It was a snowy night in Gotham as Batman and Nightwing made their way to the Gotham docks. They'd received word on the Gotham waters unusually increasing in temperature in the last week.

With a little digging, they found out that radioactive waste had been being dumped into the water. So the duo found themselves at the docks to investigate. Batman stuck a thermometer in the water, and it immediately started making clicking noise.

"You hear that, you can poach an egg in this water," Terry commented. "That must be where they're loading the radioactive waste before dumping it out at sea," Bruce said over the coms. Suddenly, a truck came driving down, making the duo jump and take cover on some beams. A bunch of workers got out and began to unload canisters from the truck.

A barge sailed towards them, and the workers began loading the canisters in order for them to be dumped. Both Batman and Nightwing watched before pushing their stealth buttons. "Make it snappy, we got 20 minutes before the next harbor patrol," the captain said, looking at his watch.

Then, out of nowhere, a bola wrapped around the captain, making him fall. Then to the workers on the barge were picked up and thrown against two others, making all the canisters fall over. The guard screamed, they couldn't see the attackers, it was almost like fighting a ghost.

Out of nowhere, a pair of batarangs flew out and pin the rest of the guards, rendering them unconscious.

The truck started to drive away, but an explosive thrown in front of it made the truck swerve and crash. The duo switched back to visibility and approached the man who was leading this whole project. Batman didn't waste time and lifted the man up by his collar and readying a fist. "Who hired you?" Batman interrogated. The man smiled cocky, "Think I'd tell you?"

Wrong answer, Batman was about to punch the man until Nightwing spotted something. Nightwing signaled Batman to wait and grab the cell phone sticking out of the man's shirt pocket. Wordlessly, Batman punched the man unconscious and looked at Nightwing, who was busy on the man's phone.

Over at Wayne-Powers, Derek Powers was in the middle of a meeting with some clients. "Mister powers, it's been a long night. My clients would like to go back to their hotel and rest a little and think about your offer," one of the businessmen said. "Gentlemen, the buyout offer is on the table. Leave this room, and I withdraw it," Powers smiled.

While the businessmen talked amongst each other, Powers' cell phone rang. "Powers," Derek answered as he turned his chair around. "Amazing the numbers people put on their speed dial. Just wanted you to know tonight's boat ride has been canceled, though your guns are still going up the river. Wish you could join them," Nightwing's voice rang through the other side of the line.

Powers became angry, and his phone smashed from his grip. "Sir, your eyes," his assistant said, handing him a mirror. Powers gasped as he saw the skin under his eyes crack; his neon skin showing through.

Powers quickly wore the black glasses his assistant handed to him and turned around. "My friends, perhaps you're right. It is an ungodly hour. We'll continue this negotiation tomorrow when we're refreshed," Powers said before rushing from the room.

~8~

"It's useless. It barely lasts a day anymore. What do I pay you people for?" Powers complained to his scientists. "It's not the skin, sir. The radiation you're emitting is getting stronger," a scientist tried to explain. "Is that supposed to pacify me?" Powers growled at the man. "Mr. Powers? I have a suggestion," a female said approaching the man.

"Who are you?" Powers inquired. "She's new here, Mr. Powers. She really shouldn't be--" a scientist tried to answer but was cut off by the woman.

"I'm Dr. Lake. Stephanie Lake," the brunette introduced. "What's this suggestion of yours?" Powers asked, intrigued. "I could use your baseline DNA to build you a new body, then transfer your neural patterns into it," Stephanie explained. "Dr. Lake, it's not your place to--" the scientist was once again interrupted.

"A new body? Go on, Dr. Lake," Powers gestured. "Theoretically, it should work. Of course, I would want to test the process first on someone who was already systematically damaged DNA," Stephanie explained. "You have someone in mind?" Powers questioned.

Dr. Lake opened the door to a cryostasis room, and the inside was a head in a glass container. The head belonged to none other than Mr. Freeze. "Take a good look, doctor. I've been like this for nearly 50 years, and I haven't aged one day. I've become what many men have dreamed of.... an immortal. And yet, there hasn't been a day, an hour, a minute I haven't thought about death. It obsesses me, even now," Freeze said in a pained voice.

