Sorry about the wait, ya'll
"Hey, you made it," Selina said, opening the door to her apartment and greeting Harley with a large smile. "Most people have trouble finding the place. Come on in."
Harley stepped inside the lavish apartment, taking in the ornate furniture, large curtained windows, plush carpets and expensive looking paintings. She couldn't stop herself from releasing a low whistle.
"Nice digs, Kitty."
"I guess it's a step up from Pam's place, huh?"
Harley nodded, although she felt a little offended on Pam's behalf. Their apartment wasn't big, by any stretch of the imagination, but it was comfortable. It was home.
"You want anything to drink?" Selina asked, already rummaging around in the kitchen.
"Nah, I'm okay," Harley replied, jumping when a sleek black cat leapt onto the couch next to her. She leaned down to scratch his ears, giggling when he began purring loudly. "Who's this little guy?"
"That's Isis," Selina answered absently, pouring two glasses of water. "Don't fall for his good looks. He's a love you and leave you type of cat."
As if to prove Selina's point, Isis suddenly stiffened under Harley's fingers and bounded off the couch, dashing into some unseen corner of the apartment.
"So, what brings you here?" Selina asked, handing Harley the glass of water she'd declined a moment ago. "You sounded kind of serious over the phone."
"It's Pam." Harley took a nervous seat on the edge of the couch, her eyes following Selina, who plopped down a little more unceremoniously in the armchair across from her.
"What about Pam?" The question was muffled behind her glass.
"I… I really made her mad the other day," Harley admitted, fiddling with the rim of her own glass.
Selina cocked a thin brow. "Oh? If it's any consolation, it's pretty easy to push Pam's buttons."
"Yeah…" Harley still distinctly remembered the moment she'd invoked Pam's rage at her birthday party.
"What set her off this time?"
"Well… We… uh…" Harley took a deep breath. Selina wouldn't be able to help if she wasn't transparently honest. "Red's havin' trouble with the… intimate stuff."
"Intimate stuff?" A smirk was playing on Selina's lips.
God this is hard.
"Every time we start to… do stuff, she gets this weird look on her face and stops everythin'. Which is fine! I don't mind at all if she wants to take things slow." Harley was simply repeating Pam's words at this point. "But the other night… She started cryin', Kitty. She was thinkin' of him. The guy that did those terrible things to her."
Selina's smile faded and she looked down, studying a seam on her pant leg.
"I don't know how to help her. I… I don't think I can help her." Harley didn't realize how much it hurt to admit that until she'd said the words out loud. "But I know someone who can and I asked Pam if she wanted to talk with her and she…. I messed up, Kitty."
"Harley." Selina moved from the armchair and sunk into the cushions next to her instead, laying a comforting hand on her thigh. "You didn't do anything wrong. Pam's just stubborn. And scared. She thought she had this thing beat a long time ago. I think breaking down in front of you must have damaged her pride a little. Look, Pam doesn't have a lot of faith that coming forward with her assault will result in help and healing. Her parents and the police were hardly shining examples of support. She has me and she has you. And even still she keeps a lot of her feelings about what happened to her that day from us." Selina paused to ensure her words were sinking in. "To her, accepting professional help means accepting defeat."
"But I dunno what to do for her," Harley blurted, her eyes flickering over Selina's face, as if she could find answers there. "I can't get close to her. She won't talk to me. She slept on the couch last night." Harley's eyes dropped to her lap and she let out a long frustrated huff.
"Like I said, stubborn. The best thing we can do for her is let her work this out on her own. That's how Pam operates. You've provided a spark, an option, an instigator. Give her time to process it and I promise you she'll come around. In the meantime, keep talking up the wonders of therapy when you can, keep supporting her, give her space if she needs it, give her comfort when she wants it. Be patient with her, Harley." Selina placed her fingers underneath Harley's chin, prompting her to meet her eyes. "I promise she's just as worried about you as you are about her. She cares about you Harley, a whole god damn lot. Don't forget that."
A weak smile grew on Harley's face. "I should start payin' you by the hour, Kitty."
Selina snorted. "Shit, yeah. I'm turning into your very own relationship counselor." She smiled teasingly and patted Harley's knee. "Feel any better, kid?"
Harley nodded quickly. "Much."
"Good. You busy or do you want to come with Bruce and I to the Iceberg Lounge tonight? Do a little drinking, a little dancing?"
"Really?"
