Ch. 5: Sonogram

Rebirth

"Jack, Jack" the pregnant woman called from the small green couch centered in the living room. The house was modest but livable, not located in the best area in Gotham but given the condition of it and the price, it served as home. Jack was able to fix all of the abnormalities and broken aspects of the place, Jeannie never had to experience flickering or failing air conditioning units. She sat folding laundry over her swollen belly, waiting for her husband to emerge from his cave of creation. "Jack" she called again, this time drawing out his name.

Some days his hair looked more blonde and other days it appeared brunette but right now it was sticking out in all directions. The man in question rushed into the room disheveled and sweating wearing nothing but a white tank top and a pair of pajama bottoms. "You called?" he inquired, raising a dark eyebrow, the woman on the couch responded by patting the spot next to her.

"Its break time, come sit" she smiled proudly.

"Jeannie I can't just-, you know that chemical needs treating and I-" his shoulders sagged in defeat as the pregnant blonde continued to pat the couch in waiting. Sitting next to her he let his long arms drape across the back of the seat. He eyed her growing stomach with concern, she was only four months pregnant and still so much to be done. Jack's job paid decently, enough to manage his household and tend to his expecting wife, yet he felt trapped. In the beginning it was a fascinating experience, working with his hands and tinkering with machines but now the work was draining.

He became nervous about his dreams deferred, so many people in this town settled for the lives that they lived. No one took chances or tried to achieve the goals they set years ago, they grew old forever regretting all of the wasted time that had gone by. What example would he be setting for his child if he didn't try to break this cycle of monotony; he made it out of the hole by being educated but he didn't want his happiness to suffer as well.

"You still want to do it huh?" Jeannie spoke reaching out to scratch Jack's scalp.

"We're in a good position I can't just quit. As much as I would love to, it's not realistic, it's stupid it's-"

"What you want to do, so it's what I want to do" she smiled tiredly. Jack sighed and laid his sweaty head in her lap, he'd been working on a filter to process a certain chemical that the plant had been playing with. From the moment the sun came up he replaced the newspaper with a set of blueprints and accidentally stirred his coffee with a small wrench. "Do one of your bits" his wife requested.

"A bit? You mean a joke?"

"Yeah, a joke, I need a good laugh, I feel like crap right now"

"Ok ok if you insist" he laughed pressing a kiss to her stomach. "So my grandma had the deepest voice you could ever hear from a woman, but don't get me wrong she was a beautiful woman" he shifted to lay on his back. "It was like Audrey Hepburn with Robert Loggia's chops" he paused to snicker with Jeannie. "Anyway it threw people off when she spoke even down to my own mother. Now I'm speaking about my grandma on my father's side of the family, she had 6 boys and they all sound like her! Grandpa on the other hand is very soft spoken. I swear one day I sat next to him watching the game, I of course didn't hear a thing, but I watched the game and left. Next thing I know, we're getting aggressive Christmas cards"

"How does that work?" Jeannie asked with a chuckle.

"Well one Christmas you get a card that reads 'Let the lord bless you this Christmas day, with many presents and even more joy' but that Christmas it read 'You Suck' and nothing else I shit you not"

Jeannie covered her mouth to laugh but still let out a snort, "Oh my god" she wheezed.

"And I knew it was him, it was in all capitals, but in the most beautiful calligraphy, like should I be upset? I considered still keeping it on display because it was written so nicely so much nicer than the others, the next time I saw him I heavily considered pushing his ass over to see what next year's message would be" Jack stopped to stretch. "But let me tell you about my Grandma"

ooooo

The Joker didn't like being ignored, he had orchestrated an entire heist just to mess with the Bat, now he lie in a condemned building surrounded by money and no satisfaction. Not to mention Harley provided him with a source of entertainment, but she wasn't Harley anymore was she? He grinned, oddly enough he had trouble finding her, and after their little chat at Arkham no one had spotted his little blonde minion in the city.

Honestly he didn't care about her well-being, if anything he sought to play with his old doctor, it was a challenge. Once, she followed his every word, worshipped the ground he spilled blood on, and now she was acting like his little ol' shrink again. As much as it titillated him, he found himself growing angry at the thought, she somehow shook his influence like it was nothing, it was an insult. He would find her, she was still in Gotham and someone she knew had to have let her into Arkham.

As for now he remained unopposed, Batman had to have something or someone distracting him. Whatever the source, for something to garner the Bat's attention away from crime fighting must be worthy of his attention as well. The Joker stood up and walked away from the sea of money that surrounded him, he'd probably set all of it on fire. He had some work to do, information to gather and people to see.

ooooo

Harleen's head lie on Bruce's chest that rose and fell with his breathing, the billionaire was still asleep. She on the other hand felt too tired to leave this warmth of the bed, she was completely worn out. The man she was using as a giant pillow began to stir, his body went stiff before relaxing again. Harleen whined when he sat up, she followed suit, throwing her legs over the side of the bed.

