Melanie stared at her arms blankly, occasionally glancing to the pocket knife that sat on her desk. The temptation to check that she actually did have an instant-healing superpower kept itching at her skull until she picked the knife up.

She's already checked thirty-seven times. She's counted. It's still real.

Thirty-Eight.

Melanie watched as the cut on her wrist before the knife could barely leave the area she sliced.

Thirty-Nine.

Melanie stared at her arm. It didn't even open. She didn't have a wound.

Forty.

Melanie tried to slice her arm again, eyes widening when she didn't even feel the pressure of her skin cutting open. "Oh god." She spoke breathlessly, looking up to her bedroom door.

She glanced to the clock, swearing under her breath. She had thirty minutes before she had to be at work to file all her paperwork before being sent off to Arkham.

"Melanie wake up! Big day!" Melanie shot up from her chair at the sound of Sterling's voice. The pocket knife clattered to the wooden floor, and Melanie swung down quickly, slamming her head into the desk.

She stopped mid-grab at the realization that it didn't hurt at all. She shut her eyes, sighing heavily before slowly standing back up. She walked out of her room and towards her front door, unlatching the lock.

"I was thinking we could grab a coffee from Jitters before you get sent off. Heard they're putting you in a straight jacket." Melanie raised her brows and hummed at Sterling, slipping on a pair of shoes.

"Well, if I need to play the part of a crazy woman." She grumbled, turning back ti her apartment. She debated on grabbing her bag or phone, knowing that it was unnecessary and took her keys. She locked her apartment, following Sterling to the elevator.

"Are you nervous?" Sterling asked Melanie as they stepped into the elevator. She stayed quiet for a moment, clasping her hands together and shrugged.

"Why would I be nervous? I'm about to walk into the most secure building in Gotham that holds the most criminally insane patients on Earth. Where I'm also supposed to talk to the craziest man alive. I'm not nervous at all." She lied, turning to Sterling and gave him a wide smile. He raised his brows and waved a finger in her face.

"Go for that look. You got the crazy eyes down to a point." He chuckled and Melanie's smile dropped. His phone rang after a few short seconds of silence, and he answered quickly. "Boone. Oh, yeah she's right here. It's for you, Mel."

Melanie frowned, taking Sterling's phone. "Hello?"

"You left your phone." Dick spike through the speaker and Melanie clicked her tongue.

"Yeah. I don't see a reason as to why I need it, since I'll be in a cell for the next two weeks. What do you need?"

"I need you here, Annie. They're just waiting for you to sign some papers and change." Melanie pushed her glasses down and rubbed her eyes, nodding.

"Okay. Sterling and I are on the way." Melanie turned to the cop, who raised his brows. "Looks like we're skipping coffee."

"Damn." He grumbled, the two walking out into the streets of Gotham in a rush.

•••

"Monica Bookman? Yeah, that definitely doesn't sound fake." Melanie set her fake file down, shaking her head. Gordon and Dick stood next to each other, staring at Melanie as Dick raised a all stack of papers, handing it to her.

"Yep. Born September 17th, 1990." Dick started and Melanie slowly picked up the papers, flipping through it as Gordon continued.

"You were incarcerated for the attempted murder of James Gordon, and for the murder of your parents, Jacquard and Kathrine Bookman." Melanie let out a snort at her fake father's name, pulling the paper towards her.

"So what about Arkham? Murder only gets me into Blackgate." Melanie looked up at Gordon and Dick, who had another paper in his hand.

"You had several violent outbursts in Blackgate that ended with two guards and four prisoners dead. The state seems you as a danger to society and wants you locked up in Arkham until you can prove to be good." Dick explained as Melanie nodded slowly. "You were also dosed up in The Joker's laughing gas a few years prior to your arrest."

"Gives me a reason to strike up a conversation. What did I do before my arrest?" Melanie wondered and Dick blew out, turning to Gordon. Melanie's look dropped. "You didn't get that far?"

"Your reason of being in there is more important than what you did out of Arkham." Melanie scoffed, shaking her head and gestured to the paper.

"Monica Bookman has a clean record before the Joker gas. So now I need to come up with something myself." Dick crossed his arms, shrugging.

"Parents were addicts. Maybe you were a good kid because of it and got hooked on Joker's gas. Resorted to violence to get it." Melanie snapped her fingers and pointed to Dick, nodding.

"Great. There's my story. I was a good kid, became an addict and killed people to get what I wanted. It's perfect." Melanie continued to think for a moment before the front door of her lab opened, two guards walking in.

"We're ready to take Miss Bookman to Arkham." Gordon and Dick turned to Melanie, whose look disappeared to an unsettled scrunch of her nose. She slowly stood up, forcing a smile again.

"I'm ready for my vacation."

•••

Melanie wriggled under the straight jacket, inhaling as deeply as she could and turned to the guard sitting next to her. "Can you loosen this a bit? It's pretty tight."

