To all of those who stayed with me even though I was a jerk and stop writing on this story: thank you so much for your adds and reviews, please PLEASE add some reviews if you have the time, i love knowing what i'm doing wrong and what could be changed, i love helpful contstructive criticism, you guys are awesome please enjoy this chapter and the ones after.
Its kinda short and chapter five's on the way, but here is CHAPTER FOOOOOUR!
Chapter Four:
The Dark Epiphany
I woke up late that day, my throat was still soar from the previous night and I really didn't want to get up, but I had to when I saw the message on my phone from Lilly. It read: "Damian, come to my office ASAP there's something we need to discuss. -Lilly." I sighed, followed by a groan. I got up, got dressed, poured a glass of chocolate milk, and I headed down to my sister's office.
Gorian was there to meet me. He gave a small smirk and I replied with a smile. Stone stepped up behind me and greeted me with. "You look like hell shit a brick." I turned and smiled.
"Good to see you too, Stone." I turned back to Gorian. "Where's Rex?" Gorian looked at me with worry.
"Fries' solitary chamber's AC is acting up again. Rex went to go fix it again." I cocked an eyebrow and pondered for a moment. "Lilly wants to see you immediately so you'd better get in there," he told me interrupting my train of thought.
"Oh, right, sorry," I replied nodding to my brothers and entering the door behind Gorian. "Close the door," Lilly said smiling at me as I entered. It was a warm smile that reminded me of my younger years as a child, obsessed with dinosaurs and knights. "Sit please." I did as instructed and sat in one of the chairs before her desk.
"Is everything okay Lilly?" I asked with genuine concern. "I'm not in trouble am I?" Lilly giggled and shook her head.
"No, you're not in trouble, but I am," she said calmly with the same smile. I got a little carried away when I asked.
"What's wrong? Are you okay? If there's something wrong let me-"
"Oh my god shut up you worry-wart!" Lilly laughed leaning back in her chair. "I'm fine physically, mentally, and sexually thank you." I cocked an eyebrow. "But staff-wise I am not!" She sighed and said. "Now, we've discussed your little facination with Croc but-"
"What's wrong with Jones? Is he oka-"
"Let me finish!" Lilly shouted throwing an eraser at my head. I rubbed the soar spot and frowned, but remained quiet. "Jones is fine, I'm fine, Batman's fine, our city is fine but I'm starting to worry about your mental stability." She laughed and continued. "Now then, I know we've discussed that you want Croc and Croc only, I get that, hell, I understand that. But we need...I need you to do me a favor." I nodded with a curious look. "One of our psychiatrists has been admitted into the local Gotham Hospital. You see, he was poisoned by one of the inmates."
"Oh my god," I expressed with genuine concern. "Is he going to be okay? Who was he?"
"His name was Dr. Nathan Emmerson. And we won't know his current physical status until tomorrow. My point being," she continued. "Is that he must be replaced and, unfortunately, we're running far too low on staff to replace him with anyone...but you..." she stared me down for my reaction, which was of disappointment. "I know, but it isn't fair that we put another psychiatrist on the job while you only have one interviewee. That's why I need you to do this for me, Damian, just until we can get someone else on it, or Dr. Emmerson gets back. Please. I think you'll be fairly interested in the patient." I looked up at her in cautious curiosity.
"Who is it?" I asked quietly.
"Former-Doctor Dr. Harleen Francis Quinzel, A.K.A Harley Quinn. It seems Ms. Quinzel got her hands on Pamela Isley's poison spores, some how, and she used it to poison Dr. Emmerson. I need you to do a few interviews with her; they're long overdue and I'm getting my ass chewed out because of it. Please Damian, for me." I sighed. "I mean, think about it, even if she somehow gets her hands on those spores, its not like you'll have any problems." I looked up at her with a bit of concern.
"What do you mean?" I asked in a subtle frenzy.
"I mean you're obviously immune to Isley's spores, right?" I blushed wildly. She had seen me! That night, with Poison Ivy, she saw me kiss her. She saw the look on my face and smiled. "Don't worry, I'm not going to blackmail you into this, I'm just asking for a favor. A favor for your big sister. Whataya say?" I smiled and nodded.
"Okay, I'll do it. Just...don't tell Gorian about Ivy and myself, please," I muttered bashfully. "He'd give me all sorts of hell for it." She put her hand up in silent promise, as she did when we were much younger.
I stood to walk out when she said. "Damian; be careful please, Quinzel may not be matched with Isley when it comes to seduction, but she has methods all her own to seduce men, don't fall for them." I smiled and nodded.
"Don't worry, she won't get in here," I assured her tapping my head. I turned to walk out again.
