Author's Note:

Hey everyone, so glad to see the reviews. I see I've gotten some new readers. That makes me happy. I deeply apologize for the wait and also for the extreme shortness of this chapter. I'm personally not a fan of this chapter. It's really just filler. But we do get a little Joker flashback and character development. So enjoy and review!

Harley laid in her bed. The sun was beating through her window, warming her blankets. Her eyes were closed and she could see the insides of her eyelids glowing red in the light. It was Saturday, no work. She tried to let her mind wander to less stressful things but it always found its way back to the Joker.

Their weekly sessions, in true Joker fashion, were unpredictable. In the six weeks that they had been talking, Harley had gathered little information. She still had no name, no birth date, no proof that he was even insane. And to be honest, Harley didn't really care.

She was filled with electric excitement every time she began her walk up to see him. She loved how she never knew what to expect when she opened those double doors. Harley loved listening to him talk, and apparently he loved talking. The story about his father had set off that trend. Harley didn't fight it. As long as he was telling her something, she was satisfied.

After going through her notes, she decided to pick up an old topic. She asked him about his killing philosophy. This had set him off on a long, animated tangent. Chaos, anarchy, survival of the fittest, animal instinct. This tangent carried into their next session before evolving into a discussion.

"Are you a neat person, doc?" The Joker asked, breaking off from his speech.

"I beg your pardon?" She wasn't expecting him to stop, let alone ask her a non-rhetorical question.

"Do you make your bed?" He elaborated. "Keep your clothes off the floor? Wash your dishes when your done with them? Do you keep things in order?"

"Well, no. My parents always told me to do that stuff but I never listened." She answered honestly. She learned that lying to the Joker was just a waste of time.

"Why not?"

"Well when my clothes are on the floor, I know where everything is. I just can't stand it when everything's folded up in a drawer." She opened up a little, always willing to talk about herself. "And what the hell is the point in making your bed when you're just gonna mess it up again anyway?"

The Joker reveled in the sight of straight, reserved Harleen Quinzel letting loose and actually ranting.

"My mom always said it was just supposed to look nice, especially in case we had guests. But, come on. It's a bed. Anyone who sees my bed probably sleeps too and knows that when you sleep, your bed gets messy."

A low chuckle began to rumble in the Joker's throat. Harley stared at him, confused. His laughter grew into a loud cackle. He could always see through her façade but now, it was cracking. With a little more pressure, it would break away completely and there would be Harley Quinn, pure and simple. The prospect excited to Joker.

"What?" She asked when his laughter had begun to fade.

"If I were your therapist, I'd be a very rich man."

"What do you mean?" She asked.

"You say you don't care about appearances like making your bed, but you come in here every day trying so hard to look so smart, and attractive and professional. You're a contradiction." He sat back and watched her reaction.

Harley thought about what she had just said. She should never have even told him that. But of course he was right. She always talked about not caring what people thought, but every day she made sure she looked nice and presentable, and most of all, serious.

"You know, doc? I think I was wrong when I said you were like the Batman. No, I think you've tried really hard to make people think that." He leaned forward and licked his lips quickly before continuing. "No, now I see, underneath it all, you're just like me. You find order in chaos. In fact I'll bet you find comfort in it. Am I right? You need too stop fighting what you are and just… be.

"Here's what I want you to do. Tomorrow morning, when you're getting ready for work, I want you to get dressed in the dark. Don't do your hair, don't do your makeup, just come as you are. Live your own philosophy and fuck appearances."

She had chickened out. The next morning, she had stood at her closet and thought long and hard about doing it, but she just couldn't.

The sound of her phone vibrating on her nightstand caused Harley to jump. She grabbed her phone and opened her eyes to read the Caller ID. Not recognizing the number, though it was local, she answered.

"Hello?"

"Hello, may I please speak with Harleen?" The voice asked politely.

"This is her. Who is this?" She answered.

"Oh, Harley, hi. It's Eddie." The now familiar voice said happily. "Didn't wake you, did I?"

"Nah, I was just laying around. How did you get my number?"

"That's a riddle you'll just have to solve for yourself." He replied slyly. "In the meantime, come out to lunch with me. I've been wondering how you were doing since our last run-in."

"I'm just fine, actually. He didn't knock me around too bad… What time is it?"

"Almost two. I called earlier but you must've been sleeping."

"Yea." Harley rolled onto her side and casually gazed out her window. "So where did you have in mind?"

Harley gave a slight shiver as she sat on a bench in Gotham Center. Spring was fast approaching but there was still a bite in the air. She looked back and forth across the park, her eyes moving like a metronome. Eddie was running a bit late.

A moment later, Harley could see his bright red hair appear from across the way. As he grew closer she stood to greet him.

"Sorry I'm late. I figured we should just get Burger Barn and eat here." He handed her a fast food bag. "Hope I got something you like."

Harley looked in the bag and saw a burger and fries. It would do. They sat down on the bench Harley had been occupying and dug in.

"So what compelled you to call me today?" She asked, munching on a fry.

"Well besides wanting to see how you were doing, you're just good company. I kind of wanted to get to know you outside of work." He replied.

"So is this a date, then?" She asked, half-serious.

"Nah," Harley was slightly relieved. "I don't know you nearly well enough to ask you on a date. We're just two colleagues having a meal outside of work."

"Ah, is that what we'll be reporting to HR?" She joked.

"What's there to report?"

Harley opted for a bite of her burger instead of an answer. Eddie did the same. They sat there for a bit, both eating their meal.

"So what does Harley do when she's not working rigorously?"

"Well, lately that's all I do. I got to work and work. I come home and work. I go to sleep and have dreams about being at work. It's been pretty time consuming. Especially working with the Joker."

There. It was out. The Joker was constantly on her mind and now she had a healthy excuse to talk about him.

"I'd imagine so." Eddie ate the last bite of his burger, balled up the wrapper and threw it into the paper bag. "So who else do you work with, the patients I mean."

Damn. He hadn't taken the bait.

"Oh I just do regular rounds with everyone else. The Joker is really my primary patient. I meet with him twice a week." She twisted the focus back to the Joker.

The urge to talk about him and only him was overwhelming. She could see him in her mind, laughing. That tan skin glowing under the fluorescent bulbs, his scars pulled taught and white as his mouth stretched to it's full reach. As if the laugh was so big it could hardly fit through his mouth, it threatened to tear open his scars to break free. Harley became unexpectedly aroused at the image.

"Well I'm sure you don't wanna talk about him right now." But I do! She thought. "Hey I've got a riddle for you. This thing all things devour: Birds, beasts, trees, flowers, gnaws iron, grinds steel, grinds hard stones to meal, slays kings, ruins town, and beats high mountain down. What is it?"

Harley thought for a moment. Well rust would gnaw iron, but it wouldn't slay kings. Oh, it was so easy!

Just to let you guys know I've recently started writing a screenplay so I'm trying to spend equal time on both projects. What that means is either a longer period between updates or shorter chapters. Personally I like doing these short chapters. And as a reader, I've always hated a long wait between chapters, especially with cliffhangers. So please let me know in the reviews what you would prefer. Either way I hope you will continue reading, reviewing, and adding me to your alerts if you haven't already.

Thanks for your patience! :)