Because it meant she was loved.