Chapter 25.5

Jonathan POV

I believe the last time I addressed the readers I had been sixteen and stupid.

Be honest Jon, you were sixteen and honry.

Fair.

I'm not utterly cold. Yes I have been known to experiment on the dregs of society. But that was for science. Never in my life have I taken someone like David and put my mind toward torture. Torture is such a barbaric thing. Making grown men cry through pain. I understand Lynn's hobby, I'm excited every time I see the bruise on my thigh. But making people piss themselves just because it makes you happy. No. I'm not like that.

Joker on the other hand.

There's a reason why you asked him to help you today.

Joker was putting the excuse for a human into the a dining room chair that had been placed near the back. On a nearby table I saw Lynn's dufflebag. I would have to take stock of what was removed and return it to Lynn. It would not do for her to be with out her life line. Joker was taking a sadistic glee from tieing David down. I'll admit, the justice in this moment was going to be sweet.

I'm not like Joker. I can't do all the blood. But I can handle screams. I used to live for them. Tonight was going to be the last night I would indulge in the screams, a feast before going cold turkey. Other minions of Joker walked in with my supplies. A camera, computer, and my masterpiece, the last vial of toxin. In a few hours all over Gotham my secret labs would go up in a blaze. every last bit of research will become ash.

Let me guess you're going to rise like a Phoenix? I thought we were done with the poetic crap when we were in college.

"Hey, Scarecrow." Joker rasped. "You are bringing a lot of stuff to bump off this guy."

The minions set up the camera and computer. One of the minions brought in my gauntlet. Picking it up like it was my first born I placed it on my hand tightening the straps like it was a bad habit. David was gagged by a dirty handkerchief letting Joker and I converse with out us being interrupted.

"If I'm going to go clean after tonight I might as well make this perfect. Hence the last victim." I said using my gauntlet clad hand to gesture to David. The man suddenly knew how this was going to end. And that was the first delicious scream of the night.

Joker crossed his arms. "Yeah I get that, but why all the gear?"

I didn't answer Joker's question as I walked over to David a bubbling energy rushing through me. For as long as I knew Lynn I knew I would have to his moment. Just one day I was going to snap and kill David. Only before I had thought to kill him through more mundane means. Now I had a perfect way to end this man's existence.

"David." I muttered pulling the bit of cloth from his mouth. "Do you know why you're here?"

"You sick freak!" He shouted.

I dropped my head. How typical. "You know that no one is going to look here for you? Lynn isn't going to call Batman, she's going to be drinking all night and then pass out hopefully. By the time she even thinks about your well being you'll be cold on this floor. Probably with no hair considering the last experiments I ran. Or even better, no eyes. I've never watched a man remove his own eyes. Joker do you think you could stomach that."

From behind me Joker was looking at my set up. He looked up a cunning grin creeping onto his pale face. "Oh Jonny. You know me. I'd skin him if you gave me a knife."

David struggled against the binds. "You won't get away with it! I'm well known, people will miss me."

"People will miss you, yes, yes. But this is Gotham. Joker and the Gallery kill people all the time, and I have one get out of jail free card. Lynn gave you a second chance. So you could be a decent person. Of course men like you were never meant to be decent. You would probably torment some other lovely woman, abuse her mentally until she became your little puppet."

"I love her."

That added alcohol to the fire inside of me. I wrapped my hand around David's thick throat. Under my skin I could feel his pulse raise. "Love? Oh no no. You don't know anything. You think love is all confession and gift giving. Love is hard fucking work. Sure it has it's perks. I can name the time with Lynn where things were good, but I can tell you that things can also go south. Love is when you're able to be there for someone when they aren't who you thought they were. To work with them. Boys like you think it's easy shit."

I pulled away letting myself cool off. I had a plan for tonight, I was not going to waste it on him David's last parting words. "Lynn's given me a second chance. I'm taking it, but first I'm going to hear you scream. You'll probably shit yourself, cry like a little baby who lost it's mommy. But there will be screams. Well screams and laughter."

Joker paused in his examination of the toxin on the table. "Wait, what you saying doc?"

Walking over to Joker I smiled fixing my glasses. "I'm a man of science Joker, and for me there has been one question that had plagued my mind since you and I first met. Close to when we first met I should rephrase. You have that lovely laughing gas that you've perfected through your long career. I myself have a fear toxin that make men want to kill themselves with."

Picking up the vial of golden liquid I placed it into one of the finger slots. "Have you ever wondered what would happen if we were to mix our two deadly chemical concoctions?" I paused to wait to see if he would say anything. Joker was just grinning like the madman he is. "Oh yes, you have haven't you."

From across the room David started to make pleaful demands. Money, property, hell he even offered to apologize to me. But it was going to fall on deaf ears. I didn't want money. I wanted justice for what he tried to do. Copying Lynn's first kidnapping. No. That is sloppy, and hurtful.

For one moment I remembered the night I killed the man who had killed my best friend. Heather should have been here in Gotham with me. Maybe she would have a girlfriend and we would have lived in the same apartment though my college years. If she had been here she could have slapped me for not talking to Lynn. Maybe even stopped me from going off the deep end. Or she could be a monster herself. The mentally deranged seemed to find each other no matter where we are. No matter what she would have done I had to tell myself that she was still gone. The last time I saw her was before I felt to go with Lynn to get dinner. I never really said goodbye. My only goodbye was when I threw my first batch of toxin at that bastard's face.

Now, with my last batch of toxin I'll get to watch the man who would easily become another monster ripp off his own face. I had to laugh, Lynn was right. I was given a second chance. After tonight I would not have anyone to burn or destroyed. Georgia was behind me and in front of me was a new life that I could make my own. No more hiding behind the mask.

And in a few years, you might not need me anymore.

Putting the vial of toxin into my gloves I noticed Joker pulling out one of his bombs. "Now let's make sure the video is loud and clear. Every detail is going to be recorded."

Joker gave me some screwed up expression. "Why?"

"Because, unlike other villains I don't screw around with chemicals. If I record and write down my findings it's science." Turning back to my final victim I smiled. "Now David. Please be honest in your feelings about this treatment… for posterities sake."

A/N: I had to reference 'Princess Bride' at the end of this. To me Crane is as much of a geek as any. For me this is one of my favorite chapters and was one that inspired the 'First Kill' chapter. I had planned on this being the first fanfic after all. Having Jon give a 'reality' check was a writing method I really wanted to try.

I switched some stuff around which means the next chapter is the last chapter for this story. For me it's one of my favorite moments of this story, so I hope everyone enjoys it!