A/N: Hello all! I'm updating earlier than I had planned, but I'm sure you guys won't mind, ha, ha. Anywho, shout outs to LunaticaDaliz, Heart of Friendship, IdleThreats, Madness is me, Mrs. Depp, and Erik'sTrueMuse. Thank you guys so much for reviewing! It makes me smile. And thanks to all of you who have favorited, alerted, and read this story so far!

Disclaimer: I don't own Jonathan Crane, Gotham, or anything related, except for Cassie, and all the other OCs. They are mine. Hence the name OC. Heh…

Chapter 3

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A whole two weeks had passed, and Cassie was stunned to say that she was becoming quite comfortable staying with the Cranes. Though, she really had to owe this to Mrs. Crane's fabulous cooking skills. Cassie was very much hooked to it now, and would dearly miss it when she had to return home with her mother.

However, Mrs. Crane could not only cook good, but she was also one of the sweetest people Cassie had ever met. She loved talking to Cassie, something her own mother hardly did. Discovering that Cassie had not so many books of her own, she was kind enough to let her keep Wuthering Heights. And whenever she went shopping, she would take Cassie with her. In fact, just the other day, she had bought Cassie a beautiful, black skirt. Cassie had thanked her more times than she could count for that one.

Her son, on the other hand, was not so warm. He wasn't as bad as he had initially appeared; he just didn't seem to like her, is all. Cassie couldn't understand why. What had she done to him? She was always polite, always generous with him. She never took more than ten minutes in the bathroom, and tried to stay out of his way as much as possible. But a feat like that was near impossible when you were living and going to the same school together. He didn't ride the bus, for obvious reasons, so she would have to walk with him to school and back everyday. Cassie had been nervous walking with him at first. So far, they'd gotten lucky and hadn't had any run ins with Harry and his crew, but she was still very leery. At school, the two almost completely dispelled each other, until fourth period that is. In fourth period art class, Cassie was alone, as Shelby did not have that hour with her. The only time she had somebody was when she was forced to hook up with a partner for some project or other. That partner always happened to be Jonathan Crane. Through the last two weeks, Cassie had come to find that Jonathan was rather mediocre in art, unlike herself. This irked Jonathan. Sure, he was getting an A, but only because she was helping him along. He was not accustomed to being aided by another student. The worst part of it was, that in having to live with her, he felt automatically obliged to return the favor by tutoring her with her math homework. Cassie was more than thankful for this, and was constantly expressing it to him.

Although Jonathan did not openly show it, he was indeed proud for being so gifted in the area. Never before had he tutored someone, so it was a strangely invigorating feeling that he got when he taught Cassie. Perhaps it was because his intelligence was finally coming to good use for once. Or perhaps it had to do with the fact it was a girl that he was teaching. She was the damsel in distress, and she needed him. Just him, and no one else. Jonathan couldn't begin to describe how good it felt to be needed by a female of his age. He would never dream of telling her, though.

Rather he liked it or not, Jonathan Crane was becoming somewhat fond of the skinny redhead. She was not at all how he had first imagined her to be. She was quiet, humble, courteous, and fairly bright. Of course, this didn't mean he wanted to be friends with her. Not just yet, anyway. He wanted to see how she would treat him once she was done staying with them. For now, she had no choice but to be nice to him.

"I don't know why you're being such a jerk towards her. She's real sweet, Jon. She's nothing like the other girls. Heck, she complimented me! No girl, besides my grandmother, has ever done that before."

Jonathan ignored the person closest to what one would call a friend, Richard, his sharp, blue eyes lidded as he stared unblinking at the lay out of the cafeteria before him. It was lunchtime, and the hall was booming with the resounding laughter and various conversations of the students. He hated the racket. Trying to block out the deafening roar, he swallowed his mashed potatoes, then responded to Richard in a low tone.

"That's what you said about Bethany. Now look where she's at." he pointed his fork over to the far wall of the cafeteria where a group of chatty girls were seated.

Richard's eyes followed the direction of his fork, and he sighed, defeated.

"Bethany's a bitch, that's true. But not Cassie. I think she's genuine, Jon, I really do."

"Only because you've developed a mindless crush on her."

"So what? She's hot!" the blond boy exclaimed thoughtlessly. "Which is what is mind-boggling about the whole thing. Here you have this one chance in a lifetime opportunity of having a living, breathing girl stay at your house, who of which you can claim before any other guy, and you're here practically blowing her off! What is wrong with you, Dude?!"

Jonathan cut a slice off of his meatloaf, not looking at his friend.

"Nothing. I just have not the slightest interest in her. She's too tall, too thin, blushes way too much-"

"And she's coming this way!"

"What?" Jonathan's head snapped up.

Sure enough, there was Cassie, her high-placed ponytail sweeping from side to side behind her as she strode over to their table, lunch tray in hand. Jonathan narrowed his eyes at her. What was she up to?

