True to their desire for liveliness, the recently reunited Yakko, Wakko, Dot, Harpo, Babs, Buster, Scooby and Red headed out into the celebrations of Carnival to enjoy everything the small island had to offer. They all split up and went different ways, and despite the early hour, Babs decided the situation warranted a good tropical drink or two and she was enjoying a Mai Tai in a nearby bar when a certain blue-eared rabbit finally worked up enough courage to approach his old co-star.

"Heya Babs," Buster said quietly as he took the barstool next to Babs. He attempted a smile. "Nice to see you again after all these years."

Babs, though she'd caught a few glimpses of him that morning, was too preoccupied earlier to get a good look at him before now. Her expression betrayed her shock at how different he appeared now from the last time she'd really looked at him many years ago. Nevertheless, her smile was genuine and she hugged him tightly. "Hi Buster," she whispered to him, stroking his back affectionately. "Good to see you again too."

"Weird how fate brings toons back together, hm?" Buster said, his smile becoming broader.

"Yeah. How'd you find your way into this mess anyway?"

"Sometimes I wonder," he conceded. "But it's been a helluva ride. You got a good kid in Harpo, you know?"

"Yeah," Babs said, stirring her drink. "He'd be worth a thousand of these misadventures."

Buster blushed slightly. "You would be too, you know."

Babs, knowing full well of Buster's feelings for her, only smiled. "Thanks."

An awkward silence ensued and Buster shifted in his seat. "I used to wonder why it never worked out between us. Hell, I used to blame it all on Yakko, you know? Felt like he'd just come in and stolen you away. Used to be mad about it. Real mad. But now, after all of this…I don't know. I'm not so angry anymore. About anything."

"It was a long time ago, Buster."

"I know." Buster motioned to the bartender for a beer. "But that didn't used to change how I felt."

"We could sit here for hours postulating why things turned out like they did. But I don't want to. It's a waste of time, Buster. It was so long ago."

"But so much has happened…I guess I just wanted to prove to you that I'm not that way anymore."

"Look," Babs turned to him. "It wouldn't change anything between us. But I'll tell you this; you kept my son safe. That means a lot to me. More than you know. And maybe that proves to me that you aren't the old Buster anymore. Maybe you grew up some."

"It was all Wakko."

"It takes a village."

Buster shook his head. "I didn't do anything."

Babs smiled. "Yes you did. Buster, the reason it never worked out between us is because I could never count on you back then. You did so many stupid and crazy things, I felt like I could never trust you the way I could trust Yakko. It made it all the worse to know that you could be such a wonderful and talented guy when you wanted to be. The Caribbean is one of the most dangerous places on earth, and you and all the others kept Harpo safe when Yakko and I couldn't. I didn't know I could count on you like that because you'd never proved it to me before. Harpo's safe and healthy. You cared for my son when I couldn't. Buster, that means the world to me. And whether or not you believe you had anything to do with his well-being, you did, because you were there. Before all this, I didn't think I could trust you with petty things like money and showing up on time for dates; now I know I can entrust the life of the most important person in the world to me to you. That's quite an accomplishment. Quite a leap from our days in Toontown."

Buster couldn't help but beam. "Maybe I'm not such a waste of a toon as I thought I was."

Babs smiled back. "I know you're not."

Buster looked lost in thought for a moment. "Thanks Babs," he said finally. He smiled at her, and for the first ever he saw her as his friend, and not simply someone he'd hurt in the past. Things suddenly looked much brighter in the life of Mr. Buster Bunny. "Maybe I can show the world the same, hm? That I'm not a total screw-up."

Babs patted his cheek. "I know you can," she whispered to him. "And if there's ever anything I can do to make it up to you, just tell me. Whatever it is, I'll do it."

"There is one thing."

"Name it."

"Wakko and Red broke me out of jail. Do you think…?"

Babs' lawyer mind was already working. "What were you in for?"

"I accidentally blew up some trash cans in Tucson."

"And how did they break you out?"

"Dynamite."

"Easy," Babs said, taking a long sip from her drink. "If a toon can prove that what he did was for a laugh, you're free. You're a toon, and not just any toon – blowing up stuff is something that both you and Wakko are good at. We'll convince the judge that you did it to be funny. Believe me, I've wrangled tougher cases than that a hundred times over. Give me a week, and you'll have your official pardon. Just promise to stay out of trouble from now on, all right?"

Buster felt he might burst for happiness. Instead, he threw his arms around Babs and hugged her tightly. "Thanks, Babsy! You're a lifesaver!"

"No, you are," Babs said, pulling away. "Which is why Yakko and I owe you any favor you wish to ask."

Buster grinned and took a swig of his drink. "You know, all in all, it's not bad that you ended up with a guy like Yakko. Yakko's a good guy."

Babs smiled, looking out the window to where Wakko, Yakko, Dot and Harpo stood talking. "Yeah. You're right. He is."

"…so I guess that's why I decided to go with Dad," Harpo was saying outside to his uncle, flanked by his aunt and father. "I felt like, at least Dad wanted me. At least he wanted me around."

Yakko, perched on his knees, kept his eyes locked on the ground beneath him. He felt as small as his position. "Jesus, kid. I'm sorry."

Harpo shrugged. "I guess – I guess it's ok," he said, though he wasn't quite sure he believed it.

