THESE VIOLENT DELIGHTS
xxix. LOVE INTO A WEAPON
❝LET'S GO HOME.❞

HER INABILITY TO SLEEP COULD BE ACCREDITED to the pelting rain and thundering dark clouds beyond the bolted window, but Anastasia knew she could not place the blame on Mother Nature. She sat on the wooden desk leaned against the glass, watching as the rooftops and the statuettes of guardian angels were poured on. Perhaps, it was the sound of rain hitting stone that Anastasia enjoyed so much as it lulled her into a trance. It wasn't sleep, but it was the only rest her terrified mind could approve of. Every so often, the sky flashed with blinding light as the clouds sent bolts of lightning into the water surrounding the island. The following boom was pleasant to her ears as she remembered that the creatures were terrified of loud noises. She was safe, even if it was for a fleeting moment. The feeling only lasted a few seconds before the darkness settled in. She didn't like it, resting her head on her knees as she waited for the next strike of lightning.

Birde's soft snores filled the quiet parts of the room, distracting Anastasia from her somber thoughts as she wished instead she was in the same predicament as the sleeping woman. She was so tired, but she couldn't bring herself to close her eyes. After a week of being subjected to Doctor Strange and Radcliffe's experiments, it brought forth only unbearable nightmares. It was memories she had suppressed long before, drowning them in the depths of her mind. But, she could see her father's angry face each time she closed her eyes. She didn't understand. Those memories conflicted with the 'truth' she had known about William Lovejoy, still trying to unlearn the notion that her father was a good man. Her mind still tried to override the truth, trying to convince her of false narratives.

Lightning flashed across the sky again, striking somewhere beyond Anastasia could see. She frowned, seeing a tall figure standing on the rooftop near one of the statuettes. For a moment, she tried to convince herself it was another angel statue and that her mind was playing tricks again. But, she had counted the statuettes she could see before ━━ three, to be precise. There were, now, four of them. She moved closer to the glass, squinting to get a clearer look. Yet, the rain was too heavy and the light had faded as thunder took its place.

But, she had seen enough. It had been tall, dressed in all black and donned pointy ears she could recognize anywhere.

"Batman?" She mumbled to herself, wondering what the caped crusader could possibly be doing on Arkham Island.

Maybe he was there to save her from boredom, Anastasia mused.

It caused a dry laugh to leave the back of her throat, shaking her head at the stupid revelation.

If it was anything, it was her mind playing another trick. She had begun to see things that weren't there, being haunted by the other world at every waking moment. She could hear the clicking of the creatures, feel their hot breath at the nape of her neck. Anastasia wasn't sure if it was because of the virus that was slowly taking over her mind or... if it was the medication her attentive doctors administered. She had learned that only she received the red-tinted injections, filling dread in her heart. But, it wasn't as if she could do anything about it. Refusal was out of the question, considering her being infected with the unearthly virus was enough to strip her of her basic rights by law.

Again, the sky was illuminated by lightning and she focused on the lingering figure. It was closer this time around but still kept a respectable distance, most likely thinking she hadn't noticed yet. She tilted her head, thinking it must be Batman ━━ the likeness was undeniable. Rain still continued to pour at an excessive rate, making her wonder if Batman ever caught the cold from being out in dangerous weather. She imagined him, tucked in a warm bed with a bowl of soup. Of course, he would still be wearing the heavy-armored suit. He moved, tilting his head in a similar manner. Either it was truly him or her mind was conjuring him up, Anastasia didn't mind either way. Somehow, he provided more comfort than the statuettes of guardian angels. The true Guardian of Gotham, even if he was quick to throw her in Arkham Asylum with Lieutenant Jim Gordon and Detective Rafe Gideon. But, they were right when they said she was a danger to herself and others. She looked back at Birdie, still feeling guilty over the fact she had almost murdered the woman.

Anastasia turned to look out the window again, frowning when she could no longer see the figure (who may or may not have been Batman). She sighed, knowing it had only been a figment of her imagination. The hallucinations decided to make their presence known early, considering it could only be around three o'clock in the morning. She shifted to a more comfortable position, but in the darkness had not seen the metal cup of colored pencils as it fell to the ground with a clank.

And, of course, the sound had woken up her sleeping roommate, Birdie.

The week had taken a toll on Birdie Fowler, draining her until she resembled a corpse. Her curly hair had once been vibrant, but it fell flat as it clung to her skin with the cold sweats at night. She couldn't sit up on her own, staring at Anastasia with a tired expression. "Ana?" she whispered, letting out a weak cough as her hand pressed against her chest. "Can't sleep?"

Guilt riddled Anastasia's features, keeping her eyes low as she refused to meet Birdie's gaze. She felt the insufferable effects of the virus, but she was doing much better than Birdie. Just like Birdie, Anastasia had felt herself getting worse and worse, losing more weight than she thought was possible. The months spent in the other world had drained her, but the virus had caused her skin to cling to her bones. At one point, she had begged Doctor Strange to put Birdie on the same treatment but he had immediately refused. 'The medication is made specifically for you, Anastasia,' was his response to her pleas, causing animosity to grow in her heart for the older man. Still, she tried her best to make Birdie's fleeting time comfortable.

"I'm sorry, Bird," Anastasia whispered, moving off the desk as she reached down to place the colored pencils into the tin can. Birdie had lost the inspiration to draw days ago and Anastasia wasn't an artist, so the pencils remained at their tall heights. She placed the cup back onto the table, noticing how Birdie's brown eyes never left her. "I didn't mean to wake you."

Birdie shrugged off her concern, giving her a small smile. "It's okay."

Normally, their conversation would end there and Birdie would go back to sleep. But, Anastasia dreaded the silence. She pointed outside, noticing how the rain had begun to slow. Still, the beating noise filled the room as shadows of the raindrops against the window appeared on the tiled floor. She swayed on the balls of her feet, clearing her throat as she tried to strike up a conversation. "I saw something out on the roof."

The other woman hummed, closing her eyes. "What did you see?"

"It was a dark figure," Anastasia mumbled, realizing how foolish she sounded when she said the words out loud. She peeked out the window, hoping to see him again. But, the rooftop was empty except for the statues. They had a terrible view, facing a rooftop. On the other side of the rooftop, you could see the water surrounding the island and then the bright lights of Gotham City in the far distance. She wished she could see Wayne Manor from where Arkham Island was, but it was on the other side of the city on the mainland. "It was Batman, I think."

A small chuckle left Birdie's lips, tugging a smile from Anastasia at the sound. "I think you're seeing things, dummy."

Anastasia rolled her eyes at the nickname, trying to hide her amusement. It had been a while since she had heard Birdie laugh, considering the woman spent most of her time in pain as the virus slowly took over. A brain scan had revealed there had been abnormal growths protruding out of her brain matter, but the doctors tried their best to keep it under control. "I think you're right," Anastasia said, shrugging her shoulders as she stared out the window. "But, I'm going to blame it on the lack of sleep."

"Disappointed in you," Birdie breathed out, slowly inhaling and exhaling. Anastasia wondered if a nurse needed to be called, considering Birdie might need another dose of morphine or something along those lines. It was difficult to keep track of what medications they were given, especially when it was nonstop throughout the day. But, if Birdie was in pain, it was best to call a doctor to make sure it wasn't anything serious.

It was quiet for a few brief moments, but it was all Anastasia needed before she knew that Birdie had fallen back asleep. And, she could go back to staring out the window as she did most nights. Her biggest enemy in Arkham was boredom, but Doctor Strange and Radcliffe came awfully close. She knew morning would only bring another round of experiments, forcing her into the ice bath as they searched through her mind for answers. But, it never worked. Her mind refused to remember what they wanted to see, forcing her to see memories she already knew, with most of them being the sweet moments she shared with family and friends.

Friend. She had one friend outside of Arkham ━━ Laura.

And, she only went along with what the doctors wanted because she still believed it might help them find Laura. But, she wasn't as oblivious as they liked to think. She was aware they didn't care about finding Laura, only wanting to see what had happened during her missing months. Weeks, she corrected. They were interested in learning more about the other world, wanting to see if it was real or not. As far as the GCPD knew, they believed she had been held captive by the Children of Arkham and wanted to see if those memories would come back. They still believed the Children created the virus. If only the police knew the doctors' methods, but they were kept in the dark. For them, they were under the impression that Doctor Strange and Radcliffe played memory games and held therapy sessions for her to remember. It was far from the truth.

For Laura, Anastasia reminded herself. She didn't care what happened to herself if it meant Laura would come home safe and sound, her friend's life was all that mattered now. Anastasia sighed, wishing it had been her that was missing still. From her last phone call with Bruce about a week ago, she had learned that Laura's mother and sister, Beatrice and Emilia, were in Gotham and she could not imagine the pain they were feeling. The ache in her chest returned tenfold, making her wonder if it was her heart breaking or another reminder of the virus. Either way, she deserved to feel it. It was her fault, after all.

It was all her fault.

There was a gentle knock at the door, pulling Anastasia out of her thoughts. Then, she heard the familiar beep of a badge being scanned. She expected to see either Doctor Strange or Doctor Radcliffe, but in walked John with a mischievous grin as he ran a hand through his green hair. Anastasia frowned, approaching him as he quietly closed the door behind him.

"John?" Anastasia asked, wondering if it was her eyes playing a trick again. She frowned, staring up at the much taller man as she debated on what to say to him. "You shouldn't be here," she pointed out, stealing a glance at the sleeping Birdie. "We're infected with the virus, remember?"

"I had to come see my best friend!" John exclaimed loudly, forcing Anastasia to shush him as she pointed to Birdie. He winced, shooting her an apologetic look. John walked over, embracing Anastasia as he swept her off her feet for a few brief moments. He spun her around before dropping her back down, causing pain to shoot through her ankles. John didn't seem to notice her discomfort as he grinned, tilting his head to get a better look at her features. "I can't believe you got admitted to Arkham and didn't come see me! It's been a whole week since I last saw you in the hallway with the Doctors. What kind of friend does that?"

"John," Anastasia said sternly, pulling herself away from his embrace to create some distance between the two of them. Still, she forced a smile to her lips to not upset him. She spoke to him gently, meeting his green eyes. "You're running the risk of getting infected too. It isn't safe for you here."

He scoffed, rolling his eyes at her words. "Unless you inject me with your blood, I'm not getting infected, silly."

Anastasia contemplated his words for a few quiet moments, realizing John wasn't wrong. It made her wonder why the nurses and guards were so adamant on wearing hazmat suits, considering it only slowed them down and provided no protection from a physical attack. The only ones who didn't wear them were Doctor Strange and Radcliffe, probably because they knew how the virus truly spread. She sighed, facing John again as she raised a brow. "How'd you get in here?"

John smirked, pulling out a badge from his pocket. He allowed her to read the name Harleen Quinzel on the badge, making her wonder if he had stolen it or if she had allowed him to borrow it. No, no doctor in their right mind would allow their patient to wander the halls of Arkham alone. John must have swiped it when she hadn't noticed, considering she must have already gone home for the day and wouldn't realize it was missing. He looked rather proud with it in his hands.

She chuckled awkwardly, shaking her head. "You've made a habit of stealing badges, huh?" She frowned, remembering the armed guards that stood watch outside of every entrance into the infected ward. She was curious how John had managed to sneak past them since they would have immediately apprehended him. "How did you... How did you get past the guards, John?"

"Shift change, there's no guards for about ten minutes. It's too easy," John pointed out, shrugging his shoulders. He began to snicker, tucking the badge back into his pocket. "Like taking candy from a baby. Though, I wouldn't know. I haven't stolen candy from a baby. Well... I think."

"I hope not..." Anastasia mumbled, staring at him. She wasn't quite sure what she should say to John, considering she didn't completely trust him. But, he hadn't hurt her thus far and had always shown her kindness. Perhaps, she shouldn't be so quick to judge someone without knowing the full story ━━ a story that John didn't even remember. "It's not nice to steal from a baby."

"To be completely honest with you, Anastasia, I think I have done plenty of 'not nice' things," John confessed, clicking his tongue as he wandered over to the window before looking out at the pouring rain. His ominous words filled the air with discomfort, but Anastasia didn't comment on it. She allowed him to continue speaking. "They found me wandering the streets of Gotham covered in blood before they brought me here. Just like they found you, Anastasia."

