Hi everyone, how's the quarantine going for y'all? I've been having a lot of ideas for how to progress with this story and I'm excited to keep it going! I hope you all liked Delilah's introduction to Scarecrow, and the very odd bit of sympathy her initial reactions to the toxin got him to admit. It looks like Jonathan is finally going to have to tell Delilah about Scarecrow and the full extent of his work; what do you think she'll do? Leave your comments below! Happy reading! :)

Chapter 11: Changing Dynamics

Jonathan exhaled a shaky breath as he deftly released Delilah from the restraints. Two fingers pressed against her wrist to check her pulse.

72 beats per minute….thankfully she's getting closer to normal as the sedative takes effect.

He gently picked her up, taking care to avoid putting too much pressure on her injured leg and arm. He held her against him as he brought her upstairs. The soft glow of morning light through his shutters indicated that the night was over. He brought Delilah into his living room, thinking it would be less jarring for her to wake up on his couch than in his bed. Delilah stirred beneath him, letting out a soft, quiet moan as she moved slightly against him. He smiled softly as he placed her down gently on the couch, propping a pillow for her. Without skipping a beat he moved to her injured arm, slowly unwrapping her makeshift tourniquet. The fabric was mostly dry, aside from a small patch of blood covering her wound. A shallow gash formed on her arm and was surrounded by dry blood.

This looks like she was shot at. She told Scarecrow that she escaped from Victor Zsaz so he must've shot her. Thankfully it isn't much worse than this.

The floors creaked underneath his feet as he quickly leapt up to retrieve a first aid kit from his study. In moments of anxiety Jonathan let his instincts take over rather than get swept up in his emotions. That compartmentalization prevented him from losing his cool when experiments went awry, when he encountered Batman, or when he became injured. It was always important to him to maintain a level of control in everything he did so his base emotions would not put him at risk of harm.

Thankfully he kept his study in a perpetual state of organization. Everything was arranged meticulously so he would not lose what he needed. The small room was engulfed in mahogany, the large wooden desk in front of him serving as its centerpiece. He looked briefly out the window to his left, observing the sun barely breaking out across the horizon. A pink, cloudless sky greeted him as he began to think of where Edward might be.

Shit, I am going to have to deal with him as well. Hopefully Edward was not there when Zsaz broke in. The last thing I need to worry about is Edward being dead or injured.

Jonathan unlocked the bottom drawer of his desk to reveal a small first aid kit. He quickly grabbed it and closed the drawer before making his way back to Delilah, kneeling beside her to reexamine the wound on her arm. He gently rubbed the wound with an antiseptic wipe, holding his breath as Delilah lightly hissed under his touch. His ministrations ended shortly after. A bandage was wrapped tightly around her arm and secured before Jonathan moved to her leg.

Thankfully for him she was wearing shorts. That made it much easier for him to explain how he was able to see the wound on her leg. As he began to unwrap the tourniquet he recoiled, the unmistakable iron smell of blood greeting his senses. The crimson liquid had soaked through the wrapping and lightly appeared on his hands. He deftly removed the cloth and wiped away excess blood before looking at the wound. This one appeared to be much more serious. He peered at her leg, his lips forming a tight line as he inspected how deep the wound was. Thankfully the hole was not large and could easily be stitched, but his primary concern was trying to find the bullet. His gaze moved to the back of her leg but he could not find an exit wound.

Damn it, the bullet must be stuck in her leg. I can not bring her to a hospital so I'm just going to have to take it out here. That should probably wait until she wakes up.

Jonathan gently wiped the area with another antiseptic wipe before bandaging it tightly. He took one last look at Delilah's resting form before standing up, walking into the kitchen to brew a pot of coffee. Caffeine was certainly necessary after the all-nighter he unintentionally pulled.

He let out a tense sigh as he realized he'd need to call Edward. The other man certainly wouldn't be happy that he, or Scarecrow rather, had injected Delilah with the fear toxin, but he'd just have to learn to deal with it. He couldn't stop wondering how Victor had gotten into Edward's safehouse in the first place. They'd worked very diligently to make sure that safehouse was untraceable; even Batman hadn't found it, and Edward had been using that one on and off for years.

Jonathan looked through his cupboards, finding two white coffee mugs and his french press. French press coffee had a stronger effect which was exactly what he was looking for. He filled one of the mugs with water and put it in the microwave then set it for three minutes before taking his phone out of his pocket. He dialed '1' on speed dial, Edward's number. His body tensed as he took a seat at his kitchen island waiting for Edward to answer.

After a few tense seconds of waiting Edward picked up the phone.

