Chapter 11
The next day, Harley had no idea what was going on, but it seemed to her as if everyone tried to avoid her. When she walked by doctors, nurses and even orderlies they all turned their gazes away from her and didn't say a word. No one came to talk to her in her office. Not even Patrick. Not even Joan. Well, at least I know one person who likes to talk to me, she comforted herself, knowing that tomorrow she would get to meet the Joker again. Even if their last session had proven to be futile and even if she had been a little mad at him for what he had said, she still wanted to see him again.
Thursday arrived and it was close to 3:00 PM. Harley had been in her office since two o'clock, trying her best to pass the time. When it was ten minutes to go, she walked out of the office, but was immediately stopped by Dr. Arkham. "Dr. Quinzel, a word please," he said. Uh-oh. This can't be good. She sighed and crossed her arms over her chest, leaning on her right leg.
"Okay, what is it?"
"I'm afraid you're not going in there," he said and she knew he meant the examination room. Now she knew something wasn't right.
"Why? Is there something wrong?" Dr. Arkham drew in a breath and then looked directly at her.
"You're off the case."
The words echoed inside her head. Had she heard right? "Excuse me?" she got out of herself.
"You're off the case," he said again, as clear as day. Her jaw dropped. This was not happening.
"What? You can't do that!" Of course he can, Harley. He's your boss.
"I'm your boss. If I tell you you're off the case, then you're off the case!" His voice grew slightly louder at the end, emphasizing his seriousness.
"May I ask why?" She needed him to have a reason.
"He's growing attached to you." Isn't that a good thing? That he likes me?
"Is that a bad thing?" Harley countered.
"Yes, it is. It's like he's growing an obsession and that could cost you dearly in the end." Harley shook her head at him, not believing a word. She was the first doctor the Joker had took a liking to. Isn't that what Dr. Arkham had wanted? It seemed he had changed his mind.
"So are you saying he won't be having any more sessions?" He shook his head.
"Oh no. I brought in a new doctor from Metropolis. She will take over from now on." A new doctor? I'm being replaced? Thankfully she didn't voice that thought out loud. It would have made her sound jealous.
"I thought you had already concluded that he won't speak to anyone else but me!"
"We'll see. We will be watching the session as usual from the conference room. You're very welcome to join us." His invitation sounded more like a challenge. When she looked into his eyes, it was as if he dared her to come and watch.
"Oh, there's nowhere else I'd rather be."
She followed him to the conference room where a lot of the other doctors were already seated by the table, facing the TV-screen. Harley sat down next to Joan. Everyone could tell that she was feeling less than content. Dr. Arkham took his seat at the very front and turned the TV on. Harley's heart skipped a beat when she saw him. He was sitting down as usual, playing with his fingers. He was alone – her seat empty. I should be there. Harley looked down at her watch. 2:59. Still one minute left. She kept looking down at it, making sure that the timing was perfect. About twenty seconds after the clock had struck three, the door to the examination room opened and a woman walked in. Well, Harley thought. Could have been more punctual. She couldn't even deny it to herself – she was jealous.
This doctor was a dark haired woman in her forties. Quite tall, even though she was only wearing flats and not heels. The Joker stared at her from his seat, following her every move. He didn't say a word. The woman sat down by the table. "Hello. My name is Dr. Wilson." That was the introduction. Now it was the Joker's time to speak. He looked down at the table and wasn't looking too happy. This will be interesting.
"Wheeere…" he drawled, licking his lips, "is Dr. Quinzel?" He then looked up, his gaze boring into the body of Dr. Wilson. He had never looked at Harley that way. That thought was very satisfying. Dr. Wilson continued.
"Let's talk about your sleeping habits. How many hours of sleep would you say you get each night?" She ignored his question. First mistake. He does not like that. Her thoughts were confirmed when the Joker raised his eyebrows as if asking: really? In turn, he ignored her question and repeated his own.
"Where is Dr. Quinzel?" he practically growled. It seemed that that was what it took for her to play along.
"Dr. Quinzel is no longer in charge of your therapy. I'll be taking it from here."
The Joker licked his lips again slowly, not letting his gaze drop from Dr. Wilson.
"So that's it, huh? Back to square one?"
"More or less. Now, if you could answer my first question –"
"Aren't you gonna ask me how I feel?" he interrupted. There was a pause and Harley suspected that Dr. Wilson wasn't catching on. "That's what Dr. Quinzel always does," the Joker explained. Harley couldn't help the little smile coming to her lips. Dr. Wilson reluctantly played along.
