chapter 3
He stared blankly at the concrete wall. It was gray like always. The chair he said in was metal as was the table,he found himself in the place he'd been countless times before.
The situation was always the same. They would try to worm their way into his mind, to make him crack.
To find the reason why a man would devote his life to menace, anarchy, bloodshed, and above all. seemingly complete insanity.
He would triumphantly watch each one young and old come and go. He would savor the frightened Oh God I'm about to crap myself look on their face, as they walked into the room.
Then he would watch that look turn to a look of determination as they realize they had a job to do; then they would realize that if they could manage to make him crack, and reduce him to a simple man then Arkham would essentially be theirs.
They would be almost God-like because they took a bulletproof idea and unstoppable force and reduced it to a vulnerable breakable man.
Many would try but each would fail, and even though it was meant to be kept a secret he would hear about how someone would have to quit because they had nearly been driven insane from the pure frustration of not being able to understand him.
This would provide him with the laughter he needed to quail his raging mind, so he could center himself just long enough to devise a plan of escape.
It was a plan that never failed him, until he met her.
The Joker slowly turned to the sound of the large metal door opening, he knew it wouldn't be her but something inside himself just couldn't stop him from looking.
He watched the tall thin man with light brown hair and a thin brown mustache walk over to the table.
It was a well-known rule now that no women were ever allowed to talk with the Joker, so that there wouldn't be a repeat of the unforeseen disaster of Harley Quinn.
"So Joker it seems that you've come to stay with us once again, perhaps this time we will get to the bottom of what brings you to this place.
How about we start with a name. My name is Zachary, you can call me Zack if you want.
What's yours? "
The Joker said nothing as his light brown eyes focused not on the man in front of him but the apple-shaped egg timer the man had placed at his side on the table.
"Good morning Joker I was hoping you and I can actually have a chat today." Harlene said as she put the huge file down on the table.
Then she put an apple-shaped egg timer down beside her as she sat down at the table.
" Ah an apple, who exactly is it that you're trying to keep away, yourself or me?"The Joker said as he raised a hairless eyebrow at the apple shaped egg timer.
Then the Joker stared at the woman in front of me as he heard a light bubbly laugh escape her lips.
"Mhmmm why?" The Joker asked as he eyed the woman who was still laughing." What, I can't laugh at what's funny? "Harleen said somewhat playfully.
The Joker watched carefully as Harleen realized her mistake then corrected her posture.
"So thoughtful and surprising."
"What? "
"Well you see no one ever laughs at my jokes, everyone around here is just sooo stiff and
boring and they have no sense of humor whatsoever.
I can respect your sense of humor, even if you have a fondness for cliches."
"Hey, give me a break. It was the only one they had. I looked for other ones too, you know, and It's no big deal that I took your advice."
The Joker just stared at her but Harleen could feel that his eyebrows raised again even if she couldn't see it.
"I just wanted to show you that even though you were here in this place you could still have ideas that would be good, and do things of value.
I want to show you that there is more to life than the things that you do now,I want to help you."Harleen said as she stared into the Joker's light brown eyes.
"Now what shall we discuss today, your childhood perhaps?"Harleen said eagerly as she pulled the chair into the table.
"Sorry kiddo but I'm not someone who's bought you'll get nothing out of me, because there's nothing there for you in the first place." The Joker said is he got up from the table and went over to the window to watch the rainfall.
His back was to her but he could still feel her frustration, like another person in the room with them.
And in his mind's eye he could already see her pouting.
He wondered how long it would be before she quit, but that part of him that was still a man so longed to see her lips protrude in that way that was just so feminine.
He smirked because he knew what was coming, the plea followed by the slight whine, oh how he would savor it because even though he was the man he was; was still plagued by the itch that plagued all men.
" Okay then maybe next week."
The Joker let out a slightly confused growl under his breath as he turned to face her.
" I'm not a toy Joker. I came here to help people, and you're not the only resident in this asylum.
I think I'll go talk with Pamela Isley. She's the next one on my list, and she and I have been making a lot of progress.
