On the Inside

"Memories warm you up from the inside. But they also tear you apart."
― Haruki Murakami

"Open up!" he beat on the door faster, not caring about the scrapes on his hands. "Grandma please! Let me out!" he pushed, bit to no avail. He wished again that he was one of the other, stronger boys with a normal family. But as nothing but the church echoed his cries, he knew not even God was listening. He began to shake as the light waned and crows began to flock above him, seeping in from the scaffolding. Collapsing to the floor, he tried to keep calm. But he couldn't. "Let...me..." he coughed. Shaking again as crows descended, just out of his reach. Maybe she's right about him being the devil's child.

The sunlight left him, just like everything else. He looked up at the dark, shivering as he stood up once more. It wasn't the cold, but this feeling...He slammed the door again,and it gave. The wood teetered open, revealing a startled elderly woman. "Have you embraced The Lord?"

He smiled at her, letting the sensation take siege-

Jonathan almost stormed onto the yard, scoping the inmates for something-anything to get his mind off of things. The few eyes that met him shrank away, but he found one person that was oblivious to him. Although he didn't like picking on those who he'd considered his friends, he can't risk breaking another person by digging too far.

Too far was his current problem, actually. 'Worst childhood memory', Leland asked. He didn't want to indulge her. Memories were crucial to how a person is defined, and that's the last thing he'd give Leland the opportunity to do. There's already someone in his brain and the sedatives they given him aren't helping. But then the girl's face. It was so quick, he almost missed it. The slight widening of the eyes, the small bite of the lip. He had to know, needed to know.

And then she turned to him, a steel smile set. "Why don't you go first?" He fixed his glasses. Still feeling groggy, he should've known better.
"If it'll help you cope..." he began. He shouldn't have started.

"Stuck, Edward?" Jonathan leered over his shoulder, tutting. At least with Edward, it's an actual challenge. Snapping the book shut, his 'favorite' patient stood up to leave. He watched the word Nygma shift slightly on the retreating grey jumpsuit. Edward shouldn't still be sore about the program. "I'm shocked you haven't finished by now." A pause, before Edward called over his shoulder.

"I'm done." He sighed, turning and walking back to the lanky man on the bench. "So...how goes the therapy?"

"She's...stimulating." Edward chuckled, much to his expense.

"So she annoys you?"

No her and Leland annoy me. "It's just a different challenge. We talked about traumatic experiences in our childhood." He surveyed the bored expression on Edward's face.

"Doesn't sound refreshing, 'bad childhoods' are a dime a dozen here." he sat down next to him. Stretching, he thumbed through his book. "Next you're going to tell me she has daddy issues. Are you up for another round of chess?"

"I'd like that...But I think Jervis has taken the board." Under the sparse covers of the trees, there sat Jervis and another, equally quiet gentleman. "Wesker's doing better without a toy to export his anger into. I'd thought you'd be more intrigued by her indulgence in long term effects of an absent father in a child's life." Edward rolled his eyes.

"Why would I be interested in that?" he quipped. "My father made it very clear that he was around." Wiping his sleeve on his brow, the ginger clasped his book shut. He made to avoid the shine of glasses glaring into his face.

"Emotionally, I doubt it. Physically I willing to guess." He hated when only the white showed, it added an extra creepy quality. But now he knew she was okay...for now.

"Jonathan, you haven't listened to anything I said have you?" That stare was unwavering. Edward kept his tone level, waiting for the real reason Jonathan was so chatty. Jervis hasn't left his sight, so he couldn't have known. However Jonathan was silent. But the impeding shadow overcast promised otherwise.

"Nygma," Aaron Cash hoisted his hook over his shoulder. "Doctor Bigby wants to see you."

"Well, here's my stop." Standing up, the Riddler followed the cop. "Don't play doctor...something's not right in the yard today." He whispered before leaving. Jonathan sighed. He liked Edward better when he was vulnerable, and the program topics seemed to bring that out the best. He knew Edward loved talking. But another time, he supposed. There are other chinks to his armor. He just had to take baby steps.

"Baby steps...Speaking of baby steps..." By the fences, a smaller inmate was huddled to the fence. Cascading blonde locks covered her face, but as he walked closer he recognized her immediately. A female that small is ether a delinquent or... "Ms. Dahl?" She looked up, and he put on his best concerned face. "Marion?"

"Fuck off Crane." it seemed humorous coming from what looked like a preteen. She wiped her tears, streaks of dirt staying on her face. He assumed she would be an easy target for the inmates. But he was more interested in what lied behind those eyes. "Or I'll bite your face in."

