Three weeks later...

I woke up in the middle of the night, with the same feeling that's been haunting me lately. I looked at the alarm clock next to my bed. It was 0:11, similar time as before.

I went to the bathroom and turned the lights on. I raised my pajamas shirt, looking at the another scar on my stomach. The new one, added by a police bullet, was still healing and it hurt to touch. Another one, caused by the incident with the Joker back in Arkham Asylum, was barely visible anymore.

It seemed that the events of the incident took place so long ago, like in another life and another world.

I quickly put my glasses on, dressed up, took my purse and left the apartment, heading to my car. I looked at the scent tree hanging on my driving mirror. It had a big, red smile on it, the courtesy of my niece. Jeff and his daughter Lily have been visiting me often for the past three weeks, making sure I never lacked company. I turned the engine on and started my way towards the prison. On my way there I was looking at the walls that marked the Arkham City's former borders; they were soon to be deconstructed.

I reached Blackgate and headed on to the Extreme Isolation wing, created specifically for the super villains after the lockdown of Arkham City. Many inmates were here, either senteced or awaiting for trial. On my way there, I stopped to look at the cell A29, where a lonely inmate resided.

"Hello, Nick."

Nick looked at me through the peep hole.

"Hey. You're here again?"

"Yes."

I've been visiting this place for quite some time.

As soon as Strange's mind controlling techniques were discovered, all of the TYGER guards were apprehended and sent to mental hospitals. Nick, at my request, was sent to the new section of Blackgate.

"How are you holding up?", I asked.

"Good. Good.", he said. I knew he wasn't. "Okay, not really. It's still very... confused, to say the least. But I've been making some progress and at least I can sleep without sedatives. And you? How are you?"

"I'm fine." I said. I really wasn't. "Just wanted to check on you. We'll talk tomorrow, Nick. Try to get some sleep."

I entered the Extreme Isolation area.

I passed the cell B14. Little, bloodshot eyes of a short man were looking at me through the peep-hole of the prison door.

"My, my, isn't that our lovely, miss Alice?", Jarvis Tetch asked. His testimony was vital in treating the former TYGER guards. Why he cooperated so eagerly, nobody knew.

"Hello, Mr. Tetch. I presume you're treatment is going well.", I said coldly.

"Indeed.", he answered with a smile.

I passed the cell B17, in which Eddie was held. I stopped, however, and decided to knock on his door.

I swung open the peep-hole and Eddie's face appeared behind it.

"Hi.", he said. He seemed to be very tired. "I assume you're bothering me in the middle of the night because of some childlish, inner need to care for me, poor inmate? Or maybe you've discovered some riddle that kindergarteners solve in seconds yet you were unable to, despite your diplomma?"

"I'm worried about you."

He was quiet for a second.

"Well, if you're worried whether I'm going to play another game with citizens of Gotham that could easily end well if they had enough creativity, than I'll have you know..."

"Shut up, Eddie.", I said with annoyance. "I'm worried about your trial. And your evaluation. They'll probably consider your insane... as they always did. However, in Arkham City..."

"What? Is playing around with green wires such a crime that they will sentence me, a poor deluded criminal, to death?", he asked mockingly. "I'm fine. And I will be fine. Domin covered my tracks well before GCPD entered Arkham. Just by the way, have you heard that they found Strange's body in the Amusement Mile? And also in Park Row, the Bowery, Industrial District and several other places."

"Funny.", I said and looked him in the eyes. "I hope you'll stop doing this, Eddie. And you'd better stop soon."

"Alice, I know you. You want what's best for everyone. But you know me as well.", he said with a smirk. Not a very happy one.

I said my goodbyes and continued my way through the hallway.

Cell B23.

She wasn't sleeping. The only times she was sleeping was when she was sedated enough. Otherwise, she was just crying.

"Hello, Harley.", I said.

She didn't react. She was just sitting there on the floor, curled up.

"Despite everything,", I said and made a short pause. "I'm still sorry for your loss.", I said.

For a moment there, it seemed almost like if she was listening to me. Then she was back to her regular sobbing.

"I know how you feel."

She looked at me.

She didn't say anything.

There was a moment of silence between us, full of understandement. She continued to sit on the floor, bobbing back and forth, but the sobbing stopped, her breath became more stable.

B29.

