NoSpillBlood - Thanks for the review. That'll make two of us. I always hate ending a story...V_V

JannaKalderash - Aw...Scarecrow's really working his magic on you, huh? ^_^ *feels the fear*

Robot521 - An angry kitty is terrifying.

bleedy - Thanks. The best thing I could ever hear is that I'm writing these character's properly. They're not mine, so I really have to live up to their legacy. You know?

me-ladie - What's always sad is that a lot of people can't see the humanity in these characters. Sure most of them are insane murderers, but there are still human beings inside those murderers. I sometimes feel sorry for villains, they're there just to have a standard with which to compare our heroes to, but people hardly ever try to see the humanity in them. 'They're villains, because they're evil' isn't a good enough reason for me. All of these villains were at one time innocent children who probably never foresaw themselves being what they've become, which is why the Crane I see has a soft side. He may be a bit of a sociopath, but that doesn't mean he can't appreciate someone's company...wow, sorry. Kind of ranted out on you. *sheepish*

NURSE J0Y - Don't give me that lip, missy...you go to your room and write me a five page story that involves Catwoman and Riddler...now! No, you can't have desert, get a move on!

rockpunk92 - Your sense of humour deeply amuses me. I may just check out this recommendation you've given me...

jacksparrowlovesme - Once you get a taste of this pairing, it becomes like a crippling addiction. Believe me. Why do you think I have to write these stories? Not enough of this pairing floating around!

Violeta27 - Did someone say something about 'happily ever after?'...heh heh...

Sorry for the short chapter, but it's a powerful chapter, so...hopefully I am forgiven, yes?

Chapter Fourteen: Fronds, Groaning's & Batmen, Lend Me Your Fears

Day Nineteen: Part Four

**Edward**

They stood for a moment on a rooftop overlooking the quiet, innocent seeming factory.

"General Patton would say something inspirational right about now." The Scarecrow muttered.

Poison Ivy quirked a brow. "Eddie's not much of a leader."

Ignoring her, the Riddler stepped closer to the edge of the building. "Lasciate ogne speranza, voi ch'entrate."

Jabbing the handle of his scythe into the gravel of the rooftop, the Scarecrow muttered. "I said 'inspirational'."

Leaning towards the Scarecrow, Ivy whispered. "I don't speak Italian…"

"Well, I'm not as fluent as Edward, but if I know my Dante, that would be it. All hope abandon, ye who enter in." He translated.

"Ah, not that inspirational at all." She said. "More disheartening than anything, really."

Turning back to face them, his ridiculous cape fluttering in the wind, the Riddler beamed almost madly. "If we win this one, everybody gets ice cream."

"How many scoops?"

**Batman**

"Any sign of life, Robin?"

No, but it's so damned dark even with these goggles on.

Kneeling on the tall chimney stack of the toy factory, he kept an eye out for trouble.

Since bugging Selina Kyle's apartment, he had taken to keeping a vigil over the one man in Gotham he hated more than anything. It wasn't out of love for the Clown Prince, but because he couldn't knowingly let anyone be murdered. Not in his city. And Edward had mentioned something about getting back at the Joker, but he neglected to give a specific time.

The past few nights were quiet, nothing really of interest, except that Harley Quinn was sent out with a package and he was forced to follow her.

While he remained with the delivered gift to disarm the bomb the Joker had sent, Robin had radioed him that Harley Quinn hadn't returned.

Somewhere between the factory and the playground where she dropped off the bomb she disappeared.

Scanning the night with his night vision goggles, Batman studied the rooftops of the small sheds surrounding the factory.

"Your ten, Robin. Do you see them?"

Yeah on the roof of the incinerator, looks like…Poison Ivy…Scarecrow…and you?

Focusing his goggles, he nodded to himself. "Yeah, that's who I was seeing too. I'm heading in."

I've got your back.

Touching a hand to his the area of his cowl that covered his earpiece, he spoke. "Oracle?"

I'm seeing what you're both seeing, let me just get a good still and clean it up.

Pulling out a grappling hook, Batman aimed it at an overpass across the valley of the industrial wasteland that lay between the factory and the incinerator.

Can't really make out a face with that cowl on, but I'm guessing it's your man. That jaw is definitely a match to Edward Nygma's mugshot.

"Thanks. Robin?"

Yeah?

"I'm moving in first, you wait until I give the signal. I'm going to see if I can't figure out what's going on."

Gotcha.