"That's not as threatening as you think, considering your height." He stated. She scowled, rolling up her long sleeves as she staggered up.

"Then I'll bite you where I can reach, how's that?" He scoffed, but took a step back.

"I was just wondering how you became the C block's new punching bag." Her face didn't falter. Actress. Now he remembered, she used to act. For tv... "Granted, we have some twisted individuals who would find your condition appealing-"

"I said fuck off." She seethed. "The yard's not bothering me Crane, you are." He'll bet money that she liked attention. Maybe that's what she wanted.

"I'm just..." Bored, honestly. And curious. "Worried about you, you don't look the same."

"Gee mister, maybe it's the grey suit covered in dirt?" the high pitched voice irritated his ears. But at least she's still talking to him. As he watched her shift between her legs, he realized that he was right.

"What did you take?" Now he can see it. She wasn't that tall a month ago. She's still under his chest line, but she's almost Maddie's height. Her gaze went to the floor.

"N-nothing."

"Marion..." He looked around the yard, seeing other male inmates warily watching them with bruises of their own. Before her escape she couldn't even lift a brick for too long. Looks like he had another woman he had to speak to. "I guess I stand corrected."

"Damn right you do," she smiled. "I don't need to be soft talked mister Crane, so take a hike."

"All right then, bye bye." she blinked, hesitant. But he had other things to do and very, very little time to do it.

Wesker was losing pitifully in the match and was all too relieved when the dinner bell was rung. Jervis dug into his mashed potatoes, too happy to consider gentlemanly table manners. As he sucked on the spoon, his eyes locked onto hers again. He quickly turned to Jonathan, he octave slightly higher. "Do you think Mr. Freeze had anything to do with the weather recently?" But the brunette remained quiet, staring at his plate. Jervis hated it when he was silent. It was a mounting vibe of some intricacy that he couldn't hear or see and most certainly didn't want to be a part of. "Johnny boy?" That got a quick stabbing glare before his companion visibly relaxed.

"Sorry Jervis, what was that?" Oh, he hated that too. That false smile isn't going to work this time.

"Do you think the Ice King had a hand in the weather?" he asked, taking another spoonful.

"The I-have you been watching TV with Harley?"

"Well, it's more fun than playing chess with you...since I win mostly." The smile took a slight curve, like a hidden joke. "Besides, the show's funny."

"Speaking of shows, do you remember what show Marion starred in?" Jervis coughed a bit, keeping his eyes focused on his food.

"I think it was "Love that Baby"...it was her life." he muttered. Don't look up. Don't look at him and by the tea don't look at her.

"She looked like a toddler there. And now she looks almost thirteen." He finally looked up, but Jonathan wasn't looking at him. He followed his gaze and mentally swore.

Stop looking at me! He wanted to scream, but maintained his tone. "So she does...maybe she's overcoming it? It's not natural I think..I don't like it that much." Glancing back to Crane, Jervis was elated that the master of fear wasn't paying him any mind.

"Well, someone else does." It was impossible to miss a hulking green humanoid pass by the entrance with a squad of officers armed to the teeth. It stopped, leaning over the table and leveling it's beady eyes with the petrified girl. It breathed something, chuckling as the guards told him to head back his sewage of a cell. "Croc and her dated, if I'm not mistaken."

"What do you suppose that thug wanted with her?" spat Jervis, snapping his friend out of his own mental bubble. He thought the answer was obvious.

Control. Jonathan rubbed his eyes as Jervis fiddled with his hat. It was an understandable obsession amongst inmates, locked within the physical and psychological prisons themselves. "Croc probably likes what he sees and wants to reestablish his territory."

"His territory? She's not his property, and talking to her doesn't do anything about it." Jervis held the spoon tightly as Croc didn't move, and Marion kept darting her eyes everywhere. The ground, Jones, and him. She held her gaze once more, almost pleading.

"Perhaps when he breaks out he'll make his claim the old fashioned way; conjugation."

Splat. Silence. And dripping mashed potatoes off the back of killer croc's neck. Marion covered her mouth, wide eyed and staring still at Jervis. Jonathan's eyebrows shot up as the beast turned, nostrils flared. But the Mad Hatter just stared blankly at his outstretched spoon, as though it moved all it's own. He swallowed, slowly placing in down and shrinking in his seat. Killer Croc roared, pushing pass his squad team as a food fight brawl exploded. Jonathan kicked the table sideways and pulled Jervis down with him.

