A New Day

Short, choppy nails are sprinkled with the saliva that frosts the edge of my lip. I release the hold of my teeth when I begin to taste the salty warning that tells me to stop biting. I swipe the red moisture onto the back of my thumb and wipe the content on the back of my blouse.

I wasn't at that asylum to witness Red's bust. But yet as I sit in this dim and shallow room I face the consequences a variety of suspects will be handed.

"Harleen. . . Please understand that we aren't simply hounding you. . . You're a prime suspect in this escape because you were the last doctor to have spoken with Pamela." Dr. Arkham is calm and reasonable but I can't help but look guilty.

All the telltale signs are there. I can feel them. The cold diceitful sweat that coats my flesh and dampens my clothing; my incoherent peeps of protest; the sudden urge to look at everything but Dr. Arkham, his face, the creases in his concerned brow, his condemning eyes, his folded hands. . . And I can't stop fidgeting.

Joan is waiting outside. Waiting for his word. She definitely did it, I can almost hear him say. I swallow hard and this causes the creases in the old mans forehead to deepen as he delves into it's meaning.

"It is also quite alarming that Miss Isly has disposed of all evidence we collect over our patients sessions. . . Her tapes with you are missing, Dr. Harleen. . ." My eyes waver and finally peek up at him to see where I know he is taking this next. "As are the tapes of the Joker and you. . ."

". . Oh?. ." I fake. Confusion is one of my many traits so it isn't hard to muster up.

"Yes. . . You wouldn't happen to know anything about that, would you Dr. Quinzel?"

"Of course not," I state. I give him an honest smile. "If I hear any new information on this, I will report it immediately to you or Joan."

He smiles and nods. "Very good."

Despite the fact I know he is checking me off as his number one suspect silently, he kindly dismisses me from his office with a silent hand gesture.

I wasted away all of my work hours trapping myself in my office. I sat in my pleather, rotating chair, staring blankly at my desk trying over and over to repeat the lie in my head you have work to do. Maybe I would believe myself if I had been doing my job.

To have something to pretend to focus on, I dig out all notes taken on both Mr. J and Red. Joker certainly has some to show for, Ivy on the other hand. . .

I jot down a few things that might pass over. Rewording already written assessments on Red, taken from her file. At least I know they can't fire me for that. Joan would like to see these.

I was going to congratulate myself, for occupying my mind, by going down to see Mr. J, before packing up and heading off home. But who was I kidding? I was still shaking like a leaf just thinking about the whole situation. The notes didn't mean shit to me.

They don't have evidence. . . They can't prove anything. Ivy saved you from facing that. Just don't do anything stupid from here on out. You owe her that. I swallow an immovable lump in my throat when I face myself in the mirror. Harleen interrogates Harley who stares back. . . Can you handle that? She asks.

I turn away from her and at my desk, ignoring her at the moment. I didn't have an answer. In the brief fragment of time it takes to evert my eyes from the mirror and towards my desk, a folder falls, trickling papers by my feet. I go to pick them all in a stack, but only retrieve one in my hands. The one that stuck out the most.

The Joker, it reads at the top. His glowing smile and haunting stare supplies me with the thought that had trailed from me. I return to Harleen in the thick glass encasing. "I'm not so sure anymore," I giggle.

She disappears when I leave to go say goodnight to my puddin'.

I have taken a detour on my small journey through the dank and gloomy halls of the asylum to find my puddin'. Little did I know I would be caught snooping yet again on quite the sketchy scene. Or at least it sounded sketchy.

"They were just questioning her. . . You don't have a lot of time boss." Of course the voice belonged to none other than Rick. I grasp closer to the wall, straining with all my might to hear the other voice, but it's too far away. I only assumed he was talking to Joan. Those body guards were tryin with all their force to take me down. I was just about ready to coincidentally interrupt their conversation in this dark corner of the asylum, but something stopped me before I made a fool of myself.

"It's not my fault, that nosy bastard Dan went to Joan on Harley, the fuckin' tattletale."

It's not Joan. . . ? Is Rick. . . looking out for me?

Yet again the other voice could not be heard, although I tried my best to pick it up. "I took care of Dan, we won't have to worry about him anymore," Rick says. I try to place a face with his mysterious leader but I am left nameless. Dr. Arkham perhaps. . . ? "I can assure you, Harley isn't going anywhere."

Slight fear tickles me at Rick's sudden leverage over me. Why is he concerned over my outcome anyhow? He shouldn't be affected by any of this in any way. Before I'm caught, I quickly flee to my clown prince to tell him what I've heard.

I block the suddenly eerie image of Rick out of my mind. He appeared in my thoughts much more darkly after the scene I had just stumbled upon.

I felt much safer the closer I came to Mr. J's cell. He was my hero, my world even. I know if he even had one word to Rick that he would back off. My puddin' wielded much power, because although he was held as a patient, the staff knew better. This clown was much more capable than led to believe.

I approach his cell, eager to spill the hot new gossip of Rick and his corrupt new "boss". My heart dips with disappointment as I stare gravely into the empty prison. My red painted lips sag in frustration. I need my Mistah J! Where is he?

I search for Hatter's face to complain and badger him to see if he had known my prince's whereabouts. Half a syllable leaves my lips before I am answered abruptly.

"Alright, Mr. Joker, you ate a little more this time, that's good," Rick intrudes, gripping onto the Joker's arm. He smiles at me passively as Rick guides him back to his cell.