"What the hell Jonathan?! Where's Delilah?! Why is my safe house in shambles?!" Edward shouted into the phone. Jonathan brought the phone away from his ear to keep the volume of Edward's voice from hurting his ears.

After a second Jonathan brought the phone back to his ear. "Are you done now, Ed? Can we speak calmly?"

"Are you fucking kidding me Jon?! You expect me to be calm right now?" Edward growled.

"Actually yes, I do, because if we get into an argument right now Delilah might wake up and that's the last thing I need to worry about." Jonathan spoke sternly, using all of his self-control not to lash out at Edward for his disrespectful tone. He heard Edward gasp then release a shaky breath.

"So she's with you?" Edward asked, his voice much calmer.

"Yes she is. I am still trying to piece together the events of last night. Before you ask, no I do not know what happened at your safe house, although I have a vague idea. I am going to ask Delilah once she wakes up."

"And what, pray tell, do you know?"

Oh yes Jonny, tell our friend Eddie about how Delilah so rudely barged in on our workspace, how we had to use the toxin. I'm sure he'll love that!

I know you are not fond of Edward, but I am. We need him on our side, so please just let me talk. I am already not happy with you for the little stunt you pulled last night.

You loved hearing her screams as much as I did, don't lie to me!

Jonathan ignored Scarecrow as he spoke again.

"A few nights ago I had another meeting with some of Falcone's men to work out the transportation route for the toxin. While the meeting was in progress I noticed someone spying on us. After the meeting I captured the guy, and through some questioning I found out he was working for Sal Maroni. Obviously I could not let him go back to Maroni with whatever he may have heard, so I began to run experiments on him. That is what I was working on last night when Delilah barged in and-"

"Wait, Delilah interrupted one of your experiments? Was Scarecrow out?" Edward spoke, the panic evident in his tone.

Ha! He's still terrified of me! Delightful.

"Unfortunately yes, he was. Now please let me continue." Jonathan sighed.

"I swear to God Jonathan, if Scarecrow hurt her-"

"I will get to that, Edward, now stop interrupting me and let me finish before Delilah wakes up. As much as I love talking to you I am not able to stay on the phone all day." Jonathan growled, waiting for silence on the other line before continuing.

"As I was saying, yes, Scarecrow was in control during the experiment. When Delilah came in she took us completely off guard. I immediately noticed that she looked a bit disheveled. Her shirt was torn because she made two makeshift tourniquets with it, one on her left arm and one on her right leg. Each of them had some blood, but the one on her leg was almost entirely covered in blood. She also had some cuts and scrapes on her arms and legs. Thankfully I did not see any other injuries. I attempted to gain control once we noticed she appeared but Scarecrow pushed me away. They had a short discussion, and Scarecrow did not reveal any of my plans to her. For the most part he just did his usual schtick; asking about her fears, taunting her, the works." He added, rolling his eyes.

Hey, I can hear what you're saying ya know!

I'm aware of that. Why do you think I said it?

Jonathan pushed his glasses to the brim of his nose, breathing deeply before continuing.

"Delilah repeatedly asked him about my whereabouts, not putting the pieces together. As of now I am making the assumption that she believes Scarecrow is a different person. When Scarecrow would not give her answers she attempted to leave the room and got into a small fight with Scarecrow. Again, do not worry, she is not hurt. Scarecrow won, and…."

Jonathan hesitated, knowing Edward would freak out when he told him about the toxin.

"And what, Jon? What happened?" Edward growled, already half-knowing the answer but needing Jonathan's confirmation.

"And Scarecrow injected her with the fear toxin."

"God damnit Jonathan! That shit is horrifying, you know what happens to your patients when they get injected! What were you thinking?!" Edward shouted angrily. Jonathan grit his teeth as he waited for Edward to stop shouting.

"You want to know what I was thinking? I was thinking about permanently banishing my other half from my mind after that stunt, but I was a bit stuck at the time. You have no idea what influence Scarecrow holds. Don't you dare blame me for what happened." Jonathan snarled back. The other rogue had never understood how his relationship with Scarecrow worked. He seemed to feel as though he could command and silence Scarecrow whenever he wanted, but maintaining control of his body was actually a difficult, on-going struggle.

Jonathan rose from his seat just as the microwave dinged, indicating that the water had heated up. He retrieved a bag of medium ground coffee beans from a nearby cabinet, filling the french press with the coffee and hot water as he took a second to cool down.

"Fine, I'm sorry. I don't quite understand how this whole thing with Scarecrow works, but I know you wouldn't willingly let Delilah get hurt. You just know I can't stand Scarecrow, especially after he injected me with the toxin. I still get nightmares sometimes." Edward shuddered, earning a light chuckle from Jonathan.

