A/N: This is a long time coming and I'm sorry for that. I had my wisdom teeth surgery and then I had a stomach virus and the holidays happened and that's all fine and good. This chapter is a lot longer than the last, with more involvement with Harley, and more of Deadshot's thoughts and feelings and whatnot. Enjoy! Also, review with feedback!

I haven't seen Harley in the past three days. It's been me cooped up in my cell. I'd spent this time doing exactly what Waller wanted me to do: read her file. I think this is the first time I had so willingly followed her orders. Hopefully, it'll be the last. Most people might find extensive studying on a single subject boring as Hell. Shit, I thought I would as well. I'd done stuff like this before, for assassin jobs before I ended up here. I would study rivals of the CEOS over and over again. I knew everything I possibly needed to know about them to get my job done. Looking over their boring little routines was definitely a lot less interesting, and time consuming, than reading Harley's file. Instead of doing my real job, I was playing her little therapist.

Waller had urged me not to develop any true feelings for Harley, friendship or otherwise. In all honesty, I was finding it difficult. The more I read, the more I felt all kinds of feelings for Harley. I felt anger with J for ruining her in so many ways. I felt sympathy for her, since she once told a shrink here that all she really wanted was to retire with J. I felt a connection with her when I read the page on her just wanting a family. I don't feel like I got anything right before my kid, Zoe. I wasn't sure how to just keep any and all feelings about Harley and her life at bay. I wasn't as soft as Flag obviously, but I was a sociopath like Waller either. I was somewhere in the middle, caught out at sea by the riptide that is formerly Dr. Harleen Quinzel.

I read her file two times over again today before deciding to take a break. I looked over at the punching bag collecting dust in the corner of my cell, willing myself to get up and try again with it. Instead, I let out a deep sigh and stretched back down on my bed, staring at the ceiling. Harley was a ball of unconditional and unfortunately placed love and fear wrapped up inside a spunky girl in tight little metallic shorts. She was an enigma with blue and pink pigtails. Just another target, I'm still in the driver's seat here. I had to remind myself of that. I'm still driving, just driving a different car. I'm not studying to kill, I'm studying to save. Huh, I guess I am becoming more and more like the hero Zoe thinks I am.

I sat up and quickly and grabbed the file once more when I heard my cell door unlock and slide open. Flag stepped inside and leaned against the frame of the large, metal door. I looked up and looked him over, waiting for him to speak. He just looked me over, chewing on the inside of his mouth like he wanted to tell me something.

This little dance around what Flag wanted to say and what he wasn't going to say started to irritate me. I rolled my eyes and scoffed, "What is it? You gonna tell me I'm reading this file wrong?" I obnoxiously waved the thick folder in his direction.

Flag rubbed the back of his neck and took a deep breath, "When I started spending time with June, I had no idea she'd become such a big part of my life. I had no feelings, and I didn't think I'd have any develop. I fully intended for her to be just another job, another easy task to check off my list for Wall-"

I couldn't take it anymore, "Get to the point, Flag."

He rolled his eyes at my apparent impatience and smirked, "Right. Well, all I'm going to say is that the closer you get to someone, the harder it is for you to keep them at an arm's length,"

I looked up from Harley's file, Flag's cryptic advice peaking my interest. "What's that supposed to mean?"

He rubbed the back of his neck once more, shifting his weight awkwardly between his feet before continuing, "Quinn may be batshit crazy, but she's an intelligent woman, right?"

I lifted the file in his direction, "Two PHd's."

He nodded, "Right. So, even if you do get her to open up, eventually she's gonna start to notice that you're not opening up at all. Also, it's not secret you and I have been seeing a lot of each other lately. She's gonna put two and two together here, Lawton."

I raised an eyebrow, still not seeing his point clearly, "She's gonna put two and two together to see what exactly, Flag?" I challenged.

Flag merely shrugged, "That you aren't getting close to her for any reason other than your own personal gain. As soon as the Joker's out of the picture, you will be too. She's gonna notice, she's not an idiot."

I stood up, anger starting to boil over, "Hey! I'm not gonna fuck her up anymore. There's more to this than all that" I barked out, easily shoving Flag into the wall behind him.

His expression conformed into a smirk, and he let out an irritated laugh, "Careful, Deadshot. Waller won't like the idea of you doing this for any other reason besides Task Force X,"

I let up on him slightly, still not seeing his point, "Get to the point, or get out."

