Disclaimer: I do not own Batman Begins/The Dark Knight

Eva glanced down at the piece of paper she clutched tightly in her hand before looking back up at the imposing building. Arkham Asylum. This was it.

Nervously walking up towards the front door, she chanted to herself, I'm not crazy. I'm not crazy.

Swallowing, Eva walked into the receptionist room. An older woman was seated behind the desk, typing away on the computer. Without even look at Eva, who approached the desk, she asked, "Do you have an appointment?"

"Yes," Eva confirmed, glancing down at the paper again. "With...Dr. Arkham?"

The woman paused and looked up, scrutinizing Eva. She turned her attention to her computer, clicking a few keys and moving the mouse. "Eva Nelson?" she asked, glancing up again through her glasses. Eva nodded, and she clacked the keys again. "Very well. I'll have someone take you to his office; you're passing through a restricted section. The elevator that usually takes you to that floor is broken." She made a quick call with the telephone.

Eva swallowed. "Why is it broken? Just maintenance work?"

The woman shook her head as a guard walked into the room. "The Joker disabled it last time he busted out." Eva froze, but the woman paid no heed as she gave instructions to the guard, who motioned for her to follow him.

What did she get herself into?

Eva followed the guard up some stairs, going this way for three floors. The guard was on the chatty side. In those five minutes, Eva learned that his name was Manny, he liked pizza, had a wife who was pregnant with their third child, and he liked his job, but he didn't like dealing with the 'crazies', as he put it.

"We hafta go through this door," Manny told her cheerfully. "Restricted section, where we put the big-time crazies." Eva swallowed, but her companion didn't seem to notice her trepidation. Manny unlocked the door with his keycard, and walked through. "Dr. Arkham's office isn't far now. Stick close to me."

Eva's mind flashed to the scene in Silence of the Lambs where Clarice was in the asylum, and she prayed to whoever was up there that the same thing that happened to Clarice wouldn't happen to her.

Nothing happened until they nearly reached the end of the corridor. The hall was strangely silent. Eva could see eyes watching them from the doors, but as soon as she would go to look, they would disappear. She was starting to feel very afraid.

Near the end of the corridor, the door to the elevator opened and a man in a straightjacket, accompanied by three guards, was ushered out. He had long, curly black hair, and piercing blue eyes that were covered by glasses.

Swallowing, Eva stepped closer to Manny. This must be one of the insane patients, she thought, eyeing him with fear. I just want this over with so I can go home!

The man swung his head up to stare at Eva. Eva froze, her heart beating wildly, her mouth dry with fear. The man's lips curled up into a sadistic smile at the sight of her terror. The guards pushed him forward, and the man was forced to break eye contact with her.

Manny gently grasped Eva's arm and tugged her into the elevator, closing the doors and pressing a button. "That was the Scarecrow. You've heard of him, right? Used ta be a doctor here. Thrives on fear, that one. Probably overjoyed to see your terror, the first he's felt in a while." He observed her pale face and shaking hands. "Hey, you alright, miss?"

"I'm fine," Eva whispered. Shaking her head to clear it, she looked up at Manny. "I thought the elevator was broken?"

"This one only goes from the crazies' floor to the top floor. The ground elevator that used to go straight up is broken. See, the crazies have their own elevator for the psychiatrist appointments so they don't freak out the visitors, but the Joker broke that one when he escaped last."

The bell dinged, and they arrived at their floor. Manny walked her to a door halfway down, and knocked on it. "Come in," a voice called, and Manny opened the door.

"Call me when you leave, and I'll escort you back," Manny told her as Eva walked into the room, before closing the door behind him.

Dr. Arkham was sitting as his desk, and looked up as she walked forward. He was in his forties, with dark hair and glasses. "Miss Nelson. Please, sit down." Timidly, Eva sat down in one of the chairs in front of his desk. Pushing his papers to the side, Dr. Arkham studied her for a moment.

She swallowed. "Hello, sir," she murmured.

He nodded. "Hello, Eva. How are you today?" The regular approach, or so she was told by Liz. Eva swallowed again, and decided to make the best out of the visit.

"Fine."

"Tell me about yourself." Now he's trying for her background. Eva bit her lip, thinking.

"I work at Lee's Supermarket, and I also write for a living. I'm a published author."

Dr. Arkham leaned back, one eyebrow raised. "Really. What books? Would I have read any?"

She shrugged. "I don't know, sir, unless you like fantasy. I wrote a book called Last Ice, and I'm working on one called Down the Rabbit Hole. It's a sort of Alice in Wonderland spin-off, you could say."

He nodded slowly. "So, that would be stressful, wouldn't it? To try and get the chapters written in time?"

Eva blinked. "I guess, it's never really been a problem for me. I love to write."

"Hmm." He made a note on a clipboard that seemed to appear in his hands. "Now, Eva, tell me more about this book you're writing. Are you basing it off of the book or the movie?"

Confused, Eva hesitated, her mind whirring. "Oh! The regular book. The movie was their own interpretation of what happened after Wonderland; Alice was seven years old in the regular book." A frown touched her face. "Though a lot of people don't realize that the book Alice in Wonderland was a satire to mock the British monarchy."

"So that would explain why the logic doesn't make sense," Dr. Arkham confirmed, starting to write on his clipboard.

"Why would you say that?" Eva asked slowly, her eyes gleaming, her voice suddenly sounding eerily higher than normal.

He paused, looking up, a startled expression present on his face. "Pardon?"

A bewildered look stole across her face. "I-I don't know, sorry." Her voice was back to normal again. Eva swallowed.

He regarded her curiously, but also warily as well. "Tell me about why you're here today."

Eva took a breath and began to tell him everything that's been happening the past couple weeks. About waking up in the dress and finding herself covered in blood. About hiding the dress and throwing it away, but it always showing up the next time she went 'sleepwalking'.

Dr. Arkham was silent throughout the whole thing, but he scribbled furiously on his clipboard. Then, the questions started. Numerous, unending questions about everything from her social life to her diet. Eva answered every one the best she could, but she was starting to become exhausted.

Finally, Dr. Arkham glanced at the clock. "I believe I'll end this session for today. Normally, I don't take regular patients, but I've made an exception in your case. Would a week from this time be fine?" At Eva's nod, he marked down on his laptop. "Very well. Let me call Mr. Williams, and I'll have you escorted to the ground floor again." He put in a call to Manny, who came a few minutes later.

"It was nice to meet you, sir," Eva said, shaking Dr. Arkham's hand.

"Likewise, Eva. See you next week." Manny led Eva out the door and towards the elevator, once again chatting her ear off. Eva cringed as they walked down the high-level security corridor, but she didn't see that man - what did Manny call him? The Scarecrow.

Reaching the ground floor without incident, Eva said goodbye to Manny and left the building, heading home, pondering on the day.

Please, she thought. No more sleepwalking.

A/N

Yay, another chapter! They're becoming easier to write ^.^ Anyone figuring out the mystery yet about how the three girls tie together? ;)

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Next chapter will be up either Tuesday or Wednesday

~Eva Sirico~