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. 876Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡcZF4AYN2b0
"Be careful, okay?" Dave had warned her. 876Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ21ErU8rTQ5
"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. 876Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡCPP1kMiJQZ
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. 876Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡXE9ySbTnyb
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... 876Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ7yT0Z700Dg
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. 876Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ2na2eo9GpW
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. 876Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡDbWALUmWKF
"You've probably had a lot of questions lately, Julia," Dr. Crane began, taking a sip of his own coffee. 876Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡWyBzeXNQPq
"But that doesn't make what I did today right," she said guiltily. 876Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡDoYWCk7XSx
"Well, either way, you'll have your answers. So, go ahead, ask me a question." He raised his eyebrows expectantly. 876Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡuDLEzsxazb
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." 876Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡS2bzqcsrPT
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." 876Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡdY2YbakBK8
"Your...what?" 876Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡPYyr1nDxsb
"My mask. I often use it as a form of therapy when I go in to talk to the patients." 876Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡv5nDXLOiIX
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. 876Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQlW20ccwqX
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." 876Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡrMlmLlBQ4M
But why would he want to enhance their fears? "Oh... Maybe I do understand now. It provides a form of ventilation for them, right?" 876Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡgtqyH7wriu
"Well, if you wanted to call it that, I guess you could. I could show you how it works later, if you'd like." 876Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡNnixot8v5K
Julia hesitated, but then nodded. "Sure. A picture's worth a thousand words. But...you mean tonight?" 876Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡuIr8gSQ6jg
"No time like the present," he said simply. 876Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ8CnW0orLLf
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. 876Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡG8CekXrHtM
"Only it can't be here," he said, lowering his voice. 876Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡpckOsOv7S2
"Why not?" Julia asked. 876Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡEPJ5qwvZpp
"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." 876Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡSHoOwQyce0
"Right..." She patted the knife in her pocket under the table--just in case, she'd said. Just in case. 876Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡhEaPN9scYI
"But before we do, any more questions in particular?" 876Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡoTxDB4Krm1
"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?" 876Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡqb2guNd4HH
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." 876Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡg0PNSU1pck
Julia had a hard time swallowing her last sips of espresso. 876Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡzHu9o6XZqG
"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." 876Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡzmUBu0OUZf
"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. 876Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡntbiKW18a6
Dr. Crane smiled at her and squeezed back. "Just say Jonathan. We're not at work, after all." 876Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ2yi90wv1PC
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. 876Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡi47ofHLCZ8
Jonathan finished his coffee, then exhaled contentedly. "So does that answer everything?" 876Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡTB8iOGNePv
"I think so," Julia nodded slowly. 876Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡsVAzlIcPf0
"But what about you, Julia?" 876Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ8bWqhwy3Lp
"Me? What do you--"876Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZrEIu4nYym
"What are you afraid of?" He leaned forward on his knuckles. 876Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ89jznefKRC
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." 876Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ19NRZzLFid
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. 876Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ0Iju3BGARF
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. 876Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡLkcqbXBWzy
She would have to make a decision about whether or not to trust him, and make it fast.
876Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡKXsrGjlS6a
