A Chance (Scarecrow w/ Harley and Two-Face)

He couldn't believe what he was seeing, but in this time of turmoil and pain he supposed he shouldn't be too surprised.

Two little children just deposited in a dumpster without a single thought.

He sighed and gently scooped them out of the dirty trash and slushy snow that coated the bottom of the dumpster, noting the youngest child had blue toes while the slightly older child had gone still save for the occasional shiver as he rushed them to the hospital a mere block away.

That night Jonathan Crane became a father.

He never regretted it though, the upcoming psychologist raising the two rowdy siblings while finishing up school and subsequently working at Arkham Asylum. By the time Harleen Crane was thirteen years old and her brother Harvey Crane was fifteen Jonathan was committed to the very institution he had worked at for over twelve years as the criminal known as the Scarecrow. The siblings found themselves on the run as the state tried to steal them away from their father and give them to their biological parents, disappearing the very night Jonathan was committed. Jonathan was understandably upset but could do nothing as he watched the manhunt drag on and on for weeks until the media turned on Crane and accused him of murdering his own damn children.

Seven months after his children disappeared one night the asylum erupted into a frenzy as the security fail-safes all failed at once and every single inmate was freed, starting an absolute bloodbath of any worked unfortunate enough to be working the night shift. Jonathan picked his way past dead orderlies and raided the lockers for his outfit and gear, slipping it on just as a guard darted inside and froze at the tall male looking at him from behind a simple but terrifying burlap mask. The doctor cackled and leapt forward, four syringes going straight into the frightened man's chest before he could even comprehend what was happening, falling to his knees once the vials had been drained of its toxin. Jonathan pocketed his keycard and went on his merry way towards the entrance, watching as inmates parted from in front of his path whispering about something with an odd look on their faces.

"Hey Harv, watch this!" Crane walked out the front doors just in time to see a huge red hammer knock some doctor's head off with a clean swipe, the appendage landing in front of his feet only to be kicked aside as Jonathan went to investigate the voice he only knew too well. He saw his old friend Edward Nigma leaning against a statue with a bemused look on his face , green eyes watching two figures Jonathan could recognize even under the makeup and costumes they were wearing. He first noticed Harleen wearing a red and black Harlequin outfit with some white makeup on her face, a black domino mask shining under the moonlight as she used her natural gymnastics moves she had since birth to do rapid back flips to kick an orderly onto their back where they were torn apart by some of the more dangerous inmates. Crane felt a flash of worry but relaxed slightly when one of them gave the excited preteen a pen with a smile akin to a happy dog presenting its master with a present. A gunshot a few feet from his right brought his attention to his son, who was watching as a gunrunner showed him how to properly fire a gun, the two using tied up staff as their targets. Jonathan was a bit curious to his choice of attire, which just seemed to be a multicolored suit alternating black and white on either side.

"They chose their outfits on their own." Edward spoke up, tipping his hat slightly as he pressed a button on his cane to order his nearby driver. "Insisted on coming with me, so I helped them come up with their themes."

"You didn't force them to?" Jonathan asked quietly, noting how his children both seemed quite alright with the taking of human life. "They've never killed anyone before..."

"Actually they have. Whenever a detective got too close to locating them, they teamed up and disposed of them just so we could properly plan your escape. I had no idea myself until I caught them on some CCTV footage, and I just thought you taught them."

"No...I didn't. I wanted them to have a normal life..." Nigma spared him a glance with the shake of his head.

"When you put on that mask Jon...they lost that chance." The taller male nodded as he saw a black van pull up beside them, Edward dusting off his suit as he whistled out to the teens. "I believe it is time we leave before Batman comes to ruin our fun! I also believe your father is missing you both rather terribly." The siblings grinned to each other and gathered their gear, climbing into the car with Edward and Jonathan with the driver speeding off just in time to avoid the incoming vigilante. Jonathan smiled softly as he watched the siblings chat excitedly from his seat about how their plan had worked perfectly and how they had been able to free their father without a scratch on him. Edward congratulated them and gave his friend a glance before turning in his seat and chatting quietly with the driver, leaving the family to reunite and catch up with each other after being separated for seven long months.

Now Gotham had to fear not only Scarecrow, but his two deadly children as well.