First, I would like to say that I'm sorry this chapter took so long to get out to you guys! It took me forever to decide what and how to write this chapter and then what I did write wasn't even my original plan! That seems to be happening a lot lately :) I was either going to do a chapter with Crane's court or where Abby meets Talia (Which I will still do both) but then I realised this was the perfect oppurtunity to explain Abby's scar. I also wanted this to be mostly a Bane and Abby chapter and thought it was time to throw a little more development into their relationship. It was hard for me to write the Joker, so tell me what you thought about that too! So please, please share your thoughts and any advice you have, it means a lot to me and it really helps to motivate me! Thank you to everyone who has reviewed all ready, each and every one I read makes me smile! Here's Chapter 7!

I was jostled, my head making a whacking sound on the window pane of the bus. I winced slightly, barely registering the pain, my focus entirely on the physco clown who was stalking up and down the aisle, even though the vehicle was moving. When I say moving, I don't mean well. The lackie who is driving all of us to god knows where can not drive what so ever, I'm surprised he even has a liscense. I snort at my niavette, he probably doesn't have a liscense in the first place. I let my eyes wander to the other terrified passengers. Most had their heads down and were refusing to make eye contact with anyone, but the brave ones, like me I suppose, had both eyes intently trained on the Joker. Some were holding hands with the person next to them, seeking out some sort of comfort where ever they could get it.

Suddenly, I was thrown forward, my forehead connecting with the seat in front of me. I almost cursed but caught myself. Momentarily, I wondered why I wasn't more...afraid. I assumed it was because I understood that for whatever plan he had, the Joker needed us alive.

Some not all, a voice whispered from a dark place in my mind.

I shuddered, the fear starting it's way into my heart, making me feel ice cold. I looked up to catch the Joker and the driver exchange a few words, then the Joker swung around dramatically, rasing his hands up and down in rapid succesion, purple suit sleeves flapping like a bird's wings.

"Up, up, up my little hostages." His voice was deep and low but high at the same time, it was so strange and it doubled, tripled the amount of fear that coursed through my veins. No one moved. His eye twitched. Then he gave a dramatic eyeroll and surged forward to grab a young girl, maybe a year or two younger than me. My heart instantly started to lurch. He dragged the girl to the center of the aisle and dug around in his pocket until he found and pulled a knife out. He flicked his tongue out to trace his scars, the poor girl sobbing in his arms.

I couldn't believe this was happening. I had just finished highscool two months ago and I wasn't ready to die, for gods sake! I had been at Gotham General as an intern, trying to learn the skills needed to become a doctor. I remember, right before the hospital started to be evacuated, my phone going off constantly. I hadn't the time to check but I knew they were from Bruce and I was scared that I would die and never see him again. I was brought from my thoughts by a loud whimper.

The girl now had a thin line of blood trickling down her cheek. My lips lifted into a snarl as the Joker squeezed the girl's cheek roughly, taunting her.

"Ahh don't worry darlin, it won't scar." Then directed to the rest of us, "I said GET UP."

Still no one moved. Cowards.

I couldn't let the girl be hurt, she was so small, probably only fifteen and she looked so helpless. As her panicked eyes meant all of ours, pleading for anyone to move, I knew I had to help. I stood slowly, my knees bumping together and leg's shaking, but I still stood. I dug my nails into my palms, I had to be brave for this girl because no one else was going to. I raised myself from the seat and stepped out into the aisle. If you have the power to do something, then you have the responsibility to do it.

I had the Joker's undivided attention, his dark eyes roving over my form as he sucked on the inside of his mouth. I took a deep breath and remembering how he had liked Rachel's fire, I hoped he would like this. I made sure to tilt my head to the side inquisitively and a little condesendingly.

"Didn't you know? You're supposed to pick on people your own size." I resisted the urge to gulp when the words escaped my lips. The Joker's eyes narrowed dangerously but then his face transformed as he started to chuckle.

"I like you! Are you my size?" He questioned, shoulders still shaking from insane laughter. I shrugged, my heart pounding, adreniline coursing through my veins. Be Brave, be brave. My heart seemed to beat.

