WARNING: Some language in a flashback to Crane's youth.
Disclaimer: We used to have bats in our attic. That's my closest association with anything Batman.
Author's note: I'm super curious what you think after reading this chapter. Please let me know!
---
Katie stared up as a thick cloud slid by the moon.
"There's no time to waste now, Katie. I have a strict schedule to keep and I can't have you compromising it."
Katie strained to lift herself without using her hands. "Crane, a few hours ago a light bulb shattered in my hand, and now my wrists are freshly bruised. I can't drive anymore tonight."
Crane jumped out of the car and yanked Katie up by her right arm.
"Jesus, you could've pulled it out of the socket!" she protested, stumbling away from him.
"You have my sincerest apologies. I'll drive."
Katie didn't feel strong enough for another tussle, so she followed his direction and joined him in her car. At almost the same moment she shut her door, the sky opened up.
The two looked out of the windshield as if the car were in motion. Katie saw him grimace out of the corner of her eye.
"Is the rain a problem?"
"I can't see well in the dark to begin with."
Crane started the car and slowly accelerated.
"Please don't crash."
"I will do my best."
"To crash?"
Crane wrung his hands on the wheel and glanced over at Katie. "If you want me to keep this car on the road, shut up."
"So noted. Can you just tell me where we're going?"
"I can, yes, technically. But I won't."
"Hey now, if you want me to reserve my comments you can't zing me." Katie held her hands up. "Damn, my wrists really hurt."
Crane smiled.
"May I talk if I'm not sarcastic?"
"I suppose. I might not answer though." Crane turned onto the main road and headed away from the direction they originally came.
"Why did you jump off me?"
"Because we don't have time for nonsense."
Crane's smile faded as Katie's grew. "Riiiight."
Katie turned on the radio.
"No music."
Katie found the FM news station. Minutes later she leaned forward and turned it up.
Although the whereabouts of escaped mental patient and convicted felon Jonathan Crane are still unknown, officials assure Gotham residents that they are in no danger.
In a statement issued late last evening by Gotham PD, 'We believe Crane's escape was for personal reasons and not to participate in another attack on Gotham. We also believe he is severely injured at the very least. Pursuit will remain in full force until we can confirm his whereabouts and apprehend him.'
If you have any information that could assist in this case, Gotham Police ask you to call 885-9911 immediately. In news abroad…
Crane beamed.
"They said pursuit remains in full force."
"They won't waste time or tax dollars if they think I'm badly hurt or possibly dead. And harmless."
885-9911, Katie thought over and over.
"This is good," Crane said out loud, as if convincing himself.
"You don't sound so sure."
"I can't get too confident. I know they haven't given up hope completely."
"You're always too confident."
The rain was coming in sheets now.
"Pull over. I'll give it a shot."
"I'm fine."
With each passing moment they were further and further from Katie's hometown. "Seriously, I can drive just fine now. Look!" Katie pretended to turn a steering wheel left and right. She noticed a vein throb in his neck. "Alright, fine. But you can't blame me if you get us into an accident."
"We're almost there anyway."
Katie leaned back and watched the windshield wipers fly back and forth to little effect.
Crane wanted to get out of town as soon as possible even if Gotham PD wasn't hot on his trail. Being back in town conjured up memories he had worked hard to squash. As they passed the middle school he recalled a particularly nasty day from his youth. There had been many nasty days, perhaps even worse, but something about that one lingered.
---
"It's picture day, mom," Crane said while packing his books into his backpack.
"I know, but school pictures are overpriced and always unflattering. You and your sister can sit out." Crane looked a lot like his mother. Too much, if you asked him.
"Picture day at the high school is tomorrow," Crane's sister yelled from the bathroom. Crane could hear her hairsprayed bangs sizzle against the curling iron all the way from the kitchen.
"Everyone gets their picture taken."
"Well everyone's parents are fiscally irresponsible and enjoy ugly pictures of their children, then, honey."
Crane poured himself a bowl of cereal. "You're just saying that 'cuz we can't afford it."
