Jonathan felt his stomach lurch forwards as soon as he saw her being dragged into the chair, jeers erupting around the room at the mere sight of her. They didn't even know what she had done and already they were willing to condemn her. Jonathan felt his glasses slip down his nose slightly whilst he continued to stare at her and she looked back up at him.
He couldn't do it.
He couldn't speak about her to the people around. He couldn't allow them to sit there and yell at her when they didn't know her. They didn't know the way she had been eight years ago. They didn't know the way she had been loyal to him or the way she had defended him from Rachel when she was suspicious. The Madison he knew was the one he had been fantasising about whilst he was stuck in Arkham and Blackgate. She was the girl who had loved him.
Yes, she had denied him the option to leave Blackgate and she'd moved on with another man. She'd had a son with him and become the head of the DA's office. She had changed. Jonathan knew that, he just wasn't willing to accept it.
"Dr Crane?" a sudden voice boomed and Jonathan looked downwards, the sight of the masked man coming into his view as his eyes glared onto the man atop of the mountains of desks and other pieces of furniture. He noted Madison from the side, her eyes widening as she saw Bane move through the crowds, his arms folded against his bulging chest and his legs set apart, commanding the room around him.
"There are trials to be had, Dr Crane," Bane shouted out. "This woman is next, is she not?"
"I declare a recess," Jonathan suddenly shouted out and Bane chuckled, the mechanical sound haunting through his mask whilst Madison sat on the edge of the gold tinted seat, her eyes full of fear and her face pale white. Jonathan could see that she was trying to stay strong. She was trying to prove her worth as the head of Gotham's prosecuting team. He could just see through her. He always had been able to.
Jonathan moved down the furniture as Bane stepped forwards, his hands hanging by his side and his jaw set firmly as he continued to look at the Judge.
"What is this?" Bane snapped; his voice low enough so that no one around them could hear. The members of the court spoke amongst themselves whilst Madison watched Jonathan. She took in the way the long coat sat proudly on his shoulders, feathers falling from its stuffing. The coat was regal, setting Jonathan apart from the rest of Gotham. He'd somehow managed to get into favour with Bane.
"The woman," Jonathan murmured back, "Madison Walters. I wish to have her removed from this process."
"And why would this be?" Bane wondered, knowing full well why. Jonathan looked like a weak individual. Bane had seen his type before. They were all talk and full of bravado and their own self importance. But, once a man bigger than them came along they were like mice. "I've heard Ms Walters is the head of the DA's office. She's the woman who used Harvey Dent's murder as a way to place the men of Blackgate into their jail cells. She's the woman in charge of the oppression. Why would I remove her from trial?"
"I've done everything which you've asked of me," Jonathan instantly said to him. "I've sat here and done as you'd asked. You're doing this to keep me at bay and stop my mind from wandering. I know that much. You should grant me her."
"You speak as if this woman is a possession," Bane hissed and Jonathan recoiled slightly at the violent sound. "She's nothing but the corrupt. She's the one sat on top of the rich and wealthy of Gotham, claiming the high ground when she is nothing more than a commoner. She's on par with the Commissioner. She's to be tried and that is simple."
"And if I refuse to try her?" Jonathan snapped back and Bane looked slightly entertained at the thought of this man defying him and going about his own business. This was Bane's Gotham now. No one else had any say in the way it was run.
"I find someone and we kill her here and now," Bane drawled. "And then we kill you, Doctor. Your apparent infatuation with this woman will do nothing to appease me."
"I'm not the type of man to beg," Jonathan spoke back, his voice low as his eyes darted back to Madison.
"But for her you'd do anything?" Bane checked and Jonathan allowed a stiff nod to escape his head as Bane chuckled and shook his head. "Your weakness for her is alarming, Doctor. She's a problem which needs to be taken care of. Allow me to do the honours," Bane said, his hand resting on Jonathan's shoulder before he moved past him and stood at the front of the Court. The tower of furniture behind him didn't seem as imposing as he stood there, his arms outstretched wide and his eyes looking around the people of the court.
Jonathan remained stood where he was, his eyes locked onto Madison who was watching Bane, fear rising into her features eventually as she watched Bane.
"Madison Walters!" Bane yelled out, walking up and down the stack of furniture. "The woman who has used Harvey Dent's Act as a reason to place the oppressed into their prison. She's the woman who has upheld the lie which we have all seen. The woman who has sat on her throne and looked down onto the men of Blackgate. This woman," Bane pointed at her and Jonathan gulped loudly, his feet stuck to the ground as Madison allowed a tear to roll down her cheek. She had no idea how she was going to get out of this mess. "This woman is the most corrupt in the whole of Gotham. Now, I give you a question, members of this court. Death or Exile?"
Shouts exploded through the room as Bane raised a hand to silence them, looking onto Madison as he spoke.
"I would say that Exile is a fair punishment."
Madison was unaware as to what was happening, her eyes glancing around as she felt a hand grab her upper arm and drag her from the chair she had been sat in as her eyes locked onto Jonathan and she could have sworn she saw something in his eyes.
Bane looked over to Jonathan, grinning from behind his mask.
"I'm not an inconsiderate man," he informed Jonathan. "You may take half an hour to speak to the woman. Humour her and lie to her. Tell her how things shall be okay. I shall grant you that as your wish."
