Poison Oak

7

"Pansy we're home" I smile running to Momma hugging her leg, she lifts me kisses my head then freezes "Pans why is someone here?"

"Croc brought her, she has a plant she was willing to trade for help with something don't know what" I mumble shrugging.

"What plant?" I smile pointing to the fly trap plant on the table "Named him Frank".

Mom nods sitting me down "Flower could you go keep Harley company outside, make sure she doesn't fall in the swamp she can't swim".

I nod rushing outside finding Harley up a big tree with a big thick rope "What are you doing?" I ask confused.

"Making us a swing kid," she says flipping off the branch and landing on her feet.

"Red said she will reinforce it with her plants," she says hanging up a thick board with holes in it.

"Come here," she says sitting on the swing I rush up letting her lift me onto the seat by her.

"Momma said I had to watch you because of the water," I say smiling at her.

She scoffs "Red is paranoid".

I shrug looking at the ground "At that place, I heard Dr. Stone call you Dr. Herleen Quizle, why did she call you that?"

She laughs tilting her head back "Close kid but she called me Dr. Harleen Quinzel, before I was Harley Quinn I worked there, she was my friend but sometimes things happen, and your life changes".

"Did you meet momma as a doctor?" I ask.

"No I knew of her but I was mostly working with Joker the guy Croc killed," she says looking at me seeing me nod "I became obsessed with him and thought I fell in love with him, for a long time I was his punching bag to hurt for fun, he tried to kill me a lot but, I was to blind to see it for what it was, I met Red because of him he threw me from a car. I planned to steal a diamond to show him I could be a good sidekick, I met her while she was after plant toxins, we became friends and she helped me see I was better without him".

I frown looking at my shoes "I don't like him".

Harley puts her arm around me "he wasn't a good person, even by villain standards he was bad, he had no problem hurting children".

"So what did you do while we were gone?" She asks.

"Croc took me to a lady's house in the swamp, she agreed to trade a plant for me for a favor, momma's talking with her now," I say smiling at her showing my teeth.

"That's fun," she says smiling looking at the house.

Harley stands up taking my hand as she leads me to the front door cracking it open, I watch her grab a jar and quickly hand it to me "Red we're going into the city".

I hear mom yell okay and Harley quickly moves my seat to the jeep, she puts me in buckling me then moves to the driver's seat and takes off.

"What's the jar for?" I ask.

"Shopping," she says laughing.

I nod looking at my skin "If anyone asks you're in a costume".

"Will that work?" I ask.

"Sweetie here it will, people here are strange" I nod watching as the stores come up, she parks getting out of the car I hand the jar up unbuckling, and climb up to her seat hopping out.

Taking my hand she smiles leading me into a shop I look around at the weird things that are sold, Harley lifts me to her hip "Don't touch anything okay".

I nod as she walks to the necklaces on the counter looking at them "Hello Harley" I look up and see a woman behind the counter leaning on it smiling.

"Oh hey Gracie" Harley says looking around quickly.

"You're not going steal from me are you?"

"What? Me No, never" Harley says laughing weirdly.

The lady looks at me tilting her head "Your daughter?" She ask.

"No my friend's, she's busy so we went out".

"So I heard a rumor you became a villain then I happen to catch a news story covering a crime you supposedly committed," she says.

I frown looking at Harley "Who's she? I don't wanna go back to that place" I say sniffling.

"Sweetie you are never going back there if we can help it, it's okay no Arkham ever again"  she whispers to me.

"So it's true," the woman says her eyes wide.

"Yes but not anymore, me and Red are giving that up for her daughter," Harley says looking at the woman.

"Why now the kids clearly at most six?" she says glaring at Harley.

"She's nine and Red found out the guy who experimented on her used her DNA and made the kid, she came looking for her mom when the guy was killed. She ended up in the rogues gallery because she got scared and attacked B man and his group, that's how they met and had their DNA tested. We left when they wanted to use Pansy as a lab rat, we just want to blend in".

The lady nods frowning then sighs "Okay Harley".

Harley picks up a necklace with a heart "Whatcha think?" She asks looking at me.

"It's pretty" I mumble laying my head on her shoulder.

She nods handing it to the lady "She wants this one" Harley says smiling.

The lady nods talking to Harley I sigh looking out the window seeing people passing by.

The door bangs open and a woman comes in glaring at the lady I turn back to face them "I demand a refund, this is useless" she says slamming a small bottle on the counter.

"What was the problem?"

"It didn't get his attention," she says.

"As I told you before ma'am it would attract your soulmate, if he didn't come to you he is not your soulmate," Grace says calmly.

I sigh hearing her arguing with the store lady as Harley leans near my ear "Pans I'm gonna put you down go behind the counter and cover your ears".

I nod being sat down I quickly move behind the counter covering my ears, Harley grabs the woman slamming her into the counter before saying something to her.

I flinch when Harley forces the tiny jar between her teeth pushing her jaw to bite on it talking more to her.

The woman nods and Harley steps back yanking her up shoving her to the door she motions me to come out.

I rush out getting picked up "Time to go Little Red, your momma's gonna kill me for that" she says tossing money on the counter before grabbing the necklace.

"Later Grace" Harley calls out I look back hearing the lady say bye I wave smiling a little.