Sorry for how late this chapter is ill+homework= bad weekend still it couldn't stop me from writing ENJOY!

Alice tugged at her cuffs. They dug into her wrists creating red marks around them obviously too tight but Bolton didn't care as usual. It had been a week since Alice and Crane had had their 'bonding' session and both of them were keeping quiet about their friendship. Alice started to see the difference in Crane, before he was a stuck up nerd now he was a kind of father figure, she had begun to trust the ex-doctor but Crane wasn't the type to trust just anybody. They both shared some similarities one being their way of being unresponsive to their treatment; both wouldn't say a word during their sessions and would make sure the doctors didn't break them into giving them information. This approach meant their sessions were short and didn't take too much unneeded effort and they were normally the first back to their cells. Alice was starting to get used to the extra attention from security because everyone wants to have all the rogues in eye sight just as a precaution. The Mad Hatter hadn't made much of an appearance but every time he did Alice felt the uneasy feeling again, like someone putting pressure on her throat so she couldn't breathe properly. Bolton had been avoiding Alice for quite some time now after her last outburst which had involved a fork (and a very hairy leg). Even now when Alice was cuffed he kept a fair amount of distance between them which Alice enjoyed, especially as everyone was practically breathing down her neck every few seconds. Alice became aware that they had stopped and looked up to see (To Alice's horror) The Mad Hatter. As soon as he saw Alice his straight lips curled into a wide grin and his eyes began to sparkle.

'Oh Alice this is a surprise! I see one of the Queen of hearts' men is taking you to Dr Arkham. Have you been a bad girl Alice? That isn't like you at all, times do change though… Except in our fabulous wonderland of course! I hope to see you at the tea party, don't be too late Alice you don't want to miss the finale. No no no you don't want to miss it at all. Goodbye my dear Alice sees you soon.' Alice watched as a guard dragged the hyper Hatter down the corridor and out of sight, now Alice could finally breathe out.

'It seems Hatter has taken a liking to you Alice.'

'Unless you want to find my foot kicked in a very sensitive place Bolton I suggest you keep thoughts like that in your fat head, better yet don't think them at all.' Alice heard a grunt behind her then continued her steady walking to Dr Arkham's office. Alice became increasingly bored (a habit that the Joker had passed on) and now wanted to have some fun.

'So how's the leg? I heard that you needed stitches, I hope I made my point.'

'What point would that be pimp squeak?'

'Don't start what you can't finish. Basically whatever you do I will always beat you, I can do anything better than you.'

'We'll see about that kid. How is Scarecrow these days? I heard you and him has a special bond or is it something more.'

'Don't push your luck monkey boy; I have a very good aim.' Alice said through gritted and wolf whistles could be heard from the nearby cells which Alice hated, everyone thought she was easy prey, maybe not as much now as she is one of the rogues but still some of the confident inmates try to get some action but none succeed. The corridor seemed to stretch forever as Alice walked down it, her trainers creating a squeaking sound of the sleek flooring. They finally reached Dr Arkham's office. Bolton knocked loudly then waited for a conformation to enter, he watched Alice intently prepared to overpower her if necessary. She never liked her sessions and would probably do anything to get out of it though this time Alice did nothing out of the ordinary and entered without any force. She sat in the putting her cuffed hands in her lap, the cuffs clanked together then were quiet once more. Dr Arkham put down the file in his hand and stared at Alice, she saw that he had gained weight from their last session and his face was red with sweat dripping from it.

Gross!

'Morning Jerry, how's the diet going?'

'Fine and its Dr Arkham Alice'

'Shame. I hear you let the other rogues call ya Jerry.'

'Yes well you are not a so called rogue are you?'

'Just because I don't have a creepy name doesn't mean I'm not a rogue Jerry' Dr Arkham sighed and pinched his nose knowing her wasn't going to win; Alice leaned back in her chair and watched the aged doctor. Bolton was still behind her and was making his presence known.

'You call him Dr Arkham kid or I'll scare the hell out of you' he growled but Alice just scoffed.

'Was that a threat? Bolton I'm in hell and I don't think I'm leaving anytime soon which I'm sure you're very happy to hear.' Alice heard the usual grunt of Lyle Bolton and then turned her attention back to the tired Dr Arkham, he looked fed up which was only to be expected as he was obviously the one who was just speaking with The Mad Hatter.

'Alice I think the only good outcome of you being moved into intensive care seems to be a bad outcome as well; you are actually talking to us now.'