His words were true. Nearly 50 years, he had spent his life trapped, unable to die. And throughout all those years, he's only dreamt of one thing, to be reunited with his wife in the afterlife. "What if I said I could give you a life? A normal life," Stephanie told Victor as she walked closer. "Bah," Freeze responded in denial. "Victor, an incredible mind like yours deserves a body," Stephanie told him. Victor looked at her shocked. Even though he had nobody, he still felt like his heart fell for the woman.

Not even an hour later, Victor found himself surrounded by scientists. His new body, an exact replica of his old one, lay on a table nearby. "Dr. Lake and I have taken every precaution, Victor. Let me assure you," Powers said. "Save your breath. I am neither afraid nor capable of being comforted by your banal words," Victor said sternly. "Remember, there might be some momentary discomfort," Dr. Lake cautioned. All Victor remembered was screaming from the jolts of electricity before his entire vision went black.

Victor screamed as he woke up. It was almost like he didn't blackout. "Welcome back to the living," Powers said to him as he got up out of bed. "I don't think you should -" Dr Lake began protesting, "Let's see what he can do," Powers cut her off.

Victor approached the window and saw his reflection. He looked normal! Hesitantly, he touched the window, and to his surprise, he could feel the coolness. "Cold. It feels... cold," Victor said smiling, not caring about the tears gathering in his eyes.

~8~

When school ended, Terry and Eliana found themselves talking with Dana. "So, Dana, you got time for a fizz or something?" Terry asked as they all walked down the school's stairs. "I do, but you two don't, your keepers here," Dana said, making the duo confused until she pointed to Bruce Wayne, who was watching them. Saying a quick goodbye, Terry and Eliana went to the old man.

Bruce said nothing but gave them his phone, which played a past announcement from Derek Powers. "Victor Fries has paid his debt to society, and now, with the help of the great medical minds of Wayne-Powers, he's returned to a normal life," Powers said. "When was this on?" Terry asked Bruce. "This morning," Bruce replied as the duo continued to watch. "My fervent hope is that the technology used to help Victor will serve to help millions more," Powers finished.

After the video finished, Bruce addressed them, "I want you to follow him. Don't let Victor out of your sights." Eliana was very quick to question his order, "Why? He hasn't done anything." I mean, sure, he was a villain, but it looked like he'd changed, at least in Eliana's eyes. "I don't trust him," Bruce answered, walking away. Eliana decided to call his bluff, "Who? Powers or Fries?"Neither," Bruce said, leaving the two.

Eliana wanted to do this mission alone, although she'd have to try to convince Terry not to join her without blatantly saying it. "Hey, you know what, Terry, how about you go get a fizz with Dana. I can handle this on my own," Eliana told him casually.

She noticed how he was about to protest, so she continued, "Look, Dana hasn't hung out with either of us in forever. We owe it to her. Besides, I'm just doing some recon. It's not action you'll miss out on. " Eliana panicked for a few moments until Terry spoke up, "You sure you'll be okay?" He asked skeptically.

Eliana inwardly sighed in relief, "Hey, I've been a hero longer than you, and I'm fully trained, I can handle something like this," Eliana said, brushing off his skepticism "Okay, but if the old man asks why I didn't help, you're taking the fall," Terry said, caving in. Eliana nodded her head, "Deal," she said before running off to suit up.

~8~

Eliana watched Fries save a cat from running onto the train tracks before giving it to the child owner. "Yeah, there's a menace to society," Eliana remarked sarcastically. She followed him and his female partner to Gotham Acres.

From her cover, Eliana narrowed her eyes on the tombstone Fries was in front of. She was shocked to realize it was his. Eliana stretched out two fingers in order for her suit to transmit what Fries was saying.

"Victor Fries? How fitting that that a diseased skull of mine should be buried like this," Victor spoke softly. "Frankly, I couldn't think of anything else to do with it," his partner said. 'She must be one of the scientists who helped Victor', Eliana thought as she continued to listen. "It was the right thing. It symbolizes the end of a life and the beginning of a new one," Victor said, looking deeply into the eyes of his partner.

If Eliana didn't know any better, she would say that they're in love.

The moment turned serious, however, when Eliana noticed a figure with a gun aiming at the couple... more specially Fries. Using her jet feet, Eliana quickly boosted over and tackled the couple to the ground. "Stay down," she warned them as bullets kept firing at them.

Eliana threw a smoke bomb at the figure, and while they were distracted, she kicked the figure to the ground. The shooter tried to run away but fell to the ground after a bola wrapped around them.

