In a World Where Only Madness Matters

Blankly starring ahead, Jax gazed up at the strange, roman-like, designs that ran along the ceiling of Rebecca’s room. He was laying on her bed, arms resting under his head, deep in thought. Admiring the soft covers and comforters that still lay undisturbed beneath him. He had gotten so used to sleeping without blankets, that he didn’t see the use for them now. And he wasn’t going to sleep, so there was really no reason to be under them.

Letting his head fall to the right, his eyes met with the small red light coming from the digital clock, and found the numbers, informing him that it was just a little bit past 6 in the morning. He was glad it was a digital one. He still hadn’t learned to tell time on an analogue clock.

At the moment, he was alone, and waiting for Rebecca to come out of the bathroom. After there long talk, that took a little more then an hour and half, she had wanted to take a bath. And so she did, and had disappeared into the bathroom for awhile now.

Jax had learned a lot about Rebecca within the past few hours. So much that he wasn’t sure if his brain could really comprehend all of it. But he knew, that no matter what she had told him, his feelings for her would never change.

Rebecca was not insane, and she was not the murderer that everyone labeled her to be. The Gotham PD were wrong, and so was Arkham. Rebecca had been framed. And she was simply in the wrong place at the wrong time when that ‘gang’ had found her.

She was walking home, minding her own business, [from Church actually] when she had heard someone cry out for help. Rebecca, being the caring individual she was, knew she couldn’t just let it go unnoticed. She followed the cries, which were only a block down from where she lived, and came across a gruesome, horrible murder. Jax remembered Rebecca began to get teary while telling her story. But he held her, and let her continue.

She said that there were 3 bodies. Two of them dead by the time she had gotten there, and the other, still being tortured by their attackers. She didn’t want to describe what the two dead bodies had looked like, [which Jax was actually somewhat interested in] but she made it clear that, with the state of how messed up they looked, she couldn’t tell whether they were male or female.

The live one though was a man, a black man. Who was being beaten to a pulp by about 5 to 6 other guys with dark clothes and their hoods up. Too busy beating the black guy to even notice she had walked up on them. Rebecca quickly dialed 911 and told the police what had happened and where she was at. By the time she had hung up the gang had noticed her and were now approaching her. She turned to begin running the other way, but was cut off by two men already behind her, anticipating her to do so.

Even now she still wonders why they did not kill her or hurt her. Well they had, but in the long run it made sense. They knocked her out in one quick hit and set the crime scene up to look like she had done it. You would’ve thought with all the new technology these days they would have been able to figure out she didn’t do it, but the GCP were just too stupid to believe her. Why though?

She did not see any of the faces of they attackers. She was covered in head to two in all three victims blood. The third victim didn’t live, so he couldn’t tell anyone that she had tried to help. And there were no guns used to do ballistics on. The reasons for them believing she was unstable came from her complete denial and excessive shouting and yelling that she hadn’t done anything. The whole thing was set up against her. She never had a chance. Until now that is.

Rebecca told Jax that was her whole reason for escaping the asylum. And now that she was out, she was going to have to prove her innocence and that she was not insane before the police found her. Jax told her he believed her, and that he would be by her side every step of the way, and help her whenever she needed it. Then proceeded to tell her his own story.

Jax was taken to Arkham when he was just 10 years old. Which is why Rebecca asked how a 10 year old could be classified as criminally insane. And well that’s because he wasn’t. He didn’t want to explain too much, or tell the exact truth about what had happened to him, but he was able to tell most without saying too much.

He explained to her that his father was crazy. A complete lunatic, period. [He wasn’t going into detail.] And that one night, his dad came home from work. He was, ‘drunk’ and told his family that he was starting over. Wanted a fresh start. Said he couldn’t have his old family anymore. Jax told Rebecca how his father attacked his mother and him, and that they managed to get away. Jax’s mother was severely injured, and Jax was practically beaten to death.

