First story I've written so please go easy... Definitely a darker look at Harley and Jokers relationship and not super canon as I've only watched the cartoon and Margot Robbie's Harley Quinn. Major trigger warnings for domestic violence, Non-con, and suicidal thoughts. All three of those are talked about in the first chapter. Physical abuse aftermath is talked about heavily, but it actually happening is not described in this chapter, suicidal thoughts are only briefly referenced and Rape/Non Con implied but again not described. Notes will display specific warnings at the beginning of chapters. If this is not for you stay safe and don't read! As someone who's been in a DV situation I have always had a soft spot for Harley. I now have a beautiful loving girlfriend so I also ship Harlivy very hard haha.'
'Get up Harley, you are better than this.' Harleen said to Harley inside her mind. Harley was slumped against a brick wall in an alley outside Joker's apartment. Lou, her companionable hyena was lying next to her nudging Harley's leg with his nose and letting out small pleading whimpers at the Blonde. "Ugh, leave me alone! I just want to sleep." The Blonde said allowed to the psychiatrist in her mind. Lou whimpered at her tone but settled his snout on her thigh.
'If you stay here you are going to die, is that what you want?' Harleen persisted. 'Actually, don't answer that.' Harleen cut her off knowing what she was going to reply with. 'There is another way Harley, you know she cares about you. You don't deserve to die like this; beaten in a dirty alley. You're Harley fucking Quinn. You are better than this.'
Harley grunted again. "Get outta my fucking head!" Harley said but still complied. She gingerly stood up using the wall for support. "You up for a walk Lou?" Harley asked scratching the hyena behind the ear. He barked keen to get moving.
Harley walked for what felt like hours, when she began walking through the familiar park she knew she was getting closer but black spots were appearing in her vision as she kept on walking, leaning heavily on Lou for support.
Every muscle in her body ached, she was having trouble breathing. Every breath in felt like a knife was going straight through her lungs. She was sure she had at least three broken ribs. It was difficult to see, her right eye had completely sealed itself-shut. She could taste blood in her mouth from her split lip. She could feel more blood dripping from her nose and running off the bottom of her chin and on to what was left of her costume.
"I don't think I can go much further Lou." Harley said resting against a nearby lamp post. 'You need somewhere safe Harley, somewhere you can recover. Just a little bit further.' Harley listened to the psychiatrist and began walking again but she only made a few more steps before she felt herself starting to collapse. She felt Lou underneath her. She was vaguely aware of Lou carrying her before the world went black.
She woke up again to Lou licking her face and whining at her, she was still half on his back and half lying on the pavement. She took in her surroundings. Ivy's apartment. She lay staring up at the bright yellow door in the courtyard surrounded by ivy and small wild plants that laced the concrete dividers separating Ivy's apartment from the surrounding building.
Harley was contemplating her next move; she had found herself here on so many nights similar to this one. On many occasions after she and Joker had had yet another fight, she came here seeking comfort. She knew it wasn't fair on Ivy, she would go months with no contact with her 'best friend' and then show up unannounced, beaten and broken and allow the woman to patch her up, take care of her and then Harley would go straight back to him, ignoring Ivy's pleas for her to stay. 'This time will be different. You don't need to go back. You know Ivy cares about you.' Harleen told her. This did not ease her guilt. 'She wants to help you Harley, you need someone to help you.'
Harley felt the ivy creeping closer to her and Lou in a menacing fashion. Lou began to growl as the vines crept up to his paws, Harley felt in slink its way up her legs and though she knew Ivy would never hurt her she wasn't so sure about some of Ivy's more carnivorous plants. She tried to push it off but before she could even place her hands on it, she felt herself being lifted into the air and blacked out again.
Ivy awoke in a cold sweat. All her alarms were going off and she could feel her plants readying for attack. She leapt out of bed rushing to put pants on. She was not fighting Batman in her underwear.
She tried to feel for her plants to get a better understanding of what she was dealing with. She readied her vines around her and prepared for a fight. She headed down her stairs before realising her plants on guard outside had called off the attack. Confused she tried to get a better understanding of who the threat was. She felt her plants fear turn into love and recognition, that could only mean Selina or Harley, there was no one else Ivy loved in this world.