"As much as I want to pry about your nightmares, I shall wait for a more appropriate time."

Jonathan allowed the grounds to steep in the hot water as he continued his recollection of the previous night's events.

"When Delilah experienced the toxin she did not react how I assumed she would. For the most part she was rather silent, aside from the occasional mumbling and twitching. It took about an hour before she began to scream and react poorly, which is a personal best. I do not think anyone else has had such a delayed reaction to it, not even you or I. Thankfully I was able to push Scarecrow out of control once she got to that state and inject her with the antidote. She is currently sleeping on my couch, no doubt exhausted from the toxin and whatever she went through before she arrived here."

Jonathan finished, waiting patiently for Edward's response. As he recollected the prior night's events his stomach dropped. He knew there was no way around revealing his true identity to her now, and the reality of that just sunk in. For months he'd staved off the temptation to ask her to work with him, waiting for the right moment. Now that opportunity was robbed from him.

"So, you're going to have to tell her now, huh?" Edward questioned.

"Unfortunately I am. Once she wakes up I am going to take her vitals again just to make sure she is okay before explaining everything to her. I am going to attempt to ascertain what happened at the safe house last night as well, although I am not certain how many details I will get from her before she starts asking questions. I will inform you when we have had our talk so we can reconvene." Jonathan answered stoically.

"Hold on, I can't be there? Don't you think it would be easier if she sees another familiar face?"

"Oh, a familiar face that also kept this information from her for months on end? I think I can handle it Edward. Besides, she and I did have a relationship before you became involved. She deserves to hear this from me, alone." Jonathan snapped.

He heard Edward sigh into the phone as he spoke.
"You're right Jon. I hate it when you're right. Just let me know when you've told her, okay? I need to figure out what the hell happened in the safe house so I know if we have to leave or not."

"Good idea. By the way, while she did not mention exactly what occurred, she did say that Victor Zsaz was the one that broke in." Jonathan replied.

"Fucking Victor Zsaz was the one that broke in?! Christ, this keeps getting better. Change in plans, we definitely need to leave. I'll call you when I get settled into another safehouse. It's a shame, I liked that one." Edward sighed, irritation and panic evident in his voice.

A soft moan drew Jonathan's attention away from his conversation and towards the living room. Another slightly pained moan from the area confirmed that Delilah had woken up. Jonathan quickly responded to Edward so he could attend to Delilah.

"I would do the same if I were you. Talk to you later, she's awake."

He hung up the phone, pouring a generous amount of coffee into each mug before walking into the living room.

I can only hope after this she'll want to stay with us, with me….

፧

Searing pain shot through Delilah's injured limbs as she slowly regained consciousness. In addition to the pain from her gunshot wounds she felt an overpowering ache radiating through her whole body. Her head was swimming and she couldn't properly register where she was. As she lifted her head up the dull ache intensified, causing her to moan in pain. She looked around and saw that she was on a large gray couch. The walls around her were a crisp white and the smell of coffee filled the room. She heard a low mumbling before hearing footsteps approaching. Looking up, she saw Jonathan walking towards her with two mugs in each hand.

"Jonathan!" She attempted to get up but pain electrified her, causing her to cry out.

"Take it easy, let's lay you back down." Jonathan spoke softly, placing the mugs on a nearby table before kneeling at her side. He held her head in one hand and waist in the other as he lowered her back onto the couch.

"Are we still in your house?" Delilah asked. She looked into Jonathan's eyes and could see how exhausted he was. There was a slight twinge of darkness under his eyes and his hair was disheveled. Her face softened as she realized how gently he was holding her.

"Yes we are. We never left in fact." He replied. He hesitated before speaking again.

"How are you feeling?"

"If I'm being totally honest, I feel like I got hit by a truck." Delilah chuckled. A light smile appeared on his face as she laughed. She smiled back before continuing.

"My whole body is really achy and my head is pounding. My arm isn't too bad, mostly just stinging, but my leg hurts a lot. It almost feels like a stabbing pain that's just radiating all around."

Delilah looked at her arm and leg and noticed that her makeshift tourniquets were replaced with proper bandages. "So, I'm assuming you've already seen them?"

"Yes I have. Thankfully it looks like the wound on your arm is not serious, as if a bullet just grazed you. Your leg, however, is a bit more concerning. When I changed your bandages earlier I noticed that you were in fact shot and the bullet is stuck. That, unfortunately, means I'm going to have to take the bullet out." Delilah froze as Jonathan spoke.

"Wait, what?! Can't I go to a hospital?" She questioned, her heart racing. Once her heart started racing she felt her thoughts start to spiral into more intense panic.

