"What do you do around here for fun?" Gosalyn asked Stellar as he walked back into the front room.
He had large lamps in his hands and set them down before shuffling around the room, gathering handheld tools such as screwdrivers and hammers and nails. "Mostly community based activities," he said, pocketing the tools. "There's a rec team who organizes sports and games. We have a lot of book clubs. Self defense classes. Lyn sometimes has robot seminars to try and teach everyone how they operate, but no one seems to follow those very well. Haven't met anyone who was as technically minded as her. At least, not down here."
Gosalyn nodded, watching LP as he rolled in small circles around the shop. "What will you do until Lyn comes back?"
Stellar turned around, eyes sweeping over the room, ensuring he'd gotten everything he needed. "Got some deliveries to make and people to check up on. If you want to come with, you're welcome to."
"I think I can squeeze it in between my book club and soccer tournament."
He grinned and tossed her a pack of lightbulbs, which she easily caught.
Gosalyn had a few guesses as to who had been arrested and taken to the Barricades, but didn't want to get her hopes up. It might not be anyone she knew. It could be a bunch of rambunctious teens from this universe rather than, say, her father. Or Negaduck.
Even if multiverse travel had been listed as one of their offenses. It was best not to get her hopes up.
She'd need to keep busy to make sure she was distracted from the nervousness gnawing away in her gut.
LP chirped excitedly when Gosalyn walked by and she couldn't help petting him. He whirred and squealed, spinning in small excited circles before he settled.
Stellar picked up the large lamps and nodded to her. "Ready?"
"Ready."
They stepped outside, back into the ambling streets of Eden.
Stellar visited a few people they'd passed by on their way in, offering them assistance with his small array of tools he'd brought. He mounted a chandelier in one home, hammered up paneling in another, gave the lightbulbs to a young family who were thrilled to have electric light in their home again, and he even went so far as to install the lights himself.
Walking into each place with confidence tempered with a helpfulness, Stellar had a gift of encouraging conversation, even from those who were more reserved. More than one person handed him baked goods or other food items, which Stellar graciously took and either handed to Gosalyn or tucked away into his pockets. Eventually, a woman gave them a large wicker basket she'd woven herself and they piled all the food in there.
Stellar was patient, smiling at everyone with the same level of genuine interest. He offered solutions to problems. He set up future meetings for those who had bigger concerns or because he would need to grab the proper tools to take care of the issue. He was charismatic and very easy to be around.
Was this what Stellar would have been like in her universe? Or in the Negaverse? If he hadn't been cruel or power hungry?
"I don't do well if I'm in power. Goes straight to my head."
That's what he had told her.
Was power really what separated this Stellar from the others?
Gosalyn didn't think so.
"Claire, good to see you," Stellar said, smiling at a passing woman. Her caramel hair was cut short and she wore a white shirt under what Gosalyn could only describe as a black and gold corset with a leather strap crossing over her shoulder. A golden skirt that was shorter in the front than the back swayed playfully as she walked towards them, purple leggings stretching down and tucked into her brown ankle boots.
"Hello Stellar," she said, her voice as warm as her smile. It faltered slightly as she looked at Gosalyn, her eyes round, but she recovered quickly and smiled again. "I'm Claire."
Gosalyn nodded her greeting. "Gosalyn."
Something sparkled in Claire's blue-green eyes. "You're the one who traveled the multiverse."
"Sure am."
"My friend Rhoda told me all about you," Claire said, looking over her shoulder at another woman.
This woman's brown hair was pulled up into small intricate braids that criss crossed over her head before all somehow twisting back into her short ponytail. She wore a gold shirt with billowing black sleeves underneath a maroon dress that, like Bushroot's overalls, had only one strap coming up to stretch over her right shoulder. The dress flared at the bottom, her gray tights tucked into boots that looked much more beaten up than Claire's.
At the sound of her name, Rhoda looked up and came over, offering Stellar a smile before her rich brown eyes fell to the lamps he was carrying. "Are those for Reggie?"
Gosalyn's eyes dropped to Rhoda's left hand where she saw a ring of gold around her finger. She wondered if this woman was Bushroot's — no, Reggie's — wife.
"They are," said Stellar, holding them up. "Repaired and fully functional."
"He'll be so pleased," Rhoda said. "He's been asking after those for weeks."