Ivy began towards the doorway and felt the plants shift to concern. 'Definitely Harley'. Ivy quickened her pace towards the door and swung it open. The site Ivy was welcomed to would have been almost funny if it was under different circumstances. Her vines held an unconscious Harley bridal style above the ground and a separate vine was wrestling with Harley's odd choice of a pet. He was growling and snapping at the vines that dangled him upside down by one leg. Ivy commanded her plant to put him down and he immediately ran inside brushing up against Ivy's leg like a cat. The other vines gently carried Harley to Ivy's couch and placed her softly down before withdrawing and allowing Ivy to approach.
"Harley! Oh my god Harley are you okay?!" Ivy got to her knees in front of the blonde and placed her hands either side of the girls face as gently as she could. When she received no response, she panicked further. Harley's face was difficult for Ivy to look at, it was black and blue all over, she had obvious finger marks or her neck and the rest was smeared with blood. Ivy placed her hands firmly on Harley's shoulder and gave the girl a firm shake. "Harley! Harley, answer me" Ivy heard a mumble of acknowledgement from her and thanked the gods she did not believe in.
"What the hell happened?!" She asked even though she knew the answer 'Joker, if I ever get my hands on the poor excuse for a human I swear-' She was cut off by Harley's eyes opening (or eye considering one was sealed shut and would not open)
"Heya Red" Harley said in a drowsy voice.
"Harley, you need to sit up and stay awake. We need to get you to a hospital. you're in really bad shape".
"N-No Hospitals. I'm o-okay" The blonde protested. "Harls you are not okay, look at you!" Ivy had tears in her eyes she desperately trying to hold in, she had to keep it together.
"Really Pammy I'm kay!" The blonde said slurring her speech. This would be more convincing if she wasn't currently slipping to the side of the couch and her eyes drifting shut. Ivy thought for a moment and against her better judgement decided against the hospital for now. It would likely just end in a trip to Arkham and nobody wanted that.
"Okay Harls, we'll see how you go but for now you need to stay awake." Ivy knelt in front of Harley and placed her hands on her shoulders and begun to bring her back into an upright position. Harley slumped forwards resting her forehead against Ivy's. "I've missed ya Ives."
"I've missed you too Peanut." Harley smiled at the nickname and then winced as she reopened her split lip and more blood added to the collection already dripping down her face.
"Alright, let's get you cleaned up. Are you going to be okay here for a second while I grab the first aid kit?"
"Mmm-hmm!" Harley replied. Ivy gently pushed Harley back towards the couch resting her head on the seat cushions. "No falling asleep Harley! I mean it!"
"Yes ma'am!" Harley said and mocked saluted. Well at least she was well enough to make an attempt at humour, Ivy thought.
Ivy practically ran to her bathroom and threw open the cabinet not wanting to leave Harley alone. She grabbed out the necessary items as well as some of her self-made healing products that she kept in great stock for Harley and headed back to her. She was gone only a minute and Harley already had her eyes shut and was slumped back on the couch, Lou resting his head in her lap protectively.
"Harley!"
"I'm awake, I'm awake!"
Ivy sighed and got back into a kneeling position in front of Harley. She started with wiping of the dried blood from her face before gently rubbing in her healing cream. Harley winced as she did this. "I know, I'm sorry baby. But it will help I promise." Ivy soothed.
She finished on her face handing Harley an ice pack on her swollen eye and a band aid on her cut cheek. "What else hurts?" Ivy asked beginning to survey the rest of Harley's body, only now fully taking in her disheveled clothing. The front of her costume had been ripped down the middle exposing more marks across her neck and collar bone. The zipper on her pants had been ripped off and zip broken and, she was missing her shoes. She decided she would bring that up later, now was not the time.
"Uhm, my ribs really hurt when I breathe." Harley looked down embarrassed by the state she was in. Ivy noticed. "Hey, hey it's okay, let's just focus on getting you better." Harley just slowly nodded her head.
"Do you think you've broken anything?" Ivy asked, getting Harley to look her in the eye was difficult. "I-I dunno, maybe."
"Okay well we need to make sure there's no internal damage, have you coughed up any blood?" Ivy asked in gentle voice
"Nah, I just can't breathe in deeply" Harley answered
"Can I listen to your chest?" Ivy asked. Harley just nodded. Ivy placed her head on Harley's chest and fought to fight the blush from her cheeks. So not the time Pamela .
"Breath in for me." Harley did as she was told wincing as she did. "Yes Doctor Pammy."
"Not that kind of doctor Harls" Ivy replied. "I know, just tryna' to lighten the mood."
