Omniverse Recovery system

“Okay, let’s see… Fawcett Central School, huh?”

Daniel looked up at the large brick building as students passed through the front gates.

Harleen stood beside him, looking perfectly at ease.

Rachel, on the other hand, looked like she had already decided she hated the place.

They had come to enroll her after Daniel’s first choice, Central City High School, was temporarily closed because of the destruction caused by recent metahuman activity. Fawcett Central had suffered far less damage, making it the safer option for now.

Daniel had also brought Harleen along to make the whole thing look more normal.

Rachel kicked him lightly in the leg.

“Didn’t I tell you I hate school? Even if you force me to attend, I’ll just skip classes.”

“I know, Rachel. You’re special, and you don’t want to attend school.” Daniel rubbed his leg. “But trust me, you’ll be bored to death if you spend all your time at the mansion. Everyone there has their own jobs and responsibilities. Most of the time, you’ll just be sitting around by yourself.”

Rachel gave him a skeptical look.

“You have a job?”

“Yeah. I’m a doctor.”

Harleen immediately snorted.

“Yeah, a quack doctor.”

Daniel slowly turned toward her.

“Call me whatever you want, but you know better than anyone that I suit that title more than anyone.”

Harleen’s smile only grew.

The three of them headed inside and eventually reached the admissions office. Daniel walked in first, Harleen beside him, while Rachel followed with the enthusiasm of someone being dragged to her execution.

A teacher sitting behind the desk looked up from the paperwork.

“Rachel Roth?”

“Yeah,” Rachel answered reluctantly.

The teacher checked the file in front of her.

“All right, Rachel. Everything seems to be in order. You’ll be joining our school starting today.”

Rachel stared at the paperwork before slowly nodding.

“Okay.”

The teacher looked toward Daniel and Harleen.

“And you two are?”

“Her brother,” Daniel said.

Rachel immediately added, “Unfortunately.”

Daniel looked at her.

“Hey.”

Harleen smiled.

“She’s always like this.”

“Yeah, she is,” Daniel agreed.

Rachel crossed her arms. She wasn’t happy about being enrolled, but she knew arguing with Daniel wasn’t going to change anything.

The teacher returned her attention to the file.

“Since the school year has already started, you’ll have some catching up to do. You’ll need to work harder than the other students for a while, especially with the lessons you’ve missed.”

Rachel glanced at the schedule the teacher handed her.

“Okay. I’ll do my best.”

Her voice made it obvious how little she liked the idea.

“Good. And if you’re struggling with anything, speak with your teachers. Don’t wait until you’re completely lost.”

Rachel nodded.

“Yeah. I got it.”

The teacher looked toward Daniel and Harleen.

“And what do you both do?”

“I’m a doctor,” Daniel answered. “I have a clinic in Central City.”

Harleen nodded.

“I’m a psychiatrist.”

The teacher raised an eyebrow.

“Both of you are doctors?”

“Yep.”

Daniel pulled a business card from his pocket and handed it to her.

“My clinic is in Central City. If Rachel has any problems while she’s here, or if you ever need to reach us, just give me a call.”

The teacher accepted the card and looked it over.

“That’s very helpful. We’ll keep your contact information on file.”

“Good.”

Rachel looked at Daniel.

“Can I go now?”

“Not yet.”

Her shoulders dropped.

“Of course.”

“You’re supposed to meet your homeroom teacher.”

Rachel sighed.

“I knew there was a catch.”

Harleen laughed quietly.

Daniel looked at Rachel.

“Just get through the first day. After that, it’ll be easier.”

Rachel gave him a skeptical look.

“That’s what everyone says.”

“Because it’s usually true.”

“Sure,” Rachel muttered.

The teacher stood and gathered Rachel’s papers.

“Come on, Rachel. I’ll show you to your classroom.”

Rachel hesitated before following her, moving down the hallway without an ounce of enthusiasm.

At the doorway, she glanced back.

“Don’t leave without me.”

Daniel smiled.

“We won’t.”

Harleen waved.

“Good luck.”

Rachel gave them an unamused look.

“Yeah, yeah.”

Then she turned and followed the teacher down the hallway.

Daniel watched until she disappeared around the corner.

“Well, now I have one less headache at home.”

Harleen slipped her arm through his.

Her expression changed almost immediately.

The sweet, harmless wife act remained on the surface, but the obsession underneath it was becoming harder to hide.

“Yeah, husband,” she said sweetly. “Since we came all the way here, why don’t we go and enjoy a nice date?”

Daniel glanced at her.

“We can go after Rachel is done for the day. It’s her first day, so we shouldn’t keep her waiting. We’ll come back here when school ends, take her home, and then we can do whatever you want.”

Harleen’s smile widened.

“Whatever I want?”

Daniel immediately realized his mistake.

“Within reason.”

“Of course, husband.”

She tightened her grip around his arm and rested her head against his shoulder.

Daniel gave her a suspicious look.

“Why do I feel like I just made a mistake?”

“Because you know me so well.”

Harleen smiled innocently.

There was nothing innocent about the look in her eyes.

Since the strange energy had affected her, her attachment to Daniel had grown far stronger. She wanted to be beside him constantly. Even something as simple as a date no longer sounded like a casual suggestion to her.

In her mind, it was already decided.

Harleen was becoming more and more like Harley Quinn.

Actually, Daniel corrected himself silently.

She was already there.

And he was the object of her obsession.