Harley knew the exact moment her world turned upside down, bringing her to the point in her life where she was today.  The reason entirely that she left Brooklyn over a year ago, but the voices in her head wouldn't let her escape.  Harley was to be forever reminded of him it seemed.  That last day he was in her office was the turning point.  It seemed like so long ago, and other days it seemed like just yesterday.

'Bring 'em out boys.'

Harleen was waiting at the table in the small dingy room at the asylum when she heard the rough voices shouting down the hall.  The voices reverberated all the way to the room.  Then she heard the small chuckle, and began pacing instead of sitting.  After several meetings with John, she all but demanded a more private location for the sessions, insisting it was detrimental to the therapeutic process.  The office she now had wasn't pristine, but it didn't have the countless ears eavesdropping from the guards each session.

Dr. Harleen Quinzel was assigned to the notorious criminal mastermind, John Doe, but he wouldn't know it was at her request.  Full of tricks and conniving ways, John would use his wiles to work his way into the good doctor's graces.  When Harleen had heard he was there at the asylum, she almost jumped at the chance to work her magic to figure out a cure to end his criminal ways.  Well that's what she told everyone just so she could get up close to him and explore his psyche.  Harleen was deeply curious to the why's and how's of his mind.

She recalled how he stretched out lazily on the sofa then crossed his legs at the ankle, John glanced over to her as he tucked his hands behind his head allowing himself to get comfortable before speaking.

"How are you Dr. Quin-zel?  You look.... ravishing today."

His smile grew as she became flustered, and adjusted in her seat, crossing her legs then tapping the pen to the notepad on her lap.

"We've been through this every session.  I'm the doctor here, so I'll be asking the questions."

"Whatever you say doc."

"Good.  Glad we can agree finally.  Now I have a few questions for you regarding the most recent arrest, and your behavior leading up to the incident in question, and this current incarceration..."

Once she began firing off a couple questions, he suddenly swung upright then clasped his hands together tightly, snagging her attention very clearly.  Her blue eyes were fixated on his movements, her gaze traveling upwards to notice the all too knowing smirk of satisfaction on his face.  Harleen cleared her throat reverting back to her notepad then waiting for his reply to her queries.  

She knew it was a line she shouldn't cross, but after several months of treating John off an on, she just couldn't help herself anymore.  Her eyes traveled over to the floor beside the sofa.  Traveling upwards from his shoes, his legs, his hands still clasped resting on his thighs, her gaze continuing upwards over his arms, shoulders, his lips, the smirk still lingering there then his eyes.  It felt like electricity striking her as he gazed back with an intensity she couldn't describe into words.  There was a pull, something tugging and pulling at her to just stare endlessly into his eyes.

Harleen gulped slowly then tried to speak, so she could ask another question, but before she knew what happened he was there on the floor in front of her, on his knees, putting his finger to her lips as he made a shhhing sound.  He began to whisper quietly about how much he needed her help to get out of that place, and she felt hypnotized as she stared into his eyes.

"Doc-tor.  Shh."

John tilted his head still smiling.

"There's no sense fighting this anymore Dr. Quin-zel.  You know you can't cure me, yet you insist on these repeated sessions.  We both know why though, don't we Doc-tor.  You're ready to leave all this nonsense behind, and come be by my side."

John stood up still intensely staring into her blue eyes then held out a hand inviting her on a new adventure.  Harleen gulped slowly again then placed her hand in his, stood up as the notepad and pen fell to the floor.  His laughter was victorious, and John continued on with his list of items he'd need her to get, and who to get in contact with for his impending release.  Harleen simply nodded then gave him a smile.

Harleen spent a few days organizing everything for him, waiting impatiently most days to get to the actual event.  She would never admit that she was endlessly drawn to how his mind works, but she almost had a feeling he knew at times because of the smirking smile he would give her.  Harleen didn't care.  She was picturing herself right by his side once he was freed, and that's all that mattered to her.

That was the beginning of the end for Harleen, and the days that followed filled with nonstop criminal antics made sure that the decent person Harleen used to be was gone.  During the emergency sessions Harleen had talked the director of the asylum, Dr. Jeremiah Arkham, into giving her, she gave John the updates on how she was pulling things together quite smoothly, and on that last day before he broke free, John had begun calling her Harley.  Harley Quinn.  He said it was more fitting to her than the uppity name her parents gave her, and insisting it was more fitting to her demeanor, especially with him being a true jokester and finding the amusement in everything he did. 

