Nora Fries stood on the front steps of Arkham Asylum, gazing up at its imposing façade and feeling her heart breaking at the fact that her husband was confined in such a terrible place. She was shaking in fear and nervousness and anticipation, at the sight of the building, and at seeing her husband again after all this time. She didn't really know how long it had been – none of the doctors at the hospital could tell her how long she had been in stasis. But what she had said to Dr. Leland was true – it didn't matter what her husband looked like. She loved him. And she was determined to help him, however she could.

She nodded firmly, pushing open the doors to the asylum. "Uh…hi," she stammered at the reception desk. "I'm Nora Fries, and I'm here to see…"

The front doors were thrown open again and Batman stormed in, dragging the Joker and Harley Quinn behind him in handcuffs. The receptionist instantly picked up the telephone. "Dr. Leland, Batman's brought the clowns back," she said.

"I don't like how we're always referred to as 'the clowns,' puddin'," said Harley, turning to Joker. "We need some kinda couple name to refer to us, like Brangelina."

"Who the hell is Brangelina?" asked Joker, puzzled.

"Do you think we should go with Joley, or Harker?" continued Harley. "Whaddya think, Bats?"

"I think you should shut up," growled Batman.

"Hey, there's no need to be rude, Bats," said Joker. "It's a valid question. What kinda couple name do you and Kitty want? Pussybat?"

"I said shut up!" snapped Batman, striking him across the face.

Joker sniffed. "He's just touchy 'cause we killed all those people, pooh, don't take it personally," he said, patting Harley's cuffed hand.

"I think we should go with Joley, puddin'," she said. "No, Harker. Aw, I can't decide! Which one do you like, blondie?" she asked, smiling at Nora suddenly.

"Uh…what?" stammered Nora.

"Hey, haven't seen you around here before, sweetheart," said Joker, grinning at her. "Although you do look kinda familiar, come to think of it. You being committed or just visiting?"

"Uh…I'm visiting…my husband," said Nora, slowly.

"Oh yeah? Anyone I know?" asked Joker. "Don't think many of the freaks in here are married, come to think of it. Probably the root of their problem, buncha repressed weirdos. And I gotta say, having showered with most of 'em, any woman they married would be pretty disappointed. Well, if you don't mind my saying, sweetheart, if I had a wife who looked like you, they wouldn't be able to keep me locked up in here away from you," he added, grinning.

"Mr. J, I'm right here!" snapped Harley, glaring at him.

"Would you rather I did this behind your back?" he asked, shrugging.

"I would rather you didn't do it at all!" she retorted. "I'm his girlfriend, toots, so don't go getting any ideas!" she said, glaring at Nora. "I ain't gonna let you break up Joley or Harker!"

"N…no, I don't want to…do that," said Nora, slowly. "I'm very happily married to Victor Fries."

Joker stared at her. "Oh, you're the Ice Dame!" he exclaimed, beaming. "I knew you looked familiar! Last time I saw you, sweetheart, you were pretty dead-looking. Good to see those roses back in your cheeks! You look a lot better when you're not frozen in a block of ice, but then I guess everyone kinda would," he chuckled. "So you're here for your conjugal visit, huh? That's gotta be pretty unpleasant and cold…"

"Thank you, Batman, I'll take them from here," said Dr. Leland, appearing suddenly with a group of guards, who dragged Joker and Harley off.

"If you want a guy with some body heat sometime, call me, toots!" called Joker after her. "Ow!" he shouted, as they heard Harley slap him.

"And Nora, how lovely to see you again," said Dr. Leland, smiling kindly at her. "Do you know Batman?"

"Erm…I've heard of him, of course," said Nora. That was a good sign – maybe she hadn't been out of it too long. "Nice to meet you."

Batman studied her. "You're Nora Fries?" he asked, gently.

She nodded. "I've gone up against your husband many times, Mrs. Fries," he said, softly. "I've often questioned his actions, but I could never question his love for you. That was his one constant, curing you. I'm glad to see he finally succeeded."

He placed a hand on her shoulder. "I hope you can find some kind of happiness together," he murmured. "I truly do."

He turned and left. "Right this way, Nora," said Dr. Leland, leading her down the corridors of the asylum. "Victor wanted to see you in his cell, so that he doesn't have to wear his suit and can look as normal as possible. So I've got an extra thick coat for you to put on since his cell temperature is freezing…"

"Thanks, Dr. Leland, but I'll just try to get used to it," interrupted Nora. "I'm going to have to, after all."

Dr. Leland nodded slowly. "Well…uh…call me if you need anything," she said. "There's a button by the door. And…uh…good luck with him," she said, unlocking the door to Freeze's cell.

The icy temperature hit Nora like a fist, and she gasped for breath, watching it crystallize in the frozen air. Dr. Leland offered her the coat again but she shook her head, entering the cell and trying to control her shivering by folding her arms across her chest. The door shut behind her and she looked around at the ice coating every inch of the room, making it shimmer.

And then she saw him, sitting on his bed and looking up at her. "Hello, Nora," he whispered.

There was the same adoration in his eyes as there always had been. Nora felt tears creep out of her eyes and freeze on her cheeks as she looked at her husband, changed, it was true, but still very obviously the man she loved.

"Victor!" she gasped, racing over to him and throwing herself into his arms. She gasped at the shock of embracing him – his body was icy cold, but she didn't draw back, clasping her arms tightly around his neck. She looked at his face and then kissed him passionately. It was again a shock to her – his lips were like ice, but he moaned at the touch of hers, pulling her tightly against him and trying to savor her warmth, even though it burned him as his icy touch burned her.

He drew away at last with a gasp, burying his face against her shoulder and sobbing into the crook of her neck. She held him and soothed him, letting him cry frozen tears, and trying to ignore the shivering against this onslaught of cold.

