Fruitful Endeavors
By Semerket
Chapter 4: Finally!
After pulling her collar up and tightening her green scarf, she crossed her arms over her long brown overcoat, partly to stave off the frigid air and partly to appear less conspicuous. It was very cold today, and Ivy's plant-like proclivities made her avoid it whenever possible. At Zatanna's rather hostile recommendation, she now found herself in a crumby part of town; though in all fairness, much of Gotham could be described that way, but this was exceptional. It wasn't the worst part of the city, but it was only just a step up.
Observing the numbers on the buildings, Ivy walked towards the brick tenement that matched the address she'd received. She was just about to cross the street when she caught sight of a familiar blond in the distance. Ivy stared, paralyzed by her feelings. It was definitely Harley. She'd recognize those pigtails anywhere. She felt so many emotions: anger, disappointment, joy, relief.
At least Harley was alive.
Pamela must have been standing there with her mouth open for several minutes because she heard a gruff smart aleck voice say: "Take a picture, lady. It'll last longer." Jolted from her reverie, Ivy turned toward the source. It was a homeless man. He was digging through the trash looking for what she assumed to be plastic bottles. At least someone recycled in Gotham.
Forgetting him as quickly as he'd forgotten her, Ivy quickly glanced both ways before she hurried across the street towards the shabby tenement she'd seen Harley enter.
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Harley was struggling with her grocery bags and the key. After finally getting it out of her pocket she pushed the door open and made her way inside. She placed the bags on the small counter in the kitchen and was about to head back over to shut the door when she was suddenly overcome with intense feelings of guilt. No, wait- that wasn't guilt!
"Not now!" Harley made a dash for the bathroom. She could feel a bout of morning sickness coming on. Whoever decided to call it 'morning' sickness obviously didn't know what the hell they were talking about. Harley was game to vomit at all hours. Fortunately it wasn't as bad as it had been earlier in her pregnancy, but it still crept up on occasion. She had barely made it to the toilet this time and she was lucky she didn't nail her pea coat.
After Harley brushed her teeth she took a good look at herself in the mirror. Apparently, she did look as tired as she felt. Maybe leaving had been a mistake. Harley hadn't exactly been known for making good decisions throughout her life. Ivy would know best, right? God, she missed her. She let out a sigh and made her way back into the living room. She should probably shut the door before some creep found their way in.
Before she could make it half way across the living room to shut said door, she noticed that it had already been closed. "What the heck?" Harley squeaked. Crime was a reality in this part of town. She glanced around the apartment frantically. Harley froze in shock when she finally noticed the still figure standing right in the middle of her living room. It was Ivy. She was just a few feet away and judging by her expression she was fuming. Harley instinctively pulled her coat shut and crossed her arms to make her bump less visible.
"Red?" The blond ventured carefully.
Was the Joker here? Ivy was wondering if that repugnant little buffoon was going to pop out at her at any moment. She tossed a piece of balled up paper at Harley's feet. "What the hell is this, Harley?" Harley recognized it as her hastily scrawled goodbye note.
Her voice consistently began increasing in decibels until she was yelling. "You promised you'd never leave me and not only did you do just that, but you don't even have the decency to tell me to my face! You say it in some ambiguous note as though I were an afterthought. Aren't I at least worth a fucking paragraph?!"
Harley logically shrank away from her outburst. She tried to interrupt, but it wasn't possible at the moment. The furious goddess closed the distance between them until she was practically screaming in the blond's face. "You told me just a week before you left that you've been happier than you've ever been! And now what? It suddenly can't work? Well then tell me, Harleen! Tell me what the hell is no longer working for you! I've been looking all over for you! I thought you were dead!"
Harley stood her ground. Ivy needed to say this and she had every right to be upset. If she had been anything like the Joker then Harley would already be dead or in critical condition. Harley said gently, "Pamela, please-"
It was unbearable the way Harley said her name. "Don't!" Ivy's rage broke on her words like a wave against the shore. Tears ran freely down her face as she backed away from the blond.
