Never…
Disclaimer: I don't own anything related to Red Eye or Batman Begins!
Chapter Eighteen
"You're the spitting image of him!" cried Joe joyously as he embraced Amy tightly. "But you look so much like her!"
"Hello," Amy said softly, blushing. She had never been much of a hugger because Jonathan had never dared show affection to her unless it was to put on a show for the public. Earlier in Amy's life, Lisa had attempted to show her feelings for her, but Jonathan had always punished them for it.
"I hate to break-up the party, but I really need to find Lisa before he kills her," Jackson said, his tone even, not skipping a beat. I love her far too much and he knows it. He'll most likely kill her before he lets me talk to her again.
"Grandpa?" Amy asked hesitantly and Joe nodded. She was purposefully ignoring her father, much to his annoyance. "Who is he?"
Joe, who was still struggling to hold back the tears in his eyes from meeting his granddaughter for the first time, responded quietly. "Amy, that's your father. His name is Jackson Rippner. I thought that he was dead too, but he's really alive. Jonathan Crane helped to create the illusion that he died before you were born. But none of that really happened."
"Then where were you?" Amy screamed, whirling around to glare openly at her father. Her hands were on her hips and as she stared defiantly at him. "Especially when we needed you? Where the hell were you?"
"It's not that simple…" Jackson began to say but Amy quickly cut him off.
"You left us with him! He was going to kill us!"
"Amy, I didn't know—"
"That he was a twisted bastard? You didn't know your own brother, Dad? Huh?"
"About you," he said solemnly. "I didn't know that he was harming you. I'm so sorry."
Amy stared at him. How could he not know? If he was alive how could he let this happen? What kind of man is he?
"I didn't even know my name for the past several years. Jonathan convinced me to join the CIA in order to protect you and Lisa. We came up with an elaborate scheme of getting my former associates to think I had died—which of course failed—but not before he overdosed me with a mind-altering drug. He purposely wiped all my memories of you and Lisa."
Jonathan hurt him too… He stole everything that meant something from my father. He stole his life.
Jackson swallowed hard before continuing. "I spent the past sixteen years as CIA Agent Jeremy Rose. All I had of my old life was a wedding ring and old photos of Lisa in my wallet. When I finally remembered the truth, my team was in the middle of bringing down my old employers and I was expressedly forbidden to contact or even see photos of you."
"You could've found a way to help us!" Amy protested. How could he ignore us?
"Amy," Joe said soothingly. "I hoped that he would have done so too, but you have to understand that the CIA is extremely rigid on this matter."
"Why are you defending him?"
"I'm not. I'm trying to understand both of your points. I trust that Jackson would never want to hurt Lisa. His death nearly broke her completely and I'm assuming that it hurt him just as much. Or I want to believe that," Joe was shooting glances at a silent Jackson.
Amy eyed him warily. I want to believe him, but how can I after all that's happened? He could have stopped it!
"Amy, there was nothing I could do without forfeiting my life. Jonathan would have won if I had attempted anything," Jackson explained.
"How could you even leave us in the first place?" Amy demanded of him.
"To protect you. All I cared about was keeping Lisa and you safe. You weren't even born when I planned this. Everything else did not matter."
"What about this Jonathan?" Joe wanted to know, spitting the psychiatrist's name out.
"I never knew his plans. He managed to lie quite efficiently in front of me."
"But he killed you."
"Tried and failed," Jackson said with a grim smile.
"So who's buried in the grave?" Amy asked curiously.
"A ringer—courtesy of the CIA."
"And mom? Did you tell her? Does she know that you're alive?"
Amy wanted nothing more then to finally have a family. She wanted to have a caring mother and father that were unafraid of showing affection to her. Desperately, she wanted to feel safe again.
"I wanted to, but Jon convinced me not too. I trusted the bastard." Jackson seemed disgusted with his obvious deceit.
"Will you kill him?" Joe wanted to know. He was quite good at mediating between Jackson and Amy, allowing them to talk openly. He knew the importance of communication and he wanted to let his granddaughter and son-in-law have a chance to bond for the first time.
"After I find Lisa, yes. But not until she's safely at home."
"Fox made an antidote," Amy told him eagerly. "She'll need it to stay safe from him."
"Amy," Jackson asked quietly. "Do you know where she is?"
"I heard Bruce say that she had bailed Jonathan out and she had been staying at Rachel Dawes' place in the meantime."
"Listen to me, okay? I need you to stay here with Joe while I go and retrieve Lisa. You are not to leave this house," ordered Jackson.
"But—"
"It's for your own good, Amy. I can't let him find you."
Amy nodded and Jackson smiled slightly at her before turning and hurrying out the door. Amy sighed dejectedly. They always leave me in the end, once they get what they want.
Her own father had used her as a source of information which was all he wanted. All he cared about was her mother and she felt rage burn inside her knowing that Jackson had never cared about her.
He's a liar… just like Jonathan.
I'll find the brat, even if it's the very last thing I ever do.
Amy Rippner was going to die as soon as he found her. The little bitch was far too troublesome and had to be dealt with right away.
Where would she go?
Miami. She would run home and find Lisa's father. Amy had no money and nowhere else to go. That was the only place that she could possibly run to and Jonathan was already well aware that she had managed to escape from Wayne Manor. He had observed the mansion from a distance to see the police patrolling the home as well as the surrounding areas of Gotham City. He smiled at Amy's apparent lack of judgment. I'll find her. She can't hide forever. Amy was never very good at hide-and-seek.
Author's Notes:
Well, I survived getting drenched in New York. The play, Wicked, was EXCELLENT! But my moronic classmates were no fun. It's nearly impossible to write while dealing with teens on a Starbucks high. It doesn't work very well. But I finished my rough draft of the rest of the story and it will be finished by Saturday. If all goes well that is. Thanks to everyone who has reviewed and special thanks to emptyvoices for her help. Enjoy!
