"Come, my beauty, I know you can do it," murmured Crane several weeks later. Lenore was perched between the bars on the windowsill of his cell, and was looking at him in confusion. "You've flown before, and you can do it again. Your wing's all healed, and you don't need me anymore. You need to fly away and be free."

Lenore cheeped in puzzlement, and hopped back over to him. "No, you need to go," he said, pushing her gently back through the bars. "Birds don't belong in cages. Anymore than people do," he sighed, glancing forlornly around his cell. "But some of us can fly away, and some of us can't. And it would terribly selfish for those of us who can't fly to imprison those who can. You must fly away, my pretty. For my own sake."

Lenore chirped sadly, hopping through the bars again and nuzzling against his hand. "Oh, my precious, I'm going to miss you too," he whispered, stroking her softly. "But I have to let you go, don't you see? If you love something, you must let it go. And I never thought I could love something again, you know. You've given me the hope that someday I can. If I can care for a pet as deeply as I care for you…well, it's a start anyway."

Lenore cooed. "Go," he whispered. "Please. It will make me so happy to see you fly."

She nodded, hopping to the edge of the sill. She glanced back at him and chirped fondly, and then spread her wings and leapt off. A moment later she rose up into the sky, flying away until she was no more than a speck on the horizon.

Crane sighed heavily, moving away from the window and sitting back down on his bed. "Alone again, naturally," he muttered, reaching for his book.

"A man who has love is never truly alone," said a voice. Crane looked up in surprise to see Jervis Tetch outside his cell, smiling at him.

"Jervis! I didn't know you were planning a visit!" he exclaimed, beaming and opening the door to his cell. "My day is quite brightened up."

"That's rewarding to hear," said Tetch, taking a seat opposite him.

"Tea?" asked Crane, gesturing to the kettle.

"Do you need to ask?" replied Tetch, grinning.

"How are Alice and Billy and Catherine?" asked Crane as he boiled the kettle. "Is everything all right between you all again?"

"Oh yes, everything's wonderful," said Tetch, nodding. "Alice was quite cross with Billy when he explained Batman's plan, and how he was complicit in it. But I persuaded her to forgive him. Not that I have forgiven Batman, nor do I ever intend to. But Alice was simply mortified, and even though I've assured her I don't blame any of them for what happened, she's insisted on trying to make amends by having me round to see Catherine every single day. Which I'm not at all averse to," he added.

Crane nodded. "I am very glad to hear it," he said, sincerely.

"Did you manage to smooth things over with Clayface?" asked Tetch, taking the mug Crane handed to him.

"Oh, not really," sighed Crane. "But he's found a new person to plot revenge on. When the Joker heard about why he was after my blood, he got his hands on a copy of The Terror, and set about thoroughly mocking it in Basil's presence. I suppose Joker hated the thought of me annoying anyone more than he did. You know he hates being second best."

"Things are back to normal then," said Tetch.

"As normal as they ever are around here," agreed Crane.

"And Lenore is…"

"Healed. And gone," said Crane. "As she should be. I have no right to keep her. I never did. I helped her, but she has to fly on her own now. Still, I can't deny it's…harder than I thought it would be."

Tetch nodded slowly. "I was hoping to say goodbye, but I'm glad you didn't put it off," he said. "It's only harder when you do."

He was silent. "I think that's the ultimate test of love, you know," he murmured. "The willingness to let something go for the sake of its own happiness. We can't always protect those we love, and perhaps that's a good thing. They can only grow stronger with independence, and the knowledge that they will always have our support and our love to fall back on, should they need it. I imagine that's what it's like being a parent."

"I don't think either of us will ever know what that's like, Jervis," murmured Crane.

Tetch smiled. "Never say never, Jonathan," he murmured, clapping him on the back. "I daresay nobody ever really thought I could ever be cured. But impossible things are happening every day."

He stood up. "I'll visit again soon."

"I will look forward to it," replied Crane. "As always."

Tetch smiled, and abruptly hugged him tightly. "Until next time, my friend," he whispered.

He left the cell with a tip of his hat. Crane sat back down, alone but not lonely. He missed his friend, and he missed Lenore, but he was happy that they were both free, and he hoped to join them someday. It might be an impossible hope, but for a lunatic, the impossible and the possible were very difficult to distinguish.

He picked up his book again when he suddenly heard a familiar chirping on his windowsill. He turned to see Lenore hopping back inside, shaking the rain off her feathers. She cheeped happily at him and then flew over to perch on his shoulder, settling down comfortably and shutting her eyes to sleep.

Crane stroked her gently, unbelievably happy. "You came back," he whispered. She cheeped again, nuzzling against him. "Yes, I suppose freedom can be overrated," he murmured, smiling at her. "And perhaps a cage is not so bad when you're locked up with a friend."

He petted her gently and smiled, returning his attention to his book.

The End