"Not entirely, but your father just got his new job and it's commission. We have no idea what he could come home with yet."
"Pour me a bowl, too!"
Crane clicked his tongue against the roof of his mouth and got up to retrieve another bowl. "We have a field trip, too."
Crane's mother looked at the calendar on the fridge. "Museum. Nice."
"It's four bucks, that's all."
His mother handed him a ten-dollar bill.
"You sure?"
She nodded.
Crane's sister took her bowl from the table and leaned against the counter. She was thin like him and even taller, but that seemed to be a positive thing in her case.
"Jonnie, you can't wear that to school."
"He can wear what he wants, June," Crane's mother said as she washed last night's dinner pots and pans. June looked like her mother and brother, but with their father's red hair and green eyes.
"You're too old for a sweatshirt with a dinosaur on it."
Crane pulled his hood over his head and poked at his cereal.
"He's only twelve."
"He'll get teased mom," she said quietly.
"I get teased anyway!" Crane said, pushing himself from the table. He shut himself in his bedroom.
"Real nice, June."
"Mom, I'm trying to help him! You don't know what they do to him. He should do everything possible to stay under the radar. Eric told Kevin that Jonnie doesn't have a single friend in his classes."
"Eric and Jonnie are friends."
"Eric and Jonnie are friends when our families are together, not in school."
"It's just a dinosaur sweatshirt, June."
June handed her mother both bowls and kissed her cheek. "Not to sixth graders it's not." She knocked on the bedroom door. "I'll give you a ride if you don't mind being early."
A few seconds later Crane opened the door. "Yeah, okay." He had on a red and black sweater. He pushes his large glasses up his small nose with the back of his hand.
Crane was the first one at school, but he was happy not to have to endure the morning bus ride. He read while the empty classroom filled with chatty pre-teens, and promptly put his book away when the bell rang.
"Ok, kids, we have a full day. We're first for pictures so we can load the bus in time, so line up in alphabetical order against the back wall." Crane's teacher, Mr. Butler, was an intelligent, handsome man in his late twenties. Every student liked him, even Crane.
Crane approached the desk while the kids scrambled to find their place in line. "Mr. Butler?"
"Yes, Jonathan?"
"I'm not getting pictures this year."
"That's ok. They take your picture anyway."
"They do?"
Mr. Butler leaned down. "Between you, me, and the wall, people are suckers if they want to waste their money on school pictures. I always looked like an idiot in mine – and I never saw a school picture that looked any better. But, you know, they want to include people. So just go with it."
Crane smiled for the first time that day. He approached his place in line. He knew it well; right smack between obnoxious Brian Collins and snotty Ruth Crow.
"What are you so happy about?" Brian asked Crane, looking around to see if anyone else in line was paying attention.
The two boys behind him were. "Yeah, who wants a picture of Jon Crane?"
"Other homos," Brian answered.
Ruth laughed. "You guys are such assholes."
"Let's be quiet while we pass other classes," Mr. Butler ordered, leading the line, from the end of the alphabet, towards the auditorium.
Brian punched Crane's backpack while they walked. Crane narrowed his eyes at Brian over his shoulder.
"What? I'm practicing for my boxing lessons."
"You don't take boxing lessons," the boy behind Brian interjected.
"Well what if I decided to? I should practice just in case." He gave Crane's bag three more punches and shoved his hands in his coat pockets. "So are you gonna give a picture to your boyfriend?"
Crane watched Ruth's ponytail bounce and ignored Brian.
Brian flicked Crane's ear.
"Cut it out!" he complained, rubbing his ear.
Brian flicked the other one. The boys' giggles encouraged him.
"Stop it!" Crane said looking back. He tripped and fell onto Ruth's backpack.
"Careful, dummy," she said over her shoulder.
"Are you putting the moves on Ruth, Jon?" a boy asked.
"Gays don't like girls, stupid," another said.
The laughs quieted as Mr. Butler approached the back of the line. "Is something going on back here?"
