The Fear Dissertation // A Jonathan Crane Dark Romance

64

Epilogue

"Jonathan Junior Warren Crane!" Harley calls warningly up the stairs. "Your freaking tarantula escaped again!"

The Joker kisses her quickly on the cheek as he passes by, a large purple suitcase in hand. "The boy likes his pets, Harleen."

"It's been eighteen years," she hisses. "You can't call me by my old name. We need to stick to our new identities, remember? Junior!" She calls up again.

JJ rolls his eyes and comes down the stairs. "Sorry, Aunt Harley. He's an escape artist."

Harleen's breath catches in her chest. JJ looks more and more like his parents with each day that passes. He eyes her curiously, with those mirror image eyes of his father. Harley composes herself. "Well, put better security on the cage, please. I expect it to be done when we return from our vacation. It'll be good to do it now, anyway. Your college roommate won't want a tarantula on the loose."

JJ rolls his eyes once more. "I booked you guys a vacation so you could relax, Aunt Harley. Don't worry." He scoops the tarantula up in his hands, admires it. Not so much as a flinch. "We'll be fine."

Harley chews nervously on her lip. "No walking the city at night, okay?"

"Okay." Then, JJ hesitates. His eyes strangely full of emotion and brimming with tears. Before Harley knows what's happening, he's thrown his arms around her.

"I love you, Aunt Harley," he says quietly. "Thank you. For everything you've done for me."

She squeezes him in return. "You'll always be my fear baby," she tells him. "No matter how big and hairy you get. Like a tarantula."

"Love you too, Uncle J," JJ calls out, composing himself.

The Joker wraps him in a one-armed hug. "Alright, kid. We'll see you in two weeks."

JJ smiles and waves them goodbye. Knowing he won't be seeing them again.

Once their car's left, he pulls out his phone. "Ras? I've got the fear toxin. Is the microwave emitter in place? Good. I'll meet you there."

***

That night, he walks the street with a burlap hood over his head. It's finally happened. The day he's been waiting for.

The day he gets his revenge on Gotham. Justice for the city that killed his parents. That labelled him an outcast. That forced him to hide. Forced Uncle J to keep them all safe. Forced Aunt Harley to dedicate her entire life to keeping his existence a secret.

He booked them a vacation. Made sure they'd be safe. Unharmed.

And now the streets light up with the sound of Gotham screaming. JJ laughs maniacally, enthralled by the chaos. Watches people turn mad. Watches as they rip at their own faces, or jump from buildings to make it all end.

JJ grins beneath his hood. "You proud of me, dad?" He asks in wonderment, a silent prayer as he basks in the sounds of terror. It ignites him, electrifies him. Pipes burst and explode everywhere. The whole city is consumed by vapor.

He takes a breath. Says quietly, "This is for you, Mom. I'll be seeing you both real soon."

He's never felt fear before. Never known how it would feel to go mad with it.

He thinks he'd like to.

He takes off the mask, and joins them.

THE END