In statu nascendi (ch.39 up) - sequel to ATTFABH

[fosforito]

Aww, I´m glad that you liked the chapter.

Yeah incredible huh?
I never seen a bird having blue eyes before.

I was thinking of tieing a crane into the story somehow and I´ve checked the different species and when I saw the black crowned crane I just thought:

"This is Jonathan!!" haha

.. and.. we´re coming again to the "love bird" thing. little peck kisses and so on, don´t we, Azina? LOL

azina said:

When I did look up the black crowned crane I was pretty amazed it did have blue eyes ... I mean what bird does have blue eyes? But lo and behold it does! Yes, our Illinois cranes don't have that, if he had light brown eyes and was a red head it would have worked.

I think, Alex is somehow overwhealmed by her feelings, she couldn´t stand it anymore. First, Jonathan´s sweet behaviour, wanting to go out of Gotham with her, then she notices all those little beautiful things (the sun, the glittering water) and finally the crane.

So it´s kinda rebirth for her in a metaphorical sense, I´d say and now shes doesn´t only think about her feelings having in the past but now also of Jonathan´s feelings he might have had for her all over the years.

azina said:

But yes, I think this helped crystallize some feelings and doubts Alex was having and I loved how you tied in that Alex was wondering if Jon had been thinking about her and loving her all those years even though he knew she was dead. This was a beautiful chapter.

[ohiouniversitygirl]

Omg...fosforito...the tie in with the bird is absolutely brilliant. I love the symbolism of the beautiful bird being in the wrong place.....so far from its home. I also love the possible forshadowing in the fact that the bird selects its mate for a lifetime...it gives us hope for a happy ending while still leaving some suspence for what is to come. I seriously cannot wait to see what happens when Alex and Dr. Crane (our beautiful bird) get out of Gotham and into an enviroment that is more natural for them. Great job, as always! ;D

[beyond_beautiful]

That was awesome ;D

[fosforito]

Wow, I can´t say anything else, ohiouniversitygirl, this comment was.. wow!!

well, it seems that you all girls have a certain idea in your heads now... maybe this could really happen... (remember? Jon and Alex already had been at one point in their life where they decided to do the way of life together although they had been very young).

..but you should still have in mind that there still a lot of things standing between them (not only the family killing thing) but also their professions, their connections to criminal activities in Gotham and not to forget Scarecrow.

Maybe they could live happily together but I think we all know if so they would have to go a very loong way to get there, right?

[ciaran]

So does that mean we have many, many more chapters to come? ;D *dances around room*

Fosforito fanfic, yipee!!!!

[fosforito]

hahaha :-)

yeah there is still a lot of stuff to come, I hope you people don´t get boring with the story..

...but.. don´t forget there is also other good Crane fic out...

...Aziiinaaa!! I want my sceeeene! LOL!!!

But I´m curious what do you peolpe think what happenes next...

[ohiouniversitygirl]

I hate to say this...because I kinda want their trip to be romantic...but I'd like to see some more Scarecrow action.....jonathan is soooo good when he's bad. ;D

[azina]

fosforito said:

hahaha :-)

yeah there is still a lot of stuff to come, I hope you people don´t get boring with the story..

...but.. don´t forget there is also other good Crane fic out...

...Aziiinaaa!! I want my sceeeene! LOL!!!

But I´m curious what do you peolpe think what happenes next...

LOL!! I know you want your scene. Hey maybe I'll have some time this weekend, eh?

[fosforito]

Here is chapter 26 for you!

Sorry about the length but this time I couldn´t part it into two pieces...

Hope you enjoy it though

Chapter 26 (The deal)

Rachel Dawes was bothered.

She was in the office for two hours now and she was already wishing the day would end soon again. She had passed the last days being angry about what had happened to her in the court. She had been angry about Judge Faden´s decision to move Victor Zsaz into Arkham Asylum. She had been angry about Dr. Jonathan Crane, the corrupt director of Arkham Asylum who was responsible for the fact, that thugs and murderers like Victor Zsaz were declared as insanes and not as criminals.

`And the way how this guy was talking to me.´, Rachel thought puffing when she walked through the corridor of the D.A. department. `He was treatnening me as if I were an idiot. And all this in front of Carl.´

Oh, and of course she was angry about her boss, Carl Finch.

