Let me play you a song on my violin

by Batmanforeverlol

Edward was running blindly thought the cemetery, somehow his chase with Batman had led them here and he was currently trying to find the closest exit while being hidden in the fog which seemed to be getting denser the deeper he ran.

Edward was running blindly thought the cemetery, somehow his chase with Batman had led them here and he was currently trying to find the closest exit while being hidden in the fog which seemed to be getting denser the deeper he ran. He reached the point where he was having trouble seeing what was in front of him so he had to walk just so that he wouldn't trip or run into a headstone. He walked for what felt like an eternity until he reached a place where the fog was starting to thin.

He was able to see the silhouette of some headstones and he heard the faint sound of a violin being played, which was odd seeing as this place was usually abandoned. He made his way towards the music, his curiosity pushing him forward, Batman all but forgotten. The fog cleared and he saw the slender figure of a pale man who was sitting on a headstone playing for his audience, a group of crows. One of them must have sensed his presence for it turned around and cawed at him which caused the man to stop mid song and turn to face him.

His gaze was cold and his eyes a pale blue that was almost grey, almost white. His hair was an inky black that contrasted with the incredible paleness of his skin. He looked as if he had never been touched by the warmth of the sun. Edward walked a little closer and the strangers eyes softened, like he recognized him. His clothes hung from his frame in a way that showed they were clearly too big for him, and his neck was covered by a scarf.

"Good afternoon."

The man nodded in acknowledgement.

"Awful weather today don't you think?"

"Could be worse." His voice was deep and it sounded familiar.

"That's true. May I ask what you're doing here?"

The man lifted the violin as his answer. "You're running from the bat aren't you? Would be the only reason anybody comes around here, to run away from him. Good hiding place with all the fog."

Edward was taken back but quickly regained his composure. "Well yes, I take it you run into many of my colleagues then."

"Not as much as one may think but yes I've had some encounters now and then."

Edward held out his hand, "Edward Nygma." The stranger put down the bow next to him and shook his hand, "Jonathan Crane." His hands were as cold as ice and his theory of him never knowing warmth was starting to look like it was true.

"Well nice to meet you Jonathan." He sees the crows staring at him and one of them hops over to his shoes and pecks it which causes him to move it away from them, shoes like those are expensive. "Do they come usually come along?"

"Now and then, they like the music and they keep me company."

"How do you know they like it?"

"Never heard one of them complain."

Edward chuckled.

"If you're looking for a quick way out, take a left here," he pointed with his bow, "and keep walking til you see some trees, straight ahead from there and you're back in town in no time."

"Thank you." He gave a single nod and looked like he was about to start playing again. "Will you be here tomorrow?" He nodded again and Edward started walking. He was intrigued by the man and he just couldn't pinpoint where that air of familiarity came from. Music slowly started to play and it began to fade with each step he took. The fog was getting heavy again and when he looked back he saw nothing but the white veil that lay before him. He could still hear the soft music and so he kept walking.

The next day he went back, the most was still there, like it was waiting for him and the music guided him to where he was yesterday. Like the day prior there he was sitting on the headstone playing with his audience of crows watching. This time he didn't stop when the crow cawed he kept playing and Edward was mesmerized. He moved with elegance and the music was beautiful but somehow haunting, it certainly fit the setting they were in. Once he finished he placed down his instrument and the crow that announced his presence flew over and stood next to him on the headstone.

"Afternoon." He stroked the birds feathers and the bird turned around and cawed at Edward again.

"I don't think the bird likes me very much."

"She's harmless."

"I'll take your word for it. Do you come here everyday?"

"Pretty hard to avoid a place of you live in it."

"You live here? Are you an undertaker?"

"No, I just take care of this place, since no one bothers to come here anymore. Someone has to make sure someone doesn't steal anything."

"What's here to steal but bodies?"

"It wouldn't be the first time someone came here with a shovel with that ver purpose."

"You're telling me, that people have come here to get bodies, and that's it's happened more than once."

"Yes, like I said no one comes here anymore so everyone thinks no one will stop them from taking someone from their resting place. They're always surprised to see me though."

Edward pointed to the empty space on the headstone where Jonathan was sitting. "May I?" He nodded and as soon as he sat down, the crow hopped over and stood on his lap and clawed at him. Unsure of what to do, he stayed very still which caused the bird to caw some more. "I wouldn't mind some help."