"...and Damian," she said stopping me again. I turned and gave her a look, softened by a smile. "Thanks for this." She smiled, I smiled, and I walked out the door.
"You'll do it then?" Gorian asked greeting me at the door.
"Yeah, I said I'd do it," I replied with a sigh. "But I sure as hell won't like it." He smiled and nodded.
"You don't have to. The interview will begin in about two hours, so get yourself ready," he said with a bit of concern in his voice. I smiled and patted him on the shoulder.
"I'll be fine, Gorian, don't worry about me, okay?" He smiled and nodded.
I watched the smoke from the cigarette spiral spuratically into the air with subtle amusement. I took a breath of smoke and let it free into the dry, summer air. There was a knock at the sliding door behind me and Rex walked onto the balcony with me. "Hey man, what're you doing out her?" He asked. I smiled at him and said.
"Smoking a cigarette."
"Why?" He asked. I laughed.
"Because I needed the nicotine."
"No, I mean what's the matter?"
I smiled. "You could always read me like a book Rex. I guess I'm worried about Croc. Upon our last meeting I upset him quite heavily. I want to go to him and apologize. I don't want him to be angry with me, I want him to trust me."
"Jeeze man," Rex retorted. "You sound like a spouse, you gotta thing for Jones? Something you wanna tell me?" We laughed as I shook my head.
"No," I assured him. "The only beings on this earth that can peak my interest in that category are women." I winked at him and took another hit from my cigarette.
"Just be careful with him, man. You may not believe it, but he's a stone-cold killer that couldn't give two shits or a fuck about you or your physical well-being." I wanted so bad to tell him about my visit with Croc the previous night but if I did he'd freak out and go to Gorian. I couldn't have them hurt Croc. I only nodded.
"Don't worry," I told him. "I'll watch myself."
"Good, otherwise I'd be stuck with Stone and you can't do that to me!" I laughed louder than I'd originally wanted. "I mean it man! Don't do that shit to me!"
I rubbed my forehead in stress. I didn't want to be here at the moment, I wanted to be interviewing Jones, not Quinzel. But I gritted my teeth and sat there in the interview cell with my tape recorder, clipboard, and paperwork in front of me. I drank from my mug of hot chocolate and waited for my patient to arrive.
(click)
Damian Rykotsu: Ahem…this is…uh…Damian Rykotsu for the psycho-evaluation of the former Dr. Harleen Francis Quinzel. She has proceeded in poisoning one of the fine doctors at this establishment and, in doing so, incarcerated him for an unknown amount of time.
Knock on door…
Damian Rykotsu: Yes…?
Stone Rykotsu: Yo, we got her here if you're ready Damian?
Damian Rykotsu: Yes, please, bring her in.
Chains rattle…footsteps enter…door shuts…
Harleen Quinzel: Wow! You're much younger than my last doctor, or are you? I can't really tell with the snowy white hair. How old are you?
Damian Rykotsu: I am twenty-eight Ms. Quinzel. And you?
Harleen Quinzel: Now, now, doc…a girl never reveals her age to strangers. If you wanna know that kinda info, you'll have to get better acquainted first.
Damian Rykotsu: Yes…well…let's begin. Now, it says here that you, like many others in this establishment, have "Complete Disregard for Human Life." Is that about right Ms. Quinzel?
Harleen Quinzel: Not all life, doc, just the lives of worthless pieces of trash like you!
Damian Rykotsu: Okay, let's start there Harley. Now you say you have no regard for human life, but what about the Joker? You seem to appreciate him just fine, in fact in many of your dossiers it states that you have, and I quote, "a strong mental and spiritual attraction" for him. If this is true, well…the Joker, contrary to what many believe, is human indeed.
Harleen Quinzel: You shut up about Mr. J, doc. If he were here with me, he'd box your jaw for saying that kinda stuff about him. He's not human, he's a god!
Damian Rykotsu: And…you really believe that don't you…? Wow, tell me Harley, what was it about the Joker that made you fall for him in the first place? Was it his looks? Couldn't be that, he wears all that makeup, you can't even see his face. Maybe the wicked sense of humor? That's possible I suppose. Or maybe…maybe the mixture of physical compliments and the presence of freedom completely clouded your mind from logic…is that Ms. Harley? Have I come close?
…(Harley Snores)…
Harleen Quinzel: Oh I'm sorry, are you done? Jeeze you praddle on more than my last doctor, wait…nevermind he was much worse. That's why I poisoned the bastard, he wouldn't shut the fuck up!
…silence…
Harleen Quinzel: What? Why are you looking at me like that? Stop it, its startin' to creep me out. WHAT?
