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

Chapter 9

Harley's POV

I had been on my phone looking for an apartment for Rachel when Selina had stormed in. I was so surprised to see the cat burglar there that all I was able to say was her name. She knocked my phone from my grasp and pounced on me, knocking me flat on my back. Why in the hell was she here?! I explained why Rachel was there and when Selina mentioned Ivy my heart nearly jumped out of my chest. I just stared at my feet not knowing what to think.
The feline woman left, tossing something on the floor as she went. I got up and picked it up and when what I was looking at fully processed in my mind, my legs shook and I fell to my knees a huge smile on my face.
"I knew they'd get along," I squealed, my thick Brooklyn accent coming out again.
I started laughing and Rachel was staring at me like I'd gone mad, which it probably looked like I had. She came around behind me to see what I was looking at. The younger woman looked at me curiously.
"Is that Poison Ivy? Why is she sleeping with two... Are those hyenas?!"
"Those are my babies," I whispered tears filling my eyes.
Why had I left her behind? Why... I got to my feet so fast I accidentally knocked Rachel over onto her ass. I apologized and helped her up.
"Sorry about that," I said, forcing my accent away.
"Why are you in such a hurry?"
"I need to go see Ivy."
Rachel just smiled at me, "I think you should."
I was about to head for the door but I suddenly got light headed. I had to hold out the counter so I didn't fall over. Well, guess I was gonna have to wait to go see Red; I couldn't drive much less ride that motorcycle being light headed like I was. I couldn't hear Rachel as she asked what was wrong. I didn't even make it five feet before I fell on the floor, one of those hellish nightmares taking me over again.
When I woke it was in a panic, Rachel was over me looking frightened. She helped me sit up and all I felt was confusion. What the hell had happened?
"Are you okay, Harleen?"
"I... I'm fine, I think..." I didn't know if I was lying by saying that but I said it all the same.
"How long was I out for?"
"About ten minutes, you were screaming like someone was trying to kill you..."
Rachel was clearly bothered by what had happened but at that point I think I was more bothered than she was. Crane's toxin had never done that to me. I had never just passed out at random, having a quick nightmare that I honestly couldn't remember. I got to my feet and shook my head as if it would help clear the fog around my mind. I had to go see Red, I was beginning to see the mistake I had made...
Rachel tried to stop me from leaving but I just brushed her off and got on the bike, heading for Gotham. When I reached the city limits I felt my heart start to race. Just the thought of seeing Ivy made me want to scream with joy. I parked the bike out front of her apartment and I took a deep breath as I walked towards the door. But suddenly Catwoman hit the pavement and I just stood blinking in confusion. The next thing I knew Red was right there, just fifteen or twenty feet away from me.
I was bout to call for her, not even wondering why the hell she had thrown Selina from the window in the first place. I raised my hand to wave, but my cry was stopped before it even began by an arm around my neck. Before I knew what was going on the ground was far away from me, Ivy and Selina growing smaller by the second. I was set down, coughing a little as my hand rubbed my neck. My eyes were met with yellow boots and when I looked up I gulped.
"Hey, Batgirl..." I said giving a smile that was trying to say I was innocent.
The redhead's arms were folded and she was frowning down at me, "What are you doing here, Harley?"
I sat up and gave a heavy sigh, "I was just coming to visit, Red."
Batgirl knelt down in front of me her eyes meeting mine. I didn't see any hostility, just curiosity, as if she were studying me.
"What," I asked, fidgeting under gaze.
"You make no sense sometimes you know that?"
"Why? What makes you say that?"
Batgirl shook her head and gestured to the street below, where it seemed Ivy and Selina had gone back inside.
"You know, Batman will have you sent back to Arkham if you so much try to help them in this little crime spree they're having right?"
I just nodded in response to her question.
"Then why in the hell did you come back?! Especially after what happened with the Penguin and his goons the other day?!"