He chuckled at his obvious distress, "She wants you to pet her, don't worry she won't nip your fingers." He scooted closer and gently stroked her feathers.

Edward hesitated for a moment before doing the same and the bird was more than happy with the attention she was receiving. "Are you sure she won't peck me?"

"As long as you don't pull her feathers or have something shiny in your hand, you'll be okay."

He picked up the violin again and played something slower and less gloomy. Edward found himself enjoying the music as well of the sensation of feathers on his fingers. The only thing bothering him was that all this felt so familiar. Like he had already sat down and heard him play the violin, like he had already been there sitting next to him, and for some reason he felt like he knew the bird that was standing on his lap. The music stopped and he snapped out of his thoughts.

"Have you played anywhere else? I have the faint impression that I've already heard you play before."

Jonathan looked down at his violin he had careful placed on his lap. "I used to play for someone a few years ago," he looked somewhat upset for a second but quickly gave him a small smile, "but I only play here now."

Edward looked around, "Did they pass-"

"No, no they're alive, it's just been some time since I saw them."

Edward nodes and the crow tilted their head at him. "Did you do anything before becoming the unofficial graveyard police?"

"I was a professor of psychology at the university, I was let go due to some unfortunate circumstances. And you, have any plans to take over the city?"

"No, I actually retired from being a criminal mastermind and instead I'm a private investigator."

"I wasn't aware, news doesn't travel around here, I apologize-"

"Don't, it's alright, you're not the first to get it wrong and you won't be the last."

"Private investigator...it's rather fitting now that I think about. You could beat the bat at his own game."

"It's not whether or not I can beat him, I am beating the bat at his own game, I'm the brightest mind in Gotham City!"

"And you hiding from him yesterday had something to do with a case?"

"Just because I'm on his side doesn't mean I have to share information with him. He can be incredibly rude, it's not like I've forgotten all the times he threw me in Arkham."

"But overall things are going well for you?"

"Aside from the GCPD sticking their nose into my business, yes everything is going well." When he uttered that last word, Jonathan looked relieved, like he had been waiting for this answer for quite some time.

"That's good."

"You must be the first one to think so, the rest are practically counting down the days until I turn back to crime."

"Riddler or not, you've moved on from that, which is something that can't be said for the rest of rogues. To hell with whatever people think."

Edward looked at him with a mixture of awe and bewilderment, no civilian had ever told him something like. They just wanted to see him warped in a straight jacket instead of moving on with his life. "Thanks…that's...thanks."

"Don't thank me, I'm sure any sensible person would have told you the same thing. Except this city has practically ran out of people like that."

"You're still here."

"I guess I am."

Another bird flew up and sat on Jonathan's lap, this time it was larger, a raven instead of a crow. "Are these your birds?"

"Only Caw, the rest just come along once in a while, I consider them mine but only because I'm the one feeding them and making sure there's nothing wrong with them.."

"Caw? You named a bird Caw? And which one of them are they."

"She would be sitting on your lap right now. The name is because when she was a chick, there were days where she wouldn't be quiet for more than five minutes. Always yelling." Almost as if she were on cue, she turned to look at Jonathan and cawed. He stroked the raven's feathers and it flew up and disappeared in the fog. "How about you, have you ever had any pets?"

"Currently I do not but in my younger years, I always wanted a dog…"

He started talking and he couldn't stop, he normally wouldn't spew out anything about his childhood to anyone but talking to Jonathan was easy. It was only the second day he's met him but something about him made him feel like he was in a safe place to speak. During the whole time, Jonathan listened to him, really listened, he would ask the occasional question which would prompt him to speak more. He would jump from subject to subject and he was able to keep up with him and he didn't complain, didn't tell him to shut up, if anything he was prompting him to talk more. But he wouldn't stay silent the whole time, he would give his opinion on certain things or add a comment here and there. Edward found that he enjoyed his company.

"Do you have the time?"

Edward checked his watch and noticed just how long he's spent sitting on a large headstone and talking.

"It's almost five. Holy shit it's almost five!"

"Did you need to be somewhere?"

"No, but I have an appointment in half an hour, if you hadn't asked for the time I would have stayed here all day."

"Well, I won't keep you from where you're needed."

Edward stood up, startling Caw who had settled next to him. She cawed at him twice but otherwise did nothing to move.

"I apologize for taking up the majority of your afternoon-"

"You don't need to apologize, good company rarely comes around here. It's been awhile since I've had a good conversation."

