Jonathan lay back in his bed, the wet towel still wrapped around his slim waist. The conversation he had with Edward Nygma repeated in his mind. Scarecrow laughed, giddy like a schoolboy. 'Nygma finally proves himself useful.'

'Calm yourself, there has to be a second meaning to his words.' Jonathan warned his darker one.

Scarecrow growled darkly to him. 'Nygma said that Aura has plans to be at that cafe tomorrow afternoon. It would be the perfect chance for us to see her again, to touch her.' Jonathan tried to block out the mental images that flashed through his mind. Violet eyes looking at him longingly as he lowered himself on top of her, slipping his hard shaft inside of her. Scarecrow laughed as Jonathan unconsciously stroked himself under the towel. 'Do you not see yourself Jonny? You want her and we have the perfect chance to take her. We could easily sedate her and...'

'And what? If we sedate her and bring her back here unwillingly, how far do you think we would get? She would be terrified of us. She would never again give me that meaningful, curious look. Aura would shun us at every touch.' Jonathan shook his head, his hand still busying itself. 'We must treat her differently, Scarecrow, if we are to make her ours.'

Scarecrow fell silent as Jonathan reached his peak of pleasure. A few moments later he cleaned himself off, throwing the towel to the ground beside his bed. 'I need to feed Jonathan.'

Jonathan sighed as he felt the darker one's need growing. 'I will let you out on two conditions: one is you don't do anything that could potentially draw the Batman and two you do not approach Aura.'

The Scarecrow agreed silently and Jonathan closed his eyes to relinquish control. He slipped into the dark recesses of his own mind as the Rogue came forward, taking his flesh for his own. Within moments Scarecrow rose from the bed and dawned his new costume, stitched brown pants with a brown cloth covering his groin. The cowl covered his shoulders and head, the matching stitching covering the brown fabric, hiding the mask underneath. They had made a new mask. Burlap with stitching down the middle, his gas mask's filters visible underneath. The mask was still secured to his neck by his signature noose. Tight forearm guards matched the brown of the rest of his outfit. One of his hands had a new device of his own design: a machine that would feed syringes that were secured like a glove, one on every finger. With each needle he could deliver a liquid form of his fear formula straight into his victims veins. He had the ability to remove the gauntlet quickly, securing it onto his lower back if he needed both hands for a fight. Scarecrow left his pistol behind, choosing instead to bring his favorite scythe with him this night. A wickedly sharp blade with a smooth black edge. The handle itself was made of polished cherry oak, treated to be just as strong as metal. Scarecrow shouldered his scythe in a small hook that would hold it for him, choosing to start his night bare handed.

The darkness of the night swallowed him as he disappeared into the alleys of Gotham City. He always went on foot, starting from Jonathan's home in a quiet suburb and going out closer into the city limits themselves. Two hours into his venture he came across a lonely woman, hurrying home from her late night shopping trip. Scarecrow followed her into a dark alley. Like a lamb to the slaughter the woman trudged on, oblivious to the danger right behind her. Scarecrow slipped his hand into his glove, playing the metal against the brick of a nearby building. The scratching noise caused the woman to pause in her walk. She listened closely for any noise, her blonde hair being pushed away from her ears. Scarecrow quickly scrambled up a nearby fire escape, dropping to the ground in front of her. The groaning of the rusted metal caused the woman to gasp loudly.

Suddenly she broke out into a run right towards her pursuer. Scarecrow finally stepped out into a small patch of light, coming from a single bare bulb beside a heavy metal door. The woman froze as she looked into his mask. She made no noise as the fear froze the sound in her throat but began to back away slowly. The gauntlet had been returned to its holder and Scarecrow had drawn his scythe. Using his left hand he reached into a small pocket sown onto his pants and withdrew a canister. Pressing the top down he tossed it to the woman and the aerosol spread like a cloud of smoke around her body. The woman fell to her knees as her terror gripped her. Scarecrow lunged forward, taking a great handful of the woman's blonde curls into his tight grasp. She screamed louder as undoubtedly his mask transformed into grotesque images she had never before seen. He laughed maniacally. The scythe flashed out and sliced up her body.