"H-hey, guys. M-mind if I, uh, sit with you?" she asked in a soft, bashful way, stopping in front of their table.

Richard took up on that offer straight away.

"Sure!" he flashed her a huge grin, revealing a set of shining, silver braces.

"Okay." she looked relieved.

Setting her tray down, Cassie took a seat across from Jonathan, and next to Richard. Jonathan was a little peeved to see the amorous boy scoot a smidge closer to her.

"So, how ya doing, Cas?" Richard inquired in what he assumed was a smooth way.

Cassie shrugged, stirring some butter into her mashed potatoes.

"Good, I guess. How about you, Richard?"

"I am great." he gripped the table ledge, smiling stupidly at her.

Cassie gave a fake chuckle, then looked up at Jonathan timidly.

"H-how are you… Jonathan?"

Jonathan gave her a mild look, raising an eyebrow.

"That's a nonsensical question, as we wake up every day together. It should not be a problem knowing whether I am well or poor."

Cassie bit her bottom lip, her cheeks turning a dark red.

"I-I, well, it's j-just you n-never really t-tell me-I w-was only w-wondering-I-I'm sorry."

She hung her head so that he couldn't see her face or eyes properly, going back to stirring her food sadly. Richard sighed through his nose, and Jonathan switched his hard gaze to him instead of the red-haired girl. The blond boy was frowning at him, shaking his head. Jonathan, however, was not fazed, and continued with his degradation of Cassie.

"Is there any particular reason you came to sit here? I'm sure your friend will be missing you sorely."

Cassie shook her head, still keeping it low.

"No. I, well, I-I just thought I'd do something d-different today. And if you are referring to Shelby, don't worry. She won't miss me. She…" she inhaled, then exhaled shakily. "She found someone better than me."

Jonathan's condescending stare morphed swiftly into a frigid glare.

"That makes sense." he started rather heatedly. "She dumps you, and you presume that you'll find sanctuary at the loser's table."

"Jon!" Richard gasped, wide-eyed.

Jonathan didn't hear him, though. All of his senses were focused on Cassie at that moment.

"Well, you won't." he went on, cold as ice. "Now leave."

"I-I didn't c-come over h-here b-because I h-had no one else to s-sit w-with. I c-came over here because I w-wanted t-to. Shelby d-dumped me b-because of this." Cassie explained quietly, her voice thick with tears.

Sniffling, she stood abruptly, swiped up her tray, and fled away from their table, leaving Jonathan staring after her, befuddled. Had he been reading her entirely wrong this whole time? Had she truly chosen to come and sit with them of her own accord? She hadn't seriously lost Shelby over this, had she?

"Nice going, Jon." Richard's sarcastic voice brought him out of his confused thoughts.

"Huh?"

"God, do you realize that you totally just made a girl cry?" Richard hissed at him, leaning across the table.

As soon as the bell had rung, Jonathan was speeding towards his fourth hour with all haste. He was fortunate enough to have slipped past Harry Banner without being harmed, so that gave him some assurance. For Jonathan was going to need to be in tip top psychological condition if he were going to speak to Cassie. He still wasn't sure what he was going to say to her, though. Obviously an apology was in order, but then what? He was sure that there was more to apologizing to a girl than he was aware of.

Bringing himself up to his full height, Jonathan stepped into the cheery, colorful art classroom. His blue eyes scanned the already assembled heads of students until they came to rest on the lonely, red one in the corner. He was a bit unsettled to see her head down on the desk, and not doodling happily as she usually did prior to every class.

Summoning all of the courage and humility he could muster within himself, Jonathan approached her.

This was going to be difficult.

"Ahem, Cassandra?" he announced his presence to her.

Cassie's body, he noticed, went rigid. Slowly, she brought her head up from the desk to look at him. Jonathan's heart took a dip when he saw that her face was wet and flushed from crying. Her hazel eyes turned to slits as she glowered up at him, though he could see a hint of unease breaking through.

"W-what do you w-want, Jonathan?"

Jonathan had to bite back a snicker. Even after the way he had treated her, she still wasn't able to conduct her full fury on him. He could not help but be amused by the fear he had unbeknownst instilled in her.

"I realize that my assumptions were inaccurate, and I have come to tell you that I-" he took a breath and licked his lips. "I am… sorry."

There. He said it. Could life go on now, please?

Cassie sniffed, her scowl easing up. She seemed unsure. Suspicious.

"Well, alright." she replied after a few moments of hesitation. "I, I guess I forgive you?"

She guesses?

An awkward pause ensued between them. Cassie was watching him with cautious curiosity, an aura of expectancy about her; but, Jonathan didn't know what else to say. He knew this was going to happen. Now how was he going to get out of it?

"Erm." he shifted his weight to his left foot, looking everywhere else but at her.

Cassie was in awe. This was the first time she had witnessed dispassionate Jonathan Crane act so… human. She wasn't sure of how to put it, but the way he stood and how he seemed to be at a lost for words, it was sort of cute.

