< Almost Too Late - arkhams_dr >
She hated them all. Every last one of them. Every nurse, every orderly... She hated them. Taking orders from Crane. From a madman. From a man who was going to-- who was already hurting her daughter. They wouldn't listen to her. Maddy-- Maddy was the one person who listened to her. She would sneak in when the nurses weren't around, loosen the restraints, speak softly... Such a sweet girl. She was the only thing that had made this last week and a half at all bearable.
But Maddy hadn't been able to come yet today, and the restraints were firm. They hadn't forced a needle into her arm yet, made her sleep with sedatives. They wouldn't listen. If she was calm, she was delusion. If she shouted, she was manic. They wouldn't listen to her. Jonathan Crane was dangerous. He had to be kept away from Duela. Had to be kept away from her. But they kept talking about telling him, keeping him updated on her "progress."
Why wouldn't they listen?! Why hadn't she listened to Harvey? The thought broke her heart now. She'd always insisted-- and she'd been wrong. So wrong. Now it was too late-- too late to help Duela, to save her, to apologize to Harvey.
It was too late.
Jonathan Crane decided to surprise Nadine. After all, she'd want to hear this news personally. He brought flowers, attempting to present a facade of a dutiful family member - which was, after all, what he was, wasn't it?
As always, the nurses apprised him of Nadine's condition, and as always, with a reassuring smile, he went to see to his patient.
Nadine Dent stared at the ceiling. She'd fought the last time Crane had been here, fought for her life. Now, confined to the bed with the realization of her idiocy, her infidelity, and her solitude, she wished Crane had been successful. She'd always justified her actions. Jonathan was her protector, and he loved her. She loved him. It was the same as Harvey's devotion to Rachel, even a decade after her death. But with the knowledge that Jonathan-- that Crane was the Scarecrow-- was what Harvey had always said-- she hated herself for everything.
"I'm sorry, Harvey." She wanted her husband by her side, sitting with her once again, ready to comfort and protect her... But if he were here, he wouldn't want her. She'd betrayed him, she'd been... tainted. He wouldn't want to be anywhere near her, and she wouldn't blame him. She ignored the sound of the door opening. Probably a nurse, here to force the medication into her system.
Damn them all.
"Hello, Nadine," Crane said, settling the flowers on her dresser. "I trust we're over our little episode? I hope so. I've been wanting to speak with you."
She tensed at his voice, turning her head to look at him. Her hand moved, perhaps to try and lash out at him or to try and shield herself. Either action was prevented by the restraint.
"Get out," she said, though her tone made it clear she knew he wouldn't listen.
"Now, don't worry - I've almost forgiven you." He didn't quite smirk as he looked her over. "How are we feeling today?"
She didn't answer his question. Her hand flexed again, and she looked at him. "Undo them. I want to get up." She really wanted to attack him, but Nadine knew she was no match for him. She just needed out of this bed, needed... something. She would not ask him to get it for her.
"Oh, I'm not so sure that's a good idea, Nadine. Not when you're being so hostile. Here I am, trying to make conversation, and you won't even answer a simple question." He pulled out a small notebook and began writing. "If I didn't know any better, I'd think you were upset with me."
"I'm fine." She took a deep breath in and let it out. This wouldn't get her anywhere. When she spoke again, her voice was calmer, quieter. "Please. I'd like to get up for a few moments."
He smiled, then nodded. "I trust you, Nadine." As he loosened her restraints, he added, "I also trust that you know what a mistake it would be to antagonize me further."
"I remember last time," Nadine replied. As soon as the restraints were loose enough, she pulled her hands free of them, and her left hand could be seen to be bare for probably the first time in twenty years. The woman was on her feet in a moment, off-balance from having been confined to the bed for so long, but she made it to the counter across the room.
Nadine opened a small jewelry box waiting there. She put on a ring with two stones, one aquamarine and one yellow beryl, before she held her left hand to her chest. Her wedding ring. They'd taken it from her, as if she could hurt herself with it. They'd also taken her favorite necklace, put it in the box with the others. It was a simple garnet necklace, a birthday present rather than an apology, and she put it back on a moment later, looking down at her ring again.
Seeing the ring, he frowned. "Of course, you don't miss the one I gave you, do you, Nadine? Would you prefer I gave it to someone happy to accept it?"
Nadine tensed, remembering that ring. If she'd just refused it then... if she'd told Harvey and Gordon everything then... "I don't want it. Do what you like."
