A/N: Phoenix Sheriden: Oh don't worry. He's not going anywhere (indicates Crane tied to a chair looking very worried indeed) Heh heh heh...

Chapter II

Having nothing better to do, I slept most of the day away. I needed to be alert and strong for my escape, which I planned for that night. I had to get away from this place before They found me. I couldn't risk anyone getting hurt because of me, especially Dr. Crane. I liked to think of him as a friend.

When I had slept as much as I could, I returned to my window and sat there for a while, singing old songs softly to myself. Songs my mother had sung to me when I was little. I missed my mother very much, and my father, but I knew they wouldn't want me to spend my time missing them and wishing futilely for their safe return. They were dead, and there was nothing I could do about it. They would want me to be free, and stay far away from Them. I wanted the same thing, but it was a lot harder than it seemed. They had all kinds of resources while I had only my wits and wile. Thus far, it had been enough, but there's always that one time…

I was jarred out of my thoughts by Dr. Crane coming into my room. This time I slid off the ledge and joined him at the small table, scratching at the back of my neck where the cheap orange jumpsuit I had to wear irritated my skin. I found myself unable to look Crane in the eyes for some reason, having lost my cockiness and attitude. I wondered why that was. Was I just worried about him? I didn't know. I just hoped that he would safely forget me when I was gone.

Dr. Crane surprised me by placing a brand new deck of cards on the table and sliding them to me. "I promised you a new deck, didn't I?" he asked. "I hope you like the pattern." The deck was designed by Joseph Vargo, my favourite artist.

"They're great," I said. "They really are. Thank you very much." I smiled as I ran my fingertip over the seal on the cards. "My dad used to tell me something he heard in that old musical "Guys and Dolls". He'd say 'Someday a man may come up to you on the street and show you a deck of cards, on which the seal is not yet broken. And he will bet you that he can make the Jack of Spades jump out of the deck and squirt cider in your ear. But you do not accept this bet, for as sure as you stand there you are going to wind up with an ear full of cider.' I didn't really understand him back then; I thought he was just being silly. But I think I understand now that he's gone. He meant that even if something seems impossible, if a person is that sure that he can make it happen, odds are that he can."

Crane nodded thoughtfully. "You've never talked about your parents before."

"They died," I said. "They died trying to protect me."

"Oh, I'm very sorry," said Crane, and I could tell he was being honest. I folded my arms on the table.

"So why don't you tell me about yourself?" I asked. "You already know pretty much everything about me that you're ever going to." Crane gave a small laugh.

"All right," he said. He leaned back comfortably in his chair and steepled his fingers. "My father wanted me to become a lawyer when I was younger. I think I turned to medicine just to defy him. I felt he had too much control over my life. My mother just wanted me to be happy, and supported me in whatever I did. I was always top of my class, and I skipped a couple grades in elementary school. Kids used to pick on me, call me 'Scarecrow' because I was a skinny, gangly kid back then. I used to be afraid of them, until I realized that that's what they wanted. That's when my fascination with fear began, and how to use it as a weapon, to turn my fear against others." I nodded with interest, silently urging him to continue. "My mother was thrilled when I entered medical school. My father not so much, but he finally seemed to realize that he wasn't in control of me anymore. We got along better after that. And basically I ended up here."

I nodded, contemplating. "I never had any friends. I never went to school, actually. I know all about bullying, but I've never experienced it firsthand. I almost think it would be worth it to put up with the bullying if it meant I could have real friends."

"I know what you mean," agreed Crane. "You know, and I know this sounds strange, but I've never connected like this with anyone before." I gave him a wry smile.

"I have that effect on people. That or I remind them of someone they've loved and lost." We were silent for a moment, until Crane said quietly, "Well, I really need to go. I'll see you tomorrow, though."

'No, you won't,' I thought. "Good night then," I said. Crane smiled at me.

"Good night." The room felt strangely cold after he had left. I sighed and massaged my temples, thinking about what I was going to attempt that night after lights-out. I had completely thought everything through, but a million and one things could go horribly wrong. Was I really sure about this?

After choking down what they claimed was dinner, I determined that I was.