It made her pause, frowning at the accusation John was implying. She wasn't a murderer, she had never directly caused a death. But, then Doctor Rupert Franklin came to mind, then Eric Sato, and finally Laura Moretti. Perhaps... Somehow, she knew she had caused those deaths. She wasn't completely sure about Eric or Laura yet, but it was the most likely outcome. The world was cruel, Gotham even crueler. It seemed as if bad things always happened with no end in sight.

"They believed I killed multiple people, but they could never connect me to any crime," John continued, lips twitching upward into a wicked grin. In the moonlight, he looked terrifying. Anastasia would be the first one to admit, staring at him through narrowed eyes. He clasped his hands together, watching her. "They found you covered in blood too. Who do you think you killed, Ana? Maybe it was your friend? Laura?"

"Get out, John," Anastasia hissed, glaring at him. "You have no right━━"

"Why are you always so serious, Anastasia?" John teased, grabbing her by the shoulders as he shook her for a few moments. He laughed, shaking his head as if he had told the funniest joke known to mankind. "Learn to take a joke!"

She frowned at him.

"Let me lighten the mood," he said, reaching into his other pocket before he pulled out a disposable camera. He grinned, showing it off as if it was his most treasured item. "It's a gift from my doctor-friend," he whispered, smiling. His eyes flickered to Anastasia's face, raising a brow. "You want to take a... selfie... with me?"

"No."

"Oh, come on, Annie," John urged, taking Anastasia's cold hand before leading her closer to the window where the light came in the brightest. He flashed her an apologetic smile, tilting his head. "Don't be angry with me. Please take the photo."

"Fine, John," Anastasia sighed, standing next to him as he put his arms around her shoulders. She smiled, staring up at the camera. If a picture would make him happy, then so be it.

He held the camera high, trying to make sure both of them would be in frame. He snapped the photo, causing the flash to shine bright. It hurt her eyes, causing her to wince as she took a step back. She placed a hand against her head, trying to soothe the pain. It was strange that she didn't receive any headaches from the lightning, but the camera's flash was enough to sting. Anastasia rubbed her eyes, letting out a heavy sigh.

"The infected don't like bright lights," John reminded her, focusing on his camera as he flipped to the picture. Even with his attention remaining somewhere else, he was acutely aware of everything that was going on. He grinned, nodding his head as he reviewed the picture. He seemed pleased, thankfully.

Anastasia sighed again, trying to ignore the reminder she was still infected as she took a seat on the bed. "Can I see the photo, John?"

"No," John said, shaking his head. He giggled uncontrollably, tucking the camera back into his pocket. She was worried his laughter would wake up Birdie or draw the attention of someone passing by outside, but Birdie remained asleep and no one came to check on them. He grinned, shrugging his shoulders. "I don't think you'd be too happy with the results."

"I'm sure we don't look that bad," Anastasia mumbled, confused on why John didn't want to share the photo. But, his mind worked in ways she didn't understand and she could never be quite sure what he was thinking. Or, what his plans were with the picture.

"Anastasia, I said no," John told her sternly. His tone immediately warned her that she should stop asking further, causing her to nod her head at the taller man. He smiled, patting her cheek. "I'll show you one day, but not today. Maybe when we're both out of here, we can look back on the picture and laugh."

"Sure, sounds like a perfect idea," Anastasia said, nodding her head. If either of them were getting out of Arkham, considering John was admitted for life and she was slowly dying with no recovery in sight. She hummed, thinking of what to say next. A part of her wanted John to leave so she could go back to staring out the window in silence, but a part of her didn't mind the company. Time went faster if she was distracted. "So..." she began slowly. "How've you been, John?"

"Oh, good! Itching to get out of here though," he said grimly, clicking his tongue as he looked around the room again. His mood had returned to normal, same old John. His mannerisms were something Anastasia was slowly getting used to, the more she hung around him. He almost began to seem normal. He took a seat on the bed, swinging his legs back and forth as he watched her carefully. "Haven't you thought of escaping?"

"Where would I go? Home?" Anastasia asked, sighing. She looked down, staring at her bare feet instead. She did want to go home, wishing things could be as they were before. Her life was somewhat peaceful before, considering her biggest worry was when Bruce would be coming home. The companies were easy to run, dinners with Alfred were enjoyable, and the brief moments she spent with Bruce were enough to satisfy her. With all her memories lost, she was fine ━━ happy, even. It wasn't perfect, but it was better than what she was going through. Her mind was still fractured, only seeing glimpses of the truth as they blended with the lies. "If I escape, the GCPD will be waiting at the manor to arrest me and bring me back here."

John hummed, thinking. "Perhaps, we need to rethink our escape plan. Find a place to hide since they'll be out looking for us," he chuckled, shaking his head. She wasn't sure if he was joking or not, but it didn't truly matter. He stood to his feet, placing a hand against his hip. "I should get back to my cell... uh, my room... before I get caught wandering," he smiled, giving her another hug. "Good night, best friend. I'm going back to bed and you should too. But, keep thinking of a way to escape!"

Anastasia chuckled, nodding her head. "Okay, will do."

He waved Doctor Quinzel's badge at the scanner before the door unlocked. If anything, they could have escaped then and there since they had a doctor's badge. But, she was sure the guards had resumed their shifts all over the asylum. Though, staring at John, she was starting to realize he was a lot smarter than she gave him credit for. He looked back, giving her another signature grin. "Good night, Annie."

"Good night, John."

━━ ━━ ━━

THE SOUND OF BIRDIE COUGHING BROUGHT ANASTASIA BACK TO REALITY, stifling a yawn as she sat up in bed to look at her roommate. She was doubled over, coughing uncontrollably as thick heavy sobs left the back of her throat. Anastasia immediately moved out of her own bed, rushing to Birdie's aid. It was still dark out with some light slowly peeking over the horizon, meaning it was still very early in the morning. She may have only gotten an hour or two of restless sleep, but she wasn't too concerned about that as she watched blood drip from Birdie's cracked lips. "Hey, it's okay," Anastasia whispered, sitting next to the woman as she rubbed her back to provide some comfort. Birdie trembled underneath her touch, taking slow breaths. "Do you want me to call the doctor?"

Birdie shook her head, using her sleeve to wipe away the blood. "I'm fine."

It was a lie, both of them knew. But, Birdie was stubborn and she hated the doctors. It didn't change the fact that her condition worsened as the days went by, barely being able to get out of bed or feed herself. The doctors did everything for her, trying to make her last days as comfortable as possible. Anastasia had overheard what the nurses had said, mentioning that Birdie was nearing the stage of the virus where the mutations begin to take over. It had been a long week. Anastasia had spent most of her time under the care of Doctor Strange and Radcliffe or watching over Birdie.

"Ana?" Birdie said weakly, causing the blonde to look down at her with a soft hum. She placed a frail hand against her throat, frowning. "Can you get me some water?"

Anastasia nodded, walking near the door where the nurses had left a case of water bottles for them. Picking one up, she returned to Birdie with it after unscrewing the cap. "Drink slowly."

"Okay, Mom," Birdie chuckled, taking the water bottle from her hands. She did as she was told, taking slow easy sips. It seemed to bring her burning throat some relief as a soft sigh left her lips. Up close, Anastasia could see almost all of Birdie's veins underneath her pale skin. Her condition worsened by the day, resembling a corpse in more than a few ways. Birdie caught Anastasia's eye. "Don't look at me as if I'm already dead."

Anastasia averted her gaze, staring at the blood that stained the ground. A nurse would eventually come in and clean it, considering they sanitized the rooms everyday at around noon. "I'm just..." she trailed off, sighing. "I'm worried about you, Birdie."

"Don't be," Birdie said, shaking her head. She sat up tall, trying to convince Anastasia she was fine as she put on a brave face. But, her breaths remained shaky and painful. Her hands trembled as she clasped them together, smiling. Yet, there were tears that remained in Birdie's eyes. "No time to die, right?"

Anastasia nodded, returning the smile as she placed a gentle hand on the woman's shoulder. "May you outlive us all."

And, she foolishly wished for Birdie's survival. For some kind of miracle to bless them, cure Birdie of all her ailments and return her to the smiling and sarcastic girl that Anastasia first met. She found herself praying endlessly, not knowing who she was reaching out. She wanted her friend to survive, get better. She watched Birdie take another sip, sighing softly. But, a voice deep within her mind reminded her that no one survived the infection. Either they died or they turned into a monster, end of story.

The door beeped, causing them to look back to see Doctor Strange enter the room. Her mood immediately shifted for the worse, clenching her jaw as she stayed close to Birdie. His expression was grim, tired. After the first initial experiment, they had seen no progress over the last week. With each day, Strange's frustrations became harder and harder to mask. He only watched, not caring that Birdie was doubled over in pain as he kept his eyes on Anastasia. "Let's go, Anastasia," he ordered, telling her to follow. "We have another session planned."

She frowned, facing Birdie for a brief moment before looking back at Strange. "I can't..." she said softly, still standing at her spot by her friend. "Birdie isn't feeling well."

Strange fought the urge to roll his eyes, Anastasia could tell even with his reflective glasses. He bit his tongue, refraining from what he truly wanted to say as he took another step into the room. "I'll have a doctor come check up on her," Strange reassured, forcing a smile in Birdie's direction. She only glared, but it didn't seem to bother Doctor Strange. "For now, I need you to come with me. We have work to do."

Of course they did.

Over the past week, despite her continuously telling them she didn't want to proceed with the experiments, they had forced her into the tank and kept her in there for hours. The water had been biting, draining most of her energy with how cold it was. Unfortunately for them, she couldn't return to that memory-like state anymore. All she could do was remain in that tank, floating in freezing water as her mind lulled her to sleep instead. It was the only place where she got some rest, considering she knew nothing could get to her in the tank. But, with no results, the doctors had become more aggressive with their tactics. They would send electric currents repeatedly into her mind, trying to force her into the trance. It might be the source of her migraines, considering her headache had not left for days. But, it wasn't as if she could put up a fight against them. Anastasia, herself, was getting worse and worse. Each day, she was stepping closer to her grave. And, she could only hope it would be peaceful when death came.

Anastasia turned to Birdie, placing a gentle hand against her cheek. "Rest, Birdie," she whispered gently, bending down to give her friend a tight embrace. "I'll see you soon."

Birdie smiled, nodding her head. "See you soon."

She followed Strange down into the lab, a place she had begun to loathe. It made her wonder if her parents held the same hatred for the same walls, leading them to go on a murderous spree to escape the asylum. A part of her still didn't want to believe it, but she had seen the evidence in paper-form and seen their fear of being caught in Memory Lane. These same doctors ━━ Strange, Franklin, and Radcliffe ━━ had done the same to them and were actively doing the same to her. Anastasia sighed, facing Doctor Radcliffe's tired expression. He had been waiting downstairs for them, using his wooden cane to stay upright.

"Good morning, Anastasia," Doctor Radcliffe greeted, giving her a slow nod. Out of the two, Anastasia preferred Doctor Radcliffe since he tended to show her kindness most of the time. She hadn't seen him lose his temper yet, but he was quick to reprimand Strange when he lost his. The week had been difficult for Radcliffe too, seemingly aging him a few years as he seemed more frail than before. He relied on his cane more often, unable to walk too far without it. She pitied him almost, knowing he was well past the age of retirement.

"Morning, Doctor Radcliffe," she mumbled, keeping her eyes on Strange who had walked toward the computers. He had, in fact, invested in better equipment, no doubt borrowed from the funds belonging to the new hospital. But, she truly didn't care what he did anymore. He began to click away at the computer, pulling up the notes from their session yesterday. She turned her attention to Radcliffe, offering him a small smile. "How are you feeling?"

He clicked his tongue, brushing off her concern. Though, she could tell he was surprised she had cared enough to ask. It wasn't as if Doctor Strange cared much of what happened to his partner. "I'm fine, Anastasia," he said, returning her smile. But, it quickly dropped when he stole a glance at the metal tank. Still, he tried to make conversation. "How did you sleep last night? Did the medication I prescribed help in any way?"

"I slept fine," Anastasia lied, nodding her head. And, he seemed to believe her words.

"Enough talking," Doctor Strange commented, snapping his fingers to get their attention. She stared at him, biting her tongue from the curses she wanted to send in his direction. Doctor Radcliffe stayed silent too, giving Anastasia the privacy she needed to prepare for the tank. Strange went back to his computer, setting up the session for that morning. He nodded, mostly to himself. "Let us begin."

