As all the times before, the nurse in charge instructed Crystal to avoid any closer contact when she led her into the visitor's room. Mikael waited for her. She found he looked better than last time – 4 months ago -, and his eyes lit up seeing her. All too soon, though, the painful sadness shrouded his features again. "I remember," he said. "They made me remember. All I have done."

She saw the connection for an infusion attached to his left hand. What medication did they give him? She had no information at all. "But now, now you have therapy and everything will be fine." She desperately wanted to embrace him, but the security camera would betray every attempt. A short faint brush of their fingertips was all they could steal.

"Still, it was those hands," he whispered. "That perpetrated those horrifying, disgusting crimes."

He sighed and looked at the white, cold wall. "Sometimes, I would love to create something again. I have a lot of ideas. But… maybe… I would not be able to achieve anything anymore, knowing what I have done. I must not even think about art."

I have to get him out of here, I HAVE to, Crystal thought. He'll slowly die in here. Like a flower without sunlight. She opened the folder she had brought with her and showed him the sketches he had made for her wedding dress. Almost two years ago! "Do you remember these? Mikael?"

He caressed the paper. "Of course. You would have looked so beautiful."

"I still want to be your wife, Mikael! We can marry in here. You can get permission!" Even if it would be an arduous undertaking through the bureaucracy, as she already knew. However, she had Dr. Louis LaMotte put to the task already.

"I love you. You know that." A faint smile flitted over his face. "But… what a husband could I be for you now? I'm not even allowed to touch you!"

"It would mean everything to me, Mikael! Everything! And I would be able to visit you more often!" Please don't say no. She could not influence him any further. The law was specific about it, especially when it came to patients in psychiatric institutions. She closed her eyes and pleaded silently. He looked so distant. Dammit, what sedatives did they fill into him?! - Don't say no, Mikael. We will never again have that chance! She almost did not dare to breathe. Mikael's fingers traced the outlines of the sketches again. Please don't say no .

"I want to see you happy," he finally said. And surprised her, when he actually knelt down in front of her. "Do you want to marry me, Crystal?"

"I will, I will!" She could not speak any further because of the tears forcing their way out now.

One week later, Crystal sat in Dr. Weber's office.

"We have started the desensitization therapy using some light patterns," the psychiatrist had just told her. "However, so far it is only a partial success. Even with supporting medication. Mr. Gant has good and bad days."

"So, we all have good and bad days," Crystal replied.

"You know what I mean. I can't lie in my assessment, Mrs. Jennings. I won't lie. I told this Mr. LaMotte, and I say it to you." Dr. Weber took a moment to bring order into his papers. Then, he continued with the thing obviously weighing on him: "I heard about your request for marriage. I want to be absolutely honest with you. This is not a good idea. I would have strongly advised against it, in the interest of the patient. But as it is now, this is too late. I wished you could have spoken to me first about your plans."

"Why? We love each other, is that too difficult to understand?"

Weber sighed. "I had a lot of patients, Mrs. Jennings. In this institution and elsewhere. Many of them were married. All the marriages broke apart after the institutionalization of one of the partners. ALL of them. Even the ones, where the respective partner stood in my office and tearfully promised they would stand by each other, they would never leave each other whatever happens."

"That does not have to mean our marriage will fail as well."

"No. But you are young, you live outside, and life has a tendency to get in one's way despite all best intentions. And IF your marriage fails, Mrs. Jennings, it will have devastating effects on him."

"I know. I do it because I want to help him, have the legal rights to see him more often!"

"It will be very difficult."

"It is difficult for almost two years!"

Dr. Weber looked at her for a long time until he answered: "And it most likely will be a lot longer. I hope you are strong enough. For him, and for yourself!"

...

Half a year later, Crystal opened the door to her gallery, checked the 'closed'-sign was placed visibly, and shut the door again. She had bought the exhibition space about a year ago. If she had to sell her work and a few of Mikael's art as well, then at least she wanted to have control over the process. As the gallery owner from New York had foretold her, everything connected to the name of Mikael Gant sold like hotcakes. It was the perversity of the system. However, she had decided, as long as she could help her beloved, she would do whatever it took.

Today, Crystal wanted rather be here than in her lonely house. Today, on her wedding day. She walked through the current exhibition, still in her wedding dress, and sat down amidst the artwork – her friends. Her mind replayed the events of this morning at the Institution. How gorgeous Mikael had looked in his suit. She could have almost forgotten where they were… The words by the registrar about love and caring for each other, and the good and the bad days. Oh yes... And finally, their kiss… At that moment, Crystal had wished time would stop; everything around her would stop in a frozen spell, like in a fairy tale. But they had only that brief moment, a fleeting fragment of time. Held only in the photographs that were taken by the journalists she had invited.

And now, she sat her, looking almost like a statue herself in that silvery-white dress. Her tears slowly dissolved her makeup. She turned her wedding ring and tried to imagine, Mikael would sit next to her. It did not help. She felt lost and lonely. Very lonely. Will I be strong enough to hold on? How long it will take?

Crystal accompanied the representative from the German museum to the door and promised to have the paperwork for the loan ready by next week. When the car drove on, she sighed. As good as it was to work and keep her mind busy, she felt exhausted. On some days she thought she just could not go on anymore, and this was such a day. A moment later, she discovered the woman on the other side of the street. She looked familiar… and now she waved to her! Kate?!

