Dr. Quinzel: And An Alternative Origin Story for a Miss Harley Quinn

Chapter 8: Does Talking Heal Wounds (Unedited)

Harleen got in her car, she was thankful for Kamryn who helped her get it the day after the shooting from the hospital. She felt anxious and as she drove closer to the hospital her breath got heavier and her eyes began to glaze over. Harleen's heart was racing, she was so nervous to go back to the hospital. She had no idea what it was going to look like after the shooting and it they were back to full function or only half. Calm down. She thought to herself placing a hand on her chest. Harleen decided to only drive by first and see the outside, if there was still debris from the windows breaking and gunshot marks from the gunmen. Harleen saw Marlene sitting in a grassy spot under a lamp post and decided to join her, You are fine. Harleen thought to herself as she parked and waved at Marlene from the window. Marlene met her halfway and gave her a hug, both of them returned to where she was sitting and watched the hospital; people walking in and out and families leaving the clinic with bandages on their children, who most likely fell and scraped themselves.

"How have you been?" Harleen mumbled, glancing at Marlene from the corner of her eye.

"I wasn't ready to come back to work." Marlene replied, turning to face Harleen and taking a bite from her sandwich. "I'm still scared from what happened."

"Me too." Harleen mumbled.

"Are you okay?" Marlene asked. "You were his doctor, he tried to kill you."

"Yeah, I'm fine for the most part." Harleen stated holding her hands out to show Marlene the cuts and scabs. "Where were you in the hospital?"

Marlene looked back at the clinic entrance, she could see more people as if there wasn't any signs of a shooting and they all seemed happy.

"I was checking the vitals of a patient for Dr. Montgomery; she had asked to watch him cause there was complications in his heart surgery. His room was three doors down from the inmates room." Marlene stated, she hovered over the word inmate not wanting to use his name. "When the gun shots started they were so close that I pulled him out of bed and we hid in the bathroom. Someone had entered the room but I had pushed the bed up against the door so he couldn't get in, Harleen I was so scared."

Marlene had tears in her eyes, as she was telling the story. Her eyes glossed over as she remembered the memory. "Eventually the SWAT team entered and helped us, by then the men were already gone."

Harleen squeezed Marlene's arm, Marlene slightly leaned into the comfort Harleen held. The two of them sat their quietly for a bit and watched the patients enter and exit.

"The other nurses think that you may have helped him." Marlene muttered. "That's the current gossip around the hospital. They think that you had helped him in the escape."

Harleen was shocked, she couldn't find words to express how wrong and offensive those rumors were. She was injured and unable to return to work due to that shooting, Harleen hadn't had a good night's sleep since and she was almost killed.

"I was with Darren, when it started he was running towards me and the gunmen shot him in the leg and grazed his temple. We were hiding in a bathroom; Darren told me that I needed to leave or else he was going to find me and kill me. So I made sure he would be okay and I left, now that I think about it, Darren was probably safer after I left him there." Harleen began, tears were streaming down her face as memories flashed through her mind. "I didn't help him; it makes me sick to think that the nurses are saying that."

"I never said I believed the rumors." Marlene began, Harleen cut her off.

"I know you don't, but I'm telling you as a friend." Harleen began. "I would never help a man like that, I may treat him like a human being and be kind so that maybe one day he will return the favor to someone, hopefully, but I wouldn't ever help him hurt my colleagues and friends."