A/N: Hello! I have finally managed to finish this chapter! I really do hope you enjoy! R&R, please!

I would also like to say something else about the story…In Batman Begins, everything kinda happens like bang bang bang. I know I introduced the concept of Bruce coming back quite early in the story, so I am going to make more time for Dr. Crane and alice to get to know each other, and let the story develop before he's revealed as Scarecrow.

Alice woke up Friday morning, groggy from some sort of nightmare that made her head swim with images that she tried to place before they disappeared. Her alarm went off at nine and Alice obediently got up. She rubbed her eyes and tried to remember what had made her set her alarm on her day off. She would have blissfully slept another hour and a half or so if she hadn't been jolted awake.

Oh, right…Her appointment with Dr. Crane. Unease suddenly rose up in Alice. Did she really need to go see him? She could just forget about it. It was just one freak incident… Or she just talk to someone else. Like her mom…no, that would be a bad idea. That would bring up the question of relationships…and she didn't want to deal with that. Besides, her mother would probably tell her to go see a physiatrist anyway.

She knew for sure that she wouldn't tell Annie. She would flip. Who was she kidding? She had no one else to talk to.

By the time Alice had convinced herself that is was a good idea to go, it was already nine thirty. The appointment wasn't until noon, but she still had to shower, do her hair, and well, everything else, including actually driving up to Arkham.

When she was finished and just about to head out the door, butterflies rose in her stomach. Alice blushed and turned to the mirror.

"No." She told herself. "You are not going to try to impress a physiatrist. Especially one who might think you're crazy. You'll look even crazier." She humped. Even as she said it the butterflies came back. Alice let out an irritated sigh and set out to Arkham.

She approached the island and looked up at it in awe. Alice had never been to this part of town before, and she had never had the need to. She parked in the office parking lot, and nervously opened the door to her impending doom.

It seemed like any other office. Of course she had never been in a physiatrist office before. Alice checked her watch. She wasn't too early, was she? No, it was just now eleven fifty-five. Not wanting to block the doorway or have people stare at her, she walked to the front desk.

"Excuse me," She said quietly. The woman that had been writing down something on a file looked up at her. "Uhm, I have an appointment with Dr. Crane." Alice continued, perhaps even quieter than before. "At twelve." She added. Her mouth grew dry as the woman looked at her for a moment. Did she think that she was crazy?

"I'll tell him that you're here." The woman smiled. "What's your name?"

"Oh, it's Alice Huntley."

"I'll be right back."

Before she knew it, Alice was ushered down a long hallway and to the door of Dr. Crane's office. The woman hesitated a moment before turning back to go to her desk, glancing at the unopened door and quickly back to Alice. Did the woman think she was crazy like Dr. Crane's other visitors? Did Dr. Crane himself think she was crazy? Then she thought to herself, Am I really crazy? The loud clacking of high heels on the hard marble floor brought Alice back to reality. The woman was gone, and now she had to open the door.

The door opened very quietly. Alice stepped inside the office, the carpet muffling the sound of her steps. Dr. Crane sat at his desk frantically writing something down. He hadn't noticed her come in. Alice opened her mouth to announce herself, but Dr. Crane's head shot up. Alice's mouth snapped shut.

"Ms. Huntley. I'm glad you came." Alice nodded silently, her mouth still dry. "Have a seat." She closed the door and timidly sat down in the seat across from him at his desk. "Are you comfortable?" He inquired. Alice nodded and then remembered she hadn't said anything yet.

"Y-yes. Thank you." She would have blushed, but instead, she felt the color drain out of her face. Dr. Crane didn't seem to notice, in fact, he probably thought it was normal. Dr. Crane wrote something down on what Alice assumed to be a list of notes about her, and began.

"Do you remember anything about Wednesday night?" Dr. Crane coaxed. Alice fidgeted in her seat. "Anything at all?"
"Uhm...well, I was just standing in my room. And all of a sudden it was dark. Hands reached out for me, but I ran away. There was a spider...and my dog..."Her lips quivered, threatening to let out a sob. "Well," she composed herself and continued. "I ran out of the house and out to the parking lot of my apartment building. I don't remember much, but I think there was a..." She blushed and looked at her hands and ringed them in her lap. "It doesn't sound believable." Alice chewed on her lip thoughtfully.
"I'll believe you." Dr. Crane promised. Alice looked in his eyes and saw his sincerity.

"A scarecrow." She said, looking him straight in the eye. He nodded and wrote something down.

"Is there something from your past, perhaps, that would fuel a fear of a scarecrow?" He asked, no emotion ever showing on his visage.

"Well, no, I always thought that they were funny…" Alice trailed off into a mumble.

"Maybe you saw something while you were outside that looked like a scarecrow." Alice shrugged, and they moved on. He asked her more questions about her personal life. Her family, her work, seemingly normal things for a physiatrist to ask. Time passed while they conversed.

"When we first talked, you mentioned a couple things that you are afraid of. Is it alright if we talk about that?" He questioned in his professional tone. Alice gave him a quick nod. She was surprised he remembered so much about their first encounter. "Well, you said that you are afraid of the night, and when you can't see in the dark. Xenophobia is the fear of the unknown, which could be equal to not being able to see in the dark, and not knowing what's there. Now, you were more direct with being afraid of the dark, and that would be Nyctophobia." Alice was surprised to hear this information. Such big words to describe what she had thought to be her little fears. Dr. Crane sat comfortably, leaning on his desk with his hands clasped in front of him.

"Do you…really think that it's serious?"

"It well may be, with your occurrence." He said sagely. "I'd like to help you, help you figure out why this happened." Alice thought deeply. What if it did happen again? She would need help, and Dr. Crane seemed to understand.

"I think that's a good idea."

"Good, then we can meet again? Friday's seem to be good." Alice agreed, and they talked over the details. Alice left feeling significantly more confident in her decision to come see Dr. Crane. Although, she didn't think that she would be telling anyone about this anytime soon.

Xxx

When Alice left his office, Dr. Crane let a wry smile to play across his face. She was perfect. She believed every word he said. And she was scared just enough. Just enough to toy with her, to make it better…or to make it worse.

A/N: Woo! Another chapter down! I'm glad I got this one done, I was so stuck on some of these parts. I hope you enjoyed this! And I really hope I kept the good doctor in character enough! R&R! I love you all! :D