Eddie watched her the moment she walked out the door leading to the bedroom. He pondered why she hadn't changed from her regular clothes before she went to sleep and realized he hadn't taken the liberty to have anything sent over.

"Nigma you are so absent minded at times." He muttered to himself. He wasn't stupid, just absentminded, distracted with...other thoughts lately. Picking up the phone, he dialed Isley's number. He certainly wasn't going to risk going out to get her belongings, what with the Dark Knight keeping the place under constant watch. He had expelled the boy blunder as best he could, and they wouldn't get near him with the bluff. But Batman would figure something out soon enough. He just hoped Beth would come to her senses fast enough.

"What?" came Ivy's snarling voice from the other end of the line.

"Look alive, I need some belongings of her's" Eddie snapped.

"Get them yourself! Do you know what time it is?"

"Does it matter?" He sneered.

There was a deep breath from the other end of the line and Ivy's seduction voice,the one she used just as she was about to give her victim the literal kiss of death, came out. "If you wake me up just to wait on your little wannabe girlfriend again, there won't be enough left of her to test!" And the line went dead with a firm click.

"Yeesh, touchy!" He snickered. But he really did need to find someone to run an errand...someone gullible. He thought for a second, the answer was obvious...Harley Quinn.

She answered on the first ring.

"Yullo?"

"Harley, can you do me a quick favor?"

"Oh sure Eddie, whats up. I think Mistah J's gonna be working late tonight anyway."

Edward chose to overlook the fact that Joker would work late every night, probably at the local strip club when he got tired of Harley.

"Yeah can you go get some essentials from the address 221 Cooker Street?" There was scratching of a pencil on the other end of the line and she came back on.

"Be right there!"

Ah Harley, she might be annoying at times but if you really needed something ungodly done, she was the one to go to. That was if her "puddin'" didn't need her.

He turned his attention back to the computer monitors and furrowed his eyebrows together. She was just like an angel, so peaceful in sleep. Shining hair strewn about like a halo and lips slightly parted in relaxation. He bent over and made a face as a wave of...that feeling came over him again. This had to stop. But it was like he couldn't help it. He hated the feeling of being helpless to anything, he was The Riddler god-dammit! Nothing should be above him and his intellect! Then there was Beth, always snapping back with a quick retort, never doing as he thought she would, always surprising him. When he first met her she had just been another guard to mutilate the mind of, to play with, then she started getting along with all of the Rouges, not taunting or threatening as a usual guard would but there was a shred of something else in her, something he was hoping to find out in this series of tests. If she was worth the tingling sensations or the muddled thoughts...god, the muddled thoughts were the worst, then he would just have to see what happens.

A quick look at the monitor again showed her twisting around to burrow her face in a green pillow resting beside her. Nigma winced as the feeling became stronger, bunching his fingers up to retain the twitching yearning they felt. He busied himself with his rubix cube and didn't look up until there was a knock on one of his cameras. It showed a beaming Harley Quinn outside, holding a small suitcase.

He switched on the outside light and typed in the pass code to open the door.

She skipped inside and threw the suitcase on the table, holding out her arms for a hug.

Edward raised his eyebrow and reluctantly stood still for the embrace to be over. If you wanted her help you had to indulge her a bit.

"Is it true Eddie? You got Bethy in here?" He wondered if the girl in question had let her use that nickname as he nodded to the camera showing her bedroom.

Harley bounced up and down excitedly.

"Boy you got it bad doncha?" she said mischievously. He scoffed and turned away.

"I don't know what your talking about."

"Ohhh yeah you do!" her grin widened and she winked at his apparent blush.

"May I help you with anything else Harley?" He snapped.

Harley winced but kept the smile plastered on her face.

"Nah, I gotta be getting back anyway. See ya Eddie!" She then waved and skipped out the door.

Eddie sighed and looked at the suitcase in desire. He wanted to go through it, but the owner might find out...and that certainly wasn't going to be pretty. He stared at it for a while and decided, she would never know anyway. Flipping the latches open a piece of paper was the first thing he saw.

EDDIE GET YOUR PURPLE SILK HANDS OUT OF HER STUFF

written in Harley's curly-cue writing. He snarled and ripped the paper out, slamming the case shut. Was he that predictable?

The monitor showed her still fast asleep, he could probably sneak in without waking her up. The door soundlessly opened,a dim light illuminating the pitch room. Once the suitcase was on the foot of the bed he turned to leave but hesitated. A pull was coming from the bed that he just couldn't resist, not at this time of night.

Leaning over, he took a deep breath, just enjoying her presence that smelled of...tropical fruits and just something that could only be described as Beth. He lowered himself so that his lips were barely touching her cheek. Just as he was about to move at last, her hand shifted a small bit to lie on top of his.

His eyes widened and a very strong emotion clouded his mind., causing a blush to rise. After a few minutes he slid his hand carefully from under hers and slipped out the door, leaving it open behind him in case she needed something. Screw his rules.