Chapter 5: Two-Face

It was now early afternoon and it was, surprisingly, a very sunny day outside of the Asylum. Many of the inmates enjoyed the rare rays of sunlight by sitting next to the escape-proof windows of their cells and staring wistfully out at the rolling hills that surrounded them. This pleased the orderlies, since the sun made the patients less cagy and easier to handle. However, when the orderlies were pacing along the cell-block that housed Batman's rogue gallery, they noticed that Harvey Dent's cell was only half-filled with light. The other half was obscured in shadows as a makeshift curtain was partially pulled over the window. Harvey was sitting on his bed, flipping his coin incessantly. Harvey's disfigured side of his face was in the light, wearing an expression of collected cool while his good side was hidden in the dark. He was waiting for the orderlies to open his cell and lead him to the recreation room as they have always done. Playing cards with his fellow rogues was the only thing in the entire day that he looked forward to. Harvey couldn't help but smile remembering the time that he beat Joker at poker a week ago. Joker had gotten so angry that he knocked the playing table over and threw a punch at him. Harvey was able to catch the punch in time and was able to twist Joker's arm behind his back before the orderlies pulled him away. Joker would probably make him pay later on, but it was satisfying to get back at the clown after weeks of him cheating every card game.

Harvey's cell door creaked open and a stony-faced orderly came in and announced, "Mr. Dent, you have a visitor."

Harvey immediately stopped flipping his coin and asked in his raspy voice, "Who is it?"

"I have no idea. I'm just here to escort you to the visitor's room," answered the orderly.

Harvey got up and walked toward the door. The orderly got out a pair of hand cuffs and put them on Harvey's wrists, adding, "Sorry, visiting regulations."

Harvey nodded in response. It used to be that hand-cuffs weren't necessary for all patients. That was before the elaborate escape plan that Edward had made about three weeks ago that involved a pretend father, bribery of the guards, and the use a chainsawUltimately it didn't work, but Arkham wasn't the kind of place that took an escape lightly.

He walked out of his cell and the orderly locked it behind him. Harvey was led down the hallway, its concrete floor squeaky clean after a resent washing.

As he walked through the seemingly endless corridors, his mind wandered to the identity of his visitor. Could it be one of his henchmen, bringing in some good news? Or maybe it was a rival crime boss, personally delivering a threat? He wasn't prepared however, to see who was waiting in the next room. As soon as the orderly opened the door to the visitor's room, Harvey's eyes traveled to the other side of the room and his eyes went wide with surprise.

"Grace?" he asked as he walked to a chair and sat down.

"Yes! Oh Harvey I've missed you so much!" gushed Harvey's former fiancé.

Harvey put his good hand on the glass barrier that separated him and Grace and said, "I… why are you here?"

"Harvey don't you remember?" asked Grace, sounding hurt. "It's our anniversary. It's the day you asked me to marry you."

A long period of silence filled the room. Harvey noticed that Grace held a banquet of roses in her left hand. She was still wearing the engagement ring he gave her last summer, a glittering diamond surrounded by a pool of gold. Her dark brown eyes looked at him expectantly and a part of him felt sympathetic. The pain she must feel… being separated from someone she loved. Harvey felt the same way the first time he was thrown in Arkham. After a couple of months he gave up of ever seeing her again, yet here she was sitting only a foot away, still willing to forgive him after what had happened. Sure Harvey was happy to see her, but the other half of him, the one called Two-Face thought that he was being an idiot. Two-Face thought that showing anything but anger was a sign of weakness. He was reminding Harvey in the back of his mind that he was stronger then he was, that someday he'll get rid of Harvey once and for all and won't hear any nauseating talk about how much Harvey loved Grace. But when Harvey looked into Grace's eyes, Two-Face's voice became just a whisper and he felt at peace. He knew however, as much as he wanted to be with Grace, that it wasn't possible. No matter how much medication he took or therapy sessions he went to, his dark half would not go away. Harvey didn't want to take the chance that Two-Face may come back to the surface and hurt Grace. He felt torn though, that it was either he kept Grace safe and lose his last chance of salvation or that he stayed with her, fearing for that fateful day that he would find her cold body lying on the floor. He felt tempted to flip for it, but he stopped himself before he reached for the quarter.

'I'm not Two-Face. I am Harvey Dent, district attorney for the GPD,' reminded Harvey to himself.

After a few agenizing minutes, he finally spoke to Grace.

"Grace I love you and I always will," Harvey began, "But I don't think it's worth continuing our relationship."

"But why?" asked Grace as her eyes began to tear up.

"It's because I don't want you to get hurt. I can't control Two-Face. Anytime he could just decide to appear and kill you."

"But I'll run that risk Harvey! I want to be with you," pleaded his ex-fiancé, the tears now running freely on her face.

Harvey hated to see her cry and he felt terrible that his words were the cause of them, but his gaze never fell from her face as he spoke.

"That's the problem, Grace, you won't only be with me. You'll be with him too. Is that what you want?"

"No, but Harvey…there has to be a way to get rid of him," reasoned Grace, grabbing a nearby box of tissue and dabbing her eyes with it.

"I've tried everything this hospital has to offer, but nothing works," replied Harvey solemnly.

He continued saying, "I want you to have a happy normal life and you can't have that with me in the picture. I'm sorry and I know this hurts now, but you'll thank me later on. And… I just want to say thanks. Thanks for letting me have a chance at love."

He then added softly, "I'll never stop loving you Grace."

Grace was no longer crying as if she now realized the finality of their situation. With Harvey's word still echoing in her heart she whispered, "And I'll always love you Harvey."

Harvey then got up and without turning back he walked toward the Asylum with the orderly in tow. Along with the chinking chains of his handcuffs, another sound was heard by Harvey. It was the victorious laughter of Two-Face, knowing that at last, he had won the war.