A/N: I'd just like to point out, in case anyone was unaware, that these characters are insane. Just FYI. Also, I am not a shrink. ;-) Enjoy.

What Love Is

By Semerket

Chapter 4: The Circle of Life

Winter

Several weeks later…

"Hey! Hey! Well look who it is! …If it isn't our favorite gal!" A jovial male voice boomed in surprise, "Welcome back, Sweetheart. You've been sorely missed."

"I'll kill you all!" A battered Poison Ivy shrieked in outrage as she was dragged kicking and screaming towards the rogue cell block. She had an orderly on each arm, while a third trailed behind them. Ivy was 5'8" and small compared to the hulking males, but insanity had a way of enhancing one's strength well beyond the normal limitations. Her plant DNA also had something to do with it. The prisoners in nearby cells were all in a tizzy over the new developments. They were hooting and howling in excitement as she went by.

One of the orderlies, ('Joe,' was what the crooked name tag read), was holding her right arm and becoming increasingly frustrated at her lack of clothing to grip. She had just been brought in and was only wearing her preferred leafy lingerie. She was notorious for her exhibitionism. Ivy tried to trip one of the men holding her and nearly succeeded.

"Damn it! Jacob, grab her feet!" Upon hearing his comment, Ivy calmed down slightly to give them a false sense of security. The orderly that had been trailing behind them scrambled around them to stand in front of Ivy. Once Jacob bent down she delivered a swift and painful kick to his groin. "Gah!" He barked in pain and buckled over to grab his ailing crotch, "Bitch!"

The other orderly, a blond, lost his grip on her left arm and she took that opportunity to turn towards Joe who was still holding her from the other side. She bit down on his hand. Shrieking, he reeled back and punched her. The redhead saw stars momentarily as she now lay sprawled out on the floor.

"Hey!" A loud bang could be heard from the other side of the glass of a nearby cell. "You don't hit a lady or you deal with us!"

Joe replied through clenched teeth as he cradled his bleeding hand, "Yea, well it's a good thing she's no lady!"

"I'll make you a lady." Harvey Dent, also known as Two-Face, glared at them from the window of his cell. Both his personalities felt a little protective towards Ivy.

"Shut up, Harvey." One of the orderlies snapped.

"Open this door and make us, asshole!"

Ivy took advantage of her split second of freedom and got to her feet. The redhead wasn't much in a stand-up fight, so she used the best tool she had at her disposal: poison. She spat in Jacob's face as he tried to get a handle on her arms. He hissed in pain as his eyes immediately began burning. Then the blond attendant moved away from the commotion and hit a large red buzzer that was on the wall. An alarm sounded and three more attendants rushed in to reinforce them.

The senior attendant shouted to the three that had been waylaid. "Wade," He was speaking to the blond attendant, "Get these two to the medical wing for detox. Now!"

"Yes, sir!" Wade guided the other two away.

Ivy stood with her back to the polished white wall. She looked feral and desperate like a trapped animal. She glared daggers at the three new chuckleheads she'd have to deal with.

The senior attendant- his name was Roger, if she recalled correctly, said in a condescending tone, "Welcome back, Miss Isley. It's always such a pleasure to have you in our care. I know you remember me, my name is Taylor." Well, she had been… somewhat close, "And unlike those rookies you took advantage of, I have no problem putting you in the hospital."

"She's already in a hospital, you retard!"

"Shut up, Dent! Or I'll ugly up your good half!"

"Suck our dick." Two-Face casually threw back as he watched from his cell. He laughed along with the other prisoners, some of which repeated his taunt in unison like a mantra. The guard started yelling for them all to shut up, but it just made them chant louder and bang the glass wall of their cells.

'Suck our dick!'

Ivy's eyes darted around searching for something, anything that she could use.

'Suck our dick!'

"Tsk, tsk. Isley, you can't fight us and you know it. So why don't you just go sit in your cell like a good little girl."

'Suck our dick!'

Yes, she remembered him quite vividly now. He was a sadist that belonged in a cell almost as much as the criminals did. Though in all fairness, Ivy's behavior had never been conducive to respectful treatment anyway, but that was largely irrelevant.