I don't quite understand all the botanical things that she talks about, but I still think she and I would be great friends if she would get better.
I'll see you next week Joker."said as she started to walk towards the door.
"You may call me Mr. .J. Everyone on the outside does, all but one." The Joker said he took a seat on the leather couch.
Harleen stared at him for a second, before walking over and taking her chair from the metal table and moving it in front of the couch.
They did not discuss his childhood that day instead their focus was on each other's preferences of art, but Harleen thought that a person's preferences of art was as easy a way to get into a person's mind as any.
When the timer dinged signaling the end of the sesion Harleen jumped ever so slightly, and hoped that he didn't notice.
she had been warned multiple times to never let her go down with The Joker.
But as she got it from the chair she could see the smirk on his face, and could tell her garud had been let down just for a moment.
Harlen adomish herself for a second but then thought there was no way that the Joker could use something so small against her.
Your taste in art is very…"
"Gruesome, dark, disturbing?"
"I was going to say something interesting."
"Hmmm and yours is exactly what I would expect from a woman with their Sunflowers, Starry Nights, and Water Lilies.
"Maybe next time we can discuss music." Harleen said as she pulled a pudding cup out of her pocket
She watched the Joker look at the chocolate vanilla swirl pudding cup, she could tell that he was trying to hide the fact that he was mildly intrigued by this gesture.
" It's a reward if the patient is good and talks with their doctor during their session, they are given a pudding cup at the end."
"So thoughtful. "The Joker said as he peeled off the top and began licking the pudding.
"It wasn't really me, it's just an asylum policy, sorry I didn't bring you a spoon."
"It seems that they forgot to tell you about the newest asylum policy. "
" What's that? "
" They don't use utensils here anymore ever and I'm partly to blame for it."
The dinging of the egg timer snapped the Joker back to reality and before him he saw a disgruntled young man unable to make a breakthrough.
The guards were called to escort Joker to the lunchroom, and as they walked he tried to find some solace in toying with his newest opponent.
But the victory seemed hollow, the game presented no challenge, and as much as it annoyed him he knew the only other challenge he had other than Batman was her.
Joker grabbed his lunch tray of a taco fried okra,, and a brownie.
"Oh no fucking way first they decide to feed me fried okra, then you had the audacity to sit down in front of me!"
Joker looked up still in a daze to mildly acknowledge the woman sitting in front of him.
Her red hair fell loosely around her shoulders and the standard gray sweats that the patients were required to wear clashed greatly with her light green skin.
"Shut up you little weed before I force feed you a bottle of Roundup."
"Kiss my ass you horror movie reject, I said you can't sit here now move! "Ivy said as she slammed her fist on the table.
It was a longstanding unspoken rule at Arkham, that the patients usually sat alone during their meals.
The few times this rule was broken was when two villains were secretly planning an escape together, or if Harley and Joker were both in Arkham at the same time, or when Harley and Joker were in Arkham together but when they were having a spat she usually sat with Poison Ivy.
The Joker scanned the cafeteria, but saw that Harley was nowhere to be found.
" Where is she?"
"I don't know she's clearly not here as you can plainly see, although I must say that I'm particularly happy that she's not with you maybe that means she finally came to her senses."Ivy said as she smiled at the Joker's obvious discomfort.
"It's just a temporary thing and nothing you need to concern yourself with. "The Joker spat as he glared at the one person he hated almost as much as the Batman.
" Oh really then why did she blow up Ace Chemicals?"Ivy asked with a triumphant smile.
"That's a lie she would never blow up something so important to both of us!"
"Oh but she did and the display of light that came from it was simply beautiful, I can't remember the last time I had been so blissfully happy."Ivy said as her eyes sparkled with happiness.
" If you ever lie to me like that again I will cut you into a million pieces." The Joker said as he wrapped his fingers around Ivy's neck and began to squeeze.
He waited ever so patiently as her body slowly began to beg for air, he enjoyed this part immensely his victims look of fear their need for something that only he could give then there would be the the decision if he temporarily allow it or not.
