Author's note: Wooo!
WARNING – A lil' violent.
Disclaimer: Crane is mine before I fall asleep at night, other than that he and everything else about Batman isn't.
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Katie drove on autopilot to Abuelitas, a large Mexican restaurant in the heart of Gotham. Since her sophomore year at Gotham U she met her friends for birthday brunch at the same place. To Katie, nothing celebrated a birthday better than an omelet smothered in salsa. This year she didn't particularly care to join her friends, but it would be a little suspicious if she backed out. She waited in her car around the corner from the restaurant until it was less obvious that she had been crying.
Katie's friend Amanda greeted her at the restaurant's flamboyant entrance. "Birthday girl! I hadn't heard from you in days, I was worried you wouldn't be here. I called your apartment this morning and you didn't answer – I guess it meant you were on your way."
"I would never miss a date with you guys."
The women linked arms and Amanda guided Katie to their awaiting table. Four other friends of Katie's were already seated. They popped out of their chairs and greeted Katie with open arms and small presents. It felt good to be close to so many people she trusted.
"You look a little distracted," her friend Emma commented as they reviewed the oversized menus.
Katie shrugged. "A little, but it'll pass," she lied.
"What's on your mind?" her friend Leslie asked playfully.
"Nothin'," she shrugged again, hiding her face with a menu.
Amanda tugged the menu down. "Is it a guy?"
Katie laughed. "Actually, kind of, yes. But it's not quite what you think."
The women exchanged glances.
"So what is it, then, you secretive minx?"
"Who calls someone a minx anymore?" Katie asked, closing her menu as the waitress approached. They placed their orders and dug into the complimentary tortilla chips and salsa.
"Just because it's your birthday doesn't mean we're letting you off easy," Emma teased. "So spill it."
Katie thought for a second. "Well, I really don't want to say too much. But there's this guy," the women all leaned towards Katie, "and I really, really, really shouldn't like him. Really. But I do, and I need to stop. Seriously."
"What's so wrong with him?"
"He's insane."
The women laughed.
"Katie, everyone's insane in your book. There's something wrong with every guy."
"No, trust me. I shouldn't like him. You'd be horrified if you knew him."
"You can't always choose who you like or expect your friends to like him, too," her friend Melissa said with her mouth full. "Does he like you?"
"Uhh… if he does, he has a funny way of showing it."
"Men," three of them said in unison.
"There's no future with us – at all – and it's bumming me out a little. Ok, a lot. The fact that I'd even consider a future with him is the worst part. So that's what's on my mind, that's all. It's not a big deal."
"Hey," Leslie interjected. "What happened with that escaped crazy guy at your hospital?"
Katie blushed and played with the lime on her water glass. "I'm not sure."
"Did you ever see him around the asylum?"
"He was my patient," she said, looking up to make brief eye contact. The women looked at each other again and collectively decided not to push the subject.
"Why don't you open your presents while we're waiting?"
Katie obliged, unwrapping a pair of silver hoop earrings, a dome shaped silver ring, a bookstore gift certificate, a pretty green scarf with matching mittens, and a brunette doctor Barbie doll with "Arkham" written in permanent marker on the white jacket. Katie put on the jewelry and scarf and placed the gift card between the Barbie's arms. She sat the doll by her water glass.
"You're awesome, ladies," she said, forgetting about Crane momentarily.
The women chatted during the hour-long meal, discussing movies, music, significant others, and so on, never bothering Katie again about the mystery man or escapee. Amanda walked Katie to her car after they paid the bill.
"So everything's alright, right?" Amanda asked, digging her hands into the pockets of her fitted denim jacket.
Katie looked at her feet as they walked. "No, it's not. But I can't really say anything."
The two women stood by Katie's car. "You can trust me with anything, you know that, right?"
"Yes, that's why you're my best friend."
"So trust me now. What's up? You're clearly disturbed about something."
Katie shook her head. "I will tell you, but I can't right now."
The wind blew Amanda's blonde bangs into her eyes. She tucked them back behind her ear and examined Katie's face. "Well…when you can tell me, please do. I'll worry about you, Kay."
