A/N: I hope the wait was worth it, enjoy this long ass chapter ya'll!
"Selina!"
"Selina?" Harley parroted, peeking out from behind Pam's shoulder.
The brunette's painted red lips lifted into an amused smirk. "That's my name. What's up with you two? I feel like I should be on the ground in a chokehold right now."
"We just…I thought you were someone else," Pam admitted, finally taking a moment to absorb the fact that it was her best friend standing in the doorway and not Jay.
"Sorry to disappoint."
"Wait, what are you doing here? I wasn't expecting you back for another week."
"Surprise?" Selina shrugged and placed her hands on her hips. "You have Bruce to thank. You know how he is. Can't be away from his vast fortune for long. Besides, I think he missed Alfred."
"You're Selina!" Harley interrupted, stepping out from behind Pam and staring at the brunette with wide eyes.
"And you must be Harley?" Selina smiled when Harley's eyes grew even rounder at the mention of her name.
"You know my name?"
Selina nodded, clearly amused. "Pam's told me a lot about you."
"You told her about me?" Harley's voice had reached a pitch that made Pam flinch.
"I think the only thing I don't know about you is your favorite color."
"It's green!" She nearly shouted.
Selina laughed. "Okay well, now I know everything."
Harley launched herself at Selina, throwing her arms around her neck and hugging her so tightly it nearly knocked them both over. Selina blinked, gathering herself before returning Harley's hug.
"It's good to finally meet you face-to-face." Her voice was muffled against Harley's shoulder.
Pam gently tugged Harley to stand beside to her again when Selina's cheeks began turning a little bit purple. The blonde was vibrating with excitement, her blue eyes sparkling and an irrepressible grin taking over her face.
"Why don't you come in?" Pam offered, realizing that she'd kept Selina standing in the doorway far longer than was appropriate. Selina nodded, setting her shoes on the shoe rack (and Pam was reminded why this woman was her closest friend) and stepping into the living room. She spun in a slow circle, taking in the off-white walls, the small television, the old couch, Harley's scattered belongings and the small stack of books on the coffee table.
"I like what you've done with the place, Pam," she said, poking Harley's roller skates with her toe. "Very chic."
Pam knew she was being generous. Selina liked to tease her boyfriend for his excessive wealth, but the truth was, she wasn't wanting for money either. Selina lived in a flat downtown, in the ritzier part of Gotham. And her bedroom alone put Pam's entire apartment to shame.
"Thank you."
"I'm especially a fan of the undecorated walls. I forgot you never really were a poster type of girl…. I used to give her my old band posters," she explained to Harley, who had followed her into the living room, looking for all the world like an eager puppy. "And they all ended up in her parent's basement."
Harley gasped and gave Pam an incredulous look.
Pam frowned. "Idolatry is hardly an enviable trait, Selina."
"'Idolatry', she says." Selina snorted and smirked at Harley, who giggled in response. "They were Birds of Prey posters, Pam. Not advertisements for the occult."
"Oh! I love them!" Harley exclaimed.
"Good band. Their lead singer? Oh my god. Bruce is lucky I didn't meet Dinah Lance first."
"Right?"
Pam narrowed her eyes, watching Selina and Harley go back and forth. She was happy they were getting along, just…. unhappy that she had to be on the outside of things in order for it to happen. Harley was still staring at Selina with unadulterated fascination. It gave Pam a strange burning sensation in the pit of her belly. She wanted Harley to look at her that way. She wanted Selina gone. She wanted….
Jealousy? Really? Unwarranted. Ridiculous. Selina is your best friend. Get a hold of yourself, Pamela.
"The Police Commissioner's daughter is really good friends with Dinah, you know," Selina continued. "I should introduce you sometime."
"BABS IS FRIENDS WITH DINAH LANCE?"
Selina laughed loudly at the dazed expression on Harley's face. "Oh good, you already know her."
Seeming to realize that Pam was still standing awkwardly off to the side, Selina turned and asked, "I didn't interrupt anything, did I?" She pinned Pam with a meaningful gaze.
Pam shook her head quickly. "No, we were just about to get dinner started-"
"Oh! Great idea!" Selina said, clapping her hands. "Let's go out! My treat."
"But…"
"No 'buts' Pam," she interrupted. "It's been weeks since we've seen each other. I owe you a good time, and what better way for all three of us to get in some good old-fashioned female bonding? Right, Harley?"
"Right!"
"Right. Come on, Pam. Pick your jaw up off the floor, dust of your dancing shoes and let's hit the town."
Pam sighed and shook her head as Selina led a bouncing Harley out the front door. Selina was a lot to take in all at once, but at least Pam had been right about she and Harley hitting it off. Grabbing her jacket from the coat rack, pausing to bring one for Harley as well, Pam hurried out the door and chased her friends down the stairs.
/
Harley and Selina traipsed through the busy fairgrounds together. In the few short days that Selina had been back in Gotham, the two had bonded quickly. For which Harley was extremely grateful. She wasn't sure what she would have done if she hadn't gotten along with Pam's closest friend.
"I can't believe you got us in to meet the Flying Graysons!" Harley enthused around her mouthful of cotton candy.
"Dick's a nice guy. And a good friend of Bruce's." Selina waved a hand, nonchalant. "It's not hard to get an audience with him after a show. Besides, I'm a professional socialite." She winked and wiped a bit of cotton candy off Harley's cheek.
"I had no idea he was Babs' boyfriend. How come she knows all the coolest people?"
