Drip. Drip. Elizabeth slowly opened her eyes. She was lying on a padded floor but this wasn't her cell. It was too dark and the Plexiglas wall wasn't there

"Hello?" There was no response but her echo. Her arms weren't bound but her whole body hurt like hell. She sat up slowly taking in her surroundings, not that there was much to see even with her heightened night vision. A few streaks of light shone through a small barred window. She crawled over to it careful not to aggravate her sore body. As her hand passed through the light it shone red and Elizabeth halted. Sticking her hand in the beam she turned in slowly flexing her fingers.

"No," she whispered, "no." She looked down hastily there was nothing on her chest. Elizabeth ran her clean hand over her face, nothing there either. Just her hand then maybe it wasn't… She licked her hand quickly. The coppery yet sweet taste of blood spread across her tongue.

"No, no, NO!" She yelled scrambling over to the door and pressing her face against the bars. "What happened?! Is anyone there!? Please! Tell me what happened I need to know! HELLO!" Nobody responded to her pleas. She collapsed against the wall tears of panic and fear running down her face.

"I need to know, I need to know, I need to know…"

Elizabeth didn't know how long she was there repeating her plea, rocking back and forth. All she cared about was the possibilities running through her mind. Even the slow opening of the door didn't break her from her trance. A figure crouched in front of her.

"Elizabeth." She looked up, surprised yet unfazed by the person entering her world. Her face was streak with tears.

"I need to know," she pleaded of the person in front of her. They didn't say anything but pulled out a syringe filled with a clear liquid out of their pocket. Elizabeth's hand shot out and caught the wrist of the figure. She stared deep into their eyes, beseeching.

"What happened?" She asked softly.

"Scarecrow attacked you and sent you into another psychotic episode." Her lip trembled and her hand shook.

"No."

"You didn't kill anyone though, only one guard was hurt." A small bit of relief appeared on her face. "But you need to have a session." The person wrapped an arm around her carefully and pulled her to her feet. Elizabeth didn't say anything and allowed herself to be steered out of the cell.

Edward silently paced around his cell, it had been several hours since Elizabeth and Jonathan had been taken away. He knew both had been taken to solitary, Jonathan would be fine he'd spent weeks in the dark cells before but Elizabeth… Elizabeth wouldn't take well to waking up in the dank darkness. She probably wouldn't know where she was or why she was there. Edward slammed his fist against the wall in frustration. Being down solitary would cause her to clam up right just when he was getting her to open and give him information to solve her with.

The hallway door clicked. Elizabeth was being led down the hall she was in a straightjacket even though she was completely calm. Beyond calm in fact, her head was hanging, choppy grey hair covered her face and her body lacked any sign of energy. She looked broken.

"Elizabeth," he said softly as they reached her door. She didn't respond. The orderlies opened the door and pushed her inside. She tripped over the threshold and fell to the ground. They chuckled slightly at her. Elizabeth said nothing in return, no snappy remark like she would have before. She struggled to get onto her feet. Eventually she gave up and simply sat in the corner gazing listlessly at the wall in front of her.

"Elizabeth," Edward said again, sitting down on the floor so he was at eye-level. She blinked slowly as if coming out of a trance. Edward felt a flash of anger when he saw her face. It was bruised heavily, one of her eyes was half swollen shut and her lip had stiches in it. She had been to the infirmary that much clear but she hadn't been patched up very well. There was still blood leaking from her lip and there was an untreated gash on her forehead. Also there was something wrong he had watched the guards subdue her and not a single one had touched her face and only a few had hit her on the body when they had pinned her.

"What happened?"

"I-I had a s-session," she croaked. Edward's blanched he knew exactly what she was talking about. It seemed the guards had decided to teach her lesson for hurting one of their own.

"Which ones did this?" She screwed her face up trying to think. They must have given her a concussion too.

