It's the end, ladies and gents. :D Like the other stories before this, I'm happy with how this came out, and thank you nicsnort and Vytina - and those who reviewed - for all your support.

Chapter Eighteen

Elizabeth and the Scarecrow

Elizabeth leaped over the edge of the ship and back onto the deck just as Jonathan fell to his knees, groaning in pain and clutching onto her desperately. She felt around his back, taking care not to pressurize whatever it was - and then she felt the blunt handle of her pocket knife. She'd either dropped it by accident amidst the confusion or Bolton had taken it when she wasn't aware. Either way...he stabbed him...he stabbed my Jonathan...in the back...oh, God, there's blood...!

She felt the blood, alright: hot and sticky on her fingers, slowly oozing out in a pattern she couldn't pay attention to. She couldn't let him die this way; that bomb was going off soon, and they had to get off this boat sooner than THAT, but the monster was advancing their way, laughing cruelly.

The monster who...degraded my Jonathan and the others. Jonathan never told her that Bolton forced him on his knees that one time to give him oral sex, but he had his own good reasons not to tell her, so she couldn't be mad at him - therefore, she was more than mad as hell at the colossal pig over them now.

"On his knees now, like he was -"

"Save your breath, Bolton!" she burst out through her tears. "You'll never win, not when this boat will go off and take us with it. Either way, you fail. You lose. You're no better than the scum you abused. I saw how you treated them all, including this man in my arms." Jonathan was whimpering now, clutching onto her. "Forgotten and scared, without hope or compassion."

"And that's what makes me think you're just as crazy as they are! You actually CARE for those creatures!" he spat.

"Because they're more human than you think, but misunderstood. They were cast out like soil, just messing up the perfect garden which withers anyway in the event of time." Elizabeth speaking her mind made her feel stronger with each second passing - each second ticking by while the bomb's detonation time came closer.

"Elizabeth..." Jonathan's mouth was near her ear, low for Bolton to not catch on but enough for her. "...pull it out...kill him..."

Her heart thumped with the knowing fear he would bleed to death if she pulled it out, but Bolton was grinning like a skull as he was sure he would die a hero to himself instead of living to find himself a new villain of Gotham. But the truth would get out once the others got away. And Jonathan was bleeding and would die if she didn't do as he asked. He's suffering enough, but he'll die, too, if I don't get him to the hospital soon. Trying not to sob with him, Elizabeth reached behind and enclosed her fingers around the knife's handle, whispering softly to him.

"I love you...and I'm so sorry."

And she pulled the knife out swiftly but painfully for her lover.

Jonathan's screams were ear-crushing speakers to her ears but rich music to Bolton's. He threw his head back then and let loose a proclamation to the skies. "Ah, to relish the screams of pain from the Master of Fear like he has done to all of his victims. It's just like taking a slice of pumpkin pie on Halloween and Thanksgiving together." He meant it as a joke, but Elizabeth's blood boiled, and exploded like a lava core when he continued. "Lizzie, do you know how good he was on his knees that one time? Just because he was a man didn't mean he couldn't work his mouth on a long piece of meat..."

She snarled viciously and tossed her pocket knife the same way a ninja would throw a shuriken - a kind of boomerang inspired weapon, and very lethal - and struck the gold part she wanted: his most vulnerable place which a man valued most. He howled and fell to his knees then. Elizabeth stood quickly and brought up her boot to kick him in the face and knock him onto his back, then reached down and yanked her knife out of his crotch - she hoped she'd cut his member off in the process - and picked up her gun, too, putting them back where they belonged before returning to Jonathan's side and helping him stand. Knowing he wasn't strong enough to go down the ladder with her, Elizabeth saw they had no choice but to jump overboard. "On three," she said as they stood up, and he leaned into her and held on for dear life; she was taking the lead for his sake. "One...two..."

They jumped on three, at the same time the bomb went off, blowing up the whole deck and hull of the ship.

~o~

He was cold and wet, shivering violently and unable to feel his limbs. He knew he was loaded onto a stretcher, but his consciousness was slowly in and out; he could still hear the voices and feel needles pricked into his skin to make sure the medicine flowed through to keep his internal and external signs going. "His vitals are alive, but not for long."

"How long do you estimate?"

"An hour, less if we act now. His internal organs have barely been missed, but we need to move. He's losing too much blood."

"Should we let him die?"

"God in heaven, NO! We're doctors! It's our job to save lives regardless of what wrongs they've done."

"Then shut off this conversation and let's get to work in saving every internal organ we can and stop the bleeding. We have a young lady outside desperate to see him make it through."

~o~

The hospital wasn't even busy, and she knew why. Nobody cared about Jonathan or any of the others, except only a small handful, including the doctors currently in the ICU trying to save his life. Edward and the others were explaining to the police what had happened, and Dr. Bartholomew was here in the hospital with her. Elizabeth wrapped her arms around herself and crossed one leg over the other, shivering uncontrollably with fear for his life; Bruce's comforting hands on both of her forearms didn't help, either. He'd been called by the hospital regarding the situation.