"Don't I know it," Stellar said with a laugh. He nodded to Gosalyn as he lowered the lamps back to his sides. "This is Gosalyn."
"Nice to meet you," said Rhoda with a kind smile to Gosalyn. "Reggie was even more excited to see someone who had traveled the multiverse than he was about his heat lamps. For a few minutes, anyway."
"Nice to meet you," said Gosalyn, maneuvering the basket so it was balanced under one arm before holding out a hand.
"Likewise." Rhoda's hands were rough and calloused but everything else about her was soft and Gosalyn liked her instantly.
Claire looked back up at Stellar. "You're coming to dinner tonight, right?"
Stellar studied her, his brows furrowing in concentration. "I wasn't planning on… oh." He smiled at her sheepishly. "I said we'd have dinner, didn't I?"
"Last week."
"Tonight might be tricky. I have to…." He nodded to Gosalyn.
"Don't you use her as an excuse. That's rude." Claire turned to Gosalyn, giving her a pointed stare. "You make sure he comes by tonight. He gets so busy that he forgets to have any fun."
Gosalyn nodded, not wanting to disobey Claire.
Rhoda grinned at Gosalyn. "You're welcome to come, of course."
"That'd be fun," Gosalyn said.
Claire leaned in closer to Stellar, saying, "I like her." She winked at Gosalyn before weaving her arm through Rhoda's. "If you're going to drop off the lamps, we can walk back with you."
The four of them headed to the green houses that Reggie had pointed out earlier, citizens still looking at Gosalyn with keen interest, but with less whispering and pointing to her.
As they stepped into the green houses that looked full to the brim with all sorts of greenery, Reggie's voice floated to them. "I just don't see how a small ceramic animal growing a plant out of their back or head is practical."
"Of course it isn't practical!" said another voice that Gosalyn instantly recognized as Quackerjack's. "They're fun! You never have fun, Reg. This would be good for you."
"But what's the point of them?" Reggie asked.
It was warm and humid in the green house, filled with trees reaching up toward the ceilings, bushes sprawling across the floor, everything lush and green and alive. Splashes of vibrantly colored flowers broke up the different shades of green every few feet. There was a thin clear cut path of gardening stones that they traipsed across to a small clearing in the middle of the green house with benches, chairs, and a small round table. Reggie was standing there, his overalls considerably dirtier than when Gosalyn had seen them earlier, and beside him was Quackerjack.
Unlike any Quackerjack Gosalyn had seen.
Not sporting his jester hat or costume. Frizzed red hair stuck out in all angles from his head, giving him a crazed mad scientist look that was offset by his billowy purple shirt, tailored orange leather vest, his dark blue trousers, and brown boots.
Reggie grinned as he saw the group approach. "Are those my heat lamps?"
Stellar handed them over. "Let us know if you need more help with them."
Reggie was practically wriggling as he took them in hand, looking to Rhoda. "I'm going to plug them in now! The Valerian will be growing in no time!" He scurried off, Rhoda smiling after him before excusing herself to follow.
"Oh!" said Quackerjack, bouncing over to Gosalyn and seizing her hand, pumping it up and down enthusiastically. "You must be the multiverse traveler! I'm Jack. I'd love to pick your brain as to what sorts of fun you get up to in your world."
"He helps to keep everyone in good spirits while living underground," Stellar explained.
"And learning about games you play in your universe will be very helpful for my research." Jack's smile was huge and so genuine that Gosalyn was somewhat taken aback. He wasn't manic or crazed. Just exuberant and energetic. Wanting to spread joy and happiness to everyone but without the desperation and loss her own Quackerjack had.
"Sure," she said, who was vibrating from where Jack was still shaking her hand with vigor.
"Jack," said Claire softly, a fond look on her face as she placed a hand on his shoulder.
"Mmh?" He looked to her before glancing back down at his and Gosalyn's joined hands. "Oh, yes." He released her as quickly as he'd grabbed ahold and took a step back to stand shoulder to shoulder with Claire. "I sometimes get a little too excited," he said by way of explanation with a small shrug of his shoulders.
"It's fine," Gosalyn said, righting the basket in her grip. She glanced down at Jack and Claire's hands, and they, too, were wearing wedding rings.
