Winter pt 2

Jonathan sat on the floor of his cell in Arkham, alone. He glanced up, looking at the two bunks before staring back down at the floor. His chest started to hurt and he fought back a sob. The door to his cell opened and he looked up. Standing in the doorway was a guard he didn't recognize, a man still in his twenties.

"Rec room time," the guard said. Jonathan stared at him for a moment before returning his gaze to the floor of his cell. The guard cleared his throat but Jonathan didn't react. He just stared at the floor. Sighing the guard walked into the cell, telling his companion that Crane hadn't noticed was there to watch his back, and lifted Jonathan up by the straps on his straitjacket.

Leland had insisted on putting him in a straitjacket. It was odd. Normally she preferred the inmates to be as comfortable as possible, which meant no straitjackets. But not this time. She had taken one look at him and insisted they put him in a straitjacket. For safety, she had said. But the way she had said it, her tone, made it obvious to everyone listening it wasn't the staff, or even the other inmates, she was worried about Crane hurting.

And so the guards brought him into the rec room. They stopped in the doorway and began to undo the straps on his straitjacket. Straitjackets weren't allowed in the rec room. They interfered with socialization. Normally once free Jonathan would have flexed his arms to return blood flow to them, but not this time. If his arms had gone numb, he didn't notice. Everything felt numb. Everything except his chest, which still held that suppressed sob.

Jonathan took a step into the room, looking around at whom else was there. Pam, Harley and Joker were sitting at the TV while Arnold was off in a corner talking to Scarface. Jonathan blinked, trying to fight the tears that threatened to appear in his eyes.

"Jonathan!" An energetic voice called. Jonathan turned from the deranged puppeteer and looked down, seeing Jervis Tetch  standing in front of him, a grin on his face and a copy of 'Through the Looking Glass' in his hands. "How are you, March Hare?" Jonathan stared at the other man, blinking dumbly. Jervis looked at him then at the room behind him, frowning.

"Jonathan," he asked politely, "where is the Dormouse? Were you not brought in together?"

It took all of Jonathan's strength to keep from crying. He couldn't. He wouldn't. He couldn't show weakness. Not in Arkham. He blinked again and backed away from Jervis, turning and walking over to a chair him the corner. He buried his head in his hands and tried to get his breathing even. When he finally looked up, he saw a table and chair positioned in front of him. He looked at the table, seeing a chessboard laid out on its surface. He looked at the board before glancing at the empty chair across from him. He looked at it and blinked. Carved onto the back was a stylized question mark. A question mark he knew. Jonathan starred at it, never having knowing that it was there. The pain returned to his chest the more he looked at the empty chair. He opened his mouth to take a breath but a choked sigh came out instead. Tears came to his eyes and ran down his face, blurring his vision until he couldn't see the question mark anymore. A sob caught in his throat, threatening to choke him if he didn't let it out. That was it. He couldn't fight it anymore. He buried his face in his hands again and gave up fighting it.

Everyone in the rec room heard it, looking up from their various activities and over at the chess table, where a broken and alone Jonathan Crane sat sobbing. Jervis frowned and started towards his friend but was stopped by a hand on his shoulder. He looked up at Pamela, who only shook her head solemnly. Even The Joker's smile was gone. The guards looked at each other, clearly unsure as to what to do. A long moment passed before Dr. Joan Leland appeared in the rec room, frowning. She saw Crane in the corner and walked over immediately.

"Jonathan?" She asked, placing a hand on his shoulder. He looked up at her, his blue eyes bloodshot and filled with tears. He blinked and faster than she could react, rose to his feet and wrapped his arms around her pulling her against him. Leland could hear the guards shuffle and tense behind her, as well as the sound of her own racing heartbeat, for Crane was a dangerous criminal, but she pushed these things out of her mind. Jonathan held her tight against his chest, his entire body wracked by sobs. Leland frowned and wrapped her arms around him, hugging his slight frame. She could feel every hiccupping gasp echo through his chest. She swallowed and rubbed his back, humming quietly.

"Shhh," she soothed gently. "You're going to make yourself sick." His chest spasmed a few more times as he tried to gain control of himself. She held him for a moment, him trembling in her arms, before he finally spoke.

"Leland?" He asked, his hold tightening. His voice was quiet and broken, more befitting an upset child than a criminal mastermind. Leland nodded.

"I'm here Jonathan," she said. He swallowed, a hiccup escaping him. Leland smiled sadly. Of course he would give himself the hiccups. Jonathan hiccupped again and tightened his grip, all but squeezing the air out of her.

"I want Eddie," he squeaked, sounding almost frightened. Leland frowned and held him as tightly as he was holding her. Her chest hurt and a lump formed in her throat. She swallowed it down and looked up at him, tears filling her own eyes.

"I know Jonathan," she said, reaching up to fix his glasses and wipe the tears from his eyes. "I know."