"Now, that is better dear," he whispered, cooing the woman. The slice of his weapon had torn the woman's dress from her body. The blade had bit into her skin slightly, drawing a small amount of blood from her stomach. The screaming ceased as her mind began to fail her, the mind could only take so much. Scarecrow growled in disgust at the woman's dying form. "That was disappointing," he scowled as she collapsed, her heart failing under the stress of her own fear.

Scarecrow returned his staff to its holder and pulled the small phone from his pocket. Jonathan had been quiet, like normal. He never interfered when the Scarecrow was hunting unless the Batman became involved. Even then Jonathan would help him escape but not take back over their shared body. Before dialing the phone, Scarecrow made sure that Jonathan had buried himself in their mind. He was currently reliving the memory of Aura's first conversation and Scarecrow smiled as those violet eyes flashed in his own vision. He pressed send on the phone and tried to wait patiently.

"Crane? Do you have any idea what time it is?" Riddler moaned as he yawned loudly.

"Not Crane, Scarecrow." he stated simply.

The Riddler seemed to snap awake at the sound of Scarecrow's dark growl, further enhanced by the gas mask. "What do you want Scarecrow?"

Scarecrow laughed. The Rogue was terrified of him whether or not he wanted to admit it. Nygma had met with his fear gas once before and barely lived to tell the tale. If Batman had not interfered, Nygma would have made a good experiment indeed. "Tell me Aura Warren's address."

Riddler could be heard shifting in his bed. The awakening tone of a laptop sounded softly in the background followed by furious typing. "978 Hillpoint Court. Are you planning on claiming her Scarecrow?"

"That is none of your concern Riddler. Just be glad I am not heading to your lair tonight." Scarecrow added a dark laugh at the end of his words.

Riddler chuckled nervously. "Wait before you go!" Scarecrow remained silent as he waltzed away from his victim. "Does Jonathan know what you are about to do?"

"Does it matter? Jonathan has no control over me. He just likes to think he does." Scarecrow ended his call and replaced the flat device back into his pocket. He checked one last time to make sure Jonathan was preoccupied before dashing down the alley. Aura's home would be a good two hour run but Scarecrow was not worried. He liked the freedom of the darkness and morning was so far away. As he approached the gate of the complex he laughed to himself. Scarecrow easily lifted his body over the brick wall surrounding the condos within and slipped into the shadows of the closest building. Aura's home would be at the very back of the buildings and Scarecrow quickly made his way there. A great Dawn Redwood offered him the perfect access to a second story window. He pushed on the glass and it lifted without any hesitation, Aura had forgotten to lock her window. Silently he lift himself into the dark room, shutting the window behind him. The dark welcomed him, his eyes adjusting quickly to the room. The bed before him had a white covering. Reaching out he felt along the bed carefully but it was empty. Before he had climbed into the condo he had made it a point to look into the lower windows but all of them proved empty. With no other lights on in the house he knew that Aura was not home.

Anger overcame him as the thought of her out in another man's arms crossed his mind. He flipped on a light and the crimson walls of the room softly reflected it. Scarecrow removed his mask and threw it onto the bed. Moving over to the dresser he rifled through her drawers, taking extra care to go through the undergarments and nighties. With a devilish smile he entered her bathroom and knelt on the floor before a pile of dirty clothes. He found the item he was looking for, a pair of dark orange lace panties. With a great inhale, he smelled the delicate fabric and with a smile pushed them into his pocket. Jonathan was sure to try and punish him for his actions but Scarecrow did not care. He was close to his Aura right now. Scarecrow trotted down the stairs, careful not to make a sound on the hardwood floor of the home. He crept into the living room and allowed his eyes to adjust to the gloom again but like he saw when he was outside, the home was empty. He flipped on the light in the room and let his eyes roam over the furniture. The movies in her cabinet made him chuckle. A wide variety of horror and thriller titles glared up at him.