"Rosslend…a-and Berg…I can't—" She grimaced in pain. "Sorry…"

"It's not your fault," Edward looked down the hall at the door. Thinking quickly. Deciding what to do. She needed to be treated properly and she couldn't spend the night in the corner. "Just relax, it'll be alright." He rushed over to his cot and grabbed something from underneath the mattress. It was a small roughly made device. He pressed it against his door, right where the lock would be and turned several knobs carefully. There was a click and the door popped open. Shoving the device in his pocket he quickly punched in the numbers to unlock Elizabeth's door.

Edward crouched down in front of her. "I'm going to help you to your bed." Elizabeth didn't say anything but the look on her battered face was thoroughly confused. He placed one of her arms around him and picked her up bridal style. She whimpered in pain.

"There we go," he set her gently on the bed; "I need to check for broken ribs, tell me where it hurts." She nodded. Edward began pressing on her sides. He made it down both sides without feeling anything out of place. She was lucky but they still could be fractured and if any were there was nothing he could do.

"I'll be right back." Edward knocked on Jervis' cell. "Give me some of your bandages from yesterday." Jervis passed the supplies through the food slot, smiling.

"Taking care of your Alice?"

"Shut up." Edward grabbed the bandages. He whipped the blood off her forehead and placed a bandaged on it. He dabbed at her lip until the bleeding stopped.

"Do you know if you're bleeding anywhere else?"

"I'm not," she grunted, "They were careful."

"I'm going to get you some painkillers."

"No," she cried grabbing his arm, "Dr. Gullenrow…gave me drugs…can't have…" Edward frowned. Dr. Gullenrow wasn't a doctor that was allowed to give emergency medication. There was something fishier than a Joker fish going on.

"You should sleep then." He was already at the door when Elizabeth called out to him.

"Edward." He paused. "Thank you." Edward gave a curt nod and shut the door quickly. He flicked off Jervis who was grinning stupidly at him and returned to his cell. It only took a few minutes for Elizabeth to fall asleep. Though it was more likely she had passed out from the pain.

The next day Elizabeth didn't do much, she slept a lot and even though she was now allowed pain killers she didn't move around much. She was able to make small conversation with Jervis and Edward but it was mainly Edward and Jervis talking, with Elizabeth adding in a comment every now and again. Edward was eventually taken away for his therapy session.

"Elizabeth," Jervis said breaking the silence.

"Yes, Jervis?"

"I wish to apologize for Jonathan's behavior yesterday."

"I don't care; I was expecting it sooner or later."

"You were? Never mind, as a gentleman I also wish to apologize for what I did as well."

"You didn't do anything."

"Yes I did, I kept Edward from protecting you."

"Why would Edward want to protect me?"

"Oh dear, Jonathan asked me not to tell, he says it'll ruin it…" Elizabeth could see him in the glass twisting his hands around each other.

"Jervis, it can just be our little secret that you told me."

"Oh, I don't know if I should I want to see what will happen too…"

"You're making me curiouser and curiouser…" Jervis froze when he heard the quote. Something shifted in his eyes, it was like he was no longer seeing the cell surrounding him.

"Okay, I'll tell you Alice but you can't tell Elizabeth. Promise?" Elizabeth frown she had only meant for him to laugh and agree to tell her not enter an episode. Ah well there was nothing she could do now.

"Promise." She said changing her voice to a higher pitch.

"Such an exciting bit of gossip, the Dormouse has fallen in love. Is it not wonderful?"

"Fallen in love? With who?"

"Someone new, you have not met her but you would like her just like me. She's nice and brave and she does not hate me Alice."

"That's nice Mr. Hatter but how do you know the Dormouse is in love?"

"The March Hare told me and I can see it too, because he looks at her the same why I look at you."

"Do you think Someone New likes the Dormouse?"

"Silly Alice, her name is not someone new."

"Than what is it?" Jervis put his chin in his hand thinking.

"She is the Wolf."

"So does the Wolf like the Dormouse?"

"I think so, I hope so, I bet the March Hare that they will get together."

"The March Hare doesn't think they'll get together?"