The process repeated, just like every other day. She was placed in the tank, shivering at the freezing temperatures as the water engulfed every part of her being. Time would pass with no result, feeling the electricity buzz in the air around her head from the device every so often. Still, there was no result. She remained in the tank, unable to reach into the depths of her mind. A part of her was sure she would die from hypothermia before the virus, but somehow staying in the tank for hours hadn't shown any damaging effects. When she had begun to doze off into a sleep, bright light entered the tank as Doctor Radcliffe opened the door. He helped Anastasia out, wrapping a robe around her to keep her warm. She watched, like all the failed sessions before, Doctor Strange's anger flourished.

It was the same cycle, over and over again.

Strange slammed a fist against the table, shaking the computer set-up as he glared at Anastasia who stood without emotion in the gray-colored robe Radcliffe had handed her. She ignored his outburst, running her fingers through her wet hair instead. Sometimes, Doctor Strange reminded her of a toddler ━━ quick temper and always wanting things to go his way. He threw tantrums like one too. "I don't understand why it's not working anymore!" he shouted, looking at the endless stream of data on the computer screen. "We're doing everything right. It should work!"

"Maybe your machine is broken," Anastasia taunted, watching him through dull green eyes as she crossed her arms over her chest. Her only amusement for the day came from taunting Strange, considering he was quick to resort to anger. Doctor Radcliffe, on the other hand, didn't say anything as he remained calm and patient.

"It's not broken," Strange gritted out as his nose flared with every word he spoke, pointing an accusing finger in her direction. She stood tall, unbothered by his reaction. His glasses were lowered, allowing her to see his eyes and the dark circles that surrounded them. It brought her some peace knowing that Strange was losing sleep just as she was. "There is something wrong with you," he spat out, venom dripping from his words. "Your mind is broken, unable to focus on the lost memories." There was a pause in his words, Strange seething as he tried to find the best way to hurt Anastasia. "And when your friend dies because we haven't been able to come up with anything, it will all be on you."

Doctor Radcliffe shot a stern look in Strange's direction. "Hugo━━"

"I want to go back to my room," Anastasia interrupted, turning to face Doctor Radcliffe instead. It had been a few hours since she had last seen Birdie, only filling Anastasia with more worry for her friend. She wanted to make sure a doctor had checked up on her, considering Strange hadn't made the call as he said he would. She would, most likely, spend the rest of the day taking care of Birdie ━━ the usual way her day would end. "I'm tired," she commented, sniffling. She hoped she wasn't catching a cold. "And, we aren't getting anywhere here."

"No!" Doctor Strange snapped, shaking his head at Anastasia. His voice thundered throughout the otherwise quiet lab, making Anastasia wish the creature was still down there so it could eat Strange. The anger radiated off him, causing the veins in his neck and forehead to be visible from where she stood. "We need to see results," he said, pointing to the tank. "You will get back in and we will try again!"

Her hands clenched into fists, feeling her own anger start to take over her emotions as she glared at Strange. For a brief moment, the lights in the lab flickered before they stabilized. Something both doctors noticed, but did not comment on it. "I said I want to go back to my room," she snarled at him, refusing to go back into the tank again that day. She was exhausted, being completely soaked and covered in salt. All she wanted to do was shower, go back to her room, and make sure Birdie was alright. "I'm done here," she said, regaining control over her emotions again. "You can't force me to continue this nonsense. I want to go back to my room."

Doctor Radcliffe nodded, deciding it was best to comply with her request. He urged Anastasia to follow, giving her a reassuring smile. She did not return it, narrowing her eyes at him. "Perhaps," he started slowly, stealing a glance at Doctor Strange, "we could try again tomorrow."

Strange rolled his eyes at Radcliffe's words, waving his hand to dismiss both of them. He frantically typed at his computer, engrossed in his work once again. If the man had one positive trait, it was the fact he was passionate about his job. A little bit too much, considering he was willing to break laws and turn to aggressive tactics to get what he wanted. The experiments had begun in an attempt to find Laura Moretti and find out what had truly happened during Anastasia's missing two weeks, but they were no longer about that. Anastasia had quickly learned the doctors were more interested in discovering information that pertained to the other dimension, something they supposedly didn't believe in.

Sometimes, they spoke amongst themselves as if she wasn't there. It was usually when they injected her with the C-001 medication, the red-tinted medicine they administered twice per day without fault. One of the topics she recalled was the possibility that the virus could be from the other world, something that was slowly seeping into their dimension through rifts ━━ tears through the veil. They also mentioned how multiple rifts could exist throughout Gotham or it was a singular person opening them at will, but Anastasia could never make sense of what they said in her drug-induced state. She could only remember moments of their conversations, but it was enough to distrust them. If anything, she was grateful the experiments yielded no results. Her mind being broken was her greatest asset at that moment.

"But first, your medication, Anastasia," Doctor Radcliffe said, wobbling over with a fresh injection filled fully with the C-001.

Anastasia sighed, walking over to a nearby metal chair before taking a seat. She held her arm out. He cleaned a small patch of her skin with the antiseptic wipe before administering the medication. It made the world spin, just as it always did. Her vision flickered, forcing her to close her eyes as she held her head in her hands. Every dose made her hallucinations worse, forcing her to see glimpses into the other world as if some invisible veil had been lifted. Perhaps, it was because of the medication that she was unable to sleep, unable to eat, and unable to think straight. She breathed slowly, waiting for the minutes to pass till her mind returned to normal. Through the haze, she could hear Doctor Strange and Doctor Radcliffe talking, speaking in hushed tones that she could barely make out as she kept her eyes squeezed shut.

"You're pushing too hard, Hugo."

"We haven't seen the results we need━━"

"I understand, but━━"

"Do you? I'm starting to think you don't care how important it is for us to reach the other side!"

It was Strange to begin shouting, causing Anastasia's head to pound. However, his voice blended with the shrill screeches that belonged to the creatures. It felt as if they were in the room with them, but she knew it was only an auditory hallucination brought on by the medication. The creatures was all she could hear, causing her to take slow breaths as she kept her eyes shut. She didn't dare open them, not wanting to come face to face with the monsters that haunted her nightmares. After a few minutes, the voices of Doctor Strange and Radcliffe came back. Only then did Anastasia find the courage to open her eyes, facing the two of them with a tired expression.

"Anastasia?" Doctor Radcliffe asked softly, almost as if he was trying to see if she was there with them. "Are you alright?"

"I'm fine," she lied, taking a shaky breath as a wave of nausea overwhelmed her senses. Doctor Radcliffe held his hand out, waiting for her to take it for support. But, she refused. She pushed herself off the chair, wrapping the gray robe even tighter to shield herself from the cold in the lab. "I want to go back to my room now, please."

"We'll try something different tomorrow," Doctor Strange muttered, mostly to himself as he shook his head. His jaw was clenched, skin illuminated by the blue of the computer screen. He looked in their direction, dark eyes focusing on Radcliffe. "We will see the results we want."

If they had a different kind of experiment planned for tomorrow, then maybe the cycle would finally be broken. Anastasia didn't seem to care either way, silently watching the two of them as she waited for permission to leave.

Doctor Radcliffe led her toward the showers, allowing her to rid herself of the salt that lingered on her skin from the tank. She dressed in a fresh uniform, tired of the gray colors. A part of her missed the colorful dresses and outlandish outfits she would wear, remembering how much she stood out compared to Bruce's plain suits. She enjoyed seeing what the fashion magazines of the city would have to say, then slowly seeing similar outfits pop up throughout the public. It was one of the things she enjoyed about her old life, remembering how simple and safe it had been. She brushed her hair, trying to make herself look somewhat presentable before she joined Doctor Radcliffe.

"Ready?" Radcliffe asked softly.

She nodded.

Doctor Radcliffe escorted Anastasia back to her room, forcing her to walk slower than she would because of his slow gait. She didn't blame him, considering his left knee was a replacement and he was much older than herself. When they reached her room, a soft sigh left his lips as he turned around to face her confused expression. "Anastasia..." he began slowly, leaning against his cane with two hands as he met her eyes. She tilted her head, waiting for him to continue. "I... I think it's time for you to start thinking of a way out of here."

She frowned. "What?"

He took a step closer, almost as if he was worried someone may overhear them. But, the hallway was devoid of life except for the two of them and the distant screaming coming from someone's room ━━ a sound sadly common for the asylum. But, the walls in Arkham had ears and were quick to reprimand anyone who stepped out of life. She could tell Radcliffe wanted to tell her something, but he still refrained. Something held him back, something greater than his moral obligation to do good. "Things will not turn out good for you if you stay, Anastasia," he whispered slowly, making sure he heard every word. "Strange... He... He will not stop until he has what he wants. And, only you have the ability to grant him what he needs."

"I don't understand..." She muttered, wanting Doctor Radcliffe to speak clearly. The effects of the C-001 medication were still running through her mind, making it hard for her to comprehend much of what he was trying to say.

A heavy sigh left his lips, averting his gaze from her confused one. "Listen, Anastasia," he whispered, clicking his tongue. "Don't trust Strange."

She nodded, taking note of the sternness in his voice. "Okay, I understand."

Doctor Radcliffe seemed pleased with her reply, nodding his head slowly as he unlocked the door to her room with his badge. He didn't say a word further, making Anastasia wonder if the conversation had truly happened or if it had all been in her mind. She looked back at him, but he didn't give her much of a reaction. It made her frown, mulling over the doctor's words and leaving her fearful of what tomorrow might bring. She already didn't trust Strange, but to hear Radcliffe give her such an ominous warning left her with a bad taste in her mouth. The door shut, forcing her to face the room instead.

A soft sigh left her lips, staring with dull green eyes at the nurse dressed in a white hazmat suit who worked to remove the blood-stained sheets of Birdie's bed. There was a supply cart beside her, holding various high-grade cleaning supplies. Deep down, Anastasia knew what had happened. She knew. But, she still held onto hope as she slowly approached. Anastasia was hesitant, making slow movements to not startle the nurse. She kept several feet between the two as she remained near her own bed. She didn't need the nurse accusing her of being aggressive, knowing those accusations would cause the other doctors to believe the infection was worsening. She clasped her hands together, trying to ignore how they shook.

"Nurse?" Anastasia called out softly, earning the attention of the woman who looked up briefly. But, she quickly returned to what she was doing as she tidied up all of Birdie's belongings. "Where's Birdie? Is she in one of her treatments?"

The nurse cleared her throat, showing clear signs of discomfort at Anastasia speaking to her directly. She stood straight, shaking her head as she shifted awkwardly in the hazmat suit. "I'm sorry, dear," she said gently, letting out a soft sigh. "But, your friend didn't make it."

"W-What?" Anastasia stammered, thinking she had perhaps misheard the nurse. Still, she could feel the familiar pain return to her heart as it clawed its way toward her throat. She couldn't catch a breath, collapsing onto her bed as her hands trembled uncontrollably. She faced the nurse, the other woman only nodding slowly as if to confirm her words. Anastasia's hand shot to her chest, trying to grasp onto the overwhelming emotions. "Birdie isn't... She can't be..."

The nurse sighed, placing the thin bed sheets into one of the cart's compartments. She gathered all of her cleaning supplies, preparing to leave the room. "I'm sorry," the nurse mentioned again, nodding at Anastasia as she began to make her way toward the exit. "I hope it provides you with some comfort to know that your friend isn't suffering anymore. She's in a better place now."

Anastasia could not find her voice, staring numbly as the nurse stepped out of the room. She heard the click of the lock, leaving her in that room alone. Her thoughts and emotions were left as company, overwhelming every sense of her being as they demanded to be heard and felt. Multiple trains of thoughts existed in her mind, but she could not focus on any of it as they all battled to speak louder than the other. For several minutes, Anastasia sat there as her mind raced. It was so quiet in the room, making it seem as if her mind was screaming. She wanted it all to be over, wanting her mind to be silent for once. Anastasia pulled her knees close to her chest, hiding her face in them as soft sobs left her lips.

Birdie was gone.

And, Anastasia knew she would be next.

Something had to change, especially if she wanted to survive.

Doctor Radcliffe had already given her a warning, telling her that Doctor Strange had something dangerous planned. Something that only she had the ability to help him with, something that involved the virus and the other side. She needed to think of something, find a way to escape Arkham Asylum.

And for once, she felt fortunate that her mind never shut up. It gave her a solution to escape ━━ Bruce. After all, he always promised he would do anything for her and she was willing to put all her faith into that vow. All she needed to do was create enough doubt in Bruce's mind about Arkham Asylum, tell him exactly what was happening with Doctor Strange and Radcliffe. He would come running to her rescue; it was what he always did. And, deep down, despite the rough patch they were going through, Anastasia knew she could always rely on Bruce when she truly needed him. After all, there was nothing in the world that love, money, and the law couldn't fix. Now, she only needed to think of a plan.

