Never…

Disclaimer: I don't own anything related to Red Eye or Batman Begins!

Chapter Ten

"Bruce, we've finally got Crane," Rachel said triumphantly as Amy slept on the couch, exhausted from her constant ordeal.

"Are you sure?" Bruce asked softly, trying not to wake the fitful teenager from her slumber.

"Positive. Amy has told me enough so that we can get a warrant for Crane's arrest. Call Gordon."

"And tell him what exactly? You're the prosecuting attorney on this case, Rachel."

"Fine, I'll do it," huffed Rachel as she walked away to call Lieutenant Gordon.

Bruce sighed. Rachel was bound and determined to nail Crane this time. Not only because he was abusing a minor, but also due her own traumatic experience with the psychotic doctor.

Glancing at the couch where Amy slept, he observed her as she curled up tightly on the couch, pressing her small frame against the soft cushions. Her posture betrayed the fact that she was defensive even while she slept. I doubt Crane left her alone even when she was asleep.

It was a real shame to see such a vibrant young woman broken at such a young age. He had glimpse Amy's spirit and spunk when he had first met her. If Crane had not mostly destroyed her, it would have been interesting to see her grow up, free of his influence. What would she have done with her life?

"Amy?" he called quietly. He did not wish to wake her, but he knew that Fox needed a blood sample from her as soon as possible. With Rachel sending the police to arrest Crane, the preliminary hearing for the case would be in a matter of days. They would need all the evidence that they could possibly obtain to put Jonathan Crane away for good.

Bruce gently laid a hand on Amy's shoulder.

The teenager let out a scream and shot up, her blue eyes were wide with terror and she instantly scooted away from him in fear. He could see her racing heart through the thin material of her t-shirt and he knew he had frightened her. I'm not much better than Crane to her at the moment.

"What? What do you want?" she asked, as she started to calm down, yet her eyes still remained alert. Bruce stayed where he was, unwilling to make any sudden moves that would startle her anymore.

"Amy, I need to get a sample of your blood..." he started to say.

"My blood? Why? So you can figure out the best way to torment me?" Her defenses were completely up. Amy was immediately suspicious of him. What is he planning?

"No, Amy. I told you that you can trust me. All I want is to help you. I found the toxin that Crane was using on you. My friend, Mr. Fox, wants to compare your blood to the toxins to better understand it and collaborate the results as evidence against Crane. Please, Amy."

"No," Amy was shaking her head. "Never."

"Amy, your blood will help us put Crane away for good. Please let me take it. I promise I won't hurt you. I'll be as gentle as I can."

"That's what he always said!" Amy screamed at him. "He always said that before the sessions started! He lied! You could be lying now."

"I've never lied to you, Amy."

"I'm sorry, but I just can't. I can't take that chance."

"Amy, I don't want to have to forcibly take a blood sample, but I will if you leave me no other choice," Bruce said quietly. Time was against them and obtaining the sample was too important to let it wait.

Amy thrust up her jacket sleeve, exposing the crook of her elbow. "Go ahead," she dared him; her blue eyes were as cold as ice.

Bruce looked at her pale, thin arm. There were track marks from Jonathan's constant 'therapy' sessions. Evidently, Crane's use of needles was something that occurred on a frequent basis. He pulled the hypodermic needle and tourniquet from his pocket.

Amy took a deep breath and bit her lip as Bruce tied the tourniquet onto her arm to expose a vein.

"Am I hurting you?" he asked her softly.

"No."

Bruce quietly searched for a vein. He did not wish to harm her, and luckily one of the veins stood out prominently, which made his job easier. He raised the needle, preparing to insert it to draw the necessary blood.

Suddenly, Amy started shaking as she let out a soft moan, curling herself into a ball on the sofa. Bruce momentarily forgot about drawing her blood and reached out to comfort her however, the needle was still in his hand. Amy screamed at the sight of it and fought his grip on her shoulder. She smacked the needle from his grasp, jumped up and turned to run.


