Philophobia [Dr. Jonathan Crane]

Eisoptrophobia

Eisoptrophobia- Fear of mirrors or of seeing oneself in a mirror.

"You're weak!" Ra's Al Ghul spat, striking the eight year old Darcy across the face. Darcy's eyes watered and the tears began to fall. He roughly grabbed her shoulders.

"You are not strong. You can't take pain. Why are you crying?! Tell me!"

"Because I hate it here!" Darcy sobbed.

"No," he said. "You're crying because you're scared. Fear is a powerful emotion, my flower. You need to learn to control it and use it. Master your fear. I'm doing this to better you. Now turn around." Darcy's child form began violently shaking, she turned her back to Ra's and the sound of wood echoed.

"Argh," Darcy's eyes opened and it took her a few minutes of looking at the nice room to figure out she wasn't dead, but in Bruce Wayne's home.

"You're awake." She looked over and saw Jonathan stand up and sit on the bed. Edward had his arms crossed and his chin was touching his chest in what looked like an uncomfortable sleeping position.

"How do you feel?"

"Like a bullet went through my shoulder." He chuckled and rested the palm of his hand against her cheek.

"I thought I'd lost you," he whispered.

"Sorry to disappoint. I'm too stubborn"

She looked into his eyes and saw the emotions. "I'm not going anywhere," she said reassuringly. He looked down and then smiled.

"So how does Ms. Darcy Santiago know Bruce Wayne?"

"A colleague of mine. He's helped me out before." Jonathan nodded.

"So what's the plan now?"

"Track down Ra's Al Ghul and take him out, hopefully save Gotham if I'm lucky." She chuckled.

"And how do you plan to do that?"

"I never think that far ahead."

"Yes, you do."

She stared at him for a moment in contemplation. "I'm gonna start with checking out the building where the bullet was shot from and go from there."

"You'll require help." Jonathan and her turned to see Edward staring at them.

"He wants to kill you both. I'm not putting you in that kind of danger."

"I'm afraid it's not your decision." Edward walked closer and knelt so he was eye-level.
"You're important to us. Plus we've never turned down an oppurtunity to shoot some people."

"We'll need to call the other rogues to help," Jonathan said.

"I see you're doing well." Bruce Wayne said, leaning against the door.

"Could you two give us a moment, please," Darcy said. They nodded and walked out, closing the door behind them.

"I have a plan," Darcy said. "But it will require you working with criminals."

"I don't like that plan."

"Too bad. We're doing it with or without you. You want to take Ghul down? This is the way. They may be criminals, but they're like family. And we'll get the job done."

"Then that settles it, doesn't it. When do we get started?"

"Let me make a quick call, we'll eat. And then go beat people up for information."

Bruce nodded and walked out as Darcy sat up and hissed in pain. She reached for her phone and punched in a special number, holding it to her ear.

"Jim Moriarty, it's time for you to repay me a favor, old friend . . ."

Darcy stood in front of the mirror. Her back was bleeding excessively and splinters stuck out of her skin. She was weak and tired and just wanted it all to be over. Everything.

She reached back and yanked out a few splinters, biting on her tongue to stop from screaming. She stared into her reflection, her face going emotionless.

She had to get through this. She had to get away. And the only way was to survive.

To not feel.