Selina just laughed and Harley scurried after her as she strode through the crowd of circus goers on her incredibly long legs. She hadn't quite known what to expect upon meeting Pam's childhood friend, but it was nowhere near what Selina actually was. Poised, funny, beautiful, quick-witted, kind. It had even been her idea to bring Harley to the Gotham City Circus while she took time off from the tattoo parlor. Pam elected to stay behind, claiming she needed to catch up with her work at the flower shop. At first, Harley had felt guilty about going without her, but Selina assured her Pam wouldn't have enjoyed the experience as much as they currently were.
It surprised her (and perhaps it was a little unfair of Harley to have judged Selina so quickly) that a woman as beautiful and composed as Selina Kyle would have enjoyed a place as rowdy and crowded as the circus. But she'd dragged Harley around the fairgrounds, challenging her to every game in sight. Harley had easily won the High Striker game, earning the raucous applause of every male gathered around her. And she'd graciously offered Selina her choice of prize. The brunette had picked out a pair of bright neon pink cat ears that she was still sporting as they made their way through the fairgrounds towards the enormous Ferris wheel. That and the small silver cat shaped pendant she wore around her neck had given Harley an easy nickname.
"Thanks for doing this, Kitty," Harley said as she tossed her now naked cotton candy cone into a nearby trash bin. "I can't tell you how many times I've tried draggin' my buddies down here. Kickin' and screamin'. Every one of 'em."
"No problem." Selina's lips quirked at the affectionate nickname. She'd taken to it more quickly than Harley had expected. "I figured you could use a day of unadulterated fun after… Well, you know, all the crap you've been through this week."
"Red told you about all that too, huh?" Harley stuffed her hands into her jean pockets, scuffing the ground with her heels as she walked.
"Only because she cares about you," Selina assured her. Harley's lips twisted into a frown. "She called me constantly after that nasty fight you two had at your birthday party. She was really worried about you."
"Yeah, I know."
"I'm not sure you do, Harley," Selina retorted, leading the way to the front of the Ferris Wheel line and flashing the carny a twenty. He opened the gate of the gondola and ushered them inside. Once they were settled on opposite sides, Selina continued. "I mean, you've really gotten to her."
"Gotten to her?"
"Pam's not the touchy-feely type."
Harley giggled. "I've noticed."
"There are very few things in this world that she cares about more than that little flower shop of hers. Not even her parents make the cut. There's me, but I'm pretty sure that's just because I got on the inside before she got all jaded and cynical. There's her shop and her plants." Selina paused and pinned Harley with her sharp green gaze. "And you."
Harley couldn't hold Selina's eyes. She looked down at her scuffed Chuck Taylors and then over the side of the passenger car, watching the fairgrounds shrink below them.
"But why?" Harley asked quietly after the silence between them stretched a bit too long. It was a question she'd been asking herself since they met. Pam was something special, anyone could see that. She was smart, she was beautiful, she was strong. And Harley was…well, Harley. Not the type of person who should have caught Pam's eye.
"But why what?" Selina was still pinning her with that intense stare.
"Why me?" Harley felt her cheeks beginning to burn. And then, without preamble, the concerns and fears that had been building inside of her for the past week bubbled out. "I mean, Pammy's so beautiful and she's strong and she's brave. She's a doctor for cryin' out loud! She's crazy smart. She could pick anyone in the world and they'd fall in love with her. Why would she pick me? I'm just…. Me."
"Don't sell yourself short, Harley," Selina replied, leaning back in her seat and crossing her arms over her chest. "You're a good person. You're pretty, you're smart. And Pam's not perfect, no matter how hard she likes to pretend she is."
Harley's lips spread into an amused smile.
"She's got a lot of baggage. She doesn't open up to people well. She's haughty, self-righteous, she can be insensitive… Man. Why am I friends with her again?" Harley laughed. After a moment, Selina continued in a more serious tone. "But she's got this enormous heart that she likes to imagine doesn't exist. And for whatever reason, she's given it to you."
Harley's eyes widened, her own heart thumping wildly in her chest. "W-what?"
Selina nodded, a smirk tugging up the corner of her mouth. "I've known Pam a long time, and I know what it looks like when she's fallen for someone."
"Fallen for someone?" Harley was reduced to repeating Selina's words since her brain couldn't seem to process what they meant.
"That's you, Harley." Selina laughed at Harley's expression and leaned back against her seat. "Is this really brand new information?"
"I mean…. Yes? Or no? Kinda? I-I didn't know if she-"
"-Totally wanted to get into your pants?"
"Kitty!"
"I'm just saying."
Harley's face was on fire now, growing hotter under Selina's laughing eyes. But there was nowhere to escape unless she wanted to risk jumping over the side of the passenger car, possibly to her death. Which was starting to sound like an attractive option.
"Serious time?" Selina calmed enough to temper the shit-eating grin on her face. "Having Pam in your corner is one of the greatest things that could ever happen to you. Especially if you're dealing with a guy like Jay."
Swallowing her embarrassment, Harley nodded and looked down at her lap. "I have to go back to work soon."
"And when you do, you're not going to be alone. You've got Pam, you've got your friends and now you've got me." She grinned again, her impossibly white teeth gleaming. "Don't let that asshole scare you, Harley. There's no way you can fall with all of us behind you."
"Kitty, that was…"
"Eloquent. I know." She bounced her perfect brows once. "I'm right too."
"But what do I tell him?"
