i wouldn't kill to get you back, and i've officially been asked...

[attending_physician]

Harleen Quinzel is not hungover. Harleen Quinzel does not come to work hungover.

But she does have a lingering headache, which probably has more to do with how she wrapped up her work day yesterday than the half bottle of wine she had once she got home.

She's had two cups of coffee and a couple aspirin to go with them this morning, which have taken the edge off. She needs to be here today. For better or worse, today's her next scheduled appointment with the Joker.

They have a lot to talk about.

Comments

[attending_physician]

"Might have done a bit too good of a job establishing yourself on the outside," she allows.

[manofmyword]

"A tiiiiny bit," he agrees, with a quick little smile.

[attending_physician]

Compared to the conversation she had in here last night, this one is...nice.

It's also wrong. Everything about this is wrong.

(She's a doctor, goddammit, and she's been acting less and less like one since she met him.

Was this the plan? Was this always the plan? Is this how he gets out?

Or just how he amuses himself?)

Her headache throbs.



"What's your endgame with me?"

[manofmyword]

...He shakes his head, wryly amused.

"Quin. Honey. Why do you assume I have one?"

[attending_physician]

"Fine. Maybe you haven't thought that far, because you're allergic to plans, but--

This isn't right. I don't know what I'm doing with you, but it's not...not productive.





I think maybe you should see another doctor."

[manofmyword]

"Really?"

He blinks at her, taken aback. And maybe a little hurt.

"That is a surprise."

[attending_physician]

"Is it?" she snaps back.

"I don't know what the fuck I'm doing anymore! I'm bribing police officers and threatening to fucking stab people and it's for you. I told that piece of shit it wasn't but...but it was, a little, and I don't know why.

So tell me how I can be your doctor, how I can be anyone's doctor, when I'm acting like this. This isn't me."

[manofmyword]

"Well."

He smiles.

"I can't say I'm not a little touched. But you know, I don't really think of you as my doctor." He cocks his head. "You do know that, don't you?"

[attending_physician]

"It's not really a surprise."

She folds her hands, mostly to keep from tapping her fingers out of nervousness.




"What do you think of me as?"

[manofmyword]

"Mostly," he says with a tiny quirk of his lips, "I just think of you as Quinnie."

[attending_physician]

She laughs raggedly, dragging both hand through her hair.

"Well, I guess as long as one of us knows who I am."

[manofmyword]

"Hey," he says gently. "Hon. You okay?"

[attending_physician]

"I really don't know.


But thanks for asking."

[manofmyword]

"Maybe I should see another doctor," he says wryly.

And then, quieter: "I'll leave, you know."

[attending_physician]

Her gaze had drifted down to the desk, but her head snaps up now.

"What?"

[manofmyword]

"I'm here to talk to you, Quin," he says, casually, like it's obvious. "If I'm not talking to you, I won't be here."

[attending_physician]

She has known it, she thinks, subconsciously since about their second session. She has his interest, therefore she has him here. He could have been gone weeks ago if he really wanted it.

(How many people would he kill on his way out the door?

Is that something she's concerned with?)



"If you weren't here, would you still talk to me?

You get out, am I going to have to worry about you turning up in my apartment?"

[manofmyword]

"Well, now, that depends."

He quirks a smile.

"Do you want me to turn up in your apartment?"

[attending_physician]

She smirks faintly back.

"Could I keep you out if I tried?"

[manofmyword]

"You could keep me out if you asked."

[attending_physician]

"Yeah.




But maybe I like knowing how my patients are doing, out in the big world."

[manofmyword]

He chuckles.

"Mm, then I guess I'll drop by for a chat once in a while. If I leave." He cocks his head. "Should I leave?"

[attending_physician]

"I know better than to try and tell you what to do."

[manofmyword]

"Mm-mm," he says, tipping his head from side to side in wry acknowledgment.

"Would you be happier," he tries next, "if I left?"

[attending_physician]

Well, now.







"I thought I was the one who was supposed to ask the tough questions."