Silent Shore

Summary: A former psychologist teams up with one of Gotham's villains, only batman doesn't see it that way-it was more like Scarecrow was holding her hostage...maybe it was the other way around.

Disclaimer: Don't own any version of Batman!

Author's note: So, I had this idea pop up out of no where-guess watching too much batman dose that to a person lol. I'm not wholly sure where if anywhere this is going but, hey it came to me and I figured I could share it. Our psychologist is a take on what a scarred professional might do-instead of the route Harley took. Also at the end of the story is my play list for writing this song lol

"Shit, damn it..." He took quick breaths and looked down again, when had it been common for police to shoot at him? Red gushed out of his side, cascading to his belt and eventually his leg. If people didn't get so damned jumpy maybe this wouldn't have happened...Jonathan knew he needed medical attention, of course going to the hospital would only get him sent back to hell hole named Arkham. Jonathan didn't want to go back there, not with the blunder he'd made-if Ivy found him she'd kill him.

"Oh, shit hey come back!" A voice called out, he half turned expecting cops but, only a dark haired woman with wide worried eyes stared at him. "Your bleeding out pretty bad! Come on, Let me patch you up!" She didn't seem scared in the least of him, didn't she know who he was? He wobbled and she rushed to his side as he collapsed. "Fuck, come on skinny-lets get you cleaned up." His world was getting all fuzzy and distorted...was this what it was like to die? Jonathan didn't want to die, he wanted to live-to escape that fate as long as he could.

He opened his eyes and flinched, where had the bright light come from? He turned his head and saw the woman washing her hands in a skin, her hands were coated in foamy red bubbles. He must have made a noise because she jumped and turned her head awkwardly to get a look at him. "Hey, your awake. How are you feeling?" Honestly people shouldn't ask that question when it was obvious. "Like Shit." She chuckled; "Yeah I'd imagine so. At least your alive though, you could be where ever it is you believe you'll go when you die."

He felt his brows raise, "Do I look like a religious type of person to you?" She burst into laughter; "Fuck no, you're wearing a scarecrow costume, that tells me you don't believe in men so why would you believe in gods?" I didn't believe in men? "Whoa there miss psychoanalyst. I know people are real." She nodded; "But you believe in the worst of men right?" He supposed that was right, men were flawed-so afraid of everything.

"Um, I'm Jonathan Crane by the way." As if she didn't already know, anyone who lived in Gotham would know who I was. They had to deal with me almost every other month, Arkham has some serious security issues that it needed to address. She flashed him a smile; "I'm Irina, Irina Rosenthal." I was familiar with her name, even though I hadn't put her face to it. "You're a psychologist." She shrugged as if it was no big deal.

"Was. You were too." I nodded, yeah going from someone who was suppose to help to someone who harmed wasn't exactly the best story from any stand point. "I became an author a while back-mostly horror novels, a few psychological thrillers." Well, she was certainly on the fast track. But, if I remembered correctly Rosenthal was at least in her early thirties, why would she give up psychology at such a young age?

"What happened to you to make you quit?" She frowned and turned the water off, her hands bright red from the heat. "One of my patients almost killed me." And she pointed to her neck-A thin light crossed from one side to the other. Ah, they'd used some sort of wire or something on her-a make shift garrote. "I could see why you would want to get out of the business." She gave him a quick smile and fetched a towel.

"I managed to pull the bullet out, it didn't seem like it hit anything major..." She paused and gave Jonathan what he supposed was meant to be a smile but turned out to be more like a grimace. "But, I'm not that type of doctor so I wouldn't really know...but seeing as your kicking still I don't think your bleeding internally." That was the good news at least. "Thanks, I should probably find my way out of here so the police don't go banging your door down."

I tried to sit up and a spasm of pain burned it's way through my side. "Uh, yeah that's not going to fly. Your wings are clipped right now." great, at least I was warm though, even though it was because of water, my pants were soaked-than again that didn't really matter now did it considering that they were also blood streaked. "You can stay here, I don't get visitors. Everyone thinks of me as the crazy lady next door."

That made no sense; "Other than you harboring a criminal I don't see crazy." Irina shrugged, "To each their own perspective." I was pretty sure that wasn't how that saying went. "I'm assuming you would like out of my tub with minimal pain?" He nodded, yes and yes. "If you had anything dry too would be much appreciated." Irina shrugged; "I might have something, I'll check in a moment."

It was a slow process pulling me out of the tub, at least it was better than trying to climb out on my own, and her something turned out to be a kimono. Thankfully not some girly color, but a nice steel grey affair. "Where did you even get this?" She smiled; "An ex of mine left it behind with me, said that he didn't even want it when I bought it for him-said he was just being nice to get in between the sheets with me." Wow, yeah that was stupid.

"Sorry to ask." Irina waved it off and pulled a sheet pan out of the oven. The succulent scent of Chinese wafting through her kitchen, turns out we both had a taste for it even though most of our former coworkers wouldn't touch the stuff since it was a staple of school life, that and cup of noodle. Not to mention the whiskey, whiskey always made everything better. "You know, I actually found it kind of funny that I found you."

He most certainly didn't see how it was funny, sure walking down the sidewalk and suddenly you come across a hurt madman…No, still didn't get it. "Oh? I don't see the humor in it." Irina seemed prone to smiling, not in the creepy way Joker did or even Harley for that matter. But, it was kind of secretive. Like, she knew something he didn't. "Well of course that wasn't funny, finding you bleeding to death-no what was funny was I had just been thinking about your fear toxin, it's pretty interesting stuff."

That was the last thing I thought I would hear out of a normal persons mouth. Though I suppose some would find it fascinating. It caused people to hallucinate and if exposed to enough die. But, did she like his toxin alone or did she find Jokers toxin to be equally fascinating? "Just mine or?" She grinned, "I have to admit that I find Poison Ivy pretty interesting too." But not the Joker? "There are other villains that use toxins."

She nodded; "And their not worth mentioning." Hm, that was very strange-Most people thought about the Joker in one way or another, did that mean she didn't care about him or what? "The Joker-" She practically hissed at me, but she was no Cat Woman. "Is a vile piece of scum. He's not like the others, he manipulates people into doing what he wants them to do. Simple as that, he likes to watch things burn…some people just don't need a reason to hurt others."

She was really passionate about that. But, didn't that put me in the same category? I made people frightened, though I suppose my need to study fear was my reason-Joker didn't seem to need one like she pointed out. "I'm a criminal." Irina nodded; "Yeah, but your not him. If anything your better than he is." No one had ever said that to me before, they kind of lumped us all together most days. I wasn't really seen as a threat much, not even the bat cared anymore.

"I should just give up being a criminal-I've done things I thought I would never do, hurt countless people…" Irina reached out a hand and placed it over mine. "If you want to talk about anything, feel free to do so with me, I won't judge you ever." He felt his mouth twitch. Of course if she was for real, than she was an angel of humanity. How could anyone understand much less forgive him for his crimes?

Play List:

White Dove By Cider Sky,

Quite Streets By Brooke Barrett smith,

The Road By Hurts,

Monsoon By Tokio Hotel,

Frame of Mind by Monstercat Tristam & Braken,

Unspoken by Hurts,

I'm Not Your Toy By La Roux (DATA remix)