"This can't continue, you know that right" Bruce spoke.

Harleen stood nude and began to fix her hair, "Yeah, we got it out of the way, good job champ" she raised her hand for a high-five.

Bruce gave her a look of disbelief as he eyed her hand, trying to distract himself from her nudity.

"Come on, it's like congratulations after a good game, but like after sex" she still held her hand up in waiting.

"Harleen" he warned.

"Ok fine, I'll high five myself" she shrugged before grabbing her clothes, putting them on before walking out into the hallway.

Harleen promptly went to the bathroom to throw up, she dearly hoped Harley didn't take any drugs that ruined her stomach lining. She decided to get some fresh air, her old lifestyle must have done a number on her body, and she had to start eating better getting her health back. Harleen took a quick shower and dressed in a pair of jeans and a light blue shirt, she kept her hair out of her face with a headband matching her shirt.

During her employment at Arkham Harleen spent her mornings and lunch hours at a modest Cafe that sat on the edge of town. Away from the hustle and bustle of the city, she found comfort in the silence as she read the paper and went over her notes for the day. Due to her unknown past she made sure to get a haircut before venturing into familiar territory. Furthermore, she was always dressed for work when she came in for breakfast and lunch, she looked much younger without her glasses and ponytail. She also lacked any makeup or jewelry, without her usual get up, Harleen looked like a totally different person.

She was working away at the cross-word puzzles, when someone sat in front of her, Harleen stilled and slowly looked up. The man in front of her began solving the puzzles for her, his eyes focused on the paper as if there wasn't a care in the world. Harleen squinted at him, his face was familiar, the man hadn't even spoken but she swears she could almost hear the sound of his voice, then it dawned on her.

"Eddie?"

"What is considered a voiceless jester, could also be an adjective describing something that possesses multiple colors" the man handed her the crosswords, completed with a few notes scrawled on the side.

"You're out?" she whispered looking around suspiciously.

He followed her gaze looking around himself, "That depends on what your definition of 'out' is doctor. More importantly, my assumption about your person is correct, please tell me there are more of you" he leaned forward with intrigue, giving her a smug grin.

"Excuse me?" she met his gaze with narrow, annoyed eyes.

"I'm just asking, not wanting to offend, I swear" he straightened up and gave her a sincere nod.

Harleen perked up, "You knew me when-"

Edward shushed her and looked around, "Yes yes, keep your voice down, a good crook is one who is aware that they are one but has enough sense to fool everyone else" he warned.

"You need to tell me what I did, can we talk here, we can talk anywhere I need to know" she pleaded, grabbing one of his hands in desperation, as if he would disappear any minute.

The contact was a bit jarring, she was a totally different person, not one mention of the Joker, her accent was very mild, and no bad puns. "Everything that's happening could be ripped straight out of a textbook, it's so painfully obvious, but in both variations of yourself your Joker fixation remains"

Her expression dropped and she grew pale, she looked down at her reflection in her drink. Her eyes were blackened with a thick syrup like substance that poured in thick, grotesque clumps. She flinched hard hitting her knee on the table, the blonde had to close her eyes to gain her composure. "I need to throw up"

Edward eyed her with both curiosity and caution, Understandable, give your-" he paused to watch her gag "conditions..." he then waved down a waitress and made a request. When she returned she sat down a glass of water with a lemon wedge on the lip of the glass. Also a bowl of mint chocolate chip ice cream was sat in front of Harleen, Nygma thanked the waitress who smiled and walked off. "Eat the ice cream first"

"I can't I need to throw up" her eyes began to water as she tried to keep herself from vomiting.

"I find that nausea is three fourths physical and one fourth mental, if you tell yourself that then you are, it becomes all you think about. So eat that and stop thinking about it"

Harleen couldn't argue, she picked up her spoon at ate, the minty flavor soothed her tense throat. She took deep breaths and eventually calmed herself, she took time wipe the water away from her eyes.

"No need to speak just yet, after all, you are eating for two, wouldn't want to make the other half as upset as you are" he continued to analyze her, "I'll round that up in time" he cocked his head to the side, "As for your previous request, you know how this works better than anybody, I don't give answers the conventional way, it's lazy, especially with such a good head on your shoulders" he smiled. "Furthermore, I would like some information of my own"

"So I can give you straight answers, but you get to give me riddles" she frowned.

"Don't act indifferent, the arrangements are the same as they were when we last spoke with one another, and I do mean me and you, for who you are now" he murmured squeezing the lemon wedge in the water and pushing it towards Harleen. "Drink this"

"Why are you helping me? I can't tell you anything about the Joker" she accepted the water.

