The Bargain

Author's Note: Some time has passed since I wrote last time, so I bring you another fic: Poison Ivy and Scarecrow come to deal in which they ensure that they have a successor that can follow in their footsteps. This plot is my own, and I hope that this is an original idea. None of the characters belong to be, but to Warner Bros and DC Comics. Only the child is my creation. Enjoy!

Icabod practically slumped onto a seat next to Alice, who was crying unstoppably. He turned to her and gave a ghost of a smile.

'Are you alright?' he tried, but when she didn't answer he said more to himself,' Of course you are not. It's a stupid question to ask.'

'It's not stupid,' sniffed Alice.

'Come again?'

'You were concerned with how I was, even if I'm in an awful state. Thanks,' Alice rubbed her eyes in an effort to calm down.

Icabod knew that there was something more, so he waited patiently. It had been molded into him by his father to sometimes observe people because something about themselves will always be revealed. His father can do it almost immediately, to Icabod it took some time for he was still in training to perfect this wondrous skill of patience.

'It's just that….. I never knew that an accident can lead to all this,' Alice broke down again and through her tears said,' I am just asking myself how could this have happened?'

Icabod looked at her in confusion and he said,' I thought that he bent down on the carpet to search for his glasses and the vase fell on his head-'

Alice waved a hand at him, interrupting his words,' Sorry, but that can't be. My father never wears glasses, only when he is doing a really precise work, like connecting circuits in microchips or so. Anyone needs glasses for that.'

'He couldn't have been connecting circuits that night?' Icabod tried.

Alice stared at him as if he grew horns on his head,' Of course not! My father does this only at work, and even if he would do it at home, he would be just too tired to work because of the party. He was always warning me not to strain my eyes when it is night-time.'

Now this made no sense. Why would Jervis Tetch try to look for some glasses which he only uses for work in the middle of the night?

Alice kept talking,' I heard a crash downstairs but I didn't bother to get up. It was only when my mother woke Jack and me up….. oh lord….. there was blood and shattered bits everywhere…..'

'Shattered bits everywhere? Alice, if this was an accident, the vase would only be cracked because of the fall on your father's head and fall safely on the soft carpet. The way you are describing it, it seems as if it was delivered on his head by force,' Icabod explained.

'Who do you think could have done it? My own mother?' Alice flared up.

'I did not mean that,' Icabod said carefully.

Alice calmed down and sighed,' You're right. I jump to conclusions too quickly. It's just that…..' her eyes filled with tears again,' he was a really caring father. He helped me as much as he could, was a person to confide in when my mother didn't….. she always had more affection for Jack than me, don't know really why….. sometimes he read me parts of "Alice in Wonderland" and I knew almost every chapter by heart.'

Seeing her pulled-down, Icabod tried to come up with something else. There was nothing in his head but this,' Do you have a middle name?'

Alice smiled and nodded,' Yes. My full name is Alice Cheshire Quinzel- Tetch. My father gave me it because he said that I was smiling like the Cheshire Cat when I was a baby.'

'Your father is pretty dedicated to the book,' Icabod shared her smile,' Alright. My middle name is Silvanus. It means "forest" in Latin. You can probably guess who gave it to me.'

'Silvanus,' said Alice softly,' I like it. It's so poetic.'

The two were quiet for the rest of the time they sat next to each other.

Meanwhile, the adults were having a different kind of discussion. After Jonathan and Pamela calmed Harley down, Pamela asked to speak to her husband in private. After they have moved aside, she found it difficult to approach the discussion.

'I wanted to leave it for later, but I see that we must go over what happened last night Jonathan,' Pamela started.

'You're quite right,' Jonathan said firmly,' it is best if I apologize now.'

'Apologize?' Pamela asked, and then seemed to remember herself and took his hand,' It is I who must apologize to you.'

Jonathan blinked and was surprised when she took him by the hand. He kept silent.

'It seems that I had had bitten off more than I could chew,' sighed Pamela,' Sit down. I have some explaining to do.'

They took two seats, and Jonathan listened to her.