Katie feigned a smile. "Oh," she remembered, "you can do me a favor, if you don't mind."
"I don't mind," she said, holding her bangs back as the wind picked up.
"Pass the word around that I don't want people stopping by my place today. I'll meet you guys tonight for the show but I'd just prefer no company beforehand."
Amanda frowned, confused and concerned.
"Would you do that for me?"
"Yeah, I will," Amanda said halfheartedly.
Katie hugged her and climbed into her car. "You're a great friend!" she called before shutting the door.
Amanda waved. Then why can't I figure out what's wrong, she thought.
Katie ran as many errands as she could think of before returning to her apartment: bank, post office, drug store, supermarket, gas station, and bookstore (to spend the certificate). She pulled into her parking space and looked up at the apartment's windows. Though she knew it wasn't rational, she hoped he was still in there.
Things were quiet from the door of the apartment. She turned her key and entered cautiously. He wasn't in the living room. Or the kitchen. Or the bathroom. She opened her bedroom door a crack, then the whole way. No Crane.
She sat on the edge of her bed and turned on the TV, flipping the channels until she realized she passed them all twice. She turned it off and walked around the apartment again, checking the closets, the shower, and under the bed.
Out of sheer exhaustion she fell asleep, barely remembering to set the alarm for 5:00pm. She would wake up at five to make herself a little more presentable, eat a quick dinner, and head to the club where one of her favorite local bands was playing that evening.
She woke up just before the alarm, still not relieved by Crane's absence. She left the apartment an hour and a half later in a curve-hugging boat neck black sweater, dark jeans, and gray leather boots. And, of course, her new earrings and ring – even though they clashed with her everyday gold locket. She pulled her hair into a ponytail on her way to the car. The weather was unusually warm and she forwent the jacket.
Twenty friends and acquaintances joined Katie for the show. She pretended to enjoy herself but was obviously distracted.
Amanda followed Katie into the club's gigantic, industrial bathroom. They paired up at a mirror and Katie watched Amanda fix her lipstick and eyeliner.
"Kay, why did you come in here? Just to stand around?" Amanda asked Katie's reflection.
"Eh. I just needed a break."
"A break from fun?" Amanda asked, sliding her makeup back into her jacket pocket.
"I'm sneaking out after the last song."
"The encore is always the best song."
"Yeah, I'm tired though. It's ok, Mandy."
Amanda gently stopped Katie from leaving the bathroom. "No, it's not ok."
Katie patted Amanda's arm and walked away. During the last few songs she made her way around the group to say goodbye, flashed Amanda a large, reassuring smile, and sprinted to her car. Being around people was the last thing she wanted.
Her cell phone rang as she climbed the stairs to her apartment.
"Yell-o?"
"I don't want to be the parent here, but I'm just telling you I'm coming over tomorrow, like it or not."
"Ok, fine," she said sarcastically. "I guess I'll just have to suffer." Away from the crowd she was feeling a little better.
"G'night, weirdo."
Katie hung up and smiled, thinking about how truly nice her friends were. She should have been more fun that evening.
She tossed her purse onto the couch and walked to the bedroom. The door was closed. She hadn't closed it on her way out. Resting her ear on the door, she listened. Silence. A stroll around the apartment revealed nothing else out of place. She returned to the bedroom and twisted the knob, tapping the door open with her foot and backing away. This is ridiculous, she told herself.
She stepped into the bedroom and flipped the light switch, but the light didn't turn on. She flipped it a few more times as if it would help. She tried the hallway light, which turned on, and then fetched a light bulb from the linen closet.
She made sure the switch was turned back to "off" and untwisted the bulb from the metal bedside lamp. When the new bulb was in place, she flicked the switch back to "on", but it still didn't light up. She tightened the bulb and it finally lit, spreading 75 watts across the small violet bedroom.
Katie turned with the dead bulb and walked towards the trash, but the trip was cut short.
Something hard and blunt hit the back of her knees.
