Just off the Key of Reason

It was only a few weeks until Charlotte and Bruce caught up with Crane. It was relatively easy – Crane just couldn’t help himself, he couldn’t stay away from his beloved Arkham Asylum for too long.

They – well, more like just Bruce – tracked Crane and his gang to an old skyscraper that had been taken over by the mob and quickly abandoned.

Charlotte and Bruce hadn’t talked much since that one night the Joker had been successfully arrested. They were both upset at themselves and each other. But one thing they agreed on was that they had to find Crane. Whether it was out of necessity of a false sense of hope, neither of them knew for sure.

As Bruce injected Charlotte with the cure to Crane’s fear gas as a precaution, he prepared himself for the fight that was inevitably just in front of them. He was reluctant to bring Charlotte along, but she was determined to confront Crane herself, and Bruce couldn’t bring himself to take that away from her.

“Are you ready for this?” Bruce looked Charlotte seriously in the eyes. She had to be sure.

“Yes,” Charlotte nodded, jaw set. Sure, she was actually a bit shaky about doing this whole thing, but it was either do it now or never at all. And she wanted to have her chance to interrogate Dr. Crane. She needed it.

That’s why she and Bruce – or rather, Batman – got to the abandoned building, her eyes immediately started searching out Crane’s familiar face. Unfortunately for her, he was already scrambling up the set of stairs as Batman was already occupied with thoroughly beating up Cranes “assistants.”

Charlotte hesitated for only a moment before racing up the stairs while Bruce was occupied. After a few flights up, Charlotte quickly realized that Crane was probably going to the very top, hoping to tire her out long before then. With a surge of determination, Charlotte steadily continued to climb the steps without even inwardly protesting to herself.

When she threw open the doors to the roof of the building, she couldn’t help but be pleased at the look of surprise on Crane’s face, as he had taken off his mask.

Even though they were both still panting from the arduous trek up a number of flights, Charlotte confronted Crane right then and there.

“Why?” She asked angrily.

“Why what? You really should clarify thing a bit,” Crane snapped back mockingly.

“You know what I mean. Why didn’t you actually cure me?”

“Why would I? Charlie’s just too fun to get rid of.” Crane laughed, “Besides, how could I possibly cure you?”

“…What?” Charlotte asked, brows furrowing in confusion.

“Oh Charlotte, don’t you know? There is no cure for you. You stuck with Charlie. She’s a part of you. She’s the part that you rejected a long time ago. She’ll never be gone. She’s you.”

With that Crane sprayed her with his fear gas, but when it didn’t work he resorted to slashing her with a knife. Charlotte barely had time to put her hands up in defense when it cut deeply into both of her arms.

Suddenly, Crane looked towards the door, seeming to hear something – Charlotte didn’t know what as she was so in shock she couldn’t register much – and he ran off somewhere… Charlotte couldn’t see where, didn’t even care.

Charlotte was getting dizzy from the loss of blood. She knew she had to act soon.

“Charlie, you there?”

I’m always here you idiot...and I always will be.

Charlotte could almost feel her smirk.

“You heard what Crane said.” It was more of a statement than a question.

Charlotte felt Charlie’s overwhelmingly sick joy.

“I suppose you’re happy about that, then?” Charlotte said dryly.

I suppose I am, old chap. Charlie cackled.

“I guess this means you win”

Yup. You’ll never be rid of me now, sister. Charlie said mockingly.

Charlotte nodded absentmindedly, looking over the edge, to the view of the streets below.

She let herself fall.

Charlie realized what was happening, and her scream ripped out of Charlotte’s throat. The sound choked when consciousness began to slip out of Charlotte’s body.

Suddenly they felt like they were flying. It was the most real sensation of her entire life.

Neither Charlotte nor Charlie knew why that was; they were just thankful that they wouldn’t feel anything when their body hit the ground.

It was the only time their minds were truly and totally in sync.