Selina ran a hand through her short dark hair before responding. "The truth? That he's a douche bag and you don't need his crap anymore. That you're staying with someone who treats you like a human being. That you expect him to maintain his professional relationship with you. That you'll press charges if he even thinks about putting his grimy hands on you again." Selina caught the panicked look in Harley's eye and leaned forward, taking one of Harley's hands and holding it gently between her own. "Okay, maybe go into the conversation a little gentler than that, but my points all stand. You don't owe him anything, Harley. And if he tries to take away your job because he can't have you anymore? Then there's legal action we can take. Remember, you're friends with the Police Commissioner's daughter. I know it sounds scary, it's a lot. But you've got a whole team of people that want to help you. You can do this."
Harley could feel pressure building behind her eyes. Selina smiled softly and ruffled her blonde hair.
"Most importantly, you've got time. You go back when you're ready. For now, let's enjoy the heck out of the circus, yeah?"
Harley nodded rapidly, blinking away her tears and forcing a brilliant smile. "Yeah."
/
"Red, I'm home!" Harley called as she pushed open the door to the apartment, putting her freshly minted key in the cubby next to the shoe rack where she knew she wouldn't lose it. Or she hoped so anyway….
"In here." She heard Pam's voice coming from the kitchen. Carefully setting her shoes in the shoe rack, Harley scampered through the living room into the kitchen. Immediately she was hit with the wonderful scent of dozens of exotic and flavorful spices. Pam stood over a skillet, pushing a few ingredients Harley couldn't identify around with a spatula. Her red hair was up in a loose bun, but a few strands had fallen out of place and rested against the smooth skin of her neck. She was wearing her reading glasses too, Harley noticed, although she didn't see a book anywhere nearby.
"Wow! Smells amazing," she said, moving up behind Pam, her eyes roaming fleetingly over the older woman's body. "Whatcha makin'?"
"Curried coconut quinoa," Pam replied, looking up from the skillet, her full red lips twitching into a warm smile.
Okay so... a step up from pancakes.
"How was the circus?"
"Great!" Harley hopped up onto the counter beside Pam, swinging her legs out. "Kitty is the best. She had a lotta things to say about Jay."
Pam didn't question the nickname. Instead she nodded and hummed. "I'll bet she did. Selina's a rather opinionated individual. And she can certainly be encouraging on occasion." Pam paused and dipped a wooden spoon into the mixture inside the skillet, blowing on it and then holding it out for Harley to taste. Harley leaned forward, her eyes fluttering shut as Pam's fingers came to rest underneath her chin. She took a sip of the liquid in the spoon, her eyes shooting open.
"That's amazing!"
Pam beamed and lifted the spatula once more, adding a few more spices before beginning to stir again. "So you had a good time?"
"A great time. I wish you coulda come with us though," Harley pouted. Pam gave her an adorably exasperated look.
"I had to take care of the shop, Daffodil."
Daffodil…
Harley fell silent after that, watching Pam cook. Her eyes moved from Pam's untidy red hair, to the green tank top she wore that clung to her shapely figure, to her large glasses that made her bright green eyes pop. Pam peeked at Harley from underneath her eyelashes, smiling when their eyes met. Harley flushed but found herself unable to look away and so they both stared, smiling dumbly at one another.
"Here," Pam said suddenly, reaching out for Harley's face. "You've got a little…"
Dirt? Cotton Candy? Coconut whatever? It could have been radioactive sludge on her face for all Harley cared. What mattered was that Pam's soft hand was on her cheek and those piercing green eyes were staring into hers and she was getting closer and now Harley could feel her warm breath puffing against her own lips and…
Oh my god oh my god oh my god.
Pam's phone rang, startling them both so suddenly that Harley nearly toppled off the counter, and the spatula ended up on the floor.
Are you kidding me right now?!
Pam turned away quickly, fishing the spatula off the floor and raising the phone to her ear. Even without the ability to see her face, Harley could have sworn Pam was blushing to the tips of her ears. Harley bit back a groan of frustration. Whoever had just interrupted the moment was now officially dead to her…. She hoped it wasn't Selina.
"H-hello?" Pam said in a shaky voice. A brief pause, and then, "Oh. Mr. Nygma. Yes, the heating system is still down…. Monday should be fine. I'll make a note of it."
Nygma…..
Harley hopped off the counter as Pam continued to speak with the landlord and hurried to the bathroom. She shut the door behind her, a little too hard, and turned towards the sink, splashing cool water on her burning cheeks.
Gripping the sides of the porcelain sink, Harley stared at the face looking back at her in the mirror. Wide blue eyes, reddened cheeks, windswept hair from a day spent at the busy fairgrounds. She looked down at her trembling hands, her knuckles white against the edge of the sink.
Pam almost kissed me. Right? That's what she was about to do….
She'd gotten so close Harley could've counted her eyelashes. And she'd been enveloped by the scent of lavender and spices. She could feel the heat coming off Pam's body and then…. Mr. Nygma had ruined everything. Harley splashed another handful of water on her face. What was she supposed to do now? Should she acknowledge what had happened? Should she play it off? Laugh? Was there anything to worry about in the first place? Had Pam really been about to kiss her?
Distantly, she heard her name being called from outside the bathroom. "Coming!" she shouted through the door, drying her face off on the hanging hand towel. She cast one more glance at herself in the mirror, narrowing her eyes menacingly at her reflection.
Be cool, Harleen. Be cool.
