Today had been even busier than yesterday, and Julia felt as if she could fall asleep right where she was standing. Having originally planned to go straight home to her warm apartment and curl up on the couch in front of a funny movie, coffee sounded good given the circumstances. 806Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQhay4FfM0N
"Be careful, okay?" Dave had warned her. 806Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡNJTnzi3YEF
"I will," Julia said with a weary laugh, despite the fact his face looked "as serious as a heart attack," as her mother always said. 806Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡw09dp2KYVZ
When she got in her car, she tuned the radio to the loudest rock station she could find. It may not be all that pleasant to her ears, but it would keep her awake until she reached the cafe. 806Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡsaMsxNgD4H
After finding a parking space and turning the car off, she opened her glove compartment and stared at the sharp steak knife, unable to get Dave's words out of her mind. Dr. Crane would never hurt me, and besides, if I was caught with one of these things in here... 806Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡtCcmCdSBQm
Julia took one look at the coffee shop, and another look at the streets around her. But then again, in a place like Gotham, who knows when you might need it? Nobody said I'd actually use it on HIM. She subtly pocketed the knife in one of the spacious pockets of her doctor's coat, cushioning it with a couple of tissues so it wouldn't show through the material, and entered the coffee shop. 806Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ58XhCIs70U
She found Dr. Crane easily, since he was the only customer at the moment wearing a suit. He nodded to her, and she joined him after ordering herself an espresso. 806Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJG2kKsvDvn
"You've probably had a lot of questions lately, Julia," Dr. Crane began, taking a sip of his own coffee. 806Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ8TSSHL8rGS
"But that doesn't make what I did today right," she said guiltily. 806Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡGCdB0ZcKpF
"Well, either way, you'll have your answers. So, go ahead, ask me a question." He raised his eyebrows expectantly. 806Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡt3F5IcSvEq
His eyes seemed to twinkle slightly, but that was probably just Julia's imagination. "Well...first off, I was kind of wondering about what I found earlier--that burlap material sticking out of your breifcase." 806Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡVsArmP3QLO
His eyes twinkled even more, and Julia realized it hadn't been her imagination so much. "I was hoping you would ask that, since that is why we're here," he said. "That material is actually my mask." 806Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ2JgXu1UFRm
"Your...what?" 806Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ0JbCv1dOey
"My mask. I often use it as a form of therapy when I go in to talk to the patients." 806Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡW1T1Ver52f
Julia laughed. "Come on now. Halloween was over weeks ago." But she clamped her mouth shut when she saw that he didn't laugh in return. 806Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ9yh3idf4AT
Dr. Crane shrugged. "I know that it would seem...ludicrous to a lot of people, but it's actually very effective. They know their own fears more than they ever have." 806Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡFpx3o5g86L
But why would he want to enhance their fears? "Oh... Maybe I do understand now. It provides a form of ventilation for them, right?" 806Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡLOWBXClh9X
"Well, if you wanted to call it that, I guess you could. I could show you how it works later, if you'd like." 806Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡhUkgRvBqUf
Julia hesitated, but then nodded. "Sure. A picture's worth a thousand words. But...you mean tonight?" 806Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡvamaNzgDLm
"No time like the present," he said simply. 806Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡpx007kmg37
She was starting to feel a lot better since that coffee kicked in... "I guess so," she said gamely, and she was glad she could rest assured that Dr. Crane really did know what he was doing and that the patients were probably just letting their feelings out. At least that's what she hoped was the case. 806Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡLsqoZc956z
"Only it can't be here," he said, lowering his voice. 806Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡUQumegnrq7
"Why not?" Julia asked. 806Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡoXiavQrU5m
"You know how people are these days." He looked off to the side at other customers nearby to prove his point. "They could think I was hurting you or...you know. Better to be safe than sorry." 806Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ9HnsU0WqZr
"Right..." She patted the knife in her pocket under the table--just in case, she'd said. Just in case. 806Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡfS57GjvlHB
"But before we do, any more questions in particular?" 806Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡxPtfVUYqak
"Yes, actually," Julia said with an almost nervous laugh, trying to relax. That coffee may have done too good a job of perking her up. "I mean, not that there's anything wrong with this, but...what made fear such an interest for you?" 806Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡLHuVKLl5Vd
He sighed, but she knew it wasn't from frustration or exasperation--just something he did whenever he was deep in thought. Then he explained to her about how he was an illegitimate child raised by his religious zealot grandmother, who would physically and mentally abuse him on a regular basis. He'd also been the victim of constant teasing at school because of his spindly frame and the old-fashioned clothing his grandmother made him wear. "I recall that 'Scarecrow' was their favorite name for me, but there were many others." 806Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡexSwnaJR6N
Julia had a hard time swallowing her last sips of espresso. 806Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡfxM1OQlRTE
"Fear is the main factor in abusive situations, but it was an emotion I came to accept," Dr. Crane went on, as calm as could be. "I told myself I would never be afraid of or give in to another human being as long as I lived." 806Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡRtwVJIPN4A
"Doctor...I'm sorry." She was so disturbed by his story that she reached across the table and gave his hand a squeeze. She wanted to go back to her car and put that knife away--or better yet break it in half, if she could do such a thing. 806Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ2hwRVnSlID
Dr. Crane smiled at her and squeezed back. "Just say Jonathan. We're not at work, after all." 806Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ9EAyEc97T7
Julia couldn't stop a bit of a smile from crossing her face. Maybe, just maybe, she really did feel a little more than just curiosity towards him. 806Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ5Nkl2oml5o
Jonathan finished his coffee, then exhaled contentedly. "So does that answer everything?" 806Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡyESp7Gm7ZA
"I think so," Julia nodded slowly. 806Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡkmlnpWZMTg
"But what about you, Julia?" 806Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZz2U0Nrif7
"Me? What do you--"806Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡh41n2737MD
"What are you afraid of?" He leaned forward on his knuckles. 806Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡj306q4NgEA
She could answer that right away. "Carousel horses--especially at night. There's just something about their painted faces and wild eyes that makes them look...bloodthirsty. And I'm also terrified of heights." 806Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡArvXOyVRUY
Jonathan nodded understandingly. After a thoughtful pause he said, "We'd best head out, then. We'll just take my car." He hadn't asked her, but simply stated it. 806Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡMifiQ7HCX4
As they walked out of the heated building and into the cold windy night, Julia began to wonder if she wanted to see this little demonstration of his after all. 806Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡOvlaxeug12
She would have to make a decision about whether or not to trust him, and make it fast.
806Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡRJDtPPK2Co