"I don't know but better than picking on some defeseless little girl. Are you scared of a challenge?" I'm insane, I must have a death wish but I couldn't let that girl be hurt, I wouldn't allow it, not if I could stop it. His snickering ceased and then he shoved the girl away, letting his knife flick out by his side, not liking being called a coward one bit. Relief was a welcome sensation at the release of the girl but it lasted for barely a minute until I realized the gravity of what I had just done.

The Joker walked forward slowly, one shoulder hunched in that strange gait of his. He let his knife hit each and every seat until he was standing direcly in front of me. He leaned forward, breath wafting into my face as he spoke.

"Welllll girly, let's find out!" He pounced on me and I fell back into my seat, him seated atop me. He rolled his eyes, traced his lips, and then brought the hand with the knife up to my neck. I struggled, trying to raise my knee to his groin but stopped at the threat hissed from his marred lips.

"I'll ah cut that little girly up ah! Stop fighting me darlin', I like your ah fight, I do but not now" The Joker snarled, eyes snapping fire. I stilled my body, not wanting him to make true on his threat. I felt tears slip down my cheeks, hot, burning tears. His tongue flicked out again, blood red lips stretching as he grinned maliciously.

I felt the tip of the knife slice my throat as he roared with maniac laughter, eyes alight with my pain, and my own scream of pain pierced through my eardrum, his voice echoing through me.

"Such red blood ya got girlly! I like it!"

I woke up startled, memories still so very fresh in my mind. My legs were tangled in the sapphire sheets and I wondered what had woke me from my nightmare. The door banged open, handle smashing into the wall. Bane stood in the doorway, chest heaving as he searched the room with his eyes for a threat. He strode towards the bed to peer down at me. I could barely see through my blurred eyes.

"Little one! What is wrong?" I shook my head not wanting to tell him anything.

"N-nothing." I managed to choke out but I couldn't resist cupping my hand over my scar, a habit that I had formed when the memories became too much, as if my hand could heal the silver scar that marred my skin. Max saw the move and let out a low whine. He had long ago associated the move with my nightmares. He jumped up on the bed and settled on the side opposite Bane, leaning to lick at my hand. I lifted my other, shaking, hand to stroke the fur down his back. I watched Bane's shoulders tense, eyes trained on my hand covering my neck.

"If it was nothing, you would not have screamed." He said calmly and that's when I noticed it. His face was bare of his mask. I felt pride bubble inside of me that my theory had been correct, he could take the mask off. My lips slipped into an O and my breaths became quick when I studied his face. His lips were perfectly shaped, sensual and pink. His nose was strong and masculine, how that was possible I didn't know but I had this insane yearning to kiss the tip of it. Bane's jawline was beautifully shaped and defined. How I wanted him to kiss me with those pink lips. He finnally seemed to realize why I was staring but instead of backing away quickly like I thought, he narrowed his eyes.

I sucked in a shocked breath when Bane leaned towards me and peeled my hand, finger by finger, from my neck. I instantly arched away, not wanting him to see the scar. My heart was pounding and the feel of his hand on the back of mine had caused pleasant tingling.

"Do not make me ask again. What has you crying?" His voice was surprisingly soft, rich and warm without the mask. I opened and closed my mouth and swallowed hard again.

"It, it's nothing. It's in the past now." I shuddered, the memories washing away any feelings of ease Bane had brought to life within me. Suddenly, my wrist was grabbed and Bane pulled me out of the bed, my back pressed to his front. A fiery blush worked it's way across my chest and cheeks at the intimate position we were in. He trailed his fingers gently across the left side of my neck and I supressed a moan. I tried to pull away but he tightened his arm around my waist warningly. Then his fingers were trailing down the right side of my neck, stoping to trace my scar. I heard him make an angry noise in the back of his throat, it almost sounded like a growl. I found I liked that noise when he made it.

Bane turned me around slowly, eyes glued to the scar.

"Who did that to you?" His voice was deep and controlled, too controlled. That was my only indication to his anger. It was scary that I had become this good at reading him after barely a month. I was about to open my mouth to tell him some believable story about a childhood accident when he interupted me.

