Lord, I love this pairing SO much! Joker is (like all other Harley/Scarecrow fanfics) kind of the bad guy in this, SORRY I don't like it either but it had to be done .I don't own anything Batman.(btw, this takes place when Harley has just begun working for the Joker and has only met him and Ivy)

He had thrown her out…again.

He had started to rev up his Harley when she had spoken out of term, just once she had groaned in pain and boom! She was out the door on her barely clothed backside. The second time in… what? A month? This was beginning to get ridiculous to say the least.

Let's see…she had been his sidekick, no partner for…six months now, and in that duration of time she had gotten more injuries than her entire life. The exciting criminal life she expected was turning out to be a flop.

Harley began to look back to when she and Mistah J. had met. The part no one seemed to know about was that she had just gotten over a bad breakup when the internship had begun, so as much as she hated to look at it that way, the all powerful Joker was rebound. She didn't believe it herself. And now look where that had gotten her. In a hole in the wall bar at three in the morning.

She sighed and slumped over the Shirley temple she had ordered. Yes, it was non alcoholic, but the caffeine and sugar alone was enough for Harley. She could get high off air and drunk off corn syrup if in the right mood, and boy was it one of those moods.

"Need a refill?" She was pretty sure the bartender was mocking her but at this point she just didn't care anymore. When he was out of sight she let a few tears leak out, not wanting to show her weakness right now. The man a few seats down however, saw anyway.

"Something frighten you my dear?"

At first she was enraged! Some random guy does not get off calling her dear until they buy her a drink at least. Then she glanced sideways at the stick-like figure and had second thoughts. The tall red haired man could call her dear till the cows came home she decided. Although not classically handsome like Mister J, he had a certain air about him that she found irresistible, like no one could touch him if he didn't want it so. Harley didn't let her blush surface.

"So what's it to you?" she snarled playfully. Flirting couldn't hurt nothing she decided; after all she was taken…even if she had gotten thrown out. He looked a bit on edge, like he was trying to hide something. This only served to intrigue her more.

"I have a very good reason…that I can't tell you about…" she couldn't tell if the man was drunk or not because he was quite steady on the stool, yet the statement made no sense.

"Well then if you can't tell me the answer why did you ask?"

Because you were the one who was supposed to answer a question, not the other way around."

"But you can't just walk up to somebody and ask them a question without an answer, it's absolutely pointless."

The man looked utterly confused and bewildered at this, and Harley had to admit, she had just confused herself.

She looked him up and down and couldn't help the inquiry that popped out.

"You got a girlfriend, skinny?"

She saw a flash of anger in his hazel eyes that immediately cooled when the actual question sunk in, mostly from shock she thought. Harley broke out in a huge grin after all that had happened that night somehow at the look on his face. It was like he had never been hit on.

"Urmm n-no I guess n-n-not? And I never shall!" there were faint tinges of red coming into his cheeks which were just making her grin harder.

"And why is that, puddin?" she scooted closer, hoping to pull a reaction out of him.

"I just don't…do like that…"

Harley's eyes bugged out in surprise, he didn't look it, but I guess you never can tell, and it's always the cute ones…

"No, no! I mean you're very beautiful, b-but I mean, oh dear…"

Then, remembering that she had someone waiting for her the smile faded.

To her surprise, he looked concerned, like he actually cared.

"What's wrong now?"It would have sounded rude if I hadn't been used to yelling.

"I…I gotta go, I'm sorry." She stood up to leave but he caught her arm.

"If you ever need anything…within reason, call me and I'll see if I can help." Harley was baffled to say the least he had met this guy about two minutes ago and here he was handing her a phone number.

She looked at it for a second before slipping it into her bra.

"Thanks" She turned to leave but whipped around again to hug him tight. The man stiffened at first but the wrapped his arms around her waist hugging back.

"I never asked…what's your name?"

The guy pursed his lips for a second.

"Crane…Doctor Jonathan Crane"

"Really! I used to be doctor! Before-" Harley cut off here, recalling why she wasn't an official 'doctor' anymore.

"I'll call ya if I ever need ya. Thanks again." She left the bar in a hurry, leaving a very confused Professor Crane behind.