"No, no! He's gotta die! The monster's gotta die!" Eliana pulled off the shooter's mask to reveal an older man. "How could you save him? After what he did. What he did to me," the man questioned harshly. Fries approached the man, "What did I do?" He questioned, confused. "You destroyed my life, my family, years ago. Gone. Frozen. Forever," the man explained somberly. "We'll let the police take care of him," Eliana told Fries, but to her surprise, Victor kneeled down to the man's level.

"No. I've done this man enough damage. No words can express my sorrow for the pain I've caused you. I beg your forgiveness. It was another life, though that's hardly an excuse. I can only promise you this--I will do the best I can to make reparations to you and everyone I've ever hurt," Victor told the man with determination. The man himself looked surprised before flering. 'Maybe Fries isn't the villan we thought him to be,' Eliana thought.

Back at the Batcave, the trio watched an interview Fries was involved in. "I'm calling it the Nora Fries Foundation, named after my former wife," Victor told the reporter. "And you intend to fund it yourself?" The reporter questioned.

"Before I went to prison, my legitimate earnings were put in a blind trust. After all these years, it comes to quite a significant sum," Victor replied.

"A half billion, I hear. That's some charity," the reporter said.

"Not charity..Justice." Was Victor's final statement

"More like blood money," Bruce commented. Eliana felt her blood boil, "Can't you cut him a little slack? He's trying to fix his past mistakes," she argued. "Like my mom said, he's just a guy trying to put his house in order," Terry added. "It's a cold draft that blows through that house," Bruce said, leaving the duo.

"You should have seen Fries today, Terry! I mean, a man tried to assassinate him, and he forgives him! I've never seen such compassion shown, nonetheless from a former criminal," Eliana exclaimed, frustrated. "Hey, I hear ya, I don't think he's as bad as Bruce thinks," Terry said, putting a hand on her shoulder to calm her down. "Don't take this the wrong way, but I kinda thought you'd be with the old man on this one. I mean, like he was one of the old man's major villans, I just thought you'd be with on his side," Terry told her.

Eliana sighed and looked down, "That's the thing, Terry.....when it comes to emotions and people, I'm not Bruce. Bruce doesn't trust anyone, maybe a selective few like me and you, but that's pushing it. Bruce only looks for the bad in people and overlooks the good. I, however, am the opposite, I trust people, and I always look at the good in people rather than the bad.

"Bruce would sacrifice everything for the sake of his mission, and that's not me; I follow my heart. Bruce said one of my greatest weaknesses is that I lack ruthlessness, and maybe he's right."

Terry lifted her chin up softly, "He's wrong Ellie, your heart is your greatest strength. Your heart is what makes you......well you. Don't ever change who you are, Eliana." Eliana nodded, and Terry pulled her into a much needed hug. Eliana doesn't fully trust Fries, but she'll give him something Bruce won't.......the benefit of the doubt.

~8~

Straight after the interview ended, Victor began to feel abnormally hot and sweaty. Quickly, he made his way outside to cool off, but it didn't help. After taking off his coat and sitting on a nearby bench, Fries used a cloth to wipe the sweat beading down his face. Not even a few moments later, it began to snow, and he felt better. Victor looked at the sky in shock..........he couldn't feel the cold anymore.

Fries immediately went to Waynepowers in need of Stephanie's help. After explaining the situation, Fries found himself waiting in a cell room. "He's reverting," Stephanie told Powers over the phone. "Why? How? Don't you know what this means to me?" Powers replied angrily. "There must be some kind of pneumonic agent within the DNA," Stephanie explained. "If only we could biopsy his organs at this stage," Powers pondered.

Stephanie smirked menacingly, "That might be doable." After hanging up, Stephanie made her way to the thermostat that controlled the temperature in the cell and turned it up. She turned the temp all the way to 91°F (32°C)....a temp lethal to Victor.

Feeling the temperature increase immensely, Victor rushed to the glass barrier. "Stephanie? Stephanie! What are you doing? No! Please! Open the door! Please. Please. Ahh. Ohh. Ugh!" Victor stumbled onto his knees, holding his throat. He looked at Stephanie with desperation....all he was met with was a bored look.

Victor's blood boiled! He thought he could start a new life, one that involved Stephanie. Stephanie didn't care about him. She never did. He was only an experiment to her. After all this, he thought he could trust the world and its people......but he was wrong. People will always be cruel and unaccepting, which will never change. No one cares about him, and no one would ever love him.

