Disclaimer: I don't own the Batman Arkham games, only this story which I hope gives you a fun time while you're reading it.
Crane was sitting at a table with the others. Nothing exciting happened that day, except for some news from Riddler. Lock-Up was put in charge of Blackgate prison, Killer Moth escaped from the carriage that was taking him to Arkham, but left the city immediately after doing so.
„He will be back." – said Deadshot. – „Damn city attracts him like a giant lightbulb. He left to gather strenght, but it won't take long for him to do that."
„You may be right Floyd" – said Harvey. They were sitting at their usual table in the cantine, eating the rubbish that Arkham's „chefs" gave them. – „Damn this stuff's bad. It's miracle noone ever died because of this thing." – Everyone agreed. They've been eating that crap for months since Black Mask had been in a funny mood and blew up the food supplys.
Crane sat quietly, eating his meal without a complaining word. He thought. He thought about everything. The plan, Batman, the Joker, and finally, his thoughts stopped on Harley. He haven't seen her since breakfast and started to get a little bit worried. 'Damn, if that scumbag dares to even touch her. I inject him with five shots of extra strong fear toxins.' – he thought – ' He'll cry his heart out, just like Harley did when he played his „jokes" on her.' – he just finished his food, when he caught the relieving sight of the clown girl, walking towards them slowly, with a smile on her face. She sat next to him and immediately started to chat with Crane and the rest of them. He was happy to see her like this. She meant so much for him, even if she didn't know that, and he would give anything to see her happy, playful smile, hear her soft giggling voice, feel her tender skin and . . . ' wow wow wow, hold it Romeo' he thought to himself 'she's the clown's girl, not yours .'
„ Jonathan . . . are you okay? " – Harley asked, startling him from his thoughts. He looked around, and noticed, for how long had he been lost in thoughts. Two-Face and Deadshot had already finished their meals, Riddler moved away with Jervis to discuss their parts in the plan, and the other inmates were keeping the safe distance between themselves and Scarecrow. It was just him and her, sitting at the table. And he had been staring at her like some weirdo for who knows how long, before she noticed it. 'Great job buddy.' he cursed himself.
„What…oh yes." – he finally said, finding his voice – „I am fine, just a bit worried about the breakout we're planning. We have to be very precise if we want to leave this place alive." – At that, Harley giggled at him. He was such a fool. He had the perfect moment to tell her how he feels, at least to try it and he rather lied and told her he's worried about the escape.
„ Oh. Don't you worry. We can do it. We'll break down the gates and be free again." – She soothed him with her kind voice. She stood up to leave, but he quickly grabbed her hand.
„ No. Wait. Please, wait. I want to tell you something." He begged her. He had this chance only, if he screw up, he'd lose her forever. He half expected her to pull away, but she just sat back in her chair and looked at him with a confused and excited expression. Collecting his thoughts, he slowly started. – „I've been feeling this for a long time, but I was afraid of what you would say about it. But finally, I gathered enough courage to tell you. I …" – At that moment, a loud laughing noise filled the room, and not long after it, came the one who produced it. The Joker walked into the room, keeping his hands suspiciously behind his back. He strolled over to Crane's and Harley's table, kneeled in front of her and (to everyones biggest surprise) started begging the clown girl to forgive him, told her how he loved her as his only little harlequin doll and how sorry he was about that incident with the laughing gas. As an object of his deepest apologies, he pulled out a bouquet of flowers from behind his back and held it out for her.
„ I am really sorry, honey-doll." – he said – „ I have been bad with you,but I have regretted it and I just want to get you back." – his voice was filled with regret as he held the little bouquet in front of the amazed Harley, but Crane noticed a small tube, running from Joker's hand into the bottom of the flower. He immediately knew what it was. He didn't even had to wait for long as Joker pressed a little button on the side of the bouquet and deadly acid flew from the tube, and right at the shocked clown girl.
Time slowed down as Crane jumped. He saw the tube and kept his muscles ready if the bastard tried anything 'funny'. When acid shot out from the flower aimed at Harley, he jumped and tackled her to the floor, right before the acid could hit her face. Joker was leaning on one of the tables, laughing like he had never laughed before. Scarecrow quickly checked if Harley was hurt, and finding that (except for a little bit of fright and a huge amount of dissappointment) she wasn't, he turned to the man he swore he was going to kill at that moment.