/
Pam hung up the phone and turned around to apologize for the interruption, only to find that Harley had disappeared. Then she heard the bathroom door slam shut and fear flooded through her. She really had meant to clean a little dirt from the fairgrounds off Harley's cheek, but then they'd gotten so close and Harley's eyes were hypnotizing, framed by long dark lashes. They'd pulled her in and her parted lips had looked so enticing. She would have kissed her if not for Nygma's interruption. Despite the risks involved of doing it without discussing her budding feelings first. She would have done it. She hadn't been able to stop herself in the moment.
God, Pamela. What are you doing?
But Harley hadn't protested. Pam had been moments away from closing the distance between them and Harley had done nothing to indicate that she didn't want the exact same thing Pam had. Then again, she'd run the second Pam had turned her back and hidden herself in the bathroom. Was she angry? Scared? Had Pam pushed too far? The idea that she'd made Harley upset was terrifying.
How should she move forward when Harley returned? Broach the subject of their relationship? She would have to do it eventually. Discuss what had just happened? But what if that made it worse? Ignore it for now? Pretend it had been a misunderstanding? The best thing she could think to do would be to continue with dinner as normal to diffuse the obvious tension. Maybe afterwards they could talk.
Keep it casual. Don't let her panic. She took a deep cleansing breath and called Harley's name. Relax, Pamela.
/
Harley hugged her pillow to her chest, her eyes glued to the darkened ceiling. Pam lay with her back to Harley, her breathing slow and even. Dinner hadn't been awkward, thanks to Pam, who picked up their conversation about the circus as if nothing had ever interrupted it. But Harley's mind was spinning.
Could what Selina had said at the park be true? Did Pam feel the same things Harley did? And if so, why hadn't see acted on them? Was she going to before Nygma interrupted? Should Harley try to initiate something again? But what if she was misreading things and she did something to push Pam away? What would she do then? She had nowhere else to go. If she ruined what she had with Pam, she'd never forgive herself.
Squeezing the pillow, Harley rolled onto her side, away from Pam and pulled the covers up to her chin. Frustrated tears rose unbidden to her eyes and she began to sniffle. She rubbed them away angrily, burying her face in the pillow to muffle the whimpers that escaped her.
"Harley?" Pam's voice was groggy. Harley squeezed her eyes shut as the bed shifted and she felt Pam's warmth against her back. "Are you alright?"
"Yup!" Harley tried to sound as chipper as possible, but her voice hitched and the stupid tears wouldn't stop coming. "I didn't mean to wake you up… I'm sorry." There was a weight to her words that didn't go unnoticed by Pam. She paused, her body tense, and then Harley felt Pam's arm sliding around her waist. Pam settled back into the mattress, her body aligned with Harley's, their feet tucked together (and Harley couldn't help but notice how warm Pam's were). She sighed heavily, her breath ghosting Harley's ear.
"It's alright, Daffodil," she whispered, and Harley believed her. Her anxiety faded as Pam held her. Suddenly, Harley didn't care about defining their relationship. Not right now anyway. They had this moment, and it was enough. She wiggled slightly in Pam's arms, pressing herself more firmly against the red head and allowing her encompassing warmth to lull her to sleep.
/
The end of the week came far too quickly, and along with it came Harley's decision to return to work. She and Pam stood outside the flower shop, finalizing the points of conversation Harley intended to hit with Jay.
"And I'll be right here if you need me," Pam said, gesturing vaguely towards her shop. "If it gets to be too much, or if he tries to do something to you, you come back here immediately."
Harley nodded. "I'll be okay, Red."
She smiled and turned on her heel, striding confidently towards the tattoo parlor, hoping Pam didn't notice the way her hands were trembling.
The second she stepped inside the parlor, she was greeted by exuberant shouts.
"There she is!" Floyd shouted, looking up from the man he was tattooing when he heard the door chime. "Craziness is back."
Tatsu accepted Harley's hug with a warm smile and Chato ruffled her hair, pushing her pigtails out of place.
"Good to see you again, Harley," Chato said, dodging Harley's attempt to smack him for ruining her hair. "How've you been?"
"Great! I'm stayin' with Pammy now," Harley chirped.
"I've heard." Chato nodded once, his expression tense as if he wanted to ask a question he was too afraid to voice.
"Is the plant lady taking good care of you?" Floyd asked. "Or do I need to have words with her?"
Harley giggled and shook her head, redirecting her attention to Chato.
"Is Mist-... Is Jay here?" It felt odd to use anything other than the nickname he'd insisted upon when they were at work together…. And at home more often than not. But that was before he'd tried to break her. That was before she'd met someone who'd opened her eyes to his awful behavior.
"He's in the back," Chato said, jabbing his thumb over his shoulder. Bracing herself for the inevitable confrontation, Harley started down the hall only to be stopped by Floyd, who called out, "Hey Harley. If you need anything… We're all right here, okay? We've got your back."
She grinned and gave Floyd a thumbs up before spinning on her heel and tiptoeing slowly down the hall towards the back room. Her hands shook and her heart throbbed in her chest as she walked. It was a strange feeling, knowing she was about to end things with the man she'd fallen for almost three years ago. But that was back when he'd been charming and sweet and she'd seen him as a lost soul. A boy looking for love and attention. Now, she supposed he'd been manipulating her all along and Pam's words rang in her ears.
This isn't love.
Harley knocked gently on the door, her voice quivering as she mumbled, "Puddin?"
The nickname came out before she could even think to stop it and she cringed slightly. She waited for a few tense moments, but there was no reply from inside. Slowly, Harley pushed the door open, peeking through the crack before stepping inside the tiny office, leaving the door slightly ajar behind her. Jay sat behind his desk. He looked up when Harley entered, a dangerous grin growing on his face.
