Author's Note: I'm thinking currently that Joker will be in the next chapter, I apologise for the slow build to his appearance but things will definitely pick up after he is introduced to Harleen. I hope my characters are believable enough, I have changed them slightly but I do want them to be at least slightly in character. Please do comment your thoughts, oh and I apologise for any mistakes.
Chapter Three.
A month had passed since Harleens first session with Crane, and gradually Harleen had been transitioned gradually to be his primary doctor. It had started with Harleen sitting in on Doctor Ingles sessions with Crane, when Crane had proven to be much more receptive to Harleen, she had eventually begun to lead the sessions, before taking the sessions on her own.
The sense of accomplishment and pride warmed Harleen at every thought of her work, she was progressing quickly. It hadn't escaped the notice of some of her fellow doctors how quickly Harleen had been allowed access to the high profile patients, and while some would congratulate Harleen for her progress, there had been a lot of dirty glances and condescending comments hinting at Harleens looks being the reason for her success.
Harleen tried not to think about the nastier comments, though the slight burn of hurt still stung her chest at the thought. It wasn't unexpected, she supposed as she slowly ate a salad in the staff break room, but she couldn't help but long for the acceptance she would receive once she proved she was improving her patients.
Harleen was having a good day however, she had settled a transition plan with her young bipolar patient, Matthew, to be moved to a lower security mental facility that afternoon. With her success with Matthew in mind, Harleen considered what would fill the time she would have free once Matthew was gone.
The idea that perhaps she could add another high profile patient into her free time thrilled her, she thought she had made a good impression on Doctor Arkham with her successful sessions with Crane (successful in the sense that he talked in depth with her on his views, and kept his insults to a minimum), even Doctor Leland had been begrudgingly impressed with her work.
Yes, she thought, she would stop by Doctor Arkhams office to discuss the possibility of seeing another high profile patient in place of Matthew. Even if it was just sitting in on another doctor's sessions again, it would be progress and another step towards working with The Joker.
Harleen cleaned up her lunch before walking briskly towards Doctor Arkhams office, knocking on the door softly, she waited for the call of "Come in" before seating herself in front of Doctor Arkhams desk.
"Harleen, what can I do for you?" Doctor Arkham asked, steepling his fingers and pressing them under his chin.
"Well Doctor Arkham, I have a patient being transitioned into a lower security facility, and I was wondering what you thought of me filling the free time with another high profile patient? I think my work with Crane has gone very well and I'm eager to add bigger challenges to my plate" Harleen tried to keep the nervous shake out of her voice, she couldn't gauge the look on Doctor Arkhams face as she spoke.
Eventually after a somewhat tense silence, that had Harleen stopping herself from running out of the door, Doctor Arkham smiled. "Yes, I had heard about Matthew, I was happy to hear you made such great progress with him. I do have a patient who has a primary doctor eager to hand him off actually, though I'm not sure if this is more than you can handle Harleen".
Harleen felt a rush of excitement and sadness pulse through her at the challenge of a patient whose own doctor had given up on him "Oh I would appreciate the chance to at least meet this patient, I assure you I can handle the challenge. If you allow me one session, you can decide to take me off the case without argument if you don't think it's a good idea, Doctor Arkham" Harleen could feel herself beginning to ramble, and took a moment to suppress the accent that threatened to slip out in her nervous excitement.
Doctor Arkham sighed, though Harleen thought she could see him pressing his lips together tightly to suppress a smile "I have a lot of reservations about this Harleen, the security will have to be raised, and this patient has a particularly gruesome history" after a slight hesitation he sighed once again "Okay Harleen, I'll allow you to take on this patient, I'm running out of options when it comes to his treatment in any case. But at any sign of trouble, you are to drop him immediately"
Harleen internally squealed, before reprimanding herself for losing her professionalism, even internally. "Thank you Doctor Arkham, I'll do my best with the patient" Harleen spoke calmly, despite her racing heart, could it possibly be The Joker himself?
Doctor Arkham nodded slightly before turning to his filing cabinet and rummaging through briefly before turning and handing her a thick file, with slight hesitation "I do hope this goes well Harleen. You'll need to continue with your regular patients, but you can begin sessions with your new patient as early as tomorrow if you wish. Be prepared, Harleen, the security measures are a lot stricter for this patient than anything you have experienced so far."
Thanking Doctor Arkham, Harleen couldn't keep the small grin off her face, placing a hand over her mouth she schooled her expression before hurrying to her office with the file tightly clutched in her hands. Seating herself behind the desk Harleen took a calming breath before opening the file. A small rush of disappointment ached through her at the lack of the The Joker's name on the front page, which was quickly replaced by equal measures of excitement and anxiety at what she saw. Waylon Jones, better known as Killer Croc' gazed up at her from a large picture, a startling reptilian man, built very largely, he was impossibly strong, with thick green scales covering his body, and sharp teeth that were bared at the camera.