"And do not even entertain the idea of lying to me." His lips curled into a smirk when I snapped my jaw shut. I couldn't believe he could read me as well as I could him. Something in his eyes made me want to tell him the truth, to trust him. Maybe it was the absence of his mask. I doubted it. I breathed in deeply through my nose and then out my mouth. I nodded slowly, asking him for a moment to gather my thoughts.

"When the Joker blew up Gotham General, he took hostages." I started to explain, my voice hoarse. "He took a bus full of us and when we arrived, I don't know where, I had been knocked out at that point, but at first everyone refused to get up from their seats. The joker didn't like that, so he grabbed a girl, maybe fifteen, and he put a knife to her throat and told us to get up again." I swallowed down the lump in my throat but it refused to go away. " No one moved. The girl was so scared and I couldn't let him kill her. So I stood up to him and then he targeted me." Bane had been listening intently but at this, the skin around his eyes tightened, his lips thinned, and in a subconciously protective move, pulled me closer. "I was dreaming of that day, when he cut me, I still remember the feeling of him above me." I shuddered and shook my head. "That's not the worst part. He...he said to me, when he was tying me up, that...that he'd come back for me and not to finish the job."

I let my blue eyes meet his brown. I wanted to burrow into him, I wanted him to hold me because I felt drained and weak and he was so incredibly strong. His shoulders were tensed as he tried to contain his abvious anger. Unable to help myself, I leaned into him, feeling the rock hard muscles of his abdomen press into my soft stomach. He was all hard lines where I was soft curves. He tightened his hold on my waist and I thought I felt his nose skim the tops of my hair.

For a moment we were completely still and then Bane came back to himself, stepping away from me. It didn't escape my notice that his hands lingered on my full hips.

"He is alive, is he not?" Bane's voice was colder than I had ever heard before and I worried at the intent behind his question. I nodded slowly.

"Yes, in Arkam Asylum. Although, I don't think he's insane at all. He knows what he's doing and he does it because he likes it." I scowled at the ground, trying to bring anger forth with in me to stifle the fear that still lingered.

I felt warm fingers grasp my chin, scattering the thoughts of the Joker in my mind.

"I will not let him hurt you again Abigail. I will let no one hurt you." I melted a little at his words and throwing caution to the wind, I kissed him quickly on the cheek.

"Thank you Bane, for that and for everything." I whispered, not meeting his eyes. I chanced a look and almost laughed at the expression on his face. He looked down at me, narrowed his eyes, and then started to walk me back into the bed. I tumbled onto the comforter and Bane's torso followed. He once again moved my hair from my neck and lightly traced the scar.

"You are incredibly stupid for defending a stranger, brave, but stupid." He appraised me, looking deeply into my eyes. I blushed again when I found my eyes drawn to his lips, making a mental note to talk to him about his mask. I lazily looked up into his eyes, tiredness seeping into my very bones. I also blamed that same tiredness for how open I had been with him.

"I'm going to interigate you at a later date." I warned him and smiled when he arched an eyebrow. "But I'm too tired right now. Can Max please sleep with me the rest of tonight?" I stuck my lower lip out for good measure.

I heard his heavy sigh of defeat.

"Yes, little one."

Bane POV

When I had heard her scream echo through the halls, my heart had clenched. I had been ready to rip her attacker limb from limb. The sight of her tears made me uncomfortable because I didn't like to see her hurt, that much I understood of my...feelings. She was brave to stand up to someone she so obviously feared to save another. I knew I should not have let the dog sleep in the bed but she needed it and I could not find it in me to deny her that. I want to wring the clown's neck, I want to slowly watch the light of life fade from his eyes. I wanted him to suffer for marking her, for touching her. I had lost control again tonight, letting myself indulge in her soft skin. Abigail was beautiful, her lips soft and full, eyes honest and wide. I walked down the hallway a ways and slid down the wall to breath, the pain in my back starting to come back. She had also seen me without the mask, she was going to "interigate me". Unbidden, a chuckle escaped my lips. I let my eyes travel to the now closed bedroom door.

In the near furture, I think I will be visiting Arkam Asylum.