After Jonathan collapsed, Charlize couldn't possibly leave him alone. With Isaac's help, they made him lie down on the couch, knowing he was in no condition to go to work.

He needed to rest, especially after that harrowing encounter with the volatile alter. Isaac was concerned, too, but she convinced him to return to the research center, assuring him that she would stay with Jonathan instead.

Once he left, Charlize texted Miguel, briefly informing him of the situation and telling him to cancel the sessions she had scheduled that day.

Silence engulfed the apartment shortly after as Jonathan was still unconscious, and Charlize was pondering over the cause of his breakdown. She checked the empty medicine bottle, knowing just one day's lack of medication couldn't have given the Scarecrow enough strength to break through. 

Jonathan must have forgotten to take the pills for a few days consecutively.

Right there on that shabby couch, he looked so vulnerable, still in his trenchcoat as he had been preparing to leave for work when the stressful episode occurred. His features were drawn tight in a pained expression, traces of fatigue clinging to him.

It pierced her heart to see him as such, trying his best to recover but still struggling with the demons inside him. Right when he was starting to believe that he could leave his past behind, that outburst had pushed him back to square one, instilling a helplessness that harrowed him internally.

He looked in such pain that she couldn't bear it. So sitting close to him on the couch, she cradled his head in her lap, trying to take that pain away somehow. Tension dripped from his features as she ran her fingers through his hair softly, hoping that soothing gesture would somehow put him to rest.

She didn't know how long passed as such but slowly the stiffness from his features began to fade. His furrowed brows softened, the lines on his forehead eased and his breathing became steady and peaceful. It seemed as if whatever nightmare he was going through had ended and he was finally enveloped by a comforting darkness with no horrifying entities to plague him.

Charlize too rested her head back on the couch, closing her eyes. She was quite shaken, seeing Jonathan like that, and needed some time to process it as well. She didn't know when that exhaustion and anxiety faded into sleep and she too drifted off with her fingers still twirling in his hair, tracing ought circles on his scalp.

Only the clock in the room was ticking, indicating the passing time while the occupants of the room were still. He needed that sleep to bring himself back to a stable condition and she had nothing else to do at the moment so she also gave in to the exhaustion.

At last, her gentle fingers came to a halt but her hand was still entangled in his hair. She didn't know how he would react to her presence when he woke up, she didn't even know whether she would see him or someone else who could have taken control of him. But still she couldn't leave him alone right then, not even for a second.

In all his life, Jonathan had faced his inner turmoil alone. That once, she wanted to be there for him, to assure him that even if things were bad, she would stay right beside him.

***

Pale blue eyes fluttered open, flinching at the light that poured in from the front window. It must be midday, judging by the intensity of the sunlight that had managed to break through the gloomy aura of the Narrows.

Above him was the very familiar ceiling of his apartment, convincing him that he was still at home and had not ventured out on a killing spree under Scarecrow's control. However, he wasn't alone as he felt a gentle touch in his hair, realizing at once that his head was not resting on a pillow but on someone.

That realization would have made him bolt out of the couch in a flash but as he tilted his head up to see who was there close to him, he saw Charlize.

Seeing her was both a jolt of relief and panic for him. Her hands were entangled in his hair, the steady rise and fall of her chest indicated she was only asleep and not hurt, while her head rested back at the couch, tilted at an uncomfortable angle.

He wanted to sit up and check for sure that she was alright. He had barely seen her when he passed out, the last thing he could remember was Scarecrow threatening to ruin everything and  he only recalled feeling her hands grip his wrists, hearing a distant voice and then being enveloped in complete darkness.

It felt like falling into a black hole, just sinking deeper and deeper with nothing to break the fall and an infinite void that intended to swallow everything.

Carefully, so as not to disturb her, he removed her hands from his head and sat up. The movement alerted her, disrupting the brief sleep she had fallen into.

Seeing that he was awake, a wave of concern hit her with full force and Jonathan could feel the questions building up inside her. Yet, just like him she too wanted to make sure that he was okay first before saying anything.

A lump rose in his throat, realizing that he had been on the brink of messing up all those two years of therapy and medication. He shouldn't have been that careless, forgetting to take the pills that kept Scarecrow dormant.

"I... I'm sorry," he choked out, his voice strained from having to shout at Scarecrow earlier in attempts of drowning out his manipulative whispers.

Seeing the guilt on his face and the tears of despair in his eyes, she simply couldn't hold back. Her arms wrapped around him tightly, bringing him close in a hug.

He stiffened in her hold, and it felt something sharp had pierced through his heart. His hands felt limp yet hovered close to her, wanting to hug her back but afraid of touching her, lest he somehow ended up hurting her.

But she didn't let go of him, holding him so tightly as if they were both sinking in a black hole and the only way they could stay with each other was to hold on against all odds.

Shakily his hands came to rest on her back and his head nestled in the soft curve of her neck. Earlier, only she had been holding him tight but right then, he buried himself in her warmth, holding on as if she was the only support he had.

He was scared and so terrified of something that was a part of him yet could unleash the deadliest horrors. It made him anxious of losing his version of normal that he had regained after such plight and suffering.

Just one moment and everything would have crumbled to dust.

"It's alright, Jonathan," she whispered, her fingers running soothingly in his hair, "You didn't let him take control, you fought back."

The tears welling up in his eyes escaped and tainted her skin, his voice shaking as he spoke, "I... I was this close to giving up... I... I had almost forgotten how much power he has over me... I could have folded... "

"What matters is that you didn't." Her voice was a soft whisper, a gentle reminder that she was there with him and everything would get better soon. "Think of it as a test of your will power. You passed." But then she added soon enough, "Although you should take care not to forget your medicines to avoid such an incident occurring again."

He pondered over her words and a few moments passed in silence until he pulled apart, his weary eyes looking into her deep brown.

"Will I always have to depend on the pills to shut him out? Can he not cease to exist otherwise?"

Charlize didn't have a specific answer for that question. "Jonathan, he's not just a personality trait that you could overcome in a few years. He's a dominant alter. All these pills are doing is subduing him to the point where he's not able to take control of you again. But he will still exist, somewhere in your subconscious, he will be there."

Deep down he knew that too. It was a bitter realization that he wouldn't be able to erase the Scarecrow completely from his life. In some way or form, he would still exist.

All he could do was hope that Charlize's current approach to keeping Scarecrow subdued worked out well. He knew it was too much to hope for a complete release from that lethal alter and he would have to keep fighting against him in the present and future. 

But as long as he was able to stay in control and prevent the Scarecrow from hurting others, he might eventually accept his circumstances.

***