"I think you could use a night of fun."
"Three's kinda a crowd, dontcha think?"
"Trust me, if anyone's going to be the third wheel, it'll be Bruce," Selina said with a wink.
Harley giggled but shook her head. "I think I'll pass this time. I should be gettin' home."
"Alright well…. Do you at least want to stay and watch the season premiere of Gotham's Most Wanted?"
"I love that show!"
Selina was already searching for the remote. "I thought you might."
/
Harley wasn't expecting Pam to be waiting up for her when she got home, but she popped up from the couch the second Harley opened the door.
"Hi," she said, hurrying to meet Harley in the entryway.
"Hi," Harley replied a little nervously as she tossed her newly minted key (which she'd already nearly lost three times) into the cubby.
"I have something for you."
Harley blinked, unsure of what to expect. "Okay?"
Pam jerked her chin towards the cubby Harley had just put her key into and, slowly, she dug it back out. Pam stepped closer, bring her hands out from behind her back and placing something small and round in Harley's open palm. She examined the little black device curiously.
"What-"
"It's for your key," Pam explained. "It connects to your phone via a special app. As long as you don't lose your phone, you'll never lose your key again."
"Oh!" Harley struggled to attach the little device to her keyring and then jangled it around to make sure it would stay. "Thanks. This is great."
Pam's smile was weak. She stepped aside as Harley made her way into the kitchen, then followed her hesitantly.
"Where were you?" she asked, as Harley began searching through the cupboards for a cup.
"Selina's." Harley wasn't sure why she was acting so cold. That was the exact opposite of what she was supposed to do according to Selina's advice. Part of her was still a little hurt, she supposed. "Just hangin' out." She filled the glass with cold water from the sink, buying time. "We talked for a little bit about Bruce and I met her cat and we watched this show that I really think you would like. We should watch it together sometime. It's about these-"
"Harley." Pam put a hand on her arm to silence her. Harley set her glass down, forcing herself to turn and meet Pam's eyes. She was sucked into those moss green depths almost immediately, and her resolve to remain aloof failed entirely. Pam's eyes never wavered once as she said, "I'm sorry."
"About what?" What? Are you seriously asking that? Whyyy?
Pam's brow furrowed slightly. "About… What I said to you. For treating you so horribly when you were only trying to help."
Harley just nodded, the lump in her throat making it difficult to speak.
"I was angry and upset and I took it out on you and I'm sorry," she said again. Her voice was very quiet when she continued. "You're the last person I ever wanted to hurt, but I can't seem to stop myself from using you as a verbal punching bag whenever I lose my temper."
"Red, it's not…. You don't…"
"I promised myself I wouldn't be anything like him." For a second, Harley didn't know who she was referring to, and then it dawned on her.
"Who… Jay?"
Pam nodded, her expression dark, pained. For a moment, Harley was sure she'd say more. Sure she'd say she couldn't forgive herself. Sure that she'd tell Harley that she was better off without her. And it terrified Harley to think that Pam could even entertain the idea that there was any comparison between the two of them. But if her expression was anything to judge by….
Before any of those thoughts could become a reality, Harley shook her head and reached out tentatively, taking Pam's hands.
"Baby, you're not anything like him." Pam didn't look convinced. In fact, her scowl only deepened. Harley wasn't quite sure what to say next, she wasn't used to being the one that navigated their relationship. "We're allowed to fight, you know. That wasn't even really a fight actually. But we don't have to get along all the time to still care about each other."
What would Selina say….
"I know you were upset. But I still think Joan can help you. We don't have to talk about it now, I just think it's somethin' you should keep in mind." She lifted her hands slowly, placing them on Pam's cheeks and stroking her thumbs across the smooth skin. "I just want you to be okay. I just want you to be happy."
"I am happy," Pam replied immediately. "This," she rested one hand on top of Harley's. "This makes me happy."
Harley tried not to let her heart melt at Pam's confession, but damn she was making it hard.
"I've never been more grateful that I moved to Gotham." Setting her hands on Harley's waist, Pam moved in a little closer and leaned down to press her lips to Harley's. The kiss was quick and soft, like Pam was afraid to do anything more. And Harley knew she probably was. But it was enough for now.
She pulled away after a few moments and offered Harley a genuine smile. Harley grinned right back, her heart threatening to burst right out of her chest.
"So…" Pam shuffled her feet a little nervously. "Did you want to watch that TV show you mentioned?"
