A/n: I'm so so sorry guys! I don't know what's been wrong but I've had 3 days of FF not letting me upload anything, let alone a chapter! I don't know whether it's my internet or something going on with the site, but it's been damned annoying!

Thank you for all of your reviews guys! :D

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Chapter 5 – Little Torture

Four weeks later and countless sessions down the line and Harley was doing well with teasing along Dr Drake. She hadn't quite sunk her claws in, but she was making good progress. She wasn't aware of how many puppet strings the Joker had become responsible for in the asylum, but she wouldn't question a proper bed, decent food, extended time out of her cell and the Joker's visits had become quite regular.

Harley had recognised more and more faces as their goons and they would sneak things into the asylum for the pair of them. Word had also travelled around the asylum so that when Harley was moved around by the orderlies, there were cheers from friends and foe about the baby. It was a new start for Gotham's underworld. A new era coming and that only meant good things for everyone. It also meant their power as King and Queen was still in place and not a single one of the crazies would dare speak a bad word as Harley passed.

So as Harley stretched her arms above her head from where she was laid on a bench in the glasshouse gardens, she felt confident and calm – calm for Harley. Ivy was allowed to have a couple of hours a day in the gardens with Harley on the promise that she wouldn't obstruct Drake and Arkham's fight to get to Harleen. The blonde was enjoying the sunlight on her pale skin and she'd rolled her shirt up so her small but undeniable bump was exposed.

"Harley, I'd get so much more done if you weren't in the way," Ivy huffed.

"How am I in your way, Red?" Harley asked and looked up to her best friend.

"You're distracting," Ivy answered.

"Ivy, I thought you liked spending time with me," Harley pouted.

"I know you're pouting, stop it, I know what you're doing Harley Quinn," Ivy said lowly.

"But Pammy…" Harley giggled and she sat up to see Ivy finally turning around with a plant in her hand that looked decidedly dead.

"You are going to get me in so much trouble with that clown," Ivy sighed and moved to sit beside Harley. The blonde pulled her shirt back down, but kept stroking her bump. She watched as Ivy stared at the dead plant and she poked it.

"Yeah, that's gonna help, Harl," Ivy frowned. "She needs care, not abuse."

"We're not talkin' in euphemisms again are we?" Harley sighed.

"No, but that point does stand for you, however, I'm trying to bring her back to life, not kill her off entirely," Ivy said and brought the plant towards her face. She let out a slow breath and green spores settled around the roots of the plant and in seconds it came back to life. A big pink flower bloomed at the top and Ivy smiled proudly.

"See, Harl, a little bit of care and things come right," Ivy grinned. Harley had watched with a small smile and she hummed a little bit before she leaned against her friend. Ivy wrapped her arms around Harley and pressed a kiss into the blonde's hair.

"Ivy, would the baby inherit my immunity to your spores and toxins?" Harley asked quietly.

"I hope so, honey," Ivy answered. "If not, I'm sure there's ways to get him immune without having to inject him. I'll think of something."

"Good, I want you to know her," Harley replied and took a deep breath as she relaxed and let Ivy's affection make her feel safe. She felt Ivy's hand move slowly to rest on her bump and for a moment, Harley wasn't entirely certain how she felt about the very simple movement. She tensed for a few seconds before she decided that she was okay with it and her own hand settled beside Ivy's.

"I never thought I'd see you pregnant, Harls," Ivy said softly. "You don't mind me touching you, do you?"

"Of course not, Red," Harley replied quietly. She closed her eyes and rested into her friend. Her mind was whirling for some reason and she wanted to be closer to Ivy and as far away from her as she could at the same time. It was a confusing feeling that she'd only felt for one other person. She knew she loved Ivy, just not how Ivy would like.

"You're tired today, sweetie," Ivy commented gently. "What's up?"

"I'm just getting over mornin' sickness, just puked once this morning, but I'm still tired," Harley mumbled. "Growin' a human's harder than it looks. It's better now I get decent food. That doctor of mine is quite easy to convince for things."

"You know I don't approve of what you're doing to her, Harl," Ivy said shortly. "It's cruel."

"And you spreading toxic spores across Gotham because they built over one of your trees, isn't cruel?" Harley challenged.

"That was a matter of morals."

"This is a matter of having an escape route for my baby," Harley pointed out. "Drake thinks she's makin' progress. I'm not gonna hurt her too bad."

"No, you're just going to torture her," Ivy said. "What if someone does that to your son or daughter, Harley? Hmm?"

"Her parents don't care about her," Harley shrugged.

"You really can be heartless," Ivy said coldly.

"My baby is more important than these people," Harley told Ivy. "My baby will take over Mistah J's role in Gotham one day, this baby is the future King or Queen of the underworld. You really think some psychiatrists are more important? For someone who doesn't like many humans aside from me and Cat, you're doing a great job of justifyin' keepin' them alive."

"I don't like talking to you when you're like this, you've spent far too much time with him," Ivy said simply and moved away from her friend. She went to the row of dead plants and she brought them all back to life. She closed her eyes and took a deep breath as the flowers bloomed and bright green petals reached for the sun's rays as they filtered down into the glass house.