'Aw. And I thought you liked me Jerry' Alice pouted like a child which only got her a slap on the back of her head from Bolton who smirked, Alice turned her head to look at him her eyes blazing in fury. Bolton backed away slightly, all smugness gone from his features. She returned her gaze at Dr Arkham.

'As I was saying. You have made exceptional progress so I can now feel safe enough to let you interact with the other inmates in one of the recreation rooms. (A/N I'm not American so I apologise if I've got it wrong) Most of the inmates you will interact with first will be ones that you feel safe around or patients we trust enough not to harm you.

'Any of the patients that you trust?'

'Well… I guess Dr Crane would be on the top of my list, don't say anything Bolton or you'll find my fist connecting with that rather large jaw of yours. Then I guess Ivy, Riddler and Harley would be okay.' Dr Arkham nodded as Alice ticked off each name on her fingers, he wrote down notes on a piece of paper then put his hands into a cup position and rested his head in them.

'What about The Joker and Jervis tetch? They both speak highly of you, in fact I was just talking to Mr Tetch now and all he spoke about was you. He thinks you are his Alice the poor fellow.' Alice raised an eyebrow and leaned forward in her seat so she was only inches away from Dr Arkham, she could smell his aftershave and was close to coughing from the overpowering smell.

'That isn't very professional Jerry. After all if the Hatter has an obsession with me then technically he should be kept as far away from me as possible so he can't harm me. Dr Crane still remembers his training and he said it would be best if I stayed away from the Hatter, I trust Dr Crane more than I trust you so I will listen to his diagnosis okay Jerry?' Alice leaned back in her chair and saw fear in Dr Arkham's eyes as she mentioned Crane.

'You er… are close to Mr Crane?'

'Yes and it is Dr Crane Jerry.'

'I'm afraid it isn't as Mr Crane was stripped of his title when he became a patient here.'

'Poor guy being locked up where you used to work and I thought he was just a grumpy nerd. Never read a book by its cover.' Alice stayed quiet for the rest of the session as Dr Arkham went on about her privileges, she was now allowed to take a book back to her cell to read (Oh now they let me even when I've already taken and read half the books). She could keep a diary just as long as she didn't use the pen to self-harm herself. This lasted for forty minutes then Alice was allowed to go to the rec room for an hour with the inmates she chose, along with some of the inmates Dr Arkham had chosen. Bolton grabbed Alice's collar and shoved her towards the door, she stumbled but regained her balance. The boring tone of Dr Arkham replayed in Alice's head as she and Bolton strode down the corridor.

'Mr Tetch will be in the rec room as well. Maybe you two could settle your differences and you Alice can see he won't hurt you.'

'I doubt it.'

'Very well think I will end the session here. Tell Mr Crane to stop interfering in your treatment when you seem him or there will be consequences.'

'His treatment works better than yours! He's the only one who doesn't treat me like a child, I'll pass the message on and it's Dr Crane whether you like it or not.'

Suddenly the thought of being in a room with The Mad Hatter made Alice feel stiff, the corridor stretched forever as usual. The glass that showed the depressed inmates shimmered in the dim light of the lamps above Alice's head, the light danced as Alice walked down the corridor. The rec room wasn't that far away and only took five minutes before they fell upon the door, they entered swiftly and Alice scanned the room. The Riddler and The Mad Hatter were in the middle of a chess game in a corner of the room and it looked like The Hatter was winning, Harley was watching a cartoon on a small TV sitting crossed legged on the floor. Poison Ivy was watering plants on a window sill, (Yes there was a window!) The Joker was playing a game on a PlayStation 3. Crane was sitting at a table with an old looking book opened half way through the book, Alice rubbed her wrists as Bolton had taken off the cuffs.'

'You could have loosened them a little bit you know.'

'Yeah I know I could of but I didn't.' He walked out of the room and slammed the door, Alice watched as Ivy stuck her nose up.

'How rude.' She returned to watering her plants. Alice felt everyone's eyes rest on her, except Ivy and Crane. Alice walked over to Crane and sat down next to him though he didn't seem to notice, she cleared her throat but he still didn't notice.

'Jesus Christ! You get way too engrossed in those damn books, sorry Dr Crane but Dr Arkham has been on my case all morning.' He did look up briefly and nodded at her apology than closed the book much to Alice's surprise.

'You can carry on reading I just didn't want to be anywhere near him.' She motioned her head towards the Hatter who was smiling at his advantage against The Riddler; The Riddler was banging his head against the table at this point sensing defeat.

'It's alright Miss McGuiness I can sense you have questions and I think I've read enough for today.' Alice leaned backwards in shock.

