IM SO SORRY. THANK YOU TO ALL WHO HAVE RECENTLY FOLLOWED OR FAVORITED OR EVEN JUST FUCKING READ IT. PLEASE FEEL FREE TO COMMENT ( whether good, bad, or grammatical.) SERIOUSLY POINT OUT ANY SPELLING OR GRAMMAR MISTAKES. LOVE YOU GUYS.

Chapter 9: Ancraophobia (fear of wind)

Dahlia had glanced over Riddlers maps, but she was somewhat clueless about where things were. She knew where his trophies and cameras were placed, so she knew where to avoid, but she couldn't identify what turf she was on without looking at goons' get ups. She had decided to not kill any goons so as to not clue riddler in to where she was. It had been four days since the night she left and she was on a constant move. She had been moving further along the pier, but soon she would move into more deserted areas.

A figure stood between buildings watching some girl sit on the edge of the pier. He had noticed her when he was making a supply run. He hadn't wanted to be noticed by anyone, but the girl was rather intriguing. She carried a back pack and wore the standard Arkham pants and wife-beater. She seemed alert and tense until she would dip her bare feet in the freezing, polluted water. No one would get in that water, no matter how desperate, so why was it so relaxing. In his curiosity, he subconsciously moved closer and brushed against some trash. Her heard snapped in his direction, and his breath froze in his lungs.

The moon reflected against her eyes and pale skin giving her the look of an angel with the eyes of a demon. He instantly recognized those eyes. They were the eyes of the man who had saved him from Batman. Croc could have been a little nicer with his rescue, but he learned to be grateful. He wondered how such a person could come to have his eyes.

He walked forward to her as she sat staring at his crystalline, blue eyes. She was unaware that he was talking until he tapped her on the head.

"Huh?" she quickly asked looking rather disoriented. He lightheartedly chuckled and held his hand out to help her up. He pulled her up with surprising force since he was obviously on the skinnier was slightly dazed by his intense eyes until he broke her focus with his next words.

"I said 'My name is Dr. Crane', and you are...?" he asked with a small smirk on his lips.

"Dahlia Tabram... Well, Jones, now, I guess. Yeah. Dahlia Jones. Doctor, you're supposed to be dead."

"Let's keep it that way, but, first, would you explain to me why you have the name and eyes of Killler Cro-"

"Waylon Jones, please. I'm tired of everyone saying that name with disgust." He quirked a naturally full eyebrow at her outburst. "I mean, you didn't say it with disgust but..." She awkwardly rambled off as he, basically, laughed at her with his eyes. "Sorry, please continue."

"What exactly is your relationship with Waylon Jones?"

"He's my daddy, but he doesn't know it cause I'm a rape baby. One of these days, though, I'm gonna meet him." She beamed at him, and he could almost feel her excitement at the prospect of meeting the dad she, probably, never had. He almost felt bad because even he didn't know how Croc would react.

"Well, what are you doing until that day comes might I ask?" questioned Crane because scarecrow wanted to know, but crane wanted to help her out and repay Croc for his help.

"Ummm..." Dahlia worried she shouldn't tell him. She wanted to trust him but knew she shouldn't.

"I won't hurt the daughter of Croc, I'm not stupid. Plus, I kinda owe him, so you'd be safe with me." He looked at her and she saw no threat in him. She could out power him, and his fear gas didn't work well on her(I'll explain later, guys.)

"I'm hiding from Riddler. He wants to kill Croc for killing you, but he needs me to lure him out." She watched as cranes eyebrows furrowed in thought then he grabbed her hand.

"You can hide at my place. Riddler, obviously, isn't on to me, so it's a safe place. Though I'm gonna have to ask you to help out a little." She smiled when she looked up to see his smile. She felt like he was crazy and dangerous, yet he held an underlying sense of childish emotion. It would certainly explain his need to exploit and avenge himself. He reminded her of Riddler in this sense.

"Well, then, let's get to it." she said giggling and letting crane guide her to the hideout.

His hideout was simply the secret basement of some building near to the docks, yet completely abandoned by thugs. She assumed it was a superintendents apartment since its entrance was through the back, and it had a room with pipes. Other than that it resembled a normal apartment. It contained a quaint bedroom, a living room, bathroom, and kitchen. She wondered how the power still worked in it but figured it was some kind of seperate generator.

Crane told her to make herself at home while he unloaded the bag he had been carrying. It mainly contained food and some other random shit. She had grown used to the comfort of the Riddler's place where he could get any supplies he wanted. When she left, she had taken some food but hadn't realized to what extent the food shortage was. It made her curios how he was able to find food when most inmates starved to death.

"So how did you get all that stuff?" Cautiously asked Dahlia. He turned around with a box of saltines and made his way over to the couch where she currently sat.

"I steal a little bit from everybody. Enough so I'm not starving but not so much that they'll notice." As he spoke, he sat down next to her and handed her a cracker. They sat there in comfortable silence and ate crackers.

"So... do you want to sleep on the bed or couch?" asked Crane. Ahe didn't want her to feel uncomfortable but neither of the options really were.

"I can sleep on the couch. I just need my blanket from my bag since I'm cold-blooded."

"I think the bed is more comfortable."

"Are you trying to be a gentleman?"

"Croc wouldn't be too happy if I made his little princess sleep on a couch when there is a perfectly good full-size bed."

"Well, sorry to spoil your chivalrous moment, but I'm no princess."

"Doesn't matter sleep ont he bed. You've yawned over five times in the last hour and eyelids are starting to droop, so off to bed with you." Dahlia just smiled a tired smile and grabbed her blanket from the back pack and went to the bedroom. She grabbed a pillow and blanket and took them out to crane who was hilariously passed out on the couch. She rearranged him, so he wouldn't wake up with a crick in his neck and tucked him in.

"Night, Scarecrow. Night, Doctor." She headed to her own bed and almost immediately feel asleep.

The wind picked up in the night and threw trash about the alleys. It tipped over a metal trash can. The noise awoke Dahlia from her sleep. She looked around confused until she remembered where she was. She pulled the blankets closer when the wind howled outside.

"It just wind so stop being a scaredy cat." She reprimanded herself. There wasn't much she feared, but the wind scared her socks off. She didn't even know why. She knew she wouldn't be able to go back to sleep without someone to comfort her, so she got up and headed to the living room.

Dahlia reached her hand out to awaken Crane but stopped partway. She worried he would laugh at her, but something told her he would be more intrigued by the illogical fear. She tapped him on the shoulder, and he immediately jumped up.

Crane thought someone was going to attack him but looked to see Dahlia hugging her blanket to her short form and being on the verge of tears. Scarecrow smiled on the inside at her fear, but felt a pang in his heart. He rather liked her and wondered why someone who had nothing to fear would look so scared.

"Dahlia, what's wrong? Why are you so scared?"

"The wind is really strong and it scares me for some reason... Would you... Would you mind sleeping in the bed with me?" She looked away in embarrassment. She hated to seem weak. "Unless you don't want to. That's fine. I'll just go back to bed."

"No. I'll comfort you." Scarecrow was astonished at Crane's want to comfort her in a brotherly way. For some stupid reason, he felt no sexual attraction just this brotherly need to protect her. It was something he didn't even want to admit to himself. He grabbed the pillow and blanket and Dahlia's hand and went to the bed.

"I'm sorry about this. I don't know why I'm so scared of the wind." She cuddled up to him as he laid back on the bed. She felt so safe wrapped in his arms while her head rested under his chin. His right hand petted her head and his left rubbed her back. She slowly started to fall back asleep and not too long after so did Crane.