"Do you like chess?" The question came from nowhere but the man was clearly intelligent and could possible prove to be a challenge for him.

"I enjoy a good game now and then."

"Very well, are you free tomorrow at 6:30?"

"As long as no one decides to show up with a shovel at that time."

Edward chuckled, "I'll see you here then." Edward walked away and the music slowly began. The fog, as if it were summoned, gathered around him as he walked towards the path that Jonathan had told him about the day prior. He reached his car after exiting the cemetery and drove to his office looking forward to the next afternoon.

He showed up on time at the headstone next the tree that looked like it came out of Sleepy Hollow, this time there was no fog and no violin, it was only Jonathan.

"Evening."

"No music this time?"

"I didn't think it would be necessary. I take it we're not going to stay here."

"No, I thought it would be better if we went to my place this time."

"Scared of staying in a cemetery at night?"

"No, it's almost dark and I want to be able to see the board."

They walked back to one of his apartments, since he had one that wasn't too far away and it wasn't too late that it would have been considered dangerous. They were in the outskirts of the city and pretty far from any 'bad' neighborhood. The sun was starting to set and there weren't any clouds blocking the view, which was a rare occurrence because Gotham City's sky had almost always been cloudy. His apartment was in a small complex, it was small and plain but it was one of his hideouts from his days as an on the run criminal that he had grown attached to.

He liked to think he had a nice living room, he had a nice coffee table and two couches, one that was rather worn down but for some reason could never get himself to throw out. After his accident he came back to a house filled with a mix of unfamiliar, old furniture and new and more his style sort of things.

He was aware he'd lost some of his memories in the accident but he remember some things, like his name and childhood. He remembered The Sirens but he still had things to catch up with, he recalled that there was someone else but their face or who they were was nothing but a blur in his memory. Whomever they were, they were important to him but them not being here and him not remembering was something that had bothered him greatly since he woke up in the hospital.

Edward had already placed a small box containing a old chess board he had found with some of his things. They say facing each other, Jonathan on the old sofa and him on the other. Jonathan helped him set up the board but his hands would hold the pieces for a second longer than necessary or his view would linger on the chipped white knight. He treated each piece he touched as if it were made of glass.

"You can start this round if I win we can switch sides ."

"Then prepare to be playing black for a while." Edward lost that match and the two right after.

He walked Jonathan black to the cemetery and they made plans to meet up the following week. Edward stayed at the entrance until he couldn't see Jonathan anymore which wasn't long because darkness had already draped itself across the city and the cemetery had no lampposts. He stayed a little longer and he started to hear the faint sound of his violin and he made his way back with a small smile.

The next week they talked in the cemetery for a while but eventually ended up back at Edward's place for another round of chess. This time Edward had the most victories. They had some conversations during and after each round, and Jonathan slowly started to open up to him. The started to have their own routine. Edward would pop up unannounced and they would talk, play chess or a combination of both. He started to genuinely like Jonathan despite the fact that he wasn't the most expressive but he was one of the only people that could keep up with what he was saying.

Edward discovered that they had a shared love for books and Jonathan would at least try to solve his riddles even if they took him a whole game to solve, and he wouldn't complain about them. And then he managed to get Jonathan to laugh, not a chuckle or something like that, but a real whole hearted laugh. He didn't even remember what he said he was so distracted by his smile and how it made his eyes crinkle and how it made his heart flutter. How after there was a soft smile on his face and he would notice just how beautiful his eyes were. It was at that moment he knew was completely and utterly ruined. He tried to deny it but his thoughts would wonder at how everytime Jonathan greeted him with a different song on his violin but always seemed to play the same one when he left or how he had this soft look in his eyes when he looked at Edward, he looked at him like he was important, like he mattered to him.

"Sorry I had to cut our game short tonight but I have a meeting." He didn't, but he couldn't just tell him that he had dinner plans with Selina and that he was going to be late if he didn't leave now.

"It's alright, being a private investigator sounds like busy work and I won't keep from it."

"Same time next week?"

"Don't have any plans," Jonathan gave him a soft kiss on the cheek. "I'll see you then." He turned around and disappeared into the darkness like some sort of cryptid. Edward stood there, his brain still processing what just happened and when it finally caught up he was as giddy as a goddamn teenager, it wasn't even a real kiss for crying out loud. At least now he knew that his feelings weren't one sided and he must have had a stupid smile on his face because it was the first thing Selina brought up.

"Who did you meet?"