'Who are you and what have you done with the real Dr Crane?' He chuckled as he saw her surprised expression and then put a nervous hand on hers, she looked at his hand becoming shocked once more.

'Okay I'm not joking now what have you done with the real Dr Crane?'

'Alice… You don't need to be afraid of Hatter he wouldn't do anything to harm you.'

'That's not what I heard. Didn't he kill people he thought was his Alice? What's to stop him from doing the same to me? I have every right to fear him and anyway that's a tiny bit strange coming from the master of fear.' Crane sighed in defeat and let go of Alice's hand she tried to change the subject 'What were you reading it looks big?'

'Sherlock Holmes just finished reading 'a study in Scarlett.' (A/N not sure if it's one of the actual stories)

'Cool. My mum used to read them to me, my favourite was always the hound of the Baskerville's. My mum used to make me guess who the murderer was but I never got it right and whenever he explained how he knew I always used to get confused.'

'Your mother sounds like a caring woman.'

'She was… she deserved someone better than my father.'

'At least we both agree on something.' Crane smiled in front of Alice for the first time and she could that it was a proper smile, she returned the gesture by listening to one of his lectures about fear which she regretted about twenty minutes later.

'So everyone feels fear it's what makes us human, everyone has an ultimate fear that can cause someone to scream or have nightmares, the fear toxin attacks the brain to find the fear and then shows it to the victim which causes them to scream…' Alice slipped back into her daydream; the sound of birds chirping filled her head and her mother telling her a story.

'The ghostly figure strode towards the little girl not making a single sound. He glided like a phantom and comforted the girl as her pale skin shivered in the darkness…the girl was aware of someone whispering into her ear. Her quiet crying ceased as the figure loomed over her she squealed but something told her she was safe, the figure created a calm atmosphere that surround the girl like a blanket her body began to warm up on the inside.

'Who are you?' The girl asked her small teeth chattering.

'I am no one important but know this… Life is large and a complicated thing. Never take it for granted. You are but an infant and the world is a large thing for you and it is full of adventures, it is not your time and I feel it will not be time your time until eighty years have passed. I will be with you when the time comes and I will guide you to my world… one other thing child… you are never alone.' With those final words the figure vanished leaving no trace of ever being there. Eighty years had passed and the young girl had become and aged woman lying in an old bed, her final breathes were raspy ones and she heard a knock on the old wooden door. It slowly opened with a creek; the woman smiled a toothless smile.

'Hello old friend… I-t it is time?'

'Yes… and I have a promise to keep.'

'Then let us leave so I can join my late husband.'

'He is waiting at the gates.' Both spirits rose up and glided towards a land of clouds where the gates of paradise held the end, another spirit was waiting for the woman his ghostly hand outstretched to hers.

'Even after death… You still act like a gentleman.'

'Of course my dear… I am still the man you fell for even after death. Now let us leave my dear so we can join the others.' The woman slowly glided to the gates and watched as her life flashed before her eyes, the last vision was one of her grandchildren, the youngest.

'I have lived a good life… and I shall leave without any force for I am ready for the other side.' The gates opened and all three spirits walked through it and disappeared… never to be seen again. And now it is time for bed.' She closed the book and the Alice began to whine.

'Please just one more, please please please please please!' Alice pouted and gave her mother two shining puppy dog eyes, her mother sighed and opened the book again. She flicked through it quickly to find the right story.

'Ah. Now I think you will like this one… How does Alice in wonderland sound.' Alice beamed and lay back into her pillow looking up at the sealing as her mother began the story.

'A white Rabbit in a waist coat? How odd I wonder where he is going? Excuse me mister Rabbit but where are you going?' The Rabbit continued his running, staring at a pocket watch as he went.

'I am so very late the Queen of hearts will be so very cross.'

'Wait mister Rabbit, mister Rabbit!' Alice sped off after the white Rabbit she then stumbled upon a rather large Rabbit hole.

'I wonder…' Alice crawled into the Rabbit hole, it was a tight squeeze but she managed to fit. As she began to crawl the ground disappeared around her and she was falling… a piano played and small objects seemed to fly around Alice. Suddenly she heard her mother's voice calling for her.

'Alice! Alice where are you? Alice, Alice…'

'Alice are you listening to me?' Crane's voice broke Alice's concentration and she found herself in the rec room again. All eyes were on her, even Ivy had looked away from her plants to wear a concerned look towards Alice's direction. Alice found her voice had deserted her as she stared at the multiple faces, her gaze finally landed on Crane who had the most worrying look of all.

