Author's Note: Sorry for the wait. Been busy with the end of the semester and whatnot. Hopefully this makes up for it though.

Chapter 12:

A Psychologist's Opinion

He said nothing on the drive to the Gotham Police Station besides a few mumbled curses. His fingers tapped against the armrest, falling heavy in annoyance and frustration. His furious blue eyes gazed out of the front of the windshield, his jaw jutted out and set. Jonathan didn't bother glancing to the thug next to him, driving the sleek car, and nor did he glance to Jonathan. He knew better than that.

The driver had also been at the banquet, acting as Jonathan's ears and eyes when he was too preoccupied making an appearance. He was the one that was to drive Jonathan to the factory after Melissa told him that the plan went smoothly. She didn't tell Jonathan though- there had been a rough spot with the plan. It was Jonathan's guess that Roger had drugged her.

In their high school days, Roger had been taken to court on the accusation of a date rape. Actually, it had been more than once, but he was always found innocent. Roger's father had connections with the jury and the judge. Nothing more was to be expected in a city of corruption though. And as they drove under the streetlights, Jonathan's mind kept flashing to images of Roger's unconscious body lying on the metal table, strapped in. With those thoughts in mind, Jonathan could feel an invisible hand clenching his chest tightly. The Scarecrow was quite pleased that he now had another person in the basement of the factory, ready for testing, ready to give that person what they justly deserve.

The thug had apparently seen Melissa being carried by a cop to a police car. He had bustled through the crowd to find Jonathan, reporting on what he saw. Before Jonathan knew it, he was outside the door just in time to see Melissa in the car as it pulled away. After that, his memory of the situation got blurry in the rush to get Melissa. Though he had threatened her- it was still possible that Melissa would tell someone at the station what happened. What the infamous Dr. Jonathan Crane was doing in experiments. It was possible that the person Melissa would tell would be an idealist. They get in the way and cause bumps in plans. They can always be taken out of the picture, of course, but not without a few questions raised. It was better to get Melissa before she had a chance to tell what happened.

The car stopped in the parking lot of the police station. Jonathan looked down to his clothes to smooth them out, his tongue running over his lips as his mind was clouded with the Scarecrow trying to show through, "What the fuck was he thinking?" Jonathan spat finally, smacking his fist down onto the dashboard. The driver looked to him, but stayed silent. He knew this was not a question to answer. "Why didn't Charlie fucking wait until Melissa was inside the building before leaving?" Jonathan ran a hand through his hair. Though the question wasn't to be answered, he looked to the thug with a questioning, annoyed, expecting look.

He obviously had no clue was to say. His mouth opened, closed, opened, and closed. He opened his mouth and finally came an- "I don't know, sir."

From the corner of his eyes, Alex saw a younger girl in a dark blue, upclass type of dress. A man had one arm around her waist and the other on her arm, leading her up from the hall of cells into the main part of the station. She looked quite roughed up and pale- but still beautiful. The man were a tuxedo, his hair combed back out of his face- though a few strands were falling in front of his piercing eyes. The girl's head was resting on his shoulder, as she moved slowly towards the door with him. The mans lips moved and the girl's expression was strained for a second or two, before trying to groan a reply.

Alex continued to watch, ignoring the cops question as he sat at the desk. He had drove here, bustling in the door, saying that his sister had been kidnapped. When asked where she last one, Alex hesitated before telling them 'Arkham Asylum'. He told them her name- and they called the Asylum. The cop had hung up the phone, stared at Alex, telling him that there were no records. Alex tried to explain that he knew that she had been there and that he knew that something happened to her. The cop then began asking if he had recently been drinking or taking a drug of some sort.

His eyes followed them as the couple walked through the room. The girl seemed familiar in some way. Alex squinted his eyes, trying to get a better look at the girl. Suddenly, like a slap in the face, he realized who it was. Melissa.

"That's her!" His voice cried desperately to the cop that was questioning him. "There she is! That's her! Melissa!" He pointed to her. She was being led to the door by a man. Alex looked back to the cop who had a skeptical look on his face. The cop wasn't even looking. "That's her!" He shouted loudly, causing the few around him to look with questioning stares.

Finally the cop turned in his chair to look at who ever he was pointing to. "Get her! Arrest him!" Alex shouted again. The cop gave a slight laugh, saying, "Dr. Crane…" He cast a sideways glance to Alex, "He's the head of Arkham Asylum. How convenient."

"I'm not crazy!" The desperate look in his eyes said otherwise. The cop only smirked at him. With an angry 'Argh!' He shoved the chair back and leapt away from the desk before the cop could react. He ran, nearly flew, to the other side of the room to grab her, not bothering who he bumped into.

