Apprentice

Disclaimer: This is just for fun and to improve my writing skills. HELPFUL CRITICISM is appreciated, welcomed, and responded to. FLAMES will be ignored.

Thanks to those that have reviewed and added this story to their favorites. I am pleased to know that there are those that are interested in this.

Chapter Two

Of all the things that could have happened, this was the Best and Worst moments of her life. How that was possible, she wasn't entirely too sure, only that it was. Of all the things that could have happened on her first day with a patient capable of holding a conversation, this was not it.

In fact, Alondra wasn't sure if she had fallen victim to a co-worker's juvenile prank, inhaled some kind of hallucinogen, or even get out of bed and start her day at Arkham Asylum. Either way though, it would be best to play along, dreaming or hallucinating were basically the same thing (in her opinion anyway, it wasn't like she said such a thing out loud to anyone) and as such could be responded to the same way.

"Seems as if nothing has changed," Professor Crane, no, Scarecrow said. "We're just missing the tea, the coffee table, and of course, being in a more…comfortable setting," Alondra responded as she pulled out a notepad and pulled the cap off of a pen. She had heard how skilled these people were at escaping and she hadn't wanted to take chances.

Right now though she was more in denial about her Professor being Scarecrow than in doing her job. This is just a dream…or a nightmare. A quick glance at her watch told her that it was only a minute into the one hour and forty-five minutes she had with her one time Professor

A sharp pain made her blink and she released her lower lip. Stupid habit. Had anything changed since that fiasco? It felt as if nothing had changed and the frightening part was that she wasn't sure if she enticed it.

"My superiors forgot to inform me that you were Scarecrow." Alondra did her best to still heartbeat. Keeping a black face, her eyes looked at him (when had she looked away in the first place?). Even to her ears it sounded as if she was accusing him of some unspoken crime.

But that was it, wasn't it? Somehow he had betrayed her and she wasn't sure how he had; only that he did.

Jonathan watched her. Child truly hadn't changed since he had last seen her. It was just a shame that she hadn't been around to see what it was that he had been working on.

However, the way this situation was set up gave him a sense of déjà vu. One that he really couldn't help but comment on. "Seems as if nothing has changed." She was slowly looking away and he could see that she was worrying away at the lower lip. It was a wonder how she retained any skin on that part of her body. The way Alondra gnawed on it often reminded him of the way she used to gnaw on a straw.

"We're just missing the tea, the coffee table, and of course, being in a more…comfortable setting." Scarecrow snickered in the back of his mind. No, she hadn't changed at all. It was good to know she hadn't changed since the incident.

Crane watched as Child glanced at a watch (she always seemed to have one) before jumping when the absentminded gnawing drew blood. She truly has not changed. They were only just starting to relax when Child slowly started to look at him, with a blank face.

In all the time that he had known her, this was a clear sign that she was displeased with something. "They forgot to inform me that you were Scarecrow." His hands clenched and he could feel Scarecrow wanting to take over, to show her just who it was that was the real Scarecrow.

Was she accusing him of doing what she couldn't do? For being what she could never be? The nerve!

"You have grown bold." Yes, she had. Perhaps being away from Gotham had done her some good after all. "How have you been?" He would try to keep things civil between him, Scarecrow and Child.

"…Professor, don't." Please. The way Child said it hinted at that one unspoken word. He still remembered the last time he had pushed further than she had been comfortable with and he wouldn't make that same mistake.

Relaxing in his seat, Jonathan looked just past her shoulder. He would let her do her job, but sooner or later a confrontation would happen. When, no one knew, only there would be one and that the doors had better be locked with the guards not paying attention for that moment to happen.

When the 'interview' ended, Alondra had all but ran out of that room. The Professor hadn't looked offended when she left, merely understood. It made her just that much more confused.

What had happened after that fiasco? Why did he become Scarecrow? Why was he tolerating all of this? What happened after she had left Gotham?

That last question was digging its claws into her skin and opening it's maw for a better grip on the flesh of her mind.

My apologizes on the shortness of this chapter. The reunion between Jonathan and Alondra was the only thing that was supposed to happen in this chapter. The first two chapters was a way to set the stage for the rest of the story. As such, I will appreciate your reviews and your thoughts on this story of mine.

The next chapter will be out within 5-8 days and two weeks at the latest.

With regards,

XIV-Forsaken-Seer