AN: They left two days later-he mostly wanted her there because she'd lost a lot of blood. Takes place early-ish on-these days this sort of thing wouldn't warrant a hospital trip. Oh! I'm so excited for October. I took this guy, and I...well, spoilers, but it was very exciting and horrible and Penguin would be proud of me. :D
Christineoftheopera-Most people are. They just don't care to admit it.
Katherine-I respect those who deal with patients' family members and loved ones. I've been there. I know how it is.
He didn't know who it was, or he would have been more careful in his wording. All he knew was that about three hours ago, a man walked in with a bleeding woman in his arms, demanded help now, and now had no intention of leaving the room, whether or not he was actually permitted to be in it.
He found him dozed off slumped over the bed, glasses halfway down his face and the woman's hand in his own.
"Sir?" He stirred, raised an eyebrow. "Are you awake?"
"Ah. Doctor." He replaced his glasses and sat up. "Come to report, or just a check?"
"I think it would be best…she won't be awake tonight, do you have a place to stay? If you leave a number we can call you…"
"No."
"No?"
"I am not leaving this room, Doctor, and that is final." His voice was cold, clipped, and left no room for argument. "Now do what you came to do and get out."
"Sir, please don't make me call security."
His eyes sharpened behind his glasses and it struck him that perhaps this man was not quite sane.
"Do you know who I am?"
"No."
"Pity." He stood up, joints cracking. "You'll find out the hard way, then. How unfortunate."
"What?"
"Good lord, I'd forgotten how bright they keep these rooms." He adjusted his glasses and sighed. "No matter. My name is Jonathan Crane."
"Should that mean something to me?"
"God, you must be new. Do you know what Gotham is famous for?"
"The Batman?"
"Besides him."
"The masked crazies?"
The man-Crane-looked beseechingly at the ceiling.
"Acceptable answer. You may know me better as the Scarecrow."
Oh.
Oh, shit.
"I didn't…"
"Enough." He was very close now, and before he could back away long fingers grasped his chin with a firmness he wouldn't have suspected. "I'm very tired and very worried, Doctor. In short, irritating me is not the best idea."
"I'm so sorry…"
"Jon'than?"
The fingers pulled back and he was at her side in a heartbeat.
"How are you feeling?" he asked, his voice soft. "Drugged, I know, but other than that?"
The hell? Split personality? Sleep deprivation? Was there a trick to keeping him like this all the time?
"Heavy." She reached a hand up and brushed her fingers across his forehead before taking hold of his wrist. "Tired."
"You had to have surgery…do you remember what happened?"
"Stomach's numb."
"Close enough." He patted her hand. "Go back to sleep, I'll be here when you wake up."
"Promise?"
"Yes. Now go to sleep."
"No killing."*
He sighed but settled down by the bed.
"Very well. Get some rest, Kitty, it's going to be fine."
She fell silent and Crane shot him a look.
"I don't like to break my promises, Doctor, so I suggest you leave. Now. And if the police come, I'll know who called them, and I will seek you out. Don't think that I won't."
"But she said…"
"Right now. That wish does not extend to her departure, I assure you. You may come back later to see how she is."
He beat a hasty retreat and nearly bowled over a nurse walking by.
"Crane back in?"
"You know him?"
"He's in and out. Just leave him alone, and whatever you do, don't try to get him out. Last person that tried to drag him out of there ended up in Arkham."
He would have appreciated knowing this beforehand.
"Anything else I should know?"
"Hope she doesn't die. She got pneumonia once-it's a hospital, shit happens-and he freaked."
Lovely. Just lovely.
When he went back in later, Crane had fallen back asleep, one hand gripping hers like a lifeline.
He let him alone this time.
THE END
*It's less a matter of mercy and more a matter of, 'please don't get the cops called on us right now'. Such a hypocrite: three guesses who sits there with a shotgun, just waiting for an excuse.