"Harley girl," he cooed. "How have you been?"
His greeting knocked her off guard. He acted as though she hadn't removed all of her things from their…his…apartment, as if she hadn't missed work for nearly a week without explanation. He acted as if he didn't care at all that she'd been gone. As if he hadn't even noticed. And maybe that was exactly the situation she found herself in. Maybe she'd been right when she told Pam he didn't love her anymore. If he ever had…
"I've been good," she replied honestly. "Real good."
Jay bobbed his head blithely, as if they were discussing the weather. "Keeping yourself out of trouble? I know how naughty you can be." A disturbing smile spread across his face and Harley barely suppressed a shiver.
"No trouble," she replied, trying to match his casual tone. Jay's eyes narrowed the slightest bit and Harley knew she wasn't giving him the answers he was expecting. He wanted flirtation, he wanted her to come crawling back, he wanted to know she'd been miserable without him. Harley wasn't about to give him the satisfaction.
"Where have you been?" Jay asked, his voice suddenly very cold.
She paused, considering her next words carefully. She could always lie about where she'd been staying. Jay had made it very clear that he didn't care for Pam and telling him the truth could bring out his rage. But she couldn't very well expect to continue working with him without disclosing where she was actually staying. Besides, she wasn't embarrassed of the fact that she was staying with Pam. In fact, she was rather happy with the way things had turned out. "I've been stayin' with Pammy."
Jay's smile faltered and he cocked his head slowly. The gesture was disconcerting. "Oh? Staying with Pammy?" He repeated, popping the 'P' in her name.
"Ever since we…. Since you…." Harley trailed off, unwilling to remind him of the night he'd beaten her so badly she'd been unable to use her arm. Clearing her throat, she tried again. "Jay, I think we need to talk."
Harley's heart was beating out of her chest and she hadn't even begun to say what she needed to. Jay looked taken aback for a moment, confused by her confidence (and probably the use of his name), but he recovered quickly and stood, sweeping a chair out and gesturing grandly for her to take a seat. "By all means, let's talk! Like two well-mannered adults." He snickered to himself as if the very idea was a joke. Harley knew he didn't see her as an equal. He wasn't taking her seriously. Everything about this situation amused him.
Taking a seat across from him, Harley closed her eyes and took a deep steadying breath, trying to recall everything Selina and Pam had told her. Tell him what he does is wrong. Tell him you're leaving him. Tell him you've found something….someone, so much better.
"Jay," it was almost liberating to use his name again and watch the smile fade from his face. "I'm not comin' back. Red's lettin' me stay at her place now, and I think it's for the best that we don't see each other anymore." She paused to collect herself, her heart still hammering, but now it felt exhilarating, exciting. "These past few days have helped me realize some things. About us. About you. I still remember the day I met you, and I know I always will, but things are different now. I don't… want us anymore."
It was true that she would never forget the day she met Jay, although not for lack of trying. In her obsession with him during the early days of their relationship, she'd made a few snap decisions. Namely, tattooing his name on her body. It would always be a reminder of the relationship, no matter how turbulent it had become. Still, she tried to be gentle. If she could get out of this conversation on good terms with Jay, she would consider it a victory. But the grimace forming on his face told her it wasn't going to be that easy.
"Tell me something, Harley," he began slowly, his green eyes boring into hers. Harley couldn't help but notice how much colder they were than Pam's. A hollow, pale green as opposed to the rich, warm green she'd become so accustomed to. "You and Pammy…. What is she to you?"
"She's… my friend."
Jay barked a short laugh and shook his head. "I know you love to play the fool, Harley. But don't you dare treat me like an idiot. What is she to you?"
Harley remained silent. She didn't have a clear answer. Pam was special. She was her friend, that was true. But Harley also wanted so much more, and she had no idea where Pam stood. Jay couldn't know that though, he'd jump on it, attack her like a predator hunting its prey. She had to lie, pretend that she believed her own answer.
"Let me make this easier on you," Jay sighed, clearly impatient. "Are you screwing her?"
Harley flushed a deep red, opening her mouth to respond, but no words came. Jay seemed to take her embarrassed silence as an answer. He laughed, but it was a cold, angry sound. A chuckle that emanated from deep within his chest.
"You and the flower shop girl. Our next-door neighbor," he mused. "How…. How wonderfully poetic. I never pegged you for such a cheating whore, Harley. But I suppose the world is full of surprises."
Harley's chest tightened painfully. But she stuffed down the guilt that threatened to rise at the insinuation that she'd been cheating on the man she was supposed to be in a relationship with. He didn't deserve the courtesy she was affording him right now, who cared what he thought of her and the relationship she had with Pam?
"What exactly makes you think that you have the right to do this to me?" Jay's voice elevated to a shout at the end, and Harley jumped in her seat. He slammed his hands down on the desk, his nostrils flaring with each sharp breath he took. "After all I've done for you!"
Harley steeled herself, hardening her resolve. She needed to do this, for her own sake. "You haven't done anythin' for me. I dropped outta school for you, I gave up visitin' my family for you, and you didn't do anythin' in return except hit me when you got angry!"
"I punished you when you deserved it," Jay snarled quietly, rising from his chair. "Which, considering your sorry intellect, was quite often."
"If I'm such a pain, then why do you care if I stay with Red?" Harley shot back. "It'll be better for you. Better for me."