But they did get away. Jax’s mother got both her, and her son, into the car and she drove them to where she worked. Jax’s mother was a very mysterious woman at her job. Being that, no one knew she had a son.

She told him it was for the better, and that he would be safe there. That she loved him and to please not hate her.

“Jax, I know you’ll get out. But for now you have to stay here. He won’t be able to get you in there. You’ll be safe here.”

His mother grabbed him by the arm and dragged him into Arkham. Screaming that the young boy had stabbed her and sense half the staff knew who she was, and thought fondly of her, they immediately came running to her assist. Jax screamed that it wasn’t true. That he didn’t want to leave his mom, he didn’t understand why she would something like that. [It all makes sense later though.]

She managed to say one last quiet goodbye to her son before he was taken away and locked up. That was the last time he had seen her, or his father. He loved his mother, with all his heart. But wasn’t sure if he’d never be able to forgive her for what she did.

Rebecca sat there, next to him. Having absolutely no clue what to say. She could only hug him and tell him how deeply sorry and upset she was that he had to go through the things he did. He didn’t cry, but nodded, hugging her back with a empty expression on his face. That’s when he thought it was best that he told her what exactly she meant to him.

“That’s why, when you came along. I just… you have no idea. Rebecca I was going to kill myself that day. You, literally saved my life. And now, now…” Rebecca smiled brightly. Hugging him tighter, telling him he had no need to explain himself to her. That everything was fine now, and that she would help him and be there with him whenever and wherever he needed her.

Jax did not tell her that there was anything he needed help with. He only assumed that she meant helping him adjust and cope with his mental illnesses. But Jax did have something more he needed to do. He needed to find his mother.

“Just promise me, please. That you won’t hurt yourself when you get frustrated? Please? If you feel upset or mad just come to me okay? I don’t want you hurting yourself anymore.”

Jax nodded. “I promise.”

With that, Rebecca stood up from the floor where they had fallen and told him that she wanted to take a bath. From there, Jax laid on the bed, thinking hard about everything they had told each other.

Neither one of them had gotten any sleep sense Friday, and he was beginning to feel the effects of it. But he did not want to sleep. He wanted to be with Rebecca, spend more time with her. He wanted to help her. He had to think. Who did he know that could help her.

His dad used to work with so many people no doubt there was someone out there he could get in contact with. [“But dad usually killed or betrayed everyone he worked with.”] This was going to be harder then he thought.

But what was he doing sitting here just thinking about it and her!? Why doesn’t he get up and go talk to her?!

Jax sprang up from the bed, his shoes making a soft thud as he slid onto the floor, and ran to the door. Twisting the door knob to find…

“Hey! Why is this door locked?” He banged on the door, then waited for Rebecca to respond.

Rebecca’s head shot up. She was just finally starting to feel relaxed and nod off to a light sleep in her bubble bath, when Jax banged on the door, scaring the shit out of her.

“What do you mean, why is it locked?” Rebecca answered back half way out of it. “To keep people out. For privacy.” She said listing all the reasons.

But Jax persisted, twisting the door knob beyond its turning limits, and causing the lock inside it to break, giving him entrance.

“There you are!” he said gallantly walking into the bathroom.

“Jax!” Rebecca yelled trying to re-adjust her bubbles to make sure all of her was covered up.

“What? Oh, sorry about the door.”

“Haven’t you ever heard of knocking? Or privacy?” Rebecca asked dumbfounded to the fact Jax just broke down the door and walked in on her naked like it was nothing. But he didn’t even seem to be looking, or notice that she was trying to take a bath.

“I did knock. Why’d you lock the door?” Jax asked turning to the mirror to look at his face. Rebecca sighed rolling her eyes. She was fighting a loosing battle.

“Jax, I’m trying to take a bath.” she said trying to get him to leave the room.

“Cool. So I was thinking,” Jax started as he picked up a tooth brush and looked around for some tooth paste. “I might be able to find someone to help you. Ya know figure out who, uh, framed you.”