"Fine. How are you feeling?"
"Uh… Not so well, actually."
"No? Why is that?" Because his therapist was replaced, that's why.
"Oh, you know, just… worried about family, that's all."
"Family?" Dr. Leland whispered from behind Harley. She had to admit, she was also surprised.
"You have a family?" Dr. Wilson asked, the surprise evident in her voice, even though she tried to hide it. Not very professional.
"Oh, yeah," the Joker nodded. "I have a daughter. She should be nine years old by now. I constantly worry. I don't know what I'd do if something was to… happen to her." His intense gaze suggested something, but Harley couldn't exactly tell what. It sounded like an indirect threat.
"He never said anything about a family before," Dr. Arkham said, looking at Harley for confirmation.
"That's because he's lying," she answered. I think. He would have told me, right? Although, come to think of it, I've never asked him.
"And does this daughter of yours have a name?" Dr. Wilson asked.
"Oh, yeah. Her name's Lucy. Looks just like her mother. And she wants to be like her mother when she grows up. She wants to be a doctor. That's what she promised herself after the divorce. She was devastated, really. She said she wanted to be just like her mom. She didn't want to end up like her dad, oh no. She didn't want to become a, uh… drunk."
Even in the conference room, the silence was penetrating. After what seemed like minutes, Dr. Wilson spoke again, her voice unsteady. "How do you know about this?" she asked.
"Did I say something wrong?" he asked, playing innocent. "I thought we were talking about my daughter." And then he erupted into a fit of giggles, which slowly elaborated into howling laughter. There was an orderly in the conference room with them and Dr. Arkham ordered him to go down and take the Joker to his cell. They all watched with widened eyes as Dr. Wilson stalked out of there and it wasn't long until the door swung open to the conference room and she walked in. She looked rather grim.
"I'm sorry, Dr. Arkham, but I cannot do this. Good luck finding someone new." And with that, she turned on her heel and left. Dr. Arkham chased after her, probably to apologize.
If Harley wasn't wrong, the Joker had just indirectly threatened Dr. Wilson's family. And Harley was just as surprised as everyone else at how he could possibly know about it all. Dr. Arkham came back, head hanging low and he massaged his temples. When he looked up again, all the gathered doctors were staring at him, waiting for their boss to say something. But Harley was the one to break the ice. "So… Does that mean I'm back on the case?" she asked hopefully. Surely he must come to reason. But her hopes were quickly crushed.
"Oh no," Dr. Arkham shook his head. "I'll find someone new." All the doctors looked back and forth between Dr. Arkham and Harley as the two spoke.
"But you saw what he just did in there!" she said and gestured to the TV screen. "He made it pretty clear that he won't settle for anyone else but me! And even if you find someone new, maybe next time…" She paused and her voice grew quieter, almost becoming a whisper. "He might do something worse."
There was a quiet moment again. Dr. Arkham and Harley might as well have been the only two in the room. Dr. Arkham looked as if he was trying to keep himself from breathing fire. His eyes bore into hers and he spoke in a threatening way. "Dr. Quinzel, the Joker is no longer any of your business and if you have a problem with that, then you can pack your belongings and leave this facility for good." He turned on his heel once again and stormed out of the room, leaving everyone in silence. People got up to leave and when Joan got up from her seat, Harley grabbed her arm. Joan looked down at her.
"Did you know?" Harley whispered. Joan sighed, looking remorseful. She nodded.
"Yes. We all did. I'm sorry Harley, we were told not to tell you." Harley's grip on Joan's arm tightened a bit just before she released it and Joan left with the others. Harley remained seated for a while, taking it all in. Her supposed best friend had chosen a creep over her. Her other closest thing to a best friend had chosen to follow orders over her. It hurt to feel this uncared for. There was one person though who apparently chose her over everything and everyone else. That one person also happened to be a coldblooded, psychopathic murderer, so the thought shouldn't be so comforting. But Harley couldn't help it. The Joker was beginning to seem like her only true friend.
A/N: I really wanted to include what's coming next into this chapter, but it would have been far too long so it'll have to wait. But the wait won't be too long, I promise! I really want to thank you all for following this story, I never thought so many would enjoy it! I would just like to add once again that if there is anything I can improve, please let me know! Also, I love to hear your thoughts on the story overall, if you like where it's headed or if you don't, so if you want to leave a review, I'd be happy to read it! :)