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. 839Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡuF8qClF5vn
"Be careful, okay?" Dave had warned her. 839Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡwtIwIyHdgl
"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. 839Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡCYdVUCXtWz
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. 839Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡmpk8lKVJg3
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... 839Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡNNvR9k6P8C
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. 839Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ9CL7Trpg1f
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. 839Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQNtN3xSzNI
"You've probably had a lot of questions lately, Julia," Dr. Crane began, taking a sip of his own coffee. 839Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡldee98hCst
"But that doesn't make what I did today right," she said guiltily. 839Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡkww6WfDtIO
"Well, either way, you'll have your answers. So, go ahead, ask me a question." He raised his eyebrows expectantly. 839Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡbst5GafQhe
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." 839Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZjQbOOkgJn
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." 839Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡLcqR3V62yV
"Your...what?" 839Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡIiRCvqLwmT
"My mask. I often use it as a form of therapy when I go in to talk to the patients." 839Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡDwH34JVXpP
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. 839Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡs1tMyfRbZY
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." 839Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡtS00Dm0geF
But why would he want to enhance their fears? "Oh... Maybe I do understand now. It provides a form of ventilation for them, right?" 839Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡRhPePO3ker
"Well, if you wanted to call it that, I guess you could. I could show you how it works later, if you'd like." 839Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡuxeNqa9pIb
Julia hesitated, but then nodded. "Sure. A picture's worth a thousand words. But...you mean tonight?" 839Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡLyjGTXiPjs
"No time like the present," he said simply. 839Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡX1LNBZtyBD
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. 839Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡHDodXeAh1f
"Only it can't be here," he said, lowering his voice. 839Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡA0dqujvat0
"Why not?" Julia asked. 839Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ6c0Ehl9qwg
"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." 839Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡw1IizMGmUe
"Right..." She patted the knife in her pocket under the table--just in case, she'd said. Just in case. 839Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡGV9Rp47Agv
"But before we do, any more questions in particular?" 839Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡVaARiXTncP
"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?" 839Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡx4Sju5lXBR
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." 839Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQut0bNafo8
Julia had a hard time swallowing her last sips of espresso. 839Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ43nLms3MDf
"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." 839Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡcKPNhbldOI
"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. 839Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡPVSxV50ACK
Dr. Crane smiled at her and squeezed back. "Just say Jonathan. We're not at work, after all." 839Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡvKn26V8DgC
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. 839Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡBBSXB2YcHw
Jonathan finished his coffee, then exhaled contentedly. "So does that answer everything?" 839Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡwMJeAtYUeG
"I think so," Julia nodded slowly. 839Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡHRuB8xEYGl
"But what about you, Julia?" 839Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡq6ZoEtuOBg
"Me? What do you--"839Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡG5ieXWbO1T
"What are you afraid of?" He leaned forward on his knuckles. 839Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ4FJLHWdx5K
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." 839Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQCdLi2DeEs
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. 839Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡMWUdtFexb6
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. 839Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡoDL5ob3mF6
She would have to make a decision about whether or not to trust him, and make it fast.
839Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡiy6l1thAED
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