Victor grabbed the table in his cell and threw it at the glass, shattering it. The impact sent Stephanie to the ground. Stephanie looked up fearfully as Victor stood above her with a face full of rage. After gazing down upon Stephanie, Victor ran out of the room.

He burst outside and was met with snow. Victor felt relieved as the cold temperature made him feel better. After calming down, Victor felt the rush of revenge come to him. Yes....he would get revenge on those who hurt him. But he needed to become Mr. Freeze again, and that required him to get an old project of his.

~8~

Eliana was devastated when she heard the news of Fries' escape from WaynePowers. She knew something big must have happened to send him on the run. Bruce felt the same way, too, as he sent the duo to observe WaynePowers.

"Even if he ran away like we heard, it doesn't mean he's gonna come back," Terry commented. "He'll be back. Count on it. He lives for revenge," Bruce replied in his usual stoic voice.

"Not the Victor Fries I met," Eliana butted in. She had seen the man Victor became with her own eyes, the man who didn't want revenge. "What you met was a ghost," Bruce answered, but Eliana knew there was some lie to that.

"Security's checked every meat locker, deep freeze, and cryogenic plant in town. No sign of him," Stephanie told Powers as they got off an elevator. "We never should have started this," one scientist spoke up. "Sometimes you find the wrong answers before you find the right ones. That's what science is all about. And anyway, if he's still hiding in Gotham, he's fried." Stephanie smirked at the last part of her statement.

"What makes you so sure?" Powers questioned after seeing her smirk. "We're having a heat wave, Mr. Powers. Today, it hits 95°F (35°C)," Stephanie replied happily.

Her happiness was short lived however when the building started to shake. "Hey! What's--what's going on? Where's that coming from? Ugh!" Powers stumbled a bit. Out of nowhere, ice spikes began to pierce the room they were in.

Terry and Eliana watched as the ice spikes appeared all over WaynePowers. 'Oh Fries, what have you done?' Eliana sadly thought as she saw the destruction. Immediately, the duo used their suit wings to fly over to WaynePowers.

Inside WaynePowers, Stephanie and Derek were busy running towards the exit, dodging more ice spikes that came out of the ground. They almost reached the doors, but an ice wall burst out of the ground, covering the exit.

Stephanie and Powers both fell to the ground from the sudden burst. The two watched as Fries flew out of an ice hole wearing a very armored version of his regular suit. "Fries! How?" Powers called out in shock. "It's something I've kept in cold storage," Fries responded monotoned.

Powers quickly got up and ran away but slipped after Fries blasted the floor with ice. "You have this all wrong," Powers said, trying to reason with Victor. "Do I?" Victor said as he held up his gauntlet to blast him. "Victor, don't do it... Please," Stephanie called out from behind, making Victor's gaze move to her.

Thinking he was distracted, Powers got up to escape again, but Victor saw him and encased Powers in ice. "We were only trying to help you," Stephanie said calmly as she backed into a wall. "Remember, there might be some momentary discomfort," Fries said before he blasted her.

Stephanie's screams were heard even outside the building as she was encased in an ice coffin. When Victor exited the building, he was met with security guards firing at him. It didn't take him long to shoot out ice that formed a dome over the men.

Unknown to him, back in the hallway, Powers unleashed the full heat of his body's radioactivity, shedding both his icy prison and his artificial skin.

~8~

In the generator's control room, Fries began blasting ice everywhere. He made his way to the control system and set it to overload; during this, he saw a familiar shadow. "There's enough energy here to destroy the whole compound, Nightwing. I suggest you find a way out, you as well, Batman," Fries said, turning to look at the vigilantes.

"Fries, think. This can't be what you want. You'll only cause more pain, more suffering," Eliana pleaded to him. "No, I end it. When this goes, I go, too," Fries answered, sending a blast of ice at the duo.

They both dodged and leaped out of the way of many ice strikes sent from Fries. They jumped down to level with Fries and put out batarangs, but before they could throw them, Fries had sent a blast of ice they couldn't avoid. The duo grunted as the blast sent them into a wall and trapped them against it. They vigorously tried to break free, but the ice was too strong.