Jay's eyes flashed and he was around the desk in less than a second, grabbing Harley's arm and dragging her up out of her chair. "This isn't a negotiation. You are mine."
"Don't touch me," Harley protested, trying to twist her arm out of his grasp, but Jay was strong and he was leaning closer now, a snarl pulling at his lips.
"I'll do whatever I want to you, and you'll be a good little girl and take it." He pushed her then, towards the far wall of the office, grabbing her other arm as she stumbled backwards and twisting slowly. Harley could feel that blinding hot pain growing as she struggled to free herself, her panic rising quickly. Then there was a loud bang and the office door swung open. Floyd stepped inside, anger hardening his features.
"What the hell is going on in here?" Floyd asked, taking a step towards the two of them. Jay's hand tightened around Harley's wrist as he turned his attention to Floyd.
"Why don't you mind your own damn business, Lawton. This is a personal matter."
Floyd's eyes flickered to Harley's for a brief second. When he spoke, his voice was low and surprisingly calm. "Let her go."
"Get out of my office. This is between Harley and me."
Floyd took two more steps forward. He was a good few inches taller than Jay and it showed now as he loomed over the green-haired man. "You have exactly two seconds to let her go before I snap your arm off."
A flash of fear passed through Jay's eyes, but he recovered quickly and released Harley, shoving her towards Floyd. Floyd caught her when she stumbled, scanning her face and nodding once she'd silently confirmed she was alright. He slung one arm around her shoulders, leading her out of the office and back down the hall. But Jay wasn't through with them yet.
He followed them into the lobby, his face twisted in anger and frustration. He was losing control of the situation and he knew it. Harley joined her coworkers in the middle of the parlor, glancing once over her shoulder at Jay and then directing her attention to her friends.
"Come on," Floyd said, his arm still looped protectively around her shoulders as he guided her to her work station. "Check it out, we kept everything the way you left it."
Jay laughed again, high and breathy. "And what makes you think I'll let her stay? You, my dear, can pack up your things and get the hell out."
Cold dread flooded through Harley, even though this was the reaction she'd been preparing for. She'd known it was a possibility, the most likely outcome, and still, her limbs began to tremble when Jay demanded that she leave.
"You're firing her?" Chato stepped forward, his tattooed arms crossed over his chest, the dark ink around his eyes making him look that much more intimidating. "On what grounds?"
"On the grounds that I own this shop, it's my business and I can do what I want."
Tatsu moved up behind Chato, pinning Jay with her dark gaze. "Unethical."
"Tatsu's right," Floyd added, still standing so close to Harley that she could feel his chest pressed against her shoulder. "You can't fire her because you 'feel like it'. She hasn't done anything wrong."
"Oh no? If I'm not mistaken, she hasn't shown up for work in nearly a week."
"Funny, you haven't given a shit about that until this particular moment," Floyd shot back.
Jay's eyes flickered between the group assembled before him, his malicious smile fading quickly. Harley had never seen him look genuinely afraid before, but it was empowering to watch the man that had abused her for so long suddenly wither in front of her.
"If Harley goes, we all go," Chato continued. "That's the deal, Jay. Still wanna fire her?"
A swell of affection for her friends filled Harley's chest as they moved to stand beside her. She hadn't counted on their unconditional support. But thanks to all of them, she was winning, she was overcoming Jay.
Jay growled, the muscles in his jaw clenching. A moment later, he beamed widely and laughed, although the anger still shone in his eyes. "Some people just can't take a joke!"
With that, he turned on his heel and retreated back into his office. To Harley, he looked like a whipped dog running away with his tail tucked between his legs. She watched him go, listening as the door to his office slammed. Suddenly, she was overcome with a wave of exhaustion. Her knees trembled beneath her and Floyd barely had time to pull up a chair before she collapsed into it.
"You alright there, dollface?" His voice was unusually gentle. Harley nodded, offering him a grin. "That was brave. Crazy. But brave. But I'm proud of you for standing up to that jackass."
"Thanks. For… You know."
Floyd nodded. "Anytime. I got your back."
Harley smiled. And suddenly it hit her that it was over. She'd officially freed herself from Jay. But that brought a whole slew of new problems. She'd convinced Jay that she was starting a relationship with Pam, but truthfully, Harley had no idea where they stood. Harley had put all of her trust in the idea that Pam wanted a relationship as much as she did, but she had no proof. This time, if she did mess things up with Pam, she would have nowhere else to go.
"Floyd." She grabbed his arm, panic creeping into her voice. "I told Jay it was over. But what do I…. I told him that Red and I….But I don't know if she…."
Harley couldn't finish, her brain running faster than her mouth, but Floyd seemed to understand. He put a hand on her shoulder to silence her.
"Pam cares about you, Harley. A lot. Okay? Even I can see that. There's not a lot of people out there who would have done half the things that lady has done for you." That gave Harley a little hope. "You know why you ended things with Jay. You know what you want. You know what's good for you." He paused and gave her a rare smile. "So go get it."
/
Pam was worried. Exceptionally worried. She struggled to focus on her work, but her mind was occupied with Harley. And to a lesser extent, Jay. What would he say to her? Would he fire her? Torment her? Or would he try to convince her to come back to him? Pretend he still loved her? Would Harley believe him? Would she leave?
The thought made Pam sick to her stomach. Taking a shaky breath to clear her mind, Pam went back to rearranging the shelf of rosebushes for the fifth time when suddenly the bell above the door chimed.
She turned to see Harley standing in the doorway. Her face was flushed, her hair a little askew and her mouth was set in a determined line.