━━ ━━ ━━

"ANASTASIA, ARE YOU EVEN PAYING ATTENTION TO ME?"

The sweet voice of Doctor Harleen Quinzel reached Anastasia's ears, cutting through the incessant buzzing of her thoughts. She had requested a session with a psychiatrist that same night, claiming she wasn't doing well mentally after the loss of her roommate. It wasn't a lie, considering Birdie's death had only happened a few hours prior and Anastasia still struggled to wrap her mind around it. On such short notice, there weren't too many psychiatrists still on the clock but Doctor Quinzel was able to take on another patient. Quinzel mentioned she had been in another session just before theirs ━━ most likely John since she almost let his name slip.

A hum left Anastasia's lips, focusing her eyes on Doctor Quinzel who sat across the coffee table on her own loveseat. The two of them were seated in Doctor Quinzel's cozy little office, a pleasant change in scenery from the sterile environment Anastasia had gotten used to over the past week. It was well-decorated with colorful furniture and the most random knick-knacks scattered all over the room. Her favorite was a stuffed clown on the top shelf with a bright smile and a hammer in its hands, a bit creepy but still cute. Behind her mahogany desk, she could see the doctor's degrees hanging on the wall to show that graduated from Gotham City University. There were a few plants in the room too, red flowers mixed in with white. The most out-of-place decor item was a gymnastics trophy and multiple romance novels on Quinzel's desk, but Anastasia supposed everyone had their hobbies. Anastasia looked back at the doctor, noticing that Quinzel was studying her the same way she had just studied her office. Surprisingly, Doctor Quinzel hadn't chosen to wear a hazmat suit despite sitting only a few feet away from the infected Anastasia. She didn't have the urge to bite or kill the woman, so perhaps, Doctor Quinzel was safe for now.

"Of course," Anastasia answered the question after what felt like minutes of silence, but could have only been a few moments. "I'm listening."

Doctor Quinzel readjusted her thick-rimmed black glasses, giving her a sad smile. "Then, why haven't you answered my question?"

Anastasia sighed, looking down at her hands and the way her right hand twitched every so often caught her attention. It wasn't of her own doing, watching as her hand moved on its own accord. It was subtle, barely noticeable but she could tell. She tried to focus on the doctor again, not wanting to raise any alarms. Doctor Quinzel had asked her a simple question: how are you feeling? It was an easy question, but Anastasia couldn't find the answer within herself.

"I'm fine," Anastasia mumbled, knowing it was the correct answer to give to Doctor Quinzel.

She leaned back in the loveseat, sighing softly at the relief it provided to her lower back. She was exhausted, especially after the countless sleepless nights. Her day had been long, tiring, and depressing. She mourned Birdie Fowler, but her grief would have to wait as her mind was sent into survival mode. It felt as if she was back in the other world, trying to find a way to escape. It was the same here, trying to find a way out of Arkham Asylum.

If she stayed, she wouldn't survive. She needed to get out, find an escape. A heavy sigh left her lips, feeling tears swell at her waterline. "I suppose..." she began slowly, keeping her eyes low. "I suppose I'm waiting for my turn."

Doctor Quinzel frowned, leaning forward as she tilted her head to get a better look at Anastasia. Her blue eyes held a kindness in them, an understanding. She urged Anastasia to elaborate. "Your turn? What do you mean, Anastasia?"

"For my turn to die," Anastasia said softly, clasping her hands together as she looked anywhere but at the doctor. She sniffled, closing her eyes for the briefest moment to provide relief to the headache brewing behind them. They were swollen from the tears she had shed earlier, stinging every time she blinked. Doctor Quinzel watched, writing down notes in her little yellow notepad. "I can feel it, Doctor Quinzel," she mumbled, opening her eyes to face the other blonde. "I don't have long left and I... I don't want to spend it trapped here."

"I understand, Anastasia," Quinzel whispered, sighing as she shook her head. It caused a lock of blonde hair to fall from behind her ear, framing her sharp features. "Unfortunately, the city of Gotham has been placed under martial law because of the epidemic to prevent its spread. The new laws regarding it are very strict until they learn more about it," she explained, giving Anastasia the rehearsed answer that all of them were trained on. "But, look on the bright side, the doctors are working on a cure with the CDC. We have some of the greatest minds on this."

Anastasia wished she could view the virus in the same optimistic light as Doctor Quinzel, but she could only see how her condition worsened as the days went on. Her hope dwindled in the doctors, as it did in herself. "I don't... I don't think I'll last more than a few days," she confessed, knowing she was on the path of sharing Birdie's fate. "I'll be dead in a few days, no doubt."

"That's not a very healthy mindset to have, Anastasia," Doctor Quinzel pointed out, shaking her head again. She readjusted her glasses, continuing to write her notes. Her blue eyes flickered upward, giving Anastasia a sad smile. "If you believe you're going to get worse, you will only get worse. It's important to try to keep a positive outlook," she suggested, raising a brow. "It might make your days better here while the doctors look for a cure."

Anastasia scoffed, staring at the doctor's black high heels instead. It was a stark difference from the non-slip socks Anastasia wore, wishing for her shoes back at the manor. She didn't care too much for her heels at the moment, wanting her fuzzy bunny slippers instead. It was strange how you never appreciate something until it was taken from you, making her remember the small things she had taken for granted ━━ especially the ten-dollar slippers she had bought at a whim. "Sure," she mumbled, shrugging her shoulders. "If you say so."

Doctor Quinzel tapped her pen against her thigh, flipping through her notes as she tried to figure out what topic was best for them to discuss. Finally, the doctor settled on a page and smiled sweetly. "So, tell me, Anastasia, I see your last visit was about a week ago," she began slowly, making Anastasia frown. "Why don't you want to see your husband? He comes every day, but you turn him away."

"I think at first, I was angry with him," Anastasia confessed, biting the inside of her cheek as the overwhelming feelings of guilt flooded her senses. No matter what she did, she continued to hurt the people who she claimed to love. She knew she had hurt Bruce with her actions, but she couldn't see him. A part of her regretted denying every visitation, considering she could have brought Bruce's attention to her predicament much sooner. But, she felt hurt. He was the one person who she thought would have her side, but he made her feel as if she had lost her mind too. She was hoping her new plan would work and that Bruce would finally do what she needed. "But, I think it turned into me not wanting him to see how bad I've gotten. I feel like death. I look like death," she paused, letting out a soft breath. "But now, Birdie is dead and I realize that I have already wasted too much time. I regret not seeing Bruce when I could and now..."

Anastasia trailed off, looking up at Doctor Quinzel who clung to every word as if she was reading a romance novel. Her eyes focused, lips frowning, and hands clasped together as she listened. And, it seemed that the doctor was a romantic at heart.

"Doctor Quinzel," Anastasia said softly, looking down at her left hand where her wedding ring should have been. But, she had lost it in the other world. "I can't waste anymore time. I need to see him."

"I agree, I think that may help you immensely. Seeing family will motivate you to get better," Doctor Quinzel nodded, grinning to herself as she stood to her feet. She was taller than Anastasia, but only by a few inches. Yet, the high heels made the height difference much greater as she moved toward her desk to make a quick phone call. "I'm going to make a few calls, see if I can arrange a meeting with your husband tonight or maybe, another family member━━"

"I don't have any other family," Anastasia interrupted the doctor, standing to her feet as she frowned. It was something Anastasia always knew, knowing that Bruce and Alfred were her only family left in the world. Everyone else had died a long time ago. "I only have Bruce and... Alfred, our father figure for all intents and purposes."

"Oh, I see," Doctor Quinzel said softly, nodding her head. She glanced at the clock hanging on the far wall, realizing an hour had passed from the time their session had begun. No surprise, considering most of the session had been spent in silence as they studied one another. "How about this, I'll make the phone calls and in the meantime, you can wait in your room. I'll let you know if Bruce can't make it. If he can, I'll come get you when he arrives?"

Anastasia nodded, forcing a smile. "Sounds like a plan, Doctor."

She was led back to her room by an orderly dressed in a heavy hazmat suit, moving slowly because of it. Though, she didn't mind since she was trapped deep within her thoughts as she tried to construct the conversation she would have with Bruce in her mind. The orderly unlocked her room, allowing her inside before he left. But, Anastasia wasn't alone. Doctor Strange stood in the middle, seemingly having waited for her return. A frown made its way upon her lips, moving toward the bed before she took a seat. She didn't like him, feeling nothing but discomfort around him. Doctor Radcliffe wasn't too horrible, but his association with Strange made him just as bad in her eyes.

"What do you want now?" Anastasia asked, voice laced with annoyance.

A hum left Strange's lips, taking a few steps toward her but still kept about six feet in between them. He clasped his hands behind his back, standing tall. She could see his age in his skin, donning heavy wrinkles from his decades of life. If he had hair, it would have been a similar color to Radcliffe's. "I think it's time we start being more honest with one another," Doctor Strange began, making her frown as she stiffened. "I want you to tell me what you see when we administer you with the C-001 medication."

His question made her pause, thinking. "I don't see anything."

"Enough of your lies, Anastasia," he snapped, clearly not in the mood for her defiance. In some ways, his mannerisms reminded Anastasia a lot of her father's. It was always what he wanted, what he wanted to accomplish, with no care for anyone or anything else. The determination could reap strides in a person's goals, but it also made them quick to turn to anger if things didn't go their way. "I know the veil lifts when we give you a dose."

She frowned. "Veil?"

Confusion lined her features, genuinely not knowing what Strange was talking about. His expression was unreadable, considering he still wore his stupid glasses with reflective lenses. It hid his eyes, shielding his true intentions. He chuckled, seemingly debating within herself as he looked out the window for a brief moment. It wasn't raining as it had been last night, but the skies were still covered in clouds as it hid the moon from them. The day had been long, but gone by fast at the same time. If she had to guess, it was around seven or eight o'clock at night. She faced Strange, waiting for him to elaborate.

"Anastasia, there is a thin line between our world and... this other world," he began slowly, piquing Anastasia's interest as she clung to every word that left his mouth. It was the first time she had heard someone mention the other world to her without it being taken as a complete joke or as an accusation that she was lying. He didn't seem to be mocking her, nor did he seem to be lying. She quietly listened, watching him through narrowed eyes. "It was something we learned years ago during the experiments with your parents, the ones that you and I both know existed," he paused, chuckling. "I don't see a point in lying to you anymore."

"I don't understand..." Anastasia muttered, noticing there seemed to be something off about Strange. He wasn't as put together as he usually was, making her wish Doctor Radcliffe was in the room to play mediator. He felt dangerous, putting her on edge as she watched him.

He took a step closer, speaking in a quiet voice as if he was afraid someone might overhear them. "We called it the Nox Dimension or sometimes, just Nox for short. Some patients adopted the term Upside Down. Though, no one knows its true name or who truly dwells in it," Doctor Strange explained, shrugging his shoulders as he folded his hands together. "We don't quite understand it just yet, but it's out there. It's on the other side of the veil, something only a few people have the privilege of seeing through."

"The hallucinations?" She asked softly, staring up at him with wide eyes. All her life, she had seen things that others couldn't. She had seen glimpses of another world, decayed, dead, and trapped in eternal sleep. The virus, the creatures, the destroyed world, she had seen it all before she had ever stepped foot into the other world. She let out a soft breath. "It was real?"

"It was all real, Anastasia," he confirmed, taking a seat on Birdie's bed. He nodded grimly, watching as she avoided his gaze and kept her eyes on the tiled floor instead. She remembered instances from her childhood to present day, seeing the flickers of darkness and a dead world. It was all real. Anastasia felt relieved, but true fear at the same time. She didn't understand why she was given the 'privilege' to see beyond the veil, considering she wasn't anyone special. Strange continued, realizing Anastasia wasn't going to speak. "The medication we've been giving you, it amplifies what is already present. It should allow you to see into the Nox while being in our current dimension."

"Why didn't you tell me?" Anastasia questioned, wanting to know why Doctor Strange suddenly had a change of heart. They could have kept her in the dark, continued on with the experiments with her being none the wiser. She could tell Strange had something up his sleeve, but his expression gave no hints. She clenched her hands into fists. "At the very least, you could have told me that you believed me when I spoke about the other world... Nox... Upside Down... Whatever the hell it's called, I don't care. But, you could have told me!"

