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. 802Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡXLN1M1YLT0
"Be careful, okay?" Dave had warned her. 802Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡoQwdMe7CKl
"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. 802Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡHA1Z1yvRoD
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. 802Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡaRR7jkz6lN
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... 802Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡoXYGpi3I8S
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. 802Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡH0ebugjZfe
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. 802Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡVRSMelL3Ln
"You've probably had a lot of questions lately, Julia," Dr. Crane began, taking a sip of his own coffee. 802Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡYIbhB7HE2a
"But that doesn't make what I did today right," she said guiltily. 802Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡHXgG2FvBfz
"Well, either way, you'll have your answers. So, go ahead, ask me a question." He raised his eyebrows expectantly. 802Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡdb81lJ4yTI
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." 802Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ12tfnQdrm2
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." 802Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ7lV8Q3bxVp
"Your...what?" 802Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡH926oKENI9
"My mask. I often use it as a form of therapy when I go in to talk to the patients." 802Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡrqtWZrv7jP
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. 802Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡcOZHp4o4Fx
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." 802Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡTM20qTOIRb
But why would he want to enhance their fears? "Oh... Maybe I do understand now. It provides a form of ventilation for them, right?" 802Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡt1iX5eDrWj
"Well, if you wanted to call it that, I guess you could. I could show you how it works later, if you'd like." 802Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ6MH51oxEXR
Julia hesitated, but then nodded. "Sure. A picture's worth a thousand words. But...you mean tonight?" 802Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡphHodTpic9
"No time like the present," he said simply. 802Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡXwcJPQqJaU
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. 802Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡWFmcqXxvUB
"Only it can't be here," he said, lowering his voice. 802Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ8eln1mor6y
"Why not?" Julia asked. 802Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡGnP1Ho1fqF
"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." 802Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡFhFd9t3eA8
"Right..." She patted the knife in her pocket under the table--just in case, she'd said. Just in case. 802Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡHM9PLWmBl3
"But before we do, any more questions in particular?" 802Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡsc0HawJ1wu
"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?" 802Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡGW6Szvrk5G
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." 802Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡYqxyVGeRpD
Julia had a hard time swallowing her last sips of espresso. 802Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡdmVWwMPEYL
"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." 802Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡVDIjyc7fVI
"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. 802Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡV5UI5SRy9Q
Dr. Crane smiled at her and squeezed back. "Just say Jonathan. We're not at work, after all." 802Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQp44R8Vdm8
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. 802Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡdqXlW0TKKc
Jonathan finished his coffee, then exhaled contentedly. "So does that answer everything?" 802Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡEbQZgFuMwo
"I think so," Julia nodded slowly. 802Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡmZoNJSo6uJ
"But what about you, Julia?" 802Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQ8H7QJzgPO
"Me? What do you--"802Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡuNkOj5LXDy
"What are you afraid of?" He leaned forward on his knuckles. 802Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡKmJM8sNsfD
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." 802Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ3W3jSkidEa
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. 802Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡVkCjTQ3LCR
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. 802Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡmfOHg26vHn
She would have to make a decision about whether or not to trust him, and make it fast.
802Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡudazb94Pgo
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