Rachel knew, he only wanted the best for her. He wanted to protect her in his own way. She knew, he was right with his comment, that Carmine Falcone had bought and paid for half the city. She also knew that Carl still had strong feelings for her even though they weren´t a couple any more for a long time – but for sake, was this reason enough to compromise her work?!


`I will tell him to let me do my work! I`ll show him this and then I´ll tell Carl how much does it bother me to be treatened like this by him!´, Rachel thought and took a short glance at the files in her hand when she approached to the office of her boss Carl Finch.

She walked through the office of Carl´s secretary, Sarah, which was a through room leading to his office.

Rachel noticed the door to his office was wide opened and she stepped in without knocking at the door or doing anything else to draw attention to herself.

„I need you to take a look at this.“, Rachel said and placed a part of the files, still holding them in her hands on Carl´s desk.

Carl was writing something and he didn´t looked up when Rachel placed the files on his desk. Rachel turned round and stepped back, having the intent to complain to him about his behaviour towards her and towards her work.

`Damn, shall I tell him now or not?´, Rachel thought and for a split second, she was thinking to leave the office without any word when she could hear Carl´s voice.

„Have you seen him yet?“, Carl asked, still looking down to his documents.

„Who?“, Rachel asked surprised and turned round, completely torn of her thoughts.

„Wayne.“, Carl responded, looked up and gazed at Rachel. „It´s been all over the news. He´s back.“

For a moment Rachel couldn´t move and just gazed at Carl.

`Oh my god... Bruce ... Bruce Wayne..´, Rachel thought and suddenly her intent to talk to Carl was completely unimportant.

The message, that Bruce, the man she loved secretly, the man who was gone for so many years, the man who was now back again, was a blow to her and now Rachel wasn´t able at all to thing straight forward. In her thoughts she was telling Bruce´s name over and over again when Rachel turned round and stepped out of Carl´s office without saying a word.

She walked through Sarah´s office, out on the corridor again. She didn´t hear her colleague calling Rachel´s name when she walked over to the files archives at the end of the corridor. Rachel opened the door with shaking hands, stepped into the room and locked the door.

She was gasping for air and her body was trembling when she clinged to the shelf standing on the other side of the room, placing the files she was still holding in her hands.

„Oh God.“, she whispered to herself. „Bruce. Bruce is back again. But how...how is this..?“

She didn´t came further as suddenly she could feel something grabbing her. Rachel startled and she wanted to scream but something covered her mouth. She couldn´t resist when she got flipped away from the shelf and pressed with her back against the wall next to her.

Now Rachel could see the contures of a face and she gazed into deep blue-grey eyes. She could feel a hand covering her mouth and another hand pressing her firmly against the wall. Rachel tried to break away but the person was stonger than she was.

Her eyes were widened, being in a shock when she could hear a voice speaking.

„Rachel, try to calm down.“, the voice said but the face was too close in front of her to realize who the person was. „I won´t harm you, but stop struggeling.“

Rachel obeyed and she stopped resisting.

„Okay.“, the voice said softy, but Rachel could hear it trembling. „Will you promise me not to scream when I now take my hand away?“

Rachel hesitated for a moment.

„Rachel?“, the voice said but this time, Rachel could hear a hissing undertone in it.

Rachel nodded as to say she wouldn´t scream.

The face was still too close in front of her and she couldn´t see the person´s face yet.

„All right. I´ll let you go now...“, the voice said and Rachel could feel the pressure on her mouth and her body getting less.

Rachel was just standing there, unable to move when the person made two steps away from her and for a split second she didn´t know who that person was – but then she could see it was a woman and suddenly she realized who this woman was.

„Al... Alexandra?“, she finally whispered when she noticed it was Alexandra Wentzler standing right in front of her now.

„Yes.“, she replied in a low voice and took a deep breath.

„What.. what is this all about here?“, Rachel said and she could feel her voice getting louder. „How did you..?“

„Shhhttt! Be quiet!“, Alexandra hissed and Rachel became silent when Alexandra prepared to push her against the wall and cover her mouth again.