But his happiness soon turned to confusion and immense anger, as he watched a smile spread over Ivy's face.
He squeezed even tighter, savoring the way her eyes bulged, as he constricted her airflow even more.
Only one person had the audacity to rob him of the joy of his torture, and he made sure he died for it.
He wanted to savor this and wanted to remember the pain she was feeling, he knew he wouldn't be able to kill her here but what she was feeling now would satisfy him until he got the proper chance.
He held her throat tight waiting for the moment that he would feel her fingers on his wrist trying to pull his hand away.
But that moment never came and he looked down at her hands, only to see that the knuckles had turned white from grabbing the table so hard.
He squeezed even harder knowing that he would enjoy the sound of her forehead smacking into the metal table, but as he listened to the gurgling in her throat he could tell that she was trying to say something.
He didn't want to let go, he wanted to watch her squirm, but he couldn't take the risk that she actually knew something about Harley
The Joker let out an angry growl and released Ivy's throat, and took what little satisfaction he could from her labored breathing and coughing.
Then when she regained her breath she turned to the table where Two-Face and Penguin were sitting.
"Hey Penguin Two-Face who blew up ace chemicals?"
" Harley Quinn did as a kind of fuck you to the Joker Ivy we figured you of all people would know that. "The Penguin and Two-Face said as they turned to Ivy.
Then they spotted the Joker and quickly went back to whispering amongst themselves.
The Joker looked at the scar under Penguin's left eye, it was from a bank robbery that went wrong but neither one of them can figure out whose fault it was; so the Joker decided to let a plastic knife figure it out.
That was years ago but the Joker suddenly felt like giving him another one, but he thought better of it because he knew; that his beef was not with Penguin at least for the moment.
" See I wasn't lying.
It's time for you to face the fact that Harley just doesn't love you anymore."Ivy said as she met The Joker's gaze.
The Joker glared at her he hated that she was right, but mostly he hated the look of hope in her eyes.
The hope that one day Harley would have eventually come back to her.
The Joker let out a furious yell as he picked up his okra and shoved it down Ivy's throat.
"You bastard!"Ivy shouted as she gagged on the okra.
Then the Joker picked up his metal tray and slammed it across the side of Ivy's face.
He savored the sickening thud as her face hit the metal table, but the riot that ensued afterward and pleased him even more.
He had last found some happiness and laughed wholeheartedly as he watched the chaos swirl around him.
However the scene was short lived as the cafeteria was quickly tear gassed and the patiences returned to their cells.
The Joker laughed through his watery eyes, but as he looked at the hazy yellowness of the tear gas; He could not help but feel the absence of the person that was usually there beside him.
He missed her maniacal laughter yet still with a hint of bubbliness from what she had been before.
He missed the sparkle in her eyes as she would take in the explosions, fire, and chaos.
She would tell him how beautiful it was all and that no one was better than him..
He would look at her with a loving smile on his lips and as he did he could practically see her blood humming with excitement, he could practically hear every last inch of her begging him for more.
He craved that sound whether they were watching the city burn, or having their alone time at home no sound was more perfect to him.
The Joker quickly turned as he felt someone come up behind him, and through the haze managed to land a few punches.
The cracking teeth and bone along with the whimpers of people his hands connected with
brought him a small amount of pleasure.
'Come on puddin do it!'
He placed hands securely around one of the guards neck, one little snap was all it would take.
The Joker laughed maniacally wishing that she was here to see this.
Then The Joker let out a cry of rage as he felt the needle jab into his shoulder.
They had a special type of sedation serum at Arkham, it was fast acting In reserve for the most volatile patients.
The Joker quickly slipped into unconsciousness, and the land of fitful dreams.
He watched her into walk the room as he laid on the couch, because after all if he was going to play with his toy he at least wanted to be comfortable.
They discussed many things over the past few weeks but he was not fooled in the least, and knew exactly what her motives were.
She was still intent on getting in his head, and finding something that she could use.