I need to go to a hospital! If this gets infected I could die! But what if someone finds me? What if someone tells my parents? They'll definitely tell Falcone! How are we -

"Delilah, I need you to breathe with me. Take some deep breaths." Jonathan spoke calmly. He noticed her start to spiral and knew the remnants of the toxin were causing her anxiety to spike. He guided her through taking five deep breaths, holding his hand in hers while petting her hair. Her eyes never left his as she slowly felt herself returning to normal.

"Did that help?"

"Yes, it did. I'm sorry for freaking out like that." Delilah looked away for the first time in several minutes, looking down towards her lap.

"There is nothing for you to apologize for, Delilah. It is perfectly reasonable for you to have your reservations about having me take the bullet out here. However, you're still technically missing. If you went to a hospital your parents would surely be notified, and Falcone soon after. We cannot take that risk. Trust me, I know what I'm doing. I've had to do this before." He reassured her.

"You've done this before? I wasn't aware that being a professor and psychiatrist could be such dangerous occupations." Delilah chuckled, a bit of worry still remaining. She still hadn't forgotten her encounter with Scarecrow and feared he'd hurt Jonathan. "Did Scarecrow hurt you? Where did he go?"

Jonathan's smile faded as he was reminded of the night's events. A tight line formed on his face as he absorbed Delilah's question.

"I'm fine, don't worry about me. Scarecrow did not hurt me. Before we talk about that, I'd like to know what happened last night. How did you get shot in the first place?" Jonathan diverted, hoping to wait as long as he could before telling Delilah the truth.

"Oh, that! Well I was cleaning up after dinner. Edward left to go on a job." She smiled, rolling her eyes. "As I was cleaning I heard a noise come from the bedroom. I knew it wasn't Edward so I went to investigate. I was about to stab whoever was in there, but when I opened the door Victor Zsaz was there. I feared he'd find me. I just hoped it would've taken longer." Delilah sighed before continuing.

"Thankfully he didn't attack me right away. Interestingly enough, he used to give me self-defense lessons. My father and Falcone insisted on it when I started at Gotham U. I guess it paid off since I can hold my own against him, and I can at least slightly predict his moves. Once I saw him I knew exactly why he was there. I tried to ask how he found me but he wouldn't answer. Before he could get to me I threw my knife at him, and from there we got into a bit of a fight. I'm just praying Edward's safehouse isn't destroyed. Anyway, thankfully I was able to disable him for a second so I could get out of the apartment. That's when he shot me; I felt the first one graze my arm as I ran down the stairs, and the second hit me right as I opened the main doors. I ran and kept running for as long as I could before I knew he wasn't after me anymore. I went into an alley and tried to bandage myself before calling Edward. He didn't answer, so I called you, and you didn't answer either. I knew I had limited time so I figured trying to find you was better than finding Edward, who knows where he must've gone. So that brought me here…." Delilah trailed off, her heart tightening as she remembered her encounter with Scarecrow. The dull ache of her headache intensified as she paused to articulate her thoughts.

"It's okay, you can take your time." Jonathan replied. He knew exactly what had happened but knew Delilah needed to finish telling her story. His blood boiled at the thought of Victor hurting Delilah and knew he'd kill the man the first chance he get, but couldn't get too emotional or else Delilah would stop talking. If he was lucky maybe she would reveal what she saw while under the influence of the toxin.

Delilah took another deep breath before she returned to her story.

"When I got to your house I noticed that the front door was unlocked. I tried calling out to you but you didn't answer. I know it was weird to just go in like that, but I was pretty desperate and knew I needed to find someone before I passed out or worse. I kept looking for you but I didn't see you anywhere. Then I heard this terrifying, ear-splitting scream from somewhere. I followed the sound to the basement and went in. I was so worried that it was you, and something was happening to you…." Delilah's lip trembled as she spoke. Tears welled in her eyes as she continued.

"I rushed down there and saw another door. I heard another scream and knew someone was in there, so I opened it. I saw this….this random guy, I still don't know he was, tied up in a chair. He looked petrified and just stared at me. He almost stared through me, like he couldn't even see me. Next to him I saw….I saw Scarecrow. He….he started talking to me and…." A tear fell and Delilah looked away from Jonathan. He gently took her chin in his hand, leading her gaze back to his eyes.

"I know you're scared, but everything's okay. You're safe now. Please, keep telling me what happened."

