Jonathan Crane had never been so scared. He was the fear-master, dammit! Nothing should have the Scarecrow breaking out into cold sweats! Knee-knocking nervousness! Bah! And the shaking in his hands that wouldn't stop…
He tugged at his collar again, for the fifth time this hour. Alternately pacing the room and sitting blankly in a chair, he was completely unsure of what to do with himself. He looked around the room, eyeing the exits. Maybe it wasn't too late to run for it. No, running would only make things worse. He thought idly. Maybe he could gas everyone, clear out the entire building. He could pass it off as an accident.
No. Said the tiny voice in his head. Stupid conscience.
He was interrupted from his reverie by Edward Nygma, walking through the door, announcing to the doomed Crane that his time had come.
He walked stiffly out the door. The walk down the hallway seemed an eternity. Nygma opened another door to a side hallway, and they moved in slow motion, almost as if in a dream.
Or a nightmare.
They reached the final door. Eddie turned and smiled at Jonathan. "Are you ready?"
The Scarecrow nodded and swallowed an audible *gulp*. There was no turning back now.
The door opened and the criminal duo walked into a crowded room. Jonathan stopped in his tracks. So many people! He could never have imagined so many people would have turned out for this. Determined not to let anyone see his fear, he walked quickly to the front of the room and faced the wall. Eddie followed and stood beside him.
"Just breathe." Eddie whispered. "Twenty minutes and it'll all be over."
"I'm not sure I can last that long!" Jonathan shot back. "What if I mess up?"
"You won't. Trust me."
Jonathan's head started to pound and his ears started to ring. Dimly he could hear music playing somewhere in the background. The room was spinning, he couldn't see, he couldn't breathe! He barely noticed Selina Kyle sauntering up to the front of the room, followed by a gaggle of women he didn't recognize.
Eddie tapped him on the shoulder, and he whirled around to stare into a pair of large blue eyes.
The world suddenly calmed down as he stared into Barbara Gordon's face. She wore a long, white gown and veil, and was on the arm of her very disapproving-faced father, Commissioner Jim Gordon. She kissed her daddy on the cheek and moved to stand next to Jonathan at the altar.
It was time to get married.
And Eddie was right. It was all over in twenty minutes. And he was so relieved to get it over with! It was the scariest thing he would ever do.
Well…. Second scariest.