Falling || Scarecrow

Ch.9

Tuesday came quickly, and she could hardly contain her jittery nerves. She fiddled with a black hairband on her wrist then tied her hair back in a high ponytail. It occurred to her then that she hardly ever wore her hair down.

She pushed the thought away as she entered the hospital. She was directed to an office where she met her supervisor, who would follow her around making sure she was doing everything right.

"Maria Gardner." She introduced herself as she shook hands with her supervisor.

"Thomas Elliot." He said as he shook hands. "Follow me."

He turned away abruptly and walked away down the hall. She had to walk at a fast pace to keep up with the tall and well built man.

"What do you do here?" She asked.

"I'm a surgeon."

"Didn't know surgeons supervised nurses."

"They don't." There was a hint of anger in his voice.

They stopped walking as they arrived at a room. "You have ten minutes to clean."

Maria watched as Thomas left without a word, then stepped into the room. It was like any other hospital room with light green walls, a cot, and a window that took one whole wall up. But what made her groan, was the mess on the cot and floor. It looked like someone had puked and thrown their food.

"Joy." She muttered.

...

She arrived at the building she called home around seven in the evening.

"Jonathan?" She called as she entered.

"Yes?" Came his reply.

"I come bearing Chinese food, since you don't keep food here."

She entered the lab and sat the bag on the table, but not before she fished around in it. Finding what she was looking for, she pulled out a fortune cookie.

"You wanna hear the fortune?" She asked as she sat in an extra chair.

Jonathan gazed over his glasses at her. "You know people just write random positive things on paper and put them in fortune cookies. It's not like anything it says will actually happen."

She rolled her eyes. "I believe that there is a God somewhere who sends me messages through these. So let me have my moment."

He replied by rolling his eyes.

Maria smiled and cracked the cookie in half. She pulled out the slip of paper and read it aloud, "Do the thing you fear and the death of fear is certain." She paused. "That's really ironic when you're like the master of fear and I have major anxiety issues."

Jonathan just stared at her. She smiled and popped half the cookie in her mouth. "Eat something." She said as she grabbed a carton of orange chicken. "I'll be in my room. The one with the couch. All by myself. Alone."

She left him and sat on the couch. Opening the container with one hand, grabbing the book she left with the other. And held back a smile as Jonathan came in with the bag and sat next to her.

"Guilt tripped?" She asked.

"Is that what it is? I thought I would just join you out of a nice gesture."

"You being nice!?" She exclaimed. "I honestly thought I wouldn't see the day."

In response, he stole her carton of chicken. But she let it go as she grabbed a water bottle from the bag. She then grabbed her purse from where it lay at her feet, and pulled out a pill container. She popped two into her mouth and swallowed it with some water.

"When were you dosed with anxiety attacks?" Jonathan suddenly asked.

She winced. "After you killing my parents I think. It was when I was at the orphanage when I had my first attack."

"I'm sorry." He said simply.

"It's alright. I knew I had health problems before, like my weak heart or my delicate form. But I still test my limits." She took another drink from the bottle.

"And you've lived in Gotham your whole life?"

She nodded. "Living with an abusive father and a paranoid mother. I only liked my mom, yet it was strained."

He nodded absentmindedly.

"How about you?" She asked. Wanting to hear the whole story from him and not the photographs. "Where did you live?"

"Georgia, on a farm, with my grandmother. My parents left as soon as I was born."

"Oh. When did you move to Gotham?"

He smiled grimly. "After my grandmother died of an accident."

"Did you...?

"Kill her? Of course not. The crows did. I locked her in the aviary that she used to lock me in. Apparently the crows liked her flesh more than mine."

Maria was dumbfounded and little horrified, but she accepted what he did with ease. "We both had a horrible childhood then." She laughed quietly.

"Agreed."

"But what happened after?" She prompted.

"I showed up at prom wearing my first version of a scarecrow suit and shot a gun. Paralyzing a kid who tormented me, and killing a girl who often joined in." He paused. "So I left Georgia after that. I was nineteen when I became a professor at Gotham University, then a doctor at Arkham one year later.

"That was also the year I killed your parents. Before everyone knew my identity. Then a couple years go by, and the Batman catches me and throws me in Arkham. So I become a patient, which I still was when I met you."

"That's simply wow." She stated. "I would love to have a life without my health problems."

Maria then turned her head to look at him. "I'm honestly worried I'll get us both caught because of my health. I'm not strong and especially not fast." She admitted.

"If I didn't think you could help me in someway, I would've already dosed you with enough fear toxin to make you go insane."

"Such comforting words." She said sarcastically.

"Not supposed to be."

"Can you soften it somewhat?"

"What do you mean?"

"Like this." She leaned in and kissed him.

It seemed to last forever, yet was only a minute. When they finally drew back, they kept their foreheads touching. "Better?" He asked.

Maria smiled. "Perfect."