"We could have," Strange shrugged, tilting his head as he continued to watch her temperament. It always felt like an experiment with him, always having him study her like she was a caged animal. His glasses were lowered slightly, allowing her to see how sunken his eyes were. He looked more tired than she did. "But, we didn't have complete trust in you, Anastasia."

She raised a brow, crossing her arms. "And, you do now?"

Strange chuckled, scoffing as he shook his head. "Of course not," he said, clicking his tongue as he leaned against his knees. He was still seated across from her on Birdie's bed, completely relaxed. "But, if we want you to trust us, I think the best place to start is complete honesty with one another. Don't you agree?"

"I suppose, yeah."

"And, I have noticed that you aren't responding well to the experiments nor the medication," he said, tapping his fingers against his knee. Again, his eyes never left hers and she struggled to return his tense gaze. "I think building a level of trust will allow everyone to be in a more comfortable position. You'll understand why the experiments are so important and we'll get the results we need."

Anastasia didn't respond, staring at him with a blank expression.

"I'm sure you have questions," Doctor Strange said, nodding his head as he urged Anastasia to speak. His tone made her feel as if he saw her as a child, speaking slow and steady to make her understand. His voice was on the edge of kindness, but hiding a sharp blade underneath. She was weary, but thought it might be best if she played along for now. "Ask what you want, I will answer with nothing but the truth. Then, I will ask my questions and I expect you to be honest too," he continued. "Do we have a deal?"

She nodded. "Okay, deal."

His lips twitched upward into a half-smile. "Ask away, dear Anastasia."

"How do you know about the other world?" It was the first question Anastasia asked, wanting to know how the scientists and doctors of Arkham Asylum were able to learn of its presence. Then, she wanted to know how the Arkhams and Waynes learned of its existence too. She, herself, never expected it to be a real place till she found the documents that outlined the research done about it. Unless, her lost memories held more information she couldn't recall. But, she felt as if she would have remembered something so horrific. She looked at Strange, waiting for him to answer her question.

"It was 1966," Doctor Strange began slowly, reviewing his words before he spoke them. His voice was quiet, mindful of anyone who might be listening. But, the room was quiet and it didn't seem as if anyone was wandering the halls. "Gotham had a string of deaths and hospitalizations due to an unknown virus, causing the death of hundreds in only a few short weeks. Arkham Asylum took in as many patients as it could, considering the hospitals in the city were overflowing with infected. But, it wasn't wise to keep so many infected contained on an isolated island.

She frowned. "Why isn't there any knowledge about this outbreak? I feel as if the Gotham Archives would keep this information known."

"I'm sure I don't need to explain how politics work to you, Anastasia. After all, you and your husband sponsored Mayor Harvey Dent during his campaign," Doctor Strange chuckled, but his mention of Harvey Dent only brought forth painful memories for the woman. It didn't seem as if Strange had noticed her shift in emotion. "The mayor back then did his best to keep everything as quiet as possible. Politics, you know how it is. He wanted to get reelected for another term and the outbreak would have prevented it."

Anastasia listened, feeling this was the most genuine she had seen Strange. She was curious, wanting to know more about what had happened in the past. It wasn't as if the other dimension had appeared out of thin air, it must have always been there. It made her wonder if there had been other times where the same virus had seeped into their world, but history had buried it. She hummed, nodding her head. "Well, what happened?"

"I was a young man back then, brilliant still but young and inexperienced. I worked underneath Doctor Radcliffe and Franklin, both of them top scientists in their field. They were put in charge of controlling the virus and tasked to find a cure. Whilst doing so, we discovered something else instead," he continued, looking down at his hands. Sun spots covered his hands, something she hadn't noticed before. He looked up, meeting Anastasia's green eyes as recognition sparked in his own. "It was December 31st, New Year's Eve. A rift from the Nox opened and stepped through, a young blonde-haired girl with bright green eyes. It was as if she, herself, didn't know what had happened. All she could say was that her name was Charlotte Thornton and that she was lost."

"My mom?" Anastasia whispered, feeling a tug at her heart from the mention of her late mother as fond memories came to mind. But, they were quickly replaced by confusion over Strange's words. "I don't understand. How is that possible?"

"We asked ourselves the same question, unable to explain what we had seen. But, we could say one thing for sure, your mother was not of this world," Doctor Strange explained, wetting his dry lips. "We ran some tests on your mother, finding out she wasn't like the rest of us. Her DNA showed up as foreign in our machines, unearthly. It wasn't normal, something none of us had ever seen before," He paused, allowing Anastasia's mind to catch up to what he was saying. "She looked human, but the tests said she wasn't. At least, not in the same sense we are. Her DNA... It was corrupted, showing more similarities to the virus than us."

He waited again, allowing her to grasp onto what he was saying. If anything, it was giving Anastasia a headache as she began to doubt his words. It felt as if he was telling a fabricated story, trying to convince her to trust him. From Cece and Charlie, she had learned she had some kind of connection to the Nox but she wasn't thinking it was because of her mother, Charlotte. Was her mother created in other world? After all, Strange told her that Charlotte Thornton hadn't been human. But, that sounded impossible. After all, Anastasia was born from her mother and she was human. She wrapped her arms around herself, suddenly feeling very cold.

"We believe in the other world, the Nox, because we have been there too, Anastasia," Doctor Strange continued, studying her reaction to his words. He still sat relaxed, almost as if he wasn't confessing everything to Anastasia. "Patient Zero, Charlotte, opened a rift for us. She allowed us to take a few steps in, marvel at this new dimension we thought was only possible in science-fiction. From there, we took samples and pictures in hopes to study it and create a vaccine."

"The pictures in the dossier," Anastasia recalled, remembering. She frowned, seeing more of the pieces connect in her mind as clear paths between past mysteries had begun to form. "It was the three of you ━━ Radcliffe, Franklin and... you," she muttered, meeting his gaze as his lips twitched into a prideful grin. "But, I don't see how my mother could have opened a rift. That's... That's impossible. No one has the ability to do such a thing."

"Are you sure?" Doctor Strange asked, chuckling. "You've spent months in the Nox, how can you still doubt it?"

"I don't doubt that this other world exists," Anastasia muttered, running a hand through her hair as a heavy sigh left her lips. "I just... I just have a hard time believing my mother was from that world. She can't... She can't have been. She was human, like us. She isn't some kind of monster from the Nox, not like the ones I saw there."

"But, she is from that world," he said sternly, trying to wrap Anastasia's mind around the truth. "We ran multiple tests and they all came to the same conclusion; Charlotte was from the other world. Her DNA resembled the virus in some ways, it was one of the first things we learned. Both of them originating from the Nox," he continued to explain, speaking a little bit quicker when he realized that Anastasia was understanding. "Long story short, we were able to create a vaccine from the properties found in her blood. It healed the people who were still in the early stages of the infection and the virus seemingly disappeared overnight."

She frowned. "My mother's blood was the cure?"

"Yes," Strange nodded, letting out a sigh as he stared at the curious expression lingering on her face. "And, before you ask, we tried to engineer another cure from the previous samples of the vaccine we had, but it didn't work. The virus has mutated and it's different this time, too different. A cure is still out of reach," He gulped, biting his tongue as he kept quiet for a few moments. He drummed his fingers against his knee again, causing the sound to echo in the quiet room. "Anastasia, listen to me, we believe the virus is seeping from something in the other dimension and infecting ours through open rifts."

"If it's seeping from the other world, then how do we stop it?" Anastasia asked, frowning at the doctor's words. Other than the vicious plants and hive-minded creatures, there wasn't anything she saw that could be a source of the virus. But, Gotham was a big place and she hadn't searched all of it in the Nox. If there was a hive-mind, then there must be something controlling it. And, that must be where the source of the virus must be. She looked at Strange, nodding her head as she began to follow along his train of thinking. "Even if we manage to create a cure for the current virus, it won't stop the Nox from coming back in the future with something much worse. We need to stop it at its source."

Doctor Strange nodded, smiling wide at Anastasia to show that she was on the right track. His smile was genuine, excited. "Well, I do have a solution," he continued, waving his hand to tell Anastasia to pay close attention. "I need to tell you more about the experiments first, help you understand why I need your help," he explained, forcing her to nod to show that she was willing to listen. "Before, the key was your mother and we quickly learned she could do things a normal human being could not. And, that caught the attention of a lot of dangerous people."

"Like who?" Anastasia asked. Though, she knew the answer ━━ the Arkhams and Waynes.

"The people that sit at the top, people like the Waynes, Arkhams, and all the secret elitist groups hidden in Gotham's shadows. They all wanted your mother's abilities for themselves and that is where the experiments came in, Anastasia," he continued to explain, causing a soft sigh to leave Anastasia's lips. Her mother never stood a chance, being trapped in Arkham Asylum for years till she escaped with William Lovejoy. "We were trying to create a serum from your mother's blood," he mumbled, looking down for a brief moment. "Test subjects were taken from all over Gotham, your father William Lovejoy was one of them. He was recently orphaned and his family's wealth was taken over by the Waynes. It was easy to bring him here and put him in the experiments. After all, no one would come looking for him."

No wonder William Lovejoy hated the Waynes so much, allowing his revenge to consume his life. It made Anastasia frown, wondering how much of Strange's words were the truth. She still couldn't fully trust him, but it did seem as if he was telling the truth. It allowed her to be more open, trying to understand things from Strange's perspective. She was trying to trust him, and it was slowly starting to work. She believed Doctor Strange, all of his words were starting to line up with what she already knew.

"The serum we created didn't work on everyone. It killed most of its users, but a select few survived and became... inhuman. They became very similar to Charlotte, mimicking her DNA and being granted the same abilities. From there, we studied them and honed their abilities. And, tested their blood over and over and over again. There was a lot of pressure on us by the people funding the experiments, wanting us to create a serum that worked one hundred percent of the time. They craved the power, but didn't want to take the risk," Strange chuckled, clasping his hands together once again as he remembered. He paused for a moment; his smile dropping into a deep-set frown. "I believe it was 1980 when Charlotte and William had enough, killing all the other test subjects and doctors on site. They destroyed every sample we had of the serum before escaping. We lost everything."

"Okay, and?" Anastasia asked, still supporting the escape of her parents. She wasn't completely sure how she felt about them murdering everyone, but she understood wanting to escape their imprisonment. Sometimes, a person needed to lean into their darker side to get what they needed. It was what parents had been forced to do, but it wasn't as if it had done them any good. In the end, both of them met a miserable end. She took in a sharp breath. "How does that help us stop the virus?"

"You share fifty percent of the same DNA as your mother. Whatever abilities she had, they must have been given to you," he pointed out, staring at her with a stern expression. "Radcliffe and I, we've been trying to find a way into the Nox so we may kill the source of the virus. Kill the source and hopefully, everyone infected is cured. It works as a hive mind, something you must have learned while you were there. And since your mother could open a rift, we believe you can too."

She shook her head. "No... I can't━━"

"I need you to trust me, Anastasia," Doctor Strange said, leaning closer than before as he met her with frantic eyes. There was something off clearly, but she didn't comment on it. "I need you to show us how to open a door into the other world. I believe you can do it! It must have been how you managed to travel into the Nox in the first place, you have the ability to━━"

She interrupted him this time, shaking her head. "No, I can't do that!" Her tone was sharp, angry as she glared at him. She looked away, running a hand through her hair. "I don't know how! I'm not... I'm not what you think I am!"

"But, you are," Strange said sternly, grabbing her arm to force her to look at him. His eyes narrowed into a glare, nose flaring in anger. His nails dug into her tender skin, making her fearful that he might draw blood. "You've passed every test and the medication works on you, Anastasia," he added, tightening his grip on her arm again as she winced. "Your infection hasn't spread as much. Most would have shown signs of mutation by now, but you seem fine."

"Fine?" Anastasia scoffed, ripping her arm out of his grasp as she took a few steps back to create some distance. She was no longer sitting on the bed, subconsciously standing near the door. Though, it wasn't as if she could open it, considering a doctor's badge was the only way out. She stared down at her arm, looking at all the bruises called by the multiple injections she'd receive a day. Now, it was red from how tight Strange had grabbed her. She frowned, staring at him. "What medication have you been giving me? The cure you created before?"

"No," Strange answered, shrugging his shoulders. His demeanor slowly began to calm, noticing Anastasia's reaction to his words. He sighed, clasping his hands as he stood to his feet. "The old cure doesn't work, the chemical formula doesn't have an effect on the current virus. Instead, we've been giving you the C-001 serum we created from your mother's blood. It should be amplifying whatever abilities you already have or giving you new ones. And, since you haven't died yet, I would say the serum is working."