"Your chest sounds okay although, as we have established, I would not really know. We'll just have to keep an eye on you. I got you some pain killers for now. My own special brand so they should kick in pretty quickly" Ivy handed them to Harley with a glass of water which Harley gulped down quickly swallowing the tablets.
Ivy sat on the couch next to Harley sitting crossed legged to face the younger woman. "Do you want to tell me what happened?"
Harley sat in silence for a while opening and closing her mouth to begin a sentence and then deciding against it. Ivy waited patiently; she knew it was best to not push her.
"Just what always happens ya'know?" Harley said refusing to look at Ivy. Ivy didn't answer, she did know but this was not really an explanation.
"I hadda' real long day, and Mistah J just got back from a heist that apparently went badly, we both weren't in good moods exactly." Ivy still didn't say anything hoping Harley would continue.
"We had an argument; I didn't realise how bad a day Puddin' was havin' so I wasn't taken him so seriously ya'know? And things got a lil' physical." Harley said gesturing to her body. "Then after he cooled down he wanted to... well ya know; "Relieve some stress" but we had just been fighting and I didn't really feel like it. And that- I – just made things worse" Harley stopped talking; playing with the thread on one of Ivy's throw pillows
Ivy felt rage building up in her chest, she could feel her hands shaking. She made an attempt to keep her tone even. "What happened to your clothes Harls?" Again, Ivy knew the answer but she wanted Harley to realise it.
"I-I don't know, I guess my... lack of enthusiasm just made him angrier and-and." Harley paused not sure how to continue. "He's my boyfriend Ives, that's what you do when you're with someone." She trailed off whispering the last of her sentence
"Judging from the state of you; It doesn't look like it was consensual Harley." Ivy said. She knew her tone was sounding harsh now but she was struggling to keep the hatred from spilling into her voice.
"It doesn't matter, he's my Puddin' and sometimes ya gotta do things ya don't feel like." Harley was getting irritated at the conversation. "Look, can I go take a shower. I don't really wanna talk'about this no more."
"Was this before or after he beat the shit out of you Harley?" Ivy said raising her voice now. She couldn't stand her justifying his actions.
"It doesn't matter Pam! I'm fine, can ya drop it?!" Harley stood up now making a move to leave the room. Ivy did not miss the way Harley stumbled as she got up ' So fine' Ivy thought sarcastically.
"He raped you, Harley! Can you not see that? It is not sex if happens before or during the process of him beating the shit out of you! Don't you get that? You're a psychiatrist for fuck sake. You're not fine look at you, when is this going to end? When he finally kills you?" Ivy was shouting now.
"SHUT UP. Just shut up Pam." Harley had tears streaming down her face and Lou had moved to stand between the women, growling at Ivy with his hackles raised, warning Ivy to back off. Harley's hands were in ringing through her hair. She had stopped walking, freezing in place and had turned around to face Ivy when the first sob slipped out.
All the anger melted away from within Ivy. She couldn't believe she was yelling at the poor girl after everything she had been through tonight. She wasn't angry at her; she was angry at him she had to remind herself. She walked up to the blonde and reached out to touch her arm before thinking better of it when Lou snapped at her menacingly. ' Stupid mutt, I'm trying to help her!' She thought
"I'm sorry Harley, I'm so sorry, I didn't mean to yell at you." Ivy said in her most gentle voice. "We can stop talking about it for now, I can get the shower ready for you, okay?" Harley nodded not taking her hand away from her eyes.
"Can I give you a hug Harls?"Ivy asked tentatively. Again, Harley just nodded. Ivy wrapped her arms around the girl and she sobbed harder. After I few moments Harley hugged Ivy back and buried her face in Ivy's neck.
"It's going to be okay Peanut." Ivy hushed. Lou gave Ivy a last menacing look before jumping back up on to the couch to sleep.
After what felt like a long time Harley stopped crying and slowly unwrapped herself from Ivy's embrace.
"Do you want me to get the shower ready for you?" Ivy asked. The blonde agreed and Ivy lead her hand in hand to the bathroom. She grabbed out some fresh towels on her way.
She turned on the shower checking the temperature was okay before looking over at Harley and asking if she needed anything else. Harley declined and Ivy excused herself to give the blonde privacy. "Leave the door unlocked in case you need any help, okay?" Harley nodded and Pam left the room. She leaned against the wall just outside the bathroom and slid down it. Finally letting a few tears of her own escape. What am I going to do with her? Ivy thought to herself.
