Love in the Dark

The smell of coffee wafted through my apartment. Opening my eyes, I was greeted by the glare of the morning sun shining through the picture window. I sighed and sat up, noticing my pajamas were drenched in sweat. Jonathan noticed me and said, "You had another rough night."

"Did I?"

"Yes."

I looked down at myself again, then looked at my arm... no needle mark. "I... had another dream that you had relapsed again."

Jonathan was quiet, "Really?"

"Yeah... only this time the Joker was in it. He said that I would be okay... that you two needed me for an important job or something?"

Jonathan didn't say anything this time. Looking up at him I saw a single tear roll down his cheek, "Is that how you think of me? A... mental patient just waiting to relapse?"

"What? No! No, Jonathan-"

"I don't like you having those dreams, Bethany."

"I'm not a huge fan of them myself!"

"Then stop having them!"

"I can't control my subconscious!"

"Well try harder."

I glared at Jonathan, not knowing what else to do. Then tears formed in my eyes as I realized that we had just argued.... I rubbed my eyes furiously, to make the tears go away, but it was too late. Jonathan came over and handed me a cup of coffee, which I set on the bedside table. Taking a seat next to me, he crawled to rest against the headboard, and pulled me close to him. I cried silently as he held me, then he said, "I want you to come with me to my session today."

I pulled away so I could look at him, "What?"

"My therapist wants to meet you.... He wants to meet the young woman who has changed my life."

I smiled, "You really said that?"

"No... but he said that's what happened. He thinks that you must really love me."

I smiled wider, "Well you know I really do."

"So will you do it?"

"Of course."

"It's today, do you mind?"

"Nope. I've got no plans."

"How are you feeling?"

"So much better."

"Good."

I gave him a kiss, "I'm sorry that my dreams are terrible and hate you."

Jonathan smiled, "I'm sorry that I blame you for your terrible dreams that hate me."

"You do know that I only hope for the best right? That I do sometimes think that a relapse is possible, but that I don't believe in it?"

"Yes. I know."

"Good."

"Are you hungry?"

"Oh God yes! I haven't had anything to eat except that fucking salad. I still feel bad that our dinner was ruined."

"We can always go out sometime again."

"True."

"I'll make you something for breakfast."

"Okay."

I got up, I grabbed my coffee mug, and went to my dresser and got dressed, throwing on a pair of jeans and a nice top. I pulled my brown hair up into a pony tail, letting my bangs hang in my face. I finished applying makeup when Jonathan came over to take me to the counter. Wrapping his arm around my waist, he pulled me away from the mirror while I struggled to finish up my eyeliner. When we were halfway across the room, I capped the stick and threw it at the mirror before turning and walking with him. Sitting me down I saw a pile of pancakes, "How the hell do you expect me to live with myself if you keep feeding me things like pancakes, or french toast."

"Is it too much?"

"A little."

"Sorry."

"But they're good, so it doesn't really matter."

"I'll make you a healthy omelet some day."

"Deal."

I took a bite of the blueberry pancakes and I moaned with pleasure.

"Are they really that good," he asked.

"You'll have to teach me how to make these."

"Why? I can just make them for you."

"Yeah... but I'm starting to feel bad about you making everything for me."

Coming over to me, he placed a kiss on my nose, "I like taking care of you."

Smiling I said, "I love you."

"I love you too."

Jonathan opened the door to Dr. Schwarts' office and closed it behind us. The small man behind the desk looked up and smiled, "Hello, you must be Bethany Elwood."

Smiling back I approached him with my hand out, "Yup, that's me."

Shaking my hand he said, "Jonathan has told me quite a lot about you."

I blushed, "I'm sure."

"Please have a seat."

I chose one of two upright chairs in the room, both Jonathan and Dr. Schwarts exchanged glances and Jonathan took the couch while Schwarts took the other chair.

"How are you today, Jonathan?"

"Great, and yourself?"

"Good."

"Did you find out what happened to Percy?"

"Sadly no...."

