Stitches || Scarecrow

Ch.26

"For the hundredth time, I am fine!" Julia said in annoyance.

Jonathan merely glared at her and she wilted like a flower.

"Fine..." she groaned. "My head hurts. Stomach is slightly woozy and I feel really hot and tired."

"Thank you." he said stiffly while he checked her pulse.

"So am I fine doc?"

He glared at her again, but his gaze softened as she coughed. "I don't think this is a reaction to the fear toxin." he said finally. "Tell me honestly... Were you feeling sick last night before we attacked the theater?"

She sighed in defeat. "A little..."

"Then you are mainly just sick with the flu. The only side effects from the toxin is your headache."

She sighed again as she put the covers more tightly around herself as Jonathan shifted slightly from sitting on the bed. He held one of her hands as she looked at him.

"I don't like being sick." she said.

"I can tell." he responded and rolled his eyes. "Just drink the cup of water next to you and get some sleep."

"Only if you sleep too."

"I'm fine-"

"No you're not." she interrupted as she pointed to his wrapped shoulder. "You're injured and need to rest. You've been awake since last night I bet, to watch me recover from the toxin."

"I-"

She actually stopped him talking with a glare of her own.

"Fine." he muttered as he lay on the bed beside her. "Just get some sleep..."

Julia smiled as she leaned her head on his uninjured shoulder. He was honestly so cute when he was worried.

...

Julia awoke to a knocking on the door, and reluctantly got up to answer it since Jonathan was still sleeping peacefully.

"Hello?" she said through the door.

"It's me, Nygma."

She opened the door with a smile, wrapping her robe more tightly around her. "What do I owe the honor of your visit?" she asked.

Nygma smiled and produced a bouquet of flowers from behind his back. "A get well gift from a friend."

"Thank you." Julia said as she grabbed them and smelled the rainbow colored roses. Then she gave him a look as she saw a curled piece of paper among the flowers. She opened it and read:

If you have me, you want to share me. If you share me, you haven't got me. What am I?

"A secret." she said after a moment.

"Correct." Nygma said proudly. "Still can't stump you."

Julia smiled. "So what's the secret?"

Nygma took on a serious look. "Apparently Joker is planning something big. I found out from a source of mine, who is reliable. But I wanted to warn you to be careful. The Joker does stuff for fun, not because he has too. If he sees something he can use against another villain, he will."

"You're saying he might use me to get to Jonathan?"

"Exactly." he paused. "Crane was always a different kind of criminal than the rest of us. And some hate him for it."

"How's he different?"

Nygma gave her a long look. "I think you know."

"His fear toxin." she breathed.

He nodded. "It's unnatural, disturbing and creepy for him to make people go through that for sheer delight, or for his so called studies."

"So you're scared of him at the same time." she stated.

"Wary." he corrected. "He's the most sane criminal among us from people's perspectives. Or the most insane. A totally different insane than the Joker."

"This isn't just about warning me, is it?"

Nygma reluctantly shook his head. "I'm going to tell you again, leave him. You have so much potential to be greater, but you have fallen to our level because of him."

"That was my choice." she said defiantly. "I am perfectly capable of choosing my own choices."

"That's what I'm afraid of."

Before she could reply, he turned and walked away. She swallowed as she thought about what he had said. But it was her choice to become a villain, a partner with the Scarecrow, and to come back to Jonathan after she left once.

She would always come back.