Hope took a couple days to recouperate. It was much needed. She felt refreshed, and ready to take on her new patients, head on.
She hadn't personally seen Batman since Arkham, but she saw him on the news. He managed to catch all of the Arkham escapees.
On the morning she returned to Arkham, she recieved an invite to Bruce Wayne's charity event for Arkham Asylum. Apparently, he was going to be donating a large sum of money to Arkham, and he wanted others to do so, as well. She barely looked at the invite twice, before she threw it away. She never felt comfortable at things like that. Besides, she had too many patients that needed her help.
She headed for Arkham Asylum.
*X*
Oswald was her first patient of the day.
"Hello Oswald. How are you doing today?" Hope asked. Oswald frowned at the floor for a moment. When he looked up at her, he smiled. She smiled, in encouragement. She was hoping that she was making progress with him.
"Better than yesterday." Oswald said.
"Great. How so?" Hope asked.
Oswald leaned in closer to her, as if telling her a secret.
"Joker is jealous." Oswald whispered.
She raised her eyebrows.
"The Joker is jealous? Of who?" Hope asked.
Oswald's smile got bigger.
"Me." Oswald said.
"The Joker is jealous, of you. Why do you think that?" Hope asked.
"I have you." Oswald said.
"Yes, but you are just my patient." Hope told him.
That didn't dampen his good mood.
"It's more than what he has. Do you know what he tried telling me? That he's started seeing you too! Can you believe that? He's telling lies, just to make himself look better." Oswald said.
"You want to out do the Joker?" She asked.
"Of course!" He said.
"Why?" Hope asked.
He looked surprised, and slightly confused, at the question.
"Because, Joker is a loud mouth, show off, that needs to be put in his place. I'm one up on him, finally!" Oswald told her.
"Well, even if I'm counciling the Joker, or not, I wouldn't be able to tell you. Doctor, patient, confidentiality." Hope said.
The smile on Oswald's face faltered. He didn't seem to like what she'd said.
"You're seeing the Joker too?" He asked.
She sighed.
"I'm not at liberty to say." She told him.
He mumbled something that she didn't hear, and he stopped talking. She ended the session, and sent him back to his cell.
X*X*X
Her last patient of the day, was the Joker. By the time she met with him, she was tired.
A patient had come to see her earlier. One that hadn't been assigned to her.
"What can I help you with Harley?" Hope asked.
"I don't like you hanging around Mistah J." Harley said.
Hope smiled at Harley.
"Have a seat, Harley. I'm sure you of all people should know, that in this job, you're not hanging around with the patients. This is my job Harley, and I take it very serious. I promise that I won't throw it away for your boyfriend. I also don't go for my patients, not that I'm saying that Joker is my patient." Hope said.
Harley seemed to like Hope's words very much. By the time Harley left Hope's office, she was happier than when she entered the office.
Now she was waiting for the Joker to be brought to her office. Moments later, a knock was heard. She took a deep breath, and went over to answer the door.
"Dr. Lake, I've got the Joker." A guard said.
Hope opened the door wide.
"Thank you. I will let you know when the session is over." Hope said.
The guard nodded, then turned the Joker over to Hope.
"Have a seat on the couch." Hope told Joker.
Joker was grinning ear to ear. He sat down on the couch, as she shut the door.
"Well, doll face, its great to see you again. Harley told me that she spoke to you, and what you told her." Joker said.
Hope raised her eyebrows, and sat at her desk. She crossed her legs, and looked at him.
"Really? And? What about it?" Hope asked.
He laughed.
"It sounded like a challenge." He told her.
She didn't like the sound of that.
"Excuse me?" She said.
He laughed.
"Harley is jealous that I want you, and not her." Joker said.
"Yes, well, I reassured her that wouldn't happen, that I don't do anything, but treat my patients. I would like for you to understand this as well. I am here as your therapist, nothing more." Hope told him.
Joker's eyes were shining with chaos.
"Challenge accepted." Joker said.
"You are just a man, you can't make me do anything I don't want to do. I make my own choices, and you can't make me break my morals. I will never do anything more with you than be your therapist. You are my patient, nothing more." She told him..
A dangerous aura was coming off of him, in waves.
"Have you met Bats yet?" Joker asked, out of nowhere.
She exhaled loudly.
"Actually, yes, I have." She said.
"And?!" Joker demanded.
"And, what?" She asked.
"What did you think of him?!" Joker demanded, talking as if she was slow.
She frowned.
"Is that important? Does it matter?" She asked.
"Yes, of course, this is Bats." Joker said.
Her frown deepened.
"Your file did mention that you have an obsession with Batman." She said.
He laughed.
"You have a thing for him! You like the Bat!" Joker accused.
Hope pinched the bridge of her nose, and exhaled loudly.
"Joker, do I have to end the session, again?" Hope asked.
"You didn't deny it!" Joker said.
Hope stood, and went over to the door.
"These sessions are not about me. They are about you. I'm ending the session. I will see you tomorrow." Hope said.
Hope opened the door, signalling for the gaurd.
"The Penguin wasn't happy after your session. Did you tell him I was telling the truth?" Joker asked.
"I'm not discussing Oswald Cobblepot with you. Good night, I will speak with you tomorrow." Hope said.
"Let's go Joker." The guard told him.
"I'll see you in my dreams doll face." Joker said, as he passed her.
She gave a sigh, shaking her head.
"Good bye." Hope said.
Hope exhaled oudly, as she shut the door behind Joker. She finished her paper work, and set up for tomorrow's sessions. As soon as she was finished, she went to leave.