"Of course not, you don't remember, it common given your condition" he paused, "And if I recall you were the first one to ask for my help"

"...You better give me gold Eddie, because I'm mighty tempted to hit you in the mouth right now"

"I'll give you enough gold to make Midas sick with envy, but first you, how did this-"he gestured to her whole person, "Happen, what brought Harleen Quinzel back?"

"I woke up in an abandoned building, I think I fell through the sky light, I must've hit my head, but I feel like I lost three years of my life" she deadpanned.

"Who are you staying with" he watched her shift uncomfortably, "I don't want names, but rather an association"

"There is none, he says he knew me, but I don't know when exactly"

"Interesting, have you been out lately?"

She had to word this carefully, "I don't get out often, I have been out once to see a friend and now"

"I expected as much, last question I promise, has Harleen seen the Joker sense her return"

Harleen didn't appreciate how that question was phrased but she had no choice but to answer, "Yes"

"See, that wasn't so hard, now I will write you a little answer sheet and a phone number, I want details, no phone calls only text" he cracked his knuckles, giddy with anticipation. "Only for emergencies, I will not help you with the answer sheet just let you know when you're right"

"I don't understand, what do you get out of this other than some dissociative factoids" she began to grow aggravated, she wasn't about to be preyed upon by another criminal.

"You are forgetting so much, by choice at this point, you may need to reflect personally to answer most of your own questions about by motive, but as for a tangible reward I require two things" he held up two fingers for emphasis.

"What" her face held her growing frustration.

"I want your records on me, and your old lab coat" Nygma tapped his fingers against the table.

"I'm not going to question it, at this point I can use all the help I can get, however if you screw me over Eddie, in anyway, there is no riddle or word puzzle that will keep me from finding you, and hurting you"

"There will be no deception, I promise" he extended his hand, "deal"

Understanding the Joker's patterns of temporary residence was one thing, but she was far from finding him. She lacked the sweet, sticky sap to trap the fly on his paper, perhaps some insight from Nygma would push her in the right direction. She could take any information in these riddles and apply them to her notes as she once did when he was her patient. "Deal" she reached out and shook his hand.

"Good, I'm glad we are in agreement"

Harleen stood taking the paper, there were seven riddles on the paper, "Does it matter which one I work out first"

"Confident are we? If you're that eager to solve them, then I'm sure you can find the answer to your own question"

Harleen went to leave before Edward caught her arm, "I don't want to sound like an overbearing mother, but make sure to follow up with me on these, or everything is going to get….messy"

This should have been seen as a threat, but Harleen took a minute to consider her former patient, it wasn't a threat. "Thank you"

ooooo

How do you count to three without repeating yourself?

Harleen looked at this and cursed herself for accepting the help of an obsessive compulsive riddle king. There were seven riddles provided for her, each of them serving as answers that will reveal aspects of her past criminal persona. The number three had to be significant somehow, maybe it represented the number of years that she lost, but she had no recollection of that. Many people counted to three went making action based decisions, usually when reluctance was at play. If you ask someone to pick a number from one to four they will most likely choose three, it is the first odd prime number in the numerical system is it also the smallest. It is the only triad, all numbers proceeding it equal it when added together, there are so many things about the number three that one could list.

She read over it again, count to three, she repeated to herself, Nygma took the time to number this list of riddles. She believed that it was because he presented them in the order that she should solve them in. Harleen considered trying to solve the riddles in whatever order they came to her then order them, but the first one stumped her completely. When Nygma was her patient, he made her work for her paycheck, but somehow she managed to understand him. Then he never wrote down his brain teasers, she would on her legal pad and tinker with them later. Other doctors wouldn't bother, they'd just try to convince him that he should try communicating in another way, partly because they couldn't decipher his riddles.

Doctors typically had eleven plus years under their belt in education, and Nygma had high expectations for them. By neglecting his riddles, they proved themselves unworthy of his intellect and would resist working with them. Harleen could remember the first riddle that he gave her, they were both sitting in her office, he was a nonviolent so only his hands were cuffed.

"A king that wants to remain king has three children and one problem, why is this"

Harleen thought about it for a day, while she made dinner for herself that night the answer was clear. Edward was surprised when she called him back in for another session, "I see that you haven't had me passed to a different shrink?"

"Given that the King has three children total, two of them would be daughters and the last one a son"

He responded excitedly, with a smile on his face "So what's the problem?"

"Well to remain King he can marry off his daughters, but he'll have to kill his son" Harleen observed the man sitting in front of her, it was like watching someone meet with their closest friend. His shoulder sagged and he relaxed in the light brown couch that sat in front of her desk, he displayed relief.

