A/N: Hey guys! Here's another chapter. Thank you so much for the people who viewed, faved and followed my story! It means so much to me and thank you for the two lovely reviewers who left encouraging comments. :)

Yet again, I'm sorry for all the grammatical errors. I'm still looking for a beta or betas who are willing to help. If you would like to help, let me know in a review! I really want to make this story as best as it can be. Unfortunately, there's not that much Jonathan Crane/OC in this chapter, I want you guys to at least be a bit more connected with the OC before any more conversations between them. Also, Ali is short for Alouette, but only a few people call her who are personally close to her call her that. Anyways, here we go!

(Thank you so much for reading this story btw.)

Chapter 2. Domestic Pressures

Tuesday morning began with Alouette's alarm clock ringing and she rapidly opened her tired eyes. She groaned and put her pillow on top of her face as a sign of annoyance towards the responsibilities that she had to do.

'Well, at least today I won't be in the same class as Crane' She said to herself once she got out and walked towards her dorm room closet that kept all her bathroom belongings.

As she started to head towards the bathroom to clean herself up she noticed Rachel Dawes coming out of the bathroom.

"Hey Ali! I haven't seen you awhile. I'm guessing you've been busy with all your academics?" Rachel asked as her while she was making a braided ponytail on her hair with her hands. Rachel was Alouette's friend through their journey of college together. She always called her Ali since she's one of the few, other than her mother, who actually knew her personally rather than the girl that Jonathan despised in class. Rachel was once studying in the same major as Alouette, but she felt that law was more of her taste. Even with the academic differences, their friendship never grew apart. Alouette was thankful for having a loyal friend like Rachel even after the tragedy of her father's death.

"Hey Rachel and yes! Isn't that a surprise? Hahaha, you know me too well. I've been already doing my study nights in the library. I have a feeling these last two semesters are going to be a pain." Alouette stated with a slight smile.

Rachel gave out a small laugh and nodded in agreement with her long-term friend. She knew that Alouette has always been academically inclined ever since she met her in their freshman year together at the university. She admired her persistence and overall determination to excel in her studies. Even with her organizational skills that have increased throughout the years, Rachel will never be in the same level as Alouette's frame of organization. It always seemed as if her friend was a robot and not an actual human being when someone walked into her dorm room. It felt like no one lived there at all since everything was kept uptight and almost untouched. Alouette's had the tendency to be a neat freak, which had the pros and cons in her own reality. She knew that sometimes her extreme favor of neatness got in the way of properly letting herself go whenever she needed a mental break. However, with her extreme perfectionist image, Rachel knew that her friend would never make herself peak to the point of insanity.

"I'm guessing you already had some catching up with Crane?" Rachel replied as she gave a sarcastic smile on her face to her friend.

"You already know.. he actually talked to me at the library café last night. It was weird to be a foot away from him. " Alouette said, looking down at her bathroom supplies noticing that she needed to start getting ready with her day.

"Hey, I'll talk to you later, I have to try to attempt to talk to my mom today to report some paperwork to my internship. " She gave a small smile and waved goodbye to Rachel who nodded and walked towards her way to her dorm focusing on the rest of her day.

As Alouette began cleaning up she started to think about Jonathan and hoping that this delay of paperwork won't risk her chances of gaining the internship she desired. She started to question Jonathan's true motives in her head even it meant going to absurd thinking that he might be attempting to propose a friendship with her to distract her from her aspirations. She shook her head knowing that it was a ridiculous accuse and she had no right to put a bad image of Jonathan in such a way even if they were competition for the same thing.

Once Alouette finished her bathing duties she walked back to her dorm in preparation to start off her day. She was let out of class early, which gave her an extra time boost to talk to her mother about faxing the paper work that she needed. She sat down outside of the library on a bench and dialed her mother.

"Mom, it's me. Ali."

"Ali! Hello, how are you dear? I've been started to get worried about you. We haven't talked since-"

"Mom, I'm sorry to interrupt you. Forgive me, but I'm kinda in a rush to get in some paperwork for my...internship."