"Are you actually gonna watch it with me?"
"Of course."
"Good. As long as the readin' glasses stay off," Harley said, giving Pam a playful wink, hoping the subject wasn't a sore spot. Luckily, Pam smiled and allowed Harley to lead her into the living room.
/
Pam shifted underneath the covers, staring hard at the small white business card through the rays of early morning sunlight.
Joan Leland, PhD. Psychiatry
There was a number on the back that Pam had memorized quickly for how many times she'd stared at it. Laying the card on the bedside table, she turned on her back, folding her hands over her stomach and studying the ceiling instead. Harley lay beside her, snoring softly. At least one of them was getting sleep.
Three days had passed since Pam had broken down in the living room, and despite Harley's encouraging words, the status of their relationship was not improving. If anything, it felt to Pam like there was a distance growing between them. A wall that made it impossible to move forward together. And it was her fault. Her stubbornness.
Glancing over at Harley, Pam watched the sun halo in her blonde hair and light upon her pale skin. Her eyes roamed over the little heart tattoo and the diamond pattern on her wrist. She watched Harley's chest rise and fall, slow and even.
Do it for her.
No matter how Pam felt about asking for help, no matter how she felt about exposing her fears and weaknesses, it paled in comparison to how she felt about the idea of losing Harley. She had to think about what she needed to do to ensure that Harley was happy. People made sacrifices for the ones they cared about. And if anyone was deserving of sacrifice, it was Harley.
Harley, who had suffered at the hands of an abusive manipulative man. Who had faced Pam's unwarranted wrath on multiple occasions. Who had dropped out of school, forgone following her passion, for someone who had never really loved her. She deserved happiness. And Pam could give it to her if she ignored her fear, if she put aside her pride.
Do it for her.
Turning on her side, Pam reached out and stroked her fingertips across Harley's cheek, following the line of her jaw. Harley didn't stir even when Pam squirmed closer, wrapping an arm around her waist and cradling the blonde against her chest.
It was still too early to call now. But in a few hours she would contact Dr. Leland. She would ask for help.
I'll do it for you.
/
Pam sat in the uncomfortable waiting room chair, her foot tapping nervously in the air. Harley sat beside her, engrossed in some gossip magazine whose cover was so full of headlines it made Pam dizzy. They hadn't been waiting long, but Pam could already feel the anxiety tightening into a ball that lodged itself in the center of her chest. Harley giggled at something in the magazine and glanced at Pam from the corner of her eye, offering her a small but reassuring smile. Pam couldn't return it.
A few short minutes later, the door that led to the back rooms opened up and a woman dressed in dark slacks and a blue button down dress shirt appeared. Harley leapt to her feet, immediately pulling the dark-haired woman into a tight hug.
"Hiya Joan!" she squeaked, earning a short chuckle from the older woman as she untangled herself from Harley.
"It's good to see you again, Harleen. How have you been?"
"Aces!" Harley replied, giving her a thumbs up. Pam rose hesitantly, smoothing down her skirt, and joining Joan and Harley in the center of the room.
"You must be Pamela," Joan said, holding out a hand for Pam to shake. "It's wonderful to meet you."
Pam nodded, her words catching in her throat. "Likewise. I appreciate you agreeing to see me on such short notice."
Joan smiled. "Not a problem at all. Are you ready?"
No.
Pam nodded again and Joan gestured for Harley to take a seat again. "We'll be back soon."
Joan turned towards the door and Pam followed, casting one final glance at Harley over her shoulder. The blonde hesitated and then bounded over to Pam, clutching her hands and planting a light kiss on her cheek.
"Proud of you," she whispered, her eyes flickering to the receptionist who was watching the exchange. Pam smiled tightly and then followed Joan into the back.
She led Pam to a small office, decorated only with a plush red rug, matching couch, and rolling chair, presumably for Joan.
"Have a seat," Joan said, closing the door behind them. The ball of anxiety in Pam's chest somehow tightened even more, but she did as she was told.
"Well," Joan said, plopping down in rolling chair and setting the clipboard she carried in her lap. "It's only noon and it's already been a day! At least for me. How has your day been?"
The informality of the question caught Pam off guard. All she could answer with was, "Good."
"It's been a long time since I've seen Harley. Almost three years, I think," Joan continued, crossing one leg over the other. "I'm happy she was here to support you today."
"She was one of your students."
