Resurrection

chapter 1

"Have you ever been scared?"

Looking up from the table in front of her, she thought about the question. Unfolding her arms, she adjusted in her seat, crossing her legs.

"What do you mean." She asked, her hair folding around her shoulders as her fingers tangled themselves in the fabric of her shirt.

"Have you ever been scared in your life. Simple, honest, truth." Her psychiatrist spoke calmly as he scribbled down on the pad of paper.

Her eyes inevitably fell on the same book on the same shelf behind him, tracing the outline and readjusting it inside her mind. Just a little bit more to the left and it would be perfect.

"Of course I have." She mumbled, folding her arms across her chest again. The room was quiet, other than her leg shaking under the table and her fingernail scrapping against the skin of her finger, you could hear a pin drop.

"Okay." Dr. Crane nodded, "Do you remember what you were scared of."

Her mind was blank, focusing on the way the word fell out of his mouth. Scared. She quickly regained her thoughts and scrambled for an answer.

"I- um- it's more of I thought that a watermelon would grow inside my stomach when I accidentally ate one in fifth grade. Stuff like that." She hummed, laughing to herself.

Dr. Crane smiled as well, sliding his slip board onto the table and lacing his fingers together. "Let's look at it like this. Has there ever been a time when you thought that you or someone you loved would die because of others actions?"

Her blood grew hotter by the second and her mouth twisted down and twitched. Her hands wrapped around her bicep and squeezed tight. "Uhm.. I don't - I don't really recall a time- no. I've never thought about that." She struggled.

Dr. Crane cringed as he stood from his chair, sauntering to the corner of the room and unlocking a filing cabinet. "The worst thing you could do, Claudia, is lie to a psychiatrist. We study people who lie for christ sake but this-"

Claudia watched as Crane fished out a piece of paper from the manila folder and placing it in front of her.

"I know you remember this."

She studied the picture, still engraved in her memory. Her eyes couldn't look anywhere but the piece of paper.

"This was a.... a long time ago Doctor Crane." She breathed shakily as she covered her mouth with her hand.

"It may seem like that to you, but this picture speaks volumes about you Dia."

Flipping the paper over, her fingers shook and her leg bouncing was more aggressive. "I don't know what you mean. I was- d..drugged up for eighteen months I have no recollection of what happened in there. I'm sorry."

Slumping back into his chair, Crane studied her. The lack of eye contact, the lip scratching, the hair touching. It was a state of panic he put her into.

"Fifteen sessions of electro shock therapy must've don't a lot to a girl like you." Crane muttered as he slipped the paper into his folder.

"I didn't know what had happened to me, I was left for dead on the side of the road and I felt for once, in my entire life, that death would be better than living in a world as disgusting as Gotham!" Claudia snapped, slamming her hands onto the metal table.

"I-" She started, "I remember feeling that no one in this world would ever believe what happened to me, they would cast me away and shame me."

Dr. Crane adjusted his titanium lab coat and tie before walking over to side of the table and placing a newspaper in front of her. "But he did."

"Commissioner Gordon Set to Lead GPD"

"He listened to you when no one didn't. Isn't that right?" Crane asked.

Claudia nodded slowly as she glanced at the picture and back to Dr. Crane. "He didn't know me yet he chose to believe every word I said." She smiled as tears welled in her eyes.

The two sat in silence, Claudia remembering the first time she met Gordon and what he had said to her. After days of interrogation and lawyers, his face and voice was something that she needed. Something she longed for.

Days spent watching and listening to the court hearing, in and out of the police department, wasting hours upon hours with questions and tape recordings and line ups. No one took her seriously until Gordon did.

Crane looked away almost with disgust, "You know... I don't know if anyone has opened this idea up to you but... you're a very attractive girl, Claudia. Do you think he's doing all of this because he believes you?"

Claudia felt her stomach clench and her fists twitch. "I better get going Dr Crane." Claudia mumbled as she tossed the newspaper back onto the table and headed towards the door.

"What time next week would be good for you then?" Dr Crane asked as he followed behind her to the door, swiping his badge.

The door unlocked with a click and a buzz, "I- um- I'll have to let you know, I'm doing a lot of stuff with the Wayne organization it's going to be tough."

"Ugh." Crane scoffed cocking his head back, "Commissioner Gordon now Bruce Wayne? I-I mean... they're assholes Claudia! How could you work for them?" He exclaimed.

Claudia smiled before pulling on her coat, "I'll have my receptionist call you."

"W-What receptionist?" Dr Crane called after her as she proceeded down the hall.

"Bye Doctor Crane!"