Jonathan's house was very neat and organized. The front hallway had a collection of canvases featuring a collection of lone scarecrows out in fields. I followed Jonathan past his stairs and into his living room. It was a modest living room, two couches and a decent entertainment stand. I was instructed to remove my shoes and make myself comfortable, which I did. He left for the kitchen and, I moved around his living room bare foot as he got dessert ready. He had minimal decorations in his living room, but he did have a few beautiful landscape paintings. These were of barns with barren fields next to them, scarecrows off in the distance with birds perched on their shoulders.
Jonathan came into the room with a plate of brownies and a can of whipped cream. Setting the food down, he came over to me to study the art. "I enjoy this one the most, I think."
He directed me over to a large image of a white barn off centered on the canvas, it's paint peeling away from the wood. The doors of the barn were hanging off the hinges which should have left the inside exposed, but the post harvest scene left the inside black. The sky was a pearl grey over the grey brown ground. Off to the left of the barn was a lone scarecrow, his head hanging on his chest, and his lines blurry as if there was a slight fog off in the way obscuring your vision.
I nodded, "It's appealing to look at, though a bit haunting."
"You think so?"
I nodded, "The colors are dark and a bit bleak. The barn itself looks cold and lifeless, but at the same time sturdy... like It's stood for a hundred years and it'll last a while longer if someone were to care for it. Then there is the scarecrow."
"What about the scarecrow?"
"It's the most haunting of the whole painting. It's close enough for you to see what it is, but far enough away that it's not a companion to the barn. It's a beautiful symmetry of normalcy, because what farm doesn't have a scarecrow, and the haunting, because what if that's more than just a scarecrow? The lines on the scarecrow are blurred so you can't be completely sure of what you're looking at. And see the way the head is bent? It gives it a feeling, almost, of it being dead. But since there are crows perched on him and not obviously pecking on him, that eases the mind just a bit. This whole landscape has both a calming feel to it when you don't look to hard, but has the power to induce anxiety. It's a stunning piece." Turning to look at Jonathan I gave him a smile.
"I've never seen the anxiety in it before."
I frowned, "Oh no. I hope I didn't just ruin it for you."
He shook his head, "No, I the contrary, I think you made it even more beautiful."
I smiled at him and followed him to the couch. Taking a brownie, I allowed him to spray a small swirl of the whipped cream on it before taking a bite. "These are amazing, did you make them?"
"I did."
I took another bite, "They're incredible."
"Thank you."
I finished my brownie and licked the whip cream from the corners of my mouth. Jonathan watched as my tongue swiped away the white puff, pulling it into my mouth.
"So why did you study psychology?" I asked.
Jonathan smiled, "I had a fascination with human emotions growing up."
"All of them, or just certain ones?"
"I had a fascination with fear and anxiety."
I frowned, "Why?"
"Well because they're two of the most powerful emotions a living being can feel. Fear is a driving force that has cause people to say or do things that they don't want to."
"I thought that was survival."
"What is survival but a product of fear?"
"What else made you like fear?"
"I found it interesting watching it come on. Seeing how the adrenaline takes over the body and how incredibly different it was from the adrenaline from any other emotion."
I took another bite of the brownie and nodded, "I've never heard of the study of fear."
Jonathan frowned, "That's because other psychologists don't think it's an important emotion to study."
"But you did."
"But I did."
Swallowing another bite, I asked, "What did you do with your study of fear and anxiety?"
"I, um, taught at Gotham University for a bit."
I smiled, "Why did you leave there?"
Jonathan frowned again, "I had an accident while teaching... which nearly blinded one if my students."
I gasped, "Oh my God! What happened? If you don't mind me asking."
"I brought a BB gun to my class and fired it randomly at an opened window. I was trying to explain the sensation of sudden adrenaline that happens when you're scared: your breath hitches, your heart stops for a full beat, you feel your body go instantly cold, you just... freeze for a solid second. Well, when I fired the gun, my aim was off and I hit a potted plant that shattered and pieces of it flew into the eye of a girl sitting in the front row."
I was quiet. I watched Jonathan while he told the story, ashamedly looking at the carpet. Finally I asked, "Were you allowed to have the gun at school?"
Jonathan gave a terse smile, "No. It's considered a weapon. I was fired from teaching."
I frowned, "I mean, no offense, but I can see why."
He looked up at me and frowned, "Can you?"
I gave a small scoff, "Jonathan, you brought a weapon to class. Yeah, I can see why they would have fired you. I mean, I'm sorry, but I would have done the same thing."
Jonathan nodded, "Of course you would."
I frowned, "What are you mad?"