I lay in bed in the dark, turning my still-unopened deck of cards over and over in my hands. I wished I could explain it all to Dr. Crane, but if I ever told him the truth, would he ever believe me? It sounded kind of impossible. I just wished I could tell him why I had to do it. But there was no time for that, and he wouldn't be safe if I did tell him. I couldn't put him at risk, no matter how much I liked him. I knew what I had to do. I opened the black hemlock poison ring I wore – a pretty ring, actually, pewter with a big black crystal – and I popped the pill that was inside in my mouth and bit it, running it all through my mouth before swallowing it. A moment passed, then another, before I felt cold. My whole body was going numb from the inside out. I shivered harder and harder until it looked like I was having a seizure or something. I gasped suddenly, stiffening, before I collapsed on the floor unmoving. I blinked once very slowly, before my eyes closed and everything went black.

Oh come on. Haven't you people ever read The Count of Monte Cristo? Well, I did. And I learned a few tricks. The pill I chewed only gave me the appearance of being dead. The drugs and herbs in it slowed my heart and pulse until you'd have to hook me up to a heart monitor to know that they were still there. I woke up in a drawer in the morgue under a sheet with a toe-tag on my foot. The drawer wasn't locked, as no one really expects the dead to get up and run. Well, I wasn't dead yet by far.

I reached back and pushed open the door and kicked against the wall to slide the drawer out. I saw my original clothes in a bag on a table and quickly put them on, as I was naked under the sheet. In the bag was also my new deck of cards. Slowly I pocketed them, wanting something to remember the good doctor by. I closed up the drawer again and slipped out, careful not to be seen. I would have loved to know what Dr. Crane would do when he found out about this, but I knew I could never see him again. I made it out of the asylum with minimal difficulty, but the bridge was another issue. It was raised, of course, and that meant that I couldn't get across. At least, not by way of the bridge. I picked up a plastic bag that was blowing around on the wind and wrapped my cards up in it so they wouldn't be ruined by the water. That done, I dove into the frigid bay and swam to the other side with long, hard strokes. I was always a good swimmer, though I couldn't float for some reason.

I reached the other side relatively quickly and climbed out onto the docks. I was freezing, as it was autumn and I was soaked to the skin. I had to find dry clothes and shelter soon before I got pneumonia or something. Then again, that wasn't very likely…shaking myself, I hurried into the city. I walked around for a while before I saw a likely target: a busy department store that hadn't closed yet. I slipped inside, ignoring the looks I got, and went into the junior section. I found some warm clothes and a towel in the bed and bath area, and went into the fitting rooms. I dried off with the towel and changed clothes quickly, snapping off the tags and bundling everything up in my old jacket. That done, I slipped out a fire exit and hurried on my way. I saw an elderly man warming himself over a trashcan fire and dumped my clothes into it.

"Rough day?" asked the man.

"Rough life," I answered tiredly. "But we all have issues, right?"

"I guess so," the man chuckled. "Where are you headed?"

"Honestly, I have no idea," I said. "I need a place to stay for the night. I was thinking of hiding in one of the giant crates on the docks."

"Wouldn't suggest it," said the man. "Bad folk around late at night. And you're a pretty little thing too. You best find yourself somewhere else."

"Thanks," I said distantly. Silently I turned and walked away.

"You take care of yourself now," the man called.

"Thanks, you too," I called back automatically. I didn't know where else I could hide, but I had to find somewhere. I would have faked my death during the day, but then they would have had time to go directly to an autopsy, which would not have been good for me. That's the price you pay for freedom, I guess. Huh, freedom. An interesting concept. A right that I didn't possess. Maybe someday I would, but not for a while. But that wasn't my main issue at the time. My main issue was finding a safe place to sleep for the night.

Guiltily, I pick pocketed a few people, taking only a little from each until I had enough for a room in a motel and a burger at McDonald's. Once I had the room, I put the "Do Not Disturb" sign on the door and collapsed into bed, not even bothering to remove my sneakers.

When I woke up someone had moved me up on the bed so my head was on the pillow, covered me with the blankets, and removed my shoes. My blood ran cold.

"Oh god," I whispered. "They couldn't've found me…could they? I gotta get out of here fast." I pulled my shoes back on, turned in my key, and left quickly. I didn't know where to go, but I had to get away. Maybe I could catch a train or something to the next town, but I couldn't stay in Gotham anymore. It wasn't safe.

I wandered down to the docks, thinking they'd be safe in the daylight. Maybe I could find something to pawn for more money so I could hop a train out of here. Things didn't exactly turn out as I had expected.