"No, it's not ok. I promised you that I'd never make you go back to him if you didn't want to. And I broke my promise. I made you feel like you were so useless to me, you had to go back with your dad. I made you feel like you didn't have any choice in the matter." He sighed, his ego having been severely bruised by the events of the last four months. "Every once in a while, life slaps you in the face and reminds you that your pride shouldn't be the only thing in your life worth protecting, worth caring about. I made the mistake of believing that, whether I was conscious of it or not. You brought me to my knees, Harpo, and no one's ever done that before. Perhaps if they had, this would have never happened. I need to just fucking get over myself, you know? I'm sorry this is how I had to get my education in what my pride and ego can do to other people." He looked up at his brother and sister. "If I had learned it the first time around, with you two, maybe I wouldn't have ever said those things to Harpo. And maybe I wouldn't have lost track of both of you two, either. I could say 'I'm sorry' a thousand times and never be able to make it up to all of you."

"Look, by the virtue that you even spent four months looking for all of us, I'd say that shows right there that your ego can't have control over every part of you anymore. Hell, you even broke the law to save all of us – Mr. Upstanding-Citizen can go fuck himself, you know?" Wakko said with a laugh.

Yakko smiled. "I never had to be in your shoes before, Wakko. And over the last four months, I was. The people I cared about wanted nothing to do with me, and for once, they were dealing the cards, not me. It hurt. It hurt really bad. I'm sorry I ever made my little siblings feel like that. No one should have to feel like they've been thrown away by their family." They were all silent a moment before Yakko exhaled loudly. "I guess what it really all boils down to is what you want to do now, Harpo," Yakko said, looking worriedly at his nephew.

Harpo kicked at the ground but a smile played on his face. "I-I want to go back to Toontown and stay with you and Babs, if that's all right with you, Yakko. I'd like to go home again. I've missed it."

Yakko had to restrain a teary grin, but hugged his nephew to him. "Of course it's all right," he said quietly. "But are you sure that's what you want?"

"You said it too, Yakko – you can't throw your family away because of a few mistakes," Harpo said to his uncle. "If that were the case, none of us would have any friends, or any family. You spent four months out here, sleeping in strange rooms and island hopping as though your life depended on it. I'd say those actions negate what you told me in Toontown about never wanting me."

Yakko hugged him tighter. "You're wise beyond your years, kiddo. Thank you." He reached into his pocket and pulled out Harpo's necklace, which had saved them all. "I believe this is yours," he said, piling the small necklace in Harpo's outstretched palm. "And, I believe Mr. Warner had a shipwreck out there that he needs to decide what to do with."

Harpo thought for a minute before saying, "I want to get the treasure off. But then I want to donate my holding of the wreck to a university or a museum, so archaeological research can be done on it. There's not much left of the wreck itself since most of it has been blown to smithereens, but they could probably pull a fair number of artifacts off of it. That's worth doing." All of them looked at him strangely, wondering why a thirteen year old cared about things like archaeological research. Harpo shrugged and smiled. "Share the wealth, I always think," he said. "We shouldn't be the only ones who hold the secrets of the Charlotte. Plus, what would I do with a Caribbean shipwreck, anyway? I'm going back to being a normal thirteen year old student in Toontown. I have no need for it."

"Fair enough!" Dot said. She heaved a jubilant sigh. "Well, now that we've got familial issues worked out – as well as they're going to be worked out for now – let's get a steak and a beer. I think I need a good excuse to get Red and Scooby away from those dancing gypsies over there."

Indeed, as the foursome looked to their right, Red and Scooby were busy happily grinding with an inebriated group of islanders, oblivious to anything but the street music. Wakko shook his head. "Life's just a big party to some people!" he sighed. All of them looked at him with a bemused look; this from possibly the biggest partier Toontown had ever known.

The foursome caught up with Scooby and Red and made their way into a local restaurant. "By the way, I saw Gloria a few months ago. She sends her love," Yakko said to Scooby as they walked down the street.

Scooby looked at him, surprised. "You mean she remembers me?"

"Scooby, I think forgetting you has always been the hard part."

Scooby beamed. It was enough to make an old stray cat feel wanted.

Buster and Babs caught up with the rest of them in the restaurant, and they spent a long dinner laughing and reminiscing about things past, present and what they hoped the future might bring. After dinner, as they all meandered back to the hotel full and happy, Yakko hung back and grabbed Babs by the hand, grinning at her. "Glad it's all over?" he whispered to her.

"For the most part, yes," she answered. They looked ahead of them to where the colorful party continued unabated, this time with Dot, Wakko, Scooby, Red and Harpo joining in the party. "But you have to admit, this has been one hell of an adventure."

"Well, there's something I've been meaning to ask you," Yakko started nervously, scratching the back of his head. "But the time never seemed right before now."

"What is it?"

"Um…" Yakko gazed off in the distance, never imagining that this would have been so hard. "I – uh – I wanted to know if…if you wanted to get married."

Babs smiled softly. "So after all these years, you finally want to make it official, hm?"

"We've got a home, we've got Harpo…all that's missing is…well…making things official." He grinned. "And you know how us lawyers love to make things official."

She couldn't help but laugh out loud. Babs pecked him on the cheek. "Well, in that case, I guess the answer is yes."

"Really?" Yakko blurted, sounding years younger than he actually was. "You mean after all of this, you still want to?"

Babs laughed. "Now more than ever, buddy." She pulled him forward into the dancing crowd.

"And, quite honestly, I can't think of a better place and time to celebrate an engagement…"