Chance pauses thoughtfully at the doorway and turns back twords Crane, closing the door as she does so. He looks up in slight annoyance.

"Did I not just say..."

"Listen, there's something I really need to get off my chest. Then I'll go."

Crane sighs in defeat before turning away from the desk to face Chance.

"Then by all means proceed."

Chance takes a deep breath before continuing. "Recently I've realized that I...love you. And I know you feel the same way."

He glares at Chance. "I thought I made my intentions clear."

"You did. I'm not looking for lovey dovey crap or anything. I have no problem continuing what we have going. But I just need to hear you say it one time...then I'll be okay with you never saying it again."

"I have no feelings of that sort."

"You're lying. You wanna know how I know you are? If you didn't love me... then neither would he. If anything that proves that you don't want to achnoledge your feelings for me."

Chance takes a step forward. "You're afraid that I'll just end up hurting you. But I would never do that. And if anybody ever tried to hurt you...I'd hurt them a hundred times worse."

Chance sits on her knees by his feet. Crane raises an eyebrow in intrest as Chance takes one of his hands in both of hers. "I love you and I know on some level you love me. So if you're willing to accept that, we don't have to do anything more. At the end of the day, everyone will hurt us except each other. You know as well as I do that the only one we need is each other. The world is a very dark, dank place full of lies and hate. We only need three things: fear, ourselves, and each other. Everything else will whither and die...including us...but our feelings will not. Nobody has ever returned my feelings...if you could do it one time, I'd be fine. Please."

They stare at each other in silence for a few long moments. Crane pulls his hand from her grasp and towers over her. Chance looks at him in confusion and gulps. Crane narrows his eyes at her in a look of almost disgust.

"You have been deluding yourself. I have absolutely no attraction twords you, Michelle. I am disappointed. To think I believed you to be above pety feelings of sympathy and pity. You believe yourself to be my equal? You are nothing. You are only residing in my presence because it is for my benefit, not yours. The only reason I allow you to live is because your immunity and devotion make you an ideal sucessor. Your life has no purpose other than following my teachings and pleasing me."

Chance feels a emotional blow with each word. By the time he stops, she doesn't notice the tears in her eyes.

"B...but he...you...you both wanted to..."

"Any physical attention twords you was solely for distractive purposes. And I assure you he only found you mildly attractive at best. It was more a matter of convienience. Although, to your credit, we did take great enjoyment from your screams."

"What about the groupies?! They were more than willing."

"A means to an end. I will not share my bed with a common whore."

Realization dawns on Chance.

"You won't give anyone that honor...you would only let someone you had complete control of...it never was an honor. It was a sign of ownership... They were just test subjects...you have always claimed ownership of your subjects...you never liked them because they threw themselves at you...but me on the other hand...I didn't want to at first but..."

"I taught you the appropriate way you, as my apprentice, should act. You learned quickly as expected."

"But I...I hadn't pledged myself yet when we first...you know..."

Crane smirks and tilts Chances chin up to look him in the eyes. "But my LITTLE blue beauty, you have belonged to me since you first became my test subject. And my most sucessful one at that."

Chance pales and pulls away from his grasp. Tears stream down her cheeks and she pulls her knees to her chest. "How can you expect me to live with this knowledge?!"

Crane smiles smugly and folds his hands behind his back. "Suppose you decide to leave. Where would you go? Your mother? Nigma?"

Chance glares at Crane. "I'd rather rot in Arkham than live day in and day out trapped with you."

"How are things any different than they were before?"

"What do you mean?"

"A choice. You continue on as though the events tonight have not transpired and you will not face my full wrath. Or you run off and wait for me to collect what is mine."

Crane watches Chance as she mulls it over. After a couple of minutes of silence, she stands up and faces Crane.

"How long would I have before you killed me?"

"What makes you so certain the terms haven't changed? You are of much more use to me alive. As to your question, your thirtieth birthday seems like a suitable time."

"What if I...?"

"Run away? Suicide? You are by no means a coward."

Chance takes a deep breath. "Thirtieth?"

"Yes."

"...I can call Edward while I pack."

"I thought you had no feelings twords him."

"Who knows? Maybe it was your infulence messing me up. Because I sure as hell don't know how deep you've burried yourself in my head. I'm willing to give him a shot now. After all, me and Edward have great chemistry."

Chance storms out of the room and into her own down the hall. She grabs her pre packed duffel bag out from under her bed and quickly unzips it. She unplugs her phone charger and grabs her phone from on top of her bed. It only takes her a few moments to have it by her ear and ringing. The other end picks up as Chance is packing doggie.

"Michelle. Not that I'm ungrateful..."

Fresh tears fall down her cheeks. "My life is falling apart, I'm leaving Crane, I'm sorry, and I really hate to ask for this but..."

"...Say no more. You can explain when you arrive. Just take a deep breath, and come to my home on sixteenth street."

Chance takes a deep breath before answering. "Okay. I'll be over in a few minutes...and I may want to burn anything blue."

"Don't do anything irrational until you arrive. I will see you soon."

A/N: This was the dark ending for Apprentice of fear. I had reasons for not using it, but I did spend the most time on it. Of course if this was chapter 52 instead, the story would've continued onward and taken a very Intresting turn. Thanks for reading and be sure to check out some of my other stuff. Bye :)