The Fault in our Scars (originally known as 'Maybe Baby' by Alex Snape)

Chapter 2

The next day...

Elvis gripped the steering wheel as Harley sat in the backseat of the old black Cadillac. He would glance in the rearview mirror at her as she stared out of the open window, the blonde wisps of hair that had fallen from her ponytail wafting in the cool breeze. He cleared his throat when her eyes cut a glance back at him and he quickly shifted his attention back to his driving.

He always had to be cautious when Harley was around, but it was a bit hard for him when her very presence made his stomach fill with nerves and his mouth turn dry. What was more astounding to him about her was The Joker: why him? Why was this beautiful woman doting after and shacking up with an unbalanced individual such as this sick clown?

He knew that he would never understand it, and he knew that he would always have to watch her from a distance. The thought of this would make the drought in his mouth travel to his throat.

Harley balanced the small potted geranium in her lap as she rolled up the window of her door. She looked down and sighed at the plastic bag next to her on the seat. She had Elvis stop at the drug store on the way, picking up her 'feminine unmentionables,' she had explained with an awkward smile. Harley had instead walked hastily to the 'Family Planning' aisle and grabbed a pregnancy test, throwing cash onto the check-out counter and rushing back to the car.

The ride seemed to take longer than usual but when she looked up to point this out to her driver, Ivy's apartment slowly crawled into view and Elvis was soon trying to parallel park. Harley grabbed her plastic bag. "Don't worry 'bout it, Elvis," she said, feigning a satisfied smile. "I can walk."

Elvis put his arm on the front seat as he turned to look at her. "You sure? When do I need to come pick you up, Miss Quinn?"

Harley gave him a genuine, amused smile. "Eight is fine. Oh, and Elvis...it's Harley."

The young man chuckled as he smiled, half-embarrassed, half-flattered, but before he could respond, Harley was already walking into the apartment building, performing a balancing act with her bag and potted plant as she opened the door.

Elvis drove away, mentally kicking himself for not opening that door for her.

It had been at least two months since they last saw each other and Ivy smiled as she opened the door to find her friend. "Well," she said, crossing her arms with a satisfied grin. "There's my wayward girl. I've been wondering when you would be turning up at my doorstep again."

"Hey, Pammy," Harley greeted her quietly and Ivy was slightly taken aback at the tone of voice that was contrary to her joyful smile.

Harley sat on the loveseat in her living room and set the geranium on the coffee table. "I hope you like it, Red," she said. "The flowers haven't bloomed just yet, but I think they'll make a perfect addition to your-"

"What's going on, Harl?" Ivy calmly asked.

Harley didn't answer at first, but just continued to stare at the plant in front of her. She caressed its sprouting stems. "I wonder what color the flowers will be. Maybe red, or even yellow-"

"Harley," Ivy said patiently.

Her friend bit her lip and sighed. Her eyes soon welled up with tears as she handed Ivy the plastic bag. Ivy raised a brow at her, but her mouth was soon pursed with an expression of concern when she looked at its contents. "Oh...Harley...again?"

"I'm for sure this time, Red," Harley sniffed in reply.

"That's what you said the last two times."

"Red! I'm really late! I'm sure of it!" Harley put her face in her hands and wept as her friend set the bag onto the coffee table next to her new plant.

She sat quietly as Harley cried, then, licking her lips with an expectant air, she asked, "Does 'Daddy' know yet?"

"No," Harley said softly. "No idea. I don't know how to tell him, so I want to make absolutely sure that I'm..." She sighed as she picked up the box and fiddled with the cardboard.

Ivy put her hand on Harley's shoulder. "If anything...happens...you can stay with me. This is always your second home." They shared a smile and she stood up, taking her hand and the bag. "Why don't we get this over with then?"

Ivy directed Harley to the bathroom, but Harley soon pivoted to face her and said, "I've read that some brands can be defective and-"

"We'll never know that until you try them, Harley," Ivy said. "Now, go." She sighed and rolled her eyes as Harley shut the door to the bathroom. This wasn't the first pregnancy scare that Harley had, so Ivy knew the outcome already. She always came to her door in fearful tears and would leave feeling as if she could fly, she would be so relieved.

Harley unwrapped the first test and carefully read the instructions. She had to wipe her eyes a few times to clear the tears from her view, but she finally put herself into testing position. She nearly dropped the test into the toilet when her cell phone in her jeans pocket rang, its tone echoing off the tiles of the bathroom.

She let out a startled squeak and fumbled in her jeans that she had left on the floor and answered it, knowing it was The Joker checking on her.

"Hullo," she grunted as she struggled to keep the phone between her cheek and shoulder as she continued the test.

"Hey, gorgeous," he said. "How's the Plant?"

Harley grinned nervously. "Uh, she's fine..."

The Joker was quiet a moment and then said, "Is that an echo?"

She giggled. "I'm on the potty, Puddin'."

"What?" he softly chuckled. "Why the hell do I always catch you in the bathroom?"

"Maybe you have some deep subconscious sexual fetish-"

"Forget that psych 101 bullshit," he interrupted her, "You leave there at eight o clock, you hear me?"

Harley rolled her eyes. "I know, Pud. I told the kid to pick me up then." There was a brief moment of silence and Harley smiled, knowing that The Joker was still apprehensive. "I promise, baby."

He sighed. "See you later, then." Harley closed her phone and shook her head. She was used to his customary 'courtesy' calls, and she knew that he would give her one that day while she was at her only friend's place. Harley concluded that he only did that because it was always difficult to coax her back home as she sometimes went to her friend after they had bad fights.

A while later, Ivy was looking at her watch. "Harley, you've been in there for half an hour. What, did you miss?"

Harley came out of the bathroom, her face nearly a pale green. Ivy's eyes widened. "Harl?"

She didn't answer but just walked back to the living room and plopped herself down onto the loveseat again. Ivy sat beside her and placed her hand on her back. "Harley?" Ivy soon realized that her friend was crying again and a nervous lump soon rested in her throat. "Oh, wow...I guess you're...absolutely sure this time, I gather..."

Harley lifted her moist eyes to Ivy and sniffed loudly. "Positive."