That's when Ivy felt it- a buzzing sensation in her head. She could feel two of her babies nearby. Well, not her babies, but the two orderlies she had poisoned. They were turning. She could sense them and feel their willpower slipping. Ivy smirked seductively at her captors. She had a wild card up her sleeve. Her eyes flashed bright green as she willed them to her aid.

'Suck our dick!'

"Go to hell." She hissed to Taylor.

He licked his lips, "Honestly, Pamela. I was hoping you'd do this the hard way." He had a sadistic leer on his face. He turned when he heard someone running around the corner.

"Hey! I told you guys to- Oof!" He was brutally tackled to the ground by the attendants now under Ivy's control.

"Kill them for me!" She commanded. Unable to resist, Ivy did take the opportunity to kick Taylor solidly in the head several times.

"Beat his ass, Pammy!" Two-Face and the others urged her on as they quickly lost interest in their mantra.

"You better run, Alice! Down the rabbit hole!" a voice called from down the hall. Then the same voice began cackling maniacally. It was probably Jervis Tetch, 'The Hatter'.

Basil Karlo, better known as 'Clayface', shape shifted into a clone of Little Richard as he peered through the glass to see the activity. "Don't make me scream like a white woman! OOooo!"

The more experienced orderlies were fending off her love slaves as a nurse rounded the corner with several syringes of what Ivy assumed was probably an antidote- time to skedaddle. The redhead took the opportunity and split during the ensuing chaos.

She navigated the nondescript white halls relatively well as she raced through the facility. This was hardly her first escape attempt and considering how sloppy it had played out thus far, it probably wouldn't be the last. She always did get a thrill out of giving those stupid meat sacks a run for their money though.

Ivy went through her escape checklist. The janitor had finally locked the side door near the cafeteria. She was surprised she'd ever been able to escape that way at all, let alone on two separate occasions. It's as though Arkham were made out of Swiss cheese. She knew she'd never make it through the security check point. There would be too many guards and locked doors.

She noticed that they had finally wised-up and put bars on the second story window at the back end of the hallway. So there wouldn't be any shimmying down the old oak tree. The redhead froze. She could hear shouting in the distance. The meatheads were regrouping. Ivy didn't have time to jog all over the damn place. Security check point it was! Even if she failed, it would still be amusing to watch the silly rent-a-cops quail at the sight of her.

"And then I said- Ugh." Ivy didn't even bother with poison kisses; she just bashed the security guard over the head with a sizable monkey wrench, his phone clattered to the floor loudly. Why the hell a wrench could be found just lying around inside a maximum security mental institution for the criminally insane was beyond her. Why not just distribute guns to all the inmates and turn them loose into their very own prison city? They could even call it 'Arkham City'- what a laugh. The redhead let out a hearty guffaw.

"Gaia, if I'd known it would be this easy I'd have strolled out the front door ages ago!" She accessed the controls that opened all three doors. There was a loud buzzing noise as each one clicked and slid open. As she passed through the last door, she noticed movement on the other side of the thick glass. There was a guard cowering under a table in the security booth; he was trying to avoid her notice. He was talking on the phone and was clearly frightened. She blew him a kiss and winked at him.

Then she turned and strolled through the small waiting area and lobby as she made her way to the front doors. She drawled contentedly, "Free at last, free at last! Thank god almighty I'm…" She froze as the door swung open before she could grab it. "Well," She sighed tiredly, "Shit." Her self-satisfied grin was quickly replaced by a scowl. The one time she actually made it through security and she runs into Batman? Fuckity, fuck, fuck!

The Dark Knight just stood there looking as stoic as ever. He didn't even seem surprised to see her out and about unattended. Even he was accustomed to Arkham's incompetence by now. He shoved his current prisoner forward. Ivy quickly sidestepped to avoid the flustered man. She watched in mild interest as Edward Nygma stumbled to his knees. His hands were cuffed behind his back and his nose was bleeding profusely. He was wearing his usual green question mark jacket and matching mask. He glanced around and noticed Ivy and the security, or lack thereof.

"Ah," He grinned, "If it isn't the Vixen of the Vines!" He was more manic than usual.

"Riddler." She deigned to acknowledge the little man's presence. She'd always viewed Edward as a weak person. It was a quality that she always appreciated about him or any man for that matter. They could be easily controlled that way.

