Sorry about the cramped style from the last chapter. I'll try to fix it as best I can. Thank you all for being so patient while I figure out this site.

Becky looked around the suburban area of Gotham City. She knew that, after the tea party incident a few days ago, she had a lot of explaining to do. She just hoped that her sudden appearance with Crane hadn't shattered her friendship with Alice.

In her past experiences with her previous friendships, something like this would most definitely end her being associated with those friends, not to mention the friendship itself. She doubted that wouldn't be the case this time. And if it were the case, she'd rather have the closure of knowing that the friendship was over than continuing to live in fear of what could be. That she couldn't stand at all.

Becky took note on where she was, careful to keep a mental map of the neighborhood so she wouldn't get lost. Eventually, she found the house. She didn't know how she could have missed it. It was right in the center of the cul-de-sac.

She paused as she came to the porch of the house. She could still walk away right now. She could still have the memories of the good times and possibly delude herself into believing that the friendship had never ended.

But she also remembered what Crane had said about the subject, when she had asked which he had preferred, facing the fear or running away. "You can't run away from your fears, Becky," she repeated to herself. "Filling your mind with more things to fear will only drive you crazier and crazier and crazier until you eventually snap."

Taking a deep breath, she rang the doorbell. The sound of locks being unlatched greeted her ears before the sight of the girl herself. "Oh, hi, Becky," Alice greeted, somewhat surprised to see her at the door. Previously, she had only seen and talked to her around the University. She had not actually visited her home.

"Hey, Alice. Mind if I come in?" Becky asked.

"Um…sure," Alice replied, leading her inside.

The house was filled, but roomy. It looked like the average home of a college student, with tons of books scattered on the small coffee table. But there also a few toys scattered around the floor.

Becky picked up one. It was a small, stuffed plushy of a pterodactyl.

"You don't have any kids around here, do ya?" she asked, looking around her living room, half of it occupied by textbooks and the other half filled with children's toys.

Alice giggled, blushing a bit. "No, no. It's for my teaching class."

"Oh," she replied.

The two talked for a while, enjoying their time before the inevitable question would be asked.

"So, Becky. Why exactly did you stop by?" Alice asked, curious. She had wondered why her friend would stop by her house in the first place. Becky's shoulders slumped, her expression downcast.

"Look, Alice, about the tea party…"

"What about it?" She wondered, confused by her friend's response. She had a wonderful time at the party, despite being surrounded by two of Gotham's most famous rogues. Jervis was nice as well, and treated her like a lady, which made her quite happy. Gentlemen were few and far between, especially in Gotham. But Jervis still surprised her at points, even if he was somewhat crazy.

Becky sighed. This was it. She mentally prepared herself to say goodbye to her friendship with the blonde. "Look, I can understand if you don't want to see me anymore. Really, I wouldn't see me anymore if I were in your shoes. And if that's how you feel about it, then I understand," she murmured, preparing herself for the sting of her friend's rejection.

Alice looked alarmed. 'What? No! That's not what I meant at all, Becky," she cried, grabbing her friend into a hug. "I just meant that I was worried about you. That's all."

Becky blinked. She wasn't…. being cast aside? They were still…friends? She summed up all her feelings in one magnificent word. "Huh?"

Alice smiled. "But of course I would be worried! I hadn't seen you in a week, and in Gotham, that's a long time to be missing."

"Oh," Becky relaxed, glad that Alice was still her friend.

Silence reigned for a little while in that house, before being ousted by Alice's words.

"Becky? Can you promise me something?"

The redhead nodded.

"Can you promise me that you won't become so entranced with him that you kill someone?"

Becky's eyebrows rose. "Of course not, Alice! I would never do that." Though her words and tone were confident, in her heart, she didn't know if she could keep that promise.

"Are you sure?" Alice replied, worry in her eyes. "I mean, I'm sure Harley Quinn didn't want to kill anyone when she first joined the Joker, but now she doesn't even bat an eyelash at death."

Becky frowned. "Alice, I'm not Harley Quinn. And Jonathan is not the Joker. He won't hurt me."

"Jonathan?" Alice questioned, wondering about that name.

"Jonathan Crane," she stated. "You know, the Scarecrow."

"Oh," Alice replied, finally getting the picture. "But why wouldn't he hurt you?"

Becky smiled, and began to tell her story to the girl, starting from the time of the Greenville attack by the Scarecrow all the way until she had accepted his offer.

"But why would he spare you? I mean, he must have gassed hundreds of people before you and not cared at all," Alice said, wondering.

Becky chuckled. "That's a question I've been asking for ages, Alice, and I still don't have an answer. Maybe he knew I wouldn't be scared of him."

"But how?"

She shrugged. "I don't know. But he never tried to fear gas me again. Sure, he had it around him, but he never used it on me again during that time."

"Hmm, that's strange," said Alice. "It's almost as if he doesn't want to. It's like he, I don't know, likes you."

Becky laughed. "A-are you sure that you haven't been spending too much time with the Hatter, Alice? Him, liking me? As if. We're just colleges, nothing more."

Alice tapped her chin. "Well, I don't know-"

"I mean, that's like saying you have a thing for the Hatter, right?" Becky laughed.

Alice nervously joined her laughter. "Y-yeah, right."

"Well, it's getting late. I have to go back to the hideout. See you soon?"

Alice nodded. "Yeah, see you soon."

With a small wave, the two parted ways for now.