"You had your chance," Fries commented but was interrupted by someone behind him. "So did you," Powers said, shocking Fries. Fries screamed in pain as Powers used his radiation to shock him. "Yeah, you feel it, don't you? Right through your suit. The heat is on, Victor," Powers said in a condeccending tone.

Eliana didn't know who this neon skeleton was, but the fact that he was hurting Fries made her struggle to get out even more. "Terry, Eliana, I can't maintain a video link. What's going on?" Bruce said through the coms. Thankfully, Terry managed to break free some of the ice encasing them.

"Behold, I shall be a blight upon the land, and everything I touch shall wither and die," Powers told Fries as he smashed one of his ice gauntlets. Powers raised a fist and was about to punch Fries but was kicked away. "Batman, Nightwing," Powers said, recovering. "And who are you sunshine?" Terry quipped. "Blight will do," Blight responded as he threw two energy balls at the duo.

Unfortunately, they weren't able to miss the blasts and ended up getting dazed by them. While distracted, Blight managed to lift and throw Batman before tackling Nightwing to the ground.

"Eliana, there's something hot in that room," Bruce said. "Ugh! No kidding," Eliana squeaked out as she struggled in Blights grip. Eventually, she was able to headbutt him, and roundhouse kick him into a pipe. The duo ran and jumped on many objects to avoid the energy balls/blasts Blight was sending them. "He's like a walking meltdown," Terry commented. "Keep your distance. Your suits will give you some protection, but it's not designed for such high levels of radiation," Bruce informed grimly.

Batman and Nightwing a batarang grapple that wrapped around Blight to subdue him. Blight, however, pulled on the ropes, causing the vigilantes to go into the air, before he used his powers to shock the ropes. The energy traveled up the ropes and blasted the duo away.

"You only got a tan that time, Batman, Nightwing. Here comes the real burn," Blight said, getting ready to strike again. Suddenly, Blight was ice blasted away by Fries. The blast sent Blight out of the building, WaynePowers, and into a frozen lake.

Eliana immediately ran over to Fries but was told to stop by him. Eliana looked around as the room began to crumble, "You gotta get out of here, Fries. The whole place is gonna go," she pleaded. "Believe me... you're the only one who cares, and I thank you, Nightwing," Fries said, already accepting his fate. The room began to crumble even more as explosions went off. "The both of you, get out of there NOW!" Bruce yelled.

Eliana was about to run to Fries, but he created an ice wall between them, "No! Fries!" She said, banging on the ice. This couldn't be the end. Terry had to grab her in order to escape the building. As they were escaping, Eliana turned back to see the room totally destroyed with Fries it.

~8~

After getting himself out of the lake, Powers called his doctors to his location. "Mr. Powers. Thank heavens. We used an infrared scan to locate you. Not that you would have been hard to spot without it," a scientist said as Powers walked into the hovercraft. "We also brought these, just in case you were cold," another scientist said, holding up blankets. Powers paused and gave the man a blank look, "You idiots," he insulted, walking away.

~8~

Dawn found Bruce, Terry, and Eliana watching WaynePowers still burning at a far distance. Eliana gazed at the place with sadness, Fries' demise still fresh. "With all his injuries and that cracked helmet, no way he got out," Terry said, leaning on a ledge. "It could have been worse. He could have blown up the whole compound like he intended. Killed hundreds," Bruce said.

Eliana couldn't help but frown at her mentor's words. "Guess you were right about Fries all along," Eliana admitted. But what he said next shocked her, "We both were." And with that final note, Bruce left, leaving the two teens to themselves.

The two stood in silence for a long time, not saying a word. Terry was concerned, however, after Fries' death, Eliana hadn't really spoken much. He knew why, of course, Fries' death hit Eliana the hardest, and it was easy to see that she did indeed care about the man.

"Are you okay? You've been really reserved for a while, I'm beginning to worry," Terry said, breaking the silence. There was a brief pause before Eliana answered, "Yeah, I'm okay, don't worry," her sad tone told Terry the opposite. "I'm sorry about Fries, I know you hoped he changed and become a greater man," Terry said. He was about to continue, but Eliana sternly intervened.

"Fries did change. He became the loving man every man should strive to be. Fries wanted to be more, but fate and the cruelness of people stopped him. The truth is, Victor's heart was frozen long ago and no matter how hard he tried to thaw it out....the world would just encase it back," Eliana said as a tear slipped down her face.

She would never forget Victor because his story taught her that even people with cold hearts....can change if given the chance.