I didn't answer, not really knowing the answer. Was it that I didn't know the answer or did I just not want to admit it to myself? I didn't know...  I was just starting to frustrate myself now. Batgirl sat down across from me and stared me down, not in an aggressive manner but she was clearly trying to figure something out in that brain of hers.
"Why?"
"Why what? Jeez and you say I don't make sense."
"Why did you ever start chasing the Joker around?"
I thought about her question, remembering back to my time as a young doctor at Arkham.
"I was young, naive. I thought I could cure any troubled mind that came before me. I had worked hard in school, studying and the like to face the twisted minds of these criminals. But... I wasn't ready for what he threw at me...."
I marched into Arkham Asylum, a triumphant grin upon my young face. I pushed my glasses up as I swiped my card to enter the wing where all the doctors' offices were. Finally after months of begging, Dr. Arkham had finally given me the go ahead to start having sessions with the Joker. Out of everyone in Arkham he was the one I wanted to work on the most. I had to admit, there were greedy reasons behind it but all the same, he needed to be treated. The guards already had him in the room where I was to be having sessions with him. He was in the typical jumpsuit for the Arkham patients and he looked none too happy. At first I was doubtful that it was really the Joker that was sitting in front of me, seeing as he wasn't wearing any clown makeup. But when he finally looked up at me and our eyes met I knew right away that this was the Joker. His eyes flicked across the name tag on my white coat and then his cold eyes returned to mine as I sat down.
"Dr. Quinzel, I presume," he asked sitting back in his chair.
I nodded in response to his question and then I asked the guards to leave, to which they hesitantly obeyed. I didn't need anyone interfering with my time with the patient.
"Trusting woman you must be, to make the guards leave. The last doctor that did that got his eye gouged with a pencil," his lips tugged up into a smile and a menacing chuckle left his throat.
"You don't intimidate me," I said, taking a few notes already on my notepad.
This made him frown now and in all honesty it was more disturbing to see him frown than it was to see him smile. But I shook it off knowing full well that I couldn't show him any fear, he would snuff it out and take advantage of it...
"But he had me pegged the minute I walked into that room. I think it really only took him a few minutes to figure me out. He figured out just exactly what buttons he would have to push and what strings to play to manipulate me..."
Batgirl stared at me, looking as if she had a pretty good understanding how the Joker had managed to do this to me. I just looked down at the street, not enjoying the memories.
"Over about the span of a month, he had manipulated me into allowing him to wear his makeup again and eventually he had me believing that he loved me... that I actually meant something to him. Three months of attempting to treat him turned into being obsessed with him and eventually becoming Harley Quinn."
The redheaded vigilante got to her feet and offered me her hand, pulling me up to my feet. She had this weird look on her face, as if she were deep in thought about something.
"Harley, or Harleen, whatever it is you go by now, I'm not going to tell Batman you came back to Gotham tonight. He was already pretty mad about what happened with Penguin. But please, just stay away from Ivy and Catwoman. That's the only way Batman thinks you'll be able to keep on this normal path of yours. Can you promise me you'll stay away?"
I knew I couldn't, tonight proved that much; so I just nodded. Batgirl helped me back down to the road and just watched me as I climbed onto the motorcycle. Neither of us said anything, I just roared down the road on the bike, my mind racing. I was really starting to question everything I did now. But my mind went blank and I nearly wrecked the bike when I passed a very familiar car going in the opposite direction. I braked the bike hard, skidding to a stop. I looked over my shoulder but the car just sped along. I had made eye contact, I knew Selina saw me so why hadn't she stopped? I just shook my head and headed home. When I got home I brushed off Rachel's questions and just shut my bedroom door in her face, locking it behind me. I showered then laid in bed staring at the ceiling.
"Dammit, Harls... just make up your mind," I muttered to myself, rolling over to hug my extra pillow as if it were a certain plant loving redhead.
I fell asleep but knew full well it would be another night with useless sleep, my mind plagued with my fears yet again.