Thanks for sticking with me! Especially to daughterofnemesis, thelastsarahbender, interstellarroadkill, kelphead2, and the wonderful ViralsInASouffleNut!
My future plans include that SPN nexgen (at some point) and at least 2 Marauders fics (both Wolfstar and Jily). So yeah, stay tuned!
In twenty-four hours Intern Haneet had gone from The Chosen One, True Heir Of The Voice Of Night Vale (or whatever bullshit they were all calling her nowadays) to a member of the cleanup crew, shovelling 90% of gore up off the streets (because after all, existence is a terrifying thing; how can anyone reasonably be expected to remove all human body parts from the average street?)
She didn't really mind. Sometimes, it was nice to not have action, and to not be the triocular voice on the radio. (These days, she could open the tried eye without the crippling cranial pain she had experienced that first day in the sand wastes.)
She wished the Virals would be staying to help her, but they had their own lives to go back to. Night Valean time was weird - there was a strong chance they'd return to a world that had only aged a few days instead of the extensive period the five had been in the city. There was also a pretty strong chance they'd return to a world decades older than when they'd left it, but hey, that's the risk you take with an inconsistent non-linear quantity such as time.
"Are you sure you don't need our help tracking down Diego?" Tory asked for the eighth time.
"This isn't your concern anymore, Tory," Dana replied. "None of you."
Diego had disappeared, taking Kevin with them. The battle was won, but the war would continue for as long as they were still at large. Kevin still had his voice, his ability to manipulate people, and Diego would find a way to reopen the Old Oak Doors and let that terrible light back into our dimension, and into somewhere far less capable of withstanding it than Night Vale.
But this wasn't the time to dwell on that.
The five interlopers wished Haneet the best of luck, and she got the opportunity to kick Hiram in the nuts when he called her 'Han Solo'.
As Shelton turned away, she grabbed his arm.
"I'm gonna miss you."
"Me too." He shifted uncomfortably, and she fixed pinkish-violet eyes on her bloodied shoes. "Han, I...I like you. A lot. I think."
"I know."
Shelton turned to look at his pack. "Han Dhillon just Han Solo'd me."
Hi smirked. Han pulled a face as Ella rolled her eyes. It was different than before, though; softer and more affectionate. Something had changed between her and Hi.
The same shifts had occurred with every other couple Han knew. Nothing like almost losing people to make you realise just how important they really are to you.
Some people had come out of the fight worse than others. Finn had emerged quieter, more withdrawn. Within a few weeks they'd quit the book club and enlisted in the Sherriff's Secret Police. Although SSP assignments are kept away from the general populace, it was generally assumed they were a part of the task force in charge of finding Diego.
It wouldn't bring Bianca back, but maybe they could avenge her death.
But people change. Perhaps someday Night Vale would truly heal. And perhaps someday the danger would pass. And maybe the Virals would return someday.
And maybe Haneet Dhillon would be the one to report it.
Ten years later...
"And that, dear Listeners, is your yearly reminder that my name is Haneet, not Cecelia. Whoever started calling me that, please desist before I actually kill you. Because I could do that. Just FYI. [There is a muffled sound in the background] Aw, crap. Listeners, it appears Intern Kirsten is now trapped in the mirror universe. I always knew there was a reason Cecil left those things covered. I should probably go take care of this. I'll be back right after the weather..."
Her Name Is Alice - Shinedown
Boulevard Of Broken Dreams - Green Day
Sing - My Chemical Romance
Alpha Dog - Fall Out Boy
Radioactive - Imagine Dragons
One For The Radio - McFly
The Final Countdown - Europe
The Bitter End - Placebo
Human - The Killers