"Oh he does but he thinks it will happen sooner than I do." Elizabeth heard the echo of Edward's voice down the hall.

"I need to go now Mr. Hatter. Good bye"

"Good bye Alice." Jervis sounded very sad but his eyes changed back to normal when the door opened. Edward looked pissed off and was yelling at the guards.

"I know what you and your friends did Berg! You've bullied us long enough!" They shoved him inside his cell.

"I have no idea what you're talking about, she fell." Berg said grinning; he knew there was nothing that could get him fired short of killing one of the patients.

"You're coming with us," another guard said to Elizabeth, "Dr. Bartholomew wants to talk to you."

"Ah, Miss Howard hello." Dr. Bartholomew said setting down the file he was reading.

"Hi," Elizabeth said nervously, she had no idea who he was or why he wanted to talk to her.

"Leave us," he said dismissing the guards with a wave of his hands. "Please sit down." Elizabeth did glancing around the office. There were pictures drawn by children on the walls and a photo of three kids on his desk.

"You must be confused as to why you are here."

"Yeah, quite a bit."

"Well you see I am Jonathan Crane's doctor and I am hoping to talk to you about yesterday."

"Oh, I see." Elizabeth shifted uncomfortably in her chair.

"Now I understand if you don't want to talk about it, I know Crane's methods can be traumatizing."

"No, it's fine."

"Good, then can you tell me, how was Crane behaving before he pulled you away?"

"I'm not sure. I know he was playing chess with Jervis, I wasn't really paying attention I was too busy talking to Edward."

"I see…what type of questions did he ask you?"

"He asked about my family and of course, what my fears were."

"Did you tell him?"

"…yes." The doctor frowned.

"I see…and could you tell me what you told him?"

"I…I said my fear was failure."

"And how did he react to that?"

"He asked me what else…and I said nothing."

"He didn't like that I'm sure."

"No, he said I was lying."

"Were you?"

"Yes." Dr. Bartholomew was silent for a few minutes, apparently thinking. Finally he took the small aerosol can Jonathan had used yesterday and placed it in front of her.

"Do you know what this is?"

"Well since you are asking I going to assume it's not the Scarecrow's fear gas."

"Correct, this is a can of spray on skin filled with water."

Elizabeth laughed in disbelief. "Amazing, I was sent into a psychotic episode by the placebo effect…it's impressive though that one person could hold so much power over others. To make them terrified even when they have nothing with which to scare them."

"What do you mean by impressive," he asked looking a bit concerned.

"I don't mean I want that power I mean…well…that it's incredible how a skinny, nerdy man like Jonathan can hold so much influence over others."

"You call him Jonathan, why?"

"He asked me too, I also call him Professor though, since he taught me in college."

"What does he call you?"

"Elizabeth most of the time, but sometimes child, I don't see why though I'm only…six years younger than him." The doctor rubbed his mouth assessing Elizabeth.

"You said that you lied about failure being your only fear. Would you feel comfortable telling me what else you fear?"

Elizabeth furrowed her brows trying to decide whether she wanted to or not. "No, I'm sorry Dr. Bartholomew I don't think I am."

"That's okay." The doctor buzzed for the guards to come in and remove Elizabeth.

While walking through the corridors back to her cell Elizabeth and the guards were stopped by Dr. Gullenrow.

"Elizabeth, it's good to see you patched from your fall yesterday, I'm sorry gave you the wrong dosage and caused you to collapse." He said patting her on the shoulder, right where there was a large bruise.

Elizabeth glared at him. "I don't remember falling."

"Don't worry, the drug I gave you sometimes messes with your short-term memory. Every doctor here knows that." He squeezed her shoulder causing her to wince in pain.

"That's okay doctor I'm glad you're here to take care of me."

"And hopefully you've learned your lesson." The guards chuckled and Dr. Gullenrow gave her a knowing look. "Those Rogues can be mighty dangerous." He gave her shoulder a last squeeze and continued on his way, whistle merrily.