In the morning, I opened my door a bit to make sure Bruce wasn't still in the hallway. Thankfully it was clear and I was able to sneak out of the room. I managed to get out of Wayne Manor and to the rental car without anyone seeing and I drove into the city. Making my way upstairs, I entered the penthouse, walking around the corner into the living room. I looked around to see what all I needed to grab in the room before making my way to the bedroom. Entering the room, I let out a scream at the sight of someone standing in the middle of the room.
"Jesus fucking Christ, Bruce!"
"Bethany, I'm so sorry but… I had to see you… to talk to you."
"I don't want to talk to you, Bruce," I tried to move to the closet to grab my suitcase, but Bruce stepped in the way, "Move, Bruce."
"Please let me talk to you."
I gave him a shove, "No! You don't get to say anything! You had your chance to say something, Bruce. You had several chances, and you didn't say anything! You fucking knew and you didn't say anything!"
"I thought it was a good idea."
"You thought it was a good idea to have your best friend date a known serial killer? Someone who fucking belongs in Arkham?"
"Gordon said he's made some serious strides in his therapy and I honestly thought that you being with him, treating him like a normal person, it would help him continue on his progress."
"Oh, so you thought it would be nice if I was a tool in his recovery? Nice. Way to pimp out your friends."
Giving him another shove, I moved past him and grabbed my suitcase, shoving what clothes I had hanging in the closet into it before moving to the dresser. Opening the drawer, I began packing away the clothes, all the while feeling Bruce's gaze burning holes in my back. I ignored him and finished off the clothes before grabbing a smaller bag for my toiletries. He stood in the middle of the bedroom and watched as I packed, looking defeated. As I zipped the suitcase closed, Bruce finally came forward and took my hands in his.
"Don't go."
"Why not, Bruce?"
Looking down at me, he was quiet for a moment, then he said, "Because I want you to stay."
"Well you can't always get what you want, Bruce."
He moved his hands to my waist and pulled me close to him, "Bethany…. I've tried so hard to get you to stay."
"Well you should have tried harder." Pulling away, I grabbed my bag, "I have a seat on the next flight out…. It leaves in three hours, Bruce."
He was quiet for a moment, then he nodded, "Do… do you need a ride?"
"No."
"Does your mother know you're leaving?"
I gave a small laugh, "No…. So have fun with that."
He gave a small laugh as well, "Thanks."
"It was real, Bruce."
"If I ask… will you come back to visit next summer?"
Looking at him, I frowned, "No."
"How about I come to you?"
"No, Bruce. I'm sorry…. This is was a good try, but clearly… it's never going to work. You're still trying to control the people in your life to fit whatever end you seem fit. You're still trying to get me to go to prom with you! You should have been honest with me from the beginning, Bruce. That was all I wanted from you."
"I've tried to be honest with you, Bethany! I've tried!"
"Yeah, well…. You should have tried harder." Grabbing my bags, I turned and left Bruce in the bedroom. Getting into the elevator, I took a deep breath and hit the button for the garage. As the doors closed, Bruce came into view but was blocked by the elevator doors. My heart sank in my chest as I left my friend in his penthouse, but he betrayed my trust. I can't stay here… not with Bruce and Jonathan being in the city. I had to go home.
Walking to my car, I opened the trunk and bent to pick up my bag. Getting in, I made my way to the airport and checked in. Making my way through security, I stopped and got something to drink and made my way to my gate. I followed the signs to the right spot and upon reaching the seating area, my phone rang. It was my mother. For a moment I thought about answering her, but instead I let it go to voicemail. Sitting down on one of those provided benches, I pulled out my book and opened it intent on reading it until it was time to board. However, a shadow blocked my light.
"Bethany."
My heart stopped for a moment in shock. Looking up I saw Jonathan standing in front of me. Closing my book I said, "What are you doing here?"
"Bruce said you were leaving, and I needed to see you…. I needed to talk to you."
Grabbing my bags, I stood and said, "I don't want to talk to you."
Reaching for my hand, he took it in his and said, "Bethany, please…. Let me please explain-"
"You've done enough explaining," I said. My phone rang again letting me know my mother wanted to speak to me. Sending it to voicemail again, I turned to Jonathan, "Please leave me alone."
I tried to pull my hand away, but he held tight, "Bethany… please, I can't let you leave like this. I-I-"
"Jonathan I swear to God, do not finish that sentence."
