Fearful and the Fearless- A Jonathan Crane Fan Fiction

Chapter One

A/N: I've been working on this chapter all day so I hope you like it! Please comment, fan, and vote!  I want to know what you think!!

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“Are you sure you want to go through with this, Shannon?” Officer Gordon asked nervously, glancing over at his adopted daughter. Shannon was quietly biting her lip; a tell tale sign she was scared. Officer Gordon had been watching over Shannon for about two years, having taken her in when she was a sixteen year old junior in Gotham High. Now she was eighteen and about to enter Gotham University for the first time, planning to become a psychologist.

“Yeah,” Shannon whispered, “I’m ready to do this.” Gordon smiled at the young lady. Shannon was not as scared of people since she had come to Gordon and his wife. She had gotten use to them pretty fast, and they let her have her space. Shannon had especially connected with Gordon’s two children, three year old James Gordon Jr. and newborn Barbra Cassidy Gordon- named for her mother and grandmother.

“I’m proud of you, Shan,” Gordon praised as Shannon opened the cruiser door. She hadn’t yet learned to drive, so Officer Gordon was planning on driving her to and from her classes until they had time to get Shannon a license. Shannon looked back at Gordon and gave him a wide smile. She was definitely excited. Gordon could tell that as she hobbled quickly up to the University’s front doors, her walking stick barely helping, not even noticing the few others around her giving her strange looks. Gordon sighed, driving off. The poor girl had never recovered after Zsasz’s attack… not physically, anyway. And there was no way she ever would be..

Shannon ran fingers through her brown hair before pushing open the glass door that led to the college’s main area. There weren’t many people wandering around, as it was pretty early. A whole hour to be precise, but Shannon had yet to find the classroom she would be attending her psychology classes in and she hadn’t wanted to be late on account of being lost. Thankfully, the class was very easy to find, however only the teacher was present as there was still fifty minutes until the start of class.

“It is nice to see you here,” the teacher, a balding man, greeted his back to Shannon, “You’re here a bit later than usual, Mr.-…” The teacher turned around, to see a very confused and nervous Shannon Gordon. “Oh! I’m sorry, I thought you were someone else,” the teacher chuckled, then his eyes focused on something behind her, “Oh, there you are, Mr. Crane. I was starting to worry, you aren’t usually this late.”

Jonathan Crane didn’t answer the teacher, but walked into the room, setting his things down on the second table in the front. He had just turned around to offer an excuse- bad traffic due to yet another bank robbery- when his eyes landed on an oh so familiar pair of brown eyes, watching him as they had just a few years  previous.

“Now, tell me, what is your name?” the teacher asked Shannon, regaining her attention. She was just opening her mouth, when Jonathan answered for her.

“Shannon Marks,” he mumbled, his face losing its usual bored look in place for one of shock and confusion. That girl had disappeared off the face of Gotham when he was in his junior year, the same day Victor Zsasz had made a brief reappearance and slaughtered over twenty people. Only a few names had been released as some families didn’t want their names mentioned, just in case Zsasz saw and decided he wanted to wipe out the whole line. Everyone had assumed Shannon had been one of those poor lost souls… but apparently not. “Where in the world have you been off to?” Shannon felt her face heat up. She hadn’t forgotten Jonathan, but she was sure he would’ve forgotten her… After all, hadn’t he asked her name the day before she had basically disappeared?

“I-it’s Shannon Gordon now… and it’s a long story, really,” Shannon said softly.

“Ah, our late addition, Miss Gordon,” the teacher nodded, with a smile, “I expect you will be able to catch up quickly. You’re father said you were a very fast learner.” Shannon bit her lip and nodded.