„I´m sorry.“, Alexandra finally said and held her hands away from her body as if she wanted to say that she didn´t want to do anything to Rachel. „I didn´t have another choice, nobody must know that I´m here. But I have to talk to you, Rachel. I need your help.“

„O.. okay..“, Rachel said, trying to speak as calm and as low as possible.

`If Alexandra wanted to harm me, she probably would have done already.´, Rachel thought.

„So, what´s the problem?“, Rachel asked and looked at Alexandra. „In what matter do you need my help?“

There was silence for as moment as Alexandra hesitated to respond and she looked down to the floor.

Rachel was just looking at her.

Alexandra took a deep breath again and gazed at Rachel.

„Carmine Falcone.“, she finally said and swallowed.

Rachel couldn´t believe what she heard.

Falcone? What kind of business did Alexandra had with Falcone? She was in Gotham just for a couple of days. Rachel thought, Alexandra might need help to get along into the town again.

„What do you have to do with Falcone?“, she whispered.

Alexandra´s face darkened.

„I... I am working for him.“, Alexandra responded and Rachel was unsure if she had really understood her.

„Okay.. okay.. wait a minute..“, Rachel started after regaining her composure again. „So you´re working for Falcone, all right. But what does it have to do ...?“

„Listen, Rachel.“, Alexandra interrupted her. „I just can´t explain it all to you now. But there was a reason for it why I had been at the court days ago, we didn´t meet each other by coincidence. I know about Victor Zsaz, I know about Falcone´s criminal activities, I know that you´re trying to put him behind bars and I also know that you can´t prove anything against him. I´m offering my help to you to get Falcone into jail.“

They just gazed at each other for a moment.

„Why do you want to do this?“, Rachel asked and looked at Alexandra.

„I want to get out of this.“, Alexandra responded, shaking her head. „I don´t want all this anymore. This stuff is destroying me and my life and want my life back. I want my old life back. And besides of this Falcone is a damn son of a biatch and he needs to be put behind bars.“

„Why should I believe you?“, Rachel finally said. „I know who you are....Alexandra Wentzler!“

Rachel couldn´t believe it when she watched Alexandra smiling and she knew this smile could be only meant in an ironical way.

„If you start to investigate Rachel, you will realize that Alexandra Wentzler is missing since11 years and that she has been officially declared dead in Germany.“, she explained. „You will realize that Alexandra Wentzler never entried into Gotham, you won´t find any documents with this name here, no driving license, no credit card.“

Rachel knew what this meant. It only could mean that Alexandra was living in Gotham under a false identity.

„Rachel, are you aware that I´m getting myself into danger right now while I´m talking to you??“, Alexandra said. „I wouldn´t ask for your help if I wouldn´t have to and I don´t have any reason to tell you lies. I just ask you to believe me and to help me.“

„Who else does know about your true identity?“, Rachel asked calmly. „Who else knows that Alexandra Wentzler is still alive?“

„You.. and someone else.“, Alexandra responded.

`Jonathan!´

A thousand thoughts flashed through Rachel´s mind. Now there was a young woman standing in front of her, someone she didn´t have seen for years. A woman who probably had returned to town to refresh her childhood memories and maybe to find some peace for herself after having those experiences because of the war. And now, this woman was standing in front of her, telling her, she was working for the King of Gotham´s gangland, offering her a deal to work as a go-between to squeal on her boss and to get back her life and her true identity.

It sounded completely nuts, but in consideration of her actual situation, Alexandra´s offer to work incognito for the D.A. was the best that could happen to Rachel now.

„Okay.“, Rachel started. „Let´s say you can supply useful information and let´s say we get enough evidence to put Falcone behind bars and all the people who are somehow involved with the whole thing... what do you expect in return for it?“

Alexandra gazed at Rachel, her face darkening again.

„I don´t expect to get acquitted.“, she responded. „But I expect better custody conditions and I need a new identity, a new place to live and I also will need protection.. this I what I´m expecting in return.. for myself.. and for Jonathan Crane.“

Rachel swallowed. Jonathan Crane?! What in the world made Alexandra think of Jonathan Crane now?!

„I know that Crane is somehow involved in the whole stuff..“, Alexandra started but Rachel interrupted her.

