Hello everyone! I hope you like the rapid development of this story! Unfortunately for Delilah, and Jonathan as well, plans are about to change drastically. Happy reading everyone! :)

Chapter 4: A Change in Plans

It had been about four months since Delilah started working with Dr. Crane at Arkham. It was an exhilarating experience to say the least, unlike any experience she had ever had. By the end of the first week she met the rest of the members of the rogue gallery, or at least the ones that were currently in Arkham. Oswald Cobblepot, the Penguin, was surprisingly truthful and polite. He was truly a mystery. He seemed to want to turn things around and open up a club, which he named the Iceberg Lounge, after his release. She knew he was getting released next week and hoped he stayed true to his word about getting straight. He had an odd fascination with birds but other than that he seemed relatively clean. He even treated her respectfully, which was rare among the rogues. She was truly confused as to why he was in Arkham in the first place, but he ultimately didn't seem like much of a threat.

Her first session with Jervis Tetch, the Mad Hatter, definitely did not go as planned. Both she and Dr. Crane made the mistake of thinking he would be able to handle being unrestrained around her. Jervis has a deep obsession with finding his 'Alice', and is unable to control himself around any blonde women, herself included. As soon as Lyle left the room he went into a frenzy, seemed to 'switch' to his Mad Hatter persona, and almost tried jumping out the window with Delilah. Thankfully Dr. Crane was able to dope him up with a harsh sedative so he'd let her go. After that session he was restrained, and she put her hair in a brunette wig. From that point on Jervis was nothing but cordial, but that first visit still made her incredibly cautious during her sessions with him. She also noticed that Jonathan got surprisingly protective, but she assumed it was because he wouldn't exactly be able to explain why his assistant got kidnapped by the Mad Hatter.

Harley Quinn was exactly what anyone would've expected her to be. After she became seduced by the Joker it seemed as though her entire world revolved around him, which made Delilah a bit sad. Sometimes when Harley came in Delilah noticed different bruises she would have, or hand marks on her. In the rare moments where Delilah could talk to Harley semi-privately she asked if the Joker had hurt her at all, but Harley would immediately defend her 'puddin'' and blame the guards. While there could have been some truth to that Delilah also knew what kind of temper the Joker had and had reasonable suspicion that he abused Harley, which made her even more sad for her. She peeked in her file one day and saw that she actually used to be a psychiatrist at Arkham before she fell for the Joker's so-called 'charm' and turned to crime. There was so much promise for her before that happened, and, truthfully, it frightened Delilah a bit. Could something like that happen to me? Delilah recollected the sessions she had with Edward and cringed.

Ever since the first session Edward seemed intent on speaking almost exclusively with Delilah rather than Dr. Crane, despite how much she reminded him that she was not a licensed professional. Dr. Crane allowed him to speak to Delilah, but had to intervene sometimes when he got a bit out of hand. Edward continued to subtly flirt with her when Dr. Crane was out of earshot, and she'd be lying if she said she didn't feel butterflies when he did. She hadn't had any sort of romantic partner in several years, maybe since high school. She was focused so completely on college that she didn't entertain the idea of dating, and she didn't have the confidence or time to put herself out there now. Her complete lack of experience, along with the fact that she already found Edward attractive, was a bit of a disaster. She assumed he could sense what she was feeling and deliberately made things more difficult for her, like an asshole. Delilah resolved that she couldn't let anything happen with him. It would absolutely ruin her relationship with Dr. Crane, along with any sort of chance of being hired by the asylum after graduation. All she had to do was keep Edward entertained, but not too entertained, and get through this assistantship.

Delilah curled up on the couch while writing up some last minute notes for her 'Chemicals and Neurological Responses' class. She was waiting for her father to come back so she could tell him about her previous week at Arkham. Thankfully her apartment was only 15-20 minutes away from her parent's house, so she frequently visited. She continued writing her notes when she heard her father come in. She smiled, until she heard a familiar voice talking with him. Falcone. She put her notes aside and tried to stay as quiet as she could, trying to overhear their conversation.

"Yes Carmine, I understand. Whatever you need me to do I'll get it done, just give me a time and place."

"You've always been very loyal to me, and for that I'm eternally grateful. Well, at the moment I'm establishing ties with a newer supplier. Apparently the stuff he has is insanely addictive, meaning repeat customers."

Delilah sunk behind her couch so she could overhear more of the conversation without being caught. She heard them both walk by without noticing her and continued to listen.

"What's this new client's name? What exactly is he supplying?"