"I have no idea what you're talking about."

"Eddie you can't lie to me, you might not remember but I know you better than you know yourself."

"...Okay fine, I did meet someone." Selina leaned forward ready to hear whatever he was about to say. Hearing about other people's love life is always interesting.

"Well don't keep a girl waiting, when, where and how?"

"It was a few weeks ago, I was running from your paramour because he got upset that I wasn't sharing information, which wouldn't have happened if he had just taken no from answer or had the brain to find out on his own but I digress. We ended up in the cemetery, not the one you're thinking of, the one out of town, really old, looks like it comes out of a bad horror movie. That one."

"I know the one, keep going."

"Okay so there's fog and everything and I have to stop running because I don't want to fall or something and out of nowhere I hear music, so I follow it."

"You followed music that you heard in the middle of a foggy cemetery? Have you ever seen a horror movie?"

"I was curious! Anyway I get over there and this guy is just sitting on a headstone playing the violin to a group of crows. One of the birds alerts him of my presence and he turns around and he has the nicests eyes! They're like blue but like a very light blue," Selina frowned and looked down for a second, it couldn't be, maybe it was just a coincidence. "We talked for a while and he was surprising polite so I came to see them the next day, we talked some more we meet up every now and then. We just play chess and talk and he doesn't tell me to shut up, he even tries to answer my riddles! He's smart and he used to be a professor at the university…"

Red flags popped up in Selina's head, okay this couldn't be a coincidence, she would have brushed it off but when he said professor and that cemetery she knew something was wrong. Whomever they were, they were messing with Edward and that was something she wouldn't allow. He looked so happy and she couldn't just do nothing when she knew this person was going to eventually break his heart. They finished dinner and after Edward had dropped her off at her place she changed gear and made her way to the cemetery.

She made her way to the tree Edward so kindly described and true to his word she could hear the violin. The place had changed since she last was there, the tree looked dead and the place seemed to be overrun by weeds. She got closer and she saw a familiar silhouette. She put on her night vision goggles to get a better look but when she did the figure disappeared, she took them off and the figure was still there. She held them in her hand and continued walking.

She was almost next to them, she could see their coat and music abruptly stopped, the figure looked at her and she dropped her glasses. The figure looked just as surprised and they took a step back to distance themselves from her. He looked just like him except paler and the bright blue of his eyes had faded to a grey. He looked...dead.

"...Jonathan?"

He gave her a slow nod, "Good evening Selina, it's been a while."

His voice was the same, everything was the same except his clothes looked older and so did his violin. "How….How are you here?….are you alive?"

"I don't know and no I'm not. I'm still inside that coffin if you want to check."She was visibly upset and he wanted to say something but the words wouldn't come to him.

"How do I know you're really him?"

"You used to come here sometimes, not every day or week, you would just pop in and you would talk about how everything was going. You always told me how Edward was doing but you failed to mention that he doesn't remember me."

"You were listening?"

"Hard not to when you're right in front of my headstone. But yes I was."

"But you didn't think to show yourself?"

"I'm dead Selina, I wanted it to stay that way. No point in reinserting myself into a life I'm no longer part of."

"What about Edward? You've been spending time with him."

"I...never meant to. He came here and I didn't notice, didn't have enough time to disappear, but he started talking to me and I….I just…missed him. I haven't seen him in years and I just couldn't get myself to drive him away."

She looked at him, his eyes were glistening and she knew he was holding back something. He never did like being seen when he was emotionally vulnerable.

"When do you plan on telling him who you are and that you're dead."

He sighed, "I don't know but he'll find out on his own, he'll look me up, see who I was and that I'm dead and then…I was glad he didn't remember me, I didn't want him to know that I wasn't there anymore, he would've blamed himself."

"Yeah he would have. He still likes you, even though he doesn't remember. How did you get him to fall for you again?"

He chuckled, "I don't even know how I managed to do it the first time, but it's getting late and I'm sure you have places you need to be. I hope you decided to come by again some time, it starts to get lonely when no one visits."

"I'll try."

He gave her a nod and he started playing where he'd left off, the next thing she knew he was gone and the music faded to silence.

"Still dramatic as always." She muttered to herself as she left.