"But..." Anastasia frowned, confused. "You just told me that my parents destroyed all your samples."

"And, we were able to create more," Strange said simply, a darkened expression taking over his features and she was almost afraid to ask him how they created more of the serum. It was as if he had read her mind, giving her an innocent smile. "Thanks to the continuous efforts of Doctor Thomas Wayne and William Lovejoy, of course. They provided Charlotte's blood. From there, we just recreated the serum."

"No..." Anastasia muttered, narrowing her eyes. She knew her parents had some involvement with the Wayne family, considering they had been friends. Friends wasn't the right word, considering her parents along with the Falcones wanted to destroy what remained of the Wayne family. But, at the very least, Anastasia knew Charlotte and William were supposed to be a united front. "My father, he wouldn't have betrayed my mother like that. He hated the Waynes. He wouldn't have sided with them. This isn't right!"

"Addiction makes us turn against the ones we care about most," Strange pointed out, trying to jog Anastasia's memory. She frowned, thinking. She couldn't remember, but she did remember her father mentioning how he needed a dose when she was in Memory Lane. "Your mother's blood is the rawest form of the serum. Not quite as stable as the serum we created in the lab, but it has... mostly... the same effects."

Anastasia frowned, seeing flashes of memories come into her mind. "My mother's blood was enhanced," she whispered, mostly to herself as she tried to piece everything together as Doctor Strange watched. Her hand trembled, feeling sick to her stomach as she pressed a hand against her abdomen. "My father lost his mind because of the blood, because of the serum. He was addicted to it━━"

"━━because it was the only thing keeping him alive," Doctor Strange interjected into Anastasia's line of thought, wanting to speed up the process of her understanding. His voice was cold and devoid of emotion, almost as if he wasn't talking about a tragedy that fell upon real people. "His body became too dependent on it over the years. His abilities would diminish without a constant revival of the enhanced DNA. He would have died without it."

"But, my mom died," Anastasia pointed out, crossing her arms as she poked holes in Strange's story. "And, he never needed another dose again. He was fine."

"Was he?" Doctor Strange asked, tilting his head. He watched her, hoping she would connect the dots herself but Anastasia could only stare at him in confusion. For her, the memories were always fleeting. She would remember, but then they would quickly be overwritten by something else. He smirked slightly, sighing. "Or, did he start getting his doses from somewhere else?"

"No... I would... I would have remembered something like that," Anastasia whispered, rubbing her arms as she refused to look at Strange. She tried to remember, but her mind came up blank. There were no memories she could look back on to confirm or deny Strange's theory.

Doctor Strange hummed, not pushing Anastasia to remember as he circled around her with slow deliberate steps. It almost made her feel cornered, feeling like she was, again, nothing more than a test subject to him. "I studied your blood. Even in its infected state, it has the same properties as your mother's. Of course, it's to a lesser extent," he paused, letting out a heavy sigh. "But, the other world... It's in your blood, Anastasia. There is no escaping it. And... And, it's why I thought you deserved the truth. I don't want to lie to you anymore."

"If you've been giving me the serum made from my mother's blood, then... why haven't I become addicted to it?" Anastasia asked, raising a brow. She didn't feel any different if she was being honest, other than feeling sicker as the infection slowly spread.

"We've been careful with you. And, you haven't shown any of the telltale signs of addiction. At least, not yet," Strange reassured, giving her a small smile. His words filled her with dread, not wanting to become like her father in that way. He had allowed the addiction to ruin his life, allowing it to throw him into his revenge with no regard for anything else. "Though, I don't think you'll become addicted at all, Anastasia. The serum isn't giving you any new abilities; it is only amplifying what is already there. The abilities you have, you were born with them. The other world resides within you already."

Anastasia frowned, wrinkling her nose as Strange placed his hands against her cheeks to make her look up at him. She could feel how weak his hands felt, most likely from age. A part of her wondered if Doctor Strange had ever taken the serum, wanting to become a stronger version of himself. He smiled sweetly, nodding his head as if she was the cure to all his problems. She just stared at him, mostly confused.

"Last time, we were given Charlotte and she turned out to be the cure," he hummed, dropping his hands as he took a few steps back. He was deep in thought, mumbling. It quickly became obvious to Anastasia how obsessed the man was, watching as he mumbled to himself. "This time, the Nox gave us you, Anastasia."

She had spent months in the other world, approximately five months if she had to give a guess. Other than Memory Lane, she never saw anything to prove there was something good in the shadows. Everything there, it was designed to destroy and kill. She shuddered, wrapping her arms around herself as she remembered the sleepless nights and the terrors she had endured. She wouldn't wish it on her worst enemy, wishing she could forget it all.

"But, we tested her blood," Strange muttered, again he was speaking to himself as he paced around the room. Anastasia just watched, not bothering to interrupt him. "And, Anastasia's blood did not create a cure. Why? What is so different now? What could have━━"

"How do you know my blood doesn't work?" Anastasia asked, raising a brow. If her blood held the same properties as her mother's and the Nox, then why couldn't a cure have been created? Strange paused, looking at her with a narrowed gaze. "Did you test it? In the other patients?"

"We tried," Strange mumbled, sighing. "There were a few patients who were too close to the second stage of the infection. Your roommate, Birdie, being one of them," he pointed out, glancing at the empty bed. "We followed the original formula and used your blood to engineer a vaccine. It worked for the first few minutes or so... But, then it seemed to accelerate the process. It made the patients much... much worse. It caused... I'll leave out the details for you, Anastasia, but we had no choice but to neutralize all the subjects."

"Oh, my God..." Anastasia whispered, letting out a shaky breath as a wave of nausea flooded her system. She placed a hand against her chest, staring at him with wide eyes. "You... You killed them?"

"They would have died regardless, but it was mercy putting them down. They weren't human anymore, they were monsters, Anastasia. I thought... I thought I could save them," Doctor Strange huffed, growing irritated at the fact that Anastasia was focusing on the wrong details. "Listen, we have a chance to save Gotham━━"

"No━━"

"You have to, Anastasia!" Strange snapped, pointing an accusing finger in her direction. His anger had returned, making Anastasia frown as she watched him. "You don't understand how important it is for us to reach the other world!" He stopped speaking for a moment, clearing his throat as he tried to control his anger. He forced a smile. "You told us that the... Overseer... is coming to destroy our world, didn't you? We have to stop it, right?"

DO NOT TRUST HIM. YOU HAVE TO ESCAPE.

Anastasia inhaled a sharp breath, seeing the words appear on the wall behind Strange. They were bold, vengeful, taking up almost the whole wall as they appeared. It made her eyes widen, feeling a familiar dread in her heart. It had been months since she had seen the burning words that were from Cece and Charlie, if it was still them this time. But, she still did as she was told. Strange noticed her gaze, looking back but he didn't seem to notice or see anything. The words were gone, almost as if they had never been there. Anastasia wasn't sure either, not seeing the usual scorched marks the words left behind.

She turned to look at Strange, slowly shaking her head. "I don't want to help you━━"

"Anastasia..." Doctor Strange's voice was on edge, dripping in unseen rage. It was obvious what he wanted, somehow her mind seeing the situation in clear clarity. He wanted her to open a rift into the other world and she refused to do anything of that sort, especially when she didn't have the ability to do so. But, Strange wasn't one to give up and he would keep trying until it killed her. And, if by some miracle, she did know how to open a rift, that kind of power wasn't good in the hands of someone like Doctor Strange. There was no telling what his true intentions were and it was foolish to believe he could control the Nox and its creatures. He smiled at her, eyes wide as he tried to reach out. "All I want is to put an end to the virus and save Gotham."

She stepped back, wrapping her arms around herself as she stared at him. A scoff left her lips, trying to keep a brave face in his presence. "I won't help you," she said sternly. "I can't help you."

"People will continue to die, that blood will be on your hands! Do you want to see Gotham and the rest of the world destroyed?" he shouted, suddenly not caring who would overhear them. "It won't stop until it rots our world. You will be the reason for its destruction!"

"I don't care." It was a lie, Anastasia did care. But, she couldn't bring herself to trust him. And, she had gotten a warning from the other side to not trust Strange either. She was going to heed the warning. She would have to find another way. Memory Lane had given her a way, told her to find the token ━━ her mother's wedding ring. Restore herself, then make her way into the Heart to save Laura, Cece, and Charlie. Perhaps... Perhaps... the heart was where the source of the infection was.

"Anastasia, you are never leaving this place," Strange said darkly, taking a step closer as she only took one back. He frowned, clenching his jaw. "You will die here. Your mother and father may have been immune to the virus, but it doesn't seem as if you are. The only thing keeping you alive is the serum. And I withhold it from you, watch you suffer until you'll be begging to help. This is a fight you can not win."

She stared at him for several moments, watching his features contort into one of disgust. Any fear she had of Strange, it had slowly vanished into thin air. The air around them was stale, unwavering as neither of them budged on their stances. "Then, I'll die," Anastasia said simply, smiling at him. "And then, there will be no one left to help you, Strange. My mother didn't have any other children, so there's no one out there who you can turn to. You need me. I don't need you."

Doctor Strange forced a smile, but he could not hide how his nose flared as he took deep breaths to control his anger. "I'll keep you alive for as long as I need you, Anastasia," he muttered, shaking his head. "Don't you worry about dying just yet."

There was a gentle knock at the door, interrupting the both of them. It opened to reveal the smiling face of Doctor Quinzel as she stuck her head inside the room, earning a relieved sigh from Anastasia's lips. "I hope I'm not intruding on anything," she mumbled, noticing Doctor Strange's irritated expression. But, she took a step inside and smiled brightly at Anastasia. Her excitement was written all over her face, clapping her hands together. "But, I wanted to tell you that Bruce is here, Anastasia! I gave him a call and he immediately agreed to a meeting. He must really love you. It's so sweet."

A small smirk danced across Anastasia's lips, glancing to look at Doctor Strange whose expression suddenly morphed into one of anxiousness. "Thank you, Doctor Quinzel," she whispered, looking back at the other blonde. "I've been waiting for you to come get me."

"Why the sudden change in heart?" Doctor Strange asked, raising a brow at Anastasia as he tried to keep his composure. He frowned, confused at what she was trying to do. "You didn't show an interest in seeing Bruce this whole week, but now you suddenly want to?"

Anastasia shrugged, smiling innocently at Strange. "I just wanted to see my husband."

Doctor Quinzel led the way, the sound of her heels hitting the ground echoed throughout the otherwise quiet hall. She walked fast, head held high as she kept her clipboard close to herself. Doctor Strange followed close behind, grumbling mostly to himself. She could hear him, but could not make out most of what he was saying. Her mind was focused on trying to find a way to escape, thinking of what she could say to Bruce to have him get her out of the asylum. She couldn't let Strange have his way, nor did she even have the ability to open rifts into the other world. If anything, she got unlucky and stumbled onto one in the Charlotte Hotel.

They entered the same waiting room, still being guarded by two armed soldiers that did nothing but stand there with bored expressions. Again, she could see the light bulb above room number three shining bright to indicate someone was inside. She took a deep breath, ignoring Quinzel's bright smile and Strange's disgruntled scowl. Her cold hand clutched the door handle, exhaling. She could hear Quinzel's words of encouragement, urging her to enter the room. She pulled the door open, feeling the frigid air hit her as if she was stepping into a freezer. Taking a step inside, another deep breath as she tried to build up the courage she needed.  She closed the door, hearing it slam shut. Anastasia walked toward her seat, taking a seat across from Bruce. He had a visceral reaction to her appearance, leaning back as he gaped silently at how severe her condition had gotten. She held up a weak hand, giving him a small wave as she whispered a hello.

"Ana... My darling..." he breathed out softly, causing her to meet his eyes. He looked desperate, frantic eyes searching for hers. He offered a kind smile, afraid to say something that might upset her as he did last time. Leaning closer to the glass, he tried to get a better look at her decaying appearance. "I'm so sorry... I'm so sorry for━━"

"Stop, enough," Anastasia said sharply, shaking her head as she stole a glance at the overhead cameras. His eyes followed hers, quickly understanding the urgency in her tone but confusion was still present upon his features. He looked at her, raising a brow as he silently asked her what was going on. She spoke in a quiet whisper, barely audible as she hoped the cameras wouldn't pick it up. "I don't know how long I have, Bruce, so please, I need you to listen to me. Okay?"

Bruce frowned, but nodded to show he was listening.