"He goes by the alias 'Scarecrow'. This Scarecrow claims to work for a man named Henri Ducard, but Ducard seems to mainly be around for the ease in transporting the supply. Scarecrow himself makes the product. What we would need from you, Ron, is to meet with Scarecrow for me, secure his partnership with us, and work through a transportation network for the product. Can I trust you with that?"

"Of course you can Carmine, you've always been able to trust me."

"Wonderful, I'll set up a meeting for tonight at 11:00pm in the Narrows. I knew I could count on you. You've always been a loyal friend and ally."

Delilah heard Falcone pat her father on the back as they left the room towards her father's office. Delilah let out a shaky breath and felt tears welling in her eyes. So this is what dad's been doing? Being a drug mule for that monster?! She gathered up her notes and put her items in her bookbag, grabbing her phone with shaky hands. Over time she developed a lot of trust in Dr. Crane, and was hoping he may be able to give her some sort of help with how to process this news. She was about to run out of the house to go to Arkham when she heard her father's office door close and saw Falcone walking down the hallway, looking directly at her.

"Ah, Delilah! It's so great to see you my dear!" Falcone smiled.

Delilah forced a smile as she exchanged pleasantries with Falcone.

"How are you doing Mr. Carmine? I haven't seen you since my graduation!" Thankfully.

"I've been doing wonderfully, thank you for asking. Now, more importantly, how are you doing? Are you doing well working with Dr. Crane in Arkham?" He asked, eyeing her suspiciously.

"It's been going wonderfully! I've met each member of the rogue gallery and, surprisingly enough, the majority of them approach me like an actual human being. The only issue was the Mad Hatter, but I should've figured I'd have to wear a wig for that one." Delilah shuddered, recalling her first session with Jervis.

Falcone scowled, and Delilah bit her tongue. She should've known that mentioning any sort of danger she might be in would cause him concern. Falcone always had his eye on her, ever since she was a child, which only reinforced her perception of him as a creep.

"I figured being in that place was too dangerous for a young woman like yourself. You're better off working at an actual hospital, or maybe with a pharmaceutical company. Somewhere where you'd be safe. You know, my son, Antonio, has connections at Gotham General Hospital if you'd like to transfer there. Or, better yet, if you're still invested in the idea of helping criminals then I have contacts within the GCPD I could connect you with." Falcone suggested, taking Delilah's hand in his. "After all, your family is my family. We protect each other. I'm sure Antonio would feel the same way if he knew where you were working now."

Delilah shuddered. Falcone always tried to set her up with his son Antonio. She used to have a small crush on him when they were kids, but he turned out to be a pompous asshole just like his father. Hell could freeze over and I'd still never consider dating Antonio Falcone.

"I truly appreciate your offer Mr. Carmine, but I'm going to have to respectfully decline. I love the work I do now. Besides, I'm a strong woman. I can handle myself. Now if you'll excuse me, I actually need to run to Arkham now. I'm assuming you're talking to my father, so if you could tell him I'll call him later I'd appreciate that." Delilah smiled, hoping to leave as soon as she could. She saw Falcone's features darken slightly and felt her hopes be crushed a bit.

"I don't think your father realized you were here! Funny, I don't recall seeing or hearing you before now. It's almost as if you were hiding."

"Of course not! I was upstairs up until now, I had to get some textbooks from my old room. I saw you come out of my father's office and assumed you two were talking in there." She lied, hoping he believed her.

"Hm, good. Because eavesdropping would be very unbecoming of you. You never know how things could be taken out of context, and what harm misinformation can cause. Wouldn't you agree?" Falcone asked, leaning in closer to Delilah.

"Yes sir, I understand completely. Now if you'll excuse me, I really do need to get to Arkham. I'm working with Dr. Crane today and he does not appreciate tardiness." Delilah blurted out, understanding Falcone's words loud and clear. He knows I was listening, shit!

"Of course dear, I hope to see you soon. Be safe." Falcone pulled her into a hug which she begrudgingly accepted before letting her dart out the door.

Her heart pounded in her chest as she almost ran to her car. She pulled out her phone and immediately pulled up Dr. Crane's number. She hoped she wouldn't irritate him by calling, but she could barely control her anxiety and needed someone to talk to. He was the closest thing to a therapist she had and hoped he would be willing to let her vent to him.

She put her phone on speaker as she started her car and peeled out of her parents' driveway. She anxiously tapped the steering wheel as she waited for Dr. Crane to answer. What if he doesn't answer? What if he's mad at me for calling? Am I going to have to go to the police? But what does that mean for my dad? What about -

"llo? Hello, Delilah?" she heard Dr. Crane's voice, a mix of irritation and concern present.