Looking back up to their faces, a forlorn happiness welling up in her chest at the thought of both Bushroot and Quackerjack getting their happy endings in this universe, but unsure if they would ever get it in hers, she said, "It's nice to meet you."
"Rhoda invited her to dinner tonight," said Claire, weaving her fingers through Jack's as she took ahold of his hand. "So you can ask all your questions then."
"Wonderful!" Jack said, beaming at Gosalyn. "If you want to bring by any drawings of the games you play, I'd love to have them. Diagrams are so helpful."
"I'm not much of an artist," Gosalyn said.
"Oh, I'm sure you are." Jack waved away her reservations. "It's children who make the best art, after all, and if your skills are anything like a child's, then it'll be just fine."
Gosalyn just smiled as Jack turned to Stellar and asked after some sort of festival that was coming up.
They talked for a few moments before Stellar mentioned that he had a few more people to see, but he left with promises to talk with Jack at dinner that night. He ushered Gosalyn out of the green house and back out into the streets where the two of them continued to help the citizens and collect more food as thanks.
Gosalyn realized, as Stellar spoke to more citizens, that she didn't know anything about him. She'd never found out about his life, where he came from. What his childhood had been like, who his parents had been, how he met and fell in love with Ana. All the other versions of Stellar she'd encountered had been her adversaries; she hadn't thought to learn about their histories. She'd been more distracted with fighting against them.
But this Stellar. He'd tell her if she asked. And she wanted to know.
Gosalyn was formulating how best to bring it up, which questions she should ask first, when she saw it.
Flashes of purple and an oversized fedora.
A scarlet fedora in the same size but paired with yellow and black.
Gosalyn's heart pounded. Was she imagining them, desperate as she was to see them again? Or were they really here?
But there was Lyn, her arms swinging freely at her sides as she nodded to people who called out to her. She wasn't as jovial or as welcoming as Stellar. Yet everyone around her seemed to have an air of respect for Lyn that they didn't for Stellar.
Gosalyn's thoughts of the interplay between Lyn vs. Stellar in their community flew straight out of her head when the crowd parted slightly and she caught sight of her father. Of Negaduck. Of — most surprisingly — Tony Mallard from the Duckvengers universe.
Setting down the basket of gathered groceries, Gosalyn took off down the street, calling, "Dad!"
Darkwing immediately stood straight, his head snapping around every which way as he searched for her. She was able to discern the moment he saw her, his eyes closing as he sighed. Before breaking into a sprint towards her.
They met in the middle of the space that had spread out between them.
Gosalyn flung herself into his arms, and he easily caught her, his grip strong as iron as he held her close.
"Gosalyn," he breathed, planting a few kisses on her cheek before burying his face into her hair.
The feel of his arms, his voice, his familiar scent all collided together in this moment and she felt like she could finally breathe again. Safety and security wrapped around her and she all at once became very aware of the severity of her situation. What she had been facing in this universe, looming before her suddenly real and dangerous.
She had been kidnapped. Brought to a foreign universe that was so very far away from where she lived. Been told she would never return home. That she would be staying here, living out the rest of her life in prison for actions she still didn't think were wrong.
"Shh," Darkwing soothed, and she realized she was shaking. He tightened his arms around her even further, softly reassuring, "I've got you. You're safe now."
"I didn't think I'd see you again," Gosalyn said, her voice choked on the lump in her throat, tears streaming down her cheeks.
She'd been so focused on getting out, on surviving, on trying to get back home that the harsh reality of the situation hadn't even crossed her mind.
Until this moment.
When she was safe enough to process everything.
And the odds that had been stacked against her were astronomical.
"Like anything could keep me from you." He leaned back, his hands coming up to cradle her face. There were tears in his eyes, too, and he smiled at her warmly. "But we would have found each other again anyway. I found your lock pick in the cell," he said. "I'm so proud of you."
More tears cascaded down her cheeks and Darkwing pulled her back into the comfort and security of his arms. She went willingly, practically collapsing into him.
Far too soon, Darkwing was pulling away again, wiping her tears away and smiling at her. She offered him a wet smile of her own and he kissed her forehead before standing beside her.
Gosalyn smiled at Negaduck, who was standing nearby but was careful not to approach. This was far too public a place for him to show any type of affection, even if no one here knew who he was.