"I need you to get me out of here, Bruce," she whispered, leaning closer to him. If it wasn't for the thick glass separating the two of them, she swore the two of them would share the same breath. His eyes never left hers, watching her carefully as he tried to figure out the context behind her words. She let out a shaky breath, clenching her hands into fists. She wouldn't have long once she told him, knowing Doctor Strange was on the other side of the door watching and listening. "Doctor Hugo Strange and Doctor Arthur Radcliffe have been..." She sucked in a deep breath, trying to ignore how her hands trembled nonstop. She dug her nails into the palm of her hands, trying to find a distraction from her haywire emotions. "I know... I know this is going to sound crazy, but it's the complete truth."

He nodded slowly, looking behind Anastasia at the door for a brief moment. He knew she was afraid of something, of someone, and that put him on edge since there wasn't anything he could do to protect her from the other side of the glass. "I'm listening, Anastasia," he said softly. "What's going on?"

"My doctors have been providing me... and only me... with a special kind of treatment," Anastasia began slowly, hoping Bruce would understand the subcontext of her words. He stared, unreadable with his expression but he took in every word she said. Her words were so quiet, fearful they might be picked up by the cameras. "They've been performing experiments on me, Bruce," she breathed out, watching as his eyebrows furrowed together. "Every morning, they take me down into their lab and shove me into this sensory deprivation tank. It's full of freezing salt water and they keep me in there for hours, trying to search through my memories."

"Ana..." Bruce said sternly, clearly trying to figure out if she was lying or telling the truth. Though, it did look like he believed her so it was more important to ask whether he thought her words were accurate or another delusion her overworked mind had created. "I don't understand, what's going on?"

Slowly, she messed around with the hem of sleeve before lifting it slightly to show Bruce the dark bruises left behind by the needle marks and Doctor Strange's painful outbursts. She could still see the faint outline of his hands from when he had grabbed her arm in the room, so did Bruce. His eyes immediately widened, mouth slightly agape before his features twisted into rage. She spoke before he could. "They're injecting me with this serum called C-001, claiming it's medicine. But, it's not, Bruce. It makes me worse, makes me see things, but they don't listen to me when I ask them to stop!" she cried out, remembering all the horrid visions she saw in her delirious state. He looked weary, still on the edge. She needed to get him to believe her, knowing he was her last resort. "God, they're going to kill me, Bruce! Just look at me! I don't have much longer, I can't stay here. Why don't you believe me?"

Those words earned a reaction from Bruce, immediately something snapped within his mind as his jaw clenched. Good, Anastasia thought. In his anger, Bruce tended to be rash and made decisions without thinking. She remembered how angry he always used to be years ago, especially when they first reconnected. He was always angry, but tried his best to mask it when she was around. But, Bruce was somewhat of an open book. She could tell his emotions by a single glance. And, in that moment, she saw his anger return. She needed that anger if she wanted to get out of Arkham.

The rattle of the door handle made her flinch, looking back to see they were trying to unlock the door from the other side. She didn't have long, looking back at him with wide eyes as she stood to her feet. He noticed her panic, immediately growing even more protective than he was before.

"You have to help me, Bruce! Please! They're going to kill me if I stay here!" she shouted, feeling the tears swell at her waterline. Anastasia spoke too fast, trying to get all her words out as she looked up at the camera again. It was almost as if she could hear the shouting on the other side of the door, Strange wanting to end the visitation. "I'm begging you, please! Get me out of here!"

"Ana, I've tried," Bruce tried to explain, letting out a heavy sigh as he tried to get her to calm down. But, it was difficult since he was trapped on the other side. "They won't budge on━━"

"Then, try harder, Bruce!" she screamed, eyes wide as she stared at him with true fear at the thought of being trapped at Arkham. "Please, Bruce, you need━━"

The doors burst open, two guards dressed in hazmat suits approached Anastasia with their weapons drawn. Despite being on the other side of the glass, Bruce jumped to his feet in an attempt to do something to protect his wife. She stumbled back at the sight of their guns aimed in her direction, shakingly putting her hands up to show she wouldn't cause trouble. Bruce shouted on the other side, but she couldn't focus as one of the guards grabbed her arm. They pulled, but she grabbed the stone table in protest. Her nails dug into the stone, trying to find a good place to grip. But, they were much stronger.

"Don't touch her!" Bruce shouted, slamming his fist against the glass as a look of pure rage overwhelmed his features. His blue eyes had darkened, staring at the guards who still kept a gun aimed at his wife.

But, they didn't listen as they began to drag Anastasia out of the visiting room. "Bruce, please!" she cried out, trying to look back at him with hot tears streaming down her face as she fought against the guards. "I don't wanna die! Please, help me!"

"I'll get you out, Ana!" Bruce promised, unable to do much but watch from the other side of the glass. He was helpless, being able to do nothing as his wife was being brought to death's door. But, a newfound determination overtook him. "Just hold on. I'll get you out, I promise!"

The heavy door was slammed shut, separating her from Bruce as the two guards held her upright by her arms. She almost couldn't register how painful it was, feeling as if they might break her arms if they held her any tighter. She was forced to face the doctors in the room ━━ Doctor Strange, Doctor Quinzel, and now Doctor Radcliffe. Strange wore his usual expression of anger, watching her through narrowed eyes as he lowered his glasses. Quinzel looked shocked, obviously having been expecting a romantic reunion between Anastasia and Bruce. Radcliffe, he wore an expression that was unreadable as he watched with most of his weight leaned on his wooden cane. Anastasia tugged on her arms to escape from the guards' grasp, but they only tightened their grip as they dragged her closer to her doctors.

Doctor Strange clicked his tongue, raising a brow. "What do you think you accomplished by that stunt?"

"A ticket out of here," Anastasia spat out, applying a bit more force to escape from the guards' grip. For a moment, she stumbled but she was able to regain her balance as she glared at Strange. A few strands of her blonde hair had fallen out of its bun, framing her face. The guards attempted to grab her again, but Strange held up his hand to stop them. Perhaps, her meeting with Bruce made it look as if she had completely lost her mind. But, she knew that Bruce would rather she 'recover' in the manor than somewhere he couldn't monitor. And, she wanted to escape the asylum before Strange's experiments took a more aggressive approach. She trusted the words of whoever was trying to communicate with her from the Nox, wanting to believe it was Cece and Charlie. Or, perhaps, even Laura.

"Anastasia has had a long day," Doctor Radcliffe commented, watching her with a curious gaze. He placed a hand on Strange's shoulder, silently telling him to calm down and not create a scene in front of Quinzel and the guards. "She needs rest. I'm sure she'll return to her normal self in the morning."

Strange rolled his eyes, brushing off Doctor's Radcliffe's hand. He glared at Doctor Quinzel, blaming her for everything that had occurred no doubt. After all, she had overpassed his strict rules and allowed a visit with Bruce. "Doctor Quinzel, take Anastasia to her room, now," he ordered, speaking in an eerily calm tone. He faced Anastasia, shaking his head in disappointment. "We will deal with you in the morning."

Doctor Quinzel quietly prompted Anastasia to follow, leading her out of the waiting room and back into the Infected Ward. Anastasia could hear the voices of people behind the locked doors, wishing there was something she could do to stop them. She kept her eyes low, not wanting to face the people inside the rooms. Instead, she focused on Quinzel's black high heels instead. Eventually, they made it back to Anastasia's room. She opened the door, frowning. "Why'd you do that, Anastasia?"

Anastasia took a step inside her empty room, facing Doctor Quinzel. "I told you I didn't want to be here anymore."

"Get some sleep, Anastasia," Quinzel sighed, clearly disappointed with her actions. She pursed her lips, shaking her head as she watched Anastasia start to walk over to the small twin bed that had belonged to her for the past week or so. "I think Doctor Strange will cut all your visitation rights now, probably going to mark you down as a risk to yourself and others."

"It doesn't matter," Anastasia said, taking a seat on her bed as she kept her eyes out the window. It had begun to rain again, hitting the window as the sound melted into their voices. She stole a glance back at Quinzel's sad expression, giving her a warm smile. "I'll be out tonight."

And, she was right.

It was roughly three hours later when the door opened again and two doctors, Strange and a woman Anastasia didn't recognize, walked in with GCPD officers ━━ Lieutenant James Gordon and Detective Rafe Gideon. Looking at the unknown woman, she could see that her badge read Doctor Zoya Mirza. For some reason, the name sparked recognition in Anastasia's mind as she stared at the young woman. She looked to be around the same age as Doctor Harleen Quinzel, probably just someone Anastasia had seen in passing. Though, Doctor Radcliffe was missing and she wondered where he was. But, a part of her also didn't care. She pushed herself off the bed, staring at them.

"What a surprise, your husband has found a loophole in the mandated protocol with the help of Mayor Dent," Rafe bitterly said, entering the room as he looked around with mild curiosity. He hummed, not seeming either impressed or disappointed. He faced Anastasia again, giving her the file he had been holding. She hesitated as her eyes flickered to Doctor Strange, but opened the file to look over the express court order. Rafe smirked, watching as her eyes widened with glee. "You're free to go, Mrs. Wayne, if your blood test comes back negative for the virus."

"But, it won't," Strange said, walking over to Anastasia with Doctor Mirza close behind. He offered a sad smile, shaking his head as he watched Doctor Mirza do all the work. She took a sample of Anastasia's blood, watching as red filled the vial. After so many blood tests and injections, she barely felt the needle enter her skin as she numbly watched. Mirza gave her a small smile, nodding her head. She wondered why another doctor was taking her blood and not a nurse, but perhaps they didn't trust a nurse with such an important test. It wasn't long till Doctor Mirza left to test the blood. Strange sighed, placing a hand on Anastasia's shoulder before he gave it a squeeze. "My patient is in a very fragile state," he warned, clicking his tongue. "She is in a state of delusion, claiming that we're trying to bring her harm when we have only helped."

"She looks fine to me," Detective Rafe Gideon commented, raising a brow at Strange's words. He looked at Anastasia, noticing her sunken expression and how different she looked from the first time they had met. He spoke in a mocking tone, again treating her as if she was a child. "You doing okay, sweetheart? Are you seeing things again?"

Anastasia stared at him, narrowing her eyes. "How's your arm?"

Rafe chuckled, shaking his head as if he had actually found Anastasia's question comedic. "Yeah, she's fine."

"It does not matter if she's having a moment of clarity right now," Doctor Strange countered, clenching his jaw as he stared at Rafe's nonchalant expression. It was a wonder that Detective Gideon was regarded so highly at his job when his methods were... unorthodox. "She is still sick. She is my patient and I cannot in good conscience let her leave my care."

"Tell that to Bruce Wayne," Lieutenant Gordon pointed out, shaking his head. He had stood in the background for most of the visit, allowing Rafe to speak since Anastasia was technically still his case. Gordon, himself, was assigned all infected cases, so he had to get involved too. Though, he wasn't too pleased on making the trip to Arkham Island in the middle of the night. He pointed to the paperwork in Anastasia's hands. "He threw enough money at it," he said, shrugging his shoulders since the decision was out of all their hands. "Mayor Dent signed off on the adjustment to the protocol, as did Warden Quincy Sharp."

"Warden Sharp," Doctor Strange spat the name out in malice, snatching the paperwork out of Anastasia's hands as he looked over the court mandate. His nose flared, clenching the sides of the documents till it crumbled underneath his fingertips. "He does care for any of the asylum's patients! He is only interested in having enough money to line his own pockets."

Gordon let out an exasperated sigh, shrugging his shoulders. Behind his glasses, she could see the redness in his eyes from the lack of sleep. He looked exhausted, overworked due to the epidemic and rampant crime throughout Gotham. After all, the Children of Arkham were still out there and creating trouble. "Whatever it is, Mr. Wayne isn't backing down," he commented. It pleased her to know that Bruce had knocked on every door, called in every favor he had to get her out of Arkham. "So, if the test comes back negative, she's free to go."

Anastasia fought the urge to smile, noticing the sweat drip from Doctor Strange's forehead. He met her gaze, narrowing his eyes as he scoffed. "Doesn't matter," Strange muttered, clenching his jaw as he shrugged his shoulders. "Anastasia is infected. Her test will come back positive."

It probably will, Anastasia muttered inwardly to herself as she looked down at her twitching hand. But, she still hoped for some kind of miracle. After all this trouble, it wouldn't end with her being forced to spend the rest of her days in Arkham. So, she sat down on her bed and prayed to whoever may be listening. All she needed was a miracle. An hour passed in mostly silence before the test results were brought back by Doctor Mirza, the sound of the badge beeping brought forth relief but undeniable anxiety. Everyone had taken a seat somewhere in the room: Rafe on Birdie's bed, Strange at the desk, and Gordon beside Anastasia. Everyone stood, facing Doctor Mirza.