When he turned around a statue in the corner caught his eye. Upon approaching it his breath caught in his throat. 'This is a sign,' he thought, softly so as not to alert his partner. His thin fingers gingerly stroked the carved white marble of the statue. A scarecrow hung on his cross with a small crow on his shoulder looked up at him. Scarecrow glanced over to the table in the kitchen and saw a small plastic bag. He swiped the bag and eased the statue into it. The light flipped off as Scarecrow returned to the bedroom upstairs. He placed the statue beside the window, leaning his scythe against the wall. There was still one more thing he wanted to do before he left. He stood at the foot of her bed and crawled onto the soft white blankets. When he laid down on the bed his face was buried into the pillow that had Aura's strong orange scent in its soft fabric. Scarecrow rolled on the bed a few times, careful to make sure that his gauntlet did not rip the blanket. When he was satisfied that his scent thoroughly soaked the bed, he got up. He reached a hand into a second pouch on his hip and pulled out his older mask. The plain burlap sack he had used for so long at Arkham glowered up at him. He gently placed it on the pillows. Before retreating from the window he made sure to grab his items and with a final look around the room, he slipped in to the darkness of the night.

Jonathan awoke the next morning, sprawled out on the dark black blankets of his bed. The Scarecrow had not bothered to change from their costume he saw when he sat up. Something on his dresser caught his eyes. Sitting beside their new syringe gauntlet was a white statue of a scarecrow. Jonathan chuckled at it, shaking his head. 'I see you picked up an idol of yourself while you were out,' he teased his other. Scarecrow was strangely quiet but Jonathan chalked it up to him resting from his ventures the night before. Jonathan stood and stretched his arms above his head, cracking his back as he did so. His muscles were always tense after Scarecrow took full control of his body but over the years he became used to the feeling of his tired muscles. When his hands slammed down to the sides of his hips a soft lump caught his attention. Slipping a hand into the pocket he pulled out a dark orange pair of lace panties. Jonathan stared at it questioningly before realization dawned on him. He quickly slammed his bedroom door open and jogged down the hall to a secured door. The room beyond he designed to be a holding cell of his safe house for a guest he intended to use for his personal gain. He input a code into the panel and the door sprang open but the room beyond was empty.

Clutching the lace in his hand tightly he sought out the Scarecrow in his mind. 'What did you do with Aura?' Jonathan screamed into his head.

A lazy, slow draw of someone just being awakened sounded. 'Do not fret Jonny, I did nothing to our Aura. I went to her home but she was not there.'

"She wasn't there?" he question aloud. 'Where could she be?'

'That is for you to find out when you see her this afternoon.' Scarecrow yawned in his head. 'Enjoy my gifts that I brought you: her statue and garment. Maybe they will draw you into action we can both enjoy more.'

The Scarecrow retreated further into his mind to rest. Jonathan returned to his room and stripped from his costume. The safe behind his hanging suits opened after he inputted his code and he placed his Rogue costume and weapon into it. The scythe was returned to its place behind a tall dresser inside the closet, the darkness consuming the dark weapon. Jonathan strolled back into his room. The cold air caused him to quicken his pace to the bathroom. The water heated quickly but before he stepped inside he picked the lace gift back up. Jonathan closed his eyes as he brought the fabric up to his nose. He moaned out her name softly before entering the shower. It took him longer than it normally did to clean himself off as he became preoccupied with his thoughts and cock. When he arrived at Arkham later that morning, he seemed to be happier for later that day he would surprise Aura.

Aura sighed deeply as she entered Bruce's office. The handsome man waved his hand to usher her in as he hung up his phone. Aura took a seat in one of the plush leather chairs infront of the large desk. "Aura, it is so good to see you smile again. Oh before I forget I am getting the latest model of your phone on the way home tonight. If you give me your older one I will be sure have all of your pictures and contacts switched to the new one."

Aura nodded and placed her phone on the desk. "Thanks I love getting new technology." She bit her lower lip as she looked at her boss. "I came to ask you a favor Mr. Wayne."

"Aura, you can call me Bruce." His smile widened as he leaned back in his chair. "What can I do for you?"

"Well I was hoping I could leave a little early today, I'm supposed to be meeting a friend for lunch." Aura felt her heart beating fast. The potential meeting with Jonathan Crane coming closer was making her excited and nervous.

Bruce's smile faltered for a second. "Do you think that is wise? Joker and Scarecrow are still out there."

Aura nodded and slumped her shoulders. "I know but I won't be alone and it won't be for more than a few hours."

Bruce stroked his chin in thought. He reached into his pocket and withdrew his personal cell. "Alright but take my phone in case you need help. Call your number and I will answer your phone. If you can't reach me call Alfred or Gordon." Aura took the smartphone from his hand and slipped it into the pocket of her slacks. "Are you sure you will be okay?"

