I Can't Live Without You (Harley Quinnx Poison Ivy)

Chapter 23

Chapter 23
The second we dropped down from the vents I lunged for one of Penguin's men, cracking him over the head with my bat. Catwoman's whip wrapped around another man's throat and she flung him clear over everyone's heads and into the pond below the main part of the lounge. Before either one of us could move to attack any more of them, the remaining thugs raised their guns at us.
"Maybe we didn't think this through so well, huh Kitty," I said, eyeing the men in turn as I put my back against Catwoman's.
"We? Harley this was all your idea, I told you to wait and you refused to listen, as always," Selina muttered, raising one of her clawed hands.
"Well, well, well. If it isn't the Sirens. Aren't you one harlot short of a harem?"
My blue gaze turned on Oswald Cobblepot, shooting daggers his way. I was beginning to lose my patience with the little fat man. He had obviously lied to me the last time I was here and I wasn't about to walk away with no answers this time around.
"I'm done playin' Cobblebutt! Where's the Joker keeping Ivy?!"
"Harl's just keep your cool, we can talk our way out of this," Selina whispered, leaning towards me slightly.
"What's in it for me? The Joker pays a better bargain than you ever could Quinn," the Penguin said, taking a drag of his cigar.
I opened my mouth to throw an insult at the bastard but the room suddenly filled with an eerie chill, which was saying something since the whole damn place was basically full of ice. The chill that ran up my spine made my brain hit the brakes.
"Why torture the poor thing, Oswald. Dr. Quinzel clearly just wants to see her friend."
"Crane," Selina practically growled from beside me, her stance taking on a more aggressive feel.
My grip on my bat tightened as I glared at Scarecrow and his beady eyes that could be seen ominously through the holes in the sack he wore on his head. He was standing in a doorway just behind the Penguin's throne like chair, his hands behind his back.
"Well how bout it Harleen, would you like to see Pamela?"
"Wait... she's here," I whispered, lowering the bat slightly as I took in his words.
"Come dear."
I hadn't even realized that I had, but I had taken a few steps towards the Penguin and Scarecrow. The demented psychiatrist had extended his hand towards me, earning a hesitant look from me. I just wanted Ivy, I wanted to know she was okay. Even though every sane part of my mind was arguing with what I was about to do I did it anyway.
"Harley what the hell are you doing?!"
Selina's voice sounded far away, enough to a point that I didn't really even register that she was speaking. As I took Scarecrow's hand, he pulled me away from the main room of the Iceberg Lounge. As soon as the door closed, the dark slammed down on me.
"How much do you really miss her, Harley? "
Scarecrow's voice seemed to float around me eerily, sending chills up and down my spine again.
"I-"
"No... You don't miss her... you don't miss the Joker either. You're just afraid of being alone!"
"No-"
"Quit lying to yourself!"
Knobby arms wrapped around me from behind and as I struggled what felt like cloth was pressed tightly against my mouth and nose. I tried to struggle but the recent lack of sound sleep had made me weak.  After what felt like forever, the feeling of the cloth over my mouth faded. Falling to my hands and knees I gasped for air.
"Harls..."
Ivy's voice brought everything screeching to an abrupt halt. I looked up at her with wide eyes, finally able to see my surroundings. The redheaded beauty kneeled in front of me, her hand coming to rest softly against my cheek.
"R-Red..."
With no words her lips pressed generously to mine, causing my eyes to roll back. It was a heated kiss conveying so much emotion that it hurt. Hands roamed freely, caressing and squeezing in all the right places. God I missed her so much... I yelped when a sudden pricking pain exploded in my neck. When my eyes shot open again there was nothing but pitch black nothingness. A sense of dread began to creep around me; I began to hyperventilate, wrapping my arms around myself as confusion flooded my mind.
"Weak minded little girl. That's all you are Harleen Quinzel," Crane hissed in my ear.
Sudden light blinded me seconds before I went airborne and crashed into the cold floor of the Penguin's 'throne room'. I tried to push myself up to my hands and knees but my body was shaking so badly it felt like I couldn't function. After throwing away another one of Cobblepott's thugs Catwoman ran to me, attempting to pull me up to my feet.
"I hope you enjoy my latest dose, Dr. Quinzel. You should be ready for the Joker in no time," Jonathan Crane cackled as he walked away, back into the darkness we had been in.
"What's the big idea Cobblepott," Selina snapped, keeping a steady arm around my shoulders.
"This oughta help narrow down your search for the Joker," he said with a menacing chuckle, tossing a rolled up paper to Selina.
"K-Kitty," I struggled to even get a squeak out.
That was the last thing I remember before my body and mind gave out completely...