Rebecca’s concern about wanting to be alone and not have Jax see her naked was lost and she turned her attention to him, looking at him through the mirror. Interested in what he had to say. She laughed quietly to herself as she watched Jax squirt an over excessive amount of toothpaste into his mouth, then began brushing his teeth.

“Really?” She asked sitting up in the tub, then instantly sinking back down realizing she had almost left her safe bubbly cover.

That’s when it dawned on her, Jax hadn’t once looked at her sense he had entered. As if he wasn’t even aware of her being naked, which was ridiculous. Of course he knew she was naked. But was he just not interested? Any other guy would’ve been eyeing her the moment they walked in. [Strange.]

“Mhm.” He answered, a mouth full of toothpaste. She decided to ask.

“Jax?”

“Yeah?” he replied a big wad of toothpaste and spit falling out of his mouth and into the sink.

“You do realize I’m naked right?” She asked hesitantly.

Jax spit out the remainder of his toothpaste, washed it down the drain, then turned to face her, leaning against the sink-counter, crossing his arms.

“Yeah? You are taking a bath aren’t you?” Jax asked slightly confused.

“Yeah, its just. Well you weren’t looking at me or anything.” Rebecca replied with a giggle.

“Why would I do that?” Jax asked titling his head to the side, his eyes wide with innocence and wonder. Rebecca smiled.

“No reason.”

Jax eyed her suspiciously, having absolutely no clue what she was getting at, but turned back around to the mirror forgetting what she was talking about.

“So anyways. My dad used to work with a lot of people around Gotham, and I think I might know some of his old, uh, co-workers, that might be able to help you out.” He scratched his head and examined the amount of hair that had grown on his head sense he had been in Arkham. He barely had any when he was ten. [“Now there was a whole bunch of it!”]

“That’s great!” Rebecca replied now wide awake, and no longer caring if Jax was in the room.

“Yeah so I figured I’d go look for some of them tomorrow, or today, or whenever you want me to.” Jax turned back around and walked over to the edge of the bathtub peering down at Rebecca.

“Well first I think we need some sleep. I’m dead tired and…”

“Can two people fit in here?” Jax said completely changing the subject as he looked at the bathtub. [Great attention span.]

“What?” Rebecca asked completely perplexed to Jax’s random question.

“Yeah move over.” he said trying to get in.

“What, no!?”

Jax pushed Rebecca aside and threw his feet over the edge of the bathtub, sinking down into the bubbly water with her and soaking all his clothes.

“Jax! Get out!”

“What!?” He laughed at her irritation. “Awh, you look cute when your mad.”

Rebecca growled, then splashed him in the face.

“Ah, this is relaxing. Isn’t it?” Jax asked leaning his head on her shoulder.

Lucky for Rebecca all the bubbles still covered her up, sadly she couldn’t escape as Jax wrapped his arms around her, and cuddled her like a teddy bear. Her irritation seemed to magically lift [when she was dealing with Jax] and she laughed wrapping her own free hand around him.

“Jax, your clothes are totally ruined.”

“It was worth it.” he shrugged ignoring that fact and closing his eyes. She giggled.

“Come on Jax. I want to get out, then we can sleep, okay?” she said lightly shaking him.

“Awh.” he frowned. “Okay…” He sat up and pulled himself out of the bathtub. Dripping from his shoulders down. He turned and waited for Rebecca to get out.

“I’ll meet you in the bedroom.” Rebecca said, avoiding him actually seeing her without clothes.

He nodded and left the room. Rebecca stood up, grabbing a towel, and drying off. She pulled on a light pink tank top and gray short-shorts. [She had wardrobes of hers in all her dads houses incase she decided to stay.] She pulled her hair back into a bun and walked out just in time to see Jax attempt to lay on her bed with all his soaking clothes still on.

“Jax don’t!”

“AH WHAT!?”

“Don’t lay on my bed with all your wet clothes. You’re going to get my bed all wet.”

Jax breathed out a sigh of relief and stepped back from her bed.

