Disclaimer: I don't own Batman or any character/plot associated with him. That would be amazing, but it's not going to happen. So this is as close as I'll get. Ashley Beringer is a made up character; she is not based on anyone I know nor was she created based on a real person. Please review; my first fanfic, so please don't criticize me too hard. More to come!

"Hello Mr. Crane," a woman sat in a chair opposite a man who had been put into Arkham Asylum time and time again. She should have been afraid, considering the weapons this man could and had possessed prior to admission to the facility. He was the notorious Scarecrow, one of Batman's many villains. And she was just a lowly doctor, sitting in front of such a man. She supposed the fear was missing because she had just gotten done dealing with the Killer Croc, a job that leaves anyone shaken up, but stronger afterward… most times.

"Please, call me Dr. Crane," the man said with a surprisingly patient voice.

"Alright Dr. Crane, my name is--"

"Ashley. Ashley Beringer," the doctor smiled pleasantly.

The other doctors had warned Ashley about how the inmates "talked", but she never imagined that news got around that fast. She just thought that everyone was pulling her leg; making it harder on the new gal. But they hadn't been joking when they said that there could be no secrets at Arkham. None. Everyone would know about anything you did. Your personal life, your job. What you said and drink and where you live. Apparently, all the inmates knew that too. It was worse than high school, and that was an understatement from what she could tell.

"How did you know my name?" Ashley asked quietly, not sure she wanted to know. She had only started working an hour and they had already gotten her name? What was next, her blood type?

As though Dr. Crane knew exactly what Ashley was thinking, he spoke up, "Are you getting scared of the fact that I may know more about you than I need to? Tell me, what frightens you?"

She had to be in control. The training video's constant mantra flashed through her mind: "Always be in control of the situation!"

"I'm sorry Dr. Crane, but I'm going to be the one asking the questions today," she watched him carefully, not sure how he'd handle the statement.

"Very well," he crossed his arms and watched her intently, as if they were both in a contest to see who could unravel each other's innermost secrets before the other. It made Ashley uneasy, but she went on.

"I understand that you are addicted to fear. You were a doctor who majored in this field but you were fired when your employer found out about your practices and labeled them both "inhumane" and "unnecessary" to humans," she paused only to look up from her glasses, "apparently, that is what led you to revenge. Am I correct so far, Dr. Crane?"

"Yes, very much so," the Scarecrow mused. He seemed to be enjoying his mental autopsy, but Ashley couldn't understand why.

"Do you care to explain what happened next, doctor?"

Jonathan Crane looked into the brown eyes of the blonde haired woman across the table and shrugged, "Alright. Well, first I threatened the bastard. Then, I found out where he lived… snuck into his house… grabbed a knife…"

"I meant about the whole fear gas obsession," Ashley added quickly, not wanting to hear the rest of the gruesome tale that poured from the doctor's mouth.

Crane looked peeved at being interrupted, but moved onto the next topic, "Very well. The gas had been in my possession for quite some time; I used it on my patients to get a glimpse inside their minds. See what they feared. I'm so fascinated with the idea doctor! I can't get it out of my mind,"

"Can't get what out of your mind?" Ashley dared to ask.

"How much fear drives a person to go on living their pathetic lives… fear makes the world go 'round. It is fear that decides a person's path. Isn't it fascinating?" Scarecrow's eyes lit up as he spoke, making Ashley uneasy again.

His scrawny little body seemed to twitch with excitement as he thought of his favorite topic over in his head. He toyed with the idea, planned out new practices, remembered all his victims from the past. Crane obsessed over the topic so much he nearly forgot about the doctor that was watching and waiting for him to continue.

After what seemed like forever, she decided to direct him back into a conversation, "Do you believe that everyone is afraid of something, doctor?"

Scarecrow nodded, "Oh yes. Everyone. Everyone is afraid of something,"

"What about you, Dr. Crane? What are you afraid of?" she spoke the words carefully, wondering if she might prod too much.

Jonathan stared at her, the glint in his eyes fading away as he sat there, contemplating. He contemplated whether or not to tell this girl the truth. He was surprised, seeing as no one had ventured to ask him the question before. It must have been against what they were told to do and say and so it was odd that a rookie would pry so much so fast into the mind of an inmate that could pry just as strongly (if not more so) into her own head. What was a Scarecrow to do?

Crane stayed silent for a good moment or two before he answered calmly, yet with a dark hint in his voice, "I fear nothing. I am the Scarecrow. I am fear itself."

"What? No fear?" Ashley decided it would be interesting to get the truth for the tape that was recording the conversation; it would become useful to others as well as herself. "I thought you said everyone was afraid of something."

"I'm not everyone."

"Alright then… what about the Batman? Are you afraid of him, perhaps?"

Crane cringed slightly at the name. It had been Batman that had readmitted Scarecrow to Arkham where it was hoped that Scarecrow would stay once and for all. Almost every villain that came through the doors of Arkham Asylum was afraid of the dark knight.

She even said this to Crane who smiled and started laughing manically.

"Good! You're catching on faster than the average rodent! You know what? I like you, Dr. Beringer. You seem to understand me better than anyone in this rotten dump they call an asylum. Don't you worry, I'll make sure you're well treated here at the Asylum,"

Ashley was surprised at what was going on. She was even slightly confused.

"I'm sorry?" she stared dumb-founded at the man before her.

Scarecrow sighed then smiled again, "I said that I will make sure you're well treated here. You're a new doctor, so it's surprising that you catch on so fast. You're smart, quick, pretty, and polite. We could use you around here," he stared hard into her eyes, smirking to himself.

"Thank you, but… I'm not the one who needs the help. I'm here to help you, Dr. Crane," she was still confused, but decided to play along.

"And so you have. How chilling!" he chuckled, "You do not know the extent of my offer. But you will. And it might scare you more than you think…"

At that moment, Ashley signaled the guards to come in and take the doctor away; she had had enough of his lunatic ramblings. As it was, she was nervous about what he was talking about. What did he mean she had helped him? And how would he make sure to keep her well treated here at Arkham Asylum? The questions floated around her mind until she was nauseous with the thought of them.

The guards had strapped Crane down to his rollaway table, getting him ready to be transported back into his cell. It was a security measure for the ones that the guards had trouble handling. Ashley, however, did not like the method at all, but she was still too new to make a fuss about it.

Scarecrow smiled at Ashley, staring her dead in the eyes. Even as the guards rolled him out of the room and out of sight, those eyes still watched her. Then Ashley pondered over what she had just gotten herself into.

And she soon knew it wasn't good.