The next week Edward was checking his reflection in the mirror and no he did not overdress, but he just needed to make sure he looked presentable...okay maybe a little more than presentable but it was Jonathan and he didn't know if this was a date or just a regular meeting. He kept thinking about that the whole way he walked, he could have taken the car but he needed more time to think, and think he did. He was questioning everything, if he was just reading too much into things, but he did give him a kiss or maybe that was just their way of saying goodbye, but if it were they would have done that since their first meeting and ugh! He was just digging deeper and deeper until he hit rock bottom. And even then he kept digging.

Jon met him at the entrance and they were one their way to do the usual. The kiss wasn't mentioned during this whole time which was driving slowly insane but at the end of the day when they were standing once again outside the gates, he decided he wasn't going to chicken out and he went for it. He was of course panicking on the inside but everything stopped when Jonathan kissed him back. It was short but sweet and Jonathan gave him such a beautiful smile before he left and his heart was going a thousand miles per minute.

They spent more time together and Jonathan was smiling more than he ever did when they were just talking and playing chess. Edward was a very affectionate person, he liked to hold hands or just sit close to someone and Jonathan didn't seem to mind. In fact he would sometimes be the one who would ask to hold his hand and when they would watch tv he wouldn't mind if Edward leaned on him, he would wrap an arm around his waist and pull him closer. He found that this was where he was meant to be. It was almost two months later when Jonathan told him he loved him and Edward was caught so of guard he started crying.

It wasn't a big deal, he had been hugging Edward and he just whispered it and the next thing he knew there was a crying softly in his arms. He made him hot chocolate even though he never told him it made him feel better but somehow Jonathan just knew. When Edward had an episode with him for the first time, he didn't shout, he didn't tell him to shut up and leave him alone, he didn't complain, he was just there. Making sure to let Edward know he was there to help if he needed anything, he made hot chocolate and read to him from one of his favourite books (something he quickly discovered he enjoyed) while softly running his finger through his hair. He felt safe and loved and that was all that mattered to him.

But every now and then he would catch Jonathan looking...melancholic, his gaze would be unfocused or he would look like he was just staring at empty space. Sometimes he would look at Edward with this sadness in his eyes it made him feel like he was missing something. Sometimes he would hold him for a little longer or he would tell him he loved him a little more than necessary. It was like he wanted to remind him that he cared, that he was there.

Selina had visited Jonathan two times. She explained everything to him, that Edward was in a coma after the accident and that he had lost some of his memories. She explained that she and Harley cleared his stuff from their apartment in order to make this easier for him. Anything related to him, books, clothes, small knick-knacks, they took his research and lab equipment, they made it look like he had never been there to begin with. It did hurt him a bit to hear that all trace of him had been erased from Edward's life, every picture and gift, anything that could possibly trigger a memory. He was already going to a lot, this was just to help.

"It was supposed to be temporary but he started getting better and he started working and he's happy Jonathan, we didn't see the need to...to…"

"I understand why you did it Lina, I do. But can I ask where you decided to keep everything?"

She showed him a small storage unit where all his things were neatly packed into labeled cardboard boxes. He looked around, the majority of the space was taken by his books and research, but there was one box that was placed at the farthest corner and kept somewhat hidden. He took it from its place, he noticed that this box was older and opened it and he realized he should have recognized it. In it were Edward's little gifts he'd given him during the course of their relationship, it was rather childish of him to keep them hidden away in a box for all those years but it was his way of keeping them safe. He would never admit it out loud but no matter how insignificant they seemed, they meant a lot to him because no one had taken the time to give him anything before. He glanced at the small black box he had hidden there and decided it was time to go back.

The next week, Edward was going to go pick Jonathan up when he noticed Harley walking in the same direction.

"Harley?"

"Oh, hiya Eddie! Whatcha doin' here?"

"I'm meeting up with someone, and I could ask you the same thing."

"Well ya see, it's been sometime since I visited somebody so I just came by to leave these." She held a small bouquet of flowers, nothing big, nothing fancy. "But now you got me curious Eddie, who could ya be meetin' in a place like this? Wait! Don't tell me….EDDIE GOT HIMSELF A-"

"Yes! Okay I am meeting my boyfriend-"

"OoooOOoh! You gotta introduce me!"

"But you're flow-"

"They can wait! Come on Eddie I wanna meet this fella!"

He sighed but kept walking with Harley happily following him. They were getting closer to the tree and headstone when Harley noticed something.

"Well whata ya know? This is where I was goin', well I'm just going to leave these right there and we can wait for ya fella." She walked over to the headstone Jonathan and he usually sat on. "What the hell are all these plants doin' here?! Ya can barely see the name!"

