I might have been running on five hours of sleep but hell, that was what caffeine was for. Thank god for Mountain Dew. From the moment of opening my eyes my head was in overdrive. I had to get my mind off the trial somehow. So, being the rational thinker I was, I figured what better distraction than some help? If things were to go according to plan I needed some backup. Maybe Harley or Ivy? Even Selena, as soon as she came to mind I scratched it. I heard she had often worked with the bat, and that was the last thing I needed. Cops fit into that category as well.

Then again I guess I was just lucky that Gordon didn't have a watch on me.

Of course as soon as I thought that I looked out the window and saw an unmarked car outside, lurking. I noticed a young officer in the front seat with some coffee reading the comics section. He glanced up and met my eyes with a wink before turning the paper over and reading the opposite side. I mentally gagged. Screw that, I needed to get to the hideout! All my stuff was there, and I needed my stuff if this was going to go down.

Hmm, young officer winking at me...with a working car. I simpered back at him when he looked up at my window once more. I was about to go Poison Ivy on his ass.

All my good clothes were at home, not this dingy little crap hole. I wrapped my arms around myself shivering in the loneliness. Then my training kicked in.

I wasn't some damsel in distress!

Edward was attracted to me, I couldn't have been that bad. "Look at the sexual assets" I thought, studying myself in the mirror. Legs, hip, bust, and waist is what they seemed to look at the most. Mine seemed to be all right, if it was good enough for Eddie, it was good enough for the...person...outside. Some shorts and a tank should do the job nicely.

Once I was cleaned up enough with the available soaps in the apartment (like I said everything was over at his place) I sauntered outside and knocked on his window. I might have been overdoing it, nope, no such thing as a better over achiever.

Bending over, I purred into the open window. "Give a girl a ride?"

Once at the hideout I made a mental note to tighten security...by a lot. It didn't take much for me to get in, all you had to do was answer a couple riddles and enter a security code. The last four digits of my cell phone number, easy enough to guess. I suppose I should have been flattered, only my mind wasn't on that particular subject at the moment.

Backup...backup...I didn't have anyone phone number much less their addresses.

"Excuse me but I am not Jonathan Crane. He's next door. I can set an appointment up if you want, I don't recommend it though."
Of course.

I waved flirtatiously to the cop on the way to the other building. This one was a bit smaller, but had more exits.

A distinct feeling of deja vu settled over the window I was now crawling through, perhaps not the smartest idea knowing the inhabitants, but effective. Still facing the window, I brushed off my shirt and sniffed at the cut had gotten because of the shorts.

"YOU!"

I gulped and turned around slowly. Crane was bent over his lab table, menacing as ever. What really made the image terrifying though, was the glare he was giving me. Oh yeah...I forgot it looked like I had led Edward to a trap. Oh you're just full of ideas today aren't you Bethy?

My hair prickled as he stalked towards me, thin fists clenched. I didn't want to hurt him that much, he was decent!

I held my hands up in a friendly gesture as if to stop him, just as Becky walked in rifling through some papers.
"Jon I wanted you to look at these test results a- Beth what are you doing here?" By the grin spreading across her freckled face I could tell she hadn't been listening to the news. Jonathan was in front of her in an instant. A sweet gesture maybe, but his stance kind of made him look like an arthritic cricket. A soft laugh huffed out before I could stop it.

"Jonathan what-?"

"She betrayed Nigma." he snapped. "Whats to say she won't do the same to us?"

Becky gave me a disappointed pout.

"I thought you liked him."

"I do! Hear me out! I'm planning something for today but I'll need your help."

Crane's blue eyes were still slits, he didn't have to trust me. Just help me.

When I told them the plan Becky was instantly on board, I could see we were going to get along just fine. Jonathan was still a bit wary but he agreed with a little coaxing.

Becky looked at my tattered clothes with pity.

"Do you need anything along with help on this? It doesn't look like you're dressed for success."

"Um...I'm not one for clothes." I muttered, glancing down at my ensemble.

"Neither am I, notice who I live with, but that's not what I was talking about." She took my hand and lead me out into the main living space. It wasn't much, I could see the lab was their natural habitat. Costumes were laid out over the couch, in disarray. Matching Master and Mistress of Fear outfits. I fought back the need to daw, knowing I'd probably get a needle in the neck. A large chest was pushed up against the wall, and when opened, yielded many kinds of weapons. She rummaged around near the bottom and pulled out the strangest piece of underwear I had ever seen.

"You're bustier than me, but I think this'll do." All I could do was goggle. In her hand was what seemed to be a normal plain black bra at first look. Look closer, and you would see the gun holster strapped between the cups.

"U-um..."

"Go ahead take it, I have another." Ignoring the awkward silence between me and Jonathan, she closed the trunk after snatching up two gas masks from the top. "Take these too, you'll need them"

Jonathan lowered himself down on the threadbare couch, eying me closely. Probably seeing that I didn't activate any tracking devices.

"I'm surprised he hasn't gotten loose already." Becky babbled.

Jonathan's eyes fell to the floor. "He could if he wanted to. He can get in and out of handcuffs in a matter of seconds, showed it off whenever the bat took us in."

"A-are you saying he doesn't want to?"