"He'll be fine, I know it," he kept telling her over and over, but she couldn't hear him nor would she ever listen.

"No, Bruce!" she snapped, wrenching herself free. "I won't be calm when I know that wound was fatal enough to -"

"Dr. Dodson? Mr. Wayne? Dr. Bartholomew?"

"Yes!" They jumped up at the same time at the sight of Dr. Samuel Winchester, an older gentleman with salt-and-pepper hair and a mustache; Elizabeth recalled Bruce telling her that Pamela Isley poisoned Harvey Dent over the extinction of a wild rose for the building of Stonegate, and Winchester treated Dent long before the accident leading to the birth of Two-Face. "What's the news, Doctor?" Elizabeth asked, trying not to be too overwhelmingly desperate.

Winchester held up a hand, his mouth in a stern line despite his kind tone. "He's going to live, young lady. We've managed to stop the bleeding. But he has yet to come out of sedation for a couple hours. Other than that, he's recovering and ready to be taken back to Arkham once it's finished."

Elizabeth fell into Bruce's arms, clutching onto him and crying softly; it felt heavy inside, though. Jonathan was going to live. He was going to live, and after he recovered from his injuries, he would go back to Arkham where she would oversee he got the hell out of there for good and they could move back to Georgia, where the house was hers officially and she would make it the perfect love nest for two...and hopefully more to come. "Well, in that case, I'll leave you three alone," Dr. Winchester spoke with a nod. "But you can return in the morning if you wish to see him again, Elizabeth."

"My dear, I have a feeling there is more than what you're allowing anyone else to see," Bartholomew spoke as soon as the physician was gone. Elizabeth raised her head and wiped her tears away.

"What are you saying?" She knew what, but she didn't want to say it directly.

He laughed and patted her cheek. "Oh, I knew all this time there was something between you and Professor Crane. He's never made it so far with his previous doctors because of the inability to fully trust anyone, given his expertise as a psychologist himself. But you, however, you've changed something in him. He's lived alone his whole life as far as anyone's known. He doesn't deserve to spend the rest of his life at Arkham; he deserves to have a second chance, which is why I am one of the few to actually show enough compassion for our patients and help them reenter society despite the challenges." He smiled at her with the same fatherly smile that he'd given her on her first day of the job.

"I saw that in you the moment you walked through our doors. However..." She sucked in a breath. "...I believe a compassionate young woman like yourself deserves better surroundings than the dreary asylum I run."

Elizabeth allowed her jaw to slacken slightly. Oh, I knew it. Since I'm close to a patient more than in the way it should be... "Are you firing me?"

To her surprise, Bartholomew laughed and shook his head. "Oh, no, not at all. You're far too blessed for that. I'm merely saying that once the chance of Dr. Crane recovering and leaving Arkham for good arrives, you should transfer someplace else where you're not at risk of the dangerous criminally insane. Take him with you and help him return to that without the chances of ever winding up someplace similar to Arkham again. Make sure he stays out of trouble," he finished with a chuckle.

Elizabeth smiled at him, then looked behind her to see Bruce, her best friend since she was a child, sharing it with her. He's right; Arkham was never the place for me. I came here as an opportunity to get away from home, from my past...and instead I found someone who helped me face my fears and move on. Someone rejected from the world for his unique and original mind regardless of how terrible his ideals were. He loves me for who I am, and I love him for who he is. This is the fairytale I've been living even when I never thought of it often.

~o~

"So, how does it feel returning to this place?" Edward Nygma asked as he drove the clowns back to the place he had left for good. He wouldn't be going back in there now, not when he did nothing wrong only to get tangled up with his Rogue friends in a rescue mission. Now that Jonathan was going to survive the stab wound from Bolton, Edward could get back home to his fiancée and his life. Diane was going to rant at him for sure.

"Ah, it feels good to be back," Joker answered, leaning against his seat in the back of Edward's new car, getting a scowl from Harley as she turned around and glowered at him. Jervis, who was also in the back, shrunk as far away from the clown as possible.

"I came all the way and risked my life for my best friend - as did Professor Crane - and you had the nerve to tag along when I broke up with you!"

Joker lowered his arms from behind his head and leaned forward, glaring at her and ready to smack her down. "Harley girl, I am a man, and you know it! I still love you, my little wench, but sometimes, you gotta take a break and focus on the next plan of action!" Jervis whimpered and turned his face away when Joker turned and growled at him. "As for you, Hatter, once we get inside, you're going to pay for sneaking around with my Harley. I look forward to having the laugh of my life by breaking you down in front of her so she knows what it's like to cheat. Then she'll welcome me back with open arms."

"Don't forget you did the same to her, clown," Edward reminded him, cracking a grin and getting the same face in return, only to be saved by Harley.

"By bringing hoes into my bed and threatening the kindest, sweetest man who ever treated me like a real woman while you were gone from me, breaking my heart all for WHAT?!" She reached into her back pocket, baring her teeth. "You had this coming for a long time, puddin'!"

