Scared, Scarecrow?

BLURB: - Set after Batman Begins. Jonathon Crane has been arrested finally for his crimes upon the people of Gotham. Batman has ordered him to be taken to the mad prison. What Wayne doesn't know is that Crane's going to receive some of his own medicine. NOTHING to do with the Joker in this. Because I can't be bothered. xD

SHORT BLURB: - Dr. Crane is captured and arrested, sent off to an asylum prison to receive some of his own medicine… Nolanverse

DISCLAIMER: - I do not own the Batman Universe, or Dr. Crane (;-;) or Cillian Murphy DX

NOTE: - Beautifully re-written ;D (or just edited in some cases).

RATING: - M for madness… :D and violence, drug use, swearing and some sexual themes. (Now you know your ABC :D)

Chapter One

The blaring of the police car sirens in Jonathon Crane's ears made him drop his dark, stern-faced gaze from Wayne. He felt man's victorious smirk looking down at his lowered head.

"He's dangerous… too dangerous to be wandering around at night in Gotham, especially as it's just been saved. I'm surprised he's not gone immediately mad from the effects of that toxin, actually – he'd inhaled a lot from the city air before capture," Wayne explained, his hands residing in his suit pockets; hiding from the cold of the late autumn night.

He turned around as someone smaller than him tapped his shoulder. Bruce smiled widely at the man, who clutched a clipboard underneath one arm, dressed in a stark white lab coat and smelled freshly of disinfectant. This made Wayne wrinkle his nose awkwardly. The odour reminded him of all the patch-ups Alfred had given him after his midnight escapades.

"Hello, honour to meet your acquaintance… might you be the Bruce Wayne, of Wayne Enterprises?" his eyes were wide with awe as he looked up at the taller man.

He chuckled and smiled again. "Yeah – that's me. And you must be…?"

Vincent scowled – did this big cheese truly not know who he was? "Dr. Vincent Simone, head of Sillforth Asylum. It's… relatively less well-known than Arkham was."

Bruce chose to ignore the aristocratic self-introduction. He thought he was giving Simone a confidence boost by allowing him to introduce himself to such a man, but instead he'd proved to himself that his previous knowledge of Vincent had been true. He was nothing more than a snotty, stuck-up Professor, who was obsessed with his work and had no trace of decent social skills.

"I see you're the one who caught this little chap?" Simone gave Crane a rather disgusted look up and down. Crane did not move in the slightest, yet he knew he was being scrutinised underneath the strange gaze.

Bruce first shot a hard stare at Simone, before smiling, his gaze softening. "It wasn't me… Batman got him – the 'Caped Crusader', you know? Surely you've read the articles… heard rumours…?" his eyes were now questioning the Doctor, almost challenging him.

Simone nodded. "Of course… of course. How silly of me, to forget our 'dark guardians' place here in our society." He placed a cold hand underneath Crane's chin, jerking it upwards and unsettling the soft lank hair. Wayne could see how he itched to push it back into place behind his ears, but his arms were already being screwed painfully behind his back by two police officers. "And now thanks to the mysterious masked man, we have one less criminal to worry about."

Bruce could see the slight shame the Doctor had for forgetting Batman. But he didn't actually know just how right he had been… Wayne had, at first, assumed he knew his secret identity – this man was an entirely different mystery to Batman, and the billionaire didn't know how much Simone knew. Bruce shunned the thought from his mind and looked intently back upon their capture. How could such a clever man turn so mad?

He took to his heels, following Dr. Simone as he had vaguely heard him saying something about getting a cell arranged for his newest client. He was also distantly aware that the pair of policemen was also following them, hauling Crane along unceremoniously between them towards the van that the Doctor had arrived in.

The five of them climbed into the vehicle, the Doctor in the front passenger seat with one of the officers behind the wheel, while the remaining policeman shoved some handcuffs onto Crane's thin wrists. They pushed him into the back seat of the white rusty van, settled between the officer and Wayne.

The car journey took around an hour and ten minutes, for Sillforth mental prison was situated in the suburbs of Gotham. To Bruce, the voyage seemed to drag on forever.

In that time he sensed Crane's unease around all these important officials. Wayne caught him looking around once or twice, as if trying to find comfort somewhere in the rusty white van. In that small moment, Wayne craved to utter a few reassuring words to ease the tense shoulders, whisper to him that he'd be all right. But being realistic, Bruce knew that he had called for Dr. Simone to come and take Jonathon away for therapy; for his own well-being. So he held back this urge and sat tight. It was him who had condemned the other man to this fate, so it wouldn't be wise to go back on his decision.

But already he was beginning to regret phoning the Doctor. It had not been Bruce who had mercilessly thrown a net on Crane, or kicked him till purple bruises welled up along his ribs. It had been Batman. Even so, Wayne was wholly responsible for what the Dark Knight did, but he wanted to forget what he had done. He tried to distance himself from the alter ego pacing in his head. Bruce had distracted himself by looking out of the van window at the passing scenery; grey, depressive buildings and homeless people with hang-dog expressions.

As they walked from the van and towards the stony-grey building, Bruce noticed Crane grow additionally apprehensive than before; perhaps the toxin still hadn't quite worn off.

Sighing, Wayne shook his head sympathetically. He just wished he knew how much this 'Scarecrow' had taken over Crane's life, and how much the toxin was going to affect what was left of the renowned Doctor inside.

The billionaire prompted himself – it's all for the his own good… its all for his own good… Bruce walked a little further from Jonathon in a small attempt to offer comfort to him. He didn't look like he wanted to be surrounded by tall, imposing men.

The officers grabbed Crane again as they entered the bright building.

"Ah, now this will do nicely. Yes - that's it! Just leave him in there and you can leave." The policemen both nodded at Vincent simultaneously and left through the elevator.

"Bruce, I suggest you come back soon to see how he's doing. Could you sign the documents as his… er, well…"

Bruce nodded, wondering how the Doctor really was if he was forgetting this simple word. "I'd be glad to," smiling, he took the clipboard (which seemed to follow Simone everywhere) and signed on the appropriate lines. He left the building too quickly.

Simone smiled cruelly at Wayne's receding back. "Now for the toxin testing…" he walked quietly into the small cell room, carrying a can of Crane's hallucinogen. He shook it vigorously, pushed down upon the sprayer, and before Jonathon turned around the Doctor was out of the door, watching Crane become terrified of everything and anything.

"Time you started taking your own medicine, Crane…"