The guard ignored her and Melanie clenched her jaw. "You do realize I'm not actually crazy, right?" The guard slowly turned to her, stared for a moment before turning back. "I'll just pretend you're acting like I am."

Melanie huffed, taking another deep breath as it felt like the jacket got tighter, and she turned to Dick, who was dressed as an Arkham Asylum guard. "Dick."

He hummed in response, turning to her. They jolted as the truck hit a pothole, and Melanie waved her wrapped arms up. "It's a bit tight."

"Oh. Here." Melanie turned her back to Dick, who loosened the restraints on her just a little bit. Melanie exhaled slowly, nodding. "Better?"

"Yeah. Thanks." She shifted to face forward, looking to Dick. "How much longer do we have?"Dick leaned forward to look at the road, shrugging.

"Ten minutes." He assumed and Melanie hit the back of her head against the wall, sighing loudly. "Don't go crazy, yet."

"Well, if I go nuts now, then it'll be perfect for the plan." Melanie looked down to see Dick, who scoffed and shook his head.

"I still think this is a bad idea." He stated, looking over as the guard next to Melanie nodded in agreement.

"Well, it's a good thing you're here to stop me from making any more dumb decisions." Dick raised a brow at Melanie.

"And what dumb decisions could you possibly make in that place?" Melanie looked away to think, then turned back to Dick.

"Eat. I did my research before going in. They don't make very good meatloaf." Dick let out a laugh as the other guard cleared his throat, trying to suppress a laugh. "But I'm serious. The worst decision I'm going to be making in that place is talking to The Joker."

A thought crossed Melanie's mind, and she looked to Dick again. "What's his name?"

"Who? The Joker's?" Melanie's quizzical look dropped, frowning.

"No, Penguin's." She spoke sarcastically and Dick shrugged, shaking his head.

"I don't know. He's never revealed his name to anyone. Not even Harley... I think." Dick looked away and frowned, looking as if he were trying to remember something.

Melanie leaned forward, peering through the windshield to see the gates of Arkham ahead. Her heart leaped into her throat, forcing her silent. Slowly, she pressed her back to the wall again, still staring at the tiny square hole to the front of the truck.

Stop rethinking. Melanie told herself, pressing her lips together tightly. You'll be fine. Dick's here, the staff know. You'll be extracted the second something goes wrong... Will I?

The thought of a violent outbreak ran through her mind. Then an image of her dead in a hallway because someone found out the truth. Melanie shook her head quickly as her heart started to race.

"New patient." The driver spoke to a guard at the gate and Melanie perked up, inhaling sharply through her nose.

"You alright?" Melanie flinched at Dick's soft words, looking to him. She nodded quickly, wriggling uncomfortably as she began to sweat nervously in the jacket. "I'll be next to you the entire time."

"That's reassuring." She mumbled, though she hadn't intended for it to sound sarcastic. She actually was completely relieved that Dick wasn't going to abandon her the second she stepped inside those doors.

Which was weird, because she still barely trusted him after he broke into her lab. The truck moved forward again. Melanie looked through the joke to see Arkham, her breath hitching.

The exterior of Arkham Asylum was a chilling sight to behold. Massive stone walls, worn by time and neglect, encircled the compound, preventing any escape attempts. The entrance gate, rusted and imposing, creaked ominously as it opened to admit the truck, reminding all who entered that they are entering a realm of insanity and despair. Melanie felt a chill run up her spine at the thought of living in that place for over a week.

The truck did a slow turn, halting directly in front of Arkham's doors. After a few moments, Dick turned to Melanie.

"How good of an actor are you?" Dick whispered, and Melanie shrugged.

"I can throw myself at you. Maybe try and bite." Dick shook his head and Melanie nodded quickly. "Understandable. A human bite can be lethal. Did you know that? Bacteria in the mouth can lead to infections that can cut off blood flow, and you could lose a limb. Or your life." Dick raised his brows, learning a new trait about Melanie.

She rambles about weird science facts when she's nervous.

"Right." Dick mumbled as the truck doors opened. Melanie squinted as the sunlight blinded her, the truck bouncing as Dick jumped out of the truck. He gestured to the guard next to Melanie, who aggressively pushed her ahead.

"Pushy." She grumbled, looking to the guard that had opened the doors, patting her restrained arms to her sides. She slid off of her seat and onto the floor of the truck, jumping off.

She looked to everyone for a moment before Dick grabbed her elbow, ushering her along. "All of you are so touchy." She spoke in a more strained voice. Dick looking down to see Melanie was looking everywhere she could, calculating every inch of Arkham.

"Joker is on the top floor. You'll be directly below him." Dick spoke into her ear, leading Melanie into the old building.

Once inside, Melanie and Dick were greeted by an unsettling atmosphere. Dimly lit corridors stretched endlessly, lined with heavy metal doors leading to inmates' cells. The air hung heavy with an unsettling silence and was very stuffy, occasionally pierced by distant screams or the echoes of deranged laughter. Melanie tried not to flinch.