He nodded at her, the softness in his eyes contradicting the severe expression on his face.
Tony, though, had no reservations. "What's up, kid?" he asked, stepping forward and sweeping her into a bear hug.
"Oh, nothing much. What about you?"
Tony chuckled as he stepped back and shrugged nonchalantly. "You know, just universe hopping. Typical Tuesday."
"It probably shouldn't be typical," said Lyn, her arms crossed over her chest and her expression tight as she observed all of them. "Unless you want to get arrested again."
"Buzzkill," said Tony with a roll of his eyes. Gosalyn smiled and playfully punched him in the shoulder.
"I just finished my rounds," said Stellar as he approached, the basket of food cradled in his arms. "Should we return to the house?"
Gosalyn couldn't remember ever feeling the mood in the area shift so abruptly.
Several things happened at once.
Darkwing shoved Gosalyn behind him.
Negaduck swore and leaped in front of both of them, a Glock already in hand and pointed straight at Stellar's head.
Lyn yanked a katana free and lunged for Negaduck.
Just as Negaduck fired the gun, the bullet soaring up into the cavern as Lyn tackled him to the ground.
Using her katana, she plunged it through his cape and into the cobblestoned ground beneath to secure him as she placed a knee on his chest and drew out her second sword, holding it to his throat.
As soon as the shot had fired, all of Eden had gone eerily quiet. Those who had been on the streets were all staring at them and those who hadn't been witness approached now, all silent as they surveyed the scene.
"I think you've forgotten," said Lyn, staring down at Negaduck with contempt, "that everyone in this town was arrested for something. Do you really want to start a fight against an entire city of criminals?"
Negaduck smiled, slow and dangerous. "You have no idea who I am do you?" he asked softly.
"You're the duck who's on the other end of my sword," Lyn said, leaning down and placing the blade to the tender flesh of Negaduck's neck.
"For now," Negaduck said.
Lyn scowled but otherwise didn't act. Waiting for Negaduck to make the first move.
Stellar didn't look the least bit concerned.
Tony had taken up a defensive position beside Darkwing, the two of them watching the proceedings silently.
And all around them, the citizens of Eden were waiting. Some of them were reaching into their coats or vests. Others held knives, swords, pistols or rifles. A few were glancing at shops or other parts of town, calculating the distance between them and their destination.
But no one moved. Their eyes fixed on Lyn. Waiting for some sort of signal from her.
Sighing, Gosalyn stepped around Darkwing, ignoring how he reached out to try and pull her back, and walked up to where Lyn had pinned Negaduck to the ground. She met his eyes, trying to wordlessly convey that he was safe before she gently took the pistol from his hand.
Wrestling the katana out of the ground, she handed it back to Lyn, asking, "Are you done?"
"If he is," Lyn said, not taking her eyes off Negaduck.
"He's fine." Gosalyn glanced to Negaduck again, smiling at him slightly. He took a breath, rolled his eyes and held his hands up, palms facing Lyn, to show he'd cooperate.
Slowly, she withdrew her sword from his neck. Sat back and took her other katana from Gosalyn before she sheathed them both. She gave Negaduck one last glare before standing, positioning herself in front of Stellar.
Gosalyn walked up to Negaduck, holding out her hand. He took it, allowing her to pull him up.
"He's not evil here," she whispered to him as he stood next to her.
"You don't know him like I do," Negaduck snarled under his breath, those eyes glued to Stellar with such hatred that Gosalyn almost shuddered.
"I wouldn't put you in danger," she said.
"He's only kind until he's gotten what he wanted," Negaduck said. "Don't let him fool you."
"Papa Wolf," she said softly, hoping her name for him would calm him down somewhat. He looked at her, the anger melting off him immediately as he caught her eye. She smiled. "I promise. We're okay."
He blinked. Then nodded once.
Gosalyn looked around to her father and Tony, offering the same smile as she tucked the pistol into the waistband of her jeans. "Let's go."
Stellar eyed the three variations of his son before him. "I know it won't change anything, but I am sorry that your versions of me have made you feel this way."
Negaduck growled, but Gosalyn reached out and tugged on his cape and he, at least, didn't press the issue.
Darkwing wove his arm through Gosalyn's. "Lead the way," he said, eyeing Stellar with some unease.