Between the surprise of the blow and the bulb in her hand, she fell without her arms in front of her. On the way down her forehead met the corner of her bureau and she crumpled onto her knees. She reached up to touch her forehead, but her hand was embedded with glass and covered in blood. Her attempt to pick herself up was in vain – the room was spinning too fast.
"Who is at the mercy of whom now, Doctor Saunders?" a soft mellow voice said over her shoulder.
Katie managed to twist so her back was against the bureau. Her legs slid out in front of her and she sunk further to the floor.
"Now don't look so upset. You brought that on yourself. You just never learn that I'm always a step ahead."
Katie looked up at him, one eye closed to avoid the blood trickling from her forehead. "I hurt your feelings and you hurt me physically. That's more cowardice than anything."
Crane's hands balled into fists by his sides. He took a breath and unclenched his hands. "You tried to throw me out this morning, but unfortunately for us both, I still need some assistance."
Katie shuddered, absorbing the pain in favor of crying.
"We're going to go on a little trip, you and I. Think of yourself as my chauffer."
"I'm not doing anything for you again." She tried to pick herself up again, but slid back to the floor.
"Please, please. You're embarrassing us both. Just listen to me and say nothing." Crane kneeled in front of her. "Now I still know a few unsavory characters in the Narrows who would be happy to do a big favor for relatively little money. I contacted them with all the free time I had today and told them to make sure I was in touch each evening by midnight. If they don't hear from me, they'll show up here looking, and you don't want to be here alone when the arrive."
Katie glared at Crane through the one eye.
"You don't look too concerned. That's quite all right. But," Crane smiled boyishly, his eyes gleaming in the soft bedroom light, "you need to be careful, because it's not just about you. If they come here looking for you and you're not here, they'll pay your little nurse friend a visit." Crane took Jennifer's license from his pocket and held it in his palm for Katie to see. "Additionally, your friend Amanda called the apartment, at least according to your caller I.D. I passed that phone number on to them as well."
Katie's expression remained fierce even as Crane swam in the blurry room around her.
"Are you scared yet?"
Katie shook her head.
"Don't worry, you will be."
Crane left the room and returned with the same materials Katie had used to tenderly clean his wounds only nights before. He placed them between her splayed, booted feet. "Clean yourself up. We should leave shortly."
Katie kicked the bottle at him.
"Ok, fine," Crane said, exasperated. "I'll do it."
Crane kneeled next to Katie and took her hand. The light bulb had done more damage than he thought. He pulled a shard out and Katie instinctively ripped her hand away. Crane yanked it back by the wrist and pulled more pieces out, holding tightly to her. Katie kept her lips closed, but it didn't do much to hide her suffering. Crane's smug smile grew with each groan.
"It would make more sense if we moved you to the bathroom to wash this out," Crane said, more to himself than to Katie. "Up we go," he chimed, putting his hands under Katie's arms. She struggled but made it to her feet.
"I don't need your help," she said, shooing him away as she guided herself across the hall by the walls. She was careful not to put the injured hand against them.
She plopped onto the closed toilet and leaned over to the sink, but quickly lost her balance and hit her head on it. Crane pulled her to the tub and leaned her over the side. Katie sucked air through her teeth as the running water stung her open wounds.
Crane wiped Katie's face with a washcloth. He was far less careful than she had been with him.
"You didn't need to do this to me."
"I guess not. But I feel better now."
"Well good, that's what matters." Katie noticed Crane was wearing a pair of her brother's pants that she had set aside to donate with her other unneeded items. He had on her largest long sleeve t-shirt, but it was still a little on the fitted side for him. "You look girly in that shirt."
Crane pushed the washcloth hard against her forehead.
"See? You can only match brains with brawn. I'm disappointed."
"Make a decision, am I brawny or am I girly?"
"If I had to decide, I would say more girly. Definitely. You're very pretty. I'm jealous in fact."
Crane quickly wrapped Katie's hand with gauze. "Please enlighten me; what amount of damage do I have to inflict before you stop the quips?"