The Dark Knight sighed. He had just busted her a few hours earlier and here she was, already escaping in less than twenty four hours. That had to be some kind of record. He wondered if she'd even made it to the cell before slipping away. "Ivy." Batman began authoritatively, like he was about to ground her for a month, "You just turn around and walk-"

She cut him off and snapped, "Damn you! Can't you see that I'm escaping?" She huffed indignantly and then she ranted on the brink of tears, "How dare you interfere! I can't go anywhere or do anything without your constant harassment!" Calming herself down she crossed her arms and commanded imperiously, "I know that I am very desirable, but I demand that you stop stalking me immediately!"

Too his credit, Batman didn't say anything. He just stood there blocking the door. Surely the staff was bound to show up at some point. He hoped they knew that she was missing… though the loud blaring of distant alarms was probably a clue. Edward was watching the exchange with extreme interest. He tried to hold it in, but he couldn't help himself. The laughter bubbled out of him. He said between fits of giggles, "Oh Ivy, Ivy, Ivy! This place just doesn't feel quite as insane without you!"

"Shut up, Edward. Everyone knows that Batman is in love with me."

He cackled even louder.

She couldn't tell because of his cowl, but Batman was rolling his eyes. God, would someone please up this poor woman's meds? The rogues were always more irrational when they were frightened or agitated. He could tell that the strain of Ivy's now failing escape attempt had clearly left her unhinged; not that she was ever a model of stability to begin with.

Her demeanor changed rapidly as she slipped into her role of seductress. "If you wanted me, why didn't you just say so?" She moved close enough to trail a finger down his chest plate. He had seen her play this game many times before. What was the saying? 'Insanity is doing the same thing over and over and expecting a different outcome.' He grabbed Ivy by the throat before she even knew what hit her.

She snarled angrily as her mood did a complete one eighty. "I'll kill you!" She punctuated her threat by spraying saliva all over Batman's exposed chin and mouth. He shoved her so hard she stumbled several feet backwards and fell to the ground. Edward was still laughing himself silly from his spot on the floor.

Repulsed, Batman quickly wiped his face. Unlike most men, he was remarkably resilient to Ivy's toxins and pheromones. Despite the toxin he could usually fight her suggestions through sheer willpower. He wasn't sure what he was feeling, but her poison did seem more potent than usual. Maybe it had something to do with the fact that she spat on him as opposed to her usual MO of kissing. He did notice that her lower lip was bloodied, which might be a factor too.

Then, finally, three orderlies as well as Ivy's usual psychiatrist, Dr. Leslie Gadlow, entered the lobby. As if on cue, the alarms shut off as soon as they arrived. They were accompanied by a dozen armed security personnel that looked ready for a SWAT raid. They stopped approximately fifteen feet away from Ivy, who was just pushing herself into a sitting position. The redhead's adrenaline rush was fading and she was feeling the day's violence taking its toll. She would be very sore for the next few days. The guards leveled their weapons at her and started yelling the usual cliché commands: "Freeze!" "Don't move!"

Ivy's eyes flashed green and she snarled, "I'm not going anywhere with you meat sacks!" She looked to Batman and her tone changed from enraged to pleading. "I need you to protect me. They're going to hurt me, Batman- especially that one," She gestured to Taylor, who was now sporting a big, black shiner to match his scowl. Her fears were actually quite genuine as she had been on the receiving end of several beatings at the hands of that sadist. She crawled over to Batman submissively. Poison Ivy had many faces that she used to manipulate men, but 'commanding mistress' and 'wanton seductress' usually failed on Batman… Gay? So perhaps he'd be more receptive to her pheromones and power of suggestion if she played the 'damsel in distress.' Knights loved their helpless damsels.

"Please, help me." Batman was clearly struggling. His hands were shaking. She moved closer and leaned into his leg. "Make them leave me alone." He took several involuntary steps forward. The guards were visibly panicked and were no longer clear as to where they should be pointing their guns.

They turned them towards Batman. "Don't come any closer!" "Freeze!"

"Batman, she's controlling you!" Dr. Gadlow exclaimed in surprise. Ivy was difficult as a patient because she was immune to most medications, including the standard sedatives they had on hand.