"Dr. Crane, I'm so sorry, I really hope I'm not bothering you!" she stuttered.

"Not at all, although I certainly wasn't expecting a phone call from you. Are you alright, child?"

"If I'm being honest, I'm not. I just overheard something and I….I need to talk to someone right now. This probably sounds strange but you were the first person I thought of, and it's a bit of an emergency. Can I come over to your office?" she begged, hoping he would be understanding.

"That would be okay, but if you're in any sort of danger I suggest you go to the police. Understood?" Dr. Crane responded. Thankfully Delilah could tell he wasn't irritated and that he seemed concerned. Hm, so he does care at least a little bit.

"Of course! I'm not in danger, at least not yet. I'm actually on my way to Arkham now, I should be there in about 10 minutes. Thank you so much Dr. Crane, I greatly appreciate your help!"

"No problem, see you soon. Just come in once you arrive."

With that Delilah hung up the phone and focused on getting to Dr. Crane's office as soon as she could. The sooner she could talk about what she overheard the safer she would hopefully feel.

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Jonathan heard the phone hang up with a loud click and leaned back in his chair, wondering why Delilah needed to see him so urgently. She did confide in him a little bit more than she did during college, but whatever she needed to talk to him about must've been incredibly important.

Maybe she's coming to confess her love to you so you can run off into the sunset! Scarecrow guffawed, enjoying how uncomfortable his suggestive statements made the good doctor feel.

Quiet you dolt! That's absolutely not why she's coming. She was scared of something, or someone. I could hear it in her voice.

Yes, that delicious, intoxicating fear. This is perhaps the most fearful she's ever been around you. That's all the more reason I should finally be allowed to come out and play with our little friend. Maybe show her how to embrace her fears…

Absolutely not! This is not part of the plan and I won't let you or this little distraction derail us. I'll figure out how to help her so we can focus on the plan.

Spoilsport!

As much as he tried to deny it, something made him feel overly protective of the girl. He told others it was in order to preserve his ultimate plan, and that was partially true. But there was always something about her that fascinated him, even in her college days, and he knew it went a bit deeper than a typical 'teacher/assistant' relationship. He worked hard to push those sorts of thoughts aside, knowing they would just distract him. Although he did have to have a few heated discussions with Edward about his incessant flirting with Delilah. The idea of her with another man, especially Edward, instantly infuriated him. He didn't like sharing his toys.

Jonathan was deep in thought when he heard his office door open and saw Delilah practically run into his office. She shut the door and locked it, visibly shaking. Okay, now it's time to worry.

He approached her, allowing her to run into his arms and hug him. He looked down at her, puzzled, before she broke away suddenly and sat across from him. Her leg was bouncing rapidly as she began to speak.

"I-I'm so sorry about that! I've been kind of freaking out and, obviously, I'm not quite acting how I normally would. I just don't know what to do and I'm pretty freaked out and -" Delilah blurted out, talking at a mile a minute and feeling tears start to well in her eyes.

Jonathan looked down at her and froze, not knowing how to react to her highly emotional state. She never got this emotional around him so he knew something must be seriously wrong.

"Slow down Delilah, are you okay? Were you hurt? You mentioned something on the phone about not being in danger now, but possibly being in danger later. What does that mean?" He asked, genuinely concerned for her safety.

Delilah breathed deeply in and out before continuing, trying to force herself to slow down. "Yes, I'm okay. Just very shaken up. I need to tell you something and just please, whatever you do, please don't call the police. I need some way to fix this without involving them."

No police? This is interesting! What do you think the girl has gotten herself into Jonny boy?

Quiet!

"You have my word, no police. Now please, tell me, what's going on."

Delilah released a shaky breath and looked down at her lap before continuing.

"So I've never really told anyone this, but my family has been intertwined with Carmine Falcone's since before I was born. My father started working with him when he was young, and for some reason Falcone hooked his claws into him and sucked him into a 'friendship'. I always sensed something fishy from him as a kid, although he and my parents worked very hard to keep their dealings secret from me. Throughout my life they kept trying to set me up with his son Antonio, but he became such a shithead that I couldn't stomach the idea of being with him, and especially not the idea of getting even closer to Carmine."

She paused and looked up at Dr. Crane, who was listening intently.