Joker laughed his brains out, along with the rest of his crew, who were lying on the floor, laughing. He had to lean on a table, to keep himself from falling over while laughing his brains out. But suddenly, a hard, metal like object hit him in the face and sent him to the floor with a big 'thud' noise. When he looked up, he saw Jonathan with a murderous look on his face, his tray held in his hands. Two goons immediately ran for their boss's help and attacked Scarecrow. But their movements were clumsy and slow, Crane easily defeated them with a few punches, kicks and a few hits from the tray. He almost felt victorious, when suddenly, he felt pain in his shoulder. The third goon stabbed him with a prison knife. He immediately dropped to his knees and grabbed for the weapon, but it was already removed from his shoulder and was then stabbed into his back. He screamed in pain, but threw the goon off of himself, and pulled the knife out of his back. As he looked around, guards were already separating the inmates and putting the situation under control. He dropped the knife and quickly ran to Harley, to check if she was hurt. Fortunately, she was not, but she was shocked about the thing her puddin' had just tried to do. She kept sobbing while Jonathan hugged her gently. She started crying.
He was lucky. The knife didn't go deep enough to cause serious injuries. Harley waited in front of the medical room, with two guards on either side of her, watching her every single move. Afterall, she was one of Gotham's top criminals. When Scarecrow stepped out of the room, she quickly ran to him, hugged him and started kissing his face everywhere.
„ Thank you." – She kept saying as they were escorted back to their cells. – „Thank you everything. The comforting words, the help, the advice and that you saved me." – She kissed Scarecrow on the cheek one last time, and then stepped into her cell.
That night, Crane couldn't sleep very well. He had nightmares about the events of the day. He couldn't tackle Harley in time when Joker blew her in the face with the acid. She screamed and fell to her knees, clawing at her skin as it was slowly dissolved by the deadly liquid.
„ Harley!" – He screamed as he woke up. It took him time to recognize that he had been dreaming. He was in his cell, Harley was fine, and that damn clown would pay for what he had done to them. He slowly started to fall back into the dream realm, when he heard a giggling whisper.
„ Jonathan." – He instantly recognised the voice.
„Harley? What are you doing? How did you…" – He was sushed by Harley's hand on his mouth.
„You're talking too much." The girl giggled quietly. – „You wanted to tell me something before Mr. J. came to the cantine." – He could make out her smile, even in the darkness of the room. – „I think I know what it was."
Crane tried to protest, when suddenly, Harley kissed him on the lips. He could feel the passion within her as she hugged him while gently kissing his lips. Her kiss was filled with love and joy that she could be with him. He was surprised at first, but quickly caught up with her and kissed Harley back, while caressing her shoulders and arms. He started kissing her neck, which earned him some soft gasps and moans. He moved even lower with his hands, caressing her back and legs. She began to rub his chest and shoulders.
As she rubbed his shoulders, she accidentally touched the wound on his shoulder, causing him to hiss in pain.
„I'm sorry." –She said as she stopped. Jonathan sat up and started caressing her cheeks.
„Oh you're better be sorry!" – a voice from the doorway said. They both looked there, shocked to see Joker. The door was open and next to it was a dead guard in a puddle of his own blood. Joker leapt forward and grabbed Harley by the throath. He kicked Jonathan in the guts and threw Harley to the floor. – „I gave you everything, bitch! Everything, and yet you cheat on me with this fear obsessed idiot." – As he was swearing at Harley, he didn't notice Scarecrow slowly reaching under his bed and pulling out something. As he went to kick Harley in the head, he felt pain in the two sides of his neck as two syringes were stabbed into his neck. He looked back at Crane, but saw that he had already pulled on his mask, and the syringes contained fear toxin as the world slowly twisted and turned it's shape. He collapsed on his knees, screaming of fear, but he could look up once again, into the eyes of the terrible sack mask of Scarecrow.
„Well. As my idol said once" – Crane started in a low, almost inhuman voice. – „welcome to my world bitch!"