AN: The Fearsome Dr. Crane (mild spoilers in this A/N for that, by the way-haven't seen it? CLICK AWAY.)
SPOILERS BEGIN BELOW THIS LINE
makes me suspect he didn't start out as a psycho. He doesn't look too excited about the whole 'kill people through their greatest phobias' thing, really. Though it could be getting kicked out to feed the meter…that aside, it obviously didn't stick. Shame. This version might actually stand still for hugging and feeding. AU for me, technically sort of canon, don't ask.
Just-Me-and-My-Brain-What can I say, bastard had it coming. They'll grow back. I could've broken his knee. Or his neck. Or something a little lower down...but that might frighten Jonathan. Not that he'll ever admit it, of course.
Johanna Crane-She's a strong, independent woman that don't need no man! If you ever say that again, we'll be having a long talk. And by talk, I mean taking medication. Screw you. That's not possible. Yeah...
Christineoftheopera-We're a creative batch here at Arkham. Edward hoarded cherry seeds for weeks before...well, never mind, exactly. It might give you nightmares and Kitty doesn't like me scaring the reviewers. At first, anyway.
He feels his fingers losing their grip on the gun and hastens to set it down. He's shaking, god, his whole body's shaking and he's going to be sick…
But not right now.
"Kitty?"
He's not sure if she's unconscious or dead or just…quiet. But she's never been this quiet.
"Kitty."
Please don't be dead…
He doesn't really want to go over there-there's blood and broken glass and everything-but he needs to. He needs to see if she's okay, and if…
"Dad?"
He doesn't answer, either.
He makes his way across the room. If he can just stay upright he can manage, but the minute he trips, he won't be getting up for a long time.
He's not sure if she's dead or not. She's tied to the chair, not moving. He shakes her, desperate for some kind of noise. She shouldn't be this quiet, she can never shut up in class, for god's sake…
"Kitty, please."
Why isn't she moving?
He tries shaking her again. That does it-she starts coughing and sputtering and trying to twist away from him. She's okay.
"Kitty." Calm. Calm voice. Everything's fine. "Kitty, calm down, it's…"
It really isn't okay.
"Jonathan." Her voice is raw from screaming. She'll probably lose it. That'll make the teachers happy. "What happened?"
Should he tell her? He doesn't know.
"Hold still."
The ropes are thick but they give way to a kitchen knife. Once she's free she tries standing up and promptly falls over. When he catches her he realizes that she's shaking like a leaf and probably in shock. He's grateful he left the light off-he doesn't think either of them can stomach the thing in the middle of the floor, in the blood…
"Is he dead?"
"I don't know."
That's apparently enough of an answer, because she shuts up and clings to him. He suspects she'll fall if she lets go.
For that matter, he suspects the same of himself.
He manages to drag her into the kitchen-so normal, so not-like-the-basement, how strange-before his strength gives out and he drags them both down into a chair.
They need to go to the hospital. She's been injected with something-a sedative, maybe, definitely a dose of that poison.
Maybe Mrs. Richardson will come and pick them up.
He's just reaching for the phone when it occurs to him that there is a corpse
Is he really dead?
in the basement and that she might not take that well.
No. They'll have to walk home.
In a minute. He'll be okay in a minute, he can probably carry her, she's little…
Maybe five minutes.
"Jonathan."
Now that they're in a bright room, she doesn't look that bad. Rattled, pale, but no cuts or bruises. At least not that he can see. He's not surprised. They were never physically broken. Well, at least not in the capture. It was always the fall that killed them…or the drowning…or the porcelain doll's hands thrust into their eye sockets.
He closes his eyes and tries hard not to be sick.
"Jonathan."
That's right, she probably wanted to ask him something.
"Yes."
"I don't think we can go to school tomorrow."
Something about that strikes them both as hysterically funny.
Laughing mad…like that maniac that was scared of clowns, the ones the police got to in time, the one that confessed to six murders…
"No." Control. Calm. "No, I don't think so."
She shifts a bit, her arms loosening from around his neck. He's suddenly jittery. They need to get out of here. What if he isn't dead? What if he's dragging himself up the stairs right now?
"We need to go."
"Mm?"
Her eyes are glassy. She's probably going to pass out on him.
"You need to go to the hospital."
She lets him help her up and doesn't ask why they don't just call her parents to come get them.
He won't tell her, he decides. She doesn't need to know.
"What on…my god. Paul. Paul! Over here!"
Huh?
Someone tries to pull her out of his arms-she finally did pass out a little while ago-and he steps back.
"It's okay." the first voice says. "It's okay, kid, we're the police."
Police?
He blinks, realizing that he's…in a neighborhood. A new neighborhood. When did they get there?
"What's your name?"
"Jonathan." he says.
"Who's this?"
"Kitty."
They really are the police-he can see their car. But Gotham's police are corrupt, or maybe the car is stolen…
He takes another step back.
"It's okay. Paul, call an ambulance…Jonathan, was it?"
"Yes."
"Okay. We're just gonna stay here and wait for the ambulance with you. Okay?" He doesn't say anything. "Is there anyone we can call?"
He gives them the Richardson's number. God, he's tired…how long has he been walking? What time is it?
He finds himself on a bench, listening-but-not-listening to somebody's phone conversation. Kitty hasn't woken up, hasn't made any sort of sound. He tries to remember when he finally had to pick her up and draws a blank.
"How are you feeling?"
It's the other officer. Tim, his name tag says. Short for Timothy? Or just Tim?
He doesn't really care.
"I don't know."
"Do you remember what happened?" He hesitates, shakes his head. "Okay. The ambulance is here." Good. "Can they take her now?"
He becomes aware that two new people are standing in front of him.
"Yes."
He watches them walk away and prepares to sit back down to wait. But the ground suddenly tilts. A voice says, "Jesus Christ-!"
But that's all.
THE END