Firing the grappling hook across the gap, Batman secured it on his end and attached the pulley to the rope. Before he leapt off from his perch, he pulled a gas mask from a pouch at his side and secured it to his cowl.

He landed in the shadows just behind Ivy as his imposter spoke.

"If we win this one, everybody gets ice cream."

"How many scoops?" Batman asked, emerging from the shadows.

He wasn't surprised when Ivy moved to attack.

Grasping her wrist, he twisted it and pushed her aside.

The Scarecrow hoisted his scythe.

A batarang sliced his hand enough to belay that mission.

"I'm not here to fight you, Crane." Batman stated firmly.

The Scarecrow's mask tilted. "You're awfully bold with those batarangs, you toffed up night rodent."

Batman ignored him, moving across the roof towards the other Batman.

The imposter merely watched calmly as Batman approached him.

"What are you doing up here, Edward?" He snarled.

"What are you doing up here, Edward?" His mirror image parroted.

"I have a feeling you're here to kill the Joker. Am I right?"

"I am right."

"Stop that." Batman warned darkly.

Inside the bat suit, Edward Nygma chuckled. "You have to be one of a kind, don't you?" He mocked.

"I can't let you commit murder in my city. You know that."

Tilting his head, the Riddler beamed. "I do. But has it ever occurred to you, Batman, that you'd be so much better off if you just let the Joker die?"

"I can't do that."

Calmly reaching up, the Riddler pulled down a gas mask from where it rested on his brow and secured it over the lower half of his face.

Batman gripped another batarang and sent it flying in the direction of the Scarecrow, but it was too late. The madman got a good swipe in with his scythe.

Leaping back, he found his boots entangled in a mass of vines that were crawling up from the walls, over the roof to wrap around his legs. He fell backwards, becoming entangled in the vines, struggling to tear them off.

A scythe was placed threateningly at his throat as the Scarecrow forced him to look at his grotesque mask. "There there, Batman, calm down. Accept your fears." He crooned sickly.

More vines wrapped around him, as Robin leapt onto the rooftop, knocking Ivy off the one story drop with a kick.

His young sidekick avoided the scythe that was swung his way, ducking down and rolling, cutting the vines away from Batman in the process.

Leaping to his feet, he noticed that while Ivy was busy trying to scramble back up onto the rooftop and Scarecrow seemed intent on his death, the Riddler hadn't moved from his spot. The man just stood by, watching the action quietly.

Robin, in attack mode, only went after things that moved towards him, ignoring the Riddler in the bat suit who simply stood and stared at the scene before him.

"This doesn't concern you, Batman. Don't make a mess of things by sticking your nose in where it doesn't belong." The Riddler said.

"If I knowingly let you kill the Joker, that makes me no better than you." Batman snarled. "I'm not forged that way."

The Riddler nodded. "Have it your way. But just remember I gave you a choice. I only do that once."

Batman was confused as Edward Nygma touched his forearm and a strange device that was strapped there, cleverly disguised as a gauntlet glove.

When the Riddler just disappeared, Batman didn't even have time to protest, when he was grabbed from behind.

Suddenly they were in the middle of a vacant residential street in Little Gotham and Batman whirled around to find the Riddler stepping back and touching his device. Again he disappeared and left Batman alone with an hour drive back to the industrial area of Gotham.

"Oracle?"

What the hell happened? Where are you?

"If the street signs are to be believed, I'm in Little Gotham."

How?

The Riddler popped back before him, tossing an unconscious Robin at his feet.

Before Batman could grab the villain he was gone again.

Kneeling, Batman checked the young Robin's vitals. "Do you remember a little toy the Clock King liked to play with?" Robin took something to the back of his head, but he didn't seem to be hurt anywhere else.

Nygma got his hands on one?

"Yeah. I'm going to need transportation back to the city."

I'll send the helicopter your way.

"Thanks. Have it track me, we'll be on the move."

**Crane**

"Why'd you just let them go?" Ivy shouted at the Riddler as they gathered themselves once more on the rooftop of the incinerator. "We could have had them!"

Edward ignored her, eyeing the factory before them. With such a serious, studious look on his face, Crane could have easily taken the man for the bat.

Ivy grabbed Edward's arm and forced him to look at her.

Crane remained quiet, watching the two.

"What the hell is wrong with you? Since when do you protect the Bat?"

The Riddler tilted his head. "I would have gladly killed him and his little bird too, Pam. But that's not what we're here for. There's a time and a place for fighting Batman and tonight on the Joker's back step, isn't it."

