"How are you?" Jonathan continued as he subtly tried to scan Edwards' entire frame for evidence of any lingering injuries. He kept his face as blank as possible but on the inside he felt restless as he recognised the importance of this meeting and its impact on their shared future. If Edward decided that he wanted nothing further to do with him then he would accept the rejection and leave immediately but a great part of him hoped that it wouldn't come to that

Noticing Jonathans' searching gaze, Edward answered in a calm voice. "I'm fine. Some stiffness in my left arm and I can't move my stomach too quickly but aside from that i'll live." He caught Jonathans' eye and they stared at each other for a few moments, waiting for the other to start talking. The silence began to stretch out and Edward realised that he would have to be the one to break it. He placed one hand on the table while he ran the other through his auburn hair.

"I want you to know that I don't know what's going to happen here. Everything is dependent on how this conversation goes. I want to start by saying that I am not a stupid man Jon. I've always been aware of the fact that the life I have chosen will probably lead me to an early grave. A stray bullet could easily take me out mid-heist or maybe one day the Dark Knight will finally break and simply choose to snap my neck, but I have come to terms with those possibilities." He shrugged. "Even when I entered into this relationship with you, I knew it would be dangerous. Every single time we have a serious fight there is always a chance that one of us could kill the other. All it takes is one misplaced needle or severe head injury given in a fit of rage and then that's it. Game over for us. But what you did that night wasn't an act of rage or passion, it was cold and premeditated and that's what I cannot accept. You tortured me Jon and if I am ever faced with that situation again I will kill you before you even get the opportunity to lay a finger on me. I don't want to have to kill you, I never have, but I will if you force me to. Jonathan Crane I can handle, but the Scarecrow is a different matter. Did you even know what you were doing to me? Could you feel it?" Edward felt his breathing becoming uneven and he broke off to gather himself again.

Jonathan sighed as he ran a hand through his own hair and considered his answer. "It's a complicated process. Scarecrow is a part of me, a defense mechanism built up over years of abuse and terror, and I can always feel his influence in my head. Sometimes when we argue or if I am in costume I can let some of it leak through, which is what leads to the noticeable changes in my mannerisms and speech patterns etc. But I still keep control which is the important difference. If my body goes into shock or if I am caught unaware by something then I can lose that control and when that happens the full Scarecrow personality is able to take over. To answer your initial question, yes. I was aware of what was happening to you but not fully. To put it in more colloquial terms, it almost feel like I am watching the events play through a screen since I am able to view what is happening but unable to influence them. I could not do anything to stop it that night since I was suffering under the toxin. If I had the ability to wrestle control back I would have. Please believe me Edward."

Edward had flinched when Jon confessed that he was aware of his actions. He had assumed as much but it still wasn't a pleasant thing to hear. But he couldn't deny that he was a little surprised that Jon had chosen to be honest about how his mind worked, even if it didn't make him feel any better about the situation. "Would you have stopped though Jon? Because I am not convinced that you would."

"We've been sleeping together on and off for over a year Edward. We've been acquaintances much longer than that and I have kept the Scarecrow from doing you any harm for that length of time. Generally, I don't think he would bother with you that much but I think he targeted you that night because of the residual anger I felt over the argument we had earlier that evening. With some practise I could try to influence him to be more 'accepting' of you although it's not an exact science and I don't know how successful my attempts would be." Jon paused. "But do you genuinely think it was easy for me to see and feel what I was doing to you? How do you think I felt when I woke up and realised what I had done?" Jonathans' voice became a little desperate at the end of his small speech and it caused Edward to hesitate.

"I have never expected you to love me Jon and I never will. I don't think either of us are even capable of feeling anything that strong but I at least am willing to admit that I do care for you and your well-being as much as I can. Could you look me in the eye and say the same?" Edward placed his hands fully on the table as he waited for a response.

"If you were to die naturally Edward, I would mourn you and if it was someone else who murdered you then I would seek bloody revenge." Jonathan answered honestly. "As soon as I woke up in the basement I was genuinely concerned that I had killed you and the thought did not sit well with me at all." Jon said quietly. "If you were to die before me, I would probably not attempt to find new companionship with anyone else as a mark of respect for what we had."

Edward swallowed heavily at the words. He didn't exactly expect that response. From what he knew about Jonathan, he knew that small confession meant a lot and he decided to try and push his luck while he seemed to be in the giving mood. "Prove it to me Jon. Tell me something personal about yourself that no one else in this world could possibly know about you. Prove to me that you are committed to 'this'." Edward gestured to the both of them with his hands.

Jonathan was silent for a few moments while he considered his options. "I have a sister." He hesitated. "A half-sister technically, from my mothers' side and I recently found out that she has been attending Gotham University for the last few years." Edward couldn't keep the surprise from his face. He knew about Jonathans' family history but he had never mentioned having a sister before. "When she was a small child I attempted to murder her in her crib." He grimaced. "I was much younger and more foolish and it seemed like a good idea at the time. Batman stopped me and after that I never attempted to seek her out again but I recently saw her name in the paper stating that she was due to graduate."

"What subject?"

"Psychology." Jonathan smirked at the irony. "I highly doubt our mother would have informed her of her dear older brother so she probably has no idea who I am or the relationship we share."

"And what do you plan to do with this information?"

"Absolutely nothing. As I said, I was foolish when I was younger and I was punishing her for her mothers sins. That child has done me no personal wrong and as far as I am concerned she is just another potential subject living in this world. And to answer your unspoken question, no. I have no plans to call on her at any time in the future." Edward nodded and the pair fell into silence again. "If I had killed you Edward, I would have really struggled to come to terms with what i'd done." He admitted slowly. "I may never say it and I may never say it again but I do appreciate the companionship you have provided me over the last year and the thought of being alone in this cesspit of a world, even being alone in this apartment without you, causes the smallest tendrils of fear to develop in my system." He avoided Edwards' eye as he admitted to this fact.

Edward gave a genuine smile as he considered Jonathans' words and the meaning behind them. That small, honest display was what he really needed to convince himself that there was something between them which could be salvaged. Reaching across the table to place his hand over Jonathans', Edward spoke coyly. "And who said you would get my apartment if I died?"

Jonathan gave Edward a questioning look and Edward nodded slightly to let him know that he was forgiven. Turning his hand around so that they could clasp Edwards' fingers, he replied. "Well who else would get it? Jervis? He'd have this place fitted up like a filthy opium den within a week." He smiled.

Edward laughed at the answer and the pair shared a real smile. It would take some time, but Edward was confident that this could be the start of a glorious and terrifying new chapter in their shared relationship.