He raised his hands up defensively, and I let him go. "I have to take you to Quinn's cell, so I can't exactly get out without you,"

I let out a shrug, surprised at the small amount of excitement brewing in my gut as I followed Flag out the door and down the hall.

We walked in silence, I didn't pay Flag all that much attention in all honesty. I was too busy wondering why the idea of seeing her suddenly was the highlight of my day. The last three days, actually. I knew that being happy to see Harley was exactly what Waller didn't want, but I haven't felt a connection to anyone in a long time. Honestly I never felt connected to anyone in the way I felt with Harley. Even my wife, Zoe's mom. I feel like I could tell her anything, and she wouldn't judge me or think less of me. Like when we were getting ready for the mission in Midway, and Harley asked me about my suit. I told her I liked wearing it because people always die when I do. She didn't think less of me for having those feelings.

Flag stopping me outside Harley's cell's room caused me to jump. He gave me a wide eyed look, and I just shrugged. "Lost in thought, I guess."

He rubbed the back of his neck awkwardly, before placing a hand on my shoulder and looking me square in the face. "Let her in, Lawton. But don't let your guard down,"

Finally, this man found his point. I opened my mouth to make some smart ass remark, but all that came out was a simple nodd. Oh, and, "Thanks. I know you probably have some experience with this sort of thing, and no offense, I don't really wanna end up like you and your lady. I've got too much to lose with my kid," Why did I get so damn sentimental with this asshat that just a couple weeks ago was threatening to, "-play the Hollywood Squares version of I'll blow your freaking head off?" This wasn't me.

He took his hand off my shoulder and held d

the door open to let me go first. I looked back at him and gave a polite nodd.

Polite? Definitely not me.

The image I saw when I walked through the door was not exactly what I expected, but what is my crazy clown queen without her spontaneity? She had her bedsheets tied up in the top rails of her cage and was hanging upside down wrapped within them. She was swinging back and forth quickly, and without much rhythm. There was a smile on her face, only it wasn't a crazy one. It was like the smile she's probably hidden from the world the day that she put on the Harley Quinn costume. It was like watching a hurricane from the eye of the storm. She was a beautiful bundle of chaos. I couldn't help but smirk at the sight of it.

All the guards on the second level of her caged room were watching through the scopes of their guns. The ones on the first floor were more relaxed, very few guards had their guns drawn. Some were even leaning against the bars of her cage, enchanted by her abilities and weird sort of grace. I leaned against the thick concrete wall beside me and continued to watch.

I was lost in my thoughts watching her until a guard roughly shoved me forward, into the center of the room. I whipped around with my arm drawn back, ready to fuck this guy up.

"You better watch it, kid." I barked dangerously.

"Whatcha gonna do, pops?" the skinny prick snapped.

"I'm in this place for putting pricks like you down, don't push me." I growled and looked back over at Harley, who still seemed to be into her flips and tricks. I took a breath. Walk away, Lawton. Do it for her.

"That's right, Lawton. Head to your bitch over there," I stopped short and turned back to the guy. Hold it in, Lawton.

The guard saw he hit a nerve, and that only made him smirk harder. "Walk away, because if you piss me off, I can do whatever the fuck I want to your crazy bitch strung up in that c-" That's about as far as he got before I grabbed him by the collar of his shirt and slung his ass against the wall. I cocked my fist back in one fluid motion, ready to lay this mother fucker out on this concrete floor. Guards eyes and guns were on me all over this room, but I didn't care. I'm gonna kill this guy.

"Floyd!" I stopped short, but didn't let the guy go. I looked around slowly, to see her hanging upside down, her wide, baby blue eyes boring into mine. Her eyes were telling me to let him go, something Harley Quinn would never tell me to do out loud. I took a breath, but dropped the asshole. The guards wasted no time at all to grab and restrain my ass. Damn, no doubt I'll be hearing about this from Waller.

"Let him go! Let him go. Now!" Harley growled from her cage. She flipped down from her bars. She sprinted to the edge of her cage, her only restraint was the bars. The skinny prick looked between us and broke into a chuckle. "This outta be fun. Haven't had a lot of this since Griggs had to go," His greasy smile reminded me of Griggs for sure.

"Don't." I growled at skinny prick, who was already well on his way to her cage.

