It finally happened... the plunge. The slippery slope's slide begins. Have fun on the way down! Please read and review! No, seriously... i love reviews.
He didn't move. She continued to kiss him even as her air ran out and he still didn't pulled away, not right away at least.
His eyes nearly bulged out of their sockets. This wasn't one of his hallucinations, was it? Blinking a few times told him it was happening. His grip on her throat loosened and Harley breathed in deep through her nose, her lungs probably screaming for oxygen, but she wouldn't pull out of the kiss.
His clever little Harley-so full of surprises. There he was trying to strangle the life out of her like any good chap, and she kisses him for it! Ha! What a pip!
He smiled into the kiss just before he leaned back. He had watched something happen to her. Her first panicked eyes change in an instant; she was determined, focused. She had made a decision. But what decision was made?
He heard Boles coming around the corner with every squish of his boots. Neither of them acknowledged him. Harley was panting, staring up at him with hope in her eyes. Joker continued to stare her down, his own eyes questioning. Boles had his weapon trained on Joker the second he saw the clown's hands around the doc's throat. Doing small jobs unnoticed was one thing, but not stepping in to stop Joker with witnesses around? No smooth way outta that one.
Without saying a word Joker released his grip and left Harley against the wall as he made his way back toward the others. Boles gave Joker a questioning look but kept his weapon fixed on him, following his movements. Harley just stood there in daze. It really happened. She really did it! But then reality hit her. She just kissed the Joker, the most dangerous and demented man in Gotham. And she had wanted to kiss him.
She watched the Joker's back walk further from her. The wind billowed his light grey patient shirt but the rain made it look heavy. Boles and Harley walked behind him, each one in their head asking questions, leading to more questions.
Why didn't he kill me?
What just happened, what'd I miss?
Where are the other guards?
Are those bruises on her neck?
... What do I do now?
They had all regrouped at the Arkham Mansion's large ornate arched doors. The outside lights were dim against the dark shadows of the storm above. Harleen opened the doors first, allowing others through. The walk through the Mansion had been uneventful. Most staff were still in the penitentiary or medical building which left the halls of the mansion empty and quiet. The other guards went to the guard check-in desk to dry off and grab snacks while they waited. Boles and Harleen followed behind Joker who continued his trudge through the halls. Neither Boles nor Harleen asked him how he knew where he was going, each deciding not to.
It wasn't until they reached Harleen's office that she turned to Boles and said "Please wait out here, I need to talk to him alone, Frankie." She had never called him that before. Only Joker had. Harleen looked at Frank, eyes imploring his cooperation. This was no longer a normal patient-doctor relationship. Things had changed. Boles just nodded, seeing Joker already slumped in the chair across from Harleen's desk.
"Alright," he started but then lowered his voice, "You need anything, ANYthing, you yell, ok?" He looked directly into her eyes through the dripping wet face guard of his helmet. She might mean well, but he needed to have a control on the situation, no matter what happened next. With a small nod, she turned and closed the door behind her.
Now they sat across from each other not saying a word. The desk empty of files, papers, pens. Only a single recorder sat between them, recording the growing silence.
Joker glared down his Harlequin. The little twit thought she could just kiss him and he wouldn't retaliate?! She was growing more anxious the more he glared at her. Was she expecting him to say something? Why should he have to speak first?! It was her lips that caused this mess in the first place!
Her lips. His eyes flickered to them, lingering around the swell of her pout. It began to tremble.
She looked at him as he looked at her mouth. His eyes stayed fixed on soft trembling low lip even as his head turned toward the posters of his face that plastered the wall beside them. She began to fiddle with her fingers, picking at the nails and cuticles lightly. She didn't do well under pressure.
But the kiss. That was under pressure...
Well, true, but was it something done well? Well... yes.
His laughter be damned if he didn't find it funny. People show who they truly are in their last moments and she certainly took the cake. Letting herself finally be free and do what she wanted. That took guts. Perhaps his harlequin could be more than just useful.
Harley closed her eyes for a moment. She couldn't take this silence anymore. She should apologize, it was so wrong of her, she-
"Tell me, my dear, did you like the circus as a child?" Joker asked in a playful voice, amusement lighting his face.
Harley blinked. "I, ehm ... what?" She almost shook her head. The circus? Her brows furrowed in confusion and wondered if he had forgotten what just happened. Her confusion made his smile grow wider.
"The circus, deary! You know, the ol' big top? Home of the clowns and freaks and funny business! Hee hee hah!" His cuffed hands were under his chin with his fingers wiggling outward in a manner that reminded her of pantomimes.