"We can begin, I'll take whatever you throw at me" Harleen assured

"I'm glad"

He knew that side of her, the side that wanted to help people, the side that strived to do her job the way it was supposed to be done. She continued to make progress with him until the Joker came to Arkham. Harleen did take time to see the genius during his recreational hours, these visits lessened as she became preoccupied with her new assignment. The last thing she can remember concerning Nygma was overhearing some coworkers mention that he'd been taken to the infirmary due to a stab wound.

Now she sat in the room provided to her by Bruce, he had left to go to a business meeting around seven. This riddle shouldn't have taken her this long to figure out, but she felt as if she was overthinking it. These were made to help her, not to confuse her, everything that she either on this paper or in her memories.

She eyed the numerated riddles then took out a sheet of paper and a pencil, she had some addition to do.

ooooo

The small prepaid phone that he stole while walking through a small dollar store began to glow and vibrate. He had honestly forgotten about it until hearing it, he knew the good doctor wouldn't give up so easily when presented with a challenge.

The text message read 6,1,5,7,2,3,4*

His heart began to tremble, she took the time to do the math, this should get her on the right track! More importantly, she didn't give up or render the answers too hard, Harleen had returned and he couldn't be more overjoyed. He was staying in a motel for the time being, being caught always sent him back a few steps but he was smart enough to prepare for this inconvenience.

Harleen was such a treat to be around and when Harley Quinn showed up it hurt him seeing this imposter invade the doctor's body. Harleen was supposed to remain his doctor, and her methods were helping him cope with his compulsive tendencies. He was able to open up to her without using his riddles as a crutch, he wasn't concerned about proving his intelligence his only concern was their conversation. When the idiots at Arkham assigned her the Joker, he thought he would never see her again but she still came to see him! This went on until he had to be taken out of general population because of a stabbing, he didn't see who had done so the attacker had come from behind.

Edward has a feeling that the Joker and Harleen were connected somehow, he wanted to know how the Joker broke her. It couldn't have seen a simple feat either, her head was screwed on tight, she was goal oriented and never strayed from a task. Her descent into madness was completely undocumented, however the aftermath was available on file for anyone with proper clearance.

He'd take a small break from his usual dealings to help her, after all he owed it to her, she was the only one to try.

ooooo

She began with the sixth riddle "You bury me when I am alive but dig me up when I die, what am I?" this one was simpler than the last one. She sent Nygma the answer and upon getting the good response, she grew confused. How is a plant supposed to help her find out the bulk of her criminal history, why couldn't he just give her the information straight up!? Harleen understood why he structured his answers this way but failed to see these as answers.

Harleen went back to her notes, Bruce had found nearly all of her original research, even when she was searching for alternative medicine options. As much as she appreciated conventional medication she had been reading up on more natural remedies. She read over an article by Pamela Isley, wait she's interviewed Dr. Isley while she was a patient in Arkham. It was a real shame what happened to her, it was the first Harleen had seen of rumored metahumans. For a short while in Gotham, doctors, engineers and other professionals were being sucked into the crime demographic. Illegal substances were being created for dangerous experiments, some even being tested on humans.

If she was thinking correctly, she needed to find Pamela Isley who now answered to Poison Ivy rather than her human name. But how in the hell was she going to find her, Harleen took time to try and solve the next Riddle. "I was once living, but now I am short and flat on the top, this is the only way you'll have dates to put on my tombstone" she rewrote the riddle down for herself. Biting the inside of her cheek she sent Nygma a text, another correct response, "Ok….a stump….that's what happens when you cut down a tree, which is what Poison Ivy, a plant, would not want, where are trees being cut down?"

Grabbing the newspaper with the cross words on it from earlier that day she began to search for her answer, finding it in the editorial section. A small botanical garden was being shut down after the cold weather and a lack of proper funding caused the plants to die. There would be no way to make the necessary purchases to replace the old plant life, and the keepers of the garden had exhausted all options and sought help through a fund raiser. According to this editorial, citizens of Gotham were urging to garden keepers to sell the place and give up all of the arable land. Looking at the pictures of the damage done, the only plant life consisted of seasonal trees, and the couple had until today to decide the fate of the garden.

Pamela would have to be there, even if the garden was saved, the chance of the trees being cut down had to anger her enough to make an appearance.

ooooo

When Harleen showed up to see a crew of men cutting down the trees to make way for a brand new strip mall she expected to see Poison Ivy throwing a fit. She didn't expect to be forced into an alley and choked by a green woman in a trench coat. Pamela had gotten worse, her skin held no complexion of a healthy human, only the green of a well photosynthesized plant. Maybe the next riddle would've warned her about this encounter but after solving, she found it wasn't relevant.