"I asked him where you were, but all he kept saying was that you were away, that you couldn't come out but he'd wanted to meet me for a while or something. I have no idea what he meant by that, so I just kept asking him where you were. Then the guy started screaming again and Scarecrow killed him. He gave him some sort of serum or something and just fucking killed him, right in front of me, and I did nothing. I….I knew if I didn't get out of there I might've been next. I tried to run but he tackled me so fast. H-he dragged me into the chair and he….he gave me the fear toxin. He told me that he'd been waiting a long time for this, and he'd be watching as I, quote, had the time of my life. It was fucking horrible Jonathan. I….he put me through things I've tried to suppress for years. I can see now why people who run into him go insane." Delilah shuddered as more tears fell. Jonathan looked at her with sadness and a sense of guilt. He knew he didn't have control over Scarecrow's actions, but he still felt at least partially responsible for what happened.

"God Delilah, I'm so, so sorry that happened. The fear toxin is horrible indeed, even if one could be a bit fascinated by it. Now, do you mind telling me what you saw? Just so I can understand how to help you better? I think talking through it, especially so soon after it happened, will help you get past it and heal as well." Jonathan replied, unable to reign in his eagerness about finally learning about Delilah's innermost fears. He'd been curious about this side of her for years and he may finally receive his answers.

"It's okay, it's not your fault! Scarecrow did it, not you." Delilah replied, smiling up at Jonathan although her hands were trembling. Jonathan frowned slightly.

Wait until she finds out it was you Jonny! That'll be fun to see.

It was not me, it was you! You insolent ass. Just stop, she may open up.

"Well, at first I didn't really understand what was happening. I found myself in the woods somewhere, but then I-I saw my younger self. I was fourteen, at my old summer camp, Camp Beckwood. I used to go every summer. Once I saw I was there and I made the connection that I'd been injected with the fear toxin I knew what was coming. That summer I'd had some sort of fight or something with bunkmates and ran down to the lake. I was sitting there trying to calm myself down when this camp counselor came over. He knew about what the other girls would say to me and honestly, at that time, I thought he was just trying to be nice. But then he just kept getting closer and closer to me, until….until he started touching me, kissing me, putting his disgusting hands all over me. The toxin amplified everything I'd felt back then. Thankfully he didn't go as far as he could have but that was probably one of the most terrifying times of my life. As it kept going everything suddenly started melting away until everything around me disappeared, and all I could see was darkness. Then out of the darkness my childhood best friend, Lily, came over to me. We had our good times but over time I started realizing that she was really abusive, and just not good to me. She started taunting me and dug up my past insecurities, like how she would get attention from guys that I wouldn't, and how my weight and just, me being me, was the reason why. She accused me of being a bad friend for going to college instead of sticking around with her. I know the toxin made her say things she hadn't actually said to me but it just….it felt like it all really happened, if that makes any sort of sense. Then after a while that faded. I started thinking it was over but then noticed my body start to move without being able to control it. It…."

More tears fell down Delilah's face as she suddenly turned away from Jonathan. His worried eyes bore into her while he waited for her to finish her story.

"It took me back to when I-I tried killing myself. Back in my freshman year at Gotham U. My depression was really really bad and I overdosed on pills. I was out of school for a week or two while they pumped my stomach and forced me to see a psychiatrist. Th-that was the worst moment of my entire life, and that's my greatest fear; getting to that level of depression and trying again. So, yeah, that's what happened."

Silence hung heavily in the room as Jonathan absorbed what Delilah had told him. He knew whatever her fears were must've been deeper than the typical arachnophobia or nyctophobia he saw with clients but he had no idea what she'd been hiding. Now that he thought of it, he'd only started working with her in her sophomore year of college, possibly mere months after she'd attempted suicide.

How could I have not noticed?

You're a psychiatrist, sure, but you're not a mind reader. This girl obviously hid her past very well. She clearly didn't want anyone to find out.

Yes, then you forced it out of her by giving her the fear toxin.

Sure, but now she can work through those fears! We can look at this as a good thing; I did in one night what you couldn't do in over five years.

Jonathan chose not to continue entertaining Scarecrow as he moved his hand to Delilah's back and began to gently rub it. She flinched at the contact before almost melting into his touch. Her eyes hesitantly met his before she abruptly threw her arms around him, hugging him tight as her body shook from fear and pain. His eyes opened wide as he adjusted to the sudden contact before returning her embrace, continuing to rub her back.

"I am so sorry for everything you went through, and even more sorry that the toxin made you relive it. I know nothing I can say will make that trauma go away. Just know that you have support systems to make sure you never get to that point again, and so you can really work through those issues. I want to do my best to help you through them, if you'll let me?"

Delilah broke the hug and looked up at Jonathan.

"I've been so worried that telling you those things would completely change our relationship, but I guess that ship has sailed." She chuckled nervously.

Jonathan smirked. "I would say it has, Ms. Davis."