"Harley?" Pam took a cautious step towards her. "Are you alright? What did Jay say? Did he-?"
Harley let the door swing shut behind her and she strode determinedly towards Pam, her eyes locked on the red head's. More than a little disconcerted, Pam was about to question her again when suddenly Harley stopped in front of her and lifted her warm hands to Pam's cheeks.
She hesitated, a hint of trepidation evident in her blue eyes as they flickered across Pam's face. Just before Pam opened her mouth to speak, Harley took a sharp breath and leaned in, touching her lips to Pam's.
The world came to a standstill, as did Pam's heart, when Harley's lips connected with hers. Too shocked to respond appropriately, she stood rigid as Harley's lips sIid across her own, her hands moving from Pam's cheeks to tangle in her hair instead. She pressed closer, and Pam could feel every inch of her body in exquisite detail.
Pam felt like her brain was short circuiting. Electricity flew down her spine, into her limbs, making her fingertips tingle. Suddenly, Harley seemed to realize that Pam wasn't responding. She opened her eyes (and only then did Pam realize hers had remained wide open this whole time) and took a quick step back, her hands falling to her sides. She began to shake, blue eyes wide and glassy.
"I…. I'm sorry…," she mumbled hastily, unable to hold Pam's gaze. "I'm sorry. I just…I thought…. you…. I-"
Move, Pamela!
Forcing her limbs to obey, Pam closed the distance between them before Harley could continue. She cupped Harley's cheek with one hand, gripped her waist with the other, molding their bodies together again and pressing her lips firmly to the blonde's. Harley made a muffled exclamation, went rigid for a split second, and then melted into the kiss, resting her hands on Pam's hips.
It was bliss. It was electric. It was the culmination of every single moment between them that Pam had yearned for. Tentatively, she brushed her tongue along Harley's lower lip. Harley parted her lips immediately, her tongue coming into brief contact with Pam's, sending a shiver through both of them. A small whimper escaped Harley as the kiss deepened, and the sound just took Pam apart. She gripped Harley tighter, her fingers twisting in soft blonde hair. Harley's hands moved away from her hips, trailing up and down her sides instead, drawing a small contented moan from Pam.
She felt Harley's lips twitch into a smile against hers and fought to keep a straight face. She wasn't successful. The kiss ended in an awkward bump of teeth as they both broke out into beaming smiles. But Pam kept her eyes closed, her forehead pressed to Harley's, and basked in the moment. When she did open her eyes, green met blue and somehow her smile widened even more.
Slipping one hand around the back of Harley's neck, Pam pulled her in again and this time the kiss was deep, explosive. She felt Harley's tongue exploring her mouth thoroughly as her hands moved away from Pam's hips, drifting underneath the hem of her blouse instead. They crept upward, her fingers dancing over Pam's taught abdomen. The logical part of her brain couldn't believe she was allowing such a blatant display of affection to take place in the middle of her shop, during business hours, when anyone could walk in and see them. But the other half, the half completely wrapped up in Harley, couldn't have cared less. Harley's hands were so warm and her lips were so soft and her body was pressed so close to Pam's.
"Am I interrupting something?" Pam nearly jumped out of her skin at the sound of a voice coming from the front door. Both women whipped around and Harley immediately withdrew her hands from underneath Pam's shirt. Selina leaned casually against the doorframe, a smug smirk playing on her lips, her eyes seeming to broadcast 'I told you so'. Pushing off the frame, she strode into the shop, trailing her fingers along the petals of a row of peonies. "As you were, ladies. I'm just browsing."
Pam looked back at Harley, who seemed to glow when she met Pam's gaze. Leaning up on her tip toes, she pressed a chaste kiss to Pam's lips and trailed her hands down her arms until she could lace their fingers together.
"I should get back to work," she murmured, her lips still within dangerous proximity to Pam's. "I've still got some stuff to take care of."
Pam nodded, dazed, her limbs trembling from the rush of adrenaline. And suddenly she realized she still had no idea what had happened to Harley once they'd parted ways that morning.
"But… Jay. What happened? What did he say?" She stuttered through her questions.
Harley shook her head. "I'll explain later. But don't worry. Everything's gonna be fine."
"I'll… See you after work, then?"
Harley winked, clearly amused by Pam's inability to form a coherent thought. "You bet." She hesitated, as if considering planting another kiss on Pam, but her eyes flickered to Selina, who was still wandering aimlessly around the shop, and changed her mind. Squeezing Pam's hands, she turned towards the door and practically skipped out of the shop. The doorbell and Harley was gone. Pam turned to Selina, who was watching her with an amused expression.
"Guess I owe you an apology for interrupting," she said, abandoning the peonies and leaning against the front desk instead. "Or maybe you should be thanking me. It probably would have been a bit more embarrassing if a random customer had walked in on you two going at it on a bed of rose petals."
Pam rolled her eyes, ignoring the blush that rose on her cheeks at the image Selina had conjured. "Did you come here just to torment me?"
"No! I really am browsing," Selina grinned. "I just walked in at the worst possible moment."
She reached out and caught Pam's arm as she passed. Pam tensed, only relaxing when she saw the gentle smile on Selina's face.
"Pam?" she said, her teasing tone gone. "I'm happy for you. Both of you."
"Um… Thank you. I…. I don't really understand what just happened," Pam admitted, glancing towards the door. "She just walked in and…."
"Kissed you?" Selina finished when Pam trailed off.
