Harley Quinn~Crazy in love

Chapter 6- Carpe Diem

When I came back from work later that evening I find the flat desolate apart from Ivy's work scattered around along with her plants which were now spilling from the sides of the counters, resting their leaves on the kitchen floor in groups of mass green. They seemed to have grown rapidly since this morning! With a sigh I run a hand through my hair, remove my glasses and then go across to the bathroom to run myself a bubble bath which I had been looking forward to all day just to get some peace. After seeing Joker the rest of the day just seemed to drag on for me and concentrating was physically impossible, even Joan couldn't pull me out of it and she usually is good at bringing me back to reality. She noticed how distracted and distant I had been during lunch when she came to get a file from my office but when she inquired if I was alright I couldn't bring myself to tell her the truth, instead I just lied about being tired etc. I know she meant well and it was sweet of her to be concerned, but how could I tell her about me and Joker's first therapy session without making her think I'm crazy? No one could ever know anything about these sessions, therefore I decided to make it completely secretive until a huge step of progress had been made. Even Ivy could not know and that is what was hurting me the most. She was such a dear friend and I bet she was eager to hear all about it as well, it killed me knowing I couldn't tell her.Once I ran my bath and filled it with all sorts of bubbles and scents I spent around an hour in it, blasting my music and just getting lost in my own thoughts like I usually did when I wasn't doing anything in particular. I used to do it all the time in school when I was younger, my teachers would call me 'Harleen Daydreamer' and sometimes would hit my knuckles if I wasn't paying full attention;That place was such a tough private school, yet why had my parents payed so much money for me to go to a place that I completely hated? I never understood or forgave them for that, it was hell yet whenever I rang for them to take me home it was just denied. The school was just another excuse to get rid of me I think.
"Harley girl I'm home!" Ivy yells bringing me back to reality as I turn the music down to reply, pulling the plug out the bath and stepping out. "Hey Ivy! Where y'a been?"
"Just been getting a few things don't worry, want me to make us something to eat? I just got some fresh salad and steamed beetroot, it smells delicious I may add"
"Can we not order a takeaway Pam? I'm not really in the mood for green things" I whinge, reaching for a towel and wrapping it round myself whilst picking up my tangled clothes which lay on the floor. Ivy's diet was very different to mine, for example she preferred healthy things and was a vegan whilst I lived on endless takeaways and sweets. The appeal of cabbage and various other vegetables was something I just could never understand, with or without my medical degree! I go to my room and put a comfy pair of jeans and top on before going to the kitchen where Ivy was talking to the local takeaway on the phone but still nursing her lettuce. "Where having half and half" she announces as she puts her phone down on the bench and heads over to the counter to start preparing the vegetables, I didn't even dare argue back but just sat down instead. The final word with Pam was always the final word! "So how was your day?" I get out my own phone to scroll through some news articles;god why is batman the headline of every one of them he isn't even that great! "It was okay, I just tried to start up all my projects again and nurse my poor babies back to health... Some were starving when I went to get them how ignorant! Your guards do a terrible job." Ivy slams the kitchen knife down and I give an awkward cough, trying to see her expression which she hid underneath that fiery red hair. "Now Ivy...."
"I know I know I'm cool.. So how was your day? Was the meeting with the great and manic Joker everything you dreamed of?"
"Well he was very.." My phone suddenly starts to ring and I practically breathe a sigh of relief, saved by the bell! With a press I answer it and hold it to my ear only to have silence on the other end. "H-hello?"
More silence.
"Listen here buddy this ain't a funny joke, I ain't laughin and neither will you when I come round and punch y'a brains out"
Silence.
I was about to hang up when I suddenly heard a voice come through the phone. A voice which chilled me right to the core.
"Oh Miss Quinzel that was a delightful greeting, I knew you were my kind of girl. Death threats and all." he begins to laugh which sends shivers down my spine, how did he get this number and a cell phone? Was he out of his cell? Joker was getting me more and more on edge to the point of feeling like I was gonna faint onto the kitchen floor.
