Well, here we are. We are finally at the end. I won't know what to do with myself anymore when it's over...
Daddy got better in the end, and Molly had never felt so happy.
She finally got to have her family again.
Although Daddy may have scars for the rest of his life, at least he got to come home. The moment he was released from the hospital, he came back to stay with her and Mommy for a while, and it was more than Molly hoped for.
Everything was right with the world again.
She may have her Daddy back, but she hadn't seen Nny since the night he brought her home in his car.
Molly was really worried, especially as the police were on the lookout for him.
They talked about Nny on the news, and a sketch of him always appeared (yet for some reason, they made him look like Happy Noodle Boy...)
The police kept questioning Molly, asking her about the mysterious, blue-haired man who killed the doctor and brought her home, and Molly would tell them that Nny was innocent and that he saved her...
She never told them his name or where he lived, since Molly was a smart girl. She knew if she told them, they would find him and lock him away forever.
Nny was not crazy...
Okay, maybe he was just a little, but he was still good. Sure, he had done bad things, but he was still Molly's friend, and he helped her.
Molly loved him, and he loved her back. They were best friends after all.
The people of the city agreed with Molly too, saying that Nny should be pardoned for hurting the doctor because he saved her.
The people were divided. Some think he should be locked away since the doctor's murder had been connected with a string of other murders over the last few years, and they all blamed them on Nny. But others believed that Nny was a guardian angel of some kind, going out of his way to save a helpless little girl...
He'd become a hero in the eyes of the people, and he was.
He was Molly's hero.
It was just a shame he was gone now, and Molly may never see him again. As she gazed out of her bedroom window, spying his dark house, she sighed.
Poor Nny. He must be so alone and frightened. Wherever he was, she hoped he was safe, hoped he was happy...
Molly would see him again. She just had to believe.
She peered back at her bedside clock. The small hand was on the nine. It was past her bedtime. Her Mommy would be angry with her for being out of bed, but Molly couldn't sleep.
All she could do was stare at Nny's house, pressing her nose to the window as she fogged the glass.
His car was still outside...
Just where was he?
"Please come back, NNY. I miss you..."
No one answered, of course. So she wiped the tears from her eyes and crawled back into bed.
If only Nny were around to tell her one of his weird bedtime stories. They never did make sense. They were mostly just about Happy Noodle Boy, but they still made her laugh.
Nny was funny.
She fell asleep at last, melting into the pillow as she closed her eyes. She dreamed of Nny, and he was smiling and laughing again.
Nny always had a nice smile...
There came the sound of flapping next, and Molly gasped, jerking awake.
She was no longer alone.
Someone, or something, was standing in the corner of the room, wearing a long, hooded cloak. Molly couldn't see their face, but she could see the person's glowing eyes, and they were fixed on her.
In the creature's hand was a long, sharp weapon like a Grim Reaper's Scythe, and she whimpered, pulling her blankets over her head.
Black feathers drifted around the room, and was the creature some kind of bird? Molly was confused.
Why did they stare at her like that?
"Who... who are you?" she asked in a small, shaky voice.
The hooded creature gave a long, raspy breath, a cloud of mist escaping its unseen mouth. Then it loomed closer, reaching out an outstretched hand.
"Come, child..."
Molly squeaked, hiding back under the sheets. Hopefully, the spooky ghost man would go away and leave her alone.
The hooded person laughed, ripping the sheets away from her face, and then he revealed himself at last.
Molly's eyes widened when she finally saw who was beneath the hood. "N-NNY?!"
He smiled like a maniac, spreading his arms out wide for all to see. "Surprise! Were you shocked it was me? I was beneath the hood all along, Molly! Mwahahaha!"
He coughed suddenly, beating a fist against his chest as a feather went down his throat. He soon got it back out again, his eyes moist with tears.
"Fook! Who knew laughing maniacally could be so dangerous!"
Molly gawked at the weird neigbour man, her jaw hanging right open.
He truly was insane.
Nny leaned forward next, booping her nose. "I'm okay now, Molly. I didn't mean to scare you back there. I was just kidding. I wouldn't really harvest your soul... It's not your time yet..."
Molly's lip wobbled as he continued to chuckle, but then she shook her head, rubbing her eyes. "NNY? Is it really you?"