"You've gone soft." She spat.

"I've gone supernova!" He growled. "More brilliant than I've ever been. Now, please shut up while I get back on track. That goddamned bat will be back here in an hour and some, two if the traffic is heavy. Thirty minutes if he defiles airspace with those hellish avian contraptions of his."

"Crane? Don't you suddenly feel this might be a bad idea?" Ivy asked. "Siding with a man who just lets Batman walk? Doesn't that seem a little suspicious to you?"

Jonathan quirked a brow under his mask. "I'd rather follow a sane Riddler into the mouth of hell then a half crazed man into paradise."

Ivy placed a hand on her hip. "I can't believe I'm trying to gain support from a man who plays power bottom to Edward Nygma…"

Still studying the factory, Edward smirked. "I haven't heard a comment about my sexuality in nearly a year…hard to believe I actually missed them…"

Touching a hand to the wound on the back of his other hand, Crane grumbled and pulled at the torn glove. "If anything Edward would be the bottom."

Turning back to face them again, Edward nodded. "It's true. Crane has a dominating personality."

"It's what makes me, me." He agreed flatly.

"So, Ivy? Fight or flight?" The Riddler asked. "Last chance."

She dropped her proud chin ever so, green eyes glistening in the light of the moon. "Fight."

"Good, you won't be disappointed." Edward said. "You're up first at bat, my dear."

Ivy smirked wickedly.

"Go do what you do best." Crane added.

As Poison Ivy slipped down from the roof of the incinerator, the two men moved closer to the edge to await the show.

"You know," Crane began. "I think I've reached the age where these kinds of raids seem like far too much work and energy." He turned to eye his friend through his mask. "Maybe I'll retire after this. Head to New Orleans and make a fresh start."

Edward beamed. "You wouldn't be able to stop injecting fear into people, Jonathan."

"Can't do this forever, Edward." Crane replied. "Eventually we'll all get too old to do any of the physical activities necessary in this lifestyle. May as well go out with dignity, taking out the Joker."

"Hn."

"There's no shame in leaving this empire of dirt to the next generation. Even Caesar was replaceable."

**Ivy**

The goons at the gate weren't hard to slip past.

Men were so predictable.

Sauntering inside the factory she kept her eyes on her surroundings and her vines ever close, trailing around her protectively, half of them still outside, ready to send a signal to the Scarecrow and Riddler when she was ready for them to move in. Her signal was her vines.

A few more goons, as easily dispatched as the others.

It was hardly even worth three of them going after the Joker.

Arriving in a wide open space, she found a group of goons milling about their Clown Prince, who sulked on a throne-like chair in the middle of the space.

He leapt to his feet as she approached.

"Calm down," Ivy purred. "Just a social call."

Scowling despite his permanent grin, the Joker raised a hand and pointed at her. "Harvest her like wheat, boys." He ordered.

Ivy placed her hand on her hip and tilted her head. "That's a rather rude welcome for a woman who comes bearing a gift." She purred, sending out a soft waft of pheromones in the direction of a nearby goon.

The Joker dropped his arms to his side limply. "Don't do that."

"Aw, he likes it." She replied, scratching the thug under his chin. "Don't you boy?"

"Yes." The big ape warbled, eyes locked on her completely under her spell.

Smiling, she lowered her hand and approached the Joker's throne.

"What do you want?" He snapped.

"I told you, I brought you a housewarming gift." She held out the satchel of seeds she had on her.

Tentatively the clown took it, pinching the burlap sack between his thumb and forefinger. "Huh…" he tossed it carelessly over his shoulder. As it landed it released a cloud of toxic spores into the air. "Where's the actual gift?"

"That was the gift."

Peering over her head at his goons, the Joker snapped. "Kill her."

"Wait." She said. "What would you say if I told you Jonathan Crane was alive and kicking and I knew where he was?"

The Joker cackled madly. "What makes you think I care about that straw brained asshole?"

"Nothing. I just needed you to give my toxins a few more seconds to sink in." She replied calmly, stroking a nearby vine, telling it to give the men outside the signal.

Behind the Joker his goons began dropping heavily.

The Clown Prince angled his body to watch.

"Your toxins won't work on me." He replied sharply, watching with cold, lifeless eyes as his men died.

"I know," she purred. "But then again I don't want you dead yet."

Grabbing her by her hair, the Joker snapped her head back, even as vines crept around his body.

"You venomous bitch." He said, cackling. "I've been looking for a good fight. But it's hardly fair pitting a grizzly against a rosebush."