Gosalyn leaned into him slightly.
Stellar turned, taking the lead with Lyn, Tony, Negaduck, Darkwing, and Gosalyn trailing behind. He and Lyn reassured everyone that the danger had passed as they walked through the town and the citizens slowly returned back to their daily activities, weapons carefully packed away. If anyone thought it was odd to see three versions of the same duck walking down their streets, two of them who were dressed identically, they made no mention of it.
Darkwing's and Negaduck's colorful suits blended in perfectly here. In this underground society. But that wasn't surprising to Gosalyn; her father and Negaduck had always been rebels in their own universes. Broke against tradition.
LP chirped and whirred as they entered the small cottage, taking a lap around Gosalyn before all but tackling Darkwing, scooting under his cape and touching his suit with a gentle claw. Negaduck slunk into the room, ducking behind a large tool box and eyed the proceedings darkly. Stellar wisely stepped through to the kitchen, still carrying the basket of food.
Darkwing tried to scoot away from the bot, an anxious look on his face, but LP didn't let up, loosing an excited squeal when he felt the buttons on Darkwing's suit.
"None of the other bots behaved like this," said Tony, crouching and observing LP.
"None of the other bots are programmed like he is," said Lyn, as she removed her katana harness and knives.
"His name is LP," Gosalyn said, smiling at her father.
Darkwing's expression softened into a smile and he reached a hand out to LP, palm facing up. "Hi, LP. I'm Darkwing Duck."
LP bumped up against Darkwing's hand before squealing again and rolling over to hide behind Lyn, peeking out at Darkwing from around her legs.
Lyn rested a hand on LP's head. "You find anything?"
LP whirred, standing up straight and projecting a hologram into the room, a series of 1's and 0's floating in the air.
"Ah," said Tony, clapping his hands and rubbing them together as he walked over, eyes on the coding. "Building a portal, I see."
"You can read code?" Lyn asked, looking at Tony through the blue haze.
"Oh, my sweet summer child," Tony said with a shake of his head. "If I could figure out the WiFi here, I would totally blow your mind right now." He sent a look to bracelets around his wrists, likely beacons for his Iron Duck suit.
"Want me to take a look?" asked Lyn, holding out her hand. He handed a bracelet over with only the barest hint of hesitation. Lyn easily opened it up on her workbench, studying the finite technology. "You're on a different signal." She brought out a small pad with numbers and other strange symbols on it, Tony hovering over her shoulder to observe, his expression full of curiosity. She plugged the bracelet into the pad and tapped a few numbers. Which seemed to do the trick, because she handed the bracelet back to Tony.
He was already handing over his other one to Lyn as he strapped on the first one. "You want help setting up the portal?" he offered, voice practically quivering with his excitement.
Lyn raised an eyebrow as she finished with his second bracelet. "You think you can keep up?"
Tony grinned, a full smile that lit up his features. "If I can't, I'm sure you'll tell me." He took the second bracelet and plugged it into a USB port on the workbench. "You there, MORG?"
"I am, sir. And if I may say, it is good to hear your voice."
"Flattery will get you everywhere," said Tony with a relieved look on his face.
Lyn's eyes were wide as she studied the bracelet closer. "How far does this signal reach?"
"MORGANA's back in my universe, so…." Tony shrugged. "Couple hundred worlds? Thousands?"
Lyn was practically vibrating at this point. "That's amazing. I can hear your assistant as if she were in the room with us."
Tony laughed as MORGANA said, "Mr. Mallard only wishes I was his assistant."
"MORG's my AI," Tony explained and Lyn's eyes practically bugged out of her head.
"An AI?" She shook her head as a small smile — the first Gosalyn had seen from her — spread across her beak. "Maybe I can't keep up with you."
"Doubtful." Tony leaned on the workbench, observing LP's hologram. "Now, what do we got so far?"
The two delved into technobabble, both of them getting more and more excited as they realized they didn't need to explain themselves much and could, indeed, keep up with each other.
Darkwing had found a small wheeled chair and was sitting on it, watching Lyn and Tony with a faraway look on his face. Gosalyn kneeled down beside him, leaning against his legs. One of his hands came up to absently stroke through her hair.
"You need anything?" she asked, looking up at him.
