A/N: Okay guys, I've changed the rating to T, but if you think it needs to be higher then let me know.

"Alice, remember, you don't have to look at me…"

Wendy gulped, gaze a-ten-letter-word-for-fluttering between Jervis and her hands on top of his. She and Jervis were sitting on the sofa, facing each other.

"It's just like before, I'm simply going to close my fingers over your hands." Jervis eight-letter-word-for-nudged helpfully, "I won't do anything else, alright?" Wendy nodded, fixing her gaze on her hands as Jervis did what he had two days ago, but with both of her hands instead of one. She tried to focus on his gloves, a-ten-letter-word-for-dividing it from her past memories…

"Oh come on you little slut, we both know you want this…"

Wendy blinked back tears as Jervis's fingers began to close, and she glanced at his face for a split-second before looking back down. Her eight-letter-word-for-headache still throbbed unbearably, but she was trying to ignore it as best she could.

"Alice?" Jervis leant forward slightly as he noticed Wendy's wavering focus, looking at her with concern, "Are you alright?" Wendy looked at Jervis again, and she gulped again as she nodded.

"I'm fine." She a-seven-letter-word-for-answered, and Jervis glanced down at his hands before smiling slightly.

"Alice…"

Wendy followed his gaze, and she blinked as she saw that he was now holding her hands, completely. Her five-letter-word-for-break in concentration meant that she hadn't even been focusing on Jervis or what he had been doing.

"You did it Alice!" Jervis smiled wide, and Wendy glanced between him and her hands before giving a small smile.

"I did?" Jervis nodded and Wendy's smile a-seven-letter-word-for-broadened as she took away her hands and rose from the couch with excitement, "Jervis, thank you!" Jervis grinned as he too rose from the couch, looking at Wendy lovingly. She was becoming more and more comfortable around him, and more comfortable with the idea of his help in overcoming what had happened to her.

"It was the least I could d-"

RING RING.

Jervis and Wendy both a-five-letter-word-for-rotated to the phone resting on the table next to the sofa, the loud ringing cutting through their jubilation. Jervis raised an eyebrow. Who could possibly be calling?

"One moment, Alice." Jervis held up a finger politely before moving towards the table, picking up the phone. It couldn't be Jonathan again could it?

"Hello?"

"Jervis, my good man! How are you?"

Jervis immediately put his hand over the receiver, frowning as he glanced at Alice with mild concern.

"Hello Edward. I'm fine, thank you." The suspicion in his tone was evident, but the man with an open execration towards his Alice didn't seem to notice.

"Good…"

Wendy looked at Jervis with confusion, but sat down on the four-letter-word-for-couch and waited for him to finish talking with whoever this 'Edward' person was.

"What do you want, Edward?" Jervis questioned, and he heard Nygma chuckle on the other end of the line.

"No need to be so hostile, Jervis. I just wanted to make sure that nothing dangerous had found you. You know, the Bat…his irritating sidekick…a dangerous killer."

Jervis's frown deepened. There was too much emphasis on that last option.

"I am perfectly fine, Edward. I've managed to remain hidden in the week since your visit." Jervis was reminded of something and he brightened if only slightly, "I must thank you as well. Without you, I would never have been reunited with my darling Alice."

"Of course…"

Jervis didn't catch that Edward had spoken through clenched teeth.

"I hope that I have the opportunity to thank you properly." Jervis added, and then chuckled, "But you needn't worry. Nothing dangerous has found me."

"That's what you think."

Jervis stopped, his smile slowly fading. He turned briefly to the sofa, where Alice was sitting patiently. She looked up at him, and he saw her expression change to one of confusion before he turned back around.

"What are you insinuating Edward?" Jervis tried not to say 'Nygma' or 'Riddler' in case his Alice panicked. Knowing that he was just a phone call away would no doubt be unsettling.

"I am not insinuating anything. I am merely telling you that your little Crossword isn't as harmless as you think." Riddler's reply held his usual smug tone, further confusing the hatter as he tried to wrap his head around what he was implying.