"I'll quip 'til I'm dead. But you wouldn't have the guts for that."
"You think not?" Crane asked, pulling her back to the bedroom.
"No way. That's not your style."
Crane flung Katie onto the bed and she landed on her back. Her legs dangled off the side.
"You're a terrible flirt!" she called as he left the room again. With him gone she allowed herself to shed a few tears. She was getting scared.
"I went to the trouble of packing a few things you might need. I also took the liberty to pack a few for myself."
"Better shirts, I hope."
"Clothing is the least of my concerns at the moment." Crane sifted through Katie's closet for a few extra items.
"You know," she said, lifting herself to her elbows, "you're awfully mobile this evening."
"I guess I'm just inspired. By the way, I hope you had a lovely birthday."
"I would have invited you along but, well, you know how things are."
"This can be our own little private celebration then. Ready to go?"
Katie's face became serious. "I won't tell anyone you left. I haven't told anyone so far. Go without me. Whatever you need or want, take it and go."
"I need and want you," Crane said while stuffing a few more things into a bag.
"You want me, huh?"
"Oh just shut up, would you? I'm exhausted."
Katie resisted his attempt to pull her to her feet.
"You need to cooperate, Katie. It's nearly midnight, and if we don't make our way to your car soon, I won't make the necessary phone call."
"You're bluffing again."
Crane's grip tightened around her arms. She looked into his eyes and decided he might not be bluffing.
"Ok," she said softly. Tears trickled down her cheek in spite of her best efforts.
She could walk on her own finally and followed Crane to the door.
"Will I be back tomorrow?"
Crane looked back at Katie. Pitiful, he thought. "Doubtful."
It was late and not even a cricket chirped around Katie's building. The crunch of their steps on the pebble parking area was almost deafening.
"You're sure you need my help?" Katie asked as they reached the car.
"Get in," he ordered, tossing her duffle bag into the back seat. "You're driving."
"Damned if I'd let you operate my vehicle anyway." Katie's sarcasm was the only thing bringing her any comfort at the moment. She could tell it still bothered him. "Where to, Mac?"
"The highway."
"Highway 10, 90, 76…?"
"South on the closest highway."
Katie turned the key and the car coughed to life. She was sure the entire city could hear it. "So you basically have no idea where we're going."
"I know perfectly well." Crane was beginning to show his annoyance.
Katie pulled out of the mansion parking lot and onto her tree-lined street. Her heart was in her throat.
Crane settled into his seat and ran his finger across the dashboard. "You're extremely clean."
"Just a hint; that's a really bizarre compliment. Don't try that out when you're picking up chicks."
"Thank you for the advice. I am constantly picking up chicks," Crane said, looking out the window to avoid any further conversation.
They rode in silence until Katie merged onto the unoccupied freeway.
"And now?"
"Now you drive until I tell you to exit."
"Give me an idea. Ten minutes? Twenty…?"
"An hour and fifteen minutes."
"Oh come on!" Katie shouted.
"Shh, shh, shh. I'm right next to you."
Katie slapped his head.
"What was that?"
"You're pissing me off. I'm not driving an hour. Hitch a ride after twenty minutes."
"Clearly you're still a little out of sorts and haven't fully taken in the entire situation." Crane removed his glasses and turned to face her. "Do what I tell you and you will come home eventually. Don't do what you're asked, and a few people you know won't be there when you get back. Are we clear now?"
Katie squeezed the steering wheel until her knuckles were white.
"I will assume your silence means you understand," he said in a confident, high-pitched tone. He slid the glasses back over his nose.
Katie's mind raced. She was too foggy to think of a game plan and drive at the same time. With each passing exit she became more anxious. Her chest tightened in response.
Crane noticed her breathing quicken. "We obviously can't pull over so just keep yourself together a little while longer."
"You didn't make your phone call."
Crane fished Katie's cell phone from the void of her purse and dialed. After several second he said only "yes, all set" and hung up.
"Did you even call anybody?"
"Just. Drive."
"Oh, you know what? I have a friend who expects me to be home tomorrow. I should get back. She's already nervous about me – she might even call the cops."