"No, sir, Mr. Butler," Brian said. "Right, Jon?"
Mr. Butler searched Crane's face, then Brian's. "Good, because you wouldn't be able to come on the fieldtrip and you would have to wait in the principal's office all day."
"No, everything's good, huh, Jon?"
Crane frowned but nodded.
They arrived at the auditorium and reversed the line. Another class showed up from the other direction and stood in back of them.
"You know, Jon, you have one good thing going for you," Brian said loud enough for his friends to hear.
"He does?"
"Yeah. His fucking sister!"
"Oh my god, she's so hot. She dropped you off today, huh?"
"Totally hot."
Crane seethed.
"You ever watch the girls' Varsity volleyball games? I go just to watch her jump up and down."
"Hey, do you ever see her naked, Jon?"
"I wish I had a hot older sister."
"Dude, that's not cool. You don't want your own hot older sister. You want Jon's hot older sister. I know I do."
"I'd fuck her."
"I'd fuck her!"
"I have fucked her!"
More people in line were listening now, and all of them laughed.
Ruth turned around and faced them. "Kerry said Annie said Jon's sister and her boyfriend had sex at the movie theater!"
"No way!" two said in unison.
"Yeah, Annie was there."
"I would give my allowance for a year to see that."
Ruth took her place on the stool in front of the photographer. Crane was next. The last thing he felt like doing was smiling.
Since Crane wasn't responding, the kids moved on to other topics. Crane sat blank faced on the stool and left as quickly as possible.
Outside of the auditorium two other boys, Mike and Seth, approached Crane. "Hey, we heard them teasing you. Not cool," Mike said.
Crane was wary. "I thought you guys were friends with them."
"Naw, we're just on the hockey team together."
"Ah." Crane stuck his thumbs under his backpack straps as they waited for the class to come back together in the lobby.
"Yeah," Seth began, "if you want to hang with us for field trip you can."
"Yeah," Mike agreed.
"Yeah?" Crane asked.
Both boys nodded.
"See ya on the bus," Mike said as the two boys joined another group of students. Crane's old friend Eric was among them.
Crane stood by himself and stared at the bus through the lobby window.
Mr. Butler joined him. "Are you looking forward to the museum?"
"Mmm hmm. I haven't been to this one."
"Oh, good! There's lots of stuff I'd like to point out for you."
Crane nodded.
"Alright, class," Mr. Butler said, clapping his hands. "We're movin' out."
Kids rushed to be the first ones on so that they could sit in the back. Crane always sat towards the front so he waited for the masses to get on board.
Seth motioned to Crane. "We're back here, Jon."
Crane stood in the isle, not sure if he should join them.
"Take a seat, everyone," the driver said.
"Come on, Jon," Mike said.
Crane walked slowly to the back. He had never been past the first few rows. Kids glanced at him, then looked at each other. Eric smiled from the seat on the opposite side from Mike and Seth.
The boys scooted in. Crane sunk into the seat and put his bag on his lap. The bus sputtered and vibrated, then rolled away from the middle school.
Mr. Butler kneeled backwards in a front seat and addressed the bus. "Here's how today works. When we get to the museum, stay by the bus until you've been assigned to your chaperone. Your group will get its own tour guide and we'll…well, tour…until lunch. We'll meet back up in the museum cafeteria, then spend another hour with our guides. Stick together and keep your eye on one another. Okay?"
"Okay, Mr. Butler," the bus responded.
The kids around Crane took walkmans out of their backpacks.
"Where's yours?" Seth asked Crane.
"I forgot it," he lied.
"Ok everyone, I need your help!" Ruth said from the seat in front of Crane. She leaned against the window and faced the back of the bus. "Give me an adjective."
"Hairy!"
Ruth scrawled onto the pad in her hands. Crane didn't understand the game.
"Ok, and a noun."
"Boner!"
"Another noun."
"Balls!"
"A verb."
"Fist!"
"That's not a verb."
"Yes it is!"
