The Joker Made Me Do It

Chapter twenty-two

Im so sorry I haven't updated in a while!! I had writer's block and I still sort of do!! I had a really hard time writing this and was just throwing things out there to write at least something for you guys, so I hope none of you think this chapter is too bad...

Once again I'm sorry!!

Tess

__________________________

<Claire's POV>

It had been a few hours since Dick had left me to my room to sleep. But I didn't sleep. I had laid on my bed staring at my ceiling. I didn't really know what I was thinking about because I wasn't really thinking about anything. Anything at all. My mind was blank, numb, I didn't know what to think. Probably because there wasn't really anything to think about. Well... Actually that's pretty damn wrong. There's plenty to think about. I mean I was a criminal named Harley Quinn? That's certainly something to think about. That means I teamed up with the Joker. THE JOKER! How in the world could I do that?

'Oh that probably means I helped him do criminal stuff, doesn't it?'

'Oh my dear Claire, you silly girl. That's not the only thing me and my Harley did.' He laughed in my head and I squirmed around, I felt squeamish.

'What the hell is that supposed to mean?' I thought I knew what it meant, I was pretty sure I knew what it meant. But I didn't want to say it.

'Well, you're right.' I heard him tell me. I knew I was. I felt horrified. Absolutely horrified.

'Oh dear, we didn't do that. But we certainly got cozy.' He laughed and I felt vile rise in my throat. Of course I was relieved that I hadn't done anything... Too rash with the Joker, but still. I can only imagine, and I chose not to any longer. I was getting way too grossed out.

I still couldn't believe I was a criminal! Did I hurt anyone? Did I kill anyone? Maybe I could ask Dick... But then I decided against it. It was probably a good thing not to know. But then again, if I did ask and he said I didn't, then I could feel closure. I was torn apart inside with decisions to be made. I did decide though to leave my room. Maybe a little food could help me. And talking to the others, who I then realized were criminals also. Hadn't Dick promised me I wouldn't be with criminals?? Well that two-faced liar! And not two-faced like Harvey Dent.

I opened my door and ventured out to the rec. room where everyone was sitting. Some of the criminals were playing cards while the others were watching the news. I sat on the couch next to Selina and Pam. I hated cards simply because the Joker loved them. They had always been his signature. Kill someone, string them up for everyone to see, stick a card in him so the people knew who did it. Although it wasn't hard for anyone to figure out when the victim and a permanent smile upon their face... just like me.

I had been a victim, but I had also lived. And I think the Joker did it to experiment with me, see how long I could live, see how long it would take me to go crazy, which apparently didn't take very long. He wanted a partner in crime and he had gotten one, but then I was set free by Dick and I didn't ever want to go back. But I knew someday it would happen again and on that day I would just have to prevent it. Hopefully.

I snapped out of my though when Pamela turned to me and said, "good morning sweetie! How'd you sleep?"

"Fine." I mumbled back. I wasn't in a very good mood.

"Me too!" She sang gleefully. I just wanted to watch the news. Maybe it could take my mind off things. But Pam clearly had other plans.

"So honey," she began. "What did Joker do to you?" She scanned my body, but could really only see my arms, neck, and face. I was wearing pants and a short sleeve shirt in the bright, annoying shade oh white we were given. They weren't even comfortable. The material was scratchy and rubbed against my scars in an un-soothing way. I felt myself blush and look away from embarrassment. I hated when the others turned to look at my scars as well. Everyone had stopped what they were doing and scooted their chairs over to me. Now I had felt obligated to answer.

"Well it started when I was walking to the store..." And I told them everything. Other than the part about being Harley Quinn. I told then how I had stayed with Dick and Bruce and how they had taken me in, but then brought me to the asylum.

"Sounds like a typical Bruce move." Selina murmured.

I looked at her questioningly.

She caressed her hand as if it were a paw and continued. "Bruce is totally not a people person and-" she was cut off by Jonathan, aka Scarecrow.

"What do you mean he's not a people person? He's Bruce Wayne! You know the millionaire? Of course he's a people person! He spends his money on those stupid galas and balls... Now if I had that money..." He trailed off to think about what ever fantasies he had.

"I'll tell ya later." Selina winked at me.

"You know, Joker can be such a bitch sometimes!" Pam said loudly, clearly annoyed. "I've worked with him a few times, he's really a stickler."

I looked at her wide eyes. Then I realized something I had already known, but never really took in. They were criminals! All of these people were criminals! Shouldn't they be separated from the normal people? Not that I was normal. But I thought the asylum had rules! Did Dick put me here just because I had BEEN a criminal? I barely had a memory of that short time and he was punishing me for it? That not was going to have an ear full from me.

"Why aren't you going to hurt me? You're criminals." I half whispered.

"Honey," Pam reached out to me and I recoiled quickly. She frowned at me. "Just because we are criminals doesn't mean we are all bad? Selina and I never killed anyone? We don't want to hurt anyone either. We just... we want things that we can't have." She looked to the ground.

"Oh." Was my only response. I didn't really know what to say.

Ivy shook her head. "Now you poor thing. Maybe I can help you with some of those scars."

"What?" I stared at her. Could she really get rid of them? Or maybe she could make them less noticeable. I think to the guards it looked like a self harmed or something, but by my face I doubt they could tell. They only looked at me with hatred, like I was some kind of monster. But then again, I was. They passed by and glared at me like they were disgusted by my presence. I couldn't stand it.

"I've got some aloe and some oil. It helps fade marks on the skin. And I'm Ivy honey, I've got a lot more power than people think I have." She smiled at me and I held out my right arm eagerly. She spit onto one of her hands and rubbed it on my arm.

"Eewww! Pam, that's gross!" I exclaimed as she spread her spit around my arm. I tried to pull my arm away, but she held onto it with a tight grip.

"It's not spit." She stopped rubbing my arm and held it out for me to see. Slowly I saw some of the scars begin to fade away. Not the really bad ones, but the lighter ones had disappeared completely. And my permanent smile grew wider and wider as I smiled a real smile, a genuine one. "It's the aloe I was telling you about. I'm part plant, sweetie pie. Remember that."

I nodded my head happily and she did my other arm. But she didn't touch my face or neck and with that I frowned a little.

"I think we both know it won't do anything. I'm sorry, hun." She stared at me with sad eyes and I understood. No one ovoid fix my face. I'd have to live with it until I eventually went so mad I died. I knew it would happen. With the Joker's hold on me, even from a distance, he could force me to do things if he caught me at a bad time and really, really tried.

I saw that Selina was waving me over and I said a thanks to Pamela and joined Catwoman, who was sitting in one of the corners of the room.

"So let's talk about them Waynes, shall we?"