"Thank you though, Dr. Crane. I always knew you'd be supportive." Delilah leaned back on the couch while she tried to find a comfortable position to sit in. "That being said, now that I've talked, I have some questions of my own."

Here we go…. Jonathan thought, knowing exactly what she was about to ask.

"How did Scarecrow get into your house, and why was he there in the first place? Also, where were you last night? Did he hurt you?"

Jonathan sighed deeply before speaking again.

"What I'm going to tell you may sound strange, but please bare with me, and please remember that I've always wanted what's best for you."

"Huh? What are you talking about?"

"Delilah, the reason why Scarecrow was at my house last night, and the reason I wasn't harmed, is because I am Scarecrow."

Delilah stared at Jonathan, mouth agape, as she absorbed what he said.

Wait, what?! He's saying he's Scarecrow? How could that be possible? If he's Scarecrow….that's how he knows the rogues as well as he does! That's how he knew what to do during the breakout!

Before Jonathan could speak again Delilah swiftly slapped him across the face, attempting to jump out of her seat. The pain of her wounds snuck up on her as she cried out in pain, falling back on the couch.

"Delilah, please, let me explain."

"Explain what Jonathan? How you're also a rogue? How you steal and kill just like the others? How you're the one that put me through that hell last night? Is that what you want to explain to me?!" Delilah screamed. All she could focus on was the betrayal she felt. It almost wasn't even the fact that he was a rogue, since she was beginning to get used to that with the others. What bothered her the most was the fact that he'd kept it a secret from her for all this time. "How long have you been Scarecrow? How long were you thinking you could keep this from me?"

Jonathan stared back at Delilah, holding his stinging cheek in his hand as he chose his next words carefully. His heart sank as he took in Delilah's hurt expression. He figured she would be upset, but he was hoping she wouldn't be this distressed. If he was going to have any hope in regaining her trust he would have to choose his next words carefully.

"I know this is a lot, and I'm absolutely not expecting you to not be upset. I was planning on telling you, I really was. I was just waiting for the right time."

"Oh, so injecting me with the fear toxin when I tried to find you after getting attacked and fucking shot was, what?"

"Like you said earlier, that wasn't me. That was Scarecrow."

"What are you talking about? You just said you're Scarecrow!"

"Perhaps that phrasing wasn't entirely accurate. I'm Scarecrow in the sense that I've embodied that rogue personality, but Scarecrow is also an entity that's, for lack of a better word, sharing space inside me. He's been there ever since I can remember. When I was a baby my single mother dropped me off with my maternal grandmother, a fanatically religious zealot who abused me without end for being conceived out of wedlock. She'd beat me with whatever she could get her hands on, and when that wasn't enough she'd lock me in this dilapidated barn on her farm. It was always infested with crows that would squawk and peck at me like I was their last meal. No matter how much I begged her she wouldn't let me out, telling me I deserved to be in there because of how I was born. That was when Scarecrow came. I think he personified that way because I was always terrified of this huge scarecrow that was in the barn. He came to me as a reassuring voice in the back of my head that helped me face the torture I went through. As I got older I stopped being afraid, and started being angry. I knew what she was doing wasn't fair or just, and that she had to suffer. When I was eighteen I finally got the courage to stand up to her. I took one of her shotguns and shot her while she slept, I think she died instantly. Once that was done I threw her body in that same crow infested barn and fled like hell. I came to Gotham and enrolled at Gotham U, where I quickly discovered my continued fascination with fear. Scarecrow never left. He's always been the one constant I've had, despite our many disagreements. He gave me the courage to pursue my interest in fear, and helped tip me over the edge with my research. I thought I'd be able to just do academic research and quell both of our desires but over time it became alarmingly clear that that wasn't enough. I started letting him take control sometimes, and that led to different experiments, like the one you walked in on. As it happens with most of the rogues, a particular interest slowly morphed into less legal activities over time, gaining the attention of Batman. From there, everything kind of developed naturally. I'm probably one of the rogues with the most control since my identity hasn't been revealed, like Edward's, and I'm not completely off the deep end, like Joker or Harley. Once that happens I guess my positions at Gotham U and Arkham will be completely compromised, so I'm hoping to hold that off for as long as I can."

Delilah stared at him wide-eyed as he spoke. She tried to understand how Scarecrow seemed to work but it just didn't click. He seemed to describe it both as a persona and a spirit of sorts? What made the least sense to her was if he was a rogue, why did he want her to work with him at the university and at Arkham? It would make sense to keep as many people away as possible, not invite people in. And did that mean that for all this time this 'Scarecrow' spirit knew everything about her?