He was fine with letting her do that circles didn't really bother him, and eventually he would enjoy watching her frustration drive her to near madness.
Last week she discussed pets, how she had a fondness for dogs, and how she wished you had one growing up.
He turned this into a discussion about hyenas, and by the end of the hour was actually able to convince her that they were kind of cute.
Then the week before that they discussed food and it turned out that they both had a fondness for steak although she liked hers pink and he liked his rare.
They're tasting pizza though did seem to match up oddly enough, and she could not believe that he also liked pepperoni and mushroom.
But none of this was anything of real use to her, and every day when the timer would ding, he would see that look of frustration in her eyes.
He loved that look on her, he loved that look on most people, almost as much as the look of fear in their eyes right before he ended them.
But this time was different; she had accidentally gotten too close.
It started the way it always did she would talk to him about some pre-picked topic, and he would twist it to his advantage.
When asked what music he preferred he casually said classical with the occasional aria.
Then he pretended to be shocked and hurt by the fact that she had assumed that he would prefer heavy metal.
He's savored her look of shock and slight embarrassment at being caught, at making some pre supposed assumption.
He was mildly intrigued to hear that she preferred alternative music, and he smirked when she said that she liked Clair de Lune by Debussy.
Then his smirk turned into outright laughter.
"What?" Harleen asked, forgetting to hide the frustration in her voice.
" It's so typical of a woman to only love a beautiful classical song because it's played in some mushy movie about a brainless teenage girl who falls in love with a one hundred and nine -year-old guy who turns into a disco ball in the sunlight."
"Hey, that movie was beautiful and romantic! "
"No, that movie was about a whiny vampire who doesn't even follow the criteria of a real vampire, and he throws a little angst at a brainless teenage girl and she eats it up. just like all the women that watch it."
"I guess when you put it like that the wolves were a lot better."
"Ugh just go get me a bucket already."
"Okay then what was the last thing you were able to go see when you were out last?"
Harleen said as she raised an eyebrow at the Joker.
There was a passable local production of Sweeney Todd down in the East End.
" Ah right I've heard that he used straight razors, and your file said that you prefer knives so I could suppose I could see why that play would appeal to you.
" Once again you idiots who claim to know everything about the human brain, have completely missed the point.
Sweeney was a normal man once he had a wife and a child, but then something bad happened and he broke.
Then he was able to see the world for what it truly was, and understand that it takes only one bad thing to break you; but once that bad thing happens you see the world for what it truly is!"
"I don't under-"
My little bird
My sweet Joananna
The ding of the timer brought the Joker back to himself, and he couldn't help but notice the look of sadness and pity on Harleen's face.
"Well I think we've made a lot of progress today." Harleen said as she pulled out a chocolate vanilla swirl pudding and handed it to the Joker.
The Joker opened the pudding and began to eat it still in somewhat of a daze.
This was as close as anyone had ever got to him, and in that closeness he had unwittingly
handed over control.
It was something he swore he would never let happen again.
The Joker smeared the pudding over his lips as he watched Harleen walk towards the door.
"Wait there's something else I need to talk about."
" I think it would be best if we waited until tomorrow, because it would be best if you didn't burn yourself out."
"Please I really need to talk about this." The Joker said as he let his voice fill with sadness.
He watched Harleen approach him with eyes filled with clear curiosity.
Then she came close enough he pressed his lips to hers.
He savored her anger, confusion, but most of all her intrigue by the situation; he even thought that he felt her trying to stifle a moan.
He was sure that what she pulled out of him would be forgotten.
Then he felt the tightness in his pants that only meant one thing.
The Joker clenched his fits as the kiss continued.
He wasn't supposed to feel this, it was only supposed to be a means to an end.
The kiss ended as the door to the therapy room unlocked.
Harley quickly licked the pudding from her lips, and wiped her lipstick from the Joker's.
Then Harleen quickly made her way to the door as it opened, and left the Joker with his confusion.
The Joker's eyes slowly opened and as his mind slowly began to focus, it came to one though.
"Harley"