"That's right, a promising one too." It saddened Pam to hear that. "It was an unfortunate day for the entire psychiatric profession when she decided to drop out of school."
"She wants to go back."
"Does she?" Joan didn't really look surprised. "Well, there will always be a spot open for her in the program. Now," Joan lifted her clipboard and pen. "Let's talk about you, Pamela. Or do you prefer Pam?"
Pam shrugged. "Whichever you like."
"How about we start with some family history, just so you and I can get to know each other a little better. Were you born in Gotham?"
"No, Seattle."
"Nice place. If you like rain."
"You could say the same for Gotham."
Joan laughed at that. "Very true. When did you move?"
"Almost two months ago."
"And your family? They still live in Seattle?"
"Yes, my mother and father still live there."
"No siblings then?"
"No."
Joan seemed to notice the agitation in her voice. "Is your family a point of contention?"
"We're not close."
Joan bobbed her head, scribbling something on her clipboard. For some reason, the silence calmed Pam. There was a certain no nonsense, straight to the point, aura about Joan that Pam could respect.
"But you've managed to make friends here in Gotham?"
"I have Harley. And Barbara. Selina too."
"Quality over quantity," Joan said with a smile. Pam agreed, although listing her only three friends out loud felt a little depressing. Did Floyd count? Maybe Chato if she stretched. At least he knew her name.
"And why did you move to Gotham?"
"I… There was nothing left for me in Seattle."
"And Gotham presented… A professional opportunity? Personal?"
"Personal." Expand on your answers please, Pamela. Or this is going to take all day. "I needed a fresh start."
"Most of us do at one point or another." Joan was watching Pam carefully now, and it made her squirm. She didn't understand why Joan insisted on dancing around the issue. She knew why Pam was here. She'd been made aware of the situation, or at least her assistant had, upon making the appointment. "Although from what I understand, your situation was a little more dire than others."
Pam was silent. Joan took a sharp breath and leaned back in her chair.
"Why are you here today, Pam?"
"Harley suggested I see you."
"To what end?"
"I need help."
"I think the more important question, Pam, is do you want help?" Joan's expression was kind, but there was a hard look in her eyes.
"Yes."
Joan smiled. "I don't think you believe that." Pam opened her mouth but Joan continued without her input. "So tell me this, what exactly can I do for you? How will you get the most out of our sessions?"
I don't know. Isn't that your job to figure out? This was a mistake. I don't need this. I don't need help. I-
An image of Harley's devastated face flashed in front of her eyes. If she gave up now, she had no way of fixing their fizzling relationship. Frustrated, embarrassed and confused, Pam chewed on her lip, mulling the question over. "I need to… heal."
"From what?"
"From what happened to me in Seattle."
"And what happened to you in Seattle?"
She wants you to say it. The anxiety was back. It collected in Pam's chest, making it impossible to breathe. She met Joan's dark eyes and caught a hint of encouragement deep within them. Finally, Pam managed to choke the words out. "I was raped."
Joan nodded, but to Pam's surprise, offered no sympathy. She continued as if Pam had merely announced that she'd caught a cold. In a way, Pam appreciated the clinical detachment. The last thing she wanted was pity.
"Did you know your attacker?"
"He was my professor," Pam murmured, watching Joan scribble on her clipboard again. Pam waited for her to finish, her hands folded neatly in her lap.
Finally, Joan looked up. "If It's alright with you, Pam, I'd like to try something a little intense today. We're going to work on some Prolonged Exposure Therapy. Which means you will take as much time as you need to recount the details of the assault with as much accuracy as you can. During our next session, we'll do the same thing. And then again and again. The goal is to desensitize you to the memories, to take away the power they have over you." Joan paused. "Does that sound like something you can do?"
She'd done it before. She'd told her parents, Selina, Harley. Joan would be no different. Or at least that was what she told herself. It was the inclusion of minute details that worried her.
"Yes," she said after a beat. Joan flipped to a new page of paper on her clipboard.
"Whenever you're ready, Pamela." She offered another reassuring smile. "Remember, this is a safe place, don't be afraid. Like you said, you're here to heal."
Do it for her.
Taking a deep breath to center herself, Pam began.
/
"Sorry I'm late," Selina panted as she pushed through the front door and plopped down in a seat next to Harley. "What'd I miss?"
"Nothin'," Harley said, setting down the magazine she'd read five times at this point. "They're still in there."