"Ewww! Ok, a famous man's name."
"Michael Jackson!" three kids yelled.
"A famous woman's name."
"Your momma!"
"A past tense verb."
"Banged!"
"A noun. Wait, though! Let's let Jon answer one."
Crane shrugged.
"Come on, you know what a noun is, right?" Ruth smacked her gum.
"Uhh… someone else can answer."
"Don't be retarded. Give me a noun."
Crane felt eyes on him. "I don't know."
"Just a little noun!" she looked down at the girl in her seat. "Maybe he's thinking too much about screwing his sister."
A few kids laughed.
"A noun, Jonnie-Jon," Ruth said.
"Ok, you made me think of one."
"What is it?"
Crane looked into her eyes. "Bitch."
Everyone laughed. Seth elbowed Crane.
"You're a jerk off!" Ruth retorted.
"You can't be a jerk off," Eric said from the back. "That's a verb. You can't be a verb. That's like saying, 'you're a running' or 'you're an eat'."
"You're an eat!" someone yelled at Ruth.
"You're a running!" she yelled back.
"Quiet back there," the bus driver warned. "And sit."
Ruth sat quickly.
Crane sat virtually ignored for the duration of the trip, which was fine with him. When they arrived at the museum in the heart of Gotham, Mike and Seth led him to Seth's much older brother, a chaperone.
Mr. Butler approached. "Jonathan?"
"Mike and Seth asked me to come with them."
"They did?" Mr. Butler asked. He looked at Mike and Seth. The boys shrugged. "Ok, then. Have fun, boys. Stick together."
As the class dispersed into smaller groups, Crane absorbed that he had actually been invited to join a group. His chest felt less heavy than usual. Their guide was an older man who was hard of hearing. Crane was torn between listening to the man and listening to the group, even the chaperone, making fun of the man. He didn't want to risk them noticing that he preferred the tour guide.
Mike and Seth stood on either side of Crane. They were the same height as him, but it felt like they towered above him.
"So Jon," Mike asked, "what do you do for fun?"
Crane tried to think of a good answer. "TV."
"What do you watch?"
Oops, Crane thought. "A lot of stuff. And I ride my bike and stuff."
"Do you skateboard?"
Crane nodded. Technically he had, when Eric brought one over.
"Know any tricks?"
Crane shrugged.
"Like any sports?" Seth asked.
"Yeah."
"Play any?"
"Not on teams."
"Well we play street hockey after school a lot. You should come over."
Crane laced his fingers together so the boys wouldn't see his hands shake.
"You want to come over?"
Crane shrugged. "Ok."
The tour guide stopped in front of the cafeteria. "I'll meet you boys back here. Enjoy your lunch!"
Crane and Seth's brother thanked the guide.
"Where are you going?" Mike asked him.
"Bathroom," Crane said.
"Ok. See you in there," Mike said, gesturing towards the cafeteria.
Crane stopped in the hallway around the corner. He was actually giddy. He stared at his fingers until they stopped trembling. When he felt he appeared less euphoric, he headed back.
The cafeteria was huge and filled with students from different schools. He looked across the room and finally saw Seth and Mike's table.
The closer he got, he realized all the seats were taken. He stood a few feet away.
Mike looked up at him from his seat. "What?"
"Uhm…I just thought there'd be a seat."
"Why?" Seth asked. Mike chewed his cheeks to hide his smile. The table hushed and everyone looked at the three boys.
"But…just a second ago you said-"
"I didn't say shit."
Crane's big eyes grew even wider in his small face. He squeezed his thumb with the other hand.
"Why are you standing there?"
Crane felt dizzy and hot. "You said 'see you in there'."
"And I see you. There you are."
A few girls giggled and covered their mouths.
Crane opened his mouth as if to speak but the words caught in his throat.
"Go away, homo," Seth said, waving Crane off. Mike snorted and turned away.
Everyone at the table stared at Crane, waiting for him to react. Except for Eric, who played with his sleeves and looked down.