"What the hell was that?!" he spat to the dazed short man. Potatoes and corn flew passed their heads, but Jonathan cared more about the impeding thumps heading for them. Jervis stammered to himself, then screamed as the table was smacked out of the way and the scaly man stood over them, beady yellow eyes on the smaller of the two.

"Well, Tetch, it looks like we have something in common." Picking him up, he clasped his fists around the Hatter's throat. "We like to play with our food." Jaws opening, the blonde kicked and tried screaming. A smaller woman latched onto Croc's head, shielding his eyes.

"Let 'em go you dummy!" Marion held tight as he thrashed, hissing. He bucked, crashing his thick skull into hers. Falling limp, she slid off and fell on the ground.

"Waylon put him down! Eating him solves-" he ducked as a tray was flung towards them. Peeking past the behemoth, he spotted Harley and Ivy snickering before another tray flew at him. Jones roared inches from his face.

"Let this embarrassment learn his place," raising a kicking an screaming Jervis up higher, he opened his mouth. Jonathan spied Aaron Cash running towards them, a remote in tow.

"Let him go!" Aaron pressed the button. The screams normally were music to ears. But all the howls of pain did was make him wish he was deaf.

"That's it Jones you better settle down." Cash muttered to the heap on the floor. Jervis remained huddled, whispering in the after-throws of electrical charges. "Get Tetch to the medical ward, then move Kremit to solitary." More guards came, hoisting the Mad Hatter up. Aaron grimaced, grabbing Jervis with his hook. "And I'll make sure you get some well deserved alone time, instigator." But Tetch kept his eyes on the floor, listening to the laughs and jeers about him. As he was dragged away, he caught Marion's eyes welled with tears as she mouthed his name. She barely caught his smile before the doors slammed shut.

Johnathan sat on the ground, rubbing his glasses from the spit Croc left. He was sure this little spectacle would mean a week's worth of lunches in the cells. Readjusting them, he spied Ivy getting up to leave. She looked up, smirking and pointing to the door, then the silent Marion. He scowled, standing up and patting his uniform. Even more guards came, corralling inmates into groups to there cell blocks. He'd have to reach Ivy some other way, and then talk to Jervis about this...thing with Baby Doll.

As he watched Jones get another volt through the control collar, he thought about how close the creature's cell was to Gotham sewers. Jervis knew a thing or two about control...He began to smile, thinking of how thrilled Edward would be to hear his new plan. He can finally turn the game around, and knew the exact pieces he'd need.

He couldn't wait for another session.

Jervis...

Maddie fiddled with the golden locket she kept. At least, she was allowed to keep. Back in her cell, she still felt so small. But for the briefest moment earlier, she felt...

My Marion. She remembered when he called her that. After a few therapy sessions, she noticed his lingering gaze. When she spoke, he leaned forward with such attention she almost blushed. He was the only person at the time that called her Marion. Not even Croc called her that. She held the locket tighter, she knew why; Jervis was different.

Different meant a lot to her back then. It was everything, in a sense. And he was...perfect for her. She wanted him, in every way a woman can want a man. And she thought that it would be the same. That night, she remembered how wrong she was "Jervis..." He looked up, quickly looking back down.

They escaped together months ago. After he saved her she wanted nothing better than to show that she could be his anything. He gave her confidence, strength. His Marion. "Marion, dear, put on your clothes." His ears burned red, and that was good for her. It meant that he knew, and maybe...

"Jervis," her voice was deeper, no-realer than normal. She took a few more steps towards him. "Look at me." She crawled onto the the bed. It took time to finally have Ivy want to help, have the chemicals work, to have the slightest differences take place. She let her platinum locks cascade around his face, smiling as his eyes flickered all over her. He made to sit up, and she nuzzled his neck slightly. He gulped, clutching the sheets tighter to him.

"Mar-" her lips sealed his, reaching for his hands and placing then to her chest. Now, she just wanted to have him. He tried to pull back, but she held them there. She pushed forward, as if she can force his mind to understand that they weren't doing anything wrong. That she can be what he wanted. She shifted her hips, smiling when she can feel the proof under her growing. Pulling at the sheets, she sat back and opened her eyes. Her heart stopped. He was in tears. "I-I can't...I won't."

"But...Jervis."

"Marion, get out of the bed..."

Marion kept her voice low as hot tears stained her pants. Her small sobs echoed the prison walls that night undisturbed. The last thing she wanted to be called was a baby. Never again.

A/N: Sorry for the late post! I just didn't know where to end the chapter. But I think here is good for now. Wonder what Johnathan has planned, and what happened to Edward? Again thanks for the patience and I'm working on chapter 5: Wandering.