He sighed and walked over to where she was and started to help her pull out the surprisingly tall weeds and when he finally got the chance to look at the name he froze.

"There! All done, betcha Johnny would 'ave appreciated that we cleared that up, all its missin' is this." She placed the flowers down and looked back at her work. "Hey Eddie are ya okay?"

He felt numb, he couldn't move, couldn't speak. Dread filled his person and thought of everything that had happened came back to him like a slap on the face.

"Eddie ya're startin' to freak me out a little."

He ran a hand through his hair and took a chalky breath. "I'm fine Harley."

She was quiet for a moment and then it dawned on her. "Oh Eddie, I'm sorry, I shouldn't have brought you here. Since you don't remember him and everything-"

"What do you mean don't remember him? This has to be some sort of coincidence because The Jonathan Crane that I know is alive."

Harley's face fell and she turned serious. "Eddie I know this is gonna be hard for ya to understand but Johnny hasn't been around for years now."

"Then we're talking about two different people because I just saw them yesterday."

Harley opened her phone and pulled up a photo. "Did he look like this?" On the screen was a selfie taken by her with him and Jonathan in the background, he looked at the date on the phone and the picture was almost five years old.

"Nononnononono that's not possible!"

"Eddi, I have to tell you something."

Harley had left but Edward was still standing in front of the headstone when he felt a presence behind him.

"Edward I-"

"So it's true isn't it? If Jonathan's dead then what the hell are you supposed to be?" He turned around the face him and he looked furious.

"I am Jonathan and I know that's hard to believe but it's me."

"So you've been a ghost all this time and you've been dragging me along in your twisted little game-"

"I never wanted to involve you in this Edward. You have to believe me, when you came here I didn't expect you to and you started talking to me and I didn't have it in me to drive you away."

"But why do all this? Why spend time with me? Why be my friend? Why the hell would you tell me you love me?!"

"Because I do! Dead or not I love you Edward, always have. I know you don't remember anything about me before I died but-"

"I knew you?!"

"Harley didn't mention it but yes." He took a step towards him and Edward moved away.

"Don't come any closer! Whatever you have to say, say it from over there."

"I know you don't believe but let me show you something, please."

Edward was feeling a lot of things at this moment, confusion was the biggest one though, everything didn't make sense. He was talking to a dead man who was telling him he knew him but he had no memory of him. He knew he had forgotten somethings, Selina had filled him in but clearly she forgot something very important. He wanted to say no, he wanted to go home and forget all this. Forget the heaviness on his chest and the look of desperation on Jonathan's face. He wanted to forget all that had just happened so that he could go back at being a private investigator and not be involved in this mess. But at the same time he couldn't just refuse to know the truth.

"Okay." His voice was a whisper but hearing that made Jonathan visibly relax.

"Come with me."

He guided him to where Selina took him, he wanted to hold his hand but he knew that it wouldn't be the best idea. When they reached the unit he unlocked the door and lead Edward inside. One of the benefits of being a ghost was that technology was more susceptible to tampering and manipulation so it wasn't a problem to get it open. Inside he turned on the harsh neon white lights. Edward looked at the boxes but didn't move.

"Selina told me that after you woke up they moved all my things here, in order to keep you from remembering. They forgot some small things like my chess board but everything's here." Edward's hands twitched and he could see that he wanted to look and discover what was inside them. "Its okay Edward, you can open them."

He slowly moved towards one box and he took his time opening it. Inside were a collection of sweaters that looked all too familiar, he picked open up and it felt familiar too. He moved on and the next box he opened had old books that he recognized, he picked on up and flipped to a page and there he saw small writing that he put there. He was starting to remember some things. When he picked up one of the books he remembered a rainy day and warmth, he took a pair of broken glasses and he remembered them running from something. He was opening box after box and he was remembering and it all started to make sense. Why the violin...why he felt like he knew him. He did, he did know him. He had loved him. God he had loved him and he had just forgotten all that.

He picked up another sweater with a stain and he remembered laughter and a dropped cup of coffee, he took a flannel shirt and he remembered a lazy day, them tangled in each other's limbs just laying together, simply enjoying a morning. He had taken one of Jonathan's shirts because he had disappeared for almost a month and he had missed him.

He was starting to feel his eyes sting and his throat grow tight with every new box he opened. When he went to open the last and oldest of the boxes Jonathan stood from where he was sitting and stopped him midway.

"I..don't think you should."