It's ok, something deep inside Crane said, consoling. They'll get theirs someday.
---
Crane took several streets off the main road and pulled up to a small, secluded ranch style home.
"I'll be right back. Don't move." Crane took the black box, the keys, and Katie's purse. The soles of his shoes sank into the muddy road as he dashed to the modest home's front door. Katie couldn't make much out in the rain, but it didn't look like anyone had been home in a long time.
Crane was true to his word and came back within five minutes. He threw the items into the back seat before getting in. He combed his sopping wet hair away from his face with his fingers, then started the car.
Crane pressed the gas pedal, but the car stayed put. He pumped it several more times, the engine groaning in response.
"Stop, stop," Katie said, putting the car into park. She trudged through the mud to the back of the car. Crane joined her. "They're inches deep!" Katie yelled over the rain, patting the rear tire.
Crane's entire face contorted with his frown.
"We need to push it!" she said.
"I don't think either of us will do a very good job!" he shouted back, holding out his arm as evidence.
"Then we have to wait 'til the rain stops. If you keep trying it will get worse."
Crane ran his hand through his hair again. "I have to get away from here."
"Is anyone in there? We could just wait in there. It could let up soon."
As if in response, lightening stretched across the angry sky.
"No, we can't stay here." Crane climbed into the back seat and threw the box and Katie's purse into the duffle bag. He slipped the strap over his head and tightened it until it looked like a one-strapped backpack. "How far can you run?"
"You can't just leave my car here. Someone will report a car sitting in front of their house, don't you think?" Katie shivered and pulled her sleeves down.
"It will be fine here. No one will notice, trust me. You're a jogger, right?"
"If you're leaving my car here, what do you need with me?"
"Katie, if I could leave you here in the mud with your car I would. But I can't. Come along." Crane ran into the woods across the street and Katie ran after him. "I'm sure you're a better runner than me!" he shouted back to her. "Catch up!"
Katie was fatigued and in pain. She put her hand to her cramping side and caught up with Crane. "Now what?"
"Save your energy, it's a mile and a half."
Katie groaned and tightened her fists. Her boots were weighing her down. "Isn't your hip killing you?"
"Obviously, yes," he panted.
"You don't strike me as the physical type." Katie noticed the path they ran on was well worn.
"I'm a virtual he-man. Can you take the bag for a little while?"
Katie laughed and they slowed to a jog to trade the bag.
After half a mile Katie laughed again.
"What?"
"I just wish I could hate you. It would make things so much easier."
Crane nodded. "My sentiments exactly."
The woods cleared and they continued running through a field of tall grass and wild flowers. Crane slowed down at the top of a hill and Katie saw a low-roofed barn through the hazy rain. As they approached, Katie heard a horse whinny over the din of the storm.
"You can run, but can you ride horseback?"
"You're kidding, right?"
Crane unzipped the bag on Katie's back and removed the black box. He opened it behind her and took a key from its contents. With some effort, it opened the barn door. He disappeared into the unlit barn.
Katie stayed outside. Crane popped his head out. "Stop making me ask you to come along!"
"I hate barns!"
"It's pouring! Come in here!"
Katie crossed her arms. "I hate them!"
"Have it your way," Crane said, his voice high and condescending. He slid inside again.
"We aren't staying here, are we?" she asked from the door.
"Just a few more minutes, Miss Patience. Go wait in the rain as you so desire."
Katie wandered over to a tree and leaned against its thick bark. She opened her mouth and let the rain hit the back of her tongue.
A large, brown creature emerged with Crane on its back.
"And now we're stealing horses," Katie said, approaching.
"Can you ride?"
"Absolutely not. I ride horses like you drive cars." Katie petted the horse's nose.
"Then come up here with me," Crane said, extending his hand.
"Uhh…no?"
Crane looked down his nose at her. "Scared?"
"No."
Crane raised his eyebrow.
"I'm not scared!"
"We stay in the barn, or you get on this horse."
"How do I get up there?"