Aura rolled her eyes playfully. "I will be okay, I'm a big girl. Its just a short walk down the block and then I'll catch a taxi to the manor."

Bruce shook his head and threw the keys to his Lamborghini at her. She caught them with a slight squeak. "Take my car. I don't want you to walk out there alone." He shook his finger at her playfully. "Make sure you don't get into any accidents young lady and no boys in my car. I haven't even had the chance to christen my own vehicle."

Aura stuck her tongue out and laughed. "Bruce Wayne!" As she retreated from the office he threw a pad of post-it notes at her, calling after her to have fun. Aura rocked in her heels as she waited for the long ride down the elevator. He hands were in her pockets and she smiled as icy blue eyes flashed in her mind.

Smiley slowly limped down the dark hallway not eager to meet his bosses ire. The Batman had ruined everything the night before. As the chopper was pulling away from the mall the Dark Knight had grappled up to the bottom rails of the chopper. They had tried to shake the hero off but nothing had worked. Batman had swung himself up and into the chopper. Smiley and another henchman opened fire but the Bat had sent one of those Batarangs flying out at them, knocking their weapons away. While the other henchman engaged the caped crusader Smiley took the opportunity to don the only parachute. He grabbed the screaming white haired girl and jumped from the chopper. As they were falling gently with the extended chute he was able to watch as the chopper crashed and Batman glided down to a nearby building with the henchman and pilot in tow. When they landed, Smiley dragged the girl down the back alleys. The stupid woman kept screaming forcing him to knock her out. Batman tracked them down shortly after that and the last thing Smiley remembered was the feeling of a freight train slamming into him from above.

Joker growled for him to enter and with one last deep breath he entered. "Boss, look I tried but the Batman was there!"

Joker pointed a pistol at his head and Smiley froze. "I don't want excuses! I want my girl!"

"Boss, I tried but the green eyed bitch kept screaming and by the time I was able to shut her up the Bat found us!" Smiley felt his shoulders slump.

"Green eyed?" Joker stalked closer to him. "What did the girl look like?"

Smiley swallowed hard. "Slim and about five foot, two inches. She had the white hair that you said we would be able to pick out instantly and green eyes."

Joker slammed the butt of his gun into Smiley's temple, causing him to crash to the ground. Joker stood over top of him and Smiley could feel the barrel of the gun pressing into his forehead. "I told you a million times that Net Runner has purple eyes! Like a bruise!" Joker cackled, "You should be very familiar with bruises! Harley would have done a better job than you!"

Smiley felt tears streaming down his cheeks. "Boss I'm sorry! We were in a hurry that I didn't look at her eyes before we left!"

"Enough excuses." Joker pressed the barrel flush against his skin and pulled the trigger. Smiley took a sharp breath but the bullet never fired. Instead a hollow click sounded from the gun followed by Joker's maniacal laugh. "You are so disappointing Smiley, but I like you so I will give you one more chance."

Joker removed himself from Smiley's body and Smiley rolled over, kneeling down on all fours. He bowed his head to the Rogue. "Thank you Joker! You won't be disappointed again!"

"Go and find Net Runner, search around Wayne Industries since we know she works there. Drag her back here no matter what!" Joker cackled loudly as Smiley crawled from the Rouge's room.

Bruce flipped Aura's phone over in his hands and slid the backing from it. The bug he placed was still there so why was it not working anymore? He had been able to overhear her phone calls with Susan from programming, her hilarious singing while she cleaned her apartment, and her soft breathing when she slept. Nothing out of the ordinary had been recorded for the first few days that the bug was working. In fact the only thing that stood out to Bruce was the conversation with her friend. They had talked about a young man, Jonathan, she met in the bar the night of Tony's attack. Bruce had felt a slight pang of envy at the dreamy voice Aura used when talking about this man. After all, he had been trying to get Aura's affections for a long time now but she kept him at arm's length.

He sighed and looked up at the older man sitting across from him. "I just don't get Lucius. The bug was working fine up until about an hour before she left for the mall."

Lucius took the bug from his fingers, studying it closely. "Do you think she found it and destroyed it?"

Bruce shook his head. "There doesn't appear to be any damage to the bug, it just isn't working."

