Fever Dream

Disclaimer: All DC characters are owned by DC COMICS, not me. I am just a fankid on the net who had a fever dream and wrote a story that happened to involve a few of those characters.

Thanks and please enjoy.

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Detective Bullock was looking down at the small notebook he usually kept in the breast pocket of his coat. It was simple, really, just personal notes, to do lists, reminders. He wrote in it daily until it was full. Once full he put it away at home or work so he may easily find it if it were needed for any reason in the future. Once it was gone a new, fresh one was on his person. The cycle never ended.

The detective sighed as he came across a note he must have missed earlier in the day.

"Alright, I gotta go, I gotta go bother some broad over in Midtown West about that Reynolds case."

"How's that going by the way?"

"I'm swamped as it is and now I gotta march over to go see some lady in midtown to make sure she didn't see or hear anything conspicuous. I mean, the guy just died while choking his dumb ass while he was jerking it, but since that Hartford thing the boss man is hammering at me to make sure I turn up all the stones on even the no brainer cases. "

"So what's the lady got to do with it?"

"Not sure, yet. She worked for the guy, I think she may have been the one that found him. We had trouble figuring all that out because she had found him, and told the others and apparently left."

"Oh, at the automotive shop?"

"I think, we'll see."

"Alright then, Lieutenant, good luck."

"Have a good one, Foley, get back to work, I'll probably see you later tonight because god hates us all."

The younger officer nodded with a relaxed smile. Harvey returned the nod, but not the smile before turning to leave the station.

Within ten minutes he was in an unmarked vehicle and navigating through the clusterfuck known as the city of Gotham. He groaned at the slow moving traffic. Today was not his day, but then again, nearly all days were not his day. It would take him another hour before he'd get to where he needed to go, which should have only been a ten to fifteen minute journey at the most.

Once he parked he shut the engine off and got out. He checked himself over in the side mirror briefly before pulling out his notebook to assure himself he had the right building. He looked up to the modest brown stone. It looked like his own building, save this one was a little more modern. His was in the historic district he seemed to gravitate toward history more than the future.

The detective headed in and asked the doorman about the woman he was on his way to see. The doorman was a little short with him until he showed him his badge. It wasn't long before Harvey was at the correct door. Harvey knocked three times. He did not employ what he called "the cop knock" which was just banging on the door at least three or more times while yelling "POLICE! OPEN UP!" No, he wasn't busting anyone, he was simply here to interview a potential asset. A few seconds after he knocked he could hear some movement and then a few more seconds passed before the sound of locks being unbolted was heard.

"Hi. Can I help you, sug?"

"Uh.... Ummm, yes.. I mean..."

The woman in the doorway smiled to him as he struggled to find words. Harvey felt a little warmth in his cheeks as he looked down at her. She was in a pair of Daisy Duke cut offs, a white tank top, and a flannel pull over with rolled up sleeves. Her hair was up and back and hidden under the bandana she used to keep it out of the way. She was also covered with black marks that made it clear she worked in an auto shop.

"You alright?" She almost looked concerned.

"Yeah, uh, sorry. Are you-" Harvey looked down to his notebook again, "WC Tusk?"

"Yes."

Harvey pulled his coat to the side enough to show his badge to her.

"I'm Detective Bullock from Gotham City PD, I was wondering if I could talk to you about the death of George Reynolds."

The woman's warm smile morphed into a frown.

"Yes, please come in."

"If you want to do this some other time, that's fine, I just-"

"Please, come in, Detective. I don't have much going on, I just got home and I was about to shower, is all."

Harvey was about to protest, he didn't normally even feel the urge to, but he didn't like her frown nor did he want to keep her from being clean because she was very dirty, grease all over. Harvey's attention was caught by the interior of her home. There were many pieces of art on the walls. None of her furniture matched but each piece was a bold color, red, blue, purple, teal, splashes all over the place. To the immediate right was her breakfast table and kitchen while to the left was the living area. She beckoned him to sit down at her breakfast table. She went to fridge to retrieve pitcher. She grabbed tumblers out of her freezer and set them on the table. She poured what looked to be iced tea in each frosty glass. She sat down and picked up her glass and took a drink. She then pressed the glass against the side of her face for a moment, savoring the cold of it. Harvey tried not to stare at her the whole time, but something compelled him, too. She was hard to make out under all the grease marks, but something about her just spoke to Harvey.

