The snow drifted past Ophira's window silently, muting the city's noise. The last light of the day illuminated the small nook she had taken to during her forced exile from the asylum. The only sounds that permeated the apartment were from the soft clack of wood as Ophira half heartedly tried to piece together the logic puzzle that had been left at her door. She was so close to solving it, so close she could taste it. A small half turn of a rather obtuse piece finally allowed her to push the puzzle together. She smiled softly and examined the oddly pleasing wooden sculpture in her hand before setting it gently on the table in front of her.
She rose from her papasan and placed her old kettle on the stove, preparing her evening tea. Ophira was set to return to the asylum the next day. Her stomach clenched at the thought, Ophira had desperately wanted to return over the last two weeks but something was bothering her. At first she had blamed it Killer Croc's escape but then Ophira realized that the fear she felt wasn't physical, it was mental. Ophira would have to face Edward again for the first time since the botanical gardens. He had saved her and comforted her, something far outside his psychological profile. He had flirted with her, not uncommon among her male patients, but Edward had actually made her heart flutter. The burning touch of his hand and his silky knowing voice had visited her every night in her dreams, taunting her. Ophira didn't know what to expect from him the next day, their session seemed a daunting task.
She steeped her tea and headed for the window of her living room, sitting delicately on the sill as she watched the snow flutter by. Night began creeping over the city's skyline and small yellow dots began to lighten every window, combating the darkness.
The morning was clear as Ophira trudged through the snow up to her office. She carried her small cactus in a gloved hand, hoping the cold wouldn't hurt it before she could get inside.
"Good to see you back, Dr. Zane." Ophira whirled around and beamed at the stout gentlemen behind her. Aaron Cash gave her a small smile.
"I can't believe you're here! Are you okay?" She looked curiously at his arm but it was covered with the sleeve of his jacket. Cash shrugged and motioned for them to continue to Intensive Treatment.
"Croc can't keep me down, check this out." Cash held up his arm and let the sleeve drop revealing a shiny metal hook. Ophira's mouth dropped open and Cash gave her a wink.
"Wow! That's so badass." Ophira touched the hook gingerly before letting it slip beneath the sleeve once again. "How long was your leave?"
"I was gone for about five days, old Sharpy said he needed as many guards on the job as possible." Cash shrugged and looked at Ophira curiously. "You've been gone for a while, lots of theories about why you left. I figured I'd ask you rather then get involved in the rumor mill."
Ophira shook her head in dismay. "Sharp said the senior doctors recommended two weeks off for emotional distress but now I see that there may have been more behind it. If I was out for two weeks then you should've been out for at least a few months." Cash nodded and held the door as they stepped inside Intensive Treatment. Ophira gave him quick one armed hug before they separated. "Thank you for not believing the rumors, none them are true." She whispered before pulling away.
Cash gave her a kind look. "Don't worry about it, I know. I'll bring Nigma up for you, he's been unbearable since you left. I think the whole staff will take a sigh of relief once he calms down again." With that he entered the bowels of the facility leaving Ophira to head up to her office. She smiled softly to herself, secretly satisfied that Edward had missed her but a small twinge of nervousness spread through her belly.
Ophira flipped the light on to her office and looked around to ensure everything was in it's proper place. Her green scarf was still missing but Ophira didn't expect it to turn up again. Her desk had a fine layer of dust from disuse. A quick swipe of the duster she kept in the drawer took care of that. She settled down in her chair and leaned back quietly, breathing in the smell of the small office. The scent of musty books and old wood greeted her nose. She smiled at the familiar sensation.
A rough knock came from the door. Ophira sighed and stood to open it, giving Cash a smile. Her eyes wandered to the figure just behind him where Edward stood with a smug look. His green eyes narrowed in satisfaction as he saw her, a small smirk gracing his lips. Ophira allowed them inside and sat down in her desk chair. Cash watched carefully as Edward walked past him and sat in the wooden chair across from Ophira. She gave him the okay and Cash nodded, gently closing the door with a snap behind him.
"Hello Edward. I have to apologize for my absence, if I had the choice it would not have happened. How have you been?" Ophira placed her elbows on the desk and leaned forward. She gazed at him softly, noting the scruff that poked up around his chin.
"It has been terribly boring here since you left, my dear. I found myself relying on Crane and Tetch for intelligent conversation and both of them are completely unhinged." Edward waved his hand as if dismissing his fellow patients. "After Crane smuggled a syringe of fear toxin and attempted to stab me I was at a complete loss for semi-intelligent debate. The staff here are complete idiots, apes without a modicum of sense. Besides you, of course." He shot Ophira a glance of approval, his green eyes flashed at her. "I tried to engage them with riddles and other conundrums but they all refused to answer me, the morons." He said silkily and swiped a strand of his loose hair from his face. His leg shook beneath the desk, he was itching to dive into some wonderful, mind bending riddles.
"It's nice to have a partner for intelligent conversation again." Edward looked at her evenly with a small smile. Ophira smiled softly at Edward, he was becoming much more personable every time they met. Although, it seemed that it only extended to her and none of the other staff or patients.