He smiled at her warmly. "I have everything I need," he said, pushing her bangs out of her eyes. "But Negaduck," he said softly, nodding to the fire engine red toolbox that stood nearly as tall as the room which he'd hidden behind earlier. "You should go see him before he has to throw something to get your attention."
Gosalyn grinned and pushed herself up to kiss her father's cheek. Standing, she discreetly walked over to the toolshed.
Negaduck was standing behind it, arms crossed and with a tight expression on his face.
"You're not very subtle," Gosalyn said, careful to keep her voice low so it wouldn't travel across the room to the others.
"I wasn't going for subtlety," Negaduck groused.
Gosalyn nodded with a grin. A moment later, she sobered. "Are you doing okay?"
Negaduck looked down towards the ground. "Why wouldn't I be okay?"
Gosalyn shrugged. "I just meant that I know what it's like to see your parents in another universe. Figuring out how it's them but not really them is weird, and if you wanna talk about it, I'm here."
Negaduck's head snapped up and he stared at her. "What do you mean you know what it's like?"
Gosalyn waved it away, pretending like the panic wasn't swirling in her stomach. "Just that I've seen my fair share of you guys throughout the multiverse and separating you and Dad from the others is never easy."
"No," said Negaduck, narrowing his eyes as he continued to study her. "You said you knew what it was like to see your parents in another universe. Plural. You only have one parent."
"Yes, technically, but—"
"Gosalyn Mallard," Negaduck said, a furious look in his eyes. "Have you seen your birth parents in other universes? Or your grandfather?"
Goslayn crossed her arms. Uncrossed them. Put her hands on her hips. Opened her beak to say something. But nothing came out.
"Oh, my God," Negaduck muttered, bringing up his hands to massage his temples. "Does Darkwing know?"
"You can't tell him," Gosalyn said. "He's already self conscious about if he's been a good enough father even though he's been the best parent I could have asked for. I don't want him comparing himself to ghosts."
"You need to talk about this with someone."
"I'm fine!"
Negaduck studied her for a moment in silence. "Are you?"
"Well," she shrugged. "I am now. That you and Dad are here. And Tony. How'd you wrangle him?"
"Please. With that arrogance, he volunteered himself for the journey."
Gosalyn grinned. "Do you know who he is? In relation to our universe?"
Negaduck scowled and Gosalyn snickered. "He's still arrogant," he bit out.
"Pot," she gestured to Negaduck, "kettle," she motioned to the vague area where Tony had last been standing.
Negaduck rolled his eyes before looking at Gosalyn again. "Are you okay?"
"I'll be better once we're home."
"Same," Negaduck sighed. He leaned against the tool box. "So, Posiduck. What exactly did he say to you?"
"A lot of vague threats about being locked up forever because of my multiverse travel."
Negaduck winced. "Nothing else?"
It was Negaduck's stiff posture, how he'd reacted to Gosalyn's run-in with Posiduck that had her on edge immediately. Sure, she'd expected to be questioned about Posiduck, Negaduck or her father eager for vengeance after hearing how he'd threatened her. But she hadn't expected Negaduck to look so… guilty.
"What's wrong?" Gosalyn asked.
"I told you—"
"No, you deflected."
"So did you!" He pointed a finger at her. "Don't think I've forgotten that you met up with your birth family in different universes."
"Yeah, sure, okay," said Gosalyn, deciding to deal with that when it came. "But what's up? This," she gestured to him, "goes beyond seeing Stellar again."
"That was unexpected, though," Negaduck said, removing his hat and running a hand through his feathers. There was an even mix of gray and white up there now and it made Gosalyn smile.
"I was surprised, too. Come on, Papa Wolf," she said. "What's wrong?"
Negaduck sighed. Shoved his hat back on his head. Stood at his full height. "I'm trying to figure out what to do here. How to make it right." He gestured between them. "We've caused a whole lot of trouble, being together. And I don't know how to make it stop. How to make sure we're safe in the future."
"No one's ever safe," Gosalyn said. "Isn't it better if we're together? We can keep an eye on each other."
"For how much longer?" Negaduck asked. "What other threat is waiting to try and tear us apart? I don't…." He sighed. "I'm bad for you, Gos. Without me, Stellar wouldn't have hunted you down, F.O.W.L. wouldn't be attacking you all the time, and you wouldn't have been kidnapped to another universe to serve out time because you traveled through the multiverse to find me." He shook his head. "It all leads back to me. And I can't help but think, sometimes, that things would be easier of I just let you live your life without me and my chaos interfering at every turn.