She looked groggy and gave a slight groan, being led by Dr. Crane. His icy eyes flew to Alex with fury, and he held Melissa close to him, turning his back to Alex to keep his hands away from her. He held her tighter, bracing himself for Alex's pounce. There was a few tangled shouts and grunts, and a heavy thud to the floor. Jonathan turned his head over his shoulder and saw, with satisfaction, that Alex was on his stomach on the floor, two policemen holding him down. Alex shouted loudly, trying to flail against their hands.

"My sister- She's mine- Melissa!" Could be heard in between the shouts and the grunts. Alex was being put in handcuffs. The two cops harshly pulled him up, a third cop- the one that had been questioning him earlier- shouted "Book him!" and the two lead him down a hallway. Alex put up a fight, trying to jump out of the grasps, screaming loudly, shouting Melissa's name. He fell to the ground, trying to wrestle his way out of their grips. The two cops only dragged him down the hall.

"Sorry about that, Doctor." The cop that had been questioning Alex, walked up to Jonahan and Melissa, taking his hat off to rub his head.

"Oh- no problem." Jonathan smiled. "Thank you for responding so quickly. I'd hate to think what would've happened…" He looked back to Melissa, putting on a look of fondness.

"Well…" The cop said sheepishly with a grin, looking to Melissa who was still wrapped in Jonathan's arm. She seemed oblivious to what just happened. His eyes looked back up to Jonathan, "Do you think that… maybe you could come back tomorrow morning- or sometime in the day- to come back and look at the young man… you being a psychologist and whatnot. I'm, uh- I'm not sure the man is in the right state of mind."

Jonathan gave a few understanding nods, "How long have you been questioning him?"

"He's been here since about eight thirty this evening. Says that she was a patient at your asylum. No record of him. He says that he hadn't been on any drugs or drinking. We did a few tests- he wasn't. Seemed completely healthy. But he stuck to his story. I was thinking… well, I think it'd be best to have a psychologist's opinion."

Jonathan gave a single nod, and replied smoothly, "Of course, officer. I can be here at ten. I think I should be getting her home though." He glanced to Melissa, indicting her. The cop nodded and said a "Good night" Then returned to his desk as Jonathan lead Melissa to the door.

He opened the passenger's side of the car, carefully sitting Melissa in the seat. Jonathan seat-belted her in, glaring at the driver of the car. He nodded towards the windshield with a 'get out of the car' look. The man got out, silently closing the door behind him. Jonathan leaned out of the car, and closed Melissa's door silently. For a few moments, he gazed at her through the window, regarding her.

Exhaling a slow breath, he turned his head to look at the thug, waiting infront of the car with his hands shoved deeply into his pockets. Jonathan turned away from the door to walk to the hood, standing infront of him.

"Get Collins. Tell him I need to speak with him." He breathed through clenched teeth. Collins was another one of Jonathan's thugs- the one that was working at Arkham for Jonathan. The one that had called to first warn of Alex Stevenson. Jonathan told him to watch Alex- making sure that he didn't tell anyone about Melissa. "I'm taking Melissa home and then I'll be at the factory." And without another word, he pass the thug and moved to the driver's side of the car and got in.

The man pulled a cell phone out of his pocket, turning away from the car that was backing out of the parking space.

Jonathan drove in silence, his face clouded with anger. Charlie left when Melissa was in the alley- not making sure that she made it back into the building. Alex was at the station, calling to Melissa- Collins better have a good excuse to way this happened. Roger had drugged Melissa at the Banquet. Melissa had been taken into the police station- luckily it was nothing worse… But why didn't he keep his eyes on Roger and Melissa?

Melissa sighed distressfully in her sleep and Jonathan glanced to her. "Alex" It was soft, in a whining whisper. Jonathan looked back to the road, stopping at a stoplight. "Jonathan-" Even softer, in an unleveled, wavering voice. Jonathan decided to answer- even though she obviously wasn't fully awake.

"Yes, Melissa?" There was no reply, Jonathan paid no attention to it though- figuring that she fell into a deeper slumber. And the light turned green, and Jonathan turned the corner, Melissa finally answered.

"…I killed him…" She sounded like she was going to cry.

"What?"

"Mommy should've been… happy." She let out a sob of a breath, her head leaning against the headrest, her eyes closed.

He pulled to the back parking lot of the housing building he lived in- it would attract less attention. The attention that was attracted could be brushed off with a laugh and a 'Too much to drink'. Jonathan looked to Melissa, waiting for her to something more- but nothing else was said. She slept soundly. He dropped his hands off of the wheel, turning off the engine. "It'll be alright. Everything will."

He'd make everything work out finely. Collins and Charlie would not again slip up. Melissa wouldn't have to look at Roger again. Alex Stevenson would not be allow to interfere with his plans. His toxin would be perfected. He'd make everything work out… He was Dr. Jonathan Crane, after all.