Disclaimer: I own no Batman characters. They belong to DC comics, Bob Kane, and in some cases Chris Nolan.

This is a heart breaking chapter, well, to me it is. *sigh* Why can't Bruce love Crane?

Oh! I've said to much!. Now! On with the show! Enjoy!

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"Look, I'm sorry I took advantage of you, Bruce." Crane said. Bruce looked at him out of the corner of his eye, driving down a city road. "Thats your excuse?" Bruce asked. Crane fumbled with his hands. "Well, yea. I guess." Bruce smiled, then pulled the car over. By this rate, they were never going to get to Philadelphia.

He turned to Crane. "No, you don't need an excuse. Your amazing, Jonathan Crane, and I wouldn't trade you for the world." Bruce scooted over and put his arms around the Doctor. Then he kissed Crane, tangling his fingers in Crane's mud brown hair. Jonathan returned the gesture and tangled his fingers in Bruce's black locks. Crane gave a soft moan, followed by attempted speech. "W-what about J-Joke-mmmm." Bruce silenced him by sliding his cold fingers up inside Crane's shirt and sweatshirt. *No, no, no. I can't let him do this to Joker.* Crane thought, when pushed Bruce back. Crane inhaled. "No, Bruce. You committed yourself to the Joker. And I refuse to be a footnote to your break-up." Crane put on his 'I'm the Yale graduate, you listen to me' voice.

Bruce frowned, but turned the car back on and started to drive. Awkward silence... After another hour, Bruce finally spoke up. "He's been gone for so long. I forgot the feeling of someone's skin against mine. I forgot the pure pleasure of someone sharing that feeling of ecstasy with me. You are the closet friend I have, Jonathan Crane, I love you."

Jonathan could feel his blue eye well up in tears. The one person he loved, finally confessed that he felt the same way. No, Johnny boy spoke to soon. "But..." Bruce continued.

"...Joker, he is my love, he is my other half. He loves me with all of his shattered heart, and I love him with all my black heart. I won't tell you I love you like anything more than a friend, because I don't. I see you as a brother, nothing more. I'm sorry for what happened last night and early this morning. I'm sorry, Jonathan, can you forgive me?" He looked over at his friend. Crane was flat out sobbing. "I-I'm sorry Bruce! I...I'm sorry. Yes, yes, I accept your apology." Crane said, through broken sobs.

Bruce frowned, he hated seeing his best friend in pain. "Jonathan, I..." Crane cut him off. "No, no. This is what you wanted, what I wanted for you. I understand you need Joker. B-but, why can't you need me the same way?" Crane just wanted Bruce's devotion, and not the kind he was offering early.

"Jack made me realize things, he made me think about things. I could be my self with him, sometimes we would just spend nights looking at each other. He would even sing to me, he was so gentle. The Joker and Jack are two different people, people need to understand that. I love him, nothing can change that." Bruce explained.

Crane felt as if someone ripped his, already torn heart, out and stomped on it. The one person who he desired caused him pain. Desire causes suffering... Bruce loved him, but not the way Crane wanted him to. Though Jonathan understood Bruce and Jack's love. but than, in the back of his mind, was the tormenting voice of the Scarecrow. *Johnny boy... Ravish him, make him feel the pleasure and the fear you feel for him.* Scarecrow taunted.

"I understand Bruce. I love you, and I always will. But I understand, and I won't stand in your way, I promise." Crane reached for Bruce's hand, he found it and intertwined their fingers. Crane's long skinny ones, and Bruce's muscular ones.

The Crow and The Bat.

"I love you too, Johnny." Bruce smiled. Crane smiled back.

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It did not take that long to get to Philadelphia, not making many pit stops. Except for when Crane said he better get to a bathroom or he was going to piss his pants. Bruce told him to invest in a water bottle, Crane told shut the fuck up, he was not using a 'old, nasty, germ infested' bottle to use the facilities with.

But the whole unnecessary tension was broken a few hours before they hit Philly. Bruce put in Placebo again and they started to rock out to the song 'Post Blue'. Crane singing at the top of his lungs, having an amazing soprano voice. "It's in the pills that pick you up. It's in the water, baby. It's in the special way we fuck!"

Bruce started to drum on the steering wheel. The CD was over by the time they entered South Philly. They drove around, trying to think of the first place to look. "Well, if they came back here, that must mean the Riddler has some connections here. There is a phone both a few miles back, we could look him up. You know his real name, right?" Crane asked. "Yea, Edward Nygma."

"Well, there ya' go, lets rock this city." Crane said. Bruce laughed and turned around, driving to the phone booth. Crane spotted it, graffiti and all. Bruce pulled the car over to the curb. I'm not a monster, I'm just ahead of the curb.... He remembered the Jokers word from oh so long ago.

Crane and Bruce squeezed into the phone booth together. Bruce started to scan the "N's". "Nygla, Nygle, Nyglo, Nygma! Here we go. Edward Nygma lives at 74 West Street." Bruce read. *Wait...*

"What street are we on right now?" Crane asked. They left the phone booth. Bruce squinted to see the sign. "We are...on West Street, ah that wasn't so hard." Bruce laughed and turned to Crane. "Bruce, look." Crane turned Bruce around, and smack dab behind them was number 74.

"No, that wasn't hard at all." Crane said, smirking. "You think we should go in, knock? Or something?" As soon as Bruce said that, the door of 74 West Street opened up and stood a tall, thin, man with brown hair that was sticking out in every direction. He had a few freckles, and was strangely handsome. He also had a pronounced limp. He was wearing a green shirt with a purple question mark.

The man looked at Bruce and Crane. "Uhh, may I help you?" He asked. Bruce stiffened and put on the 'Batman' face. No emotion. He layered his tone in ice.

"As a matter of fact, you can."

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A/N: Oh. My. God! The suspense is deafening, isn't it?