Jonathan looked sad, "How much longer do you think we should give him?"

"Another day?"

"Sounds right."

"Then we'll start looking in the river."

I was confused, so I didn't say anything. Jonathan noticed my discomfort and said, "Percy is a doctor here... he disappeared when the Joker escaped."

I gasped, "That's terrible!"

Jonathan nodded, "So, what do you have in store for us today?"

"Well, first of all, I would like to thank Bethany for coming with you to this. I know how much it means to you, and I'm also excited to meet this amazing person."

I blushed again, "It's no problem. When Jonathan asked for me to come I was honored."

"That's fantastic," said Schwarts, "It shows that you're willing to help Jonathan no matter what."

I nodded, "Absolutely."

"Now, Jonathan has told me that you have had some... dreams about him? Would you mind sharing?"

"Um... Jonathan had relapsed. He injected me with something, and it made me... just... want him. I also was in a trance, doing whatever it was he wanted me to do. I was totally out of my control."

"What did he make you do?"

"He had me dress up... in an outfit that was made of burlap material, and it had stockings, and a mask just like his."

"So you had a dream where Jonathan had relapsed, and he took you with him?"

"Yes."

"Is this the only dream you've had?"

"No, I had one last night."

"Do you mind sharing?"

"He injected me with the... whatever it was, and had me dress up again. This time the Joker was there, with his goons and Harley-Quinn... they were talking about how I was important for something they were planning on doing."

"Did you find out what it was?"

"No.... No they wouldn't tell me."

"Do you often fear that Jonathan will relapse?"

"No! No, I don't think that at all. The idea does cross my mind, but it never stays."

"You are aware that it can happen."

"Yes, but I don't believe it will." Looking over at Jonathan, I smiled and he smiled back.

"Do you mind if I make a... comment about you, Bethany?"

"Um... no?"

"Out of all of the seats available to you in this room, you chose to sit in one of the chairs... meaning that you are a very seclusive person.... You are not use to sharing your feelings, or feeling vulnerable, which is how you view the couch. Is that right?"

I thought about it, and said, "Yeah... I guess that's right."

"Bethany, it means that... you have secrets you're keeping from us," said Jonathan.

"What secrets?"

"It could be anything... from you mother's death, to all of the things that have happened with the Joker."

I frowned, "I guess yeah."

"Bethany, would you like to schedule for sessions," asked Schwarts, "If not with me, but with someone else? It wouldn't hurt you to talk to someone about all that has happened in the few weeks that you've been here."

I nodded, "I don't see why not."

"I'll help you with the paper work later," said Jonathan.

The rest of the session was a combination of Jonathan talking about his past, telling stories that made me shift uncomfortably in my seat, and then them asking me how I felt about the stories that he told. When the two hours were over, Jonathan and I left, and I followed him to his office where he handed me the papers for my own therapy sessions.

His office was large, the kind that you would have sworn belonged in a cop movie. File cabinets lined the wall with some of the drawers opened, and some of the paper over flowing. His desk was filled with case files, and the door was made with that creepy foggy green glass, the blind was currently down. As I worked at my files, he watched me, looking me over, "You look hot."

I smiled, but didn't look up, "Oh yeah?"

"Yeah."

Looking up now I said, "Well you look smashing as well."

"Smashing... there's something."

Coming over to me, he took the clip board from my hands and picked me up out of the chair and kissed me, "Jonathan-"

"There's something that I would love to smash into you."

I giggled, "Here?"

"Oh yeah... sex in the office is always kinky."

I moaned as he kissed that one spot on my neck and I melted into his touch. Bringing me behind the desk, he set me down and stood in between my legs. "What if someone comes in?"

"Bethany, you need to take a chance."

I smiled, "I'm just saying... won't you get in trouble?"

"It's my office."

I smiled again, "Really? I couldn't tell by the name on the door."

He came down and took my breasts in his hands and I gasped, "You're so sassy."

"If you make me scream you'll see just how sassy."

Jonathan smiled and he stepped back to undo my pants, while I undid his.