"Don't fucking touch him," Harley's voice was loud and full of venom, but still even. Her face was set in a signature Harley smile, daring him to come forward.

The guard eyed her for a moment, before turning back toward me. He didn't get very far before she began her protests again.

"I swear to God, Skinny! Don't you fucking touch Fl-" he spun on his heel and got her by the throat in a few swift motions. I struggled against the guards on me. They weren't doing much besides holding me in place. Flag probably told them not to put a hurting on Harley and I. This asshole didn't seem to get it.

"Leave her alone!" I barked out from my spot against the wall. Hell, there probably wasn't shit I could do, but I wasn't gonna let this dipshit lay a hand on her. His hand was wrapped tightly around her throat, making her white face look even more pale. Her smile was wider, and laughter was escaping her lips. The crazy kind. The guard wasn't gonna say it, but I could tell the laughter kinda unsettled him.

"Smith! Step back. Now!" Flag's arms were already on the guards holding me back. I'm guessing Smith is the little guy at Harley's throat. Huh, he's lucky Flag was here to break this whole thing up.

"Flag, he threatened me!" Smith yelled back, his hand still tightened around Harley's throat. However, he was looking back at Flag, probably regretting his actions thus far, but was too scared to go back. I couldn't help but smile, because the time he spent looking back at Flag was just the right amount of time Harley needed to grab him by his collar and yank his head hard against the bars. There was a crack, probably Smith's skull.

Harley's laughter was louder, but her false smile was still there. I couldn't help but laugh a little myself. I shut that down once Flag gave me a sharp glare.

He looked back over at the mess Harley made and rolled his eyes, "Somebody help him. And keep your hands off Waller's Task Force!" He growled, looking around at the guards throughout the room.

The guards cleared out for the most part, minus the few that stayed back to pick up what was left of Smith. Harley stood smiling and blew kisses at the guards as they carried him out into the main hall of the prison. Once it all settled down, her eyes found mine, and she smiled slightly once more with a shrug.

Flag looked expectantly at me. I didn't need him to say that our little field trip was done for today.

I nodded, but couldn't help myself as I walked toward her cell. I never got this intoxication thing about Harley when I first heard of her. Even the first time I met her. I never really got it. It wasn't until this very moment that I realized just how intoxicating Harley Quinn can be.

Flag didn't argue, he was probably wondering how to tell Waller about the minimal face time Harley and I got today. Any exchange will be better than none at all.

I walked quickly as I met her eyes once more. Even her eyes were intoxicating. Her eyelashes fluttered as her face formed a sly smirk. She had to have been proud of herself for putting Smith down. God knows I was.

"Hey, crazy glue. How are holding up?" I leaned against the outside of her cage, mimicking her motions as she leaned against the inside.

"Better than you, apparently. What's the matter, Shot? Not so tough without your guns?" Her voice was incredibly sweet and incredibly taunting all at once.

"Hey, it's hard with a bunch of guys on you. You only had the one," I defended lightheartedly, a smirk forming against my lips.

"You're right. That little guy was nowhere near big enough for me to show off to ya," she shrugged and flashed another smile. Witty banter? I like it.

I chuckled slightly, "You showed off enough back in Midway, Dollface."

She smiled, but rolled her eyes slightly, "Well, there's other ways I can show off."

"You flipped around on these bars for a while, that was pretty impressive," I stated matter of factly, "Thanks," I rubbed my neck awkwardly, "For telling me not to hit the guy,"

"I didn't tell you anything. That asshat deserved it." She attempted to shrug it off.

"You didn't have to tell me, but I knew that's what you meant. You saved my ass."

She nodded, and her eyes grew thoughtful. Her hand reached out through the bars, and rubbed my face with her fingers. I felt like I shouldn't have enjoyed that, but I did. I didn't stop her.

I also didn't stop her when she lightly pulled my face towards the edge of the bars and planted a short, sweet kiss on my lips.

She let me go as quickly as she kissed me to begin with. She stepped back from the bars slightly. Her eyes bored into mine once more, and a small smile formed on her face.

"I'll save your ass because you're my friend, Floyd."

I felt myself smile, "I'm your friend, too? What about J?"

Her eyes glossed over slightly at the mention of his name, but she shook her head. "No. He's not my friend anymore,"

I felt myself smile even bigger.