"I.. I never went to the circus," she answered hesitantly. Thinking back, she never did much of anything as a kid.
"Your parents never took you?" he questioned dramatically as if it were a crime.
"No," she looked down at her hands as she spoke. "They believed I should study, work hard, and become something in society. Not gettin' lost in Gotham, ya know?" It was true. Her parents were worried that Harleen would become a nobody struggling to get by on nothing, get into drugs, become a stripper, a prostitute, a drunk. Gotham had many different options when it came to ruining your life.
"Outrageous!" he declared, a fist hitting the table with a quiet thump. "To rob a child of that experience.. Oh what a shame! My favorite performers were the old clowns, go back a century or so.. now those were clowns! Not this wishy-washy all happiness and cutsies that make me want to puke!" he spat out the last in plain disgust, "No.. no. 16th to 17th century clowns were about showing the truth. Do you know the history of the clown?"
Again, Harleen shook her head. How fascinating, that the Joker knew the history of his criminal personality. It wasn't just a gimmick as some say, it obviously went deeper than that.
"Clowns were depicted as fools, you know. They were the court jesters whom were looked down upon, but the jesters were allowed to speak their minds. Being perceived as 'idiots' they were often the only people in court who could enjoy free speech! Whether through satirical comments or being blunt about it. Ironically, no one took them seriously! They could talk of scandal, horrific events, make fun of the king himself, and no one batted an eye. Because he was the fool."
Joker was resting his elbows on the table, his hands gesturing every one and then to emphasize his points. Harleen was amazed. Clowns had some of the first free speech? They sure didn't teach that at her school. She listened intently as Joker taught her all about the clowns' history.
"Fast-forward to the 19th century," he continued, "and you have early circus performers, big-tops are popular and everywhere are white painted face with black-rimmed eyes and sad faces. THESE clowns knew the jig was up! Did you know they actually painted tears falling from their eyes and slit throats on their necks?" When Harleen shook her head in disbelief, he nodded as if he expected her to. "Many don't. Those clowns displayed the horrors and vile truths of the world for the sake of comedy. I try to do the same, but I get no applause! I get Bats on my back and locked up!" He sneered but then took a deep breath through his nose and out his mouth as if he were plain tired of the thought.
'"But that's the downside to comedy, I suppose. Always taking hits from people who don't get the joke."
Joker went quiet, staring at the recorder. He wouldn't say more, he had done his part. It was her move now.
Harleen's thoughts felt like a tumble dryer of questions and emotions. Did he really just tell me something about himself? He was like a wise teacher, gifting her with this knowledge. He admired the clowns of the past for showing the world the sad parts of life. Her heart broke a little. He wasn't insane. Maybe not completely.
He was just misunderstood.
Harleen then reached for the recorder and shut it off. She needed to ask him, especially after he allowed her a glimpse of person he was.
"Mister J?" She started.
"Hmm?" Joker, still staring at the recorder barely moved his mouth in a murmur.
"What really happened this morning?"
Joker smiled, finally lifting his eyes to hers. Her face seemed to soften as he acknowledged her.
"What do you think happened?"
"I'm not sure, but I am curious," she smiled, hoping to spur him on more.
Joker just grinned. "Curiosity killed the cat you know.. hehehe." To most it would sound threatening, but she was picking up on his banter a bit easier.
She smirked, "I've always been more a dog person."
"Haha!" He threw himself forward again, laughing across the table at her. "Ain't that the truth of it!" His laughter subsided as he slowly sat back down. But she didn't want the distance between them to increase. She wanted to be close, to be near him. This was one thing she now needed to accept. She felt connected to him.
"One thing you should learn fast, sweets, ... there's always something going on at Arkham Asylum," Joker said grimly, all humor gone; a dark expression now clouded his eyes. Things happened here. Bad things. She didn't know what, but she was going to find out.
"Ehm.. well, speaking of Arkham.. they want me to ask you some questions. About.. your past. And I know you don't want to talk about em!" she said quickly, "but I need a record of them. So I'll turn it back on and you can stay silent, ok? It'll just be for show, promise."
She felt better when he nodded and gestured for her to continue on. She clicked it back on and remembered where it had left off.
"Well, that's a piece of history I hadn't studied before and not to change the subject, but there are things I must ask you as your doctor. It's part of a patient information form. Let me know if anything makes you uncomfortable." She coughed lightly into her hand and brushed some damp hair away.
Joker began to watch her closely. Either she was good at acting or she was actually nervous with whatever she was about to ask him. He'd put dynamite on the latter. ...Come think of it, he'd put dynamite on anything. The thought made him giggle.
"H-have you been in a relationship in the past year?"