Crane reached down and helped Katie get on. She slipped off four times before making it. She put a leg on either side and sat a foot away from Crane.
"And how to you think you're going to stay on over there?" Crane asked over his shoulder.
Katie shrugged.
"Hold on to me."
Katie inched closer and put a hand on each shoulder. Crane grabbed the reins and kicked the horse's side. Katie squealed and wrapped her arms around his ribcage, pulling herself against his back in the process. Crane's spine straightened involuntarily as he soaked in the power of the horse underneath him and the satisfaction that, at long last, Katie was defenseless.
Katie wrapped her arms even tighter and planted her chin in the crook of his neck. His ear was cold against her temple. The storm sounds were long gone, replaced by the horse's gallop. She squeezed her eyes shut as they hurtled further into the woods.
Crane made the horse go faster, fueled by the beat of Katie's racing heart against his back. She clung tighter.
"Not much of an equestrian, I see."
Katie was silent.
"And you're finally quiet. I wish I knew this would shut you up – I would have done it sooner."
"Please stop it," she said into his neck.
Crane's shoulders broadened.
"Can we slow down?"
Katie winced as Crane commanded the horse to speed up.
Crane could tell Katie was trying to hold back tears. A calm washed over his face and he breathed in deeply through his nose.
Katie opened her eyes but closed them again quickly. "Just slow down, please, Crane, slow down," she said into his ear.
That soft voice in his ear. His face because serious again.
"Please, please, please," she continued, her words pained.
Crane leaned his head away from her slightly.
Katie thought for a second and opened her eyes.
"Please," she said, bringing her mouth to his ear. She could feel his heart quicken against her arms.
Crane licked his lips and forced himself to focus on his course. She was quiet for a moment and he straightened his head.
Katie placed her mouth between Crane's neck and shoulder where her chin had been. She ran her tongue from the spot slowly up to his ear. She swallowed, tasting his sweat mixed with raindrops. "Please," she whispered.
The horse's gallop slowed.
Katie shifted her weight and licked the other side of his neck. "Please."
The horse slowed to a trot.
Katie kept one arm wrapped around Crane's torso and raised her hand to his face. She ran her finger across his bottom lip, down his chin, and down his throat. His eyelids drooped and he held his breath, the horse coming to a stop. Katie kissed the side of his neck. She let go of him and slipped off the horse.
"I have your stuff!" Katie teased from several feet away. She waved. "Come and get me!"
Crane jumped off and hastily secured the animal to a tree. Katie walked backwards a few steps, and ran off as he approached. "Stop making me ask you to come along!" she yelled.
"You don't know where you are. You may have the bag but I have the map of these woods in my head." Crane couldn't see where she went. A chill traveled down his legs as he recalled the warmth of her tongue. He took a few steps in the general direction of where he believed she went.
Two hands grabbed his waist from behind. "Boo!" Katie giggled.
"What do you want," Crane asked the smiling woman behind him.
Katie walked around and stood in front of him. "Just the very same thing I think you still want," she said, quoting his taunt from the Arkham game room. She took the bag off her back and placed it on the ground next to her. "Which one of us do you want more right now?"
Crane stepped towards Katie. He reached out and held the little locket between his thumb and index finger. He tugged lightly and she stepped towards him. He let the locket fall back to her chest and put his hands by his sides.
Either the marks on Crane's face had faded or the moonlight was doing him justice. Katie reached up and traced her finger across his jaw line. "You're a handsome man, you know," she said, taking back her finger. "And what do you think of me?" she asked cautiously after a moment. Her heart pattered against her ribs.
She watched Crane's eyes travel from hers slowly to her lips and back again. "I think you're going to make me very late."
"Besides that." She could feel her cheeks flush.
A bolt of lightening brighter than the sun overwhelmed Crane's eyes, and the accompanying thunder filled his ears. The horse whinnied and he jerked his head in its direction.
Katie grabbed either side of his face and Crane instinctively gasped. She slipped her tongue between his parted lips and prayed for him to respond in kind.
TBC