Jervis' shrieks and Joker's roars of pain at the gunshot below his waist - same place Elizabeth stabbed Bolton - drowned out Edward's protest of "No, Harley!"

~o~

He thought he'd never survive long enough to be with her, here, on this day that November of the same year. It had only been five months since Lyle Bolton was killed, and only yesterday when he'd been released from Arkham and moved back to Macon with Elizabeth. She'd spent all the time preparing for their return and permanent stay.

Now they were getting married. Today.

He'd never dreamed before of finding anyone like Elizabeth Dodson in his life, a woman he could trust with his life as well as his heart. Everything today was exactly as she'd told him she wanted for her wedding day, from the open-roofed ceremony space and romantic lightings, the whole event taking place at the local water gardens, so the only flowers present were in the pond separating them from their guests: water lilies of white with yellow stamens, and soft pink ones also with yellow. Nothing more to take away from the attention to her and I.

She was a true modern Belle in an elegant yet sexy mermaid-cut, ruched satin dress with crystals over the sweetheart neckline and to the left side as she walked down the aisle. Brown curls cascaded down her back, held half up by unseen hairpins; her ears and neck fired up beyond tradition with radiant rubies. In both hands was a bouquet of stunning red roses and crystals, handtied and accented with a silver butterfly. Elizabeth had been right when she didn't want to look like a princess; she wanted to be an independent woman but still have that fairytale feeling. And she'd been right.

Jonathan long never believed in God or any religious icons, but to hear the preacher recite from the ancient book was amazing on its own, also making Elizabeth tear up in front of him and their guests - among them being Dr. Bartholomew, Jim Gordon and his daughter Barbara, Bruce Wayne and his wife Susan, with their "son" Tim Drake, Dick Grayson, Joan Leland, Edward and the new Diane Nygma, as well as Jervis and Harley recently paroled from Arkham - and Harley's left hand bearing a vivid rectangle ruby framed with diamonds.

Since his release, Elizabeth got him to be her partner in their upcoming private practice she'd gotten opened up, the whole event planned along with this wedding with help from Wayne and the family. Who watched the vows exchanged and the rings, finally sealing their union with a kiss and Jonathan sweeping her up and down the aisle, carrying her out until the reception began, which had been set up in another part of the gardens, again indoors and heated for the coming darkness.

He paid not much mind to their guests when he and the new Mrs. Jonathan Crane made their grand entrance and began their first dance as husband and wife, only focused on his new bride and the overwhelming happiness he was feeling, how blessed he was after his whole life alone, laughed at and rejected. She'd said he could trust her, that she wouldn't force him to do anything he didn't want to, and she'd been right. "Jonathan Crane," she whispered to him, the music making it impossible for the whole world to hear. "I love you."

"Say it again." The candles of their simple but classic centerpieces radiated her eyes alight and matched his.

"I love you."

Jonathan let his lips part for a breath of air. "Ah, Elizabeth..." He sighed. "...nearly dying makes a person realize many things. Remember the day I asked you to be mine while I was still at the hospital?"

"I'll never forget that day." Her smile was as sweet as the flowers surrounding them, their guests, and the whole space: lavish satiny deep crimson roses, exceptionally soft cream with a darker heart, and lovely blends of pink and white lilies, all filling the air with an enticing scent that made the blood pump in his veins.

"I kept thinking of the ugly night I...you know," he added in a lower voice as they continued their dance. "And I'll never do that to you again or betray your trust in any form ever again. You don't know how grateful I am that you've made me feel like a better man and brought light into my dark life. I've loved you since the moment I first saw you."

She giggled and leaned her head upwards, mouth meeting his. "And now that we're married and have a successful career on the way together, how do you feel about babies?"

He laughed. "Oh, yes, all the babies you want. I'm an old man, and I don't have much time left."

"Oh, hush," she admonished with her finger to his lips. "You're not that old."

"You flatter me too much, my love."

"Try thinking of more than just flattery, Jonathan Crane. I mean it when I say it."

"I'll do my best, Elizabeth Crane," he promised, leaning down to kiss her again. In her warm, loving brown eyes, he saw the promise of a future he thought he would never have again, resulting in bitterness and vengeance. Now, in the joy of holding Elizabeth in his arms - his new wife - Jonathan decided this was all he'd ever ask of life.

Oh, God, I can't believe this story is finished. :D Nevertheless, I'm proud with how it turned out. I am happy to know you all did, too. Elizabeth was a dream come true for me; I love characters like her.

Nearly the end, the flattery between husband and wife was in thanks to one particular sequence in chapter 16 of one of my favorite stories, "The White Veil" by AceMate. One of the best I ever read, too. It's here on the site, if anyone isn't familiar.

Not too long ago, I published a completed fic called "The Hellbound Heart", a grim tale of love, sex and death, tying Batman Begins with the horror classic Hellraiser. If anyone is interested. :) My new Re-Animator fic I started is "For a True Love", a blend of the Jeffrey Combs classic with elements of vampire mythos that is quite the challenge for me, but I enjoy challenges.