John told her that she was the harlequin to his joker, thus creating a play on her name.  She agreed willingly to pretty much anything he could and would possibly suggest, and anyone looking from the outside in at their strange and chaotic relationship it would be obvious that she was completely dependent on John.  It was almost an illness, a desperate need to be by his side. 

She had dedicated her life to probing the minds of the criminally insane, discovering what made them tick.  John's mind was the most chaotic she'd ever come across, yet deep down she wondered now if she wasn't on the same wavelength and that was the deep reasoning that he had intrigued her from day one.  Like it was a chance to get a glance into her own self more through his eyes.  Unleash her true inner self for once.

The initial plan was for Harley to wait elsewhere, but at her insistence of knowing the asylum inside and out gave her the edge of being included in the actual release.  The day after the plan had first come to light, Harley got in contact with the guy on the list for access to guns. At first the man looked at her with an insane glare because she was female.  Apparently he didn't get many female customers, but once she tossed in John's name, the man became a little more helpful.

After what seemed like an hour had passed giving all the need supplies there including the extra ammo, all to be delivered to John's crew that would be waiting nearbby the asylum.  Harley left the gun establishment then headed to the next place on the list.  Harley wasn't sure what the need for all the cleaning supplies were for just yet, but John assured her he knew what he was doing, and her smuggling in simple cleaning supplies could be passed as the need to tidy up her office without supsicion.

Each day she came into her office, Harley would grab a couple bottles of cleaning supplies from the asylum's maintenance room, and John arranged to have it smuggled to his cell the day before the plan was to be set in motion.  John had several requests for Harley, but one was extremely important to him he said, find him a machine gun as well as the other guns for his crew on the outside.  This one John told her to figure out a way to get it into the asylum, essentially giving Harley a test of her loyalty and dedication for him. 

She had no clue whatsoever that he didn't even need her help in escaping from the asylum.  In his own sick twisted mind, he was putting her through test after test for solely for his amusement alone.  John enjoyed being the puppeteer to his very own little jester.  Harley didn't know that she should have been paying very close attention to it all instead of being drawn into his charismatic charms persuading her to do his will at whim.

Harley imagined herself in love, willing to do anything that was asked of her, just to feel that closeness, that feeling of being needed and wanted by someone, by him.  It didn't matter others labeled him insane, hell everyone had a little bit of crazy inside them lurking beneath the surface. She justified every action she did for John because she did love him.  

The morning she woke up that day the plan was to be put into action, Harley had thought up a plan to smuggle in the machine gun.  She bought a duffel bag large enough for the machine gun disassembled, wrapped in a plush black blanket.  The blanket was to keep the parts from being jostled all over the place as well as keep it hidden.  Then on top of the blanket was a wide variety of plush animals, kittens, puppies, horses, and bears, etc.

When she had arrived to the asylum later that morning, Harley struggled slightly as she removed the duffel bag from the car then headed towards the entrance.  The guard at the front desk smiled and said good morning then noticed the duffel bag.  He nodded his head towards it then patted the counter, smiling a bit as he spoke.

"C'mon doc.  Gotta look inside."

Harley set the bag on the floor instead of the counter, not wanting to struggle with the weight of the contents anymore than she had to do already.  She unzipped it slowly, revealing the plush animals, and even pulled out one or two, waving them animatedly side to side.

"See just a few things to brighten up my office, and make it a more comfortable atmosphere."

Harley began stuffing the animals back inside the bag then zipped it back up asshe kept talking.

"You know for putting the patients at ease and feel a bit more relaxed.  So how's your family doing?  Did you have a nice weekend?"

Just as she had hoped, the guard relaxed his facial features and launched into talking about his children's antics from the weekend,  After a couple minutes of conversation, Harley bid him adieu then headed off towards her office.  The subtle smirk smile on her face wasn't visible to anyone as she turned the corner heading down the hallway.  Once she got into the office, Harley made an effort to 'decorate' the area with a few of the plush animals just in case anyone had decided to come by for a visit.