Harley pleaded, "Please, lemme explain."
Her rage had morphed into sadness as she was now sobbing uncontrollably. She paced back and forth. "I've heard it already. I can't hear it anymore! He's going to kill you, Harley. Do you want to die? Or maybe you do enjoy the beatings. Is that what I need to do to keep you? Do you want me to beat you!?"
Harley's hands found their way to the top of her own head as she resisted the urge to give into despair. Everything had become so screwed up. "I didn't go back to him, Red."
Ivy laughed angrily as she tried to wipe away her own tears with the back of her hands. "Oh, I know. You just wanted to get away from me! I get it."
"Listen-"
"No, you listen!" Ivy's long finger was pointed at Harley's chest. "This is your last chance. If you want to be done with me- fine. But I never want to see you. I don't want you crawling back to me again. I can't do this anymore, Harley. I deserve better." Ivy hated the sound of her own voice. She had become so weak and pathetic all because of the woman standing before her. She always said these things to Harley every time she'd left and she'd always taken her back anyway. She hated what the blond had done to her.
Harley closed the distance and grabbed Ivy's hands. The redhead's first instinct was to immediately shrug the woman off in anger; a part of her even wanted to strike her, but she held off long enough to let Harley get a word in.
"I'm pregnant."
Ivy stood frozen and unblinking. If Harley hadn't known any better she'd think the woman was imitating a tree. That or she was having an out of body experience. After several seconds, intense green eyes focused on blue ones.
The redhead took a step back and stared at her. The blond reached down and pulled open her coat, revealing her bump. Harley was definitely pregnant. Harley's odd behavior suddenly clicked in Ivy's brain. Ivy's gaze moved up to the blond's face. She also looked pale and thinner than usual. She could see the bags around the other woman's blue eyes. Her entire countenance just seemed tired. Harley's eyes begged Ivy for something, anything, but she wasn't sure exactly what. Acceptance? Forgiveness? Understanding?
"Red?" She braced herself for the tirade that she knew was on its way.
Ivy sucked in a deep breath. This was it. Ivy was ready! She was going to cuss Harley out so badly that the Joker would feel it! She still had so much to say. So she said, in a much gentler tone than she'd intended, "Harley."
The blond's eyes were already brimming with tears. Ivy moved over to her and wrapped her arms around her and held her tight. She moved her hand up to stroke the blond's head. Harley rested her head in the crook of Ivy's neck and cried. Well, that certainly wasn't the way Ivy had imagined their reunion going. She'd pictured everything from angry sex to cream pies and plant mayhem, but not this.
She sounded dejected, "I'm pregnant, Red." Tears welled up in her eyes as a fresh batch of them ran down her rosy cheeks. "And I dunno... what I'm gonna do." Harley spoke in between hiccupping sobs. "I was afraid to tell you. I'm so ashamed."
Harley desperately studied Ivy's face for some kind of response.
"Oh, Harley." Her voice had softened, but still held a hint of chastisement in it. "Did you think I would stop wanting you? Did you think I'd stop loving you?" The blond avoided her gaze. Ivy reached up and stroked her face. "I could never stop loving you." Ivy kissed her on the lips gently before touching her forehead to hers. She added with a hint of sarcasm, "Believe me… I've tried."
The assurance was a balm on her soul. She felt an incredible weight lift from her shoulders. "Thank you," she said through sobs, "I don't deserve you." The two women embraced for several minutes as their fears ebbed.
Ivy was the first one to break the silence. "I'm going to say this once." Her voice cracked with emotion as she held Harley tightly. "Don't you ever do this again."
Harley realized she'd been so wrong to keep this from her. She had been so wrong to leave. "I'm sorry I panicked, Red. I only meant to go away for a few days, but then I was afraid to come back." Ivy kissed the blond's forehead and pulled back. She took both of Harley's hands and held them tightly.