Crane ground his teeth and shifted uncomfortably "I know Edward Nigma, and when there's no motivation in it for him, he doesn't do it."

"But...he would be free...doesn't he want that?" my gaze snapped back and forth from the two of them, waiting for an answer. There was only silence.

"Whats the use of being free if there's no one to share that freedom with?" Becky mumbled, glancing at the figure on the couch.

I couldn't have said anything to that if I tried.

She stopped me on the way out. "Would the regular mixture be enough?"

"Is there something that can make people so scared they bumble around like idiots? I think that would amuse him."

"Ooh" I saw a flicker of something other than the polite side I was seeing and closer to madness duck into her hazel eyes. "You want the good stuff."

After sneaking out the back door into Edward's lair, I packed a small case of my better clothes, and hid the bra in the fray. I snatched a small handgun while I was there, I didn't have anything like that at my disposal.

Cops wouldn't search anything without a warrant. If they tried, an arm would get broken. You don't fuck with me. I fuck with you. And that was the kind of mood I was in today.

Another fluttering of my eyelashes and I was off to the station to talk with my appointed lawyer. I could have driven myself at this point, I was just too lazy though.

It was the same scene as in the Commissioner's office last night, minus the weeping hysterically. Same questions, same answers, same charges. The trial was set for three o clock. Time...had never passed slower. After telephoning Jonathan, all that was left to do was sit and sweat it out.

I was zoning on cloud nine when Gordon came to my door.

"It's time."

I was dressed somewhat professionally. Green mid thigh skirt, purple cardigan over a white tee. The only thing that marred the look up was the extreme slit up my skirt, to allow better movement. At the court door, a guard was searching everybody that was coming through. Ah well, they wouldn't feel a girl up in front of a judge would they?

The man came about up to my waist when he cut off. I glanced over my shoulder. "You going for the gold there pal?"

His face flushed and he waved me though with out saying a single word. In the court room, everyone was milling about, not taking their seats yet. This was a public trial for some reason, and it seemed everyone had shown up, press included.

I recognized Vicky Vale and Jack Ryder clamoring about asking questions. Vale caught sight of me and twitched with excitement.

"Miss Zaney! Miss Zaney! Any comments no what happened and how this led up?"

"N-no comment" I muttered, shying away from the cameras put on live. The lawyer beat the rest back, allowing me free access to the front table. I looked over to the opposite side and saw him in handcuffs, staring at the ground. My fists tightened in desire. The desire to run over there and cradle him to say it was okay. But that would come in time. Patience.

The bailiff came out and everyone quieted down, settling into their seats.

"All rise, the honorable judge Ferris residing." Everybody did as they were told as a tall African American man in his fifties strode out confidently. He had a kind face, and I good mustache...I wouldn't shoot him. I'd probably go for that guard. Something about him annoyed me.

The charges were read, and my lawyer got up to say his opening statement. I didn't care, I just nodded when referred to and tried not to focus on the radiating hate from Eddie's direction. I did notice that the judge seemed to have a soft spot. Man he was the type of guy you wanted to go up to and randomly hug on the street. When everything was winding down, my heart sped up. It was time!
"Has the defendant anything to say before the jury passes judgment?" Edward's lawyer looked down and back up at his client.

"No your honor"

The judge turned to me and asked gently. "And has the prosecutor anything to say?"

I stood up on shaky legs, my nervousness finally welling up inside me. The holster seemed two times bigger now, like everyone was staring at it. I heard a few gasps as I rose up in plain view.

"He might have kidnapped me, taken me hostage and used me may times while ignoring my rights...but I've probably left out the biggest crime of all." I blurted. My voice seemed so tiny.

Everybody leaned forward in their sets, including Eddie, who's eyes were focused on my like a tough crossword. My eyes were glued on his and I felt a rush of either courage or adrenaline as I fingered my shirt line. My heart seemed to pound harder and harder against the gun holster as the seconds ticked by.

"And that is?" Ferris prodded.

"I...I love him." I squeaked. Quick as lightning I pulled the gun from it's holster, aimed and shot the burliest guard in the shoulder to slow him down I wasn't ready to kill (if I ever was going to be).

There was a stunned silence for a nanosecond, then complete chaos. The guards lining the walls converged on us, but the panicking crowd was hindering them. My lawyer tried to grab me, his head ending up in the table I hurtled over in order to free Eddie, then of course he was already out of the hand cuffs. I twirled once I saw he was good to fight for himself. Two guards were impeding on me. A spark of joy flew through my body and the rush was on. Up and over I went between their shoulders, smacking their heads together from the back.

Screams were starting to emanate from the doorway and I reached into my pockets, grasping the compact gas masks. I slapped on the first and put one over his mouth and nose just as the gas was reaching the front row. Everyone was clamoring to get out of the room as their worst nightmares came to life around them. Jonathan's cackle was easily distinguishable amidst the chaos. Out of the cloud of gas were Crane and Becky turning this way and that as they approached us, leisurely examining each person's fright. This was on the edge of my brain, the rest was devoted to the bone crushing hug I was receiving. I buried into his neck with a sigh unheard from the mask and let a small bit of peace sink in. All was well again.