When You Face Your Darkest Fears,

Will You Break Down Into Tears?

True, this was her first, or so she thought, encounter with Scarecrow, but she felt less afraid than she believed she would. Perhaps it was because he shared a face, a body, with Jonathan Crane, and she definitely was not scared of that man, irritated occasionally by his presence, but not scared.

Her eyes gazed over the being before her, the no-longer-Crane, trying to recall the name of the disorder where one had multiple personalities… It wasn't schizophrenia, though it was often confused with it. No, something… Dissociative Identity Disorder! That's what it was, when a person had two or more people inside of one body.

Before she could think another sentence, the figure shoved himself up, leaning over the table, actually looking menacing with Crane's damn near angelic features, "Little Jonny is so interested in you, you know? Wants to… what was it… figure out what makes you tock, as opposed to tick…" She had heard rumors of Jonathan having a darker side, though this was not what she had in mind. She thought of his scathing looks and his smart-ass insults when people mentioned a darker side to the man, even that mask of his, but not this.

"Me?" A chortle rasped out of his throat, "I'd much rather snap your pretty little neck."

Instead of responding negatively, she tilted her head at him, a brow raised, "Oh, you think I'm pretty?" Joker, the bastard that he was, must've been listening in, because when she said that a loud gaffing laugh came from his table, followed by an order from Ivy to shut his face, though he did not comply.

"Also, that's more cliché'd that frightening, dear… Scarecrow, was it?" She rose to, pressing her hands flat against the table, her gaze meeting his at a level point. She forced a smile on her lips, getting too close for the comfort of any normal people, narrowing her eyes at him.

"Clichés aren't scary." She inched closer if possible, feeling his breathe on her face, "And do keep this in mind… You try anything, to scare me, to cause me any harm, or anything of the sort… and I swear to any deity that might be listening, I will throw you out the window of the highest floor of this asylum, in pieces, through the bars." She didn't need to check and make sure the windows of the asylum had bars, she'd been gazing out of them since she'd gotten there.

Scarecrow smiled a hideous, yet, and she would never admit this aloud, sexy, smile, "You'll make our play time fun, girl." His eyes softened a moment, before hardening again, the man leaning back, pushing his glasses up slightly. He let out a breath, Rae watching him with careful eyes. His eyes were the way they were prior to Scarecrow's appearance.

Taking her seat again, she noticed the guards were tensed up, watching them intently. Ah, so they caused a bit of a scene? Whoops. Calm down guardy-kins, they were better now.

She smiled at Crane, leaning towards him, in a smug manner, "So, Scarecrow thinks I'm pretty?" Joker snorted, Harley too, though she supposed it was because whatever he was drinking had come out of his nose.

"No, he just wanted to get a rise out of you," Crane's neck was getting red, as was his ears. That made Rae smile like she knew the biggest secret in the world. That probably irritated him, if the wrinkle between his eyebrows was any indication. The subject was dropped, for now. She'd bring it up later, to try to get an answer from him or simply to annoy him. He wasn't the only one who could pick on someone… or whatever.

The meal was finished in one-sided silence, as Rae, now feeling better, was trying to converse with Crane, who was just not having it.

The madmen-madwomen-madPEOPLE, if anyone felt like being politically correct, were then escorted back to their cells. They all proceeded to what they did every night, fiddle around with the contents of their room, if they had the luxury of having earned special things, like Ivy's pet plant, while the rest would simply wait for lights-out.

The thing with lights-out was that it made it harder to see when someone decided to open the cell door and enter it, the lighting conditions did not help to alert Rae that someone had come into her cell. A hand over her mouth was what woke her, the eyes of one of the men gazing down at her. Her thoughts went to the worst of places.

"Do be quiet!" Familiar, but definitely not the smooth voice of Crane, nor the cackling voice of Joker. It was someone from group, and she didn't think it was Edward, er, Riddler. Something cold clasped around her wrist, her hand bumping against her captor's. Who was…? She was jerked from her bed, blankets falling to the floor, led out of her cell, eyes narrowing, trying to adjust to the faded lights. Yes, the hall had lights, but not enough for her to identify her kidnapper.

"What are we-?"