"Wait….so this 'Scarecrow' is mostly a spirit? How do you know it's not just a personification of your fears, or a coping mechanism for trauma? If it's that then it should've gone away by now." Delilah questioned, looking quizzically at Jonathan.

"I understand the idea of a spirit or entity is hard to grasp. It is for everyone else. But that's the best way I can explain it. It's not the same as an internal monologue or split personality or anything like that, it's a spirit that I have managed to have this symbiotic relationship with. He helped me through my fears, so now we work together on research. He gets to witness other people's fear, and I get to understand it on a neurochemical and psychological level." Jonathan explained, aware that Delilah was still confused.

"If he's an entity then can you summon him? Does he just appear?"

Ooo, I think she may want to talk to me Jonny boy! Is this the beginning of round two?

Jonathan sighed deeply as he pressed his fingertips on the bridge of his nose, attempting to silence Scarecrow.

"I wish I had more control of him, but I don't. Usually he'll appear almost like an intrusive thought. Sometimes I allow him to take over, particularly when we're running experiments. Other times he's able to take control and I get almost pushed out of my own body in a sense. I can see and hear what's going on, but I can't speak out loud, and I can't move. It feels like I'm a puppet that's being controlled by someone else. When that happens it's very hard to get control back, much like last night. If I was in control I never would've let that happen, please understand that. If nothing else, I want you to know that I never, ever want to hurt you. Scarecrow was already in control when we were doing the experiment, and he got too excited to let me come back out once you came in."

Delilah hesitantly listened, wondering what she could truly believe. If she was going to believe Jonathan she needed to run a little experiment of her own.

"If Scarecrow really is another entity, let me talk to him."

What?! Jonathan and Scarecrow thought in unison.

"Wait, you want, what?" Jonathan balked.

"You heard me. I want to speak to Scarecrow. That way I can really tell if he's different from you, and if I can believe you." She replied, her face hardening.

"Delilah-"

"No. You heard me. I want to speak to Scarecrow, now. Let him out."

Delilah watched as Jonathan sighed deeply, seemingly deep in thought. Suddenly she saw his eyes seem to darken and his pupils expand, his eyebrows arching as he looked back at her. Delilah gasped as his lips stretched almost impossibly wide, an unnatural grin appearing on his face as he took in her reaction.

"Well well well, I never thought we'd meet again, especially not this quickly."

She froze, her own pupils dilating as his raspy, unearthly tone sent a shiver down her spine. She quickly realized that Jonathan was indeed telling the truth, and now she unleashed this monster once again.

"If I'm being honest, I feel the same way. I for one was hoping we wouldn't have ever met again." Delilah growled, glaring at who she now knew was Scarecrow. Her blood boiled when he started laughing - no, - cackling, at her.

"You are just as fun as you were before! I told ol' Jonny boy for years that I needed to meet you, but nooooo, he had to be a spoilsport. He had to wait for the perfect moment to introduce us. If you ask me, I think our first time was delightful!" Scarecrow guffawed and wiggled his eyebrows at her as Delilah glared daggers at him.

"If that's your idea of delightful then you really are as sick as people say about you."

"Touche my dear, touche. So, you wanted to talk to me. What now? Do you want a second dose of my delicious toxin?"

"Absolutely not! I just….I guess I just needed to see that Jonathan wasn't lying. I assume you're an intelligent being, you must know that the idea of an entity named Scarecrow attaching itself to someone doesn't sound sane." Delilah chose her words carefully in an attempt to not tempt Scarecrow to use his toxin on her again.

"Of course, I understand. Although, my name isn't really Scarecrow, it's just what we've chosen to refer to me as. I don't have an actual name. I like the title 'Master of Fear' though, it has a certain ring to it I like. I am as old as time itself, child, and have worked with many people before Jonathan. Thankfully this one had the perfect disposition to accommodate me."

"I-I guess that makes sense. Well, thank you, for demonstrating that you're actually real. Now, I want to speak to Jonathan again. Now."

"There you go again, shoving past your deepest fears to put on this brave face. Admit it, you're terrified! I can see it in your eyes, I can taste it in the air, I can feel your heart racing as I'm holding your hand. Wouldn't you like to face your fears, really defeat them?" Scarecrow purred, taking both of her hands in his and yanking her towards him.

What are you doing?! You've gone far enough, now let me out.

Absolutely not! I have the chance to run another test on our precious subject, wouldn't you like to see what would happen?

No! If she ever uses the toxin again it'll be on her terms, not yours. Now I'm taking control!

Delilah tugged her hands away from Scarecrow before harshly backhanding him, pausing as his movements completely stopped. He closed his eyes and bent forward, almost as if he was fighting himself. Soon he looked back up at her, his eyes returning to their typical cerulean shade.