'I expect that you must have had some strange feelings for me these past years.' Pamela said.

Crane raised an eyebrow and was about to ask how she knew all this but then remembered he told her that last night. He waited for her to continue.

'When we have made the…. "bargain", I expected that I would need nothing else but just your help in raising Icabod. However, I was wrong,' Pamela paused.

Then she started the uncharacteristic wringing of hands, a common sign of nervousness,' I had planned to live with you sort of like in a convent or so, where we had no interest but shared a common goal in raising a child. It wasn't long before I started feeling emotions that I wished never to feel again.

'In my past criminal life it was normal for me to have it off with many men, so this sudden change in roles felt very unbalanced. I admit to have missed that past life, so I tried a little experiment by tampering every drink you drank.'

Jonathan knew where this was heading. With odd forced calmness he asked, 'Did you put aphrodisiacs in my drinks?'

'Well…. Not exactly,' Pamela was trying to pull out of this guilt,' I was putting it in very small amounts just so that you wouldn't notice, but that it got into your subconscious. I hoped that some day you would get interested in me and that we would be more close.'

Now it seemed that she was getting to a harder bit,' When we were at Harley's party, I decided to slip in a slightly larger dose than usual. I had forgotten that alcohol concentrates the solution even more. If I had added a few drops more, you would most probably have raped me last night.'

Jonathan sharply drew in a breath and thought about what she had said. Trying to put things in order, he asked the next question,' How were you able all these times to put it into my drink?'

Pamela smiled and looked down at her wedding ring. Her ring, unlike many wedding rings wasn't plain, but had a small emerald on it. She did something to it on the side and the gem slid off, revealing a tiny bit of space where a small amount of liquid was stored in it.

Jonathan gave a forced laugh,' The great Poison Ivy: carrying the smallest gadgets in the most unsuspecting ways. It seems that you still haven't given up some of your old habits have you?'

Pamela now looked anxiously at him, 'I don't know how to say sorry for this.'

Jonathan took a deep breath,' Pamela, you know that in a marriage must be trust….'

'I know.' Pamela lowered her eyes to the floor.

'….. there shouldn't be jealousy and that we should be open to each other…..'

'Yes.'

'…… but also to understand the spouse's feelings and mistakes that they make. It is unnatural for me to do so, because I always hold grudges against those who do me wrong, but I have a strong desire to forgive you.'

Pamela's eyes looked sharply up at him,' You would forgive me after this?'

'If we gave vows to stay united then we have to keep them,' Jonathan said, his eyes having a strange twinkle as if they shared a secret.

Pamela gave one of her special smiles, and then giggled,' Imagine the great Scarecrow finally forgiving and letting something like this go off easily. People will think that you are losing your touch.'

Jonathan became serious,' I'd prefer for you to keep quiet about this. You were the lucky one- others do not receive such kindness from the Master of Fear.'

Chuckling, Pamela stood up,' You and Icabod go off home. I will follow Harley back to her house and take the bus home.'

Half an hour later, Pamela had led Harley home and then was returning home by bus. Once the bus reached her stop she got off and started walking home, which was about 400 meters away from the stop.

That was just the right distance for someone to meet her.

Walking on the sidewalk by an empty street, one car had swerved in at the corner and slowed down, catching Pamela's pace. Pamela couldn't see who was inside the car because of the dark windows that didn't allow the eye to spy what lies in the car. She couldn't see the brand of the car, but its build betrayed its fine quality.

It had followed her for a few minutes, until Pamela finally had enough and swirled around to face the driver's window.

'Who the hell are you and why are you following me?' snarled Pamela. She knew that if she showed fear, she was done for.

Slowly, the window opened and Pamela gasped when she saw who was inside.

'Ivy baby, the poison still didn't rot inside your system after all these years?' came the familiar mocking voice. Sitting there, grinning insanely and dressed in the unique purple suit was the old adversary, the Joker.

'You?' spat Pamela, 'What are you doing here?'

The Joker stared innocently and said, 'Can't I come and see the old gang. I have in mind to see my son, in other words your godson Ivy darling.'

