Special thanks to SupernaturalGirl51799, hauntingwolf, and M4ddieG for following All Because I love You;
And another special thanks to teemarie, hauntingwolf, Sissel's a Cute Bad-aft, and LunaMarr for favoring All Because I Love you!
Finally, a special thanks to Flowerchild23, Live-Laugh-Sing, and Johanna Crane.
Flowerchild23: me too, I can never decide what my favorite color is for too long, because I change my mind every minute; but it is never pink or yellow.
Johanna Crane: Yes! A new Crane/ OC story; it will be circling in this universe around Jonathan and Emily's friend Hannah. I'm glad my chapter was good, and I agree there are far too little Crane stories. Although, I found that if I find other stories for my other favorite characters (currently, I'm stuck on Fenrir Greyback in Harry Potter and will be publishing a story for him hopefully this summer) that the lack of fanfiction isn't as heartbreaking. And you cosplay? Cool, I'm more like a bystander at conventions, complementing outfits and buying merchandise.
XXX
"Tell me how you found me."
"No." The Riddler deadpanned, not looking up from his cross word puzzle. Emily glared at him from the couch, leaning against it warily as she never let her gaze leave him; she didn't trust him anywhere enough to look away.
"Why am I here?" she sighed, rubbing her fore head; honestly, she had been sitting here a week, back to eating rabbit food, and barely saw him, the few times she did see him he was sitting at the desk taking notes on something he refused to let her see.
"Because I am going to kill you for cheating my game- twice." He paused slightly and looked up, as if gauging her reaction.
"You know, had you been more successful in the grocery store or on Valentines- I'd probably have taken your suggestion seriously." Emily dead panned.
"Do you doubt me?" he questioned slowly, standing up without looking at her, "Do you doubt my ability to take your life?"
"No," she hastened, "I have no doubt that you could kill me; but I believe the reason I am still alive today is because you've become attached to me."
Silence enveloped the room; Emily kept her eyes on the Riddler and back against the couch, Edward still stood at his desk with his hands gripping the edge of it, his eyes still down cast. After a few moments he straightened suddenly, knocking half of the objects on his desk over as he rounded it and moved towards her.
Emily went to scramble back but forgot she was on the couch, and she went to get up- only to have him already descended upon her. He grabbed her arms and yanked him towards her, pressing her against the desk as he invaded every in of her personal space. He leant forward, and Emily could now see his eyes that were alight with fury, "You dare challenge me?"
"…" Emily opened her mouth but found herself befuddled on what she was supposed to say; probably no, she should most likely assure him of his genius or whatever, but couldn't will her voice to work.
"Answer me," he demanded in a dangerous whisper, "Tell me, what makes you think yourself so valuable?" He chuckled softly and leaned forward, pressing his lips to hers gently, as if waiting for her to challenge him.
She didn't bother, and merely kept her eyes closed while praying he would be done with him little game soon enough. Thankfully, he pulled away quickly, observing her with inquisitive eyes, befor suddenly dropping her on the floor.
"You've become a nuisance," he stated, crossing his arms behind his back and looking away, "and have vexed me far too many times. I can kill you- but that might be a tad wasteful; so you will remain here while I talk with a Consultant." He turned and pointed one finger at her, "Behave, Emily."
He walked out of the room, no doubt locking it, as well.
XXX
"Oh Miss Parks…" Emily opened one eye to see the Riddler standing over her, his hands behind his back and a wicked gleam in his eyes, "I've decided what I am going to do with you!"
"No…." she mumbled, still 75% asleep, "Too early for this…. Go away…" She rolled over and closed her eyes, hugging a pillow close to her chest. He sighed in a frustrated manner before she felt him grab her and heave her over his shoulder.
"Hey-" she objected as he started to carry her out of his office; he took her down a maze of hallways and by time she realized she should be trying to escape, he had already arrived at a large room and locked her in it with him.
"So," he stated, dropping her on a large bed and crossing his arms, "I've decided what I am going to do with you." She looked around, finding herself in a large bedroom done entirely in green, and looked back to him, "You're going to kill me and put me out of my misery?"
"No," he laughed, shaking his head, "you see, apparently, it is a new trend among us rogues to find partners and sidekicks, and my friend Jon just got his. I can't be the only one, and you aren't entirely stupid, so I am thinking you can be my partner."
"… Can't you just kill me?"
"No. And in all honesty, you would be more like my assistant, my second in command; higher ranking then my thugs, lower than me…"
"Well I refuse," she crossed her arms, "I will not play a part in these games and-"
"That's hilarious," he drawled, "you honestly believe you have a choice." He walked forward and while Emily was trying to hurry backwards he climbed on top of her, his hands on either side of her head.
"…We end up in this position a lot," she squeaked out after a few minutes of awkward silence; he chuckled and leaned down to where his lips were at her ear, "You're right. I'm starting to believe you enjoy me on top." She blushed deeply and sunk farther in to the bed, "Please back up."