She smiled. "I have Anastasia's results."

"Well, what's the verdict?" Rafe asked, stifling a yawn as he rubbed his eyes. It was late, almost midnight. Everyone wanted to go home, including Anastasia. "We've been waiting for an hour."

Doctor Mirza tucked a piece of her black hair behind her right ear, opening the folder as she kept her eyes on Anastasia the whole time. She chewed on the inside of her cheek, tasting blood as she waited impatiently. It felt as if her heart was going to burst out of her chest, wishing the doctor would just blurt out the results. "We tested her blood for all the variants of the virus that are known and all her results have come back negative," Mirza informed, earning a relieved sigh from Anastasia's lips. "She isn't infected. She's free to leave the care of Arkham Asylum."

YOU'RE FREE.

A bright smile appeared upon Anastasia's face, staring at the sparked letters that appeared on the wall behind Doctor Mirza. They weren't as big as before, only taking up a small section of the white wall before they vanished into nothing. No one else noticed them, no one except for Anastasia.

After the initial surprise, Doctor Strange was the first one to break the silence. "How is that possible?" he blurted out, gaping at Doctor Mirza in utter confusion. It made Anastasia chuckle, watching him panic. "I demand she be tested again! There must have been some mistake!"

"No mistake," Doctor Mirza said, shaking her head. She showed the paperwork to him, watching as he frantically searched through the results. It made the older man frown, at a loss of words. Mirza smiled, tilting her head at Strange. "Doctor Radcliffe signed off on it," she added. "He verified the test results were correct. Anastasia's blood is free from the virus. She's cured."

Doctor Radcliffe signed off on the paperwork? It surprised Anastasia, but nonetheless, she was grateful since it gave the results for validity and it made it harder for Strange to contest. She wasn't sure where the man had disappeared off to, considering he wasn't in the room with them. If anything, it looked as if Strange was prepared to strangle Radcliffe when he did see him.

"He did not━━"

"I did," Doctor Radcliffe's voice sounded, causing them all to look toward the doorway where he stood leaned against his cane. He smiled innocently, taking a slow step inside as he faced Anastasia. "Her results came back negative. And, according to the new protocol, she is free to go."

"Radcliffe, that is━━"

"I know, it's a miracle, Doctor Strange," he said, looking at Strange with a sternness in his eyes despite the smile on his face. "All our hard work, it wasn't for nothing. Anastasia is cured, you should be pleased."

Doctor Strange quieted down, glaring. After all, there was nothing he could do now.

Lieutenant Gordon smiled, facing Doctor Mirza as he nodded. "This is very good news, then," he said, sparing a glance in Rafe's direction who was quietly watching Doctor Strange and Doctor Radcliffe have a conversation amongst themselves. "It means the virus isn't completely lethal. There is hope for everyone infected to be cured."

"It must be why there's been a drop in admittance for the infected these past few days," Doctor Mirza pointed out, nodding at the GCPD officers. She smiled brightly, holding the results tight in her hands. It was then, Anastasia knew where she knew Doctor Zoya Mirza from. A few years ago, she had attended a party at Wayne Manor as Harvey's plus one. She was one of his close friends, someone he had helped during his days as a lawyer. She continued to speak, ignoring how Anastasia studied her. "People are adapting, getting better despite being infected. Or perhaps, it was just that the patients we had were the extreme cases. We still have no idea how many people could truly be infected in Gotham, but they brushed it off like the common cold."

"Yeah that, or they're getting better at hiding it since the Children of Arkham claimed that we kidnap infected people and terminate them," Rafe muttered, rolling his eyes. It was obvious the Children of Arkham cases had taken a toll on him too. At least, he wasn't accusing her of working with them at the moment. "With our shitty luck, we'll have another attack at a hospital tomorrow and dozens will die."

Lieutenant Gordon ignored Rafe's bitter comments, turning to face Anastasia instead. "At the very least, this means you can go home, Anastasia."

She spared a glance in Doctor Strange and Doctor Radcliffe's direction, noticing how they had nothing else to say. She, at least, expected more complaints to leave Strange's lips. Instead, he stood tall and just stared at her with a blank expression. Her lips twitched upward, almost as if she was silently telling him she had won. His anger seeped off him, but he remained quiet.

"Come on," Gordon said gently, urging her to follow him and Detective Gideon. He gave her a kind smile, almost as if he was happy for her despite all the unfortunate situations they had found themselves in before. "We've kept Mr. Wayne and Mayor Dent waiting outside for long enough, as well as the ferry back to Gotham."

Anastasia walked out, feeling as if the world moved in slow motion as pure unfiltered joy overwhelmed her senses. Gordon and Gideon were close behind, but didn't comment nor reprimand her for almost running toward the exit. She moved past the guards, not caring if they acted more like machines than actual people anymore. She hoped to catch a glimpse of John, wanting to tell him she was free but it was so late. Everyone must be asleep. Yet, Anastasia was wide awake as she approached the front desk. Lieutenant Gordon completed the paperwork, eyeing Detective Rafe and Anastasia every so often as they itched to leave. That quiet moment, it made Anastasia think of Birdie as a heavy sigh left her lips. She wished she could have helped Birdie. But, she couldn't mourn yet ━━ not while she was still behind the walls of her prison. They completed the paperwork, watching as the receptionist stamped it and Anastasia was officially no longer a patient at Arkham Asylum. The doors leading outside opened.

And, there he was.

Anastasia called out his name, smiling bright as she rushed toward her husband. He extended his arms, immediately pulling her into a tight embrace as she collided against him. One of his arms wrapped around her back while his other hand was buried deep within her hair, causing an overwhelming feeling of warmth spread through her senses. He peppered kisses along her skin, keeping her close to him as if he feared she would disappear again.

"Bruce..." she breathed out, burying her face deep within his chest as she squeezed her eyes shut. A deep inhale allowed her to memorize his scent again after months apart, causing tears of joy to stream down her cheeks. She shivered against him, feeling the rain pour down on them. But, she didn't care as she looked up at him with a smile. "Thank you, oh my God. Thank you so much, Bruce."

"There isn't anything in this world I wouldn't do for you, Ana," he whispered gently, holding her close as he met her eyes. It was difficult to tell with the rain, but she could see the redness around his eyes that was evident of the tears he had shed. Bruce shrugged off his coat, helping her put it on to shield her from the cold. It was a heavy winter coat, brushing against her ankles and it worked wonders to immediately heat her up. But, she felt guilty as she noticed he was only dressed in a gray sweater and black dress pants. Bruce didn't give her a chance to protest. He pulled her into another tight embrace, giving her forehead a chaste kiss. "You're safe, I promise. No one will ever hurt you again."

Someone cleared their throat, causing Anastasia to look in the direction of the sound. She still clung to Bruce as her eyes met Harvey Dent's, feeling a deep pang in her heart as bitter feelings from before resurfaced. But, she reminded herself that Lieutenant Gordon had mentioned that Mayor Dent played a huge role in her release. She hadn't noticed him standing only a few feet away, too distracted by Bruce's presence. "Harvey..." she said softly, forcing a smile. "It's been a while."

"It's good to see you out of Arkham, Anastasia," Harvey mentioned, speaking with a sincere kindness she hadn't heard in a long time from him. His eyes watched the GCPD officers, seeing them board the ferry already along with a few employees who were off for the night. They were just waiting on them.

"Harvey pulled some strings," Bruce whispered, looking down at his wife as he continued to rub her back. The rain had soaked their clothing, but it didn't seem to bother anyone as they stared at one another.

"I don't understand." She frowned, looking up at Bruce. "How?"

"I was Doctor Mirza's lawyer many years ago, and helped her get out of a tricky situation. I brought up your predicament and she agreed to help," Harvey said, shrugging his shoulders and Anastasia nodded as she remembered the events. It had been a difficult case, but Harvey was an excellent lawyer. For a moment, her attention drifted underneath the mask Harvey wore. His scars had not healed yet. But, it seemed that Harvey, himself, was doing better. Hopefully. "And, to my surprise, I got a call from Doctor Arthur Radcliffe who was more than willing to help."

Anastasia hummed, nodding her head. She was grateful for Doctor Radcliffe, considering he made her time in the asylum bearable. Perhaps, if it wasn't for him, she would have died much sooner under the care of Doctor Strange. "But, how?" she asked, wanting them to elaborate. "What did they do?"

Harvey shrugged. "The only way to get you out was a negative test result."

"So..." Anastasia trailed off, feeling her heart break at the revelation. Perhaps, she had a little too much hope. "I'm still..."

"You are," Harvey said, sighing at the sadness that took over Anastasia's features. He turned to Bruce, someone who had been his friend since the two of them were kids. But, it had recently spiraled for the worst. "I only agreed to help because of a few conditions," he pointed out, causing Bruce to frown. "We can't break the law, so you're to stay in the manor until... Well, you know what happens to every infected person."

"Right..." Anastasia mumbled, sniffling. "Until I die."

Bruce's grip tightened at her words, shaking his head. "No, you're not going to die, Anastasia. We're going to find you a cure, I promise you," he said softly, forcing her to look up at him. He kissed her forehead again, letting out a shaky breath as he rubbed her back again. She wasn't sure who he was trying to comfort, her or himself. "All that matters now is that you're out of Arkham. And, I'm taking you home."

She forced a smile, wanting to be strong for his sake. "Let's go home, Bruce."

♡

FIRST THINGS FIRST, an apology is due for how long it took me to write this chapter and then not even deliver a chapter that I am proud of. So many mixed feelings about this one because it feels so rushed, but I wanted to get out of Arkham. I had so many plans, but none of them panned out because I never fully fleshed out anything. That is my fault 100%, but thankfully, the next few chapters of the book are somewhat planned out and I know the direction it will go in. As for this chapter, it is rushed and for that, I will apologize. I think it's because so much happened that it felt like we were jumping from one thing to the other. But, at the very least, we are out of Arkham! But, we'll still see Doctor Strange and Doctor Radcliffe again! Also, we'll for sure see Joker and Harley one of these days!

So, a lot happened and let's break it down! The chapter is over 20,000 words and I don't even know how that happened, A week passed since the last chapter, so it's probably like the second week of November 2015 in this book. Ana has gotten a lot worse, very sick. She has refused to accept Bruce's visitations, so he has lowkey been visiting as Batman to keep an eye on her. John showed up, still thinking he and Anastasia are besties. And, then another failed experiment with Strange and Radcliffe. Then, poor Birdie died. And, Anastasia had a wake-up call and realized she needed to get out of Arkham! She had a therapy session with Doctor Quinzel, had a long chat with Strange where he stupidly revealed everything because he thought Anastasia was stuck there forever. We also had the return of Cece and Charlie (or is it them heheh?) Then the meeting with Bruce before she was allowed out of Arkham! A lot happened, for sure. Next chapter, we'll be back at the manor and ahh, I have missed domestic Bruce and Ana + Alfred!

Also, we saw a new character of mine! Doctor Zoya Mirza is another one of my characters and she is played by Katrina Kaif! She is the main character in my Harley Quinn fic that will hopefully be released soon! I need to post the rest of my DC fics ASAP tbh, but I have been slacking. I think the next one we'll see is my Jason Todd fic if I am being honest! It's very Bioshock Infinite inspired and I am excited! At the moment, the title is called Ancient Dreams in a Modern Land but it is subject to change. But, it should be out soon because I adore Jason with all my heart.

But, I do want to say that I am sorry for how long it took to update! Life has been very busy and stressful. And, I am in sad girl hours most of the time, but we will endure and survive! We're in the process of a lot of changes, including living situations / job shifts. So, it's a bit of a lot going on in my life. But slowly, things will return back to normal. I hope all of you guys have been well too! You guys deserve the whole world.

I will see you guys in the next chapter! It should have fluff, but it will most likely be really sad too. Remember, Anastasia spent close to five months in the other world or the Nox (as I decided to name it because I can't just copy Stranger Things, haha)! It may have been two weeks for Bruce and everyone else, but it was a long time for Ana. She's been through a lot and it's going to take some time to recover! And, it will be a while till she resembles her prior self. But, Ana's tough and she got this! I am excited to keep writing for her! But, a warning, a lot of sadness coming up in this book!

AMARA.
[ PUBLISH DATE ━━ 04.12.2023 ]