"Damn." Selina checked her watch. "It's been almost two hours. How are you not bouncing off the walls?"
She nudged Harley playfully and she stuck her tongue out in return. A moment later the door to the back opened and Pam stepped out, followed closely by Joan. Harley rose quickly, taking in Pam's haggard expression, the droop in her shoulders. She looked completely exhausted and Harley had to fight the urge to run and cuddle her to bits.
"How'd it go, Doc?" Selina asked, rising a moment after Harley did.
"We had an excellent session," Joan said, eyeing Selina suspiciously. Turning to Harley, she continued, "Pam has requested that you be a part of her continued therapy."
Harley blinked. "Me?"
"That's correct. So, when the two of you have the time, I'd like you to participate in some Stress Inoculation Therapy."
"What does that mean?" Selina asked, raising a brow at Harley, who had turned a faint pink color.
"Simply put," Joan said. "Harley will attempt to engage in behaviors that trigger Pam's fear response. The idea is to expose and work through the moments of panic until they have less of an effect. I've given her plenty of strategies to test when the fear takes over."
A look of understanding dawned on Selina's face, followed by a barely contained grin. "So… the plan is to get hot and heavy, gotcha. And that happens here in the office?"
Joan narrowed her eyes at Selina who pasted on an innocently clueless expression.
"No. Pam and I will work on strategies here in the office that can be employed in the privacy of her own home."
Selina nodded solemnly, although she waggled her eyebrows playfully at both of them the second Joan's back was turned.
"I'd like to meet again in a few days, if that's alright with you, Pam."
Pam nodded, a small but genuine smile brightening her face. "I'd like that."
"I'll set the appointment up with my assistant. Until next week." Joan smiled at Pam and nodded to Harley and Selina before retreating into the back room again.
As soon as the three of them were alone (save for the receptionist, who kept her eyes on her computer screen) Harley took Pam's hands, lacing their fingers together and gazing up into her tired green eyes. "How do you feel? D'you want us to take you home?"
To Harley's surprise, Pam shook her head. "Actually, I think I'd like to visit the park."
"Great idea, Pam!" Selina interrupted, slinging an arm through Pam's. "We could all use some fresh air. Come on, let's get out of here."
Pam threw a helpless look over her shoulder as Selina dragged her out the front door. Harley hurried to grab Pam's bag, waved goodbye to the secretary and bolted after her friends.
/
"You're crazy, Kitty. Pistachio is not better than Rocky Road."
"Listen, just because you thrive on ten pounds of sugar a day doesn't mean the rest of us have to. For your information, Pistachio requires a refined palette."
"Whatever. You're eatin' garbage."
Pam quietly licked her own vanilla ice cream cone while Harley and Selina quarreled behind her. The vendor they'd bought the cones from at the entrance of Robinson Park had only served to egg them on, starting a feud that had now lasted the better part of five minutes.
The endless chatter was comforting background noise to the quiet buzz that filled Pam's head. She felt sluggish, slow, like her entire body was filled with fuzzy cotton. Even her thoughts moved like molasses. It had been exhausting and painful recounting her experience in detail. More than once she'd had to stop to catch her breath. But in the end, she couldn't deny the tiny sense of freedom it had given her. Like one of the many weights holding her down had been lifted. It gave her hope for her future sessions.
"What do you think, Pam? Which flavor is better? And don't say vanilla." Selina's voice turned into a threatening growl at the end.
"Huh?"
"Oh boy," Selina sighed. "She's off in la la land."
"Oh, we should see that movie!" Harley piped in, crunching on the cone part of her ice cream cone.
"Not a bad idea. We could make it a double date! As long as you two don't start making out in the theater."
Harley giggled. "I make no promises."
"What do you say, la la land?" Selina slung an arm over Pam's shoulder. "Want to go see La La Land?"
Pam, who was only just now tuning into the conversation, offered a half-hearted shrug. "Yes?"
"You alright?" Selina's voice carried a hint of concern now. "You don't look so good."
"D'you wanna head home, Red?" Harley asked, moving to Pam's other side and taking her hand.
"I'm fine," Pam grumbled, leaving her hand limp in Harley's. "You two don't need to treat me like a child." She held up her ice cream cone as evidence.
"We're not treating you like a child." Selina rolled her eyes. "We're treating you like someone who just got her brain picked for two hours. Who had to relive the most traumatic experience in her entire life and share it with a stranger. We're treating you like a human being, Pam. God forbid we show you a little TLC."
