Chapter Twelve

"Miss Tassel, please explain your relationship to the defendant," asked Harvey Dent. Here I was in court, with Rachel defending me. I was here on the case of Jonathan Crane and whether he was crazy or not.

"He recently became my boyfriend," I said calmly not looking at Jonathan. He was slipping in and out of the new state of mind and the old Jonathan and I really couldn't take it.

"So you were close. It says here you were neighbours, have you noticed any unusual behaviour?" he asked glancing at a file.

"He was like me. Worked all day, came home late. This strange double personality act only started on that particular night," I said.

"I've heard it said that you were a bit odd as well, care to elaborate?"

"Well I live alone, I didn't even meet Jonathan until about a few weeks ago. And I ran my own business and had only one friend. I would have weird habits, yes."

"Do we have any reason to believe you might be crazy?"

"Maybe, I have not been feeling myself after breathing in that toxin."

"Do you know anything about that toxin?" I stayed silent. I looked over at Rachel and she nodded at me.

"Yes, I helped perfect it. I didn't know what he had in mind with it at the time. The first time I saw it used, Jonathan saved me from some burglars."

"Thank you, Ms Tassel that will be all."

The rest of the trial was a blur I watched Jonathan be handcuffed and he was led away, probably back to Arkham. He was different now. I was cured thanks to Jim Gordon. I was walking out of the court with Rachel. I was staying at her place right now because I was not feeling very well. Gabe was running the bakery and I stayed home in pyjamas and watched Hitchcock movies all day.

"Ms Tassel!" came a shout from down the hall followed by foot steps. I turned and saw Harvey Dent running towards us.

"Yes?" I asked confused.

"I want to give you this. He is the best therapist in the city. I want you to see him," he said handing me a card. I knew I needed this, as did everybody else. I wanted to be normal now; my time in the crazy world was coming to an end.

"Thank you," I said and nodded to him. I put the card in my pocket and we walked on.

"Do you want some tea?" asked Rachel as she put her purse down and went into her kitchen.

"Yes, chai. I'm going to go change," I walked into my guest room and I got out of my business suit and put on black yoga pants and my chef jacket. I walked back out and sat at the table. Rachel placed a mug in front of me and sat down as well.

"You okay?" she asked.

"Did you see him? He would look so sad at times and then in the blink of an eye he would be smirking," I said staring into my mug.

"It is a side effect of the toxin," said Rachel.

"It just hurts me. You know I really did like him. He was hard working; we had the same schedules, not to mention he was tall, mysterious, and handsome. He was perfect, or so I thought," I said taking a sip of my tea.

"I know, but no one is perfect. But wouldn't you rather have three days with perfection than a lifetime of searching for Mr Right?"

"You sound like a lame line in a romantic comedy. It was nice, but knowing that he is just across town rotting away in a cell, hurts me. Knowing that someone else is now inside him- it just hurts a lot," I said.

"You were happier when you were with him, I could tell in your tone, even if I didn't approve."

"Well I'm going to go to that therapist, I trust Dent. I'll call him now, then I'm going to stop by the bakery. I think it's now time to get my life back in order one step at a time," I said standing up.

I walked into my bakery and smiled at the familiar sight. The same group of college kids off to the side studying. My counter employees re-stocking the shelf, the rich woman getting a dozen pastries for a party. I walked into the back and took in the smell of fresh pastries. Gabe came and gave me a hug, followed by the other chefs. I smiled at them and nodded. I took a seat in the back and began decorating a birthday cake for a five year old. This is where I needed to be right now.

It had been a few months and everything was going fine in my life. I had a great job, keeping my long hours, my therapist said I didn't need to see him anymore and that I was fine. I was back living in my apartment, the one next door had not been touched, and I was happy. And so was Rachel, she was now dating Harvey Dent and has been trying to get me to date someone. The last person she tried to set me up with was Bruce Wayne; I laughed and told her 'no'.

Right now I am at home eating some pasta and watching Sleepless in Seattle. It was nice to just relax at him. I paused the movie to take my dishes to the sink and I was walking back when I heard footsteps I the apartment next door. Curious I opened my door and glanced into the neighbouring apartment. The door was open and I saw a familiar person inside. I found this odd.

"Jonathan?" I called out. The figure froze and turned around to look at me through the crack in the door. He walked to the door and opened it and just stared at me for a bit.

"Katrina," he said. He seemed like himself right now.

"What are you doing here?" I asked, not faltering my glance from his captivating eyes.

"I need to get something," he said. He was being very brief, I guess he had a right, I might have just locked him up personally and shove a knife through his heart in the process. I was just scared at the time.

"Well it is good to see you, you seem better," I said with hope.

"You as well, you seem normal," he said with a bit of distance in his voice.

"How have you been?" I couldn't help but ask.

"Fine considering the circumstances," he said.

"I'm sorry, Jonathan, for everything. I was scared as to what you had become, what I could have become," I said looking at my feet now. There was a silence when I heard him shift and he tilted my head up to look me in the eyes. He then took a step forward and planted his lips on me. It was a very forceful kiss and something I was not expecting, but yet, I still kissed him back. Lips still locked, we made our way into his apartment and he closed the door.

"I'm sorry too Katrina," he said as we pulled apart to take a breath of air.

"For what?" I asked.

"This," he said. There was a flash in his eyes and he reached out a hand and hit me in the head with his fits knocking me unconscious. When I came too I saw I was in a van. It was parked somewhere and I glanced around to see Jonathan sitting next to me.

"Why did you take me? What do you want?" I asked sitting up as best I could with my arms tied together behind my back.

"Katrina I still like you a lot and you really hurt me during my trial. So I thought it was only fair if you paid me back," he said with a smirk on his face.

"Jonathan, please-," I started but was interrupted.

"I'm sorry, Dr Crane is not here at the moment," he said glaring at me.

"Then who are you?" I asked scooting back toward the wall of the van.

"Scarecrow."

-

A/n: I have been trying to get this finished. I started a new fan fiction, an Ahkmenrah fan fiction from Night at the Museum. I had it in my head for a while so I finally started writing it down. So the next chapter you will see at point in the Dark Knight we are at, or you can guess and figure out that it is the Cillian Murphy cameo.

Thanks for reading.

-Charlotte