"Nice try. Now let's try being quiet for a while."
The quiet only made Katie more nervous. She turned the radio on, forgetting how loud it was from her drive home from the show.
Crane stabbed buttons with his finger until it finally shut off. "What in the world just happened? I think my ears popped."
"What kind of music do you listen to?"
"Anything but whatever that was."
"It's good music, it was just loud. Let's try again."
Katie turned the knob to the left before turning it on again. The familiar song relaxed her slightly.
"No, this is still dreadful." Crane turned it off again.
Katie turned it on. "Touch my radio again and I will break your finger. I will break it in half, I swear to God."
"You're touchy about the oddest things."
"No psychoanalyzing and stop looking at me. Look forward or out of your window, leave my radio alone, and shut up. Shut up you girly ass and let me drive with my music on."
"I pity the man who ever marries the likes of Katie Saunders."
Katie narrowed her eyes and smiled. "Right. You had such an obvious thing for me when I was your student. That was against the rules you know."
"I was the one with the obvious thing? Me? Are you serious?"
"I said don't look at me."
"You were impossibly smitten."
"You're a big jerk."
"You're not denying it."
Katie giggled. "You know, I saw you looking once."
Crane's stomach clenched. "What?"
Katie nodded enthusiastically. "Oh totally. I picked up my backpack and you were staring. Down my shirt! Highly offensive."
"That never happened." Crane couldn't actually recall if it happened.
"Oh yes it did so. And you realized your little thing for me was obvious, which is why you stopped spending time with me outside of class. I'm not obtuse."
"Well you had googly little eyes for me, if I recall."
"So you don't deny it!"
"I did deny it."
"Not the part where you stopped spending time with me because you were so clearly taken."
"This is asinine. I would never have a 'thing' for a student."
"Well I'm not your student anymore," Katie cooed.
Crane felt warm. He looked out his window as the trees and billboards whizzed past.
"Oh, take a joke, Crane. You're humorless."
Crane ignored her.
"At least I have the potential to marry someone," Katie said, still aggravated by the comment he made earlier. "You're a robot."
"How so?"
"You feel nothing anymore. Like a neutered cat or something."
"That's not true," Crane said with an annoyed, parental tone.
"No? Let me test you then." Katie reached over and palmed the inside of Crane's thigh.
"Stop that!" he shrieked, slapping her hand away.
Katie laughed so hard her eyes nearly shut. "My pet," she mimicked.
"I don't like this conversation at all."
"Poor you," Katie purred, petting his cheek with the back of her hand.
"Stop touching me," Crane groaned, shrugging her off. "This is our exit. Take a left at the end."
"Did you use my razor to shave?" Katie asked as she took the off ramp.
"No more talking tonight."
Katie brightened as she realized one more exit would have brought them near her mother's house. Hopefully they wouldn't stray too far from the off ramp and she could seek refuge from her mother.
After five minutes Crane told Katie to slow down and he examined the street signs.
"Glad to have your glasses back?"
"Shush. Ok, take this turn."
Katie frowned. This heavily wooded street lead to the small town's high school. When she was in high school her group of friends would meet up with students from this school and gather in the woods behind it.
Unbeknownst to Katie, this was the school Crane attended in his teens. He had grown up only a town away from her.
The school was a mile down the road and Crane directed Katie to park around back. It was a mid-twentieth century construction of cement, brick, and non-opening windows. She parked and left the car running.
"Turn it off. No sense in wasting fuel." He got out of the car and waited for Katie to join him.
"I'll wait here," she said, leaning against the front bumper. Crane placed a hand firmly on her back and pushed her towards the building. He slid the long, blue-headed key into the back door, unlocking it with a metallic clunk. No alarm sounded. He locked the door behind them and walked ahead of Katie towards a set of stairs. She noticed he was limping. Good, I hope your hip hurts, she thought.
Katie followed Crane down a wide set of concrete stairs. There was an exit at the landing, but they turned and continued down. Only small, dim bulbs on the walls lit their path.