"So, Detective, what would you like to know?"

"For now I'd just like to hear your account of how that day went down for you."

The woman told him what had happened. She got to work early that morning and did what she normally did. She'd noticed the light on in the boss man's office and had a question to ask him. He was known to come in early on occasion so she knocked, no answer. She stepped in to go ahead and see if he was even in there or at least shut his light off and there he was.

"It was a little jarring to, you know, come into work one morning and find your boss with his dick out and a bag around his head. I didn't touch anything, I just turned around, told a co worker, he looked in and called you guys. I had to leave. I'm usually pretty tough, but that was my first week at that job, my first week in Gotham. I have been scarred for life I think."

She chuckled a little, but it was clear it was all overwhelming to her, however she was taking it well. Harvey finally smiled to her.

"Yeah, locals around here, we got a running joke about how when people move here they never think its that bad until they end up seeing their first shocking crime. That has to be the most fucked up instance of that I have ever heard. Well, whaddya know, doll, welcome to Gotham."

She laughed at Harvey and shook her head and stomped her feat under her table a little.

"Oh you're cruel! C'mon man, like, I almost packed up and just left town. Oh. My. God. I just came home and cried and had this existential crisis."

She was wiping tears from her eyes as they both laughed. Harvey shook his head and reached over and touched her arm, patting it.

"I'm-ohmygod-I'm sorry! Seriously, it really is fucked, but god, honestly, I'm surprised you didn't just sprint the fuck out of town. Oh God, please, forgive me, I am sorry, I didn't mean to make fun, well I did, but I wasn't trying to be mean."

"Oh, sug, I'd laugh at me, too."

They both burst with another chuckle or two at that and took a moment to settle down. Harvey wiped the tear that had formed in his eye and sighed. He looked at his notebook again and back to her.

"Don't take this the wrong way, but do you have a criminal record, Miss Tusk."

The woman smirked a little.

"I been arrested once or twice, got into a bar fight here and there, got a little unruly at some protests, had a bit too good of a time."

"Oh?"

"Yeah, but I got 'em all dropped for the most part. "

"Here in Gotham, or?"

"Back home."

"Alright good, because you only lived here a month. I mean, I met some bad girls before but..."

They both laughed a little and Harvey narrowed his gaze on her a little more than before.

"Texas?"

Harvey smirked a little.

"Is it that obvious?"

"To be honest, most southerners all sound about the same to me, but for some reason Texans stick out."

"Oh, and why is that?"

"Men I can't pick up on it as readily, but women... I can just tell and I've met so few women from Texas here in Gotham, so I'm surprised I was even that keen."

"Oh, so you meant to say women from Texas stick out, huh?"

"Sure, also you poured sweet tea when you let me in, so that helped me figure it out, too."

She shook her head with a smile and leaned forward a little, placing her hand under her chin and her elbow on the table.

"Well I can tell you lived in Gotham all your life."

"Oh?"

"Y'all Gotham men got a way of speakin', too."

Harvey nodded, his smirk remaining and getting subtly closer to being a true smile one tiny moment at a time.

"Oh you don't have to tell me that, Miss Tusk."

The woman looked him over more closely in a rather predatory manner. Harvey suddenly felt the heat of the day getting at him.

"Let me take that coat, Detective. Only a Gotham boy would wear a damn coat in the middle of the summer."

Harvey wanted to protest, but she was more convincing and persuasive than he could have every anticipated. He took his cigarettes and lighter out of the coat before he let her have it. She was careful to not smudge it. She hung it on a coat rack near her door. His hat had been taken off the moment he stepped in and it rested on the table a foot or two to his side.

"Eh, I should probably get going soon, though, I don't want to take up more of your time than I have to."

"Shush, sug. You got a job to be doin' and I don't got nothin' goin'."

"But, you're covered in grease."

She looked down at herself and then back up to him with a smile.

"Well, I forgot about that."

"I should get out of here, you look like you could use a shower."

"Well, that can wait a little bit longer. So you got anymore questions to ask me?"

