The Gotham Queen

Chapter 21

As I snap myself out of my thoughts, I realize something.

"Wait, you still didn't explain how Kyle's worse than Joker." I tell them, and mentally note that in the back of my head. This does mean what I think is does, right?

This means that he's not as bad as Kyle, which is good for us.

'Still don't exactly want to test it with how broken and cut up I am right now.' I tell her as I focus back on the girls, who are looking at me like I either grew four heads or I'm stupid.

"Harley, you cannot honestly be thinking about Joker. He's still bad news and dangerous." Ivy tells me slowly, almost as if she's talking to a kid. I frown at her but can see her point. She's obviously known Joker a lot longer than me, which isn't saying much since I have yet to actually meet him.

I look between Ivy and Cat, trying to come up with a valid answer. I am thinking about him, but they don't need to know just how I'm thinking about him. Not like I'm trying to imagine him ordering me around or anything.

No, you couldn't possibly be thinking like that.

I ignore her as I remember seeing several pictures and mugshots of Joker in the news on the TV. I've even seen some camera footage of him from the news helicopters. However, I imagine seeing him on TV and seeing him in person is two completely different things.

"Harley, don't you even think about it." Cat says and bite my lip as I look down at the table. Ok, just because I'm thinking about storming into the Maximum-Security Wing and up to Joker's cell doesn't mean I'm actually going to do it. I'm not that self-destructive even if I did just leave a life-threatening situation and probably made it worse than it had been. No need to throw myself into more danger when I just left danger an hour ago.

Thinking about what I just escaped causes me to subconsciously touch my stomach again, not realizing that the girls are watching my every move. Ivy stands up and they both come over to me, and Ivy grabs my arms while Cat lifts my shirt. They see the large bandage around my torso and unwrap it to see the nightmare that is my life. I had managed to hide this tiny detail out of my story until now.

"Okay, what the fuck?!" Cat snaps to no one in particular and Ivy starts to tear up at the sight of my stomach. "That's it. This bastard has to die right now. I haven't even really known you that long, but this is just way too fucking far. Harley, you're literally the only good doctor here, and I refuse to stand by and let this happen to you. Even I'm not that heartless."

Cat paces back and forth, cursing and ranting about breaking out and killing Kyle. Ivy just stares at my stomach as I rebandage my wound and pull my shirt back down. Ivy's tears start to fall down her face, and the sight makes my own eyes start to tear up. I hug her, and she latches onto me like I'm her lifeline.

I know they want to get back at Kyle for this, but that won't get rid of the demeaning word that's carved into me. That's going to scar up, and it will never go away. I will have to live with Kyle's handiwork on my body for the rest of my life, and I've learned to accept that. There's nothing anyone can do about it.

I let Ivy go and turn to look at Cat. Ivy walks over to her girlfriend to try to help calm her down because they're finally getting better and getting closer to being able to do what they have planned to do. If Cat lashes out now, all the progress we've made goes down the drain, making it all for nothing.

"Guys, I'm fine. Honestly, I really am okay. I dumped him for good, and I refuse to let it haunt me anymore. Nothing else needs to be done because I will never let anyone hurt me like this again. I'm going to fight back and win, or I'm not Harley Quinn." I tell them seriously, and my body starts to sway a bit, so I sit back down in my chair. I must have lost too much blood and have been running on pure adrenaline until now. Now that I feel safe, I'm starting to calm down.