To the Point of Obsession

I walked down the stairs, wearing a skimpy, black, poufy miniskirt, blue tights, and a tight black tube top. I grabbed a gray sweater and put it on as I started humming as I bounced up and down. "Doug," I pouted, glancing at him. They had set up a living room on the bottom floor, down the hall from the sanctuary. "I'm really bored."

"Why are you all dressed up?" he asked, looking at me.

I shrugged. I honestly got bored and decided to change into something other than my sweats.

"So what do you want to do tonight?" he asked, turning back to the TV. It was some cheesy game show.

"I want to eat ice cream and watch chick flicks and bear my soul out to you," I decided, looking at his reaction.

"Hell no."

I giggled. "What are we planning on doing tonight?"

"Well, I don't know about you, but my girl's coming over and you are going to be far, far away." He stood up and headed towards the kitchen.

I followed him and skipped along behind him. "I feel like I'm the annoying kid sister and you're the obnoxious big brother anxious for a lay." He turned to look at me, his face nearly as red as his hair. "Aw, that's cute. Don't worry, everyone wants to get some. Honestly, it took J forever to bed me—"

"Hey, I don't want to hear about my 'annoying kid sister' and my boss getting busy, okay?"

"Yay! I can be your little sister!" I jumped on him and kissed his cheek sloppily. He groaned and shoved me off him. "Seriously, though, can I talk to you?" I asked, sitting on the counter.

"Shoot."

"Harley was the one who took me back to the warehouse that day. And she said that J would have to turn himself in, or the Bat would kill me."

"You told J that?"

I shook my head, watching as he threw a bag of popcorn in the microwave. "I didn't want him to worry."

"He's keeping you here so you won't die."

"Yeah, I get that part. But he won't kill me while J's out there, right?"

Doug opened his mouth, but shut it again.

There was an awkward silence, and then my phone ringing. "Hold on," I said to him, getting up and walking out. "Hello?"

"Did you tell him?" the familiar syrupy voice of Harley asked from the other end.

"I don’t negotiate with rodents," I repeated, kicking the couch out of anger. I kept my voice sweet and asked, "And why are you so worried about me?"

"He was mine."

I rolled my eyes, choking back the urge to injure more furniture. "Right. Can I ask how the sleeping with the Bat idea played into that?"

"He doesn't love you."

"Yeah, the nice rock I'm wearing definitely proves that," I lied sarcastically.

I heard her make a weird noise I was unsure of, then she said, "I'm done talking to you. He's gonna kill both of you anyway if you don't come talk to him."

I heard the dead dial tone, then went back to the kitchen. "You wouldn't happen to have an engagement ring, would you?" I asked Doug, who was sitting at the table and eating the popcorn.

He pulled out a ring box and showed it to me. "Why?"

"Suppose I accidently let slip that J and I were engaged and I had a nice little rock to prove it, and the person required that I see her or I get killed. If, that happened, you'd let me have it, right?"

He glared at me.

"I'll replace it if any damage is done to it," I bargained.

He sighed and took out the box again and handed me the ring. It was pretty and simple, but definitely expensive. I put it on my left ring finger and hugged Doug again.

A voice came in through the back, and Doug immediately jumped from the table, going to the door. A few seconds later, he came back in with a girl that looked to be about twenty five. Her hair was red and curly, and freckles danced around her cheeks as she laughed. Her eyes were an icy blue color. She had a look of innocence around her face.

She looked at me, and then said, "Hi, I'm Veronica. But everyone calls me Roni."

I smiled and shook her hand, "I'm Dahlia."

Her eyes caught the ring on my finger. "That's really pretty."

I nervously laughed, and looked at Doug.

"Hey, baby," Doug started to talk to Roni, I decided to bow out. Unfortunately, Doug grabbed my skirt, causing me to stop. "I know this is really weird and awkward, but will you marry me?" Doug grabbed my hand and took of the ring, showing it to Roni. "But my baby sister really needs this now."

"Why does she need the ring?" she asked, looking from me to Doug.

"Funny story," I said, laughing a little. "This one girl is a tad bit obsessed with the Joker, right. But I've kinda got dibs on him, it's a mutual agreement right? And I was talking to her and she flipped out and I accidently lied about how we were getting married, but then she said she would kill both of us if I didn't go talk to her and her boss."

She stared at me blankly. "I'll throw you a bachelorette party." I watched her expression and added, "I'll cover the dresses, and I'll replace the ring if anything happens to it."

"Fine."

I squealed and hugged her, giving Doug a hug as well. I pulled on a pair of boots, then walked out to the sanctuary. "Have fun getting busy!" I yelled as I walked out the door. I giggled as I heard Doug's familiar groan.