„I can tell you how he is involved!“, Rachel puffed, her eyes blazing with anger. „Jonathan Crane moves Falcone´s thugs into Arkham and this way he makes sure they evade their punishment. This guy is corrupt and probably he´s bought and paid by Falcone as well, just like the others.“

„But you can´t prove it, can you?“, Alexandra asked and Rachel knew, she was right. „I got into contact to Crane and with a bit of time I´ll find the evidence you need.“

Rachel puffed again.

„I can understand that you want to protect yourself with the return you´re expecting.“, Rachel hissed and gazed at Alexandra. „But why the hell do you want to protect Crane?!“

„I have my reasons for this.“, Alexandra replied and pressed her lips together.

`Because I love him and I don´t want his life to get ruined by Falcone!´

„May I have your word?“, Alexandra asked and gazed firmly into Rachel´s eyes.

Rachel swallowed. She still couldn´t believe what she heard and she wasn´t sure if Alexandra was telling her the truth or if she was just fooling her.

Suddenly she could feel Alexandra touching her shoulders.

„Rachel, may I have your word?“, Alexandra asked again and Rachel could see it in her eyes, she was telling her the truth.

„Yes.. yes, you have my word.“, Rachel said an nodded.

She didn´t have another choice but to give her her word anyway.

„Thank you.“, Alexandra whispered and walked over to the door.

„Hold on a second.“, Rachel said and Alexandra paused.“How can I get into contact with you?“

„No worries.“, Alexandra responded softly without looking at Rachel. „I will get into contact with you.. Jane Deveraux will get into contact with you.“

Rachel didn´t say anything when Alexandra turned round.

„Rachel, you should take care of yourself. I´m not sure but Falcone seems to plan something against you.“, Alexandra whispered and looked at Rachel.

„What? What do you mean?“, Rachel asked and she could feel herself starting to pant.

She touched her forehead because she started to feel giddy.

„What do you mean, Falcone seems to plan something against me?“, she said, walking nervously up and down in the room, looking at her feet.

„Alexandra?“, she shouted and looked up but then she realized that she was all alone in the files archives again. The door was standing wide open.

Rachel panted and bursted out to the corridor, shouting Alexandra´s name but she couldn´t see her anywhere.

Then she noticed Sarah Taylor, Carl´s secretary, stepping out of her office into the corridor.

„Rachel, everything´s okay?“ she asked in a soft voice and gazed at her.

„Have.. have you seen someone passing by here?“, Rachel asked in a trembling voice.

Sarah shook her head.

„No.. no, not in the last five minutes.“ she responded. „Rachel, is really everything okay with you?“

„Ye...yeah.“, she whispered before she closed the door to the files archives again and walked back slowly into her office.

[blue]

Interesting... She's going to Rachel for help. Rachel better not blow her cover *Shakes fist at her*. Heheh. I wonder how it will go, though, considering that Rachel doesn't like Jon.

[azina]

Oh, very interesting. You said she was going to Rachel for help but I just hope she keeps her word and protects Crane as well. *glares at the stupid cow*

[fosforito]

Alex knows that Rachel really doesn´t have anything in her hands to prove her "theories"..

but this wasn´t what you were expecting, was it??

[ciaran]

Completely nothing that I was expecting that's for sure, going to Rachel for help. Even if Rachel doesn't have proof in her hands, she could easily betray Alexandra especially since she so badly wants to lock up Jonathan Crane. She had better keep her word.

[fosforito]

Yeah, I think we all hope that Rachel will keep her word (although recieving enough evidence to get even Jon behind bars is exactly what she´s wanting so at the moment she doen´t have a reason to break her word, right?)

but what do you think?

did Alex take the right decision? I mean, she´s on the way to betray the people she´s working for...

[ciaran]

Yes, but she's doing it for love and in my opinion, that's always the right decision. After what Falcone put her through (torturing that guy during their first meeting), she's doing the only thing that makes sense to her right now. Since she's finally realized and finally admitted that she loves Jonathan, how could she possibly continue to be Jane Devereaux, especially if she wants to start a new life with him.

You're right, Dawes doesn't have a reason to betray Alexandra, but as I say, never trust a 'stupid cow' (to quote azina, lol).