Killer Croc', Waylon Jones, she corrected herself mentally, was infamous. Known to generally keep to waterways and sewers, he acted as animalistic as he looked. The man had murdered thoughtlessly, and even eaten his victims before, a fact which made her feel distinctly nauseous.
Harleen wasted no time in memorising the file, before pulling a blank notebook towards her and planning her time with Waylon extensively, should she forget herself in her anxiousness of meeting a metahuman such as Killer Croc'.
The following day seemed to come both too slowly and too quickly at the prospect of her meeting with Waylon Jones. Harleen felt none of the regular excitement at talking to her two low risk patients, as she kindly worked with them in their morning therapy sessions. Harleen had already downed two cups of coffee, with a pump of hazelnut for luck, by the time she made her way down to the maximum security ward.
Harleen was greeted by the head of security, Jim Staples, a beefy and rather bland man who took an extensively long time explaining the security procedures around Waylon. "The room is reinforced steel, the chairs are welded to the ground, his restraints are never to come off, the muzzle stays on at all times. He's been tranqued but the sedatives never do much for the beast. The doors are triple locked and a guard will be armed inside the room." Jim droned, seemingly bored at the interaction.
Harleen couldn't help but feel shock at the measures taken around him, the man was truly treated like a beast, but Harleen said nothing and nodded along. "Oh and there are panic buttons on every wall, and underneath the table" Jim added, before opening the heavily secured doors. Harleen felt a small increase in her mounting anxiety at the sight of a guard standing inside the room, a very large gun tightly in his hands, pointed at the ground.
Harleen glanced around before meeting the eyes of Waylon Jones, the man was even more intimidating in person, the heavy restraints did not detract from her anxiousness, though she was excited all the same.
Jim nodded once more at Harleen before leaving without a word. Harleen seated herself at the table before clearing her throat "Hello Mister Jones, I'm Doctor Quinzel, I'll be your primary doctor from now on, I hope that's okay" Harleen spoke calmly, holding contact with his dark reptilian eyes.
Waylon seemed to growl deeply before Harleen realised he was chuckling "No one's called me Mister Jones in a long time Doc'"
Harleen smiled slightly unsurely at him "Would you prefer I called you something else Mister Jones?
Another deep rumbling chuckle was all the answer she received. "How do you feel about being here Mister Jones, do you hope to gain anything from therapy?" Harleen continued. Waylon sent her a disparaging look, his scaled brow moving as though he was raising an eyebrow.
"Yes I expected that response, probably a silly question, huh?" Harleen said, sitting forward a little, an act which did not go unnoticed by the guard in the room, judging by the slight raising of his large gun.
"How about we talk about something else" Harleen decided "How about your favourite colour?" Harleen pushed lightly, curious to see the response she would get.
A true deep laugh echoed around the room, large, sharp teeth flashing behind Waylon's muzzle "I've never been asked that, are you sure you're a shrink, Doc? I think you'd taste better than the last one though" Waylon rumbled.
Harleen's stomach knotted a little tighter, though she continued as though he hadn't commented on how her flesh would taste "My favourite colour changes like the weather, but I like pink" Harleen continued, gauging the interest in Waylon's eyes.
Waylon was silent for a minute, before he shifted slightly in his seat, causing the guard to abruptly raise his gun level with Waylon "Please lower the gun Fred, there's no need to use it here" Harleen addressed the guard, whom she had been briefly introduced in her second week of work.
Fred raised an eyebrow at her, but lowered his gun to its previous position without comment. Another moment of silence followed before Waylon spoke again "I prefer blue" Harleen internally smiled at his response before continuing the session calmly.
Harleen considered her notes as she walked to her office after her session with Waylon had finished. He had been hesitant to answer her gentle questions about normal things such as favourite colours, seasons, places, and such but Harleen suspected that was due to lack of ever having been asked before more than reluctance to talk to her.
He had gotten agitated at mention of being captured and contained, and what his past was like, which was unsurprisingly common. Harleen felt some level of sympathy for Waylon, she didn't think he had been born a monster, she suspected that the monstrous things he had done, the animalistic man he had become, was the outcome of being treated like a monster from the moment of his birth, when his reptilian appearance had frightened those around him. He was treated as a monster, so he became one, she concluded in her head.
Harleen sat at her desk comfortably before copying out her notes and opinions neatly. Her plan thus far was to treat him like the man he was, rather than the beast he appeared to be. Running a hand over her hair, Harleen tightened her ponytail before adjusting her glasses on her nose. This is what she had come here for, to work with people like Waylon, to delve into their psyche and unravel the puzzles.
Her thoughts on the way back to her apartment drifted to the patient she truly desired to be assigned, The Joker. It was only a matter of time she decided, once she proved she could handle being Killer Croc's doctor she knew she would inevitably be allowed access to Joker as his doctor, where she knew she needed to be.