Don't Be Afraid | Jonathan Crane

Chapter Seven - Diagnosis Over Breakfast

Chapter Seven - Diagnosis Over Breakfast

Sunday morning rolled around, and Jonathan woke up to the sun peeking through the curtain of his bedroom window.

Groaning slightly, he rolled over away from the window, settling back down against his pillow. After a moment, he felt that something was odd, and opened his eyes, which immediately fell on the piercing blue eyes peering at him from over the edge of the bed.

Jumping back in shock, Jonathan felt himself topple off the side of the bed and land on the floor with a thump. Groaning slightly, he sat up, running his fingers through his hair, before reaching up to grab his glasses off the bedside table.

Turning his head, Jonathan looked at Nora with narrowed eyes from where she was peeking over at him with an entertained expression on her face.

"Well. Good morning, Nora," Jonathan greeted with a calm expression, causing Nora to giggle softly and smile. "Do you need something or are you just standing by my bed for fun?"

Nora gave a sheepish smile and opened her mouth, pointing to it.

"You're hungry? You know, you can use your words. I'd honestly prefer that you did." Jonathan informed her, pushing himself to his feet and dusting off his pajama pants.

Nora didn't speak, so Jonathan simply sighed and walked out of his bedroom, with the small child clutching the stuffed fox tottering after him.

"She didn't like it when I spoke. She said I was annoying."

Jonathan frowned as he turned on the coffee maker in the kitchen, before turning around to face the small child peering up at him.

"You're referring to your mother?"

Nora nodded her head, pulling back a chair at the table and managing to pull herself up to sit on it, holding Piper on her lap.

"Well, I like when you talk. There's nothing wrong with speaking. Your mother has some problems, that's for sure." Jonathan spoke rather coldly, pulling out of the cupboard a box of cereal he'd purchased for Nora the day before.

"Where is she?"

"Hm?" Jonathan frowned, not really understanding the question as he poured some of the cereal into a bowl, along with some milk, and placed it in front of Nora.

"Where is my mother?" Nora questioned less vaguely, taking the spoon Jonathan offered to her.

Jonathan was quiet, trying to think of how to respond as he poured his now brewed coffee into a mug and sat down opposite Nora at the table.

"Your mother is..." Jonathan paused, taking a sip of the coffee. "Your mother is... what are you giggling at?"

"Your glasses."

Jonathan pulled off his glasses, which had fogged up due to the steam of his coffee, and set them down on the table in front of him.

"As I was saying; you mother is currently... housed where I work." He tried to explain in the most friendly yet vague way possible, as not to disturb the child.

"Where do you work?"

Jonathan cursed slightly, before deciding that Nora seemed intelligent enough to know the truth, and to know that her mother was rather ill.

"I work at Arkham Asylum, down in the Narrows." Jonathan responded slowly, and Nora looked thoughtful, considering his words.

"Arkham... Asylum... an asylum is for sick people, right?" Nora peered over at Jonathan curiously, watching him nod his head. "So... she's sick?"