Her legs kicked helplessly as she was lifted off of the ground by thick, menacing vines that wrapped around her body and throat, squeezing her. Pamela looked pissed, what the hell did she do to her, what the hell did Harley do to her?

"You think walking around without your costume will hide you from me? After what you and your little boyfriend pulled I'd love to grind you up into mulch"

"D-dr. Isley, you're making a big mistake" Harleen wheezed.

"What did you just call me!?" Poison Ivy snapped, shedding her coat revealing her full self.

"It's me Harleen" she gasped, "I spoke with you at Arkham, please, let me down" her red face was slowly growing blue, "please"

The vines retracted enough to allow her prey to breathe and speak properly, but she wouldn't release her just yet. "Have you gone completely insane, what are you going on about? I have an entire grove of babies to save I don't have to time to hear you prattle on"

"I get that, I really do, but hear me out, trust me Miss Isley" she felt the vines tighten again, "Poison Ivy" she corrected herself. "Just give me five minutes that all I need"

ooooo

"So if I did believe you, which I don't, you came to ask me about your-"

"Harley's, not mine" Harleen corrected, she didn't want any confusion.

"...Harley's crimes, whatever"

"Yes, that's all I want"

The botanist folded her arms over her chest, "What do I get out of this, 'helping' you?"

Harleen shrugged, she didn't have money to give away as a reward and Pamela wasn't exactly Nygma, she'd want something of worth. After she'd left him the notes and her coat at the address provided he hadn't asked for anything else. Being a man she half expected him to be eyeing her the way that the red head circling her did. Poison Ivy took Harleen back to a spot in the forest where Ivy had created an entire ecosystem of plant life. They sat under a canopy of leaves near a river, the trees around them were heavy with fruit and flowers.

It was all beautiful, but this imposing green woman who could kill her with a snap of her fingers was leering at her like a piece of meat. Harleen stood stiff, "What do you want?"

Poison Ivy reached out and played with a strand of Harleen's hair, it was a clean powdery blonde. Ivy remained skeptical about the doctor's explanation, but she understood how Dissociative Personality Disorder worked. When Harleen sat in front of her during their interview, the perky doctor was bouncing with excitement. The questioning had nothing to do with her mental status, but more about her research, Ivy gladly indulged her.

"If it means anything, I looked to your thesis when I was in a rough spot in my work, I would really love to talk more about your career one day" she bashfully began to play with her hands.

"My pheromones can manipulate men and women with ease, during our first meeting I was inadvertently producing a copious amount of these chemicals" she ran her hand up Harleen's back. "I should've hand you eating out of my hand" her soft green digits closed in on Harleen's chin to tilt her head upwards. "This was the first instance of your resistance to my toxins, you just went on and on asking me questions like a little school girl, you didn't even mind that I was completely naked"

Harleen's cheeks grew a tad pink, "We're all born naked" this was ridiculous, Harleen came here for answers about her life, not for a surprise lecture on alternative medicine. "But what do you want that would convince you to help me?" she swallowed, trying to sound serious.

"I want a kiss"

So much for trying to sound serious, Harleen's next sentence came out a stuttered mess, "I-I-I-I guess, as long as w-we speak about Harley, why d-do you want that?" Harleen didn't have a disposition when it came down to gender but this was Pamela fricken Isley.

"You talk too much" she crouched down to capture Harleen's mouth, she bit the blonde's lower lip causing her to gasp and giving Ivy an opening to deepen the kiss. Harley was very committed to her puddin' and wouldn't dare share herself with another man or woman. This gesture proved enough, Harleen was absent of her clown loving alter ego, but there was no harm in testing the waters. She gripped Harleen's thighs kneading upwards before her fingertips grazed the crotch of her pants. Ivy was a succubus trying to sap the life out of this little angel, whose innocence shielded her from becoming tainted and used.

The redhead moved from Harleen's mouth to her neck sucking lightly before speaking into her ear. "You taste so pure, you'd look so good in green too" she bit her earlobe, "Let me germinate you, get you moist and healthy then keep you safe and warm until you begin to sprout, you'd be my own creation being the blank slate that you are" she grinned and began to slip her hands under Harleen's shirt.

Harleen put her hands on Ivy's shoulders to put some distance between them, "Pamela, please I need answers" she was flustered but spoke with sadness in her voice.

Ivy huffed with disappointment, "It was worth it, what do you want to know?"

ooooo

Harleen sat in front of a bruised Bruce, applying alcohol to his cheek, "This looks bad, I'm not sure if I should ask"

"It would best if you didn't" he murmured, his face then grew confused, "Is that a leaf?"