Above them the Scarecrow emerged from a hatch on the roof.

"Even grizzley's get thorns in their paws, Joker." She cooed.

Ivy's vine's stayed the Joker's hand as he made to slash her throat with a razor sharp joker playing card, it bought the Scarecrow enough time to secure a rope and slip down to the ground.

She was tempted to send the clown holding her a waft of pheromones, but she stayed her hand. Eddie was very adamant about keeping the Joker clean save for the specially formulated fear gas the Scarecrow had provided.

The Joker's attention followed hers over his shoulder and he pushed her away to avoid the Scarecrow's first swing with the small needle provided by Fries.

"What's this? Assassins?" Joker cackled. "Not exactly my most challenging fight this month, but I'll take it." Leaping off into the shadows spryly, the Joker disappeared into the darkness, leaving only his mad laughter behind.

Rising up over the floor on a throne of vines, Ivy scanned the factory for signs of their prey.

She had to keep up high, because while she was immune to toxins, Crane's fear gas was designed to negate that immunity. If she caught a whiff of the deadly batch, she'd be gone.

But from her command centre of fronds and leaves, she could keep an eye on the activities as Crane hunted the Joker on foot through the maze of crates and junk left on the factory floor.

As much as she didn't care one way or the other for Jonathan Crane, she had to admit that he was a born hunter. His long limbs moved swiftly and silently in the dark, as he tracked the Joker's giggling.

"Ever see farmer's burn the rainforest, Pamela?" Joker asked from somewhere to her right.

She turned in time to catch him pointing a nasty looking flamethrower in her direction.

"This is my dedication to those chaotic fellows!" He laughed as the flames shot out of his thrower, licking at her vines.

They moved in defence of her, drawing away from the flames.

Ivy was singed, but still in the game.

Thankfully by showing his location like that, Scarecrow was able to get a bead on the Joker.

The clown slipped back into the shadows again before the Scarecrow could converge on his location.

The factory was filled with mad laughter.

"Oh, come on!" He taunted. "You're running around like a chicken with your head cut off, Jonny-boy!"

Ivy watched as the Scarecrow dropped almost instinctively as a blade of sorts came flying out at him, it whizzed over his hunched back and imbedded itself in an old, rotten crate. The trick to reading the Joker was to know his bad jokes were always more than just a bad joke. She supposed that was his one weaknesses, among a sea of many others.

Her vines crept along the factory floor, feeling around for the man they were after. It was like fishing, her lines were slack, until one jangled, then tightened.

Ivy's head snapped in the direction of the taught vine. "Caught him!"

Gunshots rang out and she could feel the pain her baby felt as the Joker shot the vine free of his body, but he was somewhere to her four o'clock.

She motioned Crane in that direction and he took off swiftly.

At that moment Eddie dropped from the same hatch Crane used, the cape of his bat suit spread out.

He landed in the centre of the factory.

"Batman!" Ivy hissed loud enough for the Joker to hear.

The Joker, unable to resist a pot shot at the bat, emerged from the shadows, a hefty looking semi-automatic in hand.

"Well, this is a wonderful treat!" He exclaimed. "If I play my cards right, I can kill three birds with one gun!"

That was all it took, Eddie playing bait, for Crane to leap out of the shadows as well, the needle from Fries poised in his hand. It made contact with the back of the Joker's neck.

As the clown reeled back to remove the offending object lodged into his spine, his finger tightened on the trigger of his gun and he sprayed bullets across the factory.

It all happened so fast that Ivy only barely noticed that Eddie dropped, she was too busy ducking for her own safety as bullets peppered her command centre.

Crane held tight to the Joker as his body slowly began to slacken.

The madman's eyes lolled about, taking in his soon-to-be murderers.

"You can't kill me," he snarled, before breaking out into mad laughter. "You can't kill the moon with rays of the sun! You idiots!"

When the Joker was good and paralyzed, Ivy descended from her throne of vines and the Scarecrow dropped their prey heavily onto the concrete floor.

Ivy and Scarecrow both huddled over his body, amazed that they actually managed to pull the plan off with only a minor hitch.

The Joker peered back up at them, his eyes alert, his body useless.

They turned to find the Riddler, waiting for him to get into position for the next part of their plan, dragging the Joker out from among the old crates, into the open space of the factory floor as they did so.

The Riddler was on his knees in a pool of blood with one heavily gloved hand planted firmly in the puddle, the other wrapped around his waist tightly, gasping desperately for air.