Unwanted Allies- Dr. Jonathan Crane Story

Nightwing's Redemption CH 5

"Are you and Zoe close?" Nightwing asked. Given that Phobia was giving away this information, he may as well take advantage of it.

"Closer now than we used to be. Do you want to know a secret?" She asked. "But you can't tell Jonathan... or Edie. Edie would never let me live this down."

"Sure." Nightwing agreed.

"I used to have no fear whatsoever when Jonathan and I first started working together... but now, my worst fear is my daughter coming to me and telling me she hates me. The rest of my family minus her already thinks I'm going straight to Hell when I die and they're not wrong... assuming there is a Hell that is. I've never been the religious type. I just don't want Zoe to see what they see. I'd do anything for her and so would Floyd." Phobia was trailing off and her eyes were locked onto the wall of the van rather than Nightwing, "That's why I work so hard to do what I can with Zoe away from Jonathan. I don't trust him around her at all, especially while he's hellbent on creating an 'heir'. You have no idea how many disguises I've made so I can go to school events and watch her dance recitals. Truthfully, Floyd and I have never actually missed one for the past four years. He once even broke out of Blackgate just so he wouldn't be late to one the recitals." She was chuckling as she told the story, something that made Nightwing smile before she suddenly stopped and looked straight at him "Oh shit... you're gonna start rocking up to all of them, aren't you?" It was as if she had caught herself and realized who it was she was talking to. Nightwing paused for only a moment. He could tell Bruce what she had told him and it would make it easier to locate the two super criminals. But, truthfully, Nightwing felt somewhat sorry for Phobia.

"I won't. I swear. But only on the condition that you don't cause any trouble when you go." Nightwing said seriously and Phobia flashed him the most genuine smile he had ever seen from her.

"Thanks Merc- Bird Boy." Phobia's eyes fell and Nightwing assumed that she was hoping he didn't catch the mix up .

For the rest of the trip the pair remained silent and now more than ever, Nightwing didn't believe that she was crazy. Instead, he saw her as someone who thought that they had no other choice. As the van came to a stop, Nightwing rose first, waiting for the Arkham guards to open the van before he grabbed Phobia by her bicep and pulled her out. The graveyard was empty and eerie and in truth, Nightwing himself had spent quite a bit of time here visiting his parents. Looking to the armed guards, he let her go and prayed that she wasn't going to run off. He was not in the mood for chasing her down again and he was already concerned about Bruce's opinions on his decisions. Phobia running off now would just make him more angry and he could already hear Bruce calling him a fool. Thankfully, Phobia gave no sign of fleeing and instead was scanning the graveyard. Nightwing swallowed hard, he actually knew where Mercious was buried as he had visited the grave before with Barbara, but there was no way Nightwing could actually tell Phobia that.

Phobia shuffled forward, her eyes still scanning the names on every grave until finally her eyes fell onto the one she had been looking for.

Here Lies Mercious Doute.
19/03/1985 - 27/10/2005
Beloved son and brother.

As soon as Phobia reached the grave she fell onto her knees and stared at the words etched upon it.

"Barbara has been keeping it clean I see." She said more to herself that to anyone else, but Nightwing couldn't help but stiffen at the sound of his girlfriend's name. It was true, Barbara came and visited the grave at least once a month. As did her father, Jim. "It's a shame what Joker did to her... She's been through enough. My brother really loved her, you know? She's Jim Gordon's daughter." This time she did look up at Nightwing, who averted his gaze so not to give away that he knew exactly what she was talking about.