Slowly, she reached her mouth and pulled a full leaf out that was stuck to the inside of her cheek.

"Should I ask?" he cocked an eyebrow

"It would be best if you didn't"

He was a territorial person, not many were privileged enough the see the inside of his bedroom. The dark colored walls were rarely grazed by sunlight, the black curtains always drawn closed unless opened by Alfred. She sat on his mattress like they shared the bed together, she gave him a sense of peace by being near. Gentle hands held his face, giving first aid to the only mark he sustained from last night's patrol. He closed his eyes to think, he had to monitor the locations of his trackers, check the surveillance of problem areas and create a containment map.

Harleen watched his body slump forward, whatever he was out doing it drained his energy. She pulled his body forward allowing him to rest his head on her chest, she felt him flinch at her movements. She began to run her fingers through his short black hair, he was like a giant child who needed a nap. Harleen didn't mind comforting Bruce, or anyone for that matter, she's had to provide the same for her mother. As Bruce began to fall asleep, she let her mind roam, attempting to comprehend recent information.

Ivy answered most of her questions concerning her personality and lifestyle as Harley. Her other personality was least problematic when away from the Joker, although she did continue engaging in criminal activity when separated from her clown prince boyfriend. She did have her squabbles with the Joker, typically staying with Ivy until the situation cooled down. The two women would go on crime sprees of their own, but when Harleen returned to the Joker their relationship would suffer some complications as well.

Harleen understood that there would be no book or database to chronicle her life as Harley but talking to Ivy gave her some peace of mind. Honestly, she wouldn't mind going back and speaking with the woman, yes they made out but Harleen never let trivial matters bother her. Hell, she had sex with Bruce and now she had him asleep on her lap with absolutely no guilt or discomfort.

In college, men were baffled by Harleen, she wasn't promiscuous but she did have a tame amount of sex. If an attractive young man, and perhaps even a woman if ever offered, showed interest in her she didn't mind. As long as both parties respected one another, and they were safe, she didn't mind having casual sex or giving someone a kiss. Her partners would bed her and expect for her to stay around or even seek a deeper investment after their coupling and she would move on easily.

On one occasion one of her lab mates shared a bed with her for a night, and he had expected her to talk about it or hint at it when they went back to work. Conversely, she not only didn't mention it but flat out ignored him when he tried to bring it up to gauge her reaction. He grew bolder and threatened to tell anyone who would listen about their sexual exploits after she refused to have sex with him again. She responded with a shrug and continued to tinker with the spectrophotometer and take down the right measurements.

A rumor spread but had a short life, she was accused of sleeping her way to the top and quickly dispelled these. People went to her for help with their homework and studies, as well as life advice. She didn't care what other branded her, she worked hard and graduated early, this is all that mattered to her. The young man responsible for starting the rumor however got caught cheating during an exam and was expelled for his misconduct. His shortcoming did not provide her with satisfaction, she was merely disappointed that another young mind succumbed to ignorance and dishonesty. Although, that did not keep her from giving him a friendly nod when passing him in the hallway as he lugged around moving boxes and a diminished sense of self-respect.

Carefully, she scooted back on the bed and placed a pillow under Bruce's head, hopefully he would get some real rest.

ooooo

Fresh air, no air conditioning, windows or walls blocking the breeze, only fresh unfiltered and nostalgia triggering air. You could smell the exhaust off a passing bus and the smell of hot dogs cooking on a cart. The wind was steady and cold, and now that the sun had gone down, a jacket was necessary to maintain comfort. Now fully immersed in the Gotham atmosphere Harleen experienced a feeling, sitting on a park bench and watching the time go by and the sky grow dark.

Yes, it was cold and police sirens served as the soundtrack to her calm evening, but she felt liberated. She was gaining progress and slowly but surely taking her life back, Harleen was probably grinning like an idiot right now and didn't care. In time, after solving the riddles and speaking more with Ivy, Harleen could move on to repair the shattered remains of her life.

This part of the park was a bit isolated, but perfectly quiet and the ideal environment for self-reflection. Soon she would need to find a job and get another apartment, she wanted to find her old one and see if she could retrieve some things. Having a criminal record, she'd need to find some way to either get that pardoned to assume a new identity. Harleen didn't want to sacrifice all of those years of study just to no longer use it. There had to be a way that she could still help people, and not by succumbing to underground tactics, no she wanted it all back.

She wanted the Joker to be watching a television and witness her come back to the world as a wiser and stronger individual. To have her colleagues and acquaintances accept her back with open arms as she told the story of her struggle. To wipe away all traces of the Joker, to eliminate him as an obstacle, to give him a knowing nod as he was sitting in a cell awaiting the end.

She shivered a bit, not at the harsh nature of her fantasy, but at a change in the air, a new presence.