I eye Rick with caution and quickly avert my warning stare to my Puddin' who is unaware of who Rick really is. Mr. J doesn't seem to take notice in my expression. "I had to tell ya somethin'. . ." I whisper to him. He smiles and nods before being shut into his cramped space.

Mr. Detective

I check my watch "Finally!" I shout to myself. I felt I hadn't seen my Puddin' in ages. I was early, course waiting in our little session room. I had peeked out about seven times and would do a quick non-chalant sweep up and down the hallway to see if he was being wheeled along. Joker's restrictions were becoming harsher now that Ivy has escaped and things were shady at the Asylum. He was no longer given the privledge to walk with the assistance of only handcuffs. Poor thing, he didn't even do anything wrong, that should be me strapped to that thing, not him.

"Why, my sweet is already here!" Joker chimes, once rolled into the room. I watch Rick and a fresh new guard transfer my Puddin' to his seat and strap him once again within the chair. This must be Dan's fill in for now, I think looking upon this new brute.

Rick nods and leaves the room. The new guy says nothin but squints, piercing through me intrusively and slowly follows Rick outside the door.

"Puddin'!" I squeal, pouncing into his lap as soon they are out of sight. I watch him free himself with the quick skill he has. "I've missed you, Mistah J," I say, trailing a finger down his Arkham clothing. "I've been so lonely without you."

"Aww, pooh," he says.

"So lonely." I tussle one hand through his vibrant green hair as the other remains tracing still, reaching further and further down. . . He gives me a curious look as if he has not given his okay for me to do so. But he doesn't protest, so I continue. I giggle and begin to dot his neck with kisses.

"Ha-arley. . ." he warns. I dive in for the deal breaker before he can kick me off. My tracing finger has stopped at it's desired destination and I smile into him.

"Yes, Mistah J?" I say with sweet innocence.

He looks agitated and I'm thinking if removing myself off of him for a brief moment. "Why you little mynx," he growls, pulling me into him. I have no idea if I had finally won Joker's unknown sexual desires or if he was pleased that I was so locked in the idea of it that he went along. But right now- I don't care.

I had spent days wondering how great he'd be in bed, I couldn't wonder any longer. The most hostile, notorious villain of all time trapping me inside a room of an insane asylum. Aggressively persisting more until he had his final give. I was beyond ready.

His intimidating laughter carries me away from my fantasies and into one that was about to come true. I snake my fingers under his pants, ready to remove them. He grabs my wrists harshly. "Harley, if you think this is happening with you on top of me. Think again. Get the fuck off of me."

A little frightened, I quickly remove my hands and keep them to myself. I go to climb off, but I'm pushed, knocking into the table. Pain shoots through my lower back and I'm ready to let myself slump to the floor, before he picks me up and forces me back into the table. His laughter erupts once more. I smiled and watched him as I waited for what I was about to receive.

I mentally go over my check list, making sure my hair doesn't give me away as well as any showing of inappropriate garments. Check, check, and check! I'm good. I stop for good measure in front of an empty cell to take notice in the appearance of my reflection. I'm okay with it until the face in front of me contorts in disgust. "How can you act so innocent? You're repulsive," Harleen spits at me.

"Oh, puh-lease," Harley says back, my accent stronger than I remember. "What about your college nights with your proffesuhs, huh? Ya neveh would've passed those classes. You slept with ya teachehs, I'm sleeping with my patient, so what?"

"At least I looked professional." She points to my neck. The raised flesh is freckled with red and organized lines pressed where his teeth dug. A hand jolts up to cover it.

"You think you're still in control of me, donchya? Well guess what, you're on the other side of this glass. All I have to do to make you go away is this-" I walk away and she quickly fades with each step.

I was coming up to Ivy's busted out cell and approaching some unfamiliar voices.

I freeze in my tracks when I see who the voice belongs to. The black cape taunts me and I want to run back to bust Mr. J out and watch my Puddin' seek revenge on the Bat. Instead I keep my distance yet close enough to get in on this scene. Why was the Bat here?

He shifts his stance and I see he is not alone. The new guard stands by his side, examining his process, as does Comissioner Gordon. "Well?" Gordon asks.

Batman takes a moment, looking at something in his hands I can't see. He crouches down beside some left over plant from Ivy's escape. "Traces of another substance is detected within Ivy's plants. I will have to take it back with me to get it analyzed. But it is certain she had outside help. I estimate more than one person helped with her escape."

Batman turns to the new guard. "Zack, I want you to interrogate everyone in this Asylum, I know Pamela had help inside. Keep a look out for anyone on the outside who may be a suspect as well. I'll get back to both of you once I have this analyzed."

Zack silently nods. "You can count on Zack to find your guy, he's the best on my team," Gordon says, showing the guard off as if he was a shiny gold medal.

"Good," Batman says coldly and disappears.

My insides have turned icy and stone as I stand glued to the wall in horror. Somehow they'll find out it was me. Batman will do some crazy lab work, tell Zack the results and boom. They'll both figure out I sprung her. I don't know how, but that's always how it happens, right?. . .

I'm aggressively shaken from my post by a hard shoulder. I go to apologize for my catatonic state until I realize the stone-face I'm about to speak to and my heart shakes with fear and nothing pops out. Zack says nothing but his eyes pierce through me, and he continues on.

Shit. . . I won't last here much longer.

A/N: Sorry I haven't updated in so long! I've been really busy but let's finish this up. How much longer do you think Harley will last? What are your thoughts on the new character Zack? And of course we still have the shady Rick with Joker that Harley still has no idea about. And the whole Jack White thing that is still going on. Lots of questions but the answers are coming!:)