Lucius nodded. "That would mean she had to have used some electromagnetic pulse to disarm it, or.."

When he trailed off, Bruce locked eyes with him. "Or she used Isis and it disarmed it."

"Would Isis be able to do that?" Lucius asked, dropping the bug onto the desk.

Bruce sighed and leaned back in his chair. "I don't know. Without being able to study the technology she created, I cannot say for sure all of its capabilities. I just know that Superman and the Metropolis PD tried to bug her apartment once. As soon as she activated Isis all of them stopped working, including the security camera they placed in her bedroom so they could watch her computer."

Lucius frowned at his friend. "So what will you do now?"

Bruce smiled. "Well for the next couple of days she is staying with me. I suppose I will try to win over her trust and maybe she will let me take a look at Isis. Or at the very least I can find out where she keeps it. If I can get a hold of Isis, I can keep Joker and anyone else from abusing its power."

Aura parked the car in a private lot a block away from the cafe. She could feel her hands shaking as she took the coffee she ordered from the barista and settled into a quiet corner. Looking at the clock she realized that she was thirty minutes early. Aura laughed to herself softly and pulled Bruce Wayne's phone from her pocket. She had found the small bug that was placed into her phone before she left for the mall the day prior. At first she had been angry to discover the breach of privacy but slowly she realized that the person who placed it just wanted to ensure her safety. Well to say that Aura found the bug was incorrect, Isis did. When she activated the program a warning had come up as one of its sensors found an anomaly within the phone she was using. Aura had then slid the back of the phone off and the small bug came out into the light. She knew that if she crushed the bug the person who placed it would know that she destroyed it. Instead she activated Isis' security program that emitted a small range electromagnetic pulse from the hardware that it was hooked into. Aura was satisfied that the person would assume that the bug was faulty and stopped working.

She still didn't know who that person was: Commissioner Gordon, Bruce Wayne, Lucius Fox? All of these men had had ample time to slip the bug into her phone. So when Bruce asked for her phone this morning to "replace it with a new model," she knew that it was him. To say she was disappointed would have been incorrect. While Aura understood his reasoning for placing the device in her phone, the breach of her privacy was something she could not overlook. The cafe door chime sounded and Aura looked up, her breath catching in her throat.

Jonathan Crane casually let his eyes sweep over the small cafe. Aura was sitting in a private corner, far away from any other patron. Scarecrow moaned in his head as her violet eyes looked back at him. Jonathan flashed a warm smile at the woman but did not approach her. Instead he headed to the counter and ordered a coffee for himself. He directed the barista to make a second of the one Aura ordered so he had an excuse to approach her. As he waited, Jonathan closed his eyes trying to suppress the Scarecrow's desire to take Aura and lock her in their safe house.

Scarecrow screamed as he felt Jonathan pushing him back further and further in their mind. 'Let me out! I have been waiting to see her again! She is close and I need her. We need her!'

'Calm yourself Scarecrow. There would be nothing to gain from letting you out to terrorize her. Let me deal with Aura and I promise we will have her on our side and in our arms soon.' Jonathan quietly told his alter. Scarecrow quieted at his promise and slipped into the darkness of their mind.

With a smile Jonathan took the two drinks and made his way to the quiet, dark corner. Aura flashed him a perfect grin and slid to the side, allowing him to sit next to her on the small leather sofa. He handed her one of the cups in his hands and she took it with a smile. "It is a surprise seeing you here today, Miss Warren."

Aura blushed softly, looking away from him in embarrassment. Jonathan could feel Scarecrow clawing at his mind again, the Rouge's anger flaring. The dark bruise on her pale face a reminder of the night they met. 'We didn't do enough to punish that animal.'

'Do not worry Scarecrow. The bruise will fade in time and she will learn that she gained much more from it.' Jonathan gingerly reached out and stroked his fingertips on her cheek. Aura closed her eyes as he stroked her skin. She looked back at him when he stopped and laid a hand tenderly on her shoulder. "How are you doing after all that unpleasantness from the other night?"

Aura gave him a small smile and sipped her coffee. "Actually that is one reason I am happy to have ran into you today. I wanted to thank you for what you did at the bar."

Jonathan removed his hand and rested it on his leg as he gave her a confused look. "I did nothing Miss Warren."