"Now come home." Are you insane!? Ivy's inner voice shrieked. She needed to finish giving Harley a piece of her mind. She needed to stand up for herself more. Ivy silenced that bitter little voice. She'd already debased herself in front of the police. She'd debased herself to Batman by giving him even a hint that she was capable of caring for others. Her street cred was officially obliterated. Begging Harley to come home was far from beneath her at this point. She was already at rock bottom. She might as well set up shop and let her roots burrow all the way down...
"...You're not mad anymore?" Harley was reluctant. She knew from experience that Ivy's cooldown period was usually at least several days to weeks, or in Batman's case: a few years. She'd expected a few objects to be broken at the very least.
Ivy's eyes were moist. The calmness in her voice betrayed her actual feelings. "Mad? No, Harley. I'm not mad. I'm furious. Mad cannot even begin to describe the way I'm feeling."
"I'm sorry-"
"Are you?" Ivy was still calm, but her rage was clearly boiling just under the surface, "Do you even know what that means? Do you know what it is to be 'sorry'?" Ivy hissed.
"I do, Red."
"Then why do you do it? Why do you do this? Every time you leave you just tell me how 'sorry' you are and that's supposed to make everything better."
Harley raised her voice, "I know! But this time..." She calmed down; she didn't need this to lead to more screaming. She didn't have the energy for it. "This time is different."
Ivy stared at her baby bump. The redhead's voice sounded more tired than anything. "Is it really that different, Harley?"
"I-"
"I don't want to hear it." Ivy cut her off.
"Dontcha wanna talk about this summore?"
Ivy shook her head, "I can't hear it. Not right now." Ivy quickly changed the subject and bombarded her with questions. "Have you been taking care of yourself? You look awful. What have you been doing about money?"
Under any other circumstances Harley would roll her eyes whenever Ivy's voice took on that 'motherly-control-freak' tone, but in her situation the concern was a relief.
"I had some cash hidden away at old forgotten hideouts that the Joker don't use no more. And I sold a few things."
"Have you been to the doctor?"
"Yea, I went there first after I left," She looked ashamed, "I haven't been since though."
"Well, we're going right now."
The blond pouted, "Red, I'm just a little tired is all."
Ivy snapped, "You're supposed to be getting bigger not smaller. God damn it, Harley. Quit bullshitting me about your health!"
Her voice was pleading, "I just need a nap- I usually take one about this time. Lemme lay down for a bit, wouldja?"
Ivy said in an authoritative tone. "Harley, I'm not asking."
The harlequin rolled her eyes at her lover's pushiness. She pulled her hands away and sighed. "Well, lemme put the groceries away first…"
"No, we'll just take them with us- all of your things since there's no reason for you to stay here." Ivy took in her surroundings with disdain. This apartment was a hole. The water from the tap alone was probably hard enough to break a window and she didn't even want to know where that mildew smell was coming from. It was an appalling environment for anyone, let alone someone in Harley's condition.
Harley couldn't' believe how accepting Ivy was being. It was out of character for her to be so forgiving. "Red? Are you sure you're okay with this?" Harley touched her belly.
Ivy shrugged and sighed, "I want you, Harley. And if you come with a baby then that's just something I have to accept." Ivy was ashamed to admit it, but no matter what Harley did she would always take her back. She needed her the way she needed water and sunshine. She could cheat a thousand times and Ivy would still take her back. The redhead rolled her eyes. Unconditional love was a cruel master.
"But I-"
"I'll take care of it, Harley." Ivy waved it off and said in an exasperated tone, "Now stop worrying."
Harley had never felt the need to be the one in control. No, on the contrary she preferred to follow whenever possible. It worked out very well that Ivy was a complete and utter control freak- that way they rarely conflicted about anything because Ivy usually got her way and she didn't have to worry about making the blond uncomfortable. They complemented each other perfectly.
"Now get your things so we can go."
Harley mock saluted, "Yes, Sir."