"I don't understand. Alice would never-"

"Of course you don't understand. You've been falling into those delusions of yours for far too long Tetch. You can't even see a danger to your health when it's right under your nose…"

Jervis's grip on the phone tightened, his frown deepening into a scowl as he stared straight ahead.

"Stay away from Alice." He warned, voice almost a growl.

"I am not the one threatening you, Jervis! Why do you think she wears a costume, huh?! That isn't exactly a sign of harmlessness!" The smugness was gone, replaced by irritated shouting.

Jervis was nearing the same sort of mood.

"You don't know what you're talking about!"

"Of course I-"

"Edward." Jervis cut him off sharply, "I am perfectly safe, and I do not appreciate your accusations. Alice would never hurt anyone!" Jervis was so focused on his conversation that he didn't see 'Alice' behind him, arms wrapped around her legs as she blinked back tears.

"Do you really believe that Jervis?" The shouting had returned to its original volume.

"Yes." Jervis answered immediately, and there was a short silence that followed.

"…I see. Well then tell me Jervis, what had many forms of delivery, yet only one result, and your little doll stinks of it?"

Jervis didn't bother to reply. Instead, he hung up. Turning around, he barely caught Alice wiping her eyes before looking at him. Jervis sighed, his anger melting away as he returned the phone to its stand.

"Alice, I will be back in a moment." He informed her, and then walked stiffly out of the room, leaving Alice by herself.

Wendy watched Jervis leave, frowning slightly in a-nine-letter-word-for-bewilderment, before she rubbed her temples as her migraine decided to remind her of its existence.

Without warning, the phone began to ring again.

Wendy lifted her head, frowning again as she looked at the phone. When it didn't stop, she six-letter-word-for-glanced at the doorway Jervis had left through. Should she answer it? Jervis didn't seem to be coming back…

Wendy looked back to the phone, and then an-eleven-letter-word-for-hesitantly picked it up and held it to her ear.

"H-Hello…?"

"Why hello…is this who I think it is?"

She recognised that voice anywhere, and Wendy recoiled as if the man were standing in front of her.

"Oh no…"

"Oh yes." The reply was followed by a chuckle, but then all humour disappeared completely, "And don't think you're safe, Crossword. I brought you to Tetch for a reason, and there is only one puzzle master in Gotham." Wendy's eyes widened with a-six-letter-word-for-fear as she fell back onto the sofa, free hand gripping the seat cushion tightly.

"M-Mr Riddler I-"

"Save it." The snap silenced her immediately, "When I'm through with you, Crossword, you'll wish you had never put on a mask." Wendy once again tried to four-letter-word-for-halt her tears from falling. Her fear only added to the words and memories crossing her vision.

"Oh, and I hope Jervis has done something horrible to you."

She could hear his smirk through the phone.

"Of course, knowing you…"

He didn't know her at all, what could-

"You've probably done something to him."

The line went dead, and Wendy could feel her heart pounding in her chest as her eyes grew as much as they possibly could. The phone slipped from her fingers like it was something poisonous as she scrambled backwards, both hands over her mouth in fearful horror.

No, no she wouldn't, she couldn't! She would never hurt anyone, let alone Jervis, she would never hurt anyone again

"No. No no no no no!" The word of dread tumbled repeatedly from her mouth as she felt it build, the horrible, torturous oath of despair. Wendy continued to shake her head, tears filling her eyes as she drew almost up onto the arm of the sofa. Memories, flashbacks, words of all kinds flickered like someone hastily flickering through TV channels.

She felt it come up through her chest, tearing through her heart and then up to her throat, the only thing keeping it at bay being her repeated cries of 'no'.

"I can't…I can't…"

The accused is charged with fraud, breaking-and-entering, and involuntary manslaughter. How does the defendant plead?

…Guilty, your honour.

She would never hurt anyone again. Never. She had never meant for this to happen…she just…she just wanted…

The jury finds the accused not guilty by reason of insanity…

Wendy felt herself sink as her legs lost feeling, her arms falling to hold herself as she was unable to hold it back any longer.

"N-nine down, three across…" The words were barely above a whisper, and Wendy felt herself begin to sob as once again, everything became far away and distant.

Miss Dewhurst, you are hereby sentenced to rehabilitation…at Arkham Asylum.