"What are you doing here?" They had not seen for many months. And she knew, it was mainly her fault, because she buried herself in work and avoided to go outside or hold their old contacts. It seemed too straining to just to go on.

"Checking in on you," her friend answered, hugging her. "What did you think, Crys? And you weren't particularly difficult to find." Kate pointed toward the gallery sign with her name on it. "I saw your amazing wedding photos in the 'Enquirer'."

"Ah… yes, I invited them, hoping to raise some awareness for our cause. So far, it rather backfired. Half of the world thinks I'm crazy, and the other half, I'm making money using his name."

"Well," Kate smiled. "I think you're crazy romantic! And you know, I'm an incurable romantic, too."

"Do you want to come in for a coffee?"

"Actually, I thought more about some pasta. You look as if you'd need something substantial, too!"

Crystal wiped over her face and forced a smile. "Yes, probably. I… I tend to forget to eat sometimes."

"That's not good! – So, how's going?"

"Not very good," Crystal admitted wearily. "I fired my lawyer yesterday. After the appeal was denied, he obviously feared for his reputation if continuing in a 'lost cause'. I still have not found another one."

"So you will continue to fight?"

"Of course. As long as Mikael and I are alive, I will fight. That is if I don't run out of money. But then, I'll have to find other ways."

"That's my Crys as I know her!" Kate patted on her shoulder encouraging and knowing her friend absolutely needed to get her mind off those things for a few hours. "Now let's have something to eat before I starve in front of your famous gallery, hon! I have to tell you all the gossip from Margie!"

"Margie? What did she get into this time?"

"Oh, she married as well, an emigrant from Damascus, believe it or not! And it seems to work out this time. He's really nice with the kids"…

=== 2 years later ===

Head Detective Ray Hoover worked on the duty roster of the week when one of his officers entered and placed - as it seemed - more paperwork on his desk. "I thought you might be interested, Sir. This has been your case back then, as I recall."

"Thank you, Martha." As he took a closer look, he discovered two recent issues of the 'National Enquirer' and the 'Sun'. Yes, indeed, a ghost from the past...

The 'Enquirer' titled with its usual flamboyance 'Love prevails. Famous artist Mikael Gant free again'', the sun, less friendly 'Killer-bride wins 3rd appeal.' This was incredible! Hoover had heard about an appeal about two years ago from a friend working with the district attorney. And of course, he had heard about that marriage thing! Back then, he had considered it a publicity stunt pulled off by Gant's girlfriend, who was - as it seemed - an artist as well. Some people stopped at nothing to see their face in the news or in the press - and make money. And now, there had been TWO other appeals?! He browsed through the pages.

„I admire this woman," his colleague said. „I mean, look around, people split up because of all sorts of small shit. And this woman sticks with this convicted, crazy guy and spends probably thousands of dollars to get him out!"

"Hopefully, she will not end up in a body bag for it," Hoover murmured, and in his mind, he added "And hopefully, they don't move into my district again."

...

Crystal lay still awake despite the late hour. She almost could not believe herself that those years of gruesome struggle were finally over. She had won her appeal. Mikael had been released under the condition to have regular appointments with a psychiatrist and keep his medication plan. She would be responsible for that. The day she had picked him up at the Institution four days ago had been the happiest day in all those years. Then, she would have loved to simply vanish with him on a lonely island, without any press, without any responsibilities, without all the sorrows of daily life!

However, destiny seemed not inclined to hand her a small favor. She cried in her pillow. Had she hoped for too much? Expected too much? So far, Mikael had not even set foot into the little atelier she had prepared. He did not speak very much, seemed lost in some thoughts very often, and avoided touching her. She did not know how to reach out to him. She understood it was difficult for him, and she wanted to help – but how?

Eventually, she got up and went over to the guest room, where Mikael had spent the nights since he was back. Cautiously, she opened the door, peered in, and discovered that the bed was untouched and Mikael nowhere to spot. She called for him – no answer. She ran into the living room. No trace of him as well. Crystal started to panic. She hurried back upstairs to the bathroom to check if he had taken his prescript medication. On her way, she heard a faint sound coming from the annex, where she had placed the atelier. She stopped in her tracks and took that direction instead.

There he was, standing in front of her latest painting she had started weeks ago.

Crystal breathed a sigh of relief. She would've loved to pull him close, but was not sure if he would appreciate that at the moment. "I was … I was worried, Mikael."

„I always liked to work at night," he answered, without taking his eyes off the painting. His fingertips moved gently over the thick layers of paint into the white canvas.

„It is not finished yet," she said.

„No. It is," he answered, now turning around. „The soul has overcome the darkness and pain and reached the light again. Ready to hope ... and to love again..."

Finally, after so long, she saw the intensity shine in his eyes, that had captivated her years ago at the beach. He stepped up to her - and halted in front of another item sitting on the shelf. It was the old flying-birds sculpture.

„But you have never finished this one…"

„I waited for you."

He had taken one of the neatly stored tools and set it on the wood. However, the angle had been wrong; it slipped and cut his fingers. With a fast move, Crystal took his hand, wrapped the folds of her nightgown around it, and held it tightly against her chest.

Mikael looked at her, and slowly a little smile lit his face. „Seems as if I need some practice again." With his other hand, he caressed her face. „To live up to the great artist you have become."

„All I am, I am only because of you. But I can never be complete without you."

They embraced and held each other.

"Welcome home, Mikael," she whispered.

THE END