After a few minutes Ivy decided she couldn't sit still anymore. She got up and began cleaning around her apartment. That didn't take up nearly enough time as her place was always practically spotless anyway. She checked the time; it had only been ten minutes – Harley would still be awhile. She decided to sit back on the couch slumping in next to Lou and watching TV to pass the time. She gave him a grateful scratch behind the ear. "Thank you for bringing her here." She felt silly talking to a hyena but he seemed to huff in response before going back to sleep.
She was replaying the argument with Harley in her head. How can she not see that he doesn't love her. She could do so much better, be with someone who treated her how she deserved to be treated, someone who saw her for how beautiful and intelligent and funny and witty she was, someone like me- No, don't think about that. Harley needs a friend not yet another person in love with her.
Ivy realised she hadn't taken anything in from the television show she had watching. She checked the time; it had been another half an hour and Ivy could still hear the water running. She was getting worried.
She approached the bathroom and knocked on the door – no answer. She opened the door just a crack and stuck her head in keeping her eyes on the floor. "Harls, you okay in there?" Again, no answer. She stepped in further and approached the shower/bath combo. The curtain was shut, Ivy came closer. "Harley are you okay? Can you answer me?" Nothing, Ivy's heart rate picked up. "I'm going to open the curtain, okay?" When she heard no reply, she opened the curtain just enough to peer in. She saw Harley was sitting in the tub with her knees pulled up to up to her chest and her head resting face down on them. Ivy could see even more bruises and open cuts littered across her back and arms. She was breathing so that was something.
Ivy placed a hand on her back as gently as she could. Harley flinched. Ivy could feel how hot the water was set; it was scolding just her hand so she couldn't imagine what it was doing to Harley's body. Harley still hadn't actually acknowledged Ivy was there. "I'm just going to turn that water down a bit, it must be burning you." Ivy did so and was growing more and more concerned by Harley's silence.
"Can you talk to me Peanut?" Ivy hoped the nickname would make Harley more comfortable but she got no reaction, She had never seen Harley like this before.
Ivy saw there was still blood caked in Harley's hair. "How about we wash your hair?" Ivy took the shower head off the wall and grabbed the shampoo bottle. She squeezed a small amount into Harley's hair and lifted her head off her knees. Harley complied but still wasn't registering Ivy presence. Was she catatonic? Ivy worried.
She lathered up her hair and washed it out ensuring to tilt Harley's head back so it wouldn't get in her eyes. She added conditioner and gently massaged it into her hair.
"Ivy?" The sound startled Ivy and she briefly stopped massaging the younger girl's scalp. She resumed quickly. "Yes honey?"
"I don't wanna go back." Ivy saw tears beginning to run down Harley's cheeks. Maybe she had gotten through to Harley this time. Ivy hoped.
"Then you don't have to. You never have to go back to him." Ivy said
Harley sighed and then leaned her head back into Ivy's hands.
Ivy washed the conditioner out. "You ready to get out?" Harley nodded and Ivy lifted her to a standing position and helped her out wrapping her in a towel, making sure to look anywhere but at Harley's naked body. She sat her on the closed toilet seat. She abandoned her own drenched shirt before grabbing another towel to dry Harley's hair. She could feel Harley's eyes on her and she looked up to make eye contact with the blonde. She blushed under Harley's gaze "What are you staring at?" Ivy asked.
"You. Why are ya being so nice to me?" She asked
"Because you deserve it." Ivy stated. Harley didn't reply and they fell into a comfortable silence.
"I'm gonna get you some clothes and then how about we get you to bed?" Harley nodded in agreement.
Ivy left and grabbed Harley's favourite shirt of hers and some trackies and returned. She noticed that Harley hadn't moved a muscle when she returned and was staring blankly at wall in front of her. She helped Harley into the new clothes and guided her to her room. She sat her down on the bed and lifted the covers for Harley to get under before tucking her in. She brushed the hair out of Harley's eyes before asking. "Are you ready to go to sleep?" Harley nodded and closed her eyes.
"Goodnight Harls." Ivy said and began to lift herself off the bed when she felt a hand clasp around her arm. "Can you stay with me tonight?" Harley asked in a small voice.
"Of course."
If you liked - please leave me a review. I will be updating at least once per week! 3