"I promise I won't hurt you," Scarecrow was whispering to her, stroking her dark hair as she trembled uncontrollably.

"No, please don't. No…" Amy whimpered as the needle appeared in his hand. Where there was one needle, there was two more. A grand total of three which was a strange number to be sure. Three had been a common number centuries ago and many older published works were full of the number three. All three meant to Amy was triple the torture. It was her unlucky number.

"You know that you need your medication. I can't help you without it."

"I don't want your help. I'm fine…"

"Amy, you know perfectly well the procedure before our sessions. Now hold still."

"NO!" she cried out as he harshly pricked her skin with the first needle making sure that she could see the syringe embedded in her arm.

Scarecrow purposely left the empty needle in her arm for her to remove. She yanked it out quickly, as a few drops of blood splattered on the table.


No needles! No more needles! Her mind screamed.

Scarecrow always brought needles when he visited her during those terrifying sessions. To her, they were a representation of Scarecrow and a mark of fear and torture that she would soon endure. Surely, Bruce did not want to hurt her, but her fear of needles was too prominent for her to comply with his simple request. She had tried to fight the terror that overcame her, yet her dread was beyond her control.

Escape was a reflex. Amy had to get away from the syringe before Scarecrow's inevitable return to harm her once more. She had to get out of here.

"Amy, it's okay," Bruce was trying to reassure her. "Did I hurt you?"

"Scarecrow," she whispered; the words barely made a sound. Her voice had disappeared in her sudden panic, as she slumped against the wall in exhaustion.

"It was the needle, wasn't it? He used needles to inject you with drugs. How many needles did Scarecrow bring?"

Amy shakily held up three fingers.

"Amy, I have to draw this blood. Every moment we waste is another moment that the toxin remains in your bloodstream. I have to do this. I'm just trying to help you."

She was shaking her head. NO!

"I'm sorry, Amy."

NO! She struggled to get to her feet to escape.

Bruce instantly pinned her to the floor, pressing her thin body against the ground, as she struggled frantically against him while he quickly inserted the needle into the vein in her arm. He filled the test tube as rapidly as possible and gently withdrew the needle from her arm. Amy remained on the ground huddled against the wall, hysterical as she wrapped her arms around her body. Tears made their way down her cheeks from beneath her closed eyelids.

"I'm sorry," he whispered, before leaving the room. The best thing to do was to give her some privacy after the ordeal she just had.


As Jonathan Crane was slipping into his clean sports jacket with Lisa's help, Jim Gordon and a furious Rachel Dawes stormed through the door to his hospital room.

"Why, hello Lieutenant Gordon… Miss Dawes," Jonathan sneered.

"You are under arrest Dr. Crane, for reckless child abuse and endangerment in the form of human experimentation," Gordon announced, removing a set of handcuffs from his pocket.

"And what may I ask caused you to arrive to that intriguing conclusion?" Jonathan asked coldly, feigning surprise at Gordon's declaration.

"Ask your lawyer," snapped Rachel. Gordon shot her a look, urging her to remain calm. Rachel complied angrily.

"Hands behind your back," Gordon ordered, hastily snapping the metal cuffs on Jonathan's slender wrists. The psychiatrist remained aloof as he readily complied with Gordon's requests.

Lisa Crane broke out of her stupor and rushed to Jonathan's side. She placed a hand on Gordon's arm. "No, he didn't do anything," she protested, weeping. "Please, don't take him away!"

"I'll return for you, Lisa. Be assured of that," Jonathan promised as a dark smile appeared upon his face as he gave Lisa a quick kiss. "These charges will not hold up in court."

"Jon! Jonathan!" Lisa cried out after him as Rachel held her back. Lisa began to weep loudly as Rachel gently put an arm around her.

"Come with me," Rachel whispered to the distraught woman.

Author's Notes:

I managed to get this chapter done! Yay! Hopefully, the next chapter will be up tomorrow, seeing as I'm halfway done typing it already. Enjoy and major thanks to emptyvoices for her help.