Damian Rykotsu: (laughs)…sorry Ms. Quinzel, I didn't mean to make you feel uncomfortable. I merely was admiring your pretty face and wondering something to myself.
Harleen Quinzel: …what's that…?
Damian Rykotsu: How did the Joker manage to get so lucky? He's a psychopath by trade and not at all attractive in physical, mental, or spiritual means. And yet here is his partner. Blonde hair, blue eyes, long legs, luscious curves, if you'll excuse my choice of words, and a bust that any woman would die for. How did the Joker get as lucky as he is? And I must wonder…in a few Dossiers and Police Reports it says that, in the midst of the crimes you and he committed, there were often times when he left you to the police to cover his own ass. How could he do that to you?
Harleen Quinzel: I'm sure he—
Damian Rykotsu: And with everything you've done for him? How could he just leave you to serve life sentences and then only break you out when its beneficial to himself. Don't you think your opinions and judgment should matter to him? Don't you think, after all the times you stuck your neck on the chopping block, that he'd be a little more appreciative than he's been?
…silence…
Harleen Quinzel: I'm...he's a genius...he has a good reason...I—
Damian Rykotsu: Has a good reason? He has a good reason? Are you kidding me? Ms. Harley you're a beautiful young woman at the prime of her life who has practically dedicated her body, heart, and soul to this man and he treats you like garbage, or less. How can you stand to even look at him after the first time he left you for the police? He's a self-centered, tyrannical narcissist. You deserve better, and that means you deserve a life that's not criminal, one that doesn't get you arrested every day. And, most of all, you deserve a man that will treat you how every woman should be treated.
...silence...
Damian Rykotsu: Ms Qui—
...chair slides...feet scuffle...
Harleen Quinzel: I'll fucking kill you!
...door opens...
(click)
Gorian and Stone rushed through the door as Quinn made her way around the table. Before they could even get to her she was on me, she threw a punch at my face but, in a rush of adrenaline, I grabbed her wrist, I admit I was going for catching her fist like in the movies but I missed. In a flash I lifted her off the ground and put her back-down onto the table. Gorian and Stone gawked at me. "Leave, I can take care of myself," I said calmly holding her hands down on the table. "Lend me another pair of handcuffs please."
"Right," Stone said throwing a pair of handcuffs. I caught them and cuffed her hand to the leg of the table, which was bolted to the floor. "C'mon Gorian he's got this." Stone pushed Gorian out of the room and winked at me before closing the door.
"Let me go!" Harley Quinn screamed. "I will call rape if you even think about touching me you bastard! You'll pay for what you said about Mr. J! You'll die and I'll be the one burning your corpse!"
"Shut up!" I demanded a bit louder than I meant. "Look, you're obviously having doubts about him, that's why you lashed out like you did. Ms. Quinzel, you're not thinking straight. I heard your interview tapes, you obviously fell for him cause he made you feel special. That I understand, what I don't is the fact that you still possess feelings for the maniac, even after everything he's done to you! Would you please find a bit more self-respect than that?"
"What about you?" Harley shouted. "Handcuffing me! Yelling at me! Belittling me! How are you any different?" I was silent. She was right. I abused her, slammed her on a table and now I've handcuffed her to the table leg like a hostage. How was any different from the villains locked up here in the asylum. "How are you any—"
I bent down and unlocked the handcuffs. She looked at me with her blue eyes. Her blonde hair was messy from the struggle but she was still as beautiful as ever. "What ar—"
"I don't mean to be the same as him..." I mumbled with my back turned to her. "You're right, the way we treat you here at the Asylum, though it's self-defense, we still treat you inmates like monsters, when you're not. We're no better...please..." I raised my voice. "Gorian, please take Ms. Quinzel back to her cell..."
I sat in my bed looking up at the dark ceiling. I had only my small bedside lamp lit as I recollected what had occured earlier. I was in such a struggle for my life I had completely forgotten my morals, what I had set out to accomplish; treating the inmates like people instead of villains, animals, or monsters. I thought about the way the guards activated the collar on Croc's neck, the way they put each of them in cramped cells, they way they beat them if they failed to cooperate, it was sickening...I couldn't stand the thought...
"What the fuck am I thinking?" I asked myself sitting up. "I need to get my head straight or I might just do something I'll regret." I stood up and went into the kitchen. I poured a glass of chocolate milk and scratched my head thoughtfully. "I need to see Croc tomorrow." I finished my glass and set it in the sink. "I need talk to him...or..." I was unsure of what I needed. The thought that I felt lost when I wasn't talking to an inmate made me worried. I should be resting, smoking with my best friend or my brother, or drinking and playing cards with my sister. What was wrong with me? What was I...becoming...?