"But I can't just let you go, either, cause I'm too damn selfish, so I'm always in this constant state of 'let her go' and 'stay and protect'. And I don't know what to do."
Silence passed between them.
"You're right that everything leads back to you," Gosalyn said finally. "I got to travel to different universes and see things I never would have. Because I met your father, Dad and I talked about his past, which he wouldn't have opened up about as much if I hadn't met Stellar first hand. The reason Max and I got along so well in the beginning was because I'd met him in so many other universes and knew how to handle him. You've made me a better crime fighter, taught me how to use a bunch of different weapons and fighting styles, and to be more critical instead of just jumping in. So, yes, this is all because of you. And I'm so grateful for all of it. But mostly, I'm grateful for you."
"Goddamnit, Gosalyn," he said in a shuddering breath, yanking her into a hug so constricting she almost couldn't breathe.
She just smiled and hugged him back.
"This would all be so much easier if I didn't love you," he grumbled.
"Probably. But way less fun."
He loosed a wet sounding laugh and Gosalyn rested her head on his shoulder as his arms — impossibly — tightened around her.
"Promise," she said, "that you'll never let me go. No matter what else might happen in the future. I'd rather have you by my side than anywhere else."
Loosing a heavy sigh, Negaduck leaned back and pushed her bangs out of her eyes. "All right."
Gosalyn smiled as LP's voice cut through the room.
"The Chancellor, the Adjudicator, and a robot hoard are inbound to the subway entrance."
Gosalyn and Negaduck rounded the tool box and looked across the room to Tony and Lyn who were studying LP. Darkwing glanced over to them and sent a smile to Gosalyn who smiled back.
"Do these bots have a hive mind?" Tony asked.
"It's how they all keep the records updated," Lyn explained. Stellar was leaning in the doorway, a kitchen rag in hand.
"So, you get updates from the other bots as things happen?" Tony asked.
"It's how I found all of you," Lyn said, looking up at Tony. "And how we keep track of the government officials."
Tony nodded. "MORG, you have eyes on my suit?"
"I have it inbound to the subway entrance nearest you, sir."
"I really don't deserve you."
"I'll be sure to remind you."
Grinning, Tony looked around the room until he found Gosalyn. "I have a new suit for you. And a bow with arrows."
"Tony Mallard, I have never loved you as much as I do right now," Gosalyn said, walking over to him.
Tony turned to Lyn. "We can fight the bots off. Give you time to finish the portal." He dug through his jeans pocket and brought out a small earpiece, which Gosalyn recognized as one of the Duckvengers comms. "We'll stay in touch through these."
"I'll head to the bakery as soon as the portal's done." Lyn took the ear piece. Stellar came up to stand behind her.
Tony stiffened as he caught sight of Stellar and Gosalyn glanced back at her father and Negaduck, both of whom were watching him carefully. Darkwing had stood and Negaduck's hands were balled into fists at his sides.
"We'll meet you at the bakery, then." Gosalyn turned to Tony. "You ready?"
"Always." Tony grabbed his bracelet from the socket and placed it back on his wrist. "Let's go, kid." He took off from the house, tearing down the cobblestone streets with Gosalyn on his heels.
"What are we, chopped liver?" Darkwing asked, running after them with Negaduck following close behind.
"Sorry, boys, but you aren't Duckvengers," Tony said as he dodged a small group of people who were milling around in front of a fruit cart.
"What the hell does that mean?" Negaduck thundered.
"I may not be a Duckvenger, but I am the Terror that Flaps in the Night!" exclaimed Darkwing as they galloped down the street and towards the entrance to Eden. "I am — sorry, ma'am — I am the internet connectivity problems you have when you need to turn in a school paper. I am Darkwing Duck!"
"Does he always do that?" Tony asked Gosalyn, half-leaping, half-climbing up the ladder that led to the subway tunnels.
"You learn to tune it out," said Gosalyn, nearly overtaking Tony as they scrambled up the ladder and down the tunnel.
"I heard that!" Darkwing called as Negaduck cackled.