Cold hearted, a BTAS/OUAT fanfic set in between the ending of "Sub-Zero" and TNBA episode, "Cold Comfort" and before Cora's death.
In the Arctic Circle…
Victor Fries was overjoyed. After all this time, after all he had suffered, his beloved wife, Nora, was alive and well. He couldn't wait to see her.
Why must I be trapped in this Sub-zero environment? Fries thought, Nora was the only one who could ever warm my heart. I must find a way to see her.
His two polar bears, Notchka and Shaka, were his only companions.
I wonder how she was able to recover? Fries thought, Perhaps Miss Gordon helped her out. I can't ever show my face in Gotham again. Nora thinks I'm dead. Perhaps it's better for both of us if I stay here.
Fries went back to his icy tundra cave.
Suddenly, he heard a voice call his name.
"Victor?" a woman's voice called.
Notchka and Shaka growled.
"Notchka! Shaka! Back!" Fries commanded, He grabbed his Freeze gun, just in case.
"Come forward, slowly!" Fries commanded the stranger.
As she stepped into the light, he could see it was his wife!
"Nora?" Fries asked, "Is it really you?"
"Yes, Victor, my beloved," Nora said, "I spoke to a researcher, and he told me he had seen you around. You're pretty hard to miss, aren't you?"
"Nora," Fries said, "you don't know how long I've waited for this day, to hold you in my arms again, but to be trapped in this miserable state, what a cruel fate, indeed."
"At least we're together again, my love!" Nora cooed. "You need to come back to Gotham with me!"
"I can't!" Fries said, "Batman will—"
"Don't worry about Batman," Nora said, "Yes, you've done things to hurt people in the past, but I forgive you. We can start over, have a new life, we can be happy again!"
"I'd like that, but—" Fries stammered.
"What if I told you I knew how to reverse your cryogenic condition?" Nora asked.
"What?" Fries asked in disbelief.
"Don't look so surprised," Nora said, "the doctors operated on me with the cryogenic technology you created. They brought me out of my frozen state; don't you think the same technology, reworked a bit, could save you?"
"I suppose, but—"
"It's worth a shot, darling," Nora said, "get your suit on and let's go."
"Anything, for you, my love." Victor said.
Meanwhile, in Gotham, Jervis Tetch, known as the criminal the Mad Hatter, had escaped from Arkham and was on the loose.
"Frabjous day boys!" the Mad Hatter exclaimed to his Alice in Wonderland-themed henchmen in an abandoned hat boutique. "Soon we'll have Gotham City to loot and plunder, and I can finally have Alice to myself."
"Hello Jervis," came a female voice.
"Alice?" Mad Hatter asked, "Is that you, my sweet?"
"Incorrect, Hatter," Nora said, as she stepped forward.
"Curiouser and curiouser," Mad Hatter said, "I do believe it is the wife of the late Mr. Freeze. What do you want, my dear?"
"I need your help," Nora said. "Victor is alive, and he's here in Gotham with me. I don't want alert Batman to his presence, and we need to be conspicuous so, I need you to mind-control the scientists and guards at Gothcorp labs so they will be very suggestive and not notice us."
"You can't give me orders!" Hatter shouted.
"Oh, but I can, Jervis," Nora said, "but don't think of it as a demand, think of it as a gift to me, because, for you see, today is my unbirthday."
"Why, it just so happens to be my unbirthday, too, my lady." Hatter said, as he tipped his hat, "and because I'm feeling overly generous, I'll help you with your little…surprise party."
Meanwhile, outside Gothcorp labs…
"Nora," Freeze said, "Where were you?"
"Never fear, dear," Nora said, "I only had a few errands to run. I brought someone who can help us.
She brought the Mad Hatter forward.
"You!" Freeze exclaimed, "Nora, this man is a dangerous lunatic! You shouldn't trust him!"
"Victor," Nora said, "we need the element of surprise. Mr. Tetch here has offered his services to control the guards and scientists while we are inside."
Freeze checked her hair, face, and neck.
"Don't worry, my love," Freeze said, "just checking for microchips."
"You can trust me, Victor!" Nora said.
"Yes, but…" Freeze said, as he turned toward the Hatter, pointing his Freeze gun in his face. "Harm one hair on my wife's head and you're a dead man, Tetch, frozen solid!"
"I understand!" Hatter quivered, as he took out a walkie-talkie, "I've placed a mircrochip in each hat of the guards and on the scientists' glasses, shirt collars or necks. This radio will summon them. Attention, my slaves! Your ringleader, the Mad Hatter, commands you! Pay no attention to anyone coming in the building without identification! Continue your duties, but disconnect all surveillance equipment!"
Mr. Freeze and Nora walked in, as the Hatter followed.
"Alright, Nora," Freeze said, "Where is the necessary equipment?"
"Oh, don't bother with that," Nora said, "I can fix you, but you don't need anything, just magic."
"Nora, what are you-?"
"Close," Nora said, as she was engulfed in a cloud of purple smoke. An older, brunette woman wearing a blue dress appeared in her place. "My name is Cora, and I'm the Queen of Hearts!"
"The Queen of Hearts!" the Mad Hatter exclaimed, "You're real? I'm honored, Your Majesty!"
"Quite real," Cora said, "Thank you, Jervis!"
"How dare you make a mockery of my beloved Nora!" Freeze shouted.
He froze the Hatter's body.
"Unless you want to be an iceberg, you'll leave right now!" Freeze commanded.
"No one bosses around the Queen of Hearts!" Cora shouted, as she threw a magical fireball, knocking Freeze's gun out of his hand.
"C-C-Cora," Hatter shivered, "get me out of here! So c-c-cold!"
She made the ice disappear.
"You see, Jervis, you may be an expert at mind-control, but I specialize in heart-control!"
She ripped out Freeze's frozen heart.
"Now you'll see why I'm called the Queen of Hearts!" Cora said. "Interesting, I've never seen a heart of ice before."
"And you'll never see anything again!" Freeze shouted.
"You're in no position to make threats, Victor!" Cora said, as she squeezed his heart.
Freeze writhed in pain.
"What would you say if I could melt your heart, give you a normal life?" Cora asked.
"Bah," Freeze said, "Nora was the only person who could melt my heart."
"Sad, isn't it?" Cora said, "Nora's moved on with her life, while you claim to be dead to emotion, but you're not. You see, love is weakness. I'm going to do you a favor. I'll hold your heart and you can be truly devoid of emotion."
"No!" Freeze said, "you can't harm my wife!"
"For that, you deserve to be punished!" Cora said, "Off with your head!"
She magically chopped his head off. He was still living.
"Now you'll never feel anything again." Cora said, "neither physically or emotionally."
She magically obliterated his body.
"But now what?" Freeze asked.
"I thought you might be in need of some repairs," Hatter said, "that's why I found old blueprints from the H.A.R.D.A.C. technology and made a robotic suit for you."
"The best part is," Cora said, "you'll remember none of this. You'll think it's just a tragic result of your condition, but your heart will be in safe keeping."
She gave the heart to Tetch.
"See that this stays hidden in the quick freezer." Cora said.
"Righto, your majesty!" Hatter said.
"Goodbye, Victor," Cora said, "you'll become truly cold to emotion and love. Don't think of it as a curse, think of it as a gift."
She disappeared.
"Tetch!" Freeze shouted.
"Yes, Mr. Freeze?" Hatter asked, as he ran up to him after he hid his heart.
"I must leave now," Freeze said, "I'm off to destroy the hopes and dreams of Gothamites and make them truly cold as I am!"