'I-I I was just daydreaming, sorry if I freaked you out.' Her voice sounded like the old woman's in the story… raspy. Everyone returned to what they were doing except Crane who continued staring at Alice, his facial expression unchanged. He suddenly moved forward and whispered so only Alice could hear him.

'It was about you mother wasn't it… the daydream' She nodded sharply and felt a trickle of a tear fall down her face but Crane wiped it away quickly so no one else noticed. 'It's okay, do you want to talk about?' Again she nodded followed by her closing her eyes to process what she was going to say.

'She was telling me a story about a ghostly figure and a little girl then I… I asked her to tell me another story. She chose Alice in wo-'

'Wonderland! Such an excellent story don't you think Alice? It is all about you of course.'

'Hatter there's a time and a place and this isn't the right time. You're not helping her you're just scaring her, go and play another chess game with the Riddler or something.' Hatter's manic smile turned dramatically into a frown then an angry glare at Crane, he then pushed him out of his chair and shoved him onto the wall. Alice fell backwards at his sudden speed but she didn't have the strength to pull herself up, she was shivering uncontrollably.

'Hare you have no right to speak about my Alice like that! She is mine, mine, mine ,mine and you will not keep her away from me do you understand?' Crane's face had dullness written all over it, he didn't seem fazed at the Hatter's change or the fact that he was now at his mercy. Hatter continued staring at him, coldness in his green eyes, he didn't even blink once. Alice finally found the strength to stand and stood next to The Hatter feeling fear creep into her mind at how close she was to him, what didn't help was that he was staring at Crane so intently that she thought he was going to kill him.

'Hatter… let him go.'

'But my dear, sweet Alice…'

'Let. Him. Go. Now' Hatter's eyes changed back to their dazed state as he let Crane down slowly, he gave a sorrow filled look at Alice then shuffled over to the chess board waiting for The Riddler to set the pieces back to their original places. Crane rubbed his arms where The Hatter had grabbed him then picked the fallen chair up and sat down, Alice grabbed her own chair and did the same. She put her trembling hand on Crane's steady one and spoke with calmness.

'And you said he wouldn't hurt me.'

'But he didn't even touch you.'

'Yeah but he hurt you, he hurt my best friend so he hurt me too.'

'I thought you didn't like me.'

'I never said anything of the sort, I don't like you nor do I like you so don't get any ideas into your head that I do.'

'Those words sound strangely familiar.'

'Well they should you said them straw man.' Alice smiled at the doctor and realized just how much trust she had towards him, ever since their first encounter Alice had found that the doctor was different from the other inmates, he was in fact sane. True he terrorized half of Gotham and experimented on his patients when he was a doctor in Arkham but was because he had an obsession with fear not because he was insane. He was capable to do everything a sane person could do; it was only his other personality that was keeping him in the Asylum. Alice did thank that other personality sometimes, if it was for it then she wouldn't have a friend in this godforsaken place and she would have to fight The Mad Hatter on her own. The thought made shivers go down Alice's spine, Crane gripped her hand tighter as reassurance then let go as he realized the other rogues were watching them, he especially saw that the Hatter was giving him a death glare. He didn't want to feel to walls coldness on his back a second time. He could see Harley fighting back giggles and both Riddler and Ivy raising an eyebrow and then to top it all off The Joker was wearing his usual manic smile and winked at Crane.

'If only there was mistletoe right about now.'

'Only in your dreams Joker.'

'Oh I can see much more than a kiss in my dreams Scarecrow.'

'I better hope not Joker or I'll have to gas you.'

'Sorry Scarecrow that doesn't work now after seeing that romantic moment, maybe there is a heart under neither all that straw.'

Crane turned to Alice; he rubbed his temple then quietly spoke as if his voice wouldn't let him speak any louder.

'You don't by any chance have a paracetamol do you? I feel a headache coming.'

Harley finally cracked and burst out laughing, Alice thought Crane would lunge at her and gas her but he just smiled. Alice smiled at him and then heard Ivy making kissing noises, Crane still didn't reveal his gas and no fear was shown in that room and only one thought went through Alice's mind.

Sane

Ok wasn't sure how well this chapter would be as i kind of changed the way the mad hatter acts from the comics and TAS but i always thought he would be forceful towards his Alice and would think of her as an object even if he didn't mean to. Also the reason i am using american even when i am british is because i always thought Gotham would be in America like somewhere near New York. I know that there hasn't been much of the joker but i wanted to get Alice's and Crane's friendship in first before i let the agent of chaos get involved with my OC but don't worry i will start to use his character soon just need something to happen just before and i'm not telling what it is mwahahaha! You'll just have to wait. pls reveiw!