~   ~   ~

As I sat at the Batcomputer my face was buried in the palms of my gloved hands. My cowl was pulled back off my head, hanging over my cape like a hood. Ivy had made a lot of progress on getting a counter toxin made for Crane's new fear toxin but even the Batcomputer was struggling to finish off the chemical makeup. Leaning back to check the progress, I ran a slightly trembling hand through my red hair. Why did it feel like everything was about to come crashing down on all of us?
If the Joker was really still alive what was his aim in all of this? It just didn't make sense; but then again when did anything the Joker did make sense?
"Bruce!"
"Is that Selina," I muttered to myself, her cry catching me off guard.
I got to my feet just in time to see Selina Kyle come barreling out of the elevator that came down from Wayne Manor. My eyes widened in surprise when I realized that Catwoman had an unconscious Harley Quinn strung over her back.
"What happened?"
"Where's Bruce, Barb?"
"He's not here, he's out with Robin checking up on some leads."
"I need your help, Harley's in bad shape. Crane gave her another dose," Selina said, laying the jester on the medical table not far from the Batcomputer.
"What?! Selina all the reports I compiled have said that if any patients received more than one dose it killed them," I said through my teeth, the severity of the situation setting in.
"What do we do then?"
"I still haven't finished Ivy's antidote... I guess for now we just need to get her comfortable. She's gonna have to fight through this on her own..."
After spending a few minutes getting Harley comfortable under a blanket and a pillow supporting her head, Catwoman passed me a note. Unrolling it revealed a list of addresses at least forty long.
"What-"
"Cobblepott so kindly gave us that, saying it would narrow down our search for the Joker."
"Dammit... Bruce won't be happy about this," I muttered, marching back to the computer and cross referencing the addresses.
"We have to find Ivy, Batgirl... for Harley's sake," Selina whispered, her gaze never leaving that of the passed out blonde.
"I know... we have to stop the Joker too. If he's really helping Scarecrow with that toxin things could get really bad, really fast."
"Ivy!"
I jumped again, startled by Harley's sudden scream. The blonde was thrashing around, throwing the blanket and pillow with her violent motions. I had to quickly administer a sedative to put the blonde out cold yet again.
"I think we're running out of time," I said exhausted, as I slumped to the ground, my face in my hands yet again.
~   ~   ~

    Jonathan Crane marched down a  dark and murky hallway, twirling an empty syringe in his right hand. He could hear the Joker's demonic cackle carrying through the shadows. When the psychiatrist came into the light he was met with the demeaning sight of Pamela Isley looking nothing like her usual radiant self.
    "I must say, Joker, you've done a number on her."
    "I'm just getting started," the clown growled before letting out a maniacal laugh.
    "It's done. Harleen has been given another dose. If she doesn't lose what little sanity she has left I will be astounded and disappointed in my work," Crane said, tossing the syringe on the floor, throwing a questioning glance at Poison Ivy.
    He had noticed her glance up at them when Harley's name had been spoken. But it was obvious that even slightly moving her head had been a huge effort.
    "When my Harley finally returns to me, she won't want a disgusting, wilted flower. I won't kill little Ivy just yet, not not until the guest of honor has arrived."
    Crane smirked, knowing that the Joker would get his way, as usual. Though it was a bit of a shame that Dr. Isley wouldn't make it out alive. Scarecrow had always wanted to test his formulas on her to see how the fear toxins could affect the beauty.
    "Oh well," he muttered to himself.
    Scarecrow took his leave, waiting for the time to come when he would need to bring Harley.