Joker just looked at her and grinned, wagging his eyebrows. She started to smile back then realized the suggestion and blushed furiously, looking away.
"Um.. if you don't want to answer, that's fine. Next I'd like to ask if you have been in a eh.. physical relationship in the past year?"
Joker now leaned forward, his eyes piercing hers. She began to squirm in her seat and leaned back slightly. He brought his face near the recorder and growled into it "Not yet." He winked at her, making her so flustered that she shut the recorder off.
"Mister J! I thought you were going to quiet for the questions," she asked incredulously. He stood up, making her jump to her feet and began to back up.
"Did I say I was going to stay quiet?" Joker questioned her as if it were obvious. His predatory eyes locked on her small frame and giggled under his breath as he slowly moved toward his harlequin. She was backing up to the window he had used to read her little pink notepad.
"Well, no.. I.. just assumed you would because you didn't like those questions with others doctors, so-"
"You're not other doctor's, Harley," he said stalking closer. Hearing that name, her name, from him the same way he had said it before they kissed made her stop dead in her tracks. He was in front of her now, her body pressed up against the closed window, his body nearly pressing against hers. "Are you?" he stated. It was a question and answer in the same breath.
She stared into his eyes and was filled with desire. Desire not just for him, but for what he knew to be true, how he saw the world. She wanted it all. She wanted him. She felt his left hand clasp around her neck again as he had before. The bruises ached and made her suck air through her teeth as pain throbbed where he applied pressure. He looked down at the bruises that were a deep reddish pink. She'd have to wear a turtle neck to cover that up.
His right hand grasped her chin hard, his fingers guiding her face toward the posters of his face on her wall. "No doctor ever saw the world for the sad and lonely joke it is. But you, Harley. You get it. I know you do. And when you realize it, it will change you. Forever." His voice was now low next to her face. "When you are ready to show the world your true self, I'll be there, cheering you on, kiddo." He looked toward the posters and her eyes followed. He turned back to see her still staring at his photographed faces.
He gazed down his nose at her. Her black smudged eyes, now faded, looked stark against the white creaminess of her fair skin. He smiled and realized she looked like the painted masks of the great clowns before him, her throat lightly bruised reminiscent of the painted slit throats. She was one of them, he knew it from the moment he saw her. She needed to be free and he would free her.
He released his grip on her and stepped back to turn away only to be stopped by her hands gripping his sleeves. He looked back to see her hanging onto him desperately, her eyes seeking his. She didn't want him to leave her.
Although the thought of her breaking into the madness show-biz pleased him, he didn't like clingy. "Haaar-ley..." he said growled warningly. She looked sad and released her hold on him, looking down at her shoes.
"Don't fret my dear, it's not over," he said sitting back down and motioned with his cuffed hands for her to sit too. Her small smile played back on her lips and she sat down quietly. "The show must still go on... for their sake, anyway. Hahahaha aha!"
She turned on the recorder again and they continued their charade of asking questions. As they were finishing up the phony recording, Boles nightstick tapped on the door.
"Times up, doc," he called through the glass.
Joker fake pouted. "And just when we were having fun!" They chuckled as they both stood up, Harleen collecting the recorder and slipping into her coat pocket. "Tell me, cupcake, when can you see me again? I do look forward to your visits." He playfully teased before she reached for the doorknob.
"I think I have an open schedule this afternoon," She played back. As she opened the door, they were greeted by two other guards next to Boles. Boles readied his weapon as usual and pointed it at Joker, the other guards following suit.
Joker trotted out swinging his cuffed arms enthusiastically. "Come on, boys! Let's get lunch! Hahaha haa haa!" The others seemed a bit on edge from the Joker's big mood shift from an hour ago. Joker leaned toward the guard nearest him as they walked down the halls and said "I'll tell ya somethin', I think these sessions are really working! A few more and I think I'll be outta here in no time! Ha-ha!" Joker laughed as the spooked guards side-stepped away and trained his weapon on him once more.
Harleen had to suppress a laugh behind a cough as they made their way out the Mansion's entrance. As they made there way down the broken stone steps she had walked up for the first time months ago, she felt she was on the verge of something big here. She would change her dear patient's life. And her own.
Nothing was ever going to be the same.
There it is. This chapter gave me a hard time because i honestly lost inspiration for it. I knew i had moments and notes of things i wanted to happen, but the spark wasn't there. Then BAM! yesterday happened and outta no where i punch out this. Whoo!
I would like to personally thank all you who read, even the 'silent readers' (no reviews) i really appreciate it, but especially ViolentFrost for messaging nearly every week or so for the last month to get my butt in gear. Thanks deary ;)