His Darling Assistant

Part 6: Beautiful

After settling into your new office, you sat at your desk, which was now adorned with the little trinkets you brought from your house, and wondered what to do next. Dr. Crane was busy with his patients in the basement, and all of your work for the day was done, so you decided to check in with your mid-level patients one more time.

Before getting off on the patients' floor of the building, you decided to visit the archives and grab some of the patients' files to update with any notes you might take. You walked cautiously down the corridor, passing the rooms of criminals that Dr. Crane had been experimenting on. You had seen every one of their crimes at this point, so you knew this floor was filled with rapists and murderers and all of the wrong sorts of people.

You made your usual wide berth around the isolation ward, careful to avert your gaze from the square window room where those haunting screams came. By the sounds of them, Dr. Crane was most likely in that room, testing his hallucinogen at that very moment. You hastened towards the archival room, grabbed the files you needed, and were well on your way back to the elevator when you nearly ran into someone with a burlap hood resembling a scarecrow. Assuming he was an inmate, you were about to yell for security, heart beating heavily, when he pulled the hood off, revealing Jonathan's surprised face.

"I thought you were upstairs?" He frantically shoved the hood into his briefcase, casting furtive glances behind him to the isolation room of screams.

"I was, I was just going to update some of these notes," you told him, showing him the files you carried, "my work for today was pretty much done. Why were you wearing-"

"I expect you've found your new office adequate, then?" He cut you off, taking your hand with his free one and walking you to the elevator. He cleared his throat loudly when he saw your curious glance towards the isolation ward, and you turned back towards him, noting the strange diversion tactic.

"Yes, it's very nice. Dr. Crane, what is that hood for?" He cleared his throat again, but this time it seemed like he was stalling his answer.

"It's my gas mask. My hallucinogen is administered through inhalation."

"I know, Jonathan," you said, pulling on his arm so he'd look at you, "why does it make you look like a scarecrow?" He still averted your eyes and, in turn, pulled you into the elevator.

"You wouldn't understand-"

"Try me, doctor." He sighed exasperatedly and finally made eye contact.

"I find it's an exposure therapy of sorts– if I can become what I fear, then maybe I can finally master it." This took you by surprise, and he looked away at your silence.

"I know, it's childish, isn't it," he asked sheepishly.

"No, it makes sense," you told him. You were relieved, because you knew in a city like Gotham, men who wore masks in secret weren't to be trusted, but you could trust Dr. Crane. He was only trying to master his own fears, same as you. There was still the mystery of whatever, or rather whoever he was trying to hide in that isolation room, but you supposed that was a topic for another day, especially considering how you didn't think you entirely wanted to know what was causing those screams of pure terror.

As the elevator came to a stop on the middle level, you made to leave, but he took hold of your arm, causing you to turn back to look at him from just outside.

"Let's leave early today," he proposed, "I want to take you somewhere." You smiled.

"You're corrupt, doctor," you teased, "leaving work for a date? You should be ashamed."

He smiled back, and released his grip as the elevator closed, taking him up to the top level. Jonathan breathed a deep sigh of relief as he ascended. It was a close call, and he knew you'd soon ask him about the isolation ward, and its many inhabitants. He just hoped that by that time, you shared his views on morality and justice. He would hate to have his methods of protecting you be the downfall of something great between you two.