Harley was silent all the way from the coffee shop to Ivy's modest apartment.
"He hit you again, didn't he?" Ivy asked, as she pulled into a parking space. "What was he pissed off about this time, Harley?"
Harley turned to Ivy, tears streaming down her face.
"Harley?" Ivy took the blonde woman's hand. "What happened? Please, tell me."
"He…I…I'm pregnant, Red," Harley whispered. "And Mistah J ain't happy."
Ivy sighed and ran her fingers through her striking red hair.
"Come on, babe, let's get you inside."
Ivy went around to the passenger side and opened Harley's door. She held out her hand and gently led Harley inside the building and into the elevator. When Ivy unlocked her door, Harley went inside cautiously, looking around for any sign that the Joker had sent his men to bring her back home. Once she was satisfied she was safe, she went to Ivy's liquor cabinet and poured herself a shot of vodka.
"You can't drink that, Harley," Ivy said, taking the shot glass from the woman's trembling hand.
Harley snatched the drink back and downed it.
"One won't hurt nothin'," she replied, wiping her mouth. "I just need to stop shaking."
Ivy looked at Harley silently, and felt her heart break a little for the woman standing in front of her. Ivy had loved Harley for years, but she had no illusion that Harley would ever leave the arms of the Joker, not for good at least. Of course, she would run to Ivy once every few months when his punches got to be too much to take, but she always went back. Ivy had accepted this, and had vowed to be there for Harley when she needed her.
"What did he do when you told him?" Ivy asked, pouring herself a drink.
"He hit me, and choked me, and…" Harley's face was red with anger, embarrassment, and tears. "He raped me, Red. I never seen him so angry before."
"Goddamn," Ivy whispered. "You can't go back to him this time, Harley. He's going to kill you one of these days."
"I know," Harley replied.
She collapsed on Ivy's sofa, and buried her face in her hands. Ivy sat down beside her and wrapped her in her arms. The apartment was silent except for the sound of Harley's sobs as Ivy stroked her hair and rocked her back and forth. After a long while, Harley's sobs slowed, and Ivy massaged her back and neck, careful to avoid the bruises that the Joker had left.
"He wants me to have an abortion," Harley said, breaking the silence.
"And you don't want that?" Ivy asked. "I mean, that isn't what you want, right?"
"No, I want this baby more than anything. And I'm havin' it. I already told Mistah J. That's when he…hurt me."
Harley snuggled closer to Ivy. A door down the hall slammed shut, and Harley jumped, and began crying again.
"It's your body, Harley, and he can't force you to do anything you don't want to. And you know you're welcome to stay here as long as you want. You and the baby."
"Thanks, Red," Harley said, tracing the green lines on Ivy's skin with the tip of her finger. "You mind if I take a shower? I feel all dirty."
"Not at all. You know where it's at, and I'll bring you some nice fresh pajamas to change into. How does that sound?"
"Perfect," Harley replied.
When she stood up, Ivy noticed that Harley was walking with a limp, and she cringed. She was used to taking care of Harley after the Joker hurt her, but this time seemed different. This time, Ivy hoped that Harley wasn't going to go back to him. She allowed herself to hope, for just a moment, that she and Harley could be together now.
Ivy went to get Harley some pajamas from her room. When she walked into the bathroom, she saw Harley standing behind the shower's glass, vigorously scrubbing her skin. Two handprint shaped bruises bloomed on Harley's hips, and her stomach was a patchwork of black and blue.
"Harley…" Ivy struggled to find the right words. "He beat you up pretty bad. You're not…bleeding. Are you?"
"No, thank God," Harley replied. "I keep checking though. I was so afraid when he was hittin' me that he'd…"
"I know," Ivy replied, stripping off her t-shirt and shorts and climbing into the shower with Harley.
Ivy shampooed Harley's hair, massaging her scalp gently. Harley moaned. She hadn't been touched this tenderly in a long time, and it felt nice. As Ivy rinsed the suds from her blonde locks, Harley brought her hand to her stomach and rubbed the places that had bruised.
"Is it crazy that I love it already?" Harley asked, stroking her stomach. "I mean, I'd die for the little one. I'd even live for it. I never felt love like this, Ivy. Not even for my Puddin'."
"That doesn't sound crazy at all, Harley," Ivy replied.
Once the two women had finished their shower and dried off, they changed into fresh pajamas and went into Ivy's bedroom. Ivy tucked Harley into bed, and lay down beside her. Harley snuggled up to the redhead, and laid her head on her chest.
"He's gonna come lookin' for me, ya know." Harley mumbled, sleep beginning to overtake her.
"I'll protect you," Ivy whispered.
She nuzzled the sleeping woman's hair, and pulled her closer. Ivy's heart broke for the small woman who clung to her. For a brief moment, Ivy imagined how her life would be with Harley and her baby if she didn't go back to the Joker. Ivy imagined that she could be a big help to Harley, and that they could raise the baby together. Ivy knew she would never fully have Harley's heart, but she allowed herself to think, just for a moment, that she could at least have part of it.
In her sleep, Harley snuggled closer to Ivy, and hugged her tightly. Ivy smiled, and slid deeper under the blankets, and was asleep within minutes.
Over the next few days, Harley and Ivy lived peacefully. They settled into a quiet routine. They ate breakfast together each morning, and then snuggled up on the couch to watch the news and some mindless game shows. They usually ordered lunch from the deli down the street, and spent the afternoon reading or playing board games from Ivy's extensive collection. Their nights were spent on the roof of Ivy's apartment building, lying on a blanket and staring up at the stars until time for bed.