"You need to remember that you were one of these people once, Harl," Ivy said softly and she looked at the purple flower in front of her. "You were a Samantha Drake, a Joan Leland. You had a family that worried about you."

"Not enough."

"I'm not carrying on this conversation, there's no point," Ivy sighed. "Come and talk to me when Harleen's talked some sense in you." Harley glared at Ivy and stood up to walk away. She was angry and confused. How could her best friend not understand the importance of her child? How could her best friend defend these morons that were keeping her from her puddin'?

"You're the one that's got it wrong, Harley," Harleen said carefully. "We could actually do this, we could get better and be free of his poison. Why can't you see that this is an opportunity that we can't afford to lose it?"

"You need to go back in your box, Harleen," Harley growled.

"No, Harley, no. Not until you realise what is going on here," Harleen replied. "Samantha wants to help, Arkham wants to help. You can't tell me that you think a life with the Joker is actually going to be healthy for our baby?"

"Mistah J loves us both, not you, Harleen," Harley hissed. "Me and my baby, you're nothing to do with this."

"Harley?"

"What?" Harley shouted and turned round. "Oh, Dr Drake, sorry. I guess I'm goin' back ta my cell then?"

"No, not at all," Samantha smiled. "I thought we could have an informal session down here. You're more relaxed here than anywhere else in the asylum."

"I'm not in the mood today, Sammie," Harley muttered. "I just wanna be left alone."

"Maybe it'd help if you told me what's bothering you?" Samantha asked.

"Do you know what, I will tell you," Harley said. She had a glint in her eye that was a bit worrying for Samantha and she wondered if she'd just gotten too complacent. "I'm fed up of people tellin' me how I should think an' how I should feel. Harleen screamin' at me that I'm wrong all the time, Ivy pretendin' she cares-"

"Whoa, whoa, Harley, calm down," Samantha said gently and put her hands on Harley's shoulders. "Steady on, one thing at a time." Harley thought quickly and she couldn't help but smile. She put her hand on Samantha's wrist and carefully stroked her fingers over the doctor's veins.

"Sorry, Sammie, I just… I think its hormones," Harley sighed and let her shoulders slump.

"Its fine, Harls, its fine," Samantha smiled. "Come on, let's go have a chat. Are you hungry? Would you like anything to eat?"

"No, I'm okay," Harley answered. She felt Samantha's hand touch her cheek and she didn't know whether she was repulsed by the touch or whether she welcomed it. Contact with anyone aside from Joker and Ivy was rare and she had often craved interaction from outsiders to her life with the Joker. But this was a line that Samantha was crossing far too soon.

Harley had to take control of this situation somehow and fast. She leaned her head into Samantha's hand and smiled softly at the psychiatrist before she moved back and her hands settled back on her bump.

"He can't ever see that happen," Harley whispered. Keeping her eyes on Samantha, watching her every move. "He can't see anyone touch me, especially not you. He doesn't want me to get better. He doesn't want me to be Harleen. If he sees that I can stand you touching me like that, he'll kill all of us." It was a lie, the Joker obviously knew all of it, but she needed Samantha to show her weakness and her biggest weakness was her heart. She had a big heart, she spent far too much time caring, but that would work for Harley. She zoned out again as Samantha started to speak and she just ignored everything that the doctor said.

Joker was so controlling and possessive, she thrived off his attention and his sole ownership of her. Having others get involved, having others feel like they could move in on her in such a simple way, felt strange and uncomfortable. The only other person that could touch her was Ivy. Whilst Belle Reve and Griggs had left their mental scars in her mind, she could still feel their hands on her and the nightmares and flashbacks struck randomly, that was easier to deal with than Samantha's caring caress. They'd treated her like a piece of meat, Samantha treated her like a human being.

It made Harley shiver in disgust.

Ivy had ignored Harley's tantrum and had continued to tend her plants and flowers. She could alway tell when Harley had been socially confined to the Joker, she became cruel and spiteful. The sliver of humanity left in the blonde was tattered and hidden well when his psychosis had rubbed off on her. She remembered the two sessions she'd had with Harleen and the bright, sparky young woman had been kind and decent, Ivy had been infatuated with Harleen even then, her feelings had only grown stronger since her transformation into Harley.

Ivy heard Harley's shouting and she walked through the garden until she spotted her friend and her psychiatrist. She tilted her head a little to try and see Harley's mood, but she seemed to have disappeared. She saw Samantha's hands on her best and only friend and she felt her annoyance for humans grow quickly. She walked over and frowned when Harley still didn't register her.

"Harley?" Ivy asked as she approached Harley frozen on the spot. She glanced Drake, but she paid her no more attention. The redhead walked up to her friend and she stroked her arms and shoulders.

"Harley, are you okay, sweetie?" Ivy asked gently.

"Hmm?" Harley mumbled and looked into Ivy's eyes.

"Doctor, I think you should leave," Ivy said gently. "I'll take care of her."

"What's going on?" Samantha asked.