As far as I knew, Ivy didn't sleep. She was, however, often in a weird, trance-like state, in which she simply sat on the bed for hours without moving. When asked what was she doing, she simply said that she was 'speaking with her babies'.

I didn't want to disturb her. I was going to have a session with her tomorrow anyway. However, she must've sensed me, because she opened her eyes and looked at me.

"Hello, Alice."

"Hello. How are you holding up?", I asked. This place was really getting to her.

"Very lonely. Although, the guard that brings me food seems to be very... friendly.", she said with a smirk.

"Ivy, please, don't. It will only make things worse for you."

She sighed. "If you say so. So, have you looked at my request?"

"I'm sorry Pam, but you're not allowed to have any plants. And that won't change.", I said. The things she could do with a simple seed were worrying, to say the least.

"I see. Are you going..."

"Yes. I am.", I said. The other woman looked at me with compassion. "I'll see you tomorrow, Pam."

This was going to be more of a session for me than for her.

I continued my way, growing more restless.

C01.

This is where Freeze was kept. There was a special suit waiting outside, in case any of the psychologists wanted to start a session. Freeze was deemed not dangerous, and has been cooperative thus far, loosening up the safety procedures. I put the suit up and entered his cell.

The room itself was constantly covered in a thin, almost invisible layer of rime.

He wasn't asleep. He rarely was.

"It's always a pleasure to see you, Alice."

"Hello, Victor."

After everything that happened in Arkham City, calling each other 'Miss Walker' and 'Mr. Freeze' would be ridiculous.

"How are you feeling?"

"I'm not feeling much, truth to be told.", he said. I was really worried about him. His psychological evaluation deemed a certain level of depression and suicidal thoughts, which could prove to be dangerous. Still, Freeze wasn't the one to give up easily.

"How is Nora doing?", he asked. She was kept in a cell similar to his, due to her uncommon state.

"Her state is stable. Wayne Enterprises offered to donate and conduct research on her illness, as long as it will be safe for her.", I said. Why Bruce Wayne took interest in this, no one knew in the slightest.

"They're fools.", Freeze said with a very, very sad smile. "The same fools that told me all those years ago that my wife will surely die and that there's no cure.", he said. "There's always one. I merely need more time to find it."

"She has plenty of time, Victor.", I said. Just as he was keeping her alive, she kept him going on as well.

"But enough about me. How are you, Alice? You look unwell."

"I still have troubles sleeping."

"I've noticed. It is not the first time that I see you here at such a late hour. Have you thought of, perhaps, attending some sort of therapy as well?", he asked.

"A psychologist visitng a psychologist never works out well, Victor.", I said. "We keep aiming at each other's throats, pointing out issues with our methods, knowledge and even our outfits.", I said with a silly smile.

"I see."

Even though he didn't exactly smile, he seemed to be relaxed and at peace.

"Try to get some sleep, Victor. I'll arrange a session with you next week, okay?"

"Before you go, Alice... friend. Thank you. For what you've done."

"Victor, I merely convinced them to treat you and I just..."

"Not that. What you did... for him."

I stood there for a moment, Victor looking me in the eyes. I hugged him and even though I couldn't feel my fingers in this cold, I felt better than I did in weeks.

I left Freeze's cell, becoming anxious.

I stood before the final door.

I used my ID card to unlock it and entered the room.

C02.

In the middle of this large chamber, a block of ice stood on the floor, surrounded by dozens of devices, all meant to keep the room and the block in optimal temperature.

Waylon's face could be seen through the ice.

"Hello.", I said. "I wanted to see you."

I looked at the humongous shape in the ice, looking the exact same way he did three weeks ago.

"I wanted to talk."

The small heart rate scanner on the front, designed by Freeze himself, was the only sign that Waylon was still alive.

"I can't really sleep. Granted, the sewers weren't perfect, but... it still felt better with you."

The sounds of the machinery surrounding the ice block was filling the room.

"Jeff visited me a couple days ago. He keeps talking about Lily's latest drawings.", I said and chuckled, not even knowing why. I looked at him again.

"I miss you."

His eyes were closed. If it wasn't for the ice, one could think that he was just asleep. He looked more peacefully than he ever did before.

"And I promise you... that I will help you.

I will find the cure.

No matter how long it will take.

It's there. It's in my blood.

I'll convince them to let you go. Eventually.

I won't rest. I won't rest until...

until you will be cured. That, I promise.

Good night, Waylon."