"Oh, Victor, I missed you so much," she whispered.

"Oh, Nora," he gasped, his voice shaking. "Nora, my love…"

He drew back, touching her face and raising it up to his, so he could look at her. Nora couldn't control the chattering in her teeth - his fingers were like icicles against her flesh and he noticed, releasing her at once.

"You're…still so beautiful," he whispered, gazing at her longingly but not daring to touch her again.

"And you told me you'd become a monster," she said, forcing a smile. "But you're hardly the Wolfman, are you, Victor?"

"No, I am worse," he retorted. "Cursed to be like this not only when the moon is full, but for all time."

"Don't talk like that," said Nora, gently. "If there was a cure for me, Victor, there could be one for you…"

"You think I have not tried to find one?" he asked. "Aside from your recovery, my love, it was my only other interest. The effects of my transformation are permanent. We must both resign ourselves to that fact."

"There's my gloomy Mr. Raincloud," she sighed, still forcing a smile. "I was hoping a little of my optimism might have rubbed off on you, Victor."

"I have had so little to be optimistic about over the past ten years," he murmured.

"Is that how long...I've been frozen?" she whispered, trying to comprehend it.

He nodded. "If you knew what I have been through, what I have done…"

"It's over now, Victor," she said, gently but firmly, taking his face in her hands. He flinched at her burning fingers. "I'm here. And I'm not leaving you again."

"You…you should," he stammered, drawing away with tears in his eyes. "Look at us, Nora. We cannot even touch each other. You can't even be near me without shivering."

"I'll get used to it," she replied, shrugging. "I just have to build up my tolerance for cold. And I'm sure I will, with time and practice."

"Nora, it doesn't work like that," he said, gently. "Nobody can learn to live in the Arctic just because they try to tolerate cold. The human body can only adapt to certain temperatures, and sub-zero is not one of them."

"Don't attempt to lecture me on ice, Dr. Fries," she retorted. "I was a cryogenic scientist same as you."

"Then you know that what you're saying is nonsense," he murmured gently. "You cannot stay with me, Nora. You have to move on, pretend I'm dead, and find someone else to…"

"Now you're the one talking nonsense," interrupted Nora, angrily. "Don't be ridiculous, Victor. I couldn't move on even if you were dead. I love you."

He shut his eyes. "I have…done so much just to hear those words again from your lips," he whispered, gazing at her.

She smiled. "I love you," she repeated, coming closer to him and embracing him again. "I love you."

He was utterly incapable of resisting her, and he didn't want to, as she enveloped his mouth again. The pain of the extremes of temperatures on their bodies was worth this pleasure. Nora kissed all over his face, burning him in exquisite joy, and he returned her kisses, his hands caressing her face and throat and sliding into her top…

She yelped suddenly, pulling away from him and shivering violently. "Sorry, it's just…cold," she whispered. "I wasn't expecting it…on a sensitive part of my body, but don't stop," she gasped, throwing herself back into his arms. She yelped again, drawing back almost against her will from the iciness of his body. The cold was just too much.

"Nora, we can't," he whispered, tears freezing on his cheeks. "We…we can't. Not like this."

She burst into tears. "I cannot doom you to a marriage of celibacy," he whispered. "If you were to stay with me, we would not be husband and wife. I would be a freak, and you would be my keeper. That is all."

"Oh Victor, that doesn't matter to me," she whispered, wiping her eyes. "I would rather be with you as you are than have a normal marriage with anyone else."

She took his hand, ignoring the chill in her body. "Dr. Leland says you can get yourself out of here. And then we'll find somewhere to live, just the two of us, away from people, somewhere cold…"

"Your plan is impractical," he interrupted. "How would you live there?"

"I'd manage," she replied. "I would have my own room, with blankets and a fireplace…"

"And how would we provide for ourselves?" he asked.

"Well, I could…find a job…"

"How, if we are away from people?"

"I…don't know."

"How would we eat?"

"I don't know."

"How would…"

"I don't know, Victor!" she interrupted, angrily. "But I can't just leave you!"

"You have no choice," he said, firmly. "It is the only practical solution."

"I'm not a practical person," she retorted. "I'm married to a madman, after all," she added, forcing a smile.

He did not smile back. "Victor, please," she murmured. "There has to be some way…"

"There is," he interrupted. "Leave me. Nora, can't you see that I'm only doing this for your own good? I cannot condemn you to a miserable life, not when I worked so hard to save it!"

"And you think I could be happy without you?" she demanded.

"I think you could learn to be, in time," he said, nodding. "You are a wonderful woman, Nora. There is not a man alive who would not be lucky to have you."

"You think I could forget everything you've done for me?" she murmured. "Everything we've shared, our marriage, our love…"

"It is for your own good!" he repeated, louder. "Don't you understand?! If you stayed with me like this, you would grow to hate me! To resent me for keeping you trapped in this lifeless marriage to a frozen creature! I could not bear it, Nora! I could not bear to see hatred in your eyes!"

"I could never hate you, Victor," she whispered. "Never."

He dropped her hand. "It is best that you do," he murmured, coldly. "This is the last time you will see me, Nora. I will refuse to see you if you visit here again. It is the only way you will be able to move on, if you are left with no hope of our being together again."

Nora stared at him. "You would be that cruel to me?" she whispered.

"If it will kill your love for me, yes," he said, firmly.

Tears rose in Nora's eyes again. Then she seized his face in her hands again and kissed him passionately. "It won't," she whispered as she drew away. "Goodbye, Victor."

She stormed from the cell without another word, slamming the door shut behind her. A moment later, Freeze broke down, collapsing onto the bed and sobbing.