Aura shook her head and reached out, placing her hand gently on top of his. Jonathan felt his heart skip a beat at the physical contact that she initiated willingly. He could feel Scarecrow's growing excitement at the attention Aura was showing them. With a quiet voice she spoke to them, "But you did a lot. Susan told me that you caught me when I fell and held me protectively so Tony could not hurt me anymore. That was very brave and it meant a lot to me to know that a man I barely knew was willing to put himself in harm's way for me." Aura squeezed his hand firmly. Jonathan curled his fingers around hers to return the grip. "I was hoping to run into you today so I could thank you."

Jonathan flashed his icy eyes up, locking them with her strange lavender ones. "You do not need to thank me Miss Warren."

"Aura," she spoke softly. "Please call me Aura, Jonathan."

Jonathan gripped her hand tighter when his name slipped from her mouth. "What else did you want to talk with me about Aura? You said that was one reason so what are the others?"

Aura blushed and slipped a slip of paper from her pocket, pressing it firmly into his hand. "I don't want to know how you know the Riddler, that's not my place. But it was sweet that you worried about me the other day." Jonathan furrowed his brows and looked down at the number on the paper. "This is my phone number if you feel the need to check up on me again."

Jonathan felt his breath quicken. The last thing he wanted was for Aura to think that he was checking up on her like she was incapable of taking care of herself. "Aura I didn't mean to impose or make you..."

He stopped as she held up her hand. "It was sweet and a little unexpected. Like I said its not my place to know how you know the Riddler, let alone why he would do you a favor, but that's not important. I like you Jonathan and I would like to be able to return the kindness that you have shown me."

Jonathan felt a blush creep onto his cheeks. He chuckled softly at his own embarrassment. "I would like that very much Aura."

Aura followed Jonathan from the cafe. They stood on the sidewalk outside and a chilly breeze blew around them. Aura clutched her bare shoulders, cursing herself for not bringing a jacket with her. The white, sleeveless blouse blew in the wind as the breeze continued. Suddenly a warmth enveloped her shoulders and she looked over at Jonathan. He had slipped out of his suit's coat and placed it gently on her shoulders. She flashed him a smile and laughed softly. "Look at you, doing it again."

Jonathan furrowed his brows and cocked his head to the side. "Doing what?"

Aura slipped her arms into his warm coat. "Being sweet when you don't have to."

Jonathan chuckled as they walked down the sidewalk. "You have been hanging out with the wrong type of men Aura. You deserve someone who cherishes and adores you."

Aura felt her face grow hot again. She glanced down at the slim man's hand swinging as he walked. Before she could think of a reason to stop herself, she reached down and interlaced her fingers with his. Jonathan tensed slightly with the new touch but quickly relaxed and tightened his grip on her hand. "Thank you Jonathan for showing me how a real gentleman should act."

When they reached the entrance to the parking garage, Aura stopped. Jonathan looked at the garage and then back to her. "Will you be all right from here on?"

Aura nodded. "Yeah, I'm staying with my boss for a few days since that Scarecrow incident with Tony's body." Aura had to be careful at remembering not to let it slip about Joker and her Net Runner ways.

"Terrible what happened to him huh?" Jonathan asked quietly.

It took Aura a few moments to respond as she thought about her own opinions on the matter. "He deserved it. At least now he can't hurt another woman."

"Does this Scarecrow threat worry you?" Jonathan's voice was barely a whisper.

Aura shrugged. "I really don't know what to think about it. Scarecrow is a Rogue but he said that I am under his protection. It just doesn't make sense. I suppose I should be scared that I have attracted his attention but more than anything I am grateful."

"Grateful?"

"Yeah. Grateful that I'm not on his bad side, at least not yet." Aura laughed softly. "Oh, here. Let me give you your coat back."

Jonathan held his hands out to stop her from shrugging out of the soft, expensive fabric. "Take it. I'm sure that you will give it back next time we meet."

Aura blushed but slid the coat back up her shoulders. "So there will be a next time?"

Jonathan turned to the side and chuckled softly. "I hope so. You're fun to talk to and I enjoy your company."

"Then until next time." Aura quickly stood on her tiptoes and pressed her lips softly to his cheek. "Thank you Jonathan Crane for being a nice guy and showing me there is still good in Gotham."