Mad Love (Harlivy version)

Chapter 7

Harley had been thinking stressfully on the reason for walking into Arkham. The Joker.
All of the Doctors had serious problems containing their sanity when speaking to him. Harley thought to herself that maybe since she had progress on Ivy maybe she could work on them both. Her ivory heals clicked all the way toward Dr. Leland's office.
The woman seemed slightly down when she walked into her office. "Excuse me? Doctor Leland? Are you feeling okay?" Harley asked.

"Nothing to worry about." The woman stood up. "Now what was it you came in here for Doctor Quinzel?" The woman asked.
Harley tried to ignore the odd mood in the room. She didn't want to dig into the older woman's problems. "Well I was wondering if you'd mind that I take Joker off you hands?" The woman stood up fixing her neck tie and straightening her stance.

"Well Harleen. I may have allowed you to attend some sessions with him, but even you could not handle him alone." The woman warned. Harley tried her best professional stare. "Doctor Leland I assure you. If I can handle the poison ivy, I intend to do the same with the Joker."

"Fine, but if anything goes wrong and you seem different I'm stopping your sessions with him." The woman explained.
"Yes ma'am." Harleen gave her a cheeky smile.

*****

It was Joker who was scheduled first, and it was Joker that Harleen felt most confident about. She knew all the tricks he'd used to elicit sympathy or throw off guards, doctors, parole officers, and many others before her. She could handle him, she was sure of it. Her only question was what tactic he'd start out with today.

"You know, my father used to beat me up pretty bad."

So going strong with the sympathy play then again. Harleen scribbled something on her notepad, then watched patiently as Joker told a story about attending the circus with his father. The details varied slightly from other stories of his on record, but the overall substance was the same.

Something the files and pictures failed to adequately describe, however, was the man's face. It was rather pointed, particularly his chin and nose, but it had an odd attractive quality to it. His voice, too, was unexpectedly alluring; it was quite enjoyable to listen to him, even if she couldn't believe a word he said. It was becoming clear to her how so many people could fall for the man's charms, despite his homicidal tendencies.

Suddenly, Joker stopped talking, and sat up from the reclining position he had been in. A sly smirk sat upon his face. "You're not actually buying this BS, are you."

It was a statement, not a question, and Harleen could do nothing to disguise the look of surprise that momentarily overtook her face.

Grinning wider, the Joker leaned toward her, staring intensely. "Come now, Doctor, I'm not stupid! You're either heartless or you don't believe my story, and dear Julian claims you've got a pretty big heart."

Trying to regain her composure, Harleen sat up a little straighter and adjusted her glasses. "I didn't realize the two of you talked."

Rolling his eyes dramatically, Joker said, "We don't, the idiot just won't stop going on about you in the mess hall."

Harleen felt a small smirk form on her lips, but quickly forced it away. "Well, regardless, yes, I have heard of you telling remarkably similar stories to the one you were just describing."

Leaning back against the wall, hands behind his head and a large smirk on his face, Joker said, "And you were just going to just let me prattle on? How rude!" Harleen barely managed to contain another smirk. "Look, Doc, let's level with each other. I don't even remember my childhood. I just like having a laugh at the idiots who believe the crap I make up! But you - you're no fool." His smirk grew. "And you're no philanthropist, either, no matter what Julian says."