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. 803Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡrXkRDmblro
"Be careful, okay?" Dave had warned her. 803Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡNHaxsOk1O1
"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. 803Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡgQFkTzX5g0
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. 803Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡCphSq1ZsRK
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... 803Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡm5sU4imDYf
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. 803Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ6bGZw7AXbm
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. 803Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡnPrU9q6ZRl
"You've probably had a lot of questions lately, Julia," Dr. Crane began, taking a sip of his own coffee. 803Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡnH7OeV6EF1
"But that doesn't make what I did today right," she said guiltily. 803Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡX5aWKTXCpv
"Well, either way, you'll have your answers. So, go ahead, ask me a question." He raised his eyebrows expectantly. 803Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡVXAGLyQx9V
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." 803Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡXRFvjnq7QL
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." 803Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡwLpLBMAIRZ
"Your...what?" 803Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡzNlxRlbrzj
"My mask. I often use it as a form of therapy when I go in to talk to the patients." 803Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡR0Y1TVYFiY
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. 803Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡhngnS2KjO5
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." 803Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡGZG85a6i6U
But why would he want to enhance their fears? "Oh... Maybe I do understand now. It provides a form of ventilation for them, right?" 803Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡFl7X430vJp
"Well, if you wanted to call it that, I guess you could. I could show you how it works later, if you'd like." 803Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡG3WmHfMsC0
Julia hesitated, but then nodded. "Sure. A picture's worth a thousand words. But...you mean tonight?" 803Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡpZiFjX6qU3
"No time like the present," he said simply. 803Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ9MKll7WSmP
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. 803Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ8vecDMzkAQ
"Only it can't be here," he said, lowering his voice. 803Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ7PbwT18cRC
"Why not?" Julia asked. 803Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡoSTM71vDJS
"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." 803Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡWhNGUquQIg
"Right..." She patted the knife in her pocket under the table--just in case, she'd said. Just in case. 803Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ7wCegw7gEO
"But before we do, any more questions in particular?" 803Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ94XKANlyoq
"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?" 803Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡUOU90A16A2
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." 803Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡSWyITmIjR9
Julia had a hard time swallowing her last sips of espresso. 803Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡTZrbq9t7GY
"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." 803Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡtLcqUfJQr6
"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. 803Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡIHjqaK3EbV
Dr. Crane smiled at her and squeezed back. "Just say Jonathan. We're not at work, after all." 803Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡMwOewfWkZm
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. 803Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡsX8sQUqC1p
Jonathan finished his coffee, then exhaled contentedly. "So does that answer everything?" 803Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ1u1Ycedgo3
"I think so," Julia nodded slowly. 803Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡVggv12Uevh
"But what about you, Julia?" 803Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡDbQgMslwoM
"Me? What do you--"803Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡpjDiPvikQJ
"What are you afraid of?" He leaned forward on his knuckles. 803Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡbudVMc3ykH
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." 803Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ6cvrBAl9kL
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. 803Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡBk2f4Xn31h
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. 803Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡspajv507Z3
She would have to make a decision about whether or not to trust him, and make it fast.
803Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡGU7lSYS0Wa