"I need to let you know that I wasn't using you… that I have real feelings for you."
Jerking my hand away, I said, "But you lied to me… you withheld serious information! You… you let me think that you were jailed over perjury! Not because you're some… some psychotic killer!"
Jonathan flinched, "I know. I know. I shouldn't have led you on like that, but… you have to understand. I met this amazing woman whom I really liked, and what was I going to do? Ruin it by telling her about who I used to be? Would you have given me the light of day?"
I sighed, "No, Jonathan, I wouldn't have."
"So… you see why I didn't tell you? Do you see why… why I didn't want to tell you? It… it nearly killed me to see you pull away from me in fear…. I… I love you, Bethany."
Tears lined my eyes and I shook my head, "No. Stop that."
Pulling me closer, Jonathan pressed his forehead against mine, "I'm in love with you Bethany…. I'm serious. This is not a lie."
Trying to pull away, I whispered, "Jonathan-"
"No…. No I need you to know where I stand. Before you get on that plane, I need you to know that I never, ever wanted to hurt you…. I need you to know that… when you get on that plane… and fly back to England, that you're taking a huge part of my heart with you." He paused and a tear slid down my cheek. Reaching up, he wiped it away with his thumb. Pulling his face away from mine, he still held me to him and said, "I also wanted you to know… that if you chose to stay for the rest of the summer… and… and if you didn't want to see me again… I would understand and respect your distance."
Looking at him, I opened my mouth to say something, but instead both of our phones rang. We both looked down at our phones and I frowned seeing it was Alfred calling me this time. Jonathan too looked down at his phone with a frown and answered his, "Bruce?"
I gave him a confused look as I answered my own phone, "Hello, Alfred?"
"Miss Elwood," said the butler, "I'm afraid I have a bit of terrible news."
Jonathan looked right at me and his face palled. I grew nervous and asked, "What news?"
"Bethany… it's your mother."
"My mother? What about my mother?"
"Beth-ny… sorry...gone-" Alfred started to cut off, and I couldn't understand him. Jonathan nodded and hung up his phone.
"Alfred, I can't understand you, what did you say?"
"Crane… home."
"What?"
Jonathan reached forward and took my phone from me and hung up. I opened my mouth to say something but Jonathan cut me off, "Bethany… something has happened to your mom."
"What happened," I asked, my heart beating in my chest, "What happened to my mom?"
Jonathan was quiet for a moment and tears pressed against the back of my eyes stinging them. Finally he said, "She… was found this morning-"
"Found? Wh-what do you mean found?" My voice was just above a whisper.
Jonathan frowned and shifted his weight from one foot to the other, "Bethany… I don't know how to say this…. Your mother is dead."
All noise in the airport was gone. My chest grew heavy and I reached out to Jonathan to steady myself as I struggled for air. Jonathan caught me as I fell holding me up in a standing position against his chest as I hyperventilated. A security guard came over and asked Jonathan if everything was all right. I assume they worked something out because Jonathan and the guard helped me as I was walked out of the airport and into a waiting car. We pulled away from the airport and somehow ended up at the police station where Bruce and Alfred were waiting for us.
Alfred opened my door and Bruce was the one who reached in and helped me out of the car. Leading me through the precinct, we met up with Commissioner Gordon who led us down to the morgue. I tried my best to focus on what was being said to me, but I couldn't hear anything. Bruce and Jonathan walked with me as we approached a table with a white sheet over something lumpy.
Gordon appeared on the other side of the table, and I focused on him for a moment, long enough to hear him said, "This will not be plesent, Miss Elwood… but we need your identification."
With a heavy silence, Gordon pulled away the sheet and revealed the body laying underneath it. Tears lined my eyes as I broke eye contact with him and looked down at the metal slab in front of me and my breathing stopped. There was my mother laying on her back, her eyes wide open and a large toothy smile stretched across her face. Her skin was stained red around her lips giving her a look of a clown. The tears rushed down my face as Gordon restored the sheet and Bruce turned me away from the table. The group moved through the building and we ended up in Gordon's office where I was sat down in a chair with Jonathan, Bruce, and Alfred sitting around me and Gordon across me at his desk.
"I'm so sorry do have to do this now," said Gordon after a moment of silence, "But… I need to ask you some questions."