"Why?"

Jonathan looked at the floor but hesitantly moved aside to let him open it. Once he did he noticed that this box was different. It held different things and looked like they were placed in a special order. There was an old book, a scarf he kept looking through everything and he felt a warm tear leave his eye. He stopped when he reached a small black box and more tears fell when he took it. He opened it and that was what he expecting. Jonathan sat closer to him and wrapped and arm around his shoulders and brought him in for a hug. He tried to contain it but Jonathan slowly stroking his hair and holding him close was too much and he cried earnestly.

"I'm sorry Edward, I'm sorry," His voice had gotten smaller, softer, he was probably crying too. "I shouldn't have left, i shouldn't have left you alone and I'm sorry."

They didn't know how long they stayed there holding each other, not that they were keeping track of it, but after Jonathan took Edward back to his apartment and stayed with him until he fell asleep. He sat next to him on his bed, stroking his hair. He missed this and it hurt him more to know that he knew it wouldn't last. He had started feeling weaker a few weeks ago but made no mention of it. With only the night as his witness, he cried silent tears until morning.

Edward was distant for the first couple of days, trying to piece everything together. He would ask him questions and he would answer them as best as he could. His memory was slowly starting to fail him. It took a few weeks but Edward was starting to let him back into his life. He would let him hold him which was what he missed the most.

They were sitting on the sofa, Edward with his head on his shoulder, arms wrapped around his waist. Jonathan was holding him close.

"Can you tell me how it happened?" He murmured. Jonathan knew what he was talking about and he was waiting for him to ask this question. Even though he didn't want share it he knew he needed too.

"Okay."

They were speeding through the streets of Gotham, doing their best to lose Batman who was close behind. Edward was the one driving and it was raining heavily. It was the Scarecrow's first appearance in Gotham and he made sure to leave an impression he knew they weren't going to forget. Edward had decided to go along, he didn't want him to but arguing with Edward was like arguing with a brick wall that would spit back smart remarks and insults. They were close to the docks and the rest of the details were a blur, he didn't know what had happened but on moment they were on land and the next they were in the water.

Edward had hit his head and looked unconscious. He unbuckled him as the car fell deeper and deeper. The bat appeared at his side of the car and managed to get the door open, Jonathan made sure to push Edward towards him and he saw them make their way back to the surface. He went to unbuckle his own belt but it wouldn't move. His lungs were burning his vision getting blurry, no matter what he did the seat belt wouldn't move. His world turned to darkness without him knowing if Edward was alright or not.

He broke the water surface and dragged Edward out of the water. "Take him!" He had called for backup a few minutes back and they managed to arrive just in time. He jumped back in and went back to where the car was laying. He cut the belt and got him out of the water but he wasn't moving, he checked his pulse and there wasn't any. Edward had woken up two months later with no memory of the night or Jonathan but he seemed to remember the majority of the rest. Still he had failed to save them both.

"I'm sorry." Edward whispered.

Jonathan held him a little tighter, "It wasn't your fault, you don't need to apologize. Edward you didn't kill me."

He felt his shoulders shake and he started to softly stroke his hair. "It's alright Edward, I'm here."

A month later Edward started to suspect that something was wrong with Jonathan. He would space out and look at nothing. He would forget where he was for a second or he wouldn't remember memories that Edward asked about. He knew something was truly wrong when Jonathan was playing violin but he dropped it and he looked at his hands in horror. They were starting to fade, to turn translucent.

"Jonathan what's going on?!"

"I don't know, I don't know!" There was silence when a morbid realization dawned on him. "Edward….I think I'm going, for good this time."

"What? No, no you're not! I just got you back and there's no way you're leaving me now!"

"Edward I'm sorry." He hugged him.

"It's not fair, it's not fair...I...I just got you back…"

"I know Eddie, I know. But it's going to be okay, listen to me it's going to be okay. You have Selina and Harley-"

"But they're not you."

He held him a little stronger and for longer than needed. He looked back at where the violin had fallen and it was no longer there. They went to sleep wrapped around each other, Edward's head resting on his chest, above his heart that stopped working, Jonathan had wrapped his arms around him and just held him until he was sure he was asleep. He looked at his arms and his forearms had disappeared.

He gave a soft kiss to the top of his head, "I'm sorry Edward. I'm so sorry."

The next morning Edward woke up feeling colder than usual, the bed felt bigger and he looked around, his face fell and voice broke. "Jon?"