She bit her lip. That was not the right thing to say, he shouldn't have heard that. This was not good, he could never find out about the dream, all the dreams she'd been having about him. Oh God, how was she going to explain this?

"Jeez Harley, you really must be hard up in the dating game if you'd get that excited over lil ol me. Not that I blame you, I'm a catch."
She needed to get back in control of her session.

"This is not an appropriate conversation. We need to get back on track. I want to know…"

"No, no, no, my dear. The way I see it, I've been driving this bus today, so why not let that continue. You never open up to me and here I am supposed to spill all my secrets to you and for what? So you can analyze me, fix me so I can see the error of my ways. What if I'm not really the bad guy, Harley?"

Her lack of response allowed him to continue.

"There are too many people in the world who settle for what society has told them is the right way to live. These people think they are happy, but on the inside they are all just scared. Too afraid to let their deepest darkest feelings show through. Instead of being free to do anything and everything they want they allow others to dictate how they can and can't behave. It's not natural. We are the only animals in this world that allow such laws to exist; you don't see many lions in therapy after they kill an innocent zebra do ya doc?"

Harley giggled at that image.

"It's a shame you live they 'their' rules too Harley; such a waste of talent. Sure you pushed the envelope with some of your strategies in our sessions, but when I tell you what I want, what I need from you in order to open up, you back away. Is it because you really don't want to or because 'they' have told you it's not allowed. Or are you so afraid to open up to me because you might find out things about yourself you won't be able to handle."

"I'm not sure what you mean by that Mr. J."
"I think you do. You are different than most people Harley; I saw that in you by the end of our first meeting together. You actually listen to me when I speak and call me crazy, but sometimes I can see you contemplating that maybe I'm not as insane as they all have made me appear. Funny thing is sometimes I look at you and I can see that you're not as 'sane' as they believe you are."

"THAT'S ENOUGH!" Harleen hit the stop button on the tape recorder.

It was becoming too much, too personal. This had to end.

"Awe sweetheart, that was a compliment. No need to get all worked up."
"Just stop! Stop talking! This session is over. Thank you Mr. J." She gathered up her things and walked to the exit.

Before she could get the door open Joker had one last thing to say.

"No, thank you Harley. Hope you have a good Valentine's Day."

She couldn't get out of the room fast enough. She practically slammed the door shut behind her.

"We're done for today, you can bring him back to his cell now" Harleen said to the guard quickly so she made her way back to her office.

Later that night Harley was back at her apartment eating Chinese food and watching the local news. Actually, watching wasn't the right word it served more as background noise. She was still so shook up by her session with the Joker this afternoon. He was always so in tune with everything around him; it really was a wonder how he ended up a criminal. Harley was sure if he was just like everyone else he could have been a physiatrist; he was able to read people so easily.

She couldn't get the last thing he said out of her head. He actually believed she was the one who was crazy. How dare he suggest such a thing! There was no way that could be true. Sure, Harley never felt like she fit in with anyone else around her. Even her co-workers at Arkham distanced themselves from her. And maybe she did try to see things the way Joker did; maybe she even agreed with some of his views. That didn't make her insane, did it?

Looking at the clock she saw it was midnight, a new day. Valentine's day.

Harley sighed. She really had been flattered when Mr. J told her he would have tried to court her if he wasn't locked up in Arkham. It was obvious from his constant appearances in her dreams that she was beginning to develop feelings for the clown. Not that it mattered, he was a criminal and she was a doctor. Nothing could ever happen between them in real life.

"Well at least I have my dreams."

Turning off the TV in a daze she didn't even hear when the reporter started talking about a break out at the asylum. She got into bed and tried to find a comfortable position. Tossing and turning she could not find sleep, her brain was too full from the events of the day. Her mind kept wondering off to the dream she had this afternoon and she started to feel herself get excited. Images of her and the Joker being intimate were suddenly all the consumed her thoughts. Slowly her hand made its way between her legs as she started to touch herself at the thoughts.

"Oh Mistah J, you're the only one who understands me" she said out loud just above a whisper.

As soon as the words left her mouth she stopped what she was doing.

'This is crazy Harls, snap out of it! You are not in love with the Joker; you cannot allow yourself to get off on thoughts of him. You are not insane!' This internal struggle was making her crazy; she got up to take a cold shower.

Outside of her bedroom window stood the Joker. He'd been watching her all night and was finally getting the show he'd hoped he would.

'So my little Harlequin does have feelings for me' he thought smirking to himself.

He continued to watch her and couldn't believe she stopped. She hadn't even allowed herself the satisfaction to finish; basic animal instinct is self gratification. He was going to help this girl.

Harley walked back to her room after her shower wearing her bathrobe with her hair in a towel. She was still feeling a little on edge, but overall much better now. Walking over to her dresser she got the feeling that something wasn't quite right in her room. Turning toward the window she saw that it was slightly open causing the cool February air to creep in.

"I don't remember opening that" she shrugged it off walking over to close the window. Before she could turn back around she was grabbed from behind by a pair of strong arms. A hand quickly made its way to her mouth before she could scream; the other wrapped itself around her waist and pulled her to the wall opposite the window.

Harley struggled against her attacker trying desperately to break the grasp.

"Easy there sweetheart, there's no need to resist. I'm not going to hurt you" Joker whispered in her ear.