"T-technically speaking I'm off duty so we shouldn't be having this chat until tomorrow, AND we will be discussing this tomorrow. How did you get this number? Joker if you are out of your cell I swear I will..."
"Ring Dr. arkham? Have your little boss who you worship come beat me black and blue? Dear dear Harley, you need to stop having others fight your fights! Take some action, feel your victims blood boil as you end their pity little lives, carpe diem as it was once said!"
"Look....What do you want Joker?"
"Oh I just rang to say how much I enjoyed our first therapy session, your words practically touched my heart and helped me make some very tough decisions. For that reason I decided I would leave a little thank you gift in your office, it's very empty isn't it? I see you never replaced your desk"
Why was he in my office? How did he even get in I had checked that lock so many times!
"What was the point you would just rip it to shreds again" I try to keep my voice steady and Ivy is stood their watching me, even without it on speaker you could still hear his laughter throughout the room.
"My my Miss Quinn you are on a roll today. Now when you see your 'gift' I don't want you to think of me but think of yourself, your life in perspective. Life is short Harley, you need to live it and not spend hours stuck in an office with a bunch of other doctors going nowhere. How is that even living? You and me Harley we are one in the same, two victims of life desperate to live. People don't understand the freaks like us, no respect, nothing. You need them to give you respect, show these citizens that us freaks are here to stay and it is them who are in the wrong. You can either break free or be stuck in that vicious cycle, even if you cure me Dr. Arkham will take the credit he will never let you have that glory. You are a freak to him, no matter how much you try to impress him."
"You're wrong, he promised me" my voice begins to wobble as my brain goes into a panic.
"But did he? He promised us to have our therapy sessions together, nothing more or less. He has no interest in your or your work he just wants me cured. Me on the other hand I am certainly impressed by you. C'mon Harl, you deserve a more fun and wild life. Break out and Break free of this torture. When you see the gift remember that. You need to seize the day and take what is your's. Carpe diem" with a shriek of laughter he clicks off leaving me a wreck of shivers and endless tears. After we ate our takeaway I went straight to sleep with his words running through my head, I had said nothing to Ivy but she had heard it all anyway and I could feel her concern. We didn't speak of the subject which was good, instead we just watched tv until I felt drowsy enough to sleep and stop his voice. However the next day the chant of the call started again. Carpe diem, carpe diem...As I entered into work in the early hours of the morning I felt completely paranoid that everyone was staring even when only security was about, no one knew about last night but I felt as if they had all been there. That they all knew what he had said to me, what he had done. I still wasn't sure what this gift Joker was on about even is. It wasn't until I opened my office door to find a dead bodyguard with a bow on his head lying on my desk did I realise what had happened. His body was oozing thick blood that was crusting around the edges from being exposed too long, his eyes stuck open staring at me. His mouth open as blood was spilling out. It was a pretty horrific sight, Joker had obviously chosen a brutal death. Beside the body was a small card, I flipped it open and all it said was.

"To my dearest Harley Quinn, have you ever seen a real dead body before?
Love MR.J"

I didn't scream or call the police, I just stood there in shock. After a few minutes I decided I would have to do something, he couldn't be found in my office that was for certain. As mad as I was at him I desperately wanted to protect Joker, who knows what they would do to him if they saw what he had done! I cleaned my entire desk, wiping all evidence of blood off until the room began to smell like its old self which was basically just the perfume I wore along with freshly printed paper. The scratches and drawings still stayed on the desk, some I couldn't get the blood out of so instead I left it there as a reminder to myself. A vow to myself infact. I then snuck the body out the emergency exit avoiding all cameras until I reached a dumpster a bit away from the building. With the blood on my hands and the stench of decay in the air I dumped the body in and set it alight. Watching it go up in flames as he crumbled away. I had protected Joker, that was all that mattered. The fire was pretty to watch though, oh so pretty.... Joker had been right. It felt good to take some control and some action. Carpe Diem.