Chapter Two:

Introductions


Jonathan Crane sat patiently in an uncomfortable wooden chair, staring down to Alrick on the floor. Alrick seemed like nothing too impressive. It must be the wealth, Jonathan's thoughts murmured. Melissa had grown up in the Narrows. It would be understandable why a young women would want to avoid going back to that life at any cost. But you weren't poor- another voice echoed -you were the top psychologist, one of the youngest doctors...and yet she still ran away from you. He cracked his jaw as his eyes floated down to the creme-colored folder in his hands. He opened the cover, his fingers leafing through the papers though he had already done so a dozen times in the weeks before.

His blue eyes looked back to Alrick. He had groaned softly and was now rolling his head from one side to the other. Maybe it was his looks that brought Melissa to him. Alrick, Jonathan could tell without reading the papers in the folders, could easily have any girl, young woman, or mother that he wanted. It could not be denied that Alrick could easily resemble a statue of some Greek god. It made the hatred for the young man grow in Jonathan's chest. If he had attended highschool with Alrick, there was no doubt that they'd be on opposite ends of the social ladder. Alrick would be the brainless jock that the girls swooned over while Jonathan was the brain that was only talked to when a classmate wanted to copy off of his homework. People like Alrick always got whatever they wanted. Handed to him on a golden platter. Like Melissa.

"You shouldn't try to move too much, Alrick. You may have a broken rib or two. If not, then you at least have bruised bones." Alrick's eyes opened to look back into Jonathan's. Alrick's eyebrows dropped into a scowl.

"Where is she?"

"Safe."

"I want to see her!"

Alrick only received a blank stare at his demand. A full minute passed before Jonathan took in a deep breath as he looked back down to the papers. "So... The wealth in your family has been passed on for generations. Each generation has found it's own way to add to the bank amount, though. I see that you're older sister Angelica is an actress in London. Mostly plays but she's been in a few independent movies. You're uncle James designed a new line of rifles. Your parents had quite a line of champion horses that have won them a decent amount." Alrick's eyebrows were quirked at hearing this information. Jonathan continued on, "You had a five year old brother named Gavin that was killed ten years ago while on the usual winter sleigh ride that your family opens to the public. Caught under the sleigh."

"How- how–?"

Jonathan looked up to him, "It's simple, really. Hire somebody to find out about you. Offer the right amount, and they can scrape together you're whole life... Some of these are newspaper clippings. Blame the media. Blame the public for their ridiculous interest in the lives of the wealthy." He scoffed. Alrick made him think of Bruce Wayne. When his parents had died, the whole city had to mourn. If it was a child from the narrows that was made an orphan, well it was simply to a foster-care home with a 'Tough luck, kid'.

"I just want to see Melissa. I just want to know she's alright. Please don't hurt her. I'll pay anything. My family will pay anything. Just please let her go. I'll stay for as long as you need me to, but please let Melissa go. She didn't do anything."

"You are not the most important thing in everyone's life, Alrick. The sooner you get that through you're thick skull, the better off we will all be. Including Melissa."

"Are we being ransomed?" Confusion was clear on Alrick's face.

"No." It was a short answer. He stood up, walking across the cracked cement floor to Alrick. "You and Melissa were not taken because of who you are, Alrick. You and Melissa were taken because of who she is. I would've easily had you killed on that road with the driver, but I don't think Melissa would've been all too pleased with me if I did. Leaving you there would be a risk of being caught, though. I had no choice but to bring you along." This was all said in a very as-a-matter-of-fact tone.

A moment of silence dropped between them. Alrick opened his mouth but apparently changed his mind about what he was going to say. Jonathan's expression was in its usual unreadable expression, the complete opposite of Alrick's expression. Confusion and worry were obvious on his face as he again struggled to find his voice. Jonathan tilted his head to the side patiently.

"Who are you?"

"Dr. Jonathan Crane."

"You're, you're the one from the nuthouse-"

"The mental institution in Gotham? Yes. Arkham Asylum. I had been the psychopharmacologist for quite some time. The head psychologist as well."

"You're– you're one of them that they didn't catch. You were... you are crazy. They put you in your own asylum. You had escaped. They're after you... The newspapers..."

"Yes, I had seen those papers. They ran for a while. You can just how well-equipped the law-enforcement is in Gotham." He scoffed as he looked past Alrick to the bland cement walls. "True enough, I was a public enemy for some time... But then, once weeks past and I still wasn't found, I wasn't mentioned any longer. The city officials do not like reminders of how they've failed..." You're failure with Melissa, for example. "Not that anyone takes enjoyment in how they've lacked... Losing Arkham, losing Melissa--"

"'Losing Melissa'?" Alrick repeated and Jonathan gave a small nod to confirm that he had heard correctly. "Where is she? I want to see her."

"I can't let that happen. If it eases your mind: hurting Melissa is the last thing on my mind." He explained calmly, walking around Alrick. He knelt to the floor, grabbing Alrick's cuffed hands in his. "I wouldn't do such a thing to her. Don't worry." He pulled the gold band off of Alrick's ring finger and stood up, examining it. Turning it, he noticed inner writing that wrote: My heart is hers. "Isn't that sweet?" He looked up to one of the men standing in the corner of the room, "Get the doctor and tell him he can come in now." The man left the room and Jonathan turned to look back down to Alrick.

"Give me my ring back!"

"No."

"Give it to me, you sick freak!" In the next instant, Jonathan's foot landed against the center of Alrick's chest. Alrick winced it pain and Jonathan could see he was biting his lip to hold back from shouting in pain. It caused a new feeling of satisfaction to Jonathan.

"Do not make me regret my hospitality." Alrick looked back up to him and Jonathan's lip twitched in an attempt to sneer. He put Alrick's engagement ring on his own ring finger. Looking down to the ring, he opened and closed his fist a few times. "It fits quite well." Alrick turned his head away and Jonathan walked to the door, meeting the doctor in the doorway.

"Anything particular this time, Crane?"

"Induce a fever. A few nightmares of his own should keep him in line." The doctor nodded.

"And how is Melissa doing?"

"The girl is sleeping soundly and comfortably. I gave her a few relaxers. She was frantic and hysterical. She should sleep until... at the earliest, nine or ten in the morning. Besides the injections, I'm sure she's exhausted anyway– not only physically but mental-" He stopped himself before finishing the statement. Jonathan was glaring coldly at him. The doctor cleared his throat but said nothing more as he looked away.

Without another word, Jonathan left the room. The Scarecrow was chuckling in his ear.