Riddler took his opportunity to escape and he bolted out of the front door, cackling the whole way. He was still cuffed so Ivy imagined he wouldn't get very far. She didn't even bother running. If she could get Batman under control then she might have a chance of escaping, but if not, why open herself up to be hit with the batarang? She hated that damn thing.

Regaining control of his faculties, Batman marched over to her and yanked her up by her long red hair. She yelped and reached up as she tried to free her head from his iron grip. The guards visibly relaxed and lowered their weapons.

"Damn it." Batman nearly shouted at the institution's staff. That was more emotion than she was used to hearing from him. "Get your patients under control!" He sounded like an irate parent fussing about the ineptitude of his children's daycare staff. He dragged her over to the orderlies and tossed her unceremoniously at their feet. There, he'd handed her to them directly. Did he need to put her in the cell too? Christ. "I'll be back with Nygma." Temper simmering beneath the surface, he whipped out a batarang and headed back outside.

Ivy was rubbing the back of her head and now stiff neck. She wouldn't be doing much moving tomorrow. She scowled. Here they go again. Prisoners would escape from Arkham and Batman would bring them back kicking and screaming and this cycle would repeat itself indefinitely. It was the Gotham City circle of life.

The majority of the guards charged outside, presumably to assist the rodent in Nygma's recapture, as if Batman needed their help to catch a short injured man wearing hand cuffs. Witless fools. Two security guards remained with Dr. Gadlow and the three orderlies. The doctor spoke calmly, "Mr. Taylor, see that Ms. Isley is properly handcuffed."

The seething hulking man came towards her and roughly grabbed her arms and forced them behind her back. She grimaced as she felt the cold metal restraints locking around her wrists. Why hadn't they cuffed her in the first place? Oh right, this was Arkham- the cradle of incompetence. Taylor hauled her to her feet and shoved her forward towards the other two attendants that now flanked her on both sides. Each one gripped one of her arms as they led her deeper into the facility.

"No! This isn't fair." Ivy whined angrily as she glared at the brunette.

"What isn't fair, Pamela?" Dr. Gadlow asked evenly.

"Batman is just as crazy as we are!" She snapped, "He's dressed up as a bat for Gaia's sake. A flying rodent! Why don't you throw him in a cell?" She glowered and spat ominously, "Put him in mine."

Dr. Gadlow had considered that fact herself from time to time. "Batman isn't a criminal. And this institution is for the criminally insane."

A part of Ivy still needed to resist so she tried leaning backwards to slow her movement forward.

"Pamela, you don't really think you could still escape do you?" She asked coolly as she signaled the orderlies to stop as the brunette stepped closer to Ivy.

"I don't know." Her voice was ragged from her exertions, "You're all pretty damn inept. I just walked right out of here. If it wasn't for the Bat I'd be half way across town by now. Hell, I probably could have ordered a few pizzas."

"I'm sorry you've had such a negative experience so far." She sounded genuinely concerned about her patient. Pamela Isley always resisted imprisonment initially, but she seemed so much worse than usual this time, "I have something that's going to make you feel better."

"You're going to let me taser Batman?" Dr. Gadlow smiled slightly as she pulled out an epipen and stuck it into Pamela's arm before she could complain. Ivy rolled her eyes and said in a superior tone. "I'm immune."

"Actually, this is a high potency sedative that I had designed especially for you, Pamela." Leslie rubbed Ivy's shoulder as she put the now empty epipen into her pocket.

"Oh, is that so. Well, I'm flattered." She said suggestively as her eyes glittered with interest. She batted her eyelashes at the woman. "I didn't realize I was so special to you, Doctor."

Ivy limped along with the orderlies. Dr. Gadlow noticed that Ivy looked rather battered. She was also limping slightly, "Pamela, are you in pain?"

"Of course, I am. Batman and your henchmen assaulted me without provocation!"

"You assaulted them first, you little liar." Taylor snapped.

"One of them punched me... In the face!" Ivy complained.

He grumbled under his breath, "Yea, after you tried to take a plug out of him."

"He had it coming!" She hissed. Then she explained to Dr. Gadlow, "I am very beautiful as you are well aware."

