Descent

Chapter 35

Fuming. That's exactly what Harleen was. Dr. Arkham was once again sticking his nose in where it didn't belong. Now she was going to have to deal with four very mercurial inmates all in the same room.

Harleen wondered if he even gave a shit if they got better. After all Dr. Arkham never bothered with trying to treat Batman's Rouge's Gallery before. It was only because Bruce Wayne had asked that she be assigned to them, that they were getting any help at all.

Oh she knew she should have been thankful for Wayne putting in his two cents, but she wasn't. Harleen Quinzel did not like feeling like she owed anyone anything.

Straightening her suit jacket she motioned for Mateo to open the door. Then decided she would handle this group session much different from the last one. Right from the start she would assert her control.

All four of them were huddled in the center of the room. Harleen watched from the doorway as they were having a lovely little chat. She felt her annoyance grow.

So now they were playing nice. The Joker and Ozzie were always at each other's throats from what their files said. And after the beating he had given Eddie, Harleen doubted that they would be talking. And here they all were like football players in a huddle.

"Care to tell me what you're all plotting? A prison break, maybe?"

The Joker chuckled, and the rest followed.

"No way doc, we ah...like it here."

"Edward Nygma if you are playing games..."Harleen tapped her finger against her lips. "You won't get what's in the bag." She shook it a little to emphasize her point.

He moved away from the others and took his seat. Pam followed suit. They knew better than to piss off the doctor when she had gifts for them.

That left Ozzie and the Joker. Neither of them looked like they were willing to play nice.

"So what's it gonna be, Ozzie? Me or chuckles?" Harleen waited a look of annoyance on her face.

"You mean Pennywise, doc." Pam piped up.

That got a chuckle from Eddie and Ozzie. But the Joker glared at her.

Pam waved him off, "Shove it bossy pants. That dominate act may work with the doc, but it doesn't score you points with me."

Harleen felt her checks grow warm at the comment. And she fiddled with her collar trying to hide the mark's she still bore from their last meeting. Though she hadn't been stupid enough to wear another scarf. Knowing damn well it would only drive the Joker to mark her in some other way.

"We are not here to argue." Harleen shot a pointed glare in their direction.

"So why are we here, doll?" The Joker drew out his pet name for her, the same way he had on their last session.

She shifted from foot to foot, feeling herself getting turned on from the look in his eyes. It spoke volumes. Letting her know that if this was a private session he would have her begging for release.

Ok time to take back the power. "Well, Dr. Arkham saw how you were getting along so nicely at dinner last night. So he thought a group session would be beneficial."

Pam made a sound that was a cross between a giggle and a snort. "Even a broken clock is right twice a day."

Harleen couldn't help but laugh. Pam was right. Dr. Arkham often had these grandiose ideas that blew up in everyone's face. Everyone that was except his own, because he never did his own dirty work.

She sat down and waited for Ozzie and the Joker to do the same. Ozzie looked between the doctor and the clown. He wasn't sure which of the two were safer to cross.