You're His Favorite Joke

Chapter 12: Terminate

Dr. Harleen Quinzel

This is a mistake, it has to be. Why would he even be here? I can't believe it's him.

"Slade," I whispered.

Slade lifted his head up. His hands were tied behind his chair.

"Harleen?" Slade was confused too. The way he looked at me was like I wasn't real.

We both just stared at each other. We both were denying that this was even happening. But it is; this is happening, and I wish it wasn't.

"What," I whispered, "What the hell, Slade?!" I then yelled at a concerned Slade who was stumbling a responses.
"No! You listen to me! You pushed me away! Made me think that something was wrong with me, or that I was crazy! But I'm not the crazy one, Slade. Why are you here?! What did you do?! Who the hell are you?!"

I was fuming. I grew closer to Slade who was as angry as I was. We were close like the day we had our friendly fight. But this isn't anything friendly.

I know it was bad for me to scream at him, he is my patient. I was still angry though. I sucked in air through my teeth. Slade's face just grew stern.

"Who am I?" Slade began, "I'm Slade Joseph Wilson, but to some, I'm Deathstroke. What did I do? There is a lot of things that I have done in my life, but I don't have the time or patience's to go over it; but I'll keep it brief. I'm an assassin. Why am I here? I was one of the eight assassins hired to find and kill the Batman. But I've killed people long before him, some deserved...Some didn't. As long as I got paid--I never asked questions. Are those the answers you wanted?"

Slade's voice was cold and hard as stone. What he just told me was so hard to believe. I couldn't take it in, I just stared at him. He kills people for money. That is disgusting, he took people's lives away from them all for money.
Slade Wilson: my neighbor, the man I cared about- is a murderer. The way he confessed to me was so normal to him. He didn't stutter or show any sign of remorse. I stumbled onto my chair. He was fine with himself. He was ok with being a killer. My head was clouded with confusion.

"Harleen," Slade called me, I looked up at him. His once stern face was now soft and gentle. It made me feel better.

"Don't think of me as a monster. I do what's necessary. I am the end to someone's day. Someone who has or hasn't got it coming. It's never personal--it's a job. But I can't deny that I am the best at what I do; and what I do is terminate." Slade said it as soft as a song, but his words are hard to hear.

"The reason you feel like it's...Okay to do what you do is, because this was the only lifestyle shown to you." I spoke in my most soothing voice.

"Don't," Slade tried to interrupt me, but I kept on talking.

"When you see the errors of your ways will be the first, yet difficult step."

"Harleen," Slade stated louder as he tried to weave my attention. But I kept on talking.

"I will be here to be your friend, and hold a clear--"

"HARLEEN! ENOUGH!" Slade rose from his chained chair as he roared like an animal.

I quickly stopped talking, Slade wasn't the man I thought he was. I now know that he was capable of anything.

Slade was red and his breathing was heavy. His ashen hair was messy over his eyes. His veins around his necks pulsed rapidly. The guards were too busy dealing with the Batman, so no one scrambled in.

Slade fell to his chair as his chains rattled together. His breathing was hard as sweat traveled down his brow. Some of his sliver hair was dampened with sweat.

"Slade," I started, but Slade cut me off.
"Don't, just...Don't," Slade breathlessly stopped me. His eyes was tightly closed as his wrinkles was angrily wrapped.
"My life is something I can't have you in," Slade whispered. His words felt like a knife. Slade emotionless words stabbed away at me.

"Don't get me wrong. I want you in my life. I do want you. I could," Slade looked away from me, "I would treat you the way you should be treated," He then snapped back,"I won't risk you for my own pleasure."

I looked deep into his eye, his hurtful words began to faded away, "Slade, I need to help you."

Slade scoffed at me, "There's no helping me, babe."
Slade wore a sad half smile. I felt my cheeks grow hot.
"Sorry, just," Slade sucked in a breath,
"I'm trying to ease the tension."

I giggled at Slade's attempt.

"How long have you been...Killing people?" I slowly asked.

"For money? About twenty years; for the army, since I was sixteen." He's been like this since he was sixteen? How did he even get into the army, he was too young.

"You were too young to be in the army," I corrected, but Slade spoke up.
"I lied about my age," Slade corrected. He's been so violent since he was young. He never knew what was right, he never had a clue.

"So this is your life style?" I asked.
"No, this is my life," Slade proudly stated.
"You need to stop this! If you keep talking like that they'll keep you! They might even send you to Arkham!" I was so scared for Slade, I yelled at him because I was trying to help him.
He wasn't just my patient.

"You think I'm scared? I've escaped from worse than Arkham," I wanted to help him. I wanted to get him out of here, but he didn't let me help him. I felt so defeated.

"Slade, why are you so stubborn?" I scoffed as I wrote down his diagnosis.

"Give it to me straight, Doc," Slade joked,"How long do I have here?"

I looked up from my clipboard. I didn't want to tell him; I bit my lower lip and looked away from him. I was now staring out the window, and saw the tree that Pamela was fond of. It was covered in white snow.

"Don't hold back," Slade whispered as a small motivation. I turned back to him. His eye was gleaming with the moon light.
"Fifty to life. Slade, I can get you out of here."
"What, you'll help me escape?"

I was dumbfounded by his question. I will help Slade as much as I can. I'll do what ever I could, but I couldn't do that.

"I'll protect you," Slade reeled my attention.
"I can handle myself," I replied as Slade half smiled and shook his head.
"And you say I'm stubborn...No one would dare mess with you. Unless, of course, they want to die. Don't be afraid. I just need to get out, and then we--could start," Slade's eye begged to me.

"I can't, Slade. I know if I do...We'll be perfect-- for a while. Then you'll push me away. You will break my heart, and leave me wondering what went wrong. Because in your mind--you're protecting me."

Slade looked down in defeat as I glared hard at him, "You're smarter than I thought," Slade scoffed.

"Yeah, well, I can't help you escape. What I can do is help you be released." I said trying reassure him.

"Don't waste your time. I'll be out when I feel like it," Slade looked away from me. I wanted to...I don't even know what I want to do. My life has always been constant order, and now it's truing into mayhem. I was about to speak, but the door was slammed open.

"Dr. Quinzel, we got a big one!" A random officer yelled to me.

"I'll be there right now..,"I turned to Slade, I didn't want to leave him.

"Go on" Slade turned his gaze away from me. "Don't bother coming back."

I just scoffed at his rudeness,"Enjoy your long stay, Mr. Wilson."

I slammed the door, my back was now to the door. I took an unsteady breath and shook my head. I was furious, I then felt a tear slide down my cheek.I quickly wiped it away. My hand was shaky and I held it down for a moment.

Come on, Harleen. Everything seems so dark, but there will be light.

Chaos rang through the hall as police officers jolted everywhere. All I could hear was people's voice clash. But then it was tuned out. As if someone pressed the mute button. Through the chaos, all I could hear was laughter.