"We're escaping, and you're collateral so they'll let us leave," The voice muttered, "Now be quiet, we mustn't alert the guards to our actions." She tried to find the guards that were suppose to keep an eye on the block, but found none, perhaps she was being abducted during the changing of the guards? Humorous.

"How'm I collateral?"

"Well, you're more of a meat shield, than anything." She made a noise at his words, but chose not to comment on his words, not too sure whether or not this was a dream.

At least she would be useful, if any problems were to occur during this man's escape. Thankfully, there was no need for that, he led her down a few twists and turns and soon they were out, having not even ran into a nurse on their way out of the asylum. Blocks away from the asylum was when they stopped moving, under a lamppost, where she was able to see exactly who had taken her from the asylum. Jervish Tetch.

She yanked her arm, letting out a grunt, "You can let me go now, Tetch."

"On the contrary, I think you'd make a lovely Queen of Hearts, Rae. If I only had my supplies…" A look of disgust crossed the girl's features. She was not going to be his play toy, something he could order around and have do his bidding, which would be acting out the role of the Queen of Hearts.

She had heard about his fixation with Alice in Wonderland in Group, obviously, as he hadn't tried to hide it. It was his shtick, what he did, and he was proud of it. She had thought it was a little odd, interesting, but odd, when she heard about it, but now that he thought of using her in his game, she was very against it. Yanking her arm, forcing his back with it, she grasped the front of his asylum attire, shoving him against the lamppost.

"Get this through your head, Tetch, I am not someone to fuck with, got it?" He frowned at her, shoving her back, her body having a bit of a rubber band effect due to the handcuffs, and she nearly bumped back into him.

He gave her a look of annoyance, looking as if he was contemplating something, before he started to walk, dragging her along.

"Tetch! Let me go or I swear you're on my list!" Now she was shouting in a neighborhood that no one wanted to draw attention to themselves in. Tetch ordered her to keep quiet. She shouted louder. This gained the attention of a few insomniacs, gang bangers in the area, and anyone else that was awake at that time of night. None came to her aid, though several did tell her to shut her face or they'd make better use of her mouth. Had Jervish not covered her mouth, she would've blasted very obscene words in their direction. A reward for his hand on her mouth was a bite.

"That's what you get!" Was her only response to his 'Why would you do that' face. He chose not to speak to her for the rest of this drag-session.

They wound up in some old, abandoned looking warehouse. She realized her mistake once she entered it, her wrist tender from the cuff, that it was not abandoned, no, the user just was locked up and wasn't able to take care of it. Costumes everywhere. Jervish made special note to lock the door behind them before taking the cuffs off of them. He also ducked, having predicted that she would swing.

Without paying her more mind than that, he went towards the costumes, searching for something. She figured it was his special costume, though was surprised when one was tossed at her.

"Change, silly girl."

She frowned at the abomination that was the article of clothing in her hands. She'd rather wear an Arkham jumpsuit than the black and red thing he had just given her.

She smirked, eyeing the walls of the warehouse, slithering closer to Jervish as he began to change, seemingly uncaring whether or not she saw him.

Standing on her tiptoes, her arms snaked around his neck from behind, her chin resting on his shoulder, "Jervish… You obviously weren't paying attention before…" She leaned over, pressing a kiss to his cheek, secretly wishing to have Ivy's death-kiss, "Don't fuck with me." She grabbed him by his shirt, throwing all of her weight into it as she shoved him towards a window, having thrown down the dress he wanted her to put on. He stumbled on it and fell through a window of the warehouse.

This made her smile.

She did decide to take something from Jervish's collection of costumes before hopping out the window, a pair of plain black shoes that were too big for her. She just barely missed stomping on Jervish, wishing she had, though instead of fulfilling her desire to stomp his face into the dirt, she took off.

She cursed to herself, doubting she'd be able to find any 'safe house' to stay in, seeing as the asylum probably had Jenn's contact information, including address. That'd be one of the first places they would look for her, she was sure.

Rae had no where to go, no where to hide.

She'd have to fix that.

So! Someone asked I put a little more of the Mad Hatter into the story, and I did.

Sorry for, er, the Mad Hatter abuse.

Also! You'll have a special treat for the next chapter.

And it's not a surprise, because I'm terrible at keeping those.

The next chapter will be written from Jonathan Crane's point of view.