Slowly, Harley stopped jumping at every noise. The bruises on her hips, stomach, and neck got worse, and then began to fade away. She smiled more, and her laughs seemed genuine again. With each day that Harley stayed, Ivy allowed herself to hope a little bit more that this was the real thing. She relaxed into the idea that she was finally going to be with Harley.
Ivy even downloaded a book on pregnancy and infants, and she read a chapter every day in secret. She had bought Harley some prenatal vitamins, and convinced her to take them even though she gagged every time she even saw the bottle.
Ivy and Harley were happy together, and they had nearly two weeks of peace in Ivy's little apartment, before the roses started to show up. Ivy found the first one, after she and Harley came back from a walk in the park. It was laying on the bookshelf in the living room: a single red rose tipped in black. Ivy had thrown it away before Harley saw it,
Harley missed the second rose as well, and almost saw the third before Ivy had time to toss it out the window. After that, she began obsessively going through the apartment on each return, searching for the roses. Harley noticed the change in Ivy, but couldn't imagine what was causing her sudden paranoia, until the day she found a rose herself.
It was hidden, tucked underneath Harley's pillow. When she saw it, the blonde woman had jumped out of bed, cowering away from the flower as if it would hurt her.
"He knows where I'm at, Red," Harley cried. "I…I have to go back. I can't wait for him to come get me…I have to go."
Harley started out the bedroom door. Ivy followed her, and grabbed her shoulder.
"Please stop, Harley," Ivy begged. "When…If he comes to get you, I'll protect you. You don't have to go back to him. Please. Stay."
Harley collapsed in the floor, crying, and holding her stomach.
"He'll never let me keep it, Ivy," Harley sobbed. "He always wins, Red. You don't understand."
"Not this time, Harley," Ivy promised, wrapping her arms around the trembling woman.
Ivy coaxed Harley back onto the bed. She threw away the rose, and snuggled in next to her. Harley immediately snuggled into Ivy's arms, and cried into her chest. Finally, Harley's sobs quieted, and she drifted off into an uneasy sleep.
A few days passed, and the roses stopped showing up. Harley and Ivy allowed themselves to relax a little. They resumed their routine, and the two women slipped further and further into the illusion that they could continue living like this forever.
One night, as Harley and Ivy lay underneath the stars on the rooftop, the illusion broke. The door to the rooftop slammed open, and the Joker walked in, flanked by two of his henchmen.
"You've been ignoring my gifts, little Harley Quinn," the Joker sneered, approaching the two women. "Daddy doesn't like being ignored."
Harley jumped to her feet and stood behind Ivy, her whole body trembling. Ivy stepped forward, and a small sob escaped from Harley's lips.
"She doesn't want to see you, Joker," Ivy said, taking Harley's hand. "Leave her alone."
Before Ivy or Harley could react, the Joker had run to Harley and scooped her up in his arms. Harley fought back against him, but he was much stronger than she.
"Let her go, you bastard!" Ivy screamed, stepping towards the Joker.
The Joker smiled, and chuckled. He calmly walked Harley over to the edge of the roof, and dropped her. The Joker caught her wrist at the last moment, and dangled her from the rooftop as Ivy watched on in horror.
"Not another word from you, Plant, or I will let her go," the Joker laughed.
"Please, Puddin', don't drop me," Harley begged, hysteria edging into her voice. "I'll come home."
"You're damn right you're coming home," the Joker snarled. "And you're going to be a good girl for Daddy, aren't you?"
"Yes, Mistah J, I swear."
"No more telling me what you're going to do?" The Joker asked, pulling Harley up just a bit.
"No more, I swear, I'll be good!" Harley cried.
The Joker lifted Harley back onto the roof. She began sobbing as soon as her feet touched the solid ground, and she fell to her knees, holding her stomach.
"I'm so sorry, little one," Harley whispered.
"What was that?" The Joker asked.
"I….I was just sayin' goodbye. You ain't gonna let me keep it, are you?"
"Oh, on the contrary, my dear Harley. You are keeping this baby."
"Really, Mistah J? You mean it?"
"I do, Harls," the Joker said, wrapping his arm around Harley's waist and helping her stand. "I've been doing some thinking, and I've decided it might be nice to have an heir to all we've accomplished. Someone to take over the streets of Gotham when we're gone. We created a kingdom, baby, and it needs a little prince or princess."
Harley's eyes lit up.
"Oh, Puddin', thank you!" Harley cried, wrapping her arms around the Joker.
He smiled over Harley's shoulder at Ivy, who was biting her lip to keep from crying.
"Let's go home, dollface," the Joker said, patting Harley's ass and wrapping his arm around her waist.
Harley followed the Joker and his men to the door before glancing back and seeing Ivy, standing on the roof watching her go with tears streaming down her cheeks.
"Can I please go say goodbye to Ivy?" Harley asked.
The Joker nodded.
"Just make it quick."
Harley jogged back to Ivy, and wrapped her arms around the redhead.
"Thanks for lettin' me stay at your place. I really appreciate it," Harley said.
"Harley, you know you don't have to go, right?" Ivy asked, holding her close.
"I do though. You heard what my Puddin' said. I get to keep my baby, and be with him. That's all I ever wanted."
Ivy leaned into kiss Harley, but the blonde swiftly stepped back out of her reach.
"I can't be doin' that no more, Ivy. My baby's gotta have a daddy. I'll…I'll see you around."
Harley trotted off to rejoin the Joker and his men.
"A baby can't handle his kind of love, Harley!" Ivy called, as the group descended the stairs. "One of these days he'll get to rough and your precious baby will be gone!"
"Don't listen to her, Pumpkin," the Joker said, playing with a lock of Harley's hair.
"I won't, Puddin'," Harley replied. "I won't."