"Internship? You never told me about a potential internship! Oh Ali, this is such a good start! Are you still in the same major?" Her mother asked with a concern but yet slight curious tone. Alouette bit her lip knowing that the next few minutes will be both of them bickering back to back on the phone. She sighed, pushing some of her falling hair strands off her face.

"Yes, it's an internship at a..uh..mental institution. " She closed her eyes knowing the disappointment of her mom that would ensue in a matter of seconds. The only thing she heard was a heavy sigh.

"Alouette, we both went through this countless times and-"

"And what mom? Why can't you understand that attending people's mental needs is my calling?" Alouette said making sure she won't have her voice go higher in volume for anyone to hear. She started to realize her her short-temper was getting the best of her.

"We both know the real reason. This is way of you to cope for your father's death." At that point, Alouette felt a pinch on her heart.

"Mom…I..please. I just need a piece of paper. I was wondering if you can fax it just so I could avoid coming back. "

"I want to see my daughter and not just give her a piece of paper. " Her mother replied with a small sound of her tearing up at the other end of the call. Alouette sighed and then gave in.

"Okay, I'll come home ONLY to get the paperwork. It's the start of the semester and I can't get distraught with things otherwise I'll hate myself for it." She made sure that her mother understood her busy schedule at this point of time.

"Alright, I'll be here all day. " The change in her mother's voice went from disappointment to content.

"Bye mom, see you soon. Love you." Alouette said. She heard her mom said her affectionate words back to her. She hanged up and looked up in front of the street to see not only then Jonathan Crane himself. He was about to get into his car until both of their eyes locked onto each other. Alouette noticed a small scowl expression on his face when he opened his car door. At first her eyes grew bigger in a way to Jonathan's rudeness, but in all honesty is this even new to her? She tried to return the glowering expression but he looked away and closed his door only to drive away.

Alouette drove to her mother's apartment that stood a couple miles away from Gotham. Her mother never genuinely like living in an area where the criminal rate is above average. She felt safer being a couple of miles away even if it meant to be alone without her daughter with her.

Alouette parked her car in the middle of the apartment, making sure she locked her car just in case. She rang the doorbell and waited a few seconds until her mother came to the door and answered it.

It's so easy to take note on where Alouette's physical features came from. Her mother gave her the brown eyes that she obtained at birth, honey colored when the sun shined on them. Her sun kissed hair was tightened up in a tight bun. Alouette didn't receive the hair of her mothers; instead she had her brown hair from her dad's side. Her daughter noticed the wrinkle streaks under them along with the dark bags that seemed they were slowly carrying her life away. Her mother took her into a warm embrace and whispered, "I missed you." to make sure her daughter felt welcomed.

"Take a seat dear, do you want me to make you some ginger lemon tea?" Alouette's mother asked, knowing that-that the tea was one of daughters favorites.

"Oh, um yea that will be great mom." Alouette replied once she sat down and took noticed of her surroundings. Nothing has changed ever since her mom and father moved into the area. The apartment seemed a lot bigger now without her dad's presence, not in reference to removal of the extra furniture. She felt his missing spirit; the way he would jump in and attack her with a bear hug, unlimited forehead kisses, and conversations of the news that both intrigued them. All the little memories that she only hoped to never stopped.

Her mother interrupted her thoughts of her dad when approaching her with a cup of tea.

"What paperwork did you say you needed?" She asked her daughter when taking a seat across from her with a cup of tea with her as well.

"I need a copy of my birth certificate. I don't know how I would forget it. I guess I thought I didn't need it when I moved into my dorm, funny isn't it?" Alouette took a sip of her tea. Her mother nodded and agreed to give her a copy.

"Anyways, how are you sweet heart? It's pretty amazing how you're about to graduate. Time has come by so fast…"

"I'm doing good. My only focus has always been school. I don't really have time to actually get a job. Who knew that psychology would be so demanding in comparing to the other sciences.." Alouette mentioned while giving a small smile to her mom.

