Chapter Two: Breaking Point

Dr. Harleen had trouble thinking about anything other than her new patient ever since their first encounter. He was right when he said she'd never forget him. The Joker – or John now, couldn't be her main focus now however because there were others she needed to talk to. Not to mention the other half a dozen patients scheduled in this week.

"Doctor." One of the assistants passing by gave her a courteous nod.

When she reached the door she was handed a clipboard titled 'patient name: Bane'.

"Im glad you're here. He's been getting sort of restless, big guy like that… well, you can imagine."

"Yeah, I've heard." Apparently a few inmates were in the wrong place at the wrong time.

She opened the door to reveal a wide room with metal crates creating a path towards the back where solid nth metal bars and bullet resistant glass separated them. "Doctor. I expected you'd come." He clenched his fists casually.

"You've had quite the morning."

"They were irritating. The guards do nothing."

"You hospitalised three men, they fractured bones from ribs to their thumbs. You went too far."

"That's what I do to men who annoy me, what do you think I do to those that tell me what to think."

"I can't tell you what to think, just a reminder that there are rules. Those men may never recover and they didn't deserve that just because they wouldn't hand over the remote-"

"That is not why." He interjected and sat down formally in his cell, hands on knees. It looked odd to see a giant address her this way. "Every day they put on the same channel, today I decided it would be the last time I suffer through the same boring dialogue."

"You could have asked to leave."

"I just said I didn't want to replay the same dialogue." He said firmly. "You're a good doctor, Quinzel, but if you haven't noticed by now in the three years we've been seeing each other – I am not a man who can be swayed from his beliefs. I suggest you don't waste anymore of your time."

"What beliefs are those?"

"Did you not hear me, doctor?" He stood now and she was thankful for the barrier as he towered over.

"I don't give up on any of my patients."

"Hmm. I hear that may change."

She watched him and looked confused. "Excuse me?"

"I know of you're latest patient. Man so insane he can't even recognise the truth to the lies he spits out. If you do not break because of me then it will be him."

Her conversation with Bane replayed in her head once more in her office and she put down her notes to bring up a search engine to quickly type the name 'Joker'. The countless amounts of reports of catastrophe and images were haunting even to a woman who thought she'd seen it all after working in Arkham as long as she had. There were so many linked to the name. So much death and terror connected to him.

The next day, Harleen went by her normal routine around the asylum before her 3:00pm appointment came up with the name 'John Doe' which was something she had mixed feelings about. On one hand it is exciting to talk to someone so vastly different from everyone else, but on the other hand she knows about the twisted things he's done to people – something she despised.

"Harley!" John suddenly grinned wide for her as soon as she entered the room. He couldn't hide how excited he was to see his friend again whether he'd wanted to or not. There was something different about this woman, and he was intrigued to find out what.

She cautiously watched him while pulling out a chair. "Harley?"

"Don't you like it? Isn't that what your other friends call you?"

"Um… No not really, but I don't have that many friends. I was always sort of a nerd in school and then this job doesn't really allow for many nights out." She opened up a little to build on their trust.

For some reason he liked what he heard. "It's a good job you have me then!"

"Yeah." She pulled a smile. "It's been two days since our first meeting, has anything happened since then that you'd like to talk about? It can be anything at all."

"Anything, huh." He pretended to think back.

"Yep."

"I don't know… Maybe talking about you will jog my memory." He suggested with a charming smile.

She smiled back this time and played along. "Okay."

"Did you have any pets growing up?"

"I had a cat and two dogs."

"Wow! They must have been a handful – I had dogs too at one point although… they were probably a lot less friendly than yours were."

"Yes… I'm familiar with the story."

"Quite a laugh, they were. Loyalty was wasted on them however."

"What do you mean?"

"They didn't know which hands to bite and which to not – I almost lost mine when the bat knocked me off the railing into the pit… admittedly I was pointing a gun at him – but that's not the point!"

