**Disclaimer: I do not own any of these characters or this universe. This work can be taken down at any time. I'm taking some liberties here. Just telling a cool story with cool people. **

Giving props to the source material for this amazing version of The Scarecrow

Go check them out , you will not regret it :

A cookie for anyone who knows the character introduced in this chapter.

Yes , she is cannon

There she stood. A woman in her early 30's was on his creaky wooden porch. She wore a black knee length cap-sleeved dress and black folded ankle length socks and black oxfords. She carried a black briefcase.
She liked to wear black , he gathered.
She removed her steel-framed spectacles and looked to him , she had almost white platinum blonde locks cut into a short asymmetrical bob.

He hated that.

She looked as if she were from a different planet , when next to him.

"… Skorzeny…I presume? " he asked , completely deadpan with no irony or kidding around.

"…At your service , . " she said , putting her hands on her hips. "..Though.. I suppose I wouldn't be here unless you needed me…."

" I do not need you , I need your services to lighten my caseload..anyone can be replaced , ..you'll do well to remember that…" he said , turning , motioning her to come in.

"..Do you not have a white coat? " Crane asked.

"…Yeah , I do. I just didn't wear it at my last job. I thought private practice wouldn't be any different. " she said , looking around at all the old things he had in his living room before moving to sit on his faded brown leather couch.

" ….Nothing here…is like anything you've ever seen before….being a medical doctor means you have authority…the folks that come through here need to know who is in charge…you are perscribing and providing medical treatment to these patients…they need to know that you are here…..to be a doctor…and nothing else…" he said , walking around instead of sitting…she felt like…a child..being scolded. She wondered exactly what she did wrong.

" Rule 1 :…While you are a medical doctor..I am still the one in charge of this practice…any hospital admissions , methadone clinic referrals or ACT team referrals will go through me. Arkham will not accept anything less than my signature if you're admitting them. " he said. She nodded , watching him pace. Wondering just how his signature was worth more than hers…but she would attend to that later.

" Rule 2 : You are not to refuse treatment to a patient because they are a violent offender. 90% of my clientele are violent offenders and most of them are males. If you can't handle that then I suggest you leave now and safe us both the trouble. " She sat back and crossed her legs , folding her hands on her lap. She slipped her glasses on.

" Rule 3 : We are not here to be friends , we are colleagues …and that is a stretch…Whenever you are not seeing a patient you are to be doing clinical notes , you get all your clinical notes done , you do master treatment plans…There is always something for you to do , so I don't expect to see you in my office chattin' me up about last nights Leno. " he said.

" …" she said , in a stern.."shrink-voice".

" What? " he answered , hands still behind his back , mid-pace.

"…I'm not a greenhorn…I believe we discussed my 10 years of practicing medicine on the phone. I've worked in prisons and federal programs….I'm no stranger to difficult cases….and for the record…Leno retired…Jimmy Fallon..hosts the tonight show now…" she smirked.

"…I don't care if Johnny Carson's corpse is reanimated and has his own show! Just don't bother me!" he said , irritated at this woman already.

"…Now that…would be an interesting show…Would it be redundant to also reanimate Ed McMann? " she said , smirking.

"…Get to work , . Our first two patients are due in 30 minutes. I trust you signed all the paperwork I faxed you ? " Crane said , a little upset at her , and himself for letting her think she could smart-ass off to him. If this continued he would need to attend to that.
" I did. " she said , handing him the documents out of her briefcase.
" and did you get the copy of my medical license and my degrees? " she asked.
" I did…you'll need to have those up in the space I have for you before the week is up. Speaking of which , I'll take you to it.." he said , guiding her through the house. He lead her through the living room , the kitchen and into a den.
"…I don't want you going crazy with the décor in here. I run a medical clinic out of this house , not a damn high-school guidance counselor's office. Some pictures on the wall and some books for the shelves will be enough. " he said , looking at her. " Your patients will come in through the kitchen door. If they're an inmate a police officer will escort them and wait outside your door. I generally don't like them in my sessions…but if you want them in there with you , go for it. " he said.
She noted how..tired..and depressed he sounded…and this man was providing psychotherapy? My lord how could he possibly make anyone feel good about themselves?…Maybe that's not his forte…she thought to herself.
"I'll let your lack of a white coat slide for today…but you will have one on before you come here tomorrow…" he said.
"…Lunch is at 12:00pm. I take mine in my office , I suggest you take yours in your own. You're welcome to whatever is in the kitchen but if you use the last of anything I expect to see a new container the next day or it will come out of your pay…now..if you'll excuse me I need to prepare for our first clients…" he said before walking off to his office on the other side of the house.
She sighed…well…
This was destined to be…a strange and annoying journey