"She has… issues with people touching her," Ivy explained. "Basically it's me or the Clown. It's been like that since the acid bath, but not long ago some people tried to take advantage of her and… this happens. So please, leave her with me."

"Sure," Samantha nodded and looked at Harley once more before she left. Ivy guided Harley to the bench once more and she sat down with her friend. Ivy wrapped her arms around the blonde and held her until she started to soften and relax.

"Don't leave me, Red," Harley whispered. "No matter what stupid shit I do, no matter what Mistah J tells ya, don't ever leave me."

"You thought you had to tell me that?" Ivy scoffed. "I'm not going anywhere, Harl'. You and this baby are going to need me more than you realise. Especially as your boyfriend isn't interested in emotional support."

"Red-"

"I'm being honest, Harley," Ivy said softly. "I don't want you or the baby feeling unloved or uncared for. You're the only human I would save, in turn I'd save your baby. Why would I want either of you wandering around thinking the only thing in your life is that psychotic creep? You have to start seeing what you are, who you are, because you're the only one that will stand between Joker and your baby when he gets angry."

"He won't… he wouldn't hurt him," Harley whispered.

"I hope he doesn't, but he doesn't care if he hurts you," Ivy said and stroked Harley's hair. She knew that Harley was entirely blinded by her addiction and obsession for the Joker to see what danger her life was in once the baby was born.

They stayed in silence for a while longer until footsteps disturbed them once again. Ivy grit her teeth and she looked over in the direction of the noise to see the green haired Clown waking over to them, free of his straight jacket and flanked by two people that Ivy knew were his henchmen.

"Brash, Joker, brash," Ivy muttered. "You're going to get caught and you know what will happen then."

"Ivy, we have Sharpe in hand, we have Asylum staff outgunned and more henchmen inside than we could possibly need," Joker chuckled and waved his two men away. He looked to see Harley staring into space and he tilted his head at her.

"Don't push her buttons," Ivy warned. "She's had a rough time."

"What have you done to her?" Joker snarled.

"Back up, stop talking at me like I'm the bad guy," Ivy said angrily. "I've been looking after her. You need to talk her out of this ridiculous plan with Drake. Don't let her do this." Joker lifted Harley up from the bench and set her on her feet. He cupped her cheeks in his hands and made her look at him.

"Harley," Joker said lowly and he stared into her eyes. It was like she was vacant, like her personalities were switching and fighting between themselves. "Harley." She snapped out of it and looked back at him. She stroked her fingers through his hair before she burst into a high-pitched giggle and she threw her arms around his neck.

"Puddin'!" Harley squealed and kissed him hard. She leaned against him before she remembered her bump and she pulled his hand to rest against her skin. "I missed ya puddin'."

"Harleen better not be coming forwards, Harls," Joker growled.

"She's not, she's just bein' annoyin'," Harley answered honestly. "Promise."

"I knew this was a bad idea, I told you it was a bad idea, you should've just let me deal with this," Joker hissed and stroked his hand over the soft rise of her abdomen. He was still conflicted over his feelings for this baby, but he wasn't about to let Harley ruin anything.

"Puddin', I can cope, she caught me off guard," Harley insisted.

"You can cope?" Joker chuckled. "So that's why I find you in the Weed's arms? You're coping real well aren't you?"

"J-"

"Stop it now, Harley," Joker told her. "This stupid plan of yours is over."

"They want to break Harleen out of me," Harley snapped. "I'm not going to let them do it without tearing one of them apart. I hate her, I don't want her near me, but by god am I going to enjoy destroying her life."

Joker didn't know whether he was furious, proud or turned on by her defiance, but whatever he was feeling, didn't need to be seen by Ivy. He looked down at the red head and she rolled her eyes and stayed where she was. He grit his teeth and looked back to Harley. She just looked up at him with those big blue eyes and she pressed against him once more.

"Break her, get her out of Arkham, she's not the exit plan," Joker said flatly. "I have Sharpe twisted around a knife edge, do not make me throw you to the dogs."

"Puddin'-" he cut her off with a kiss and a hand around her throat. It was a sugar coated threat and Harley knew it. But she loved it anyway.

This toxic toying with hearts and minds, she knew she was merely a puppet, a distraction for when Batman wasn't the Joker's priority. But she didn't care. She got so much better than the Bat did, despite being second best. Soon enough, the Bat would be second best and their baby would be the Joker's main priority. She was the only one who could give him this. She clung onto that hope that he would never find another like her. He would never find someone that could ride out his games and torture with a giggle and a smash of a mallet or bat. No one would jump into a vat of acid and live to tell the tale. She was a special kind of creation.

One that only the Joker could destroy.

And as his hand tightened its grip and his tongue slipped into her mouth, she was convinced that the day of her death was getting closer and closer.

"Keep Harleen locked in her box, Harley," Joker warned.

"Yes, Mistah J," Harley gasped as he let go of her throat.

She would gladly die for him and their child.

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A/N: So, the rating may change in the next couple of chapters, I'm having problems keeping Joker in his box lol!

Reviews = Love (and hopefully a faster chapter if my computer kicks itself into action -.-)