“Jesus woman. Acted like I was going to murder someone.”

Rebecca laughed and climbed up onto her bed searching for the top of the covers to get underneath for warmth. But to her dismay, she turned back to face Jax, once again being surprised by his strange behaviors.

“Jax! What are you doing!?” She yelled quickly looking away from the now clothes-less boy.

“What? You said you didn’t want me to get your bed wet.” He said completely confused. If his clothes were what was going to get the bed wet then obviously he should take them off. [Right?]

“Okay um, my dad had a son from another woman. He used to stay here a lot. His old rooms the one right across the hall. He should be about your size. Now please, go put some clothes on.” Rebecca said still holding the pillow in front of her eyes so she did not see Jax.

“Ugh.” Jax said rolling his eyes. And turning towards the door. “You have weird nudity problems.” he said as he left the room, still not with any clothes on. [It’d be damn funny if he ran into Matt out there.] Rebecca listened incase she should hear someone yell, but heard nothing, and quickly Jax returned.

“That was fast.” Rebecca said finally putting the pillow down. She looked up from her bed to see Jax shirtless, but wearing a pair of big white basketball shorts. And that was it. She couldn’t help but stare at his toned arms and small abs that formed around his stomach.

Jax jumped up onto the bed and climbed under the covers with her.

“Yeah so NOW can we go to bed?” He asked hoping she wouldn’t yell at him for something else he did. She giggled.

“Yes, now we can sleep.” She laid back and faced Jax who was facing her.

“Well come here then silly.” He smiled holding his arms out to her. She eagerly accepted and crawled right into his arms. Curling up into his shirtless chest as he wrapped his arms around her.

“Wow, your hair smells great.” Jax said taking in her now clean and shampooed scent.

“Thanks.” Rebecca replied listening to Jax sniff her. [“He’s so funny sometimes.”]

They laid there for several minutes in quiet, hoping to fall asleep. The early sunrays finally breaking their way through the dark pink curtains, letting them know it was morning. Rebecca wondered why sleeping in the same bed with each other didn’t seem so awkward or difficult. But remembered quickly that they had just spent an entire week sleeping in the same room with each other every night. It was no surprise it didn’t bother the two of them. So letting her thoughts leave her to rest, she let herself sleep. But Jax couldn’t sleep, not yet.

“Hey Rebecca?” He whispered breaking the silence.

“Mhm?” She replied, her eyes still closed, trying to fall asleep to the relaxing sound of Jax’s heart beat. But when it began to beat faster, she couldn’t help but wonder what he was thinking about.

Jax was nervous. Really nervous. He liked Rebecca. REALLY liked her. He wanted her. He wanted to be with her. For her to be his, and for him to be only hers. He had never had a girlfriend before or ever been so close to another girl in his life. But he had to do it. His want for her overpowering his fear of rejection, he went for it.

She lifted up her head, when he did not reply instantly like he always did and looked at him with concern.

“What’s wrong Jax?” She sat up next to him, curious as she watched him bite at his finger nails and slightly twitch, while looking at her.

“I, um, I was wondering. If you, uh…”Jax hesitated, looking away from her, afraid to ask. “I was wondering,” He started trying to regain some confidence. “If you’d, uh, want to be my girlfriend…?” He looked at her now, waiting for her response and watching her reaction.

At first her eyes were wide with un-expectance. But then she smiled, linking her fingers with Jax’s.

“Only if you’ll be my boyfriend.” She giggled. Jax’s face instantly lit up.

“YES! I mean…” he said trying to regain his composer. Rebecca laughed.

“Then I guess that means I’m your girlfriend.” Rebecca smiled and Jax smiled back at her.

His insides were exploding with joy, and although he would have loved to express it, he was just too damn tired. Plus he didn’t want to embarrass himself in front of his new girlfriend.

So he decided to hold it in for now. Pulling her close so that he could wrap his arms back around her and lay down. To finally get some well deserved rest they both wanted, and really, REALLY needed.