"I love this city you know, the crime is bad but the city has its charm"

She froze, her own breath caught in her throat, and her entire body went numb. The air around her became stale and dry, the life had been sucked out of the wind and herself as well. He found her, and not only that, proceeded to sit next to her and make small talk as if everything was normal. Harleen had been trying to find way to corner this bastard, exposing his hiding place, hunting him down and rob him of any sense of security that he may have had before.

At the very moment she began to regain her sense of self, he appeared, out of nowhere, to comment on the city's crime. She tried to remain calm, but her flesh began to tremble and her hands balled into fist. She flinched feeling him move next to her, as he draped his long arms across the back of the seat they now shared. He crossed his legs, and his body relaxed into the seat while she sat taught and frightened, and judging by the tone of his voice he had to be wearing a smile.

"Don't be like that Harls, there's no need to act like a stranger around me" he remarked, turning his head to glance down at her.

He was relishing the effect that he had on her right now, his hand now rested on her stiff, unmoving shoulder. "Not very vocal today are we? After our last little chat I'd think that you'd want to continue where we left off Harley" he took time to drag out her name before being cut off.

"Harleen" she corrected through her clenched teeth.

"You're really adamant about maintaining that distinction aren't you dear?" his tone was condescending. He didn't appreciate her correcting him over the identity he established within her.

"Why are you here?" she snapped in monotone.

He raised an eyebrow and laughed a bit, "Really? After all that trouble at Arkham that's the question you start with, one that I already answered need I remind you"

"How the hell did you find me?"

"Better, but still boring" he rolled his eyes. "I wasn't even trying to honestly, I just spotted you getting off a bus not too far from here. Odd, that coat is too nice for someone taking the bus to wear, you must have connections in some high places"

She swallowed, "So you saw me get off the bus and just followed me from there?"

"What...no, I got a pretzel first, lost sight of you, took a walk through the park and there you were" he gave a halfhearted shrug.

She looked at him with a distressed face, he looked partially normal just as he looked in the asylum that day. In fact, when he was her patient, she'd never really seen him in full makeup, yes his appearance was a little abnormal but the makeup exaggerated his features. His face was heavily scarred and his skin was discolored, also his hair was a mix of blonde brown and green. He was hiding in plain sight, so anyone that walked by wouldn't think anything of the two sitting casually on the bench.

"You've caused me a lot of grief lately" he gave her a little shake

Harleen didn't speak, she tried to remain silent, hopefully he would get bored and leave.

"The silent treatment? How cruel, I just want to talk to you, if I recall correctly you loved talking to me, did everything you did to talk to me, I guess that backfired on you in the long run though" he took time to let out a joyous cackle.

Harleen lashed out, aiming a fist for his face, she wanted to knock that grin right off of his lips. In her frenzied attack, the Joker caught her arm and took this opportunity to pull her closer. "You've apparently forgotten the wealth of hard work that I put into you, making you what you are" his large hand wrapped around her throat.

She instantly panicked, kicking her legs only to have more of her body drawn in and restricted by the man sharing the bench with her. After angling her in such a way that his body forced her more into the seat he covered her mouth with his other hand. His breathing became labored from having to exert enough energy to restrain her and from his own personal excitement from his actions. With a combination of being choked and having a hand over her mouth screaming was out of the question and she just continued to thrash.

One of her shoes and an earring lay on the ground while her coat was now hanging off a shoulder and her hair disheveled. "You need a reminder" he growled into her ear as she began to lose consciousness. She took this time to remain calm, saving as much air as she could, her vision was going red, not black, but a deep blood red. As her body began to grow limp she felt a hand playing with loose strands of her hair.

She began to see stars and then she saw nothing.

ooooo

He couldn't stand the sound of crying, more importantly the sound of her crying. It didn't annoy him nor did he find it a hindrance, but being a problem solver it indicated something wrong that he wanted to fix. Machines weren't simple, but they made sense to him, in enough time he could take something apart and put it back together working and functional. A pregnant woman was not a machine, she's a person, made of tissue and fluids, far too delicate to repair mechanically. Not to mention the extent of his medical knowledge stopped at basic chemistry, all he knew was that her hormones were taking her on a rollercoaster ride.

This morning he woke up to a smiling ball of sunshine, energetic and perky, ready to cook breakfast and start the day. Now she was reduced to a sobbing heap, cooped up in their bedroom, blinds drawn closed in complete silence save for her crying. He didn't want to aggravate her, these mood swings happened to expecting mothers, but his hands began to itch and burn ready to repair. He eventually got up to go comfort her in any way that he could, walking upstairs and into the room.