"Today I went home to visit home as I normally do to talk to my parents about the progress we've had here. I didn't see either of my parents so I started doing some notes while I waited for one or both of them to get home. After a while I heard my father come in and he was talking to Carmine. It sounded like they were talking about business so I hid and eavesdropped on them. Carmine told my father that he was starting to work with some drug dealer named 'Scarecrow' or something, and another guy named Henri Ducard."

She noticed Dr. Crane's features harden when she mentioned the name Scarecrow, but she wasn't thinking clearly enough to really delve into why he would've had that reaction. She continued.

"He told my father to meet with this Scarecrow guy tonight in the Narrows to secure a shipment route for whatever drugs this guy has to start selling it in Gotham, and my father said he'd do it. I heard them go into my father's office so I was about to run out the door when Carmine came out and saw me. I tried to lie and say I was upstairs and didn't hear anyone come in, but he didn't believe me. First he tried to get me to stop working with you, flashing his connections with Gotham General and the GCPD in my face. Of course I declined. That move confused me but he had reservations about me working at Arkham since the beginning. But then he made this comment, that he was glad I was upstairs because, and I quote, ' eavesdropping would be very unbecoming of me', and that I 'never know how things could be taken out of context, and what harm misinformation can cause.' I could hardly run out of the house fast enough. He openly threatened me, and I know he means it. All my life I thought if I just distanced myself from him and my father's business I'd be able to escape it and live my own life. I don't want to be part of that world and, frankly, I'm scared shitless. I know how powerful he is here and I basically have a hit on me. It doesn't matter that I've known him since I was a fucking infant; if he views me as a threat I'm gone, case closed. And the worst part is that my parents would still defend him. It's fucked up and I just don't know what to do and I'm just...I'm just so scared."

Delilah broke down and began to cry, unable to stop the tears from streaming down her face. She ran her fingers through her hair and bowed her head, trying not to show her face to Dr. Crane. She already felt humiliated enough that she told him all of that, but she had no clue where else to turn.

As Jonathan listened he felt an intense rage run through him. He knew Carmine Falcone all too well, and knowing the lifetime of anxiety and fear he'd caused Delilah infuriated him. Yes he'd always wanted to learn about her deepest fears, but not like this. Not sitting there, appearing broken in front of him. He did his best to maintain a neutral, sympathetic expression as his thoughts raced with ideas of how he could possibly protect her without completely destroying his plans. His plans would definitely need to be adjusted, but that could be arranged. The most difficult part would be helping Delilah remain safe without revealing too much.

Perhaps the time has come to truly include her in your plan? She has this useful connection, and the rogues seem to like her well enough. You seem to like her well enough too, unless you forgot.

Possibly. I'll need to think on it more, but for now my primary concern is making sure she's safe.

What could he do? He knew she would not be unsafe at either her apartment or her parent's house if Falcone's thugs were watching her, which, after a threat like that, he was certain they would be. The only two options were to have her stay with him, or hide with the rogues in Arkham. Neither of those options were great, but he needed to make a very quick decision.

"I'm so, so sorry all of that is happening. And I'm also sorry if I've made you feel like you had to keep something like that from me. All I want is to make sure you're safe, and I'm glad you came to me now."

Delilah looked up at him with a few last tears strolling down her face, biting her bottom lip to prevent from crying even more. "Th-thank you, that means the world to me. Obviously I didn't want to involve you because I know how dangerous Falcone is, and I don't want anything to happen to you or anyone else because of me."

"Don't worry, child, I'll be fine. Nothing will happen to me. Whatever does happen is Falcone's responsibility, not yours. Now I have some ideas. I need a little more time to think, but whatever I tell you to do you need to trust me and do it. Understand?"

"Yes, of course. Thank you!" She exclaimed, suddenly throwing her arms around his neck to hug him, overcome with emotion.

Normally Jonathan would push off people that hugged him, but this felt different. He knew Delilah needed that type of comfort right now. He also knew he was a bit touch-starved, and had to admit that holding Delilah, really feeling how soft and fragile she was was exhilarating. His heart beat erratically in his chest as he held her in his arms, unintentionally noticing that her hair smelled like cucumbers.

Damnit woman, she even uses my favorite shampoo scent.

After about a minute he broke the hug and took a deep breath.

"I need to step out and think, make some phone calls. I'll lock the door and windows so you'll be safe, but just to be sure stay closer to the bookshelves and draw back the curtains. When I return I'll give you more details. Now stay put."

Without another word he rushed out of his office, locking the door behind him. He knew exactly where he needed to go next; to visit his colleagues in the rogue gallery.