Never…

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

Chapter Fourteen

"Amy? Are you all right?" Bruce's concerned voice floated softly into her ears.

The world was slowly coming into focus as the blurred images of Bruce and Rachel were gradually becoming sharper. She could see the worry etched upon both their faces.

"What… happened?" Amy asked quietly, raising a hand to her bruised forehead.

Bruce reached out, taking her arm and helped her sit up. "You hit your head on the table. Did something scare you?"

Amy's frightened blue eyes flicked over to where Jonathan was casually reclined in his seat, watching her with a look of triumph on his otherwise expressionless face.

"Miss Crane, do you think I might be able to continue with my opening statement?" Jonathan's attorney asked harshly, the Scarecrow mask dangling from his hand.

Amy yelped and buried her face in Bruce's shirt. Tears flooded from her eyes as she shivered quietly.

"Your Honor, may we be excused from the courtroom?" Bruce asked softly, as he put his arm around Amy in a comforting gesture.

"Of course, Mr. Wayne. You and Miss Crane are excused," the judge agreed.

"Come on, Amy. Let's get you home," Bruce told her, helping her to her feet and effectively obscuring her vision from Jonathan and his burlap mask. She trembled as he guided her from the courtroom and stumbled, her legs seeming unable to support her. His arms went around her, supporting her weight. "It's okay. I've got you."

Despite Bruce's hurried pace to remove her from the room, Amy glanced over tentatively to the back of the courtroom to see a pair of crystalline blue eyes that gazed at her unblinkingly among the midst of the semi-shocked crowds of people who were already observing the hearing. She shuddered. It's not Jonathan…It can't be. He's still sitting in his chair up front. I must be seeing things…

As Amy and Bruce exited the courtroom, Rachel sent a seething glare in Jonathan Crane's direction. The psychiatrist merely smiled diffidently at her, evidentially very pleased with Amy's unbalanced reaction that seemed to come out of nowhere. But Rachel knew what had set the poor girl off. It had been the absurd trick with the scarecrow mask. He had played upon her fear of Scarecrow discreetly and presented an unfavorable side of Amy to the court.

I will get you. Don't think for one moment that you will get away from me. Rachel swore. Jonathan Crane would pay dearly for what he had done and she would make sure of it.


Fox was entering the courthouse as Bruce was ushering Amy to his car.

"Mr. Wayne?" Fox called out running up to meet him.

"Fox, it's good to see you," Bruce responded and Amy glanced at Fox suspiciously.

"You must be Amy," Fox greeted her. "I happen to be a good friend of Bruce's."

"Hello," Amy muttered. She wanted to trust this man as well, but she was too shaken and distracted from dealing with the reappearance of that horrendous mask.

"I managed to synthesize an antidote to Crane's toxin," Fox said reassuringly, holding up a vial of clear liquid. "I must say that I had a particularly hard time synthesizing an antigen to the new compounds I found in Crane's toxin. If he had managed to keep them on it much longer, the damage would have been irreversible."

"After how long?"

"At best perhaps a year to three years. It depends on the individual and their immune system, but there is no doubt that the compounds were derived from toxic elements."

"Is it possible that death could result if not treated in time?" Bruce inquired.

"More then likely."

"Are you able to give Amy the antidote now?"

"Why now, Mr. Wayne? Is there some urgency?" Fox was curious. Amy was clearly in no state to receive an injection. The poor girl was trembling like a leaf caught in tumultuous breeze.

"Crane has managed to convince the entire courtroom that Amy was unstable. He found a way to manipulate her fears to emerge to damaging proportions," Bruce whispered to Fox. "Crane will most likely walk. There's no way the charges will stick now."

"I understand," Fox nodded, reaching for a syringe in his pocket. He quickly filled it with his antidote and tapped the syringe to dispel the air bubbles from it. "Amy, may I see your arm?"

"No… Scarecrow," she mumbled, feeling disorientated and scared.

Bruce managed to roll up Amy's sleeve as she started to protest, already struggling weakly against him, but Bruce wrapped his arms around hers, keeping a firm grip on her and knowing that she was not going anywhere. Fox sighed, hating having to traumatize her further, however he carefully injected the antidote into her arm.

Amy whimpered in pain. No, stop. I'll behave, I swear. Please, don't…

Bruce managed to catch her as she suddenly went limp in his arms. He was overcome with sympathy for her, but there was nothing else that he could do to help her. If Crane somehow was released, then Amy would need to have the immunity to his toxins. Of course, Bruce knew that Crane would be angry when he discovered what happened, but Bruce could not let her die a slow, agonizing death by Crane's repeated injections of his panic-inducing toxin.


The hearing of The City of Gotham vs. Dr. Jonathan Crane was finally winding down. After Amy's outburst and sudden fall, Rachel had known that the case was lost. There was no way that anyone would believe Amy's testimony after her display of unstable behavior. Of course, that was exactly what Jonathan Crane had anticipated and Rachel was still determined to stop him. She had plowed on ahead despite the insurmountable odds, and now was awaiting the results.

"This matter will continue on to trial in a few weeks. Until then, bail is set for fifty thousand dollars. I expect that all witnesses will be fully advised and kept under better control when the actual trial commences," the judge announced, glancing directly at Rachel as he uttered the final statement.

At least we managed to get a trial.

Everyone stood up and Rachel angrily snapped her briefcase shut. At least he was locked up temporarily until he made bail. If he makes bail…

"A very commendable effort, Miss Dawes. But we both know how this will end," Crane whispered in her ear. Her right hand reflexively curled into a fist.

"With you going to prison for the rest of your miserable existence? Of course, Dr. Crane."

Jonathan chuckled wryly. "Such illusions don't suit you Miss Dawes. You cannot hope to alter what has already been set into motion. I will endeavor to finish what I started and perhaps you, Gordon, or Batman will be best advised to keep your distance. You will not be able to interfere, but only cause more grievous harm to those you care about. Maybe you should take that into consideration."

Rachel lifted her arm, ready to launch her fist into Crane's arrogant face. But a strong hand grasped her arm and Crane had already spun on his heel and was being escorted away.

"He's not worth it, so relax, Rachel. Besides he's wrong. There is someone who can stop him and I already have before. You can be certain that this time there will be no second chances," a smooth, melodic voice told her.

Rachel gasped and turned around instantly, hoping to see the identity of the stranger who had prevented her from striking Crane, but the man had already disappeared into the swift moving crowd. Bruce? Was that you?

She shook her head and continued gathering her belongings. She must have been hearing things due to the accumulated stress of the day. Yes, I must have imagined Bruce preventing me from punching Crane's lights out… that's it.

Yet, Rachel knew that someone had been there and had stopped her from acting irrationally. Whoever it was she knew with surety that she had never heard his voice before in her life. It was a stranger and obliviously not Bruce. He would have joined her in punching the bastard's face in had he been around.

Then who? And why?

Author's Notes:

Two chapters in one day. Go me! Can anyone guess who Rachel's savior is? Thanks to emptyvoices as well as everyone who has reviewed. Enjoy!