Taylor was going to continue, but the glare he got from Dr. Gadlow inspired him to keep his mouth shut. She asked calmly, "Would you be interested in seeing a doctor?"

Ivy pouted. "No. But I am," Her voice dropped several octaves, "So touched by your concern, Leslie."

Taylor rolled his eyes. "Shut it, you sick tramp."

"Mr. Taylor. That language is hardly necessary." The doctor chastised. It was hard enough as it was, the last thing she needed was for him to further antagonize the patient. These people were mentally ill, they couldn't help it.

"Yes, Mr. Taylor." Ivy said mockingly, "Be quiet, the grown-ups are talking." She smirked at him as they led her through the halls. He scowled, but held his tongue.

"So Leslie, how long have you been thinking about me?"

"Ms. Isley, I am your psychiatrist…"

"Pamela, please." She loved playing these games with her shrinks; it wasn't like her cell had Pay-Per-View.

"Pamela, you will refer to me as Dr. Gadlow."

She pouted, "But why, Leslie? You said you had feelings for me. Or do you enjoy it when I refer to you by your title?" Ivy leered at her. Gadlow wasn't a homely woman. The brunette was one of the younger doctors on staff and quite pretty actually. Her youth was probably one of the reasons she was less jaded than the others. Wait till she had to deal with Ivy for a few months. Ha! Ivy would give her about one to two years before she burned out and realized that Arkham was a waste of her talents.

Ivy could detect the slightest hint of exasperation in her voice, it pleased the redhead immensely. "I said no such thing, Pamela, and you know it."

The redhead slurred, "But you were thinking it. …And I can …Read thoughts… you know?" To say Ivy felt not-at-all like herself was an understatement. Something wasn't right.

The doctor didn't grant her a response as they came nearer to Sector Seven, which was more commonly referred to as the 'Rogue Gallery'. It was the state-of-the-art wing of Arkham Asylum, it extended across several floors. It had a sterile hospital feel and high tech security glass was predominantly used as opposed to bars or regular doors. They kept the more dangerous and famous rogues in this sector. This part of the facility had been destroyed and rebuilt numerous times and was reinforced to withstand all manner of attacks. It was also specially designed to maintain meta humans or prisoners with special abilities, but there were a few inmates that were just kept there as a precaution. The older parts of Arkham were the more typical crumbling brick asylum stereotype.

Suddenly Ivy's body felt like it was filled with cement. Her knees gave out as the sedative suddenly hit her like a freight train. Talk about a muscle relaxer; she could barely lift her legs.

"Her medication is kicking in now." The doctor said to the orderlies. "One of you will need to lift her."

The tallest attendant, an African American man, nodded to the others and scooped her up like a groom would lift a bride. Ivy's arm sagged lethargically as she tried to process what was going on. She tried to speak, but it just came out as a groan.

She could hear Dr. Gadlow's calm reassuring voice, "Now there's no need to worry, Pamela. You're in good hands now."

He carried her into her designer security glass cell and placed her on the small bed. Ivy's toxins made her dangerous even at range, so in the interest of safety they put her in a giant, airtight glass box. Her oxygen was pumped in from several pipes that entered from the ceiling. She felt like a pet on display in a terrarium. She had little to no privacy to speak of as she was somewhat in the center of the cell block. The staff had discovered that Ivy was too dangerous to be given regular walls- she could grow plants behind them in tiny holes or crevices and they still had to check the hinges on her door daily. Due to her lack of privacy, she also had to be escorted to the restrooms at certain intervals. They couldn't trust her with a bowl full of water for more than ten minutes. They learned that the hard way when a hostile fungus assaulted a staff member as they went to clean the toilet during one of her previous stays.

There was a nurse waiting inside with a neatly folded, brown and black Arkham uniform in her arms. Dr. Gadlow and the nurse went about putting the uniform on helpless Ivy. She'd probably just pull the clothing off later, but it was worth a try anyway.

They left and on the way out Dr. Gadlow said to the nurse, "Jane, make sure the doctor takes a look at her before lights out."

"Yes, Ma'am."

"I'd also like you to add a note to Ms. Isley's file that her erotomania is getting worse."