Chapter 4: Card Tricks

A/N: Hello Readers! Two updates in a row (woot woot): I have an idea of where the story is going, but it's an open path. Can't wait to follow the trail with you guys! Hope the story is living up to your expectations: thank you again to all of you who are reviewing.3

DISCLAIMER: If I actually owned any of these characters, do you think I'd be writing FanFiction? (...actually, I might. haha).

"Well, well…. If it isn't Harley Quinn" He stated as his eyes locked with hers. His, dark green, matched in line with her, the hue of robin's egg blue; his eyebrows arched and his smile as wide was it could stretch. She smirked right back at him, challenging him in his gaze. Neither was going to be the first to break eye contact now that he finally engaged himself with her.

"It's Ms. Quinnzel, soon to be Doctor."

"Sorry, didn't realize this was a formal affair. Forgive me for leaving the suit and tie in the cell." He sarcastically spat out.

"This isn't a diner party, this is therapy. And Ms. Quinnzel is my name. I'd appreciate it if you'd call me by it. Speaking of, is there anything you'd like me to call you?" She asked sincerely, but sternly.

His face contorted into a darker tone of grin.

"A few things come to mind…." He smirked as his tongue jutted out to quickly wet his scars, "But Mr. J will just have to do for now."

"Well then, Mr. J you never answered my question: would you like to see a card trick or not?"

He leaned back in his chair giving her the floor…well, the table. From the side pocket of her doctor's coat she pulled out a deck of cards with red facing. 'Very Traditional' he noted, as she began to shuffle them skillfully.

"Mind you, these aren't my cards. I borrowed them from Doctor Leland on the way over. Now: pick a card" she said as she fanned the cards on the table, so that neither of them could see their faces.

The Joker leaned forward and pointed to a card towards the end of the deck. He pulled it from the bunch and glanced it for a quick second, not wanting to break eye contact with her for too long. She stacked the unwanted cards, and motioned for him to place his card on the top of the deck. She began to shuffle them as she spoke.

"Fun Fact about cards, they all have a meaning. Clubs represent strength, Diamonds embody value and worth, Spades are for wisdom, and Hearts…well, they speak for themselves don't they." She added on with a smile. "and now for the finale, drum roll please."

The Joker patted his chained hands against the cool metallic table.

Harleen pulled the bottom card out and slid it across the table. "Your card is the Queen of Diamonds."

He took the card in his hand, smirking at her trick He ran his fingers across its face and flipped the card over to reveal the face of a smiling, old-fashioned Joker Card. "Nope, it's this one".

Harleen couldn't hold back a tiny giggle at his sleight of hand magic. "Why do you associate yourself with the Joker card?" She asked sincerely, once her giggling ceased.

"Well as you already know every card has its meaning. Every card has its purpose and place in a deck, but the Joker…the Joker's purpose is to create chaos. It triumphs every card because while every card is so stuck in being who they are, the Joker card can be anyone. It throws a bit of anarchy into the game." He turned the Joker Card around once more, reversing it back to the Queen of Diamonds. "Now the Queen of Diamonds, her purpose is to succeed. To be good. To accumulate not only wealth but respect. To have order in her kingdom. She commits fully to whatever things she has heart set on, and she gets it no matter what it takes. Sound like anyone we know?" He asked rhetorically, flipping the card between his fingers. "Now the trick was rather sweet Harley, but let's start the therapy."

"It's Ms. Quinnzel, and I'd think you would have appreciated the break from all the questions." She stated a bit annoyed at the subject change. She hated to admit it, but she was rather enjoying the conversation that they were having.

"This little warm up was nice, but don't you have all that doctor stuff to do?"

"What's the point? I didn't get a chance to completely read your file, it's a couple pages long and the walk here is rather short. But I gathered this much, that you don't answer questions asked to you. You don't know much about your past, and what you do know you're not willing to share. You don't care about the past, and neither do I. I'm not going to waste my time or yours on that. I'd learn more about you by just talking to you." Harleen listed as she leaned forward, hammering in her point. She wasn't going to back down, and her confidence in his case permeated the air and sat there for a moment or two as both took in her statements.

"You know, I knew I picked a good one when I asked for you to be my doctor."

"Why did you ask for me?" Harleen asked, leaning forward in her chair to the point where she was literally on the edge.

"Because I know you." He said, leaning forward as well.

"You know me?" She said, her eyes getting wider with interest. Now they were close. There was a table between them, but still close enough where they could whisper to each other and be heard. So close, and their eyes never drifted away from each other.

"Yes. I know you… I walked with you once upon a dream." He said as he all but laughed in her face and leaned back in his chair with a satisfied snort.

"Laugh all you want, but the jokes on you now. I'm your new doctor, and things are going to change. Because we ain't in a dream. This is reality. And the reality is, you are locked up in the top mental facility in the country, and you are stuck in here with me: for the next however long it takes to fix you."

"Don't fix what isn't broke".

"I don't think you're broke." Harleen said in a sad factual tone. " I think you're more than functional; you just work differently than everyone else. I'm going to fix the way you present yourself. I'm going to give you a second chance whether you want it or not."

With that she started to collect her things: mostly the cards that were still on the table. The Joker reached out and grabbed her risky, firmly but not tightly.

"Mr. J…"

"You're right Ms. Quinnzel things are going to change. But I don't think the cards are entirely stacked in your favor." He took his hand and slid the card into her palm and released her from his grip. She looked at the card to see the face of the smiling Joker once more.

It was a threat; there was no doubt in that, but she didn't feel threated at all. If anything it empowered her. She took pride in staring down his violent metaphors and swallowing them whole. He basked in knowing that she wasn't going to be deterred by his words. Both of them knew that this was the start of a game. A game that was going to stretch out and consume them. They were aware that it was on dangerous footing, and that at a moment she would either drop his case or he would kill her. It was unsaid, unspoken- it didn't need to be voiced. But she made the first move the minute she pulled out the deck of cards.

"Don't count your eggs before they hatched, Mr. J. Let's just wait and see where the cards will fall. I'll see you tomorrow." And with that she left him sitting in his own smile: that was dripping in inquiry. She made her move, and now he was salivating in anticipation to make his.