'Oh really?' Ivy flared,' Well it took you long enough to finally remember that you had a wife and a child back here. Why did you want to come here after all these years?'

'Thought that it is the time for my boy Jack to join the family business.' The Joker's grin widened.

'Just you keep hoping!'

In a blink, the Joker jumped out of the car and stepped in front of her.

'Now Ivy sweetheart, you know that you shouldn't talk to met that way. You don't want to get hurt now, do you?'

Ivy tried to push through, but the Joker grabbed her arm.

'Let me go before you get hurt yourself!' Ivy was rapidly trying to wrench her harm from his grasp.

'Listen toots, you became very quiet when you left Arkham - I heard you settled down and found yourself some loser that you call a husband. Harley didn't tell me anything because she promised to keep your little secret, and I tried to beat it out of her but that sniveling bitch just wouldn't squeal,' Joker whispered.

'You sick creep! Beating down a defenseless girl whose only fault was loving you,' Ivy growled.

The Joker shrugged,' Well, you know what they say: "a disobedient dog will listen only when it is beaten",' he giggled and then dropped his voice to a threatening hiss,' if you try to mess in my business, I will chase you down and turn you and your baby-doll husband to plant bait. Got it?'

When she didn't answer, he released her arm and got into his car.

'Nice seeing you again toots,' he winked and drove off.

Pamela stood there, shivering with disgust. She started off home at a fast pace, then willed herself to slow down. She counted every step she took until she came to the door of her home, unlocked it and went inside.

She was just about to take a breath of relief, when a voice interrupted her,' Is there something wrong?'

Jonathan Crane stood near the staircase, his arms crossed and sharp eyebrows raised just as when he taught in the University. It was when Pamela took more notice of her husband's figure in more detail. He wasn't what a person could call attractive: his skinny neck and arms were hardly to be called appealing and his long, gangly legs really did make him look like a caricature version of a Scarecrow. His face was more of a triangle build and his mouth was with a sharp edge.

'Your breath has increased in speed as if you have been running yet there is no color in your face. The pupils of your eyes have reduced themselves to tiny dots and your body stance is in a defensive mode. What is it?' he asked, analyzing her "draftly" (he could have paid more attention to other details).

'Oh? Nothing….. its just that the street was empty and the shadows there are really…… frightening,' said Pamela.

'Shadows? Pamela, it is midday, there are no shadows at this hour,' Crane corrected.

'That is the reason why it was so frightening!' Pamela tried to pull it out through this excuse,' There were shadows on the street even at midday. Isn't it weird?'

Crane came towards her,' What is really the matter?'

'Nothing.' Said Pamela, feeling guilty at not telling him the truth.

Crane couldn't help but to enjoy the fear in her eyes, the beautifully pale skin and her rapid nervous breathing. He did not resist the urge to put a hand on her cheek, still waiting for an answer.

Pamela found this as a way out. She responded by leaning in and kissing him. Jonathan was confused by this and he responded in the inexperienced way by just pressing his lips onto hers. Pamela moved a hand to the point on his cheek where the upper joint and the lower jaw connected and pressed there.

Jonathan felt his mouth opening and he didn't know what it was for, until it hit him like electricity that she was going to put her tongue in. It was too late to stop: she had made her move and he was becoming addicted to it. His arms wound themselves clumsily around her waist and pulled her close.

Finally after minutes of new-discovered bliss, Pamela pulled away.

'I haven't done this in years,' she whispered.

'I haven't done this at all,' he said and kissed her again, deciding to move a few steps forward in this. They were married for thirteen years after all. It was bound to lead to this.

The theme of the Joker confronting Pamela was forgotten as the couple explored one of the most natural rituals of marriage.

Author's Note: I hope that this doesn't sound so corny and disbelieving, but I got a little too impatient with Crane's and Isley's relationship that I had to speed it up. I know that it is unlikely that Crane would have forgiven Pamela for what she had done, but remember that they are married and try to stay together through all these misunderstandings. So, I think a review is in order for this.