She didn't want anything of his, didn't want anything that belonged to the Scarecrow. "I'd prefer you stopped coming," Nadine murmured, glancing out the barred window. "Let me live out however long I have left without you here." He wouldn't stop coming. She'd never be free of him. Without Harvey to protect her, he'd always be there.
(An alternate version of "Too Late.")
But Maddy hadn't been able to come yet today, and the restraints were firm. They hadn't forced a needle into her arm yet, made her sleep with sedatives. They wouldn't listen. If she was calm, she was delusion. If she shouted, she was manic. They wouldn't listen to her. Jonathan Crane was dangerous. He had to be kept away from Duela. Had to be kept away from her. But they kept talking about telling him, keeping him updated on her "progress."
Why wouldn't they listen?! Why hadn't she listened to Harvey? The thought broke her heart now. She'd always insisted-- and she'd been wrong. So wrong. Now it was too late-- too late to help Duela, to save her, to apologize to Harvey.
It was too late.
Jonathan Crane decided to surprise Nadine. After all, she'd want to hear this news personally. He brought flowers, attempting to present a facade of a dutiful family member - which was, after all, what he was, wasn't it?
As always, the nurses apprised him of Nadine's condition, and as always, with a reassuring smile, he went to see to his patient.
Nadine Dent stared at the ceiling. She'd fought the last time Crane had been here, fought for her life. Now, confined to the bed with the realization of her idiocy, her infidelity, and her solitude, she wished Crane had been successful. She'd always justified her actions. Jonathan was her protector, and he loved her. She loved him. It was the same as Harvey's devotion to Rachel, even a decade after her death. But with the knowledge that Jonathan-- that Crane was the Scarecrow-- was what Harvey had always said-- she hated herself for everything.
"I'm sorry, Harvey." She wanted her husband by her side, sitting with her once again, ready to comfort and protect her... But if he were here, he wouldn't want her. She'd betrayed him, she'd been... tainted. He wouldn't want to be anywhere near her, and she wouldn't blame him. She ignored the sound of the door opening. Probably a nurse, here to force the medication into her system.
Damn them all.
"Hello, Nadine," Crane said, settling the flowers on her dresser. "I trust we're over our little episode? I hope so. I've been wanting to speak with you."
She tensed at his voice, turning her head to look at him. Her hand moved, perhaps to try and lash out at him or to try and shield herself. Either action was prevented by the restraint.
"Get out," she said, though her tone made it clear she knew he wouldn't listen.
"Now, don't worry - I've almost forgiven you." He didn't quite smirk as he looked her over. "How are we feeling today?"
She didn't answer his question. Her hand flexed again, and she looked at him. "Undo them. I want to get up." She really wanted to attack him, but Nadine knew she was no match for him. She just needed out of this bed, needed... something. She would not ask him to get it for her.
"Oh, I'm not so sure that's a good idea, Nadine. Not when you're being so hostile. Here I am, trying to make conversation, and you won't even answer a simple question." He pulled out a small notebook and began writing. "If I didn't know any better, I'd think you were upset with me."
"I'm fine." She took a deep breath in and let it out. This wouldn't get her anywhere. When she spoke again, her voice was calmer, quieter. "Please. I'd like to get up for a few moments."
He smiled, then nodded. "I trust you, Nadine." As he loosened her restraints, he added, "I also trust that you know what a mistake it would be to antagonize me further."
"I remember last time," Nadine replied. As soon as the restraints were loose enough, she pulled her hands free of them, and her left hand could be seen to be bare for probably the first time in twenty years. The woman was on her feet in a moment, off-balance from having been confined to the bed for so long, but she made it to the counter across the room.
Nadine opened a small jewelry box waiting there. She put on a ring with two stones, one aquamarine and one yellow beryl, before she held her left hand to her chest. Her wedding ring. They'd taken it from her, as if she could hurt herself with it. They'd also taken her favorite necklace, put it in the box with the others. It was a simple garnet necklace, a birthday present rather than an apology, and she put it back on a moment later, looking down at her ring again.
Seeing the ring, he frowned. "Of course, you don't miss the one I gave you, do you, Nadine? Would you prefer I gave it to someone happy to accept it?"
Nadine tensed, remembering that ring. If she'd just refused it then... if she'd told Harvey and Gordon everything then... "I don't want it. Do what you like."
She didn't want anything of his, didn't want anything that belonged to the Scarecrow. "I'd prefer you stopped coming," Nadine murmured, glancing out the barred window. "Let me live out however long I have left without you here." He wouldn't stop coming. She'd never be free of him. Without Harvey to protect her, he'd always be there.
(An alternate version of "Too Late.")