Pam quieted. She had no defense for her attitude. "I'm sorry."
Selina heaved a sigh and rubbed Pam's shoulder comfortingly. "Don't apologize. You did good today. We're proud of you. Right, Harl?"
"So proud," Harley agreed.
Pam looked at Harley just as she rose onto her tiptoes to plant a soft kiss on Pam's cheek. She missed and her lips touched Pam's.
It was incredibly brief, but Harley jerked away like she'd just been burned. For a second, Pam thought it was embarrassment that drew such an extreme reaction from her. After all, Selina hadn't exactly been subtle with her teasing back in the office. But then she saw the look of guilt that played on Harley's features. Like she was ashamed of herself.
Before Pam could say anything, Selina interrupted.
"Hey, hey, save the 'Stress Indocrination Therapy' for the bedroom."
"Inoculation," Pam corrected.
Selina waved her comment away, her smile fading into a pout. "Whatever." A terse silence fell over the group and Selina began glancing around at the park, as if searching for a point of conversation. She found one.
"You know, for the life of me I can't figure out why you wanted to come here to relax. The place is a wreck," Selina scoffed, eyeing the wilting bushes that lined the pathways. Pam could see a little bit of herself in the dying plants. Desperate for attention, care, but slowly wilting in the stone-cold environment they found themselves in.
"Everything's dead or dying," Selina continued, kicking a dried-up flower aside. "Winter's just around the corner, I suppose."
"I love that show too!" Pam and Selina both gave Harley confused looks.
"Winter is Just Around the Corner?" Selina clarified.
"No," Harley shook her head. "Winter is coming."
"That's not a show."
"But it's in a show."
"What show?"
"I dunno, I forgot the name."
"But you said you love it?" Selina was clearly growing more baffled by the second.
"I do love it! I just can't remember the name." Harley's brow crinkled into a scowl. "I'll ask Babs, she'd know."
Selina blinked and shook her head, returning her attention to Pam. "Coming back from that tangent…. Good work today Pam!" She gave her friend a double thumbs up and grinned.
The three parted ways a little while later, promising to meet up for Selina's double date idea soon. Harley was unusually quiet on the walk home. She kept her eyes trained on the ground in front of her, one hand clutching Pam's.
"Are you alright?" Pam asked once they'd stepped into the apartment.
Harley spun around, looking for a second like she wanted to lunge at Pam, but she stopped herself and stood rigid, arms glued to her sides. "I'm sorry I just…. Selina told me you needed space, and after your session with Joan I didn't wanna push you, and I don't want you to think that I feel sorry for you or anythin' but you just looked so sad comin' outta that office and at the park and I really, really, just wanna kiss you and hold you and make you feel better and-" Pam could see Harley growing more agitated by the second.
When she stopped to breathe and Pam opened her arms. Immediately, they were filled with a quivering Harley. She latched onto Pam, her arms wrapped tightly around the red head's waist, face pressed against the crook of her neck. Pam held her close, hands running down her back, her arms, stroking her hair. It felt good to focus herself on the warmth between them and slowly, the tight little ball in her chest began to dissipate.
"Did you like Joan?" Harley mumbled against Pam's neck. She fought the urge to flinch away from the tickling sensation.
"I did. She's a very intelligent woman."
Harley pulled away to beam up at Pam. "I told you."
Pam didn't reply. Instead, she just smiled and smoothed Harley's hair away from her face. Her blue eyes fluttered shut and she leaned into Pam's touch. When they opened again, her eyes flickered once to Pam's lips. A look of guilt flashed across her face and Pam felt her arms begin to loosen their hold around her waist. Pam stopped her from stepping away and cupped her face with both hands.
"I don't want you to be afraid of this," she murmured, leaning close enough to ghost her lips against Harley's. She knew that caution must be ingrained in Harley by this point. But her first session with Joan had given her hope. Besides, if they were going to start practicing 'Stress Inoculation Therapy', a simple kiss was the least of her worries. Harley closed the distance between them, her lips gentle, tentative. There was a dazed look in her eyes when she pulled away that made Pam's heart flutter.
"Wanna go to bed?" Harley asked, her eyes widening when she realized what she'd said. "I—I just meant cuz you look so tired and not, like, we have to do anythin', that therapy or whatever, just… sleep."
She chuckled and took Harley's hand, leading her into the apartment. "Sleep sounds wonderful."