Crane stopped at a set of double doors and used the same key to unlock them. The white cinderblock wall next to the doors read "SOCIAL STUDIES" in human-sized orange lettering. Katie waited in the hall for Crane, and he did not encourage her to follow this time. He returned minutes later with a black box the size of a loaf of bread under his arm, and retraced their steps to the back door. The echo of their steps on the linoleum floor was the only sound.
"Alrighty then, we best be heading on back," Katie said as they got back in her little car. The unknown contents of the box made her even uneasier.
"Patience is a virtue, Katie, which you don't possess."
"Buddy, I've been consistently beyond patient with you. Now we go home." Katie drove away from the building.
Crane threw the car into "park" and it bucked to a sudden stop. Before Katie could react he had her jaw gripped in his right hand. Crane's eyes were wide and looked like two silver platters gleaming in the moonlight. He stared at her for a moment like that, the tendons in his next rigid.
"I am so sick of you," he said in a voice deeper than Katie ever imagined coming from his body. It rumbled in his chest. He looked back and forth between her left and right eye as he spoke. "I am this close," he shoved her head against the headrest to emphasize, "to wrapping my hand around your skinny neck instead of your jaw. You're a minor inconvenience in my escape, a trivial bump in the road. I would have no feelings of remorse dumping your body in these woods right now. Do what I say and keep your busy little mouth closed for the remainder of this journey, or you're woodland fertilizer. I don't want to hear one more nasty thing come from your lips." He shoved her again and let go.
"But I thought you liked it when I said nasty things."
Crane grabbed her injured hand and squeezed. She screamed and tried to pull it away, but his fury made him too strong.
"I am not joking!" he hissed in her face, crushing her hand harder.
In the tussle for her hand, Crane's sleeve climbed up his arm. Katie dug the nails of her other hand into his wound and tugged. Instead of retracting in pain, Crane reached over and opened her door, pushing her with all his might onto the unpaved road. He scrambled over the driver's seat and landed on top of her before she could crawl away. He grabbed her wrists in one hand and held them over her head while his other hand constricted around her neck.
She stared at him with no emotion on her face. No tears, no resistance, and her body became slack.
"Please take my car and leave me here," she requested as calmly as if she were asking him to pick up some milk on his way home.
He wanted a fight. He wanted to take his wrath out on her.
"It's official, Crane, you won the game," she said, her lips smiling but her eyes cheerless and watery. "You're a sad, lost man and I don't need to be in the way while you crash and burn. Have my car and everything in it. Ultimately, it won't get you very far."
"Do not feel sorry for me," he ordered, moving the hand from her neck to her wrists. He jerked her wrists apart and pinned them on either side of her head.
Katie looked up at Crane's face looming just above hers. "I wished so much that I could help you… but your cruelty is no veneer; it runs in your veins now."
He didn't expect the concession. She was supposed to be scared. "Why are you so calm?"
She laughed. "You have no idea what I've been through in my life. Pinned under an aggressor in the middle of nowhere is small potatoes. Plus I know you. You talk big and you have a little bite, but it's mostly show."
"Where do you get off talking to me like that?" He squeezed harder, breaking the blood vessels in her wrists.
"You're more scared of yourself than I'd ever be of you. That's part of the reason."
"And the rest?"
"Because your anger with me is a self-preservation tactic."
"And what, pray tell, do I have to preserve myself from?"
"Non-robotic urges, Professor."
"I see nothing redeeming about you. You wasted your intelligence on a juvenile goal to save criminals from themselves. There is nothing more revolting then a spoiled brain."
"I'm not talking about my brains."
Crane pushed her wrists into the rocky soil. "I certainly have no urges in any other respect."
She whispered something he couldn't hear.
"Care to repeat that?" he said with frustration, lowering his ear to her mouth.
She licked her lips and held them lightly against his ear. Her warm breath sent a shiver down his spine. "You most certainly do."
Crane climbed off her like she was on fire and walked around to the passenger side.
"Get in and let's go," he demanded, slamming his door.
TBC