"Did he leave you? Or did you escape yourself?"

"Neither, actually. The pups got distracted when cat lady came to play. I made my escape after that."

"Did you come into contact with Catwoman a lot during you're siege of Gotham?"

He stared at her with an amusing thought. "Not often." He smiled. "No need to be jealous, you're the only woman I have plans to keep seeing." He winked as he referenced their schedule.

Harleen blushed a little and covered her face at the implication. "That's not- I was curious."

"Well you don't have to be for any longer, my dear." His grinning teeth got closer as he leaned across the table in attempt to see her better. She dropped her hand and was started to see him in front of her like this.

"What are you…?"

She had many questions but his had now been answered. He knew what had been on his mind and why it was, it made so much sense it shouldn't have taken him this long to figure it out.

His grin got even bigger for a second. "You should untie me."

"I don't think so."

"Why not? I won't hurt you."

"I've heard that one before."

"Why would I hurt you?" He tilted his head.

"I don't know. Why would you feed people to dogs?"

"They were bad people. You're good."

"I can't untie you."

"You're in charge."

"I just work here, I don't have a say in your restraints. That's security."

"Security isn't here."

"We're getting off topic here."

"No, no, no. I believe we are on the right topic. How can I truly open up and benefit from the best of what therapy has to offer if you don't even trust me to not be strapped into the most uncomfortable chair?"

"I'm sorry Jok- John, but I can't let you out."

His face turned grumpy for a moment but then he lifted his gaze again to meet hers. "Your loss."

"My loss?" She raised a brow.

"I didn't want you to untie me just because these are too tight. There was something else I had in mind."

"And what was that?"

"You'll have to untie me to find out."

"Nice try."

"I promise it's something you'd enjoy." His words made her break eye contact. He grinned. "I knew you were a smart one the moment I laid eyes upon you. Whatdya say, Dr. Quinzel?"

She shifted in her chair nervously. "We should carry on talking about-"

"I've got experience in doing most things you could think of but this isn't one of them, I offer a quid pro quo. I teach you something about me to help you with my treatment, and you teach me so I can help you with your… treatment." He emphasised the last word with another grin.

"That's- you can't talk- I mean-"

"I'm both surprised and happy about your reaction, I'd of thought you'd have many male fans – especially in a place like this."

"I…" She was at a loss for words when his legs brushed hers in addition to his piercing gaze.

"Doctor." He tried to grab her attention. "Do we have a deal?"

She pushed her chair back and shook her head. "Absolutely not-"

"I'm less happy now."

"It's inappropriate. It's more than that!"

John rolled his eyes. "So you really do see the world in black and white."

"Definitely not, but this is as wrong as they come. Even if you hadn't killed hundreds of people, you're still a patient and I really do want to help you-"

"This will be of help to me."

"I highly doubt that."

"If you waste your time worrying about ethics then you'll forget to live."

She frowned. "I have a life."

"Do you? Is work not everything?"

"Work is a life. It's important."

"What is life without friends, Doctor? I'm no expert but friends are meant to help each other out. You can help me with treating me just the same as I can with you. Although there will be slight differences."

"You need to stop."

"You need to untie me."

"After that conversation? Are you kidding me?"

"I really want to." He growled this time with foggy eyes.

"No."

"Fine, keep me bound to the chair. But you can still come and sit on the table in front of me."

She covered her face with both hands now.

"I'm a quick learner."

These sessions were going to a lot more complicated than shed originally thought.

"Please."

"No."

"But I'd still be tied to the chair!"

"It's also called taking advantage."

"I'm a willing participant!"

"You're insane – it still counts."

"How about just for a little bit? If you think I'm good then you can keep your legs wrapped around my neck until the clock hits four. You have nothing to loose but everything to gain."

"I think we're going to cut this meeting short." She quickly stepped away from her chair.

His head shot up. "Worried you'll give in to temptation?"

"Goodbye."

"Look forward to seeing you again."