A wistful grin grew on her face. "Yes."
Selina chuckled. "Sounds like Harley. Do first, think later."
Pam just nodded, her brain still moving ten times slower than her body.
"Okay," Selina began, her smile growing mischievous again. "Now that the mushy shit is out of the way, I need your help finding something for Bruce."
"Something romantic?"
Selina shook her head. "No way, the asshole stood me up last night. How do I passive-aggressively say 'fuck you' in flower?"
/
Harley's lips were on Pam's again the moment they closed the door of the apartment. They had walked home together in a restrained but happy silence, holding hands the entire way. But they hadn't shared another kiss since the one…or two…in the flower shop. Harley's kiss was insistent this time, almost hungry. And Pam found herself pressed so firmly against the door that she could feel the knob digging into her back.
"Ow." Pam's half-hearted exclamation was muffled against Harley's lips. She jerked away almost immediately, her blue eyes wide with concern.
"I'm sorry!"
Pam's heart melted at the look of guilt etched on Harley's face. Smiling, she placed her hands on Harley's hips and shuffled them away from the door into the living room.
"You," she murmured, raising her hands to cup Harley's face instead. "Have absolutely nothing to be sorry for."
Pam kissed her again, keeping it tentative and soft this time. If she got any more carried away, they'd never discuss what Harley had said to Jay. Still, it was hard to contain herself when Harley kept making soft little moans as Pam kissed her.
Reluctantly, she pulled away, her hands falling away from Harley's cheeks and trailing down her arms instead. She could feel the goosebumps that rose on Harley's skin. Taking her hand, Pam led Harley to the couch, encouraging her to take a seat. Harley waited until Pam was settled too and then snuggled against her, staring up at her with powder blue eyes.
"I can't even tell you how long I've wanted to do that," Harley said, her eyes flickering once to Pam's mouth.
"I would assume about as long as I have."
Harley beamed and Pam was surprised to see a light blush color her cheeks. "You wanted to kiss me too?" Suddenly, Harley's face scrunched into a frown. "I guess we were both being kinda stupid…."
"Not stupid," Pam corrected, running a hand through Harley's pigtails. "Cautious. Not only did we have to deal with Jay as an obstacle, but there were plenty of risks in confessing feelings that may not have been returned. For example, if I had done something that made you feel like you could no longer stay in the apartment, then where would you have go-…. What?"
Harley was grinning at her. "You're cute."
Cute? Not a word I've been associated with before….
She smiled nonetheless, it was impossible not to right now with Harley curled up against her. Her soft hair tickling Pam's chin and her pink lips still wet and enticing.
We can always have this conversation tomorrow.
Pam pushed a giggling Harley back into the couch cushions, nuzzling her face against the blonde's neck and planting warm wet kisses there. Harley wrapped her arms tightly around Pam's shoulders and sighed contentedly as the red head's lips caressed her neck.
"Did you—ah…. Was there something you…mmmm," she stuttered when Pam's tongue began tracing hot circles on her skin. "…Wanted t-to talk to me about?"
"It can wait." Pam chuckled low in her throat and pushed herself up onto her elbows, smiling at the disappointed pout Harley gave her. "I was only curious to know what you said to Jay."
"Oh." The light in Harley's eyes dimmed slightly. "Actually, we should probably talk about that now."
A little frustrated with herself for mentioning it, Pam sat up, pulling Harley with her. She listened intently as the blonde relayed what had happened between her and Jay in the tattoo parlor. Part of her was enraged that he tried to hurt Harley again, at the shop no less. And it concerned her that he might try to do it again. But then Harley relayed the way her friends had stood up for her, and Pam took comfort in the knowledge that they would continue to protect her. Still, she doubted it was the last they'd see of Jay. Harley still worked with him and that presented a slew of complications.
If she had learned one thing since meeting Jay, it was that he didn't like sharing Harley. And he certainly couldn't have enjoyed losing her entirely. He had to be scheming another plan to break them apart. They would still need to tread carefully around him.
"Red?" Harley's voice was small, and only then did Pam realize she was scowling, deep in thought.
"I'm sorry," she said quickly, laying a reassuring hand on Harley's knee. "I was just…. processing."
Harley giggled, running her fingers over Pam's brow to smooth the concerned wrinkles there.
"I'm proud of you," she continued, catching Harley's hand as it fell away. "For standing up to Jay."
Harley shrugged a little self consciously. "I just said what you and Kitty told me to."
"Yes, but you made the decision to do it," Pam insisted. "You followed through." She paused to make sure her next words made an impact, her fingers tracing small circles on the inside of Harley's wrist. "You're an incredibly strong woman, Harley. A brave one too."
Harley's smile was unsure, like she couldn't believe Pam's words. "You really think so?"
Pam leaned forward until their noses were brushing and let her eyes slide shut. "I really do."
She kissed Harley again, colors exploding behind her eyes as she did. She'd lost count of how many times they'd already kissed since Harley had come flying into the flower shop, but she couldn't get enough.
"It's late…. We should probably get some sleep," Pam murmured, pulling away just enough to ensure her words weren't muffled. Harley nodded but didn't make a move to get up, seemingly satisfied to sit on the couch all night and continue making up for lost time.
Slowly, Pam forced herself to her feet, taking Harley's hand and pulling her up as well. They made their way to the bedroom, changed quickly, and snuggled together underneath the sheets. And for the first time in a long time, Pam slept deeply, comfortable in the knowledge that the girl she'd been falling for all this time wanted her too.
Until the next update...