Harvey got back to interviewing her. He asked her about her boss and what kind of man he was. He also asked about relationships he maintained and if there were any individuals that were particularly hostile toward him or if anyone had any reason to be angry with him. This went on for another half hour before Harvey finally deemed he'd gotten what he needed for now.

"Well, Detective, I sure hope I did you some good."

"You were very helpful, Miss Tusk. I appreciate your time. I can go back to work and close this case for good."

"Well, Detective, please call me any time."

She gave him a copy of her business card. He looked down at it briefly and tucked it away in his wallet as he was putting his coat and hat back on and getting ready to leave.

"I'll let you know if I need anything else."

Harvey returned the favor by giving her his own card. She looked over it and set it down on the table near the door.

"Hmm, I hope I can help you with your needs, Detective."

Harvey looked at her for a moment. She had a rather mischievous look on her face and Harvey just convinced himself he was seeing more than he thought he was in her face. She checked him over and reached up to straighten his tie for him.

She smiled to him and he just looked like he didn't know what to do.

"Well, um, have a good night, Miss Tusk."

"You as well, Detective."

Harvey tipped his hat to her and stepped out. Once he got down to his car he just sat inside for a moment and racked his brain.

What just happened? Was she... no.

Once he got back to the station he got to his desk and got to work looking back over files. He sat there for a couple of hours and eventually realized the hour and how tired he was. He looked at all his paperwork one last time and sighed before he shoved it aside and looked at his computer. The thought of Miss Tusk crossed his mind and he couldn't help the smirk that came across his face. There was something about her and it's been a while since he's had the time, energy, or motivation to feel attracted to someone. Of course, he sees beautiful Gotham Girls on a daily basis, but there's a difference between seeing someone attractive and actually being attracted to someone.

He entered her name into the database and found her records.

"Hmm."

She didn't lie, she had indeed been arrested for everything she claimed she had been arrested for. Harvey chuckled as he read one of the reports. She had apparently gotten into a bar fight after taunting a man whom had apparently made some misogynistic comments to her. He found it interesting none of her arrests were for assault but for disturbing the peace. Though, by the sounds of it, most of the fights she got into were not started by her, she never threw the first punch, but she was notably making sure to throw the last punch.

After he looked through her records he went ahead and googled her. He found her facebook and twitter. Ten minutes after lurking around her facebook he closed the tab and sighed. He got back to work.

The next morning Harvey woke up to the smell of the coffee infront of his nose. He lifted his head and snatched the cup of coffee out of the hand of Commissioner Gordon and began drinking it.

"There he is."

Harvey said nothing, he was focused on the coffee.

"Bullock, do you know what time it is?"

Harvey just kept drinking.

"It's noon. Foley said when he came in at eight this morning you were still working. Montoya said she saw you passed out right after nine."

Harvey finished the cup of coffee and set it down. He leaned forward and put his hands in his face and groaned.

"Foley also told me you have officially closed the Reynolds case."

"Commish, I-"

"I know, I managed to pry the paperwork far out from under you before you started drooling allover it. It's taken care of."

Harvey gave the commissioner a bleary look a quiet grunt.

Gordon quirked a hard brow and furrowed his mustache.

"Good work. Go home, get some rest, I'll see you in two days."

"Two days? What'd I do?"

"You're off. It's been on the schedule for a while."

"But-"

"Go."

Harvey grumbled. Even his days off he tended to work.

"Bull-Harvey, you may think this place would fall apart without you for forty eight hours, but I think we'll manage. Go home, have some time off, please don't be a cop for the next two days."

"But-"

"If I have to have someone escort you out of the building, Harvey, I will."

Harvey gave up. He grumbled something under his breath and grabbed his hat pointedly. He yanked his coat on and stomped his way out. Montoya and Gordon exchanged a knowing look as he walked out the door.

"He's the worst to wake up, you're the only one that can do it that doesn't get something thrown at them."

"Renee, you're a remarkable woman."

"Tell me something I don't know, Commissioner."

Harvey's drive home would have been twenty minutes at most, however in the last few minutes of the journey another driver attempting to change lanes checked Harvey's front quarter panel, front bumper, and engine. He wouldn't have cared much, however following the collision his horn was constantly beeping and he couldn't get it to stop. The other driver ran before he had a chance to chase them down. He gave up on pursuing them thanks to the horn getting to him. His eyes were blood shot and his ears throbbing.