The interior of Arkham was a labyrinthine maze of hallways, staircases, and rooms. The walls were adorned with faded murals, Melanie noticing that one of them was of a knight getting pierced through the chest. Another was of a woman falling over a bridge. Most depicted twisted and nightmarish scenes that reflected the fractured minds of those who resided within. Fluorescent lights flickered intermittently, casting eerie shadows that danced along the cold, sterile floors.

Dick and Melanie ascended several flights of stairs, the air getting stuffier with every floor they reached. For a moment, Melanie wondered if she had contracted asthma in the last ten minutes. The two walked down a corridor, and slowly stopped in front of a cell. Melanie slowly looked to Dick, who glanced down to her.

A woman, who had been following loosely behind the two, suddenly appeared in front of Melanie and Dick. She u locked the cell, opening it with a loud creak. Dick pushed Melanie in, stepping in as well as the woman.

The cell was a small space that served as her isolated sanctuary or, more aptly, her new personal prison. The cell was sparsely furnished, with only a narrow bed, a small desk, and a chair. The thick metal bars and reinforced doors were going to be a constant reminders of Melanie's  intentional captivity.

As Dick worked on undoing Melanie's straight jacket, the woman started to speak. Melanie glanced to her name tag, rereading it several times.

"Arkham Asylum operates under strict protocols and rules designed to maintain order and security." Doctor Williams started, clicking her pen as she scribbled something on her clipboard. "Violations of these rules can result in severe consequences, ensuring the safety of both staff and inmates."

"I get a pass on some, right?" Melanie whispered, glancing to Dick. He stayed quiet, looking to Doctor Williams, who didn't seem pleased with the question. Melanie stared for a moment, wondering if the woman was aware of what was happening.

"These rules and consequences ensure the safety and order within Arkham Asylum, providing a controlled environment for the treatment and rehabilitation of its... unique population of individuals with mental health and criminal backgrounds." Doctor Williams looked Melanie up and down, then to Dick. "Are you both ready to hear the rules?"

Melanie nodded quickly, ready to get the interaction over with. "There are twenty rules here. Our number one rule is no violence of any kind. Any patient who engages in violent behavior will be immediately restrained and may be subject to disciplinary action."

"Yeah I can go with not hurting anyone." Melanie mumbled, making sure it was low enough that it wouldn't reverberate around the hallway."

"Patients are required to attend therapy sessions with their assigned psychiatrist or psychologist. Failure to attend these sessions may result in disciplinary action." Melanie's eyes widened slowly, laughing quietly. "Patients are not allowed to have any personal items in their rooms. All items, including clothing and toiletries, are provided by the facility."

"I can't even keep a hairbrush in here with me?" She asked and Doctor Williams shook her head.

"Rule three. Patients are required to take any and all medications prescribed by their psychiatrist. Refusal to take medication will result in disciplinary action." Doctor Williams looked down at her clipboard. "I will be your psychiatrist until you leave Arkham."

"Sounds peachy." Melanie hummed, walking towards her bed. She sat down harshly, only to not bounce at all. Her bed was as hard as a rock.

"Patients are not allowed to have any visitors without prior approval from their psychiatrist and the facility's administration." Dick crossed his arms and shrugged, turning to Melanie.

"You plan on having any visitors?"

"Only you. And maybe Sterling or Gordon."

"Patients are not allowed to leave their assigned areas without the permission of a staff member. Attempting to escape will result in immediate disciplinary action." Her words became sharper as Melanie sat down, the reality of what was going on finally hitting her.

Even though she was only pretending to be a patient, they were still going to treat her like one.

"Sexual behavior between patients and or staff is strictly prohibited." Melanie snorted, shaking her head.

"Don't have to worry about that one." Doctor Williams sneered at Melanie, looking between her and Dick. A thought ran through Melanie's mind before dashing out her ear before it could even finish.

"Patients are not allowed to harm themselves or others in any way. Do you understand the rules as I have given them to you?" Doctor Williams pen hit the paper, waiting for Melanie to answer. "Miss Bookman?"

"I understand loud and clear, Doc." Melanie beamed a smile as Doctor Williams looked to Dick, who shrugged.

"Alright. Lunch is in one hour. I will be waiting out in the hall for you, Mr Grayson." Doctor Williams walked out of the cell and Melanie sighed quietly, looking up at Dick.

"Are you sure you still want to go through with this?" Dick asked quietly and Melanie shrugged.

"Too late to back out now. Patients saw me, they'll want questions as to where I went when I don't show up for lunch." Dick nodded slowly, walking towards the door. "Gray."

Dick paused in the doorway, turning back after a moment. "Yeah, Annie?" He said quietly. Melanie gave him a soft smile, wiping it away after a second.

"Thank you for agreeing to this." Dick stated for a long time, eyes flickering between hers. He returned the smile, nodding.

"Gotta keep my partner safe."

That was the last thing he said before locking her up.

y'all have no idea how excited I am for this plot point like— i'm really hoping my plans turn out good.