Jonathan sighed, "Not anymore. At the time I was, though. I don't know, I guess part of me still thinks I did nothing wrong."
We were quiet for a moment, then I asked, "What did you do after they fired you?"
"I studied Chemistry."
I furrowed my brow in confusion, "Why?"
"Psychopharmacology is an interesting field. It's something I used to do at Arkham."
"What is psychopharmo-what-cha-ma-call-it?"
Jonathan let out a laugh, "Psychopharmacology is the process of creating chemical compounds to help stabilize the imbalances in the brain. So, for example, Prozac is a product of psychopharmacology."
I nodded, "Well that's cool! You're like a secret superhero. Helping people lead normal lives."
Jonathan smiled, "Yeah, something like that."
"Okay, you're going to have to give me the recipe for these brownies, I can't stop eating them!"
"Maybe I can help with that."
Jonathan moved the brownies out of reach and moved closer to me on the couch. Giving me a sly smile, he said, "I've been watching that tantalizing tongue of yours lick up whipped cream this whole time. I want in on the fun."
Opening his mouth wide, he sprayed a mouth full of whipped cream in it and he came in for a kiss. We giggled at first, but as the whipped cream seeped out of his lips, and I licked them clean, we soon found ourselves in a serious kiss. Whipped cream spilled in and around our mouths as we moved it with our tongues, determined to find the inside of the other one's mouth. When the cream was all gone and swallowed, Jonathan stood up and brought me up with him. He pulled me in for another deep kiss, but began walking away backwards. Gripping onto him, I moved with him while we continued to kiss. In his front hallway, we stopped for a moment so he could pin me against a wall, knocking over a few canvases that were hanging in the way.
Pulling away for some much needed air, Jonathan moved his lips to my neck and laid a series of kisses and nips there. I gave a short breathy laugh and asked, "Are we past the sauna thing?"
Grabbing my thigh and pulling up on it, Jonathan hoisted me off of the ground allowing me to wrap my legs around his waist. Pulling away for a moment he smiled and said, "Maybe."
I felt my expression morph into a seductive glare and smile as I said back in a sultry voice, "Make me forget all about him."
Jonathan let our a carnal growl and gripped the back of my head pushing me in for a kiss. This kiss was more heated and intense than the one before. His teeth bit at my lips causing me to inhale sharply. Pulling me away from the wall, he moved his hand so both were cupping my ads as he moved to his stairs. Expertly carrying me up, he stopped for a moment to lean me against a wall. Setting me down he led me down the dark hallway to a door at the end, which opened to his bedroom.
Moving me over to the bed, he picked me up and crawled onto it, setting me down on the middle. His hands ran up my thighs, his nails dragging as he went and he gripped onto my panties, pulling them down. Pulling away he watched me as he inserted one finger, then another, then another. I let my head fall back as I moved my hips over him. Forcing myself to look back he smiled slyly as he lowered himself and placed his mouth over my clit and sucked. I let out a surprised hiss in response and bucked my hips at him. With his free hand, he reached up and found a hardened nipple and he began to roughly pinch and twist it.
After a moment, he came up and kissed me, allowing me to taste myself on his tongue. I reached down and undid the flying his pants pushing them and his boxers down to get to his rock solid erection. Taking it into my hands, I smiled as he gasped, pressing himself into my palms.
Jonathan took his hand out of me, which earned him a groan of displeasure. Taking his dick out of my hand, he positioned himself over me. Pinning my hands to the mattress, he placed his throbbing member between my legs. With a sly smile, he rubbed the length of it against my folds pressing himself firmly against my swollen clit. I called out in frustration which he seemed to like. Pressing harder he smiled as my moaning increased.
"Do you want more?"
I swallowed hard and said, "Yes." My voice was breathy.
Smiling he positioned himself and entered me. I cried out at the sudden explosion of pleasure, and barely had time to inhale when Jonathan's bedroom door burst open. Instantly voices flooded the room and Jonathan was pulled from the bed. Sitting up, I pulled my dress down as a hand gripped my arm and stood me up.
"What the hell is going on?" demanded Jonathan who was being forced to kneel at the end of the bed. His hands were behind his head, his pants still at his ankles. Flashlights were pointed at him as a man dressed in black pulled his hands down and handcuffed him.
The man holding me turned me away from Jonathan and asked, "Miss Elwood, are you alright?" It was Commissioner Gordon.
I tried to catch up with what was happening, but I managed to get out, "Yeah, I'm fine." Turning back to Jonathan I asked, "What are they doing to him? Let him go!"
"It's just standard procedure for when an ex-convict is found at the scene of a crime." Gordon explained.