"No," he breathed, moving to where his lips brushed her neck; she bit her lip when she felt him start to kiss the crook between her neck and her shoulder, his hand finding her waist and pulling her closer. Her breath hitched and she gripped his shoulders, "Wait-"
"I've waited long enough," he growled, gripping the back of her head and yanking her lips to his; she groaned when his tongue licked her bottom lip, urging her to open her mouth. She let her hands roam from his neck to his hair, closing her eyes and playing along.
She was careful this time, trying to make it look like she wasn't as willing as the first time she attempted to fool him, and gently pulled at the back of his hair, "No-"
"Can't you just let me have my fun," he whined, pulling back and resting his forehead against hers, "It's not like I intend to fuck you right here and now." She felt her blush deepen at his choice of words and he laughed while continuing, "No, first I would get you a decent dinner-" she doubled her efforts to get from under him at his words.
She pressed both hands to his shoulders and started to edge from underneath him, and he merely sighed, "Come on now, Emily, does this mean you accept my offer?"
"No!" She groaned in annoyance when he rolled over to where she was once again completely under him, "I don't understand why you just can't kill me-"
"Because I refuse to be left behind!" he snarled, yanking her to where her head rested on his chest, "Rumor has it that even Zsas has a partner, and Jervis has a new 'Alice' and Jon has that nurse now!"
Emily stared up at him for a few minutes as she processed his words; the rogues were searching for partners? And wait, when he said 'Jon', did he mean- "Jonathan Crane? Is that Jon?"
"…Yes." He answered carefully after a few minutes and Emily laid there processing; she had a certain dislike for that rogue, considering, according to the papers, her best friend Hannah Key had been kidnapped by him shortly before Edward came and got her- again.
The Riddler said that Crane has "that nurse", Hannah was a nurse at Arkham, and the Riddler wasn't this determined to make her his partner last time- so that means Crane must have gotten his nurse recently-
The Scarecrow is intending on making Hannah his partner.
"He has Hannah!" she breathed struggling, "He has my friend!" The Riddler didn't look surprised, which lead her to suspect, "you knew?"
"….Yes," his lips pressed in a thin line, not looking away from her own face, it was almost like he was waiting for her to place the pieces together, like there was more then what she originally found. Edward, after a few minutes, sighed and rolled over, "There is a shower through that room right there, go get cleaned up and then we can talk more."
XXX
As she stood in the shower, Emily's mind raced on what more there could be. It wasn't until she was out of the shower, and standing in front of the Riddler, that she decided to momentarily give up. He was dressed in nothing but boxers, green ones, and gestured to bed, "Okay, now sleep."
"I'm not a dog," she hissed, placing her hands on her hips; he had given her a new pair of panties, but that was as far as he seemed to have gotten as far as providing her own clothes, because he handed her one of his t-shirts to wear.
"We can talk more in the morning," he implored, running one hand through his ruffled hair, "But for now, please, can we just sleep?" She noticed the bags under his eyes, she heard the slight plea in his voice, and if not for the fact that he looked exhausted and miserable, she may have dragged it out more.
She grumbled under her breath about stupid rogues, and crawled into the large kind sized bed; she made sure to be at the other side when suddenly the bed dipped, signaling he had now crawled in.
He let one arm trail out and he pulled her close to him, holding her back to his chest as he nuzzled into her shoulder, "Goodnight, Emily."
"…" should she answer; eh, what the hell, she might as well, "Goodnight, Edward."
XXX
It came to her at 4 A.M., she had been woken out of a dead sleep when the realization of how Edward found her hit her hard.
"Riddler," she hissed, yanking herself out of his arms and shaking his shoulder, "Riddler!"
"What?" he yawned looking around, "are we being attacked? Did I leave something in the oven?"
"It was Hannah," she whispered, her voice getting thick, "Hannah was the only one other than Gordon and Batman that knew where I was- so she was the one who sold me out."
He stared at her for a few moments, befor nodding, "Yes."
XXX
I Feel… disappointed. I meant to have a St. Patties day special but… life sucks. My spring break though isn't next week but the week after, which gives me plenty of time to make new chapters, hopefully publish new stories, and I am hoping to wrap up one of my stories by then (Beautiful Lie).
I just am tired I guess- not just physically but mentally I am simply gone. It HAS gotten to that point in the school year where not only are the students developing a "Fuck this shit all to the seventh ring of hell" attitude, myself included, but the teachers are just the same way.
I feel like our education system cares more about giving us grades and comparing us to the rest of the world then actually teaching us things we will use the rest of our lives. I want to be an English Teacher, but they are teaching me how to be a mechanic. I love to learn, but I hate going to school; not because of the effort it takes, I can handle that, but I don't feel as though I am expanding on areas I should be expanding on.
No question of the week(s), just, if you feel like it, continue on my debate from above. How do you feel about your education system? What do you want your profession to be?
I love you guys, and I will see you next time.
-Sketch1997