Professor Fear III

Chapter 62

"Would now be the time to bring up your conversation about your past memories?" Jonathan asked.

Edward and Ivy had received a nod from Jonathan to get back to their work, both wore deep worried frowns. Daria appreciated the care they showed. She felt truly valued amongst the Gotham Rogues.

"It probably opened something in my mind, that can't be the only flashback I'll be getting." Daria was puzzled by the sudden onset, yet she felt lighter. She felt that a change was coming.
She continued to adjust to being out of the memory and back into the room. Her fingers and toes still felt separate to her own self. She gave them a tentative wiggle.

"Yes, this may be the beginning of your memories returning. We should keep regular notes on your behaviour and thoughts." Although he cared for her wellbeing, Daria could almost feel the excitement in his voice to be able to act as a psychiatrist again. Jonathan loved his role as a psychiatrist, as a reader and as a psychopharmacologist. Daria wondered how much of the chaos he could stand considering his usual life was much more systematic and organised.
Daria planned to not bring him up on it for now. She wanted his joy to shine through at any moment it could. Their current task at hand was a difficult one. However, she knew Jonathan, and Edward, were excited by the scientific challenge and the prospects of a new creation. Daria felt a lot of her previous morality had gone numb and she was mainly curious to see what the outcome of each action would be. The fear toxin unleashed on Gotham had been a grandiose terror-ific experience that Daria had been on the 'right' side of – not only in new Gotham rogue status but very fortunately protected by her partner who had previously tested the toxin on her not long before.
Daria tensed for a moment and shook her head. That is the past. Jonathan will never do it again. Everything is great now.

Jonathan was still staring, unblinkingly, at Daria. She connected gazes with his blue eyes that were isolated forms of his expression under his Scarecrow mask.
"Sorry, just thinking," she smiled weakly. "I'm ready to get back to the task,"
"Your task is to tell me what you saw," Jonathan insisted.
"I just... saw myself in a farmhouse, talking to a lovely couple and their son," Clark.
Jonathan's brow furrowed. He found the answer to be lacking in terror. The described memory hardly sounded capable of being diagnosed as post traumatic stress.
"What aren't you telling me?" Jonathan pressed. His hand brushed hers.

"Nothing." Daria made sure to continue to look straight into his eyes so he could read her expressions. "It was a simple memory, which is more than I've had in years."

Jonathan believed Daria.

Daria turned to face Edward and Ivy. Edward was deeply engrossed in his chemistry and Ivy had her eyes closed, palms facing the ground. She was sensing something. Daria felt drawn in by the stillness of her perfect face. Her skin always reminded Daria of sparkling dew on grass in the morning. Ivy's square face bestowed her with strongly accented cheekbones and a sharp jawline. Her long wavy red hair framing it all.

The sound of Helicopters could be heard from a distance.

Ivy opened her eyes and walked over to Edward.

"Ivy! What are you-" Ivy's hand slid down Edward's lower torso and into his pocket before pulling out a phone.
They both offered little smiles to each other, and Ivy moved away and checked the phone. After a few seconds, she sighed followed by a smirk.

"The Joker is trying to engage with the helicopters flying in, he's done well to find some big guns so fast."

"Of course, he is," Jonathan pictured the image in his head of the Joker on a roof, shooting at army helicopters, laughing manically under his mask.

The four rogues thought they heard a crash in the distance. Ivy typed back on the phone.

"Harley says one of the guys from the helicopter the Joker shot down said that some of the justice league is coming."

Edward stopped what he was doing, took off his gloves and ran his hands through his dark brown hair. "It's taken them a while; I wonder why they're trying to save Gotham now. They've never tried it before."

"This will be fun. I think we should return to the group and come up with a plan to disrupt the justice league." Jonathan had his fingers together in a thinking position. Daria figured Jonathan was trying to hide the flattery that the Justice League had to be called to deal with his creation.

"What about Ivy's substance?"

"We will continue the project whilst dealing with the Justice League. The current state of the city will work in our favor when facing them." Jonathan walked over to where Edward's work lay on the table. "We can continue working on this today and then return to it once we have organised with the others."
Organised. So that's why he's lit up all the sudden... Scarecrow gets to taunt the Justice League and Jonathan gets to structure his week.

"Edward and I can work on the rest ourselves," Ivy suggested, although her tone felt more like a statement.
"No, it should be Edward and me. You'll be strongest against the justice league. You're able to breath freely."
After hesitation, Ivy agreed.

Daria wondered what her next role would be. She was yet to having the same skills as everyone else. She was somewhat surprised Jonathan was choosing Edward over her to work on the toxin antidote. Their relationship had started in a laboratory after all.
Daria grimaced briefly at the remembrance of the first months of her and Jonathan's interactions. She felt Joker's first words to her about how she was just like Harley echoing in the back of her mind.

"Ms Morrison will you be returning to your task anytime soon?" Edward aske. He didn't look up from the table as he spoke.

"Oh, uh, yes of course," Daria hadn't noticed Jonathan leaving her side and working in the other corner of the room. Daria turned back to her 'station' and joined the others in their silent activity.