He walked over to the bed, crawled next to her and hugged her close to his body, gently playing with her hair. She stiffened but soon relaxed her crying now softer and less agonizing, he lie there in silence, waiting for her to speak.

"I'm so sorry Jack" she sniffed and began to sit up, having a hard time doing so

"It's ok, what's up with you huh" he sat up along with her, putting a helping hand on her back to help her steady herself.

"No no I'm fine, I just, I don't know there's just…..it's too much, too much to even" she wiped the fresh tears brewing in her eyes.

"We don't gotta talk about it" he gave her a lopsided grin, "we can just sit here" he reached over to rub her stomach. "I can't even imagine how you do this, let alone other women"

"What do you mean?"

"I mean there's a tiny person in there, and you're not even charging them rent" he rubbed his chin thoughtfully

Jeannine snorted and laughed, caught off guard by Jack's quick humor. "Are you serious?"

"I mean you got a tenant in there, kicking the walls and partying all times of the night, not to mention they're taking up more space than they initially said, god forbid there's someone else in there"

Jeannine gave Jack a playful push, "Oh stop it, you're making my face hurt, laughing so much"

"But uh, just between me and you" he looked over his shoulder as if checking for eavesdroppers, "By the time their lease is up, getting that security deposit back is outta the question" he flashed her a toothy smile before being hit with a pillow.

"What are you trying to say you jerk" she continued to laugh her tears now dry. "You think the baby is gonna wreck up the place?"

"All I'm saying, is that they're not coming outta there without a fight" he leans in to whisper, "I hear their dad is a mean drunk"

The sound of her laughter was a lot better than the sound of her crying.

ooooo

She woke up screaming, thrashing and feeling for her neck with the memory of her attack still fresh in her mind. A nurse appeared in the door, but Harleen felt a large firm hand on her chest that gently pressed her back into a resting position. The blonde laid back with a pitiful whimper, waiting for the two in the room to finish their conversation. Bruce assured the nurse that he had the situation under control, but did request that she come back in a few minutes.

"Do you want anything?" he didn't want to push her for answers although it burned him not knowing what happened.

"No" she rasped, her eyes tearing from the pain in her throat.

"They'll have to take some x-rays to make sure nothing is broken before discharging you"

She stared at the ceiling, trying desperately to remember what happened, but nothing came to her. The usual numbness that came from her feeling of helplessness transformed into a blow burning rage. Just to imagine, if she was dealt enough trauma she could revert back into her old personality, or a new one she knew nothing about. Harleen allowed her focus to falter, ever so slightly, and left herself vulnerable to attack.

"Nothing Bruce..." she wheezed.

He leaned in to hear her better

"Nothing else, no more distractions, I have to do this no matter what"

Bruce went to reply when the doctor walked in, "Sorry to interrupt, how are you feeling Ms. Doe?" the doctor spoke giving Bruce a reassuring nod. Wayne enterprises funded many establishments throughout the city including some private funding to the hospital at which they were currently located.

Harleen looked to Bruce for an explanation, "Jane Doe" he remarked, they had to be discrete given her previous criminal status.

"My throat" she gestured to neck area.

"I can imagine, those are some nasty bruises, but nothing that time can't fix" the man walked over giving Bruce a firm handshake before turning his attention to Harleen. "Let's have a look" he surveyed the damage, her skin showed definite signs of strangulation, but judging by their orientation the individual knew what they were doing. It looked as if the assailant wanted to just block her airways and leave bruises, not to kill her. Her throat would hurt, but as he pressed and felt there were no broken bones, just swelling.

"We'll get you an x-ray, just to make sure, but from what I feel everything is where it should be" he gave them both a reassuring nod. "You're very lucky, usually the stress induced by an attack of this nature would've prompted a miscarriage-"

"Wait, what" she frowned turning her head to look at the doctor.

The doctor looked to Bruce, then back to Harleen, "Yes, being strangled has been known to cause pregnant women to miscarry"

She could only hear a dull ring in her ears, drowning out the sound of Bruce's words and the doctor's questions. The entire world sank away from her like sand leaving her in her bed alone and in darkness.

She was pregnant.

A/N: Ok this should be the final edit for this chapter

The formatting was getting a little screwy and I had to change the way I did my section separations

Some of you may notice that they used to be "+" symbols

Now they have changed to "ooooo"

I hope that doesn't confuse or inconvenience anyone, I'm very sorry I didn't notice this change earlier

Anyway, I hope this chapter makes up for that little snafu

Sometimes I just get really tired and grossly sad, it prevents me from wanting to do anything

But I got over myself enough to write more

I'll post the riddle key in this section when I get back home (I'm on vacation right now)

I hope you all enjoy and leave a review if you'd like

I know I always apologize for being late but I never get any better at not being late when making these updates