Desperately he looked through his phone for a mechanic after pulling over. Then the light bulb finally turned on. He put his car into gear and after ten minutes he was pulling into Reynolds Automotive. The mechanics on duty did not take long to come deal with Harvey, the constant honking was enough to get anyone's attention. It was not long before a familiar face emerged from under a Chevorlet.

She shooed the other mechanics away and flung Harvey's hood up. Harvey caught it and set it for her. She reached in with delicate touch and found the problem. It was only a few seconds later that the horn finally stopped honking. Harvey did not have his coat on, and his shirt sleeves were rolled up to his elbows.

"Oh my God, thank you."

"Well I didn't realize you were gonna miss me

that much, Detective."

"Me neither."

"Well ain't I a lucky girl?"

She smiled and giggled a bit. She finally turned to get a look at him and noticed how bad he looked.

"Woah, there, you're lookin' mighty beat."

"Long story."

"I can see that. Well, obviously your car here needs a little work. Leave it with me and I'll take care of it, but what about work? You need to get back there?"

"No, I'm off. I was on my way home."

"Well, I could always call you cab, but... if you're willing to hang around for a little bit longer I could go ahead and take you myself."

"Ah, I don't wanna be a bother."

"Shhh, go inside, sit down, relax, give me a minute here and we'll get you home, alright?"

Before Harvey could protest she took him by his arm and walked him inside. In about forty five minutes she loaded him up in her own car, a rather coy little teal '72 Cutlass. Harvey was exhausted. He didn't say a whole lot on the ride over, he was drained. Once they got to his building she parked and killed the engine.

"Alright, let's get you up there."

"You don't have to-"

"Detective, I'd feel a lot better if you'd just let me make sure you get up there alright, alright?"

"But-eh, fine. You're not the first person to argue with me today."

"Well, hopefully I'll be the last. C'mon."

She got him out and up on his feet. He was walking fine, but he seemed zombie like to her. Once they got to his apartment he didn't seem to be concerned whether she came in or not at that point. Despite his slovenly appearance and piggish ways his apartment was actually organized and clean. It wasn't perfect, but it wasn't the wreck most people would expect it to be.

Harvey tossed his coat on the coach and flung his hat in that direction as well.

"Why don't you take a nap?"

Harvey's stomach grumbled. She beckoned him to get to bed.

"Take a nap, I'll make something up for you."

"But-"

"No, bed. Get there."

Harvey continued to attempt protests, but once he was laying down in his bed he found it harder and harder to fight her commands.

It was about six hours later before Harvey woke up. He would have stayed asleep, but his hunger forced him to wake at the smell of food. He had to lay there for a brief moment and recollect everything to remember Miss Tusk brought him home. He assumed the smell was a neighbor and that she likely left. There was a note on his nightstand from her that he couldn't read just yet, his vision was blurry from sleep. He got himself up and into his bathroom. Harvey wasn't the fittest of men, but he was more muscle than fat. Yeah, he had a bit of a gut on him, but he was once a welter weight boxer. Think about that for a minute. He looked down at himself, realizing that he had only been in his wife beater and underwear when he got out of bed. He thanked his past self for being nice enough to remove his pants before sleeping.

Thirty minutes later Harvey emerged from his bedroom, the smell of the food from earlier got thick in his nostrils and he groaned aloud as he headed toward his kitchen.

"Detective?"

Harvey nearly jumped out of his own skin. His hands instinctively went to where he normally kept his gun holstered, but it was not there. He was dressed in his usual garb minus the tie. He looked into his kitchen to see Miss Tusk at his stove. He thought he was having a dream.

"Oh, woah, wow! Sorry, I didn't mean to startle you, but good to see you're up."

"Who..? Wait, Miss Tusk? You're here?"

She smiled.

"Well, not exactly. After I wrestled you down into your bed and got you comfy I borrowed your keys so I could lock your door, I left a note, you must have missed it. Well anyway, I finished up at work, ran home, got showered up, headed out to get a few things and I came back about an hour ago. I told you I was gonna make you somethin'."