He finally stopped tittering, his grin curving at the corners. "Yes, silly, it's me. I got myself a new wardrobe. Neat, huh? I'll be dressing like this a lot from now. Perks of the job."
Something strange came over Molly next as Nny vanished behind a shroud of tears, and he looked down at her, puzzled.
"What's wrong? I thought you'd be happy to—"
He didn't get to finish as she wrapped her arms around him, pressing her head close to his chest, and there she heard the distinct sound of his heartbeat.
He wasn't dead or a figment of her imagination. He was real and as warm as the day she last saw him.
Now she cried into his dark, spooky cloak, never letting go of him ever again. The police didn't get him after all; Nny was safe and alive and crazy as ever.
Nny froze up like a statue as she buried her face against his chest, afraid that if she let go, he would vanish like the wind.
"NNY, I'm so glad you're safe. Please don't go away again. I never told the police your name, so you can stay now. You have nothing to worry about."
He remained silent as she latched on tight, noticing how different he smelled now. He no longer smelled of blood, sweat, and tears. In fact, he smelled like nothing...
Strange.
Finally, the spooky man laughed and ruffled her hair. "I won't leave. You don't have to worry about that anymore. The police won't find me..."
Molly lifted her head, cocking it sideways. She wiped tears from her eyes, noticing the wet patch she left on Nny's new cloak.
"They won't? But... the whole city knows about you now. You're no longer a secret anymore, NNY."
He heaved a sigh then dropped onto the bed beside her. It shifted under his weight, further proof that he wasn't a part of her imagination, yet still... he no longer smelled like a person.
Something about him was different.
"I know. That's why I had to leave. I'm sorry, Molly. I didn't mean to make it look like I abandoned you. I would never abandon you. We pinkie promised, remember? We'll always be friends, but... I had to go away for a little while."
Molly scooted closer, dangling her legs off the bed beside him. "Where did you go?"
He peered down at her, and she could tell he was thinking of how best to describe it to her. "I... had to leave earth, and... do some training..."
"Training for what?"
Again, he regarded her strangely, wondering how best to tell her. Molly didn't mind. She was a big girl now; she could handle it.
He exhaled. "Molly, I may have come back, but... I'm not the same. I'm... not human anymore..."
Her eyes expanded. "N-not human?"
"No, not quite. I'm something more now. I'm... immortal. That means I will never die. "
Molly's smile widened, and now she hugged him again. "That's great news!"
"I know, but... I will stay this way forever while you grow up. Then there will come a time when you're even older than me. But please know this, Molly. Your life may be ephemeral, but... our friendship will last the ages. It's evergreen... like your kind soul..."
Molly wasn't sure what he was talking about, but she still smiled and hugged him. "We'll always be friends."
He gave a small, dry laugh, and Molly noticed he sounded sad. Was he unhappy?
"Yeah... we will..."
They remained silent now. The clock ticked, and Molly noticed the small hand was nearing the ten. She best go to sleep before her Mommy came upstairs and saw Nny in her bedroom.
"Well, I best go," he said. "I'll be busy from now on, after all."
Nny rose to his feet, glancing down at her briefly, and he'd never looked so torn. It seemed he didn't want to leave her, but once again, Molly didn't mind.
She knew he would come back. He always did.
Grabbing a black feather, he passed it down to her, placing it in her hand. "Take this. If you ever need me, Molly, just talk to the feather and I'll be there. You will summon me that way."
Molly looked into his eyes, noticing how they shone. He still wore his normal clothes beneath the cloak as Molly also spied his steel-tipped boots.
"Where will you go?"
Again, he seemed unsure of how to tell her. But then he shut his eyes and said, "I will be reaping souls, Molly."
Dread swept through Molly's body, and then she shivered, bringing her sheets closer. "You mean you will be hurting people?"
"Yes, but not like before. I'm a part of a grandmaster plan now, a harbinger of death. Where life begins, it also ends..."
Molly glanced down at the feather, twirling it around in her hand. It was so pretty and glossy.
"Is that why you smell different?"
He sighed. "Yes. Now I'm odourless. Death is neutral. It has no scent."
Molly peered back up. He may smell different, but he still looked and sounded the same. But he said he wasn't human anymore. Although he had a heartbeat and was warm to the touch, he wasn't normal now.
The pieces started to come together, and now she produced a shaky breath. "Are... are you an angel now, NNY?"