Suddenly feeling a lot more confident than she ever had around the callous boy, Cassie spoke, breaking the silence.

"Do you want to sit with me?"

Jonathan was taken off guard by her blunt invitation. His eyes found hers, and he wish they hadn't. There was no way possible that he could refuse now. At least, not without being a total asshole. However, by doing this-sitting with her, that is- he was essentially agreeing to befriend her. Was he sure that he wanted to take that risk? The potential risk of humiliation if she were ever to cast him aside for another? It's happened to him once before, and Jonathan was not ready to go through the experience again anytime soon. But, what if perchance Richard was right? What if Cassie was different? What if she genuinely wanted to be his friend? Jonathan couldn't see how she would. He was a nerd. An outcast. A jerk. She was too nice of a person to care for the likes of him. Yet, she did. It was all so puzzling to Jonathan.

He wasn't one to depend on chance, because chance never steered him right. Something about Cassie, though, made him consider. He wanted to try, he really did.

Would Cassie let him down? If her words and actions were anything to go by, then no. Absolutely not. He supposed that there was only one thing for him to do at this point.

Here goes nothing…

"Yeah." he nodded his head, pulling over a chair.

Cassie was taken aback. Was he serious?

He must have been, for he had sat down next to her, and was now searching through his backpack for a pencil and paper. Cassie couldn't contain her smile, so she turned her face away from him, so as not to let him see. She didn't know why she was so overjoyed, she just was. Throughout the hour, the two exchanged no more than two words with each other, Cassie absorbed in her own work, while Jonathan was still very much preoccupied by his inner conflictions towards the girl. When the bell rang, he sprung up without warning, startling Cassie.

"Are you okay?" she queried in a soft voice, eyeing him.

"Yes." he threw his backpack over his shoulders, rapidly making for the door.

Two more hours later, and the last bell calling for the end of the day rang. Cassie waited until the majority of her health class had dispersed out the door before collecting her homework and backpack, rising from her seat, and leaving as well. The halls were thankfully clear for the most part, only containing a few teachers and some stray members of after school clubs. On her way to the front entry doors of the high school, Cassie's eye caught something. Slowing her pace, she walked up to one of the many bulletin boards that lined the school's hallways, and read one of the advertisements. It was an activity that she hardly, if not ever did, because there was never anything that captured her interest. Usually during holidays the student council would often stick up programs for different festivals or events to go to, as was the case now.

Haunted Corn Maze!

Experience all the chills and thrills of Halloween in this maze of terror! Located off of B-13, at Dawson's Ranch. Open Mondays throughs Fridays, 5:00 p.m. to 10:00 p.m., Saturdays and Sundays, 5:00 p.m. to 12:00 a.m. Adults, $3.50 a ticket, children, 10 and under, $1.00 a ticket.

Cassie reread the paper a few times over. She was not a huge Halloween fan, but she did love corn mazes. When Cassie was young, and when her father was not yet gone, he and her mother would always take her through at least one maze before the season was out. The last time they did this was over five years ago. Her mother did not like to do much of anything anymore since the divorce.

The current situation with the Cranes though, presented an oppotunity to reestablish the tradition. That is, if he were willing.

"Cas!"

The sudden call of her name made Cassie jump around, hand on her heart. Richard was coming towards her, grinning brightly.

"Oh, hey, Richard." she recomposed herself, putting on what she hoped was a friendly, welcoming smile.

"Hey, thought you would have left by now with Jon?" he came to stop in front of her.

"I got a bit caught up reading the bulletin board, but I'm leaving now."

"What were you reading?" he looked up at the board over her head.

"Um, some Halloween stuff-"

"The haunted corn maze?" he cut across her, watching her a little too closely.

Cassie hesitated, then sighed and gave a nod.

"Cool." he scratched the back of his neck, a sure sign of nerves. "Are you going?"

"Me? Well, I don't know, I was thinking of asking Jonathan, but, I doubt he'll want to."

"Maybe we could go together."

Cassie was not prepared for that.

"We?" she echoed him, afraid.

"Yeah. I mean, if you want to…"

No, I really don't want to at all.

It wasn't that she didn't care for Richard, she just didn't feel comfortable with him. He liked her, she knew, and that made her cringe. However weird this might sound, she felt much more secure around Jonathan, and that definitely was saying something.

"Erm, sure." she edged away somewhat. "But, if Jonathan wants to, he can come with us, okay?"

Richard looked disheartened by this, his grin falling.

"Uh, yeah, sure, okay. That's, uh, that's fine."

"Good. Great." Cassie started down the hallway again, giving him a little wave. "Um, bye, Richard."

"Yeah, bye, Cassie." he waved back, though not too enthusiastically.

She understood his disappintment, but there was nothing Cassie could do. She couldn't possibly reciprocate his feelings, so why lead him on? No, that was wrong. He'd just have to deal with it. What mattered the most at this moment was convincing Jonathan Crane to tag along.