Jonathan shook his head but stormed past Bane, his feet hitting the ground with haste as he pushed past the crowds and down into the small corridor where Madison had been taken. He looked around the corridor which was being patrolled by men with large guns.
"The girl who just came in," Jonathan snapped out. "Where is she?"
"Room as the end," the man spoke and Jonathan rushed down, throwing the door open. Clearly they were using offices as holding cells for people who has been exiled. He shook his head as he thought about it.
"Jonathan," Madison sighed his name when she saw him and he shut the door, locking it from the inside as he saw her leant against the wall. "What just happened? I don't...I don't know what to do..."
"I know," Jonathan said to her. "I tried to talk to Bane. He wouldn't listen to me."
"What?" Madison snapped at him. "You mean...I'm...there's no way out? He's going to kill me? Jonathan...you can't...please..."
"Don't," Jonathan snapped quickly at her, looking away and feeling a lump form in his throat. "There is no reasoning with a man like Bane. You should know that, Madison. I tried."
"Oh my God," Madison sighed, the realisation hitting her as her knees gave out and she slumped down the wall, her hands holding her head. "I can't...I can't die...please...no..."
"Madison," Jonathan said her name again, walking over to her and sitting by her side, his arm wrapping around her shoulder as he pushed his glasses further up onto his nose. "I'm sorry."
She snorted once and shook her head, looking into his blue eyes as she did so. And she saw it. She saw that he was sorry. She'd never seen him like at her like he was doing. The only time she could get emotion out of him was before she was being sent to her death.
"I wish I could save you. I wish I could do something. I...I don't know what to do...I don't know what to say...Madison..."
"There's nothing you can say, is there?" Madison responded; her voice small and a whisper as Jonathan moved closer to her, his side against hers.
"If I could get you out of here then I would," Jonathan promised her. "He won't listen to me."
"No, he wouldn't," Madison whispered.
"Where did it all go wrong, Madison?" Jonathan mumbled. "What happened?"
"You decided to work with a criminal mastermind and attempt to poison all of Gotham," she said and Jonathan snorted, nodding once and rolling his eyes at hearing her. She had a point. "Don't you think that I've thought about it? I've often spent hours upon end; wondering what would have happened if you hadn't have done it. I...I sometimes wished things could be different."
"You did?"
"But what's the point in wishing?" Madison asked him. "You did it and it was too late. I still don't understand. You had...you were successful, Jonathan. You were the head of an Asylum and well respected. You went from all that to a common criminal."
"It wasn't really me who was in charge at the time," he whispered and her mouth fell open in slight understanding.
"Scarecrow," she mumbled and heard his sharp intake of breath. "He wasn't really a fan of mine."
"No," Jonathan chuckled darkly. "He wasn't."
"It seems that I don't have many fans now," Madison mumbled. "Everything seems to be a lie...Jonathan...I need you to do me a favour."
"What?"
"You need to tell Matt that I love him, okay?" Madison checked and Jonathan quickly looked away before he felt her hand on his cheek, drawing his gaze back onto hers and her eyes narrowed sternly in his direction. "Jonathan, I need you to tell him. And Joel...tell him that I love him...my little boy...he's...just tell him...okay?"
"Okay," Jonathan agreed with her, slowly moving his hand onto the top of hers and lacing her fingers into his as she smiled weakly at him.
"You don't hate me?" Jonathan checked with her and she shook her head.
"How can I hate you?" she asked from him. "After everything which you've done...I can't hate you...there's no point...I still..."
Jonathan's chest rumbled lightly when he saw her look away and he continued to watch her.
"What?" Jonathan asked her. "You still what?"
"You know," Madison whispered. "I still love you, Jonathan. I always have and there's nothing I can do about it."
"Madison," Jonathan whispered to her, his free hand brushing her cheek, his fingers skimming around her face, parting her soft lips as he took in every single nook and cranny of her features. She lazily dragged his finger from her lips, leaning closer to him and pressing her lips against the corner of his mouth, her eyes watering as she felt the coldness of his familiar skin against her lips. Jonathan sighed, feeling content for the moment as he moved his head to the side, sweeping her lips against his softly as his thumb stroked her cheek.
She pulled away after a moment, her forehead leaning against his and her eyes shut. His blue orbs remained open as she hiccupped softly and her breath tickled against his face.
"I'm scared," she simply admitted to him. "I'm scared of dying."
"I know," Jonathan said. It was the only thing which he could say to her. He didn't know. He had no idea how she felt. For all of time in Gotham he had never feared death. He'd only been frightful of failing.
"Stay with me," Madison pleaded with him, tucking his black hair behind his ear and feeling the stubble resting on his jaw bone.
"Of course," he said stiffly and he felt Madison move into his lap, her head resting against his shoulder as she finally gave up. She wanted her last moment to be with him. She wanted to feel his heart beat against her skin, his breath tickling her ear as his lips dropped onto her temple.
She loved Matt. She always had done.
Just not like she loved Jonathan.
...
A/N: I've got one more chapter left to come on this and then finished another Crane/OC story! Anyhow, I would like to thank my loyal readers and reviewers in the form of ATLAsnaps-fan, HowlynMad, Megushie, Fangirl-Karla, Zee de la Vallerie, Ariddle-Ascare and MCRDeathNoteLover!
Let me know what you think!