"I know you've been the type to be academically inclined. Have you um…gotten any boys walking around your life lately?"

"No." Alouette said with a monotone.

"What about Bruce? Have you talked to him at all?" Her mother questioned.

Bruce Wayne was one of the only good boyfriend's that Ali had. He respected her, gave her space when she needed to work on schoolwork, and took her out on fine dining practically every weekend. He gave her the atmosphere that she was safe; something that she noticed that lacked in her previous relationships. All that was expected in a healthy relationship, Bruce had it all. He appreciated Alouette for who she was, but in turns out that he wanted to get away from her right when her father's passing happened. His reasoning was the excuse of "It's not you, it's me." and telling her that he needed to escape somewhere far away. Alouette heard that excuse countless times and she always took it personally. They haven't been in contact ever since, more so on Alouette's part for not wanting to rekindle old feelings.

"No, we haven't talked after he broke up with me." She stated. Her mother noticed her frown and quickly changed the topic about the document that she needed. Alouette in the meantime was convincing her mother about the potential internship while her mom was in the other room printing a copy of her birth certificate.

"I just don't want you to regret it. I don't want you to be stuck in something you hate. Something you did for the wrong reasons." Her mom claimed while taking the paper from the printer and walked towards her.

"Mom..do you really think I would have gotten this far and not like it? I spent four years of this already. I know this career is for me. " She took her last sip and turned around to grab the copy from her mother. She looked up to see her concern look on her face, realizing that she did not mean to cause any emotional harm towards her.

"Okay, just please be careful? Especially when if you do get that internship and wind up with the high profile psychotics.." Her mother took her hand while she was talking. Even though she didn't promptly accept her daughters career choice, she knew that she had to stand by her side.

"I will. I promise. Trust me." Alouette said. She rose from her seat and gave a small peck on her mother's rosy cheek, telling her she loved her; giving her gratitude for her understanding even with her hesitation.

"I have to go now. I have to finish a couple of things before this week ends." Alouette said; taking her bag with her car keys inside. Her mother nodded and smiled at her. She gave her another hug and said goodbye while walking at the door. Eventually she went and drove back to Gotham University's campus.

Jonathan Crane spent his time in his car inclusively thinking about the girl after his reencounter with her when she was sitting on the bench earlier that day. He cursed himself for even considering her being valuable in his mind. He didn't even care for her to begin with, so why is she wandering inside his conscious? She was the one who was supposed to be distracted by Jonathan himself.

Muttering on his breath, trying to regain his senses back he started tapping his thumb on the leather wheel in hopes of at least being in control.

He got out of car, taking his dark briefcase with him and start working towards his apartment door. He opened it and made sure to take off his suit coat, velvet tie and his dress shoes before he set any more footsteps on the wooden floor beneath him.

Letting out a sigh, he walked towards the kitchen and decided to pour himself some cereal for dinner. He remained having the difficulty in letting Alouette roam in his head. What was so charming of her persona? Perhaps it was the obvious determination personality she has that kept him on his toes. She was undaunted by him even with his rudeness nature expressed towards her. How has she not stepped away from him after all this time in being opponents? Surely she will have to run away somehow. However, deep down inside Jonathan he knew that Alouette had just as much of a raging fire inside of her just as him. This raging fire was not of anger, but of passion. Even Jonathan knew he couldn't subdue into that level of willpower without Scarecrow pushing him to the unknown limits. He had come to the conclusion that this girl had a different strength inside of her that even Jonathan could say he admired her for, probably even envy her. This particular strength is what has gotten her to the same height as of him, in terms of academics and possibly even career-wise. Her single advantage was that she did not carry her own personal scarecrow inside her head that clouded her reasoning.

Only if she knew what troubled thoughts he faces every day without putting them into action.

Or did she have her own personal scarecrow?

A/N: Anndddd that's the end of the chapter! Did you guys like it? Chapter 3 will be out in the middle of the week. Thank you guys so much, hope you enjoyed your weekend! :)