Everlasting Fear

chapter 9- I Couldn't Feel More Secure

Scarecrow’s POV

I ran quickly through Gotham with hast, I could hear distant sirens coming closer, to the scene where we once stood. I pulled Ashleigh in tow trying to get far away from the fast travelling Gotham PD police cars. I looked over my shoulder to see the black shape with was the batman retreating further from us, and towards the Police cars. I grinded my teeth hard together and pulled Ashleigh closer to me, soon we began to approach the dark and more dangerous reaches of west Gotham. The dark alley way gave way to numerous hideouts to many of Gotham’s most notorious villains, and one of these belonged to me. I walked quickly through the streets, getting closer to one of my old hideouts. I could feel Ashleigh’s Chest against my back; she was sticking close to me. Finally in the corner of this compound lay, a fire blackened boarded up establishment. We walked forward, silently. I pulled an old brass key from my pocket and pushed it into the crippled lock to be welcomed by the door opening with an unmistakeable groan. We stepped inside.

Ashleigh’s POV

The fire blackened exterior, made me feel anxious as we entered the bleak looking house. I could feel my blood rushing fast through my veins, as with each footstep a pained creek or groan echoed through the house. I could feel the scarecrow’s hand slide from my grip as a flash of light rushed though the room illuminating the whole room, which was welcomed with a gasp. This place had been lived in my the Scarecrow, vials littered the floor along with medical journals and phycology book, and in the middle of the room sat a sofa which obvious broken springs, as the frame bent in uneasily. I looked for the scarecrow in the barely furnished room to see his standing in the darkest corner of the room, “I came here after you died, I couldn’t live in the hideout, to many things reminded me of you.” His head dropped low as he spoke, I could see blood drip from his torn lip and onto the wooden floor, so slowly. I walked up to him, and gently pressed a finger to his jagged lip, “it needs to be stitched.” He looked at me with his black eyes which seemed to glint with intensity; he pulled my hand away from his lip, and walked towards a large black door which opened with a screech as it was pulled against the rough wooden floor. He quickly darted a hand in pulling out a small leather box, he walked towards the uneven sofa and sat noiselessly on it.

The silence unnerved me; I walked towards the Scarecrow and saw the blood flowing heavily from his lip. He looked at me with a smirk on his tattered lips, “just like the first time.” He handed me the small leather box, I sat on the sofa and faced the Scarecrow as I opened the box. Inside lay a thick needed with thick medical string and a small bottle of antiseptic alcohol, I lifted the needle gently and threaded through the string all under the gaze the master of fear, I sighed as I dipped the dread filled needle into the alcohol and held it up in the dim light, and behind the needles own dim glint was the silver glint in the Scarecrow’s eyes. I grinded my teeth together and grabbed the Scarecrow’s bottom jaw and slowly pierced the jagged skin there, which led to a harsh hiss to escape the Scarecrow’s mouth, I bit my lip as I slowly lingered over each stitch. My eyes flicked from the dark and alluring eyes of the Scarecrow. I finished the last stitch and knotted it tightly. I looked dead into the Scarecrow’s smirking eyes as I leaned forward and bit the end of the stitch. I began to pull away only to be pulled close into a harsh and rushed kiss, I gasped between kisses as he wrapped his arms tightly around me. Finally we pulled away; I pressed my fingers against my lips and looked at the scarecrow who sat silently next to me, “I’ve only had one fear throughout my life, and it revealed itself when I first met you.” His eyes darted to me quickly, I moved myself closer to him and looked up at his sharp featured face, and I needed and wanted to hear what he had to say, “My fear was something happening to you that I could never forgive myself for.” He looked down at me, a small smile crept onto his crooked and swollen lips, I smiled back. He wanted me to forgive him.

Scarecrow’s POV

I lifted myself from the sofa and kneeled at the feet at the only woman I had ever loved. She smiled lovingly down at me, as I rested my hands on her knees, “I need to know if you forgive me or not.” She nodded, I swallowed hard. My mind played the worst scenario over and over until Ashleigh finally opened her dark red lips to speak, “I forgive you. You couldn’t have stopped my death Scarecrow, you know that.” I pressed my forehead against my hands and slowly lifted my eyes to look at up Ashleigh, who sat looking as beautiful as ever, “can I show you something.” I murmured against my hands, she smiled down at me, “ok.” She said brightly, a smirk curled onto my lips as I raised myself from the floor, I offered my hand to Ashleigh I grasped it tightly as we made our way up the stairs which greeted us with slow shrieks.

We moved quickly through the house towards the one room I occupied. I opened the door slowly and allowed Ashleigh to enter first. I slapped the stitch which lay imbedded in the wall, which was received a small gasp from Ashleigh as she was able to see room I could hopefully share with her. I chuckled and stepped inside the room as the door creaked slowly to close. “These isn’t what I brought you up here for, but do you like it?” she smiled at me and walked towards the bed and gently say sat on it, and took in the whole atmosphere of the room, she nodded slowly, “it’s a lot nicer room than the one at the hideout.”

Suddenly she froze, and stared outwards, “what happened to them?” I sighed outwardly and walked over to the ebony desk and quickly pulled out the small gift box, and joined Ashleigh on the mahogany four poster bed. “Joker was committed to Arkham, he released some of his toxic laughing gas into the centre on Gotham, and Harley is as usual insane and completely obsessed with getting the Joker out of Arkham. And well the rest the same, missing you.” I looked at Ashleigh and saw her smiling slightly, “as long as their ok.” I looked at the gift box in my hand and revealed it to Ashleigh. She looked up at me and then to the gift box, “what this?” I gulped hard and answered, “Before the night you went out with Harley, Catwoman and Poison Ivy, I bought this.” I placed it gently into her lap, and looked away, “please open it.” I hope she would like it, I could see the sparkle of the piece glint out of the corner of my eye, “could you put it on me?” I turned around to look at Ashleigh who sat, her back facing me and her hair tossed over one shoulder, I took the piece and placed the glittering chocker around her neck, my fingers trembled as I latched the clasp shut. I moved backwards to allow Ashleigh to twist around, the black jewels which covered the piece stood out from Ashleigh’s pale and glowing skin, her finger gently traced the symmetrical pattern of the chocker.

Ashleigh’s POV

I traced the pattern of the small black crystals that lined the chocker, I looked up at the scarecrow who gazed down at me, “why did you buy this?” I smiled at him as he grasped my hand away from the chocker and held it in his, “I bought it, because I love you.” I sighed, could he possibly get any tackier? He chuckled after he said it, “but that isn’t a lie, I was to show that I cared about you, and that I do and will always love you.” I smiled brightly up at him and moved closer to him, but there was no point as he wrapped his arms around me and pulled me onto his lap, I sighed. Today had deprived me of every bit of energy I owned, and as I lay there in the arms of fear itself, I couldn’t feel more secure than I had ever been in my life.