(Untitled)

[arkhams_dr]

In the small room where he'd spent the night alone, Jonathan Crane was quite finished getting ready. His role in this ceremony consisted primarily of dressing and appearing; he'd completed the former, and now waited patiently until it was time to do the latter

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[knowthenbreak]

The first few days out of Burke, Nadine Dent had slept well. Really, she'd slept too well. She'd slept without concern for much else, save comforting her husband. The sedatives had taken their time getting out of her system and now, without them, she had a difficult time sleeping. Having Harvey by her side made it easier, but it wasn't like before. Before, all she'd needed was to know he was there, and she slept soundly through the night

[arkhams_dr]

"Hello, Nadine," he said. "I'm glad I reached you."

[knowthenbreak]

"Jonathan?" she murmured, half asleep.

[arkhams_dr]

"Yes, it's me." He heard the drowsiness in her voice. She'd be easy to confuse, perhaps even a bit malleable. "How are you?"

[knowthenbreak]

She shouldn't be telling him anything. She knew that. But why not? It was so tempting to just close her eyes and fall back asleep. He'd listen... She couldn't tell Harvey, after all. She didn't want to worry him.

"I'm not sleeping well."

Nadine closed her eyes briefly. She felt hands on her throat, cutting off the air. She sat up quickly, eyes open wide. For a moment, she even forgot that she was holding the phone in her hand.

[arkhams_dr]

He heard the change in her breathing, first slow, then the sudden sharp intake of air. "Why do you suppose that is, Nadine?"

[knowthenbreak]

Nadine remained silent for several moments, though she shook a little as the cold reality swept over her. She almost closed her phone, but she couldn't quite bring herself to do it.

Quietly, her voice strained, she managed, "What do you want?"

[arkhams_dr]

"I was hoping you'd be willing to speak to Duela. Today's very important to her, and I thought, perhaps, you'd be willing to put your problems aside and say something supportive to her."

[knowthenbreak]

Nadine was quiet for a long time. She knew what Harvey would say, but Duela was her daughter.

"If she calls. I... don't have anything to say to you."

[arkhams_dr]

"She won't call. You know our daughter too well to think that." He looked out of the small window, over the preparations below. "You'll need to make the gesture - if you ever cared about her at all. As for speaking to me, I confess, I'm hurt, Nadine. Our daughter is getting married, our grandson is on his way to a healthy delivery, and you can't put aside our one small disagreement?"

[knowthenbreak]

Nadine closed her eyes, shaking her head. Our. He'd said that before. So many times. But it wasn't possible. Even he wasn't that... He was trying to make her react. Trying to upset her. If she didn't reply... if she just pretended not to hear him...

"You tried to kill me. Twice."

[arkhams_dr]

"After you attacked me, physically and verbally. Never before. How many times have you forgiven Harvey for worse?" He managed to stifle a giggle, forcing himself to sound sadly reproachful instead. "One moment of weakness in all our years together."

[knowthenbreak]

Nadine went rigid. Her voice rose, tone sharp. "Don't you dare compare it. Harvey never tried to kill me-- never tried to strangle me."

[gothams_dent]

Harvey came through the sliding glass doors, hamburgers and buns in hand. He caught the tail-end of Nadine's sentence.

"Nadine?" He was by her side in an instant. "Who the hell is that?"

[arkhams_dr]

"He's held a gun to your head, beaten you senseless. I've seen the aftermath - Duela saw the acts, all of her life. For that alone, you owe her, Nadine."

[knowthenbreak]

Nadine fell silent, though Harvey might have heard the voice on the other end. She stared at him, and her hand shook.