I turned back to him, "Crime? What crime? He's been with me all night!"
Gordon looked confused, "We got a call saying you had been kidnapped by this man. We knocked on the door, but heard you scream so we reasonable cause to break down the door. We found what looked like a struggle in the hallway, then we found you two up here, half clothed, with him holding you down on the bed. It looked like he was trying to rape you."
I stared back at him, shocked. "We're on a date, Commissioner."
"A date?"
"Yes. A date."
Gordon blushed, "So you were-"
"About to have sex, yes. And, I'm sorry, but who called you about a kidnapping?"
"Your mother. She said you left at seven with a strange man that Mr Wayne identified as Mr Crane, and that you hadn't come back home."
I frowned. Brice knew damn well what was going on tonight. He could have explained it to my mother, but instead didn't help at all. I said, "Well I can tell you that this is a perfectly consensual date between two adults, not a kidnapping. Now can you please take off those handcuffs so he can pull his pants up? I'm sure being detained in your own home is one thing, but forced to stand in a room with your pants down is an other."
Gordon jumped and said, "Oh, um, yes. Please remove the handcuffs from Mr Crane."
They did as they were told and Jonathan quickly pulled up his pants. "So, now that we know I did not kidnap her, are we free to go about our business?"
Gordon frowned, "We'll need to take Miss Elwood home."
"What? Why?" I turned back to Gordon.
"Your mother wanted us to bring you back if we found you. She was adamant about that point."
"Well as long as she was adamant." I said rolling my eyes. "Could we at least have a moment? I'm sure you won't mind waiting in your cars."
"No, of course not." Gordon motioned for his men to leave. Stopping at the door he turned to us and said, "Sorry about all of this. We'll send someone out tomorrow to repair your door, Crane."
"Sure. I'll be filing a complaint!"
"Of course you will." Gordon left the room.
I approached Jonathan and gave him an apologetic smile, "This seems to be a pattern."
"Indeed it does."
"I'm so sorry this happened to you, Jonathan." I reached out to touch him, but thought better of it, "If my mother's drama is too much for you, you can tell me. I would completely understand."
"What are you talking about?"
"I'm sure you have better things to do with your night than spend it with a girl whoes mother is going to send police to ruin your door."
Jonathan reached out and took my waist, pulling me closer to him. "It's going to have to take more than police bursting through my door to let you go just yet." He smiled at me and took my lips with his. Pulling away he added, "Especially now that I've had a taste of all you have to offer. I can't back away now."
Smiling slyly at him I replied, "Thank God because I was thinking the same thing." Giving him another kiss, I pulled away, "Now, if you'll excuse me, I'm going to up have a very intense argument with my mother."
"May I see you tomorrow?"
"Honestly, if this conversion goes the way I think it will, I might be either checking into a hotel or going home earlier than anticipated."
"Let's hope Mr Wayne can get you into one of the hotels he owns."
Frowning I said, "Not sure I'll be on good terms with him either."
Giving me a kiss he said, "Let me know what you decide. Just know that I'll be very upset if you leave."
I nodded and left the room. Going into the living room, I grabbed my shoes and purse then left the house. One lone squad car was waiting for me with Gordon sitting in the front seat. Sighing, I slid in and closed the door. Pulling out of Jonathan's driveway, we rode in silence for a moment, then Gordon said, "I really am, very sorry about what happened tonight."
I nodded in response, my face not turning to look at him.
"It's just procedural when dealing with a person who is in the rehabilitation program."
I nodded again.
"I think you would be a good influence on him if you get this matter with your mother worked out. Someone from outside Gotham to treat him like a normal human being."
"He is a normal human being."
Gordon was quiet for a moment then said, "I'm glad to hear that."
We drove a bit further then he asked, "How is your father?"
I scoffed, "You just barged in on me having sex, ruining my date, and you want to talk about my family?"
"Please don't be upset with me. I'm just following up with the information given to me, that's all."
We were quiet for a moment, then I gave in, "My father is in Bermuda with his girlfriend. They've been seeing each other for a few years, I haven't met her."
"When did your parents get divorced?"
"They haven't yet."
"Ah."
"They've been separated for about five or six years now. I don't talk to him much anymore."
"I'm sorry to hear that."
I nodded, "Most are."
We reached Wayne Manor and I got out of the car. "I guess I should say thank you for the ride."
"Do you need me to go in with you?"
I shook my head, "No. Thank you."
Closing the door, I turned and made my way up the stairs to the manor, anger filling my chest like a wrecking ball struggling to get out. Reaching the door, Alfred opened it and gave me an apologetic smile. I have him a small one in response and allowed him to close the door with an ominous thud behind me.