"Well, I think we should spend this session talking about your predilection for riddles and other mind games." Ophira shifted in her seat, leaning backward and examining Edward through lidded eyes.
Edward leaned forward and pondered which riddle would be the first for their session before they were interrupted by a sudden sharp round of knocking. Ophira stood to open the door, her eyes narrowed in confusion. As her hand touched the handle she paused, peaking through the small peephole. Edward craned his neck to watch, his eyes furrowed in question. Ophira could see no one outside the door, not even Cash. A cold tingle rippled down her spine and a spreading sense of dread bloomed in her belly. Her fingers danced over the locking mechanism on the door, clicking it into place as quietly as possible. She turned around and put a finger to her lips when she spotted Edward watching her and made her way back behind her desk, motioning for him to follow. He stood quietly and slipped behind the wooden mass, sitting on the cold floor next to her.
Ophira pulled a small hidden tab on the underside of the desk revealing a stun gun. Cash had been kind enough to install it on her first day. Edward watched her carefully remove the gun and hold it delicately in her lap, his brows raising in surprise.
"More dangerous than she lets on..." He thought bemusedly while he fought an oncoming smirk.
Another round of knocking echoed through the small room. Ophira's knuckles turned white as she clenched the small weapon. Edward peered curiously around the desk and looked at the crack between the door and the ground. Pale and dirty feet stood there, presumably the source of the knocks.
"Edward open the door or I'll slip a canister of gas in there and leave you to experience all of your nightmares." A cruel voice came from outside the door.
A smirk bloomed across Edward's face. It was only Crane. He was as close to a friend as Edward had. He made to rise but a small hand caught his wrist, pulling him back down. Ophira gave him wide eyes and shook her head vigorously. She was frightened, something that would delight his devious peer who was waiting on the other side of the door. A stab of anger grasped his insides as images of Crane testing fear toxin on his sweet doctor flitted through his mind. She was his and he would not let Crane ruin her.
The door knob jiggled as Scarecrow tried to enter. Anyone with half a brain knew Crane would make good on his promise to flood the room with gas if Edward didn't greet him soon. Edward gently pulled Ophira's hand away and rose into a crouch next to her. He stroked her hair and placed his hand on her neck pulling her closer to his face. His green eyes bored into hers before he leaned forward and placed a gentle kiss on her cheek. Ophira inhaled sharply at the contact and felt a shiver run down her spine as Edward's breath ticked her ear.
"I won't let him hurt you, my dear. You are mine." He whispered delicately, his lips millimeters away from her ear. He gave her one last look before rising to full height and heading for the door. He made quick work of the lock and opened the door to find Crane in front of him.
"Ah, Jonathan. How is reducing people to their most primal instincts treating you?" Edward leaned against the doorway and gave Crane a dry smirk. Jonathan still had his standard issue jumpsuit on but had lost his shoes somewhere within the asylum. Jonathan's cold blue eyes gave Edward a hard stare before glancing around the room just behind him.
"Where's your doctor, Edward? Cowering? It's not often I get to study a fellow doctor's fears." Crane went to step through the door but Edward placed an arm across the doorway, blocking his path.
"You need my help for something? I can't think of another reason why you would go to all of this trouble. I fail to see a scenario that involves my doctor." Edward said sharply while giving Jonathan a flat stare. Crane stepped back from the door, conceding to Edward's logic.
"Your doctor? I've heard rumors, Edward." Crane gave Edward a clinical stare and raised an eyebrow in question.
"They are all true, of course. I am the smartest man in Gotham." Edward offered conceitedly, cocking his head at Crane. "But we already knew that, didn't we?" He folded his arms across his chest and gave Crane a smirk and let out a small titter.
Crane scowled at him. "Enough, Edward. I can't stand listening to your self-aggrandising rhetoric. We need to remove ourselves before someone triggers the alarms." He turned to walk down the hallway but paused when he noticed Edward wasn't following. As Crane turned to look at the self-proclaimed genius he was suddenly overwhelmed with a shock of electricity and slumped to the floor unmoving. Edward whipped around and found Ophira standing in the hallway, her hands still clutching the now spent stun gun.
"Fucking asshole." She whispered harshly before lowering the weapon. She looked at Edward quietly before passing him to make sure Crane was knocked out. Edward considered the woman in front of him carefully; the guards were still missing, he could easily overpower her and have a tidy escape. Freedom was certainly tempting but there was something holding him back.
Ophira rose and returned to the doorway of her office, standing directly in front of him. Edward raised an eyebrow in question before she slid her hands around his body and pulled him in close for a tight hug. Edward stood quite still before easing his hands under her arms and returning the gesture.
Ophira leaned her chin against his shoulder and closed her eyes.
"Thank you." She said softly into the fabric of his jumpsuit. Edward nodded and held her closer, inhaling the sweet smell of her hair. There was so much about her that he didn't know, she was his new mystery, his new sweet conundrum. The thought of escape left Edward's mind, he wasn't quite ready to leave yet.
A/N: The glorious return of Ophira to Arkham isn't going as well as she hoped. Thank you to everyone who followed, favorited and left a review! You guys are amazing. If you haven't already please follow, fav and review if you like the story so far.