Once everything was set and ready to go, she left the remaining animals inside the bag for the scheduled session with John.  She would give the all okay for the duffel bag to be taken to his cell on the grounds he could have the animals in his cell as they posed no threat, but more than likely she'd have to hand deliver the bag to him, which is precisely what happened.  Harley escorted John back to his cell, being accompanied by the guard assisting them.

The guard was set to take the cleaning supplies into John's cell while he was in the session, and give the appearance of cleaning the cell then subtly leave the containers behind without being noticed.  That was the plan anyways.  Once they arrived to the cell doors, the guard carried the duffel bag inside, returned to the cell entrance, nodded to them both then moved aside for John to enter.  Harley didn't smiled outwardly, but inside she was dancing with excitement.  Once she was back at her office, all she had to do right now is wait.

Looking back over the past several months, Harley had to face the facts.  Ever since she exposed her feelings to John during his escape from the asylum, his lack of interest and caring had made her wonder what the hell she was still doing with him.  The constant berating, the incessant need to leave her behind especially after all she had done to help him and continued to do to help him, well it was wearing on her trust and patience anymore.

John had insisted that she stay behind at the asylum, so not to draw attention to the help she gave him, telling Harley they would meet up later on that evening.  She paced that night in her apartment wondering when he was coming back to get her, but gave in and went to him just in time to catch him before his sneakily planned departure could happen.  The two had argued, and he threw at her the fact he just didn't need her assistance in the escape, but merely had her along for the ride for his sole amusement, but later he seemingly gave in and accepted that she belonged with him.

Yet time and time again, it was at every new turn and adventure Harley was finding herself being left behind at whim.  No matter what she did John tried to run away from her, but mostly she thought from the commitment.  He seemed fearless when faced with the danger and excitement each time they went into action, but being wanted and loved by her sent John into a downward spiral causing him to tuck tail and run.  He would be defensive and lash out verbally, even tossed her from a moving vehicle once while laughing. 

Like a fool, a lovesick fool at that, she went right back to him thinking he would change and accept how she felt.  Harley attempted to delve deeper into his psyche at times, probing for the reason he kept up so many walls, but in the end John would just end up in his maniac laughter. She realized he was just toying with her more times than not, and now she was finally comprehending this was how it was to be.  Forever.

"Enough!"

John stopped talking to the two men near him when Harley all but shouted the word.  He leaned back lazily in his chair, one arm draping over the side, his legs loosely crossed at the ankle as his face sported an innocent look.

"Oh dear dear dear.  What is the matter Harls?  You sound...distraught."

Harley felt her hands forming into tight fists at her side as she glared towards John.  His casual demeanor and innocent inquiry didn't fool her one bit.

"I'm sick of people tryin' to kill me!  I'm sick of the way You treat me.  This isn't a game no more, and no fun.  Ya always tryin' to leave me behind, and I've had enough of this crap!"

Her anger was flaring higher as John burst out into endless laughter.

"Well aren't you a fiery one today Harley.  Why don't you come have a seat and tell me exactly what is bothering you my dear.  Come on.  Come sit right here and tell me."

Harley just blew up after hearing the patronizing tone and innocent act along with his smile and the fact he even had the nerve to laugh at her in the first place.  There was absolutely Nothing funny here.  Outraged, Harley grabbed her baseball bat then proceeded to swing it towards where he was sitting, but anticipating her intentions as she swung the bat around, John vacated the chair in the knick of time as she swung the bat down hard on the seat of the chair he was just occupying as she screamed out.

"Laugh THIS off!"

She blew her hair outta her face as she stood upright fully and leaned her bat against her shoulder, disappointed she didn't hit him after all. The dead look in her gaze let him know that she wasn't acting.  John lost his smile, and put up his hands in defeat.

"Come now Harls.  Sweetie.  We can work this out.  You know how much I need..."

"NO!  I ain't stayin' here anymore."

Harley turned away as she headed towards the door.  John called out to her thinking she'd stop and run back to him as she had done every other time before, but it wasn't until a few minutes after she walked out the door that she wasn't coming back.  Her heart was broken, her mind was corrupted, her trust was shattered.  Once she was outside, Harley took a look around the streets, knowing that New York had been her home, but now it was time for a new adventure.  Her own adventure.  Her blue eyes squinted as she looked up towards the bright sky.  Her voice was soft for once, but her words were determined.

"Time to make some changes."