He bowed his head. "Yes. Sort of. I do have wings now. They're more of an illusion, though."
Molly teared up again, and her eyes and nose started to sting. "Did... did you die?"
Again, he wouldn't look at her. "I did. But then I was resurrected. It wouldn't be the first time, anyway. At least my hair didn't burn off this time..."
She didn't know what he meant by the last part, but she hung her head, fighting back tears.
Nny had died. He may have come back, but Molly couldn't bear the idea of him dying or being hurt. She loved him too much and didn't want him to be in pain.
"Did... did it hurt?"
"Like a bitch—female dog..."
He was going to say the B-word, but Molly let him off.
Nny may be alive again, but he had thrown away his life. He may have been on the run from the police, but he was still not himself anymore. Not quite.
He could no longer die...
"Don't despair, Molly. I'm still me. I'm still crazy, trust me. The first thing I did when I resurrected was sawed the legs off a cheerleader!"
Despite his reassurances, a tear dripped from her eye, and she sniffed. "Oh, NNY..."
He had given up his life for wings, and it was all just so sad. Life may be hard, but now he was going to miss out on all the good things.
What really were you living for if you could live forever? Life may be fleeting, but it was still wonderful. The ups and downs were what made it worth it after all.
No one should ever wish it away.
He sighed once more. "Yeah, I know. But I'm happier this way, Molly. There was no place for me in this world anymore. I had no family, no friends, well, except for you..."
Molly couldn't stop crying. "But... you're not Johnny anymore..."
"No. Now I'm Johnny 2.0. An improved model."
She still had no idea what he was talking about. He still made little sense, but she allowed herself a small smile, hiding the pain.
"All... all right. So long as you're happy, NNY..."
The ticking of the clock echoed around them as they gazed at each other for a while. Slowly, a smile formed over Nny's face, and he lowered his body, reaching her eye level.
"I... wanted to thank you, Molly..."
She cocked her head. "Me? Why?"
"For being my friend... I never knew love in my old life, but... you showed it to me. And it was more than I could have hoped for..."
Molly smiled, wrapping her arms around him. "And you too, NNY. Thank you for being my friend."
Nny placed an arm around her, patting her back. "I love you, Molly."
"I love you too, NNY."
Molly grabbed his face, giving his cheek a quick peck. Nny's smile's reached his eyes now. He laughed, ruffling her hair.
Then he approached the window, sliding it all the way up so he could slip outside. He crouched on the ledge, yet before he jumped, he turned back.
"You still got the feather, right?"
Molly beamed, holding it up. "Yes!"
His eyes flashed mischievously, and then he bared his teeth with a creepy grin. "You never know... it may help you fly, too. Well, better go. See you around, Molly!"
Molly yelped when a large pair of black wings splayed from his back, and they were the colour of coal.
It was true. Nny really had become an angel, and he had to take her out flying sometime.
That would be so cool!
He threw up his hood, taking flight at last, and Molly watched as he soared through the sky. She even watched until he vanished behind the full moon.
But it was all right.
He would come back. She knew he would.
They pinkie promised after all to always be friends.
She still held the feather in her hand as she held it close, whispering, "Goodbye, NNY."
This ending is so bittersweet. I always liked the idea of NNY becoming a reaper. I think it was the whole coldness thing, but I think he would be perfect for the role since he can be impartial. He was the reaper in my IZ fanfiction Clairvoyance that I wrote a while ago, being the one to harvest Molly's soul. In case you were curious about the fic, Zim develops the ability to see ghosts, Molly being one of those ghosts, and then he helps her solve her murder. I read it back recently and it's what inspired this AU fic about Nny and Molly because they had such a sweet friendship. She had a sweet one with Zim too in that fic, but Zim was probably still on Irk back in 1998. He didn't come to earth until 2001...
Bear in mind Clairvoyance has only been uploaded to fanfiction dot net, so you can find it over on there.
If you have read Squee to the end, you may have noticed that there is a doctor who thinks to herself as she walks down the hall of the hospital, "I am the angel of death..." she was the last reaper, and NNY took up her position. I mentioned her last chapter, but I didn't want to reveal in case of spoilers.
Thank you for reading! There is one more chapter to go. It's bonus material or an epilogue, but I will be uploading that in a few more days.
Cheerio!