"I'm sorry about him. As you could see, he has pretty….narrow motivations." Jonathan apologized.

I'm right here Jonny-boy!

Jonathan chose to ignore Scarecrow as he continued to look at Delilah, searching in her eyes for a sign of understanding or forgiveness. She released a shaky breath before returning his gaze.

"It's okay. This is just….it's a lot to take in."

"I understand entirely. I know it is a lot to adjust to."

"I just have one question. Since you're this rogue that has all these connections with other rogues, why did you choose to work with me all this time? I'd expect a rogue to want to keep other people far away from them, especially since no one's made the connection with your true identity yet. I mean, I guess aside from the other rogues." She thought briefly about Edward, who she now realized was keeping this huge secret from her. It made sense that he'd protect Jonathan's identity, but she couldn't help feeling at least a little bit hurt that no one had told her about all of this until now.

"If I'm being completely honest, a lot of my plans have been ruined as of late. When we first started working together at Gotham U I saw potential in you. I could see your passion and dedication, and I knew there was something in you that separated you from your peers. You have supplemented my research in a way that no other colleague or student ever had. When you asked to work with me at Arkham it just confirmed everything I'd already thought about you, and about the strength of our working relationship. I wanted you to meet the other rogues to gently ease you into being more comfortable, so at the best time I could reveal my identity to you, but this mess with Falcone altered that plan greatly. I knew the stress of all of this would not make learning about Scarecrow any easier on you, so I was hoping to wait as long as I possibly could before telling you. Obviously, we're past that point now." Jonathan explained.

"So, you've liked working with me, and I've liked working with you too. But what does that have to do with Scarecrow and the other rogues?" Delilah asked, her head tilting slightly to the side.

"Well, Delilah, I want you to continue working with me. Not just at Arkham, but with my research in its entirety. I'd like you to work with me, or rather, us, and make a new life for yourself by my side. As my assistant."

Delilah gasped, her eyebrows arching as she took in what Jonathan had just asked.

He wants me to work with him, as a rogue?!

"I wish I could have asked you this under better circumstances. I understand that it's a lot to take in, so I'll give you time to decide." Jonathan said.

"What happens if I say no? Hell, what happens if I say yes?" Delilah asked, her mind racing.

"Well, if you say no then everything goes back to normal. We may continue working together at Arkham if you'd choose, you could go on with whatever plans you'd had for your life. I'd just ask that you keep my work a secret. If you said no I would suggest ending your contact with the other rogues though, especially Edward, to avoid arousing suspicion to yourself."

As Jonathan spoke new thoughts entered Delilah's mind. Ever since she started getting closer with the rogues, particularly Edward, she hadn't begun to consider what would happen after all of this mess was over. If she maintained her normal life as a typical Gothamite she knew she'd have to stop interacting with Edward. That thought hadn't crossed her mind until now, and the idea of leaving that part of her new life behind almost made her heart break.

"If you say yes, then we would do our best to integrate you. We could maintain the facade of our relationship as it currently appears to the outside world, but that would mean that you would begin engaging in activities that could get you sent to Blackgate or Arkham. While this life is the one I've chosen, it's certainly not a life that everyone wants. Being a criminal isn't exactly what everyone aspires to be, but for me it's about the research. That's what it would be for us. You would just have to accept that you would no longer be completely safe."

Delilah sat back into the couch while her thoughts swirled around in her head. Obviously the idea of working with the rogues was stupid at face value. She'd be throwing her entire life away; her dreams, family, sense of normalcy. But was what she'd be losing by going back to normal worth it? Her life without Jonathan and the others was almost bleak. There were no moments of respite from the strained, complicated relationship she'd had with her parents, and how Falcone was always one step behind her. Even if she did let things return to how they were before, would she ever be able to have a truly normal life without worrying about Falcone? Sure it's nice to not be hunted by the GCPD and Batman, but, if she was being honest, she'd never felt happier than she had over the past few months working with Jonathan and the other rogues, especially Edward. There was no denying that she'd fallen hard for both him and Jonathan in a way that she'd never fallen for anyone else. They made her feel safe, valued, important. When she talked to them it never felt like she was talking to dangerous criminal masterminds. It felt like she was talking to equals, people that really understood her. What she wanted from her life was to do her research, be surrounded by people who care about her, and enjoy what life had to offer. If she made this leap, that would be something she would finally be able to have.

Delilah bit her bottom lip as she turned back to Jonathan, her hands shaking as she lightly took one of his hands in hers.

"I can't believe I'm saying this, but I'm in. I'll join you."