Happy Endings
Epilogue

Haven was almost new again. The people who had been bathed in the golden aether were either untroubled or they found they had useful abilities which they controlled rather than being at the mercy of their emotions. These useful abilities had helped enormously in the rebuilding of damage caused by the troubles released by Duke, and that was fortunate because the world was aware of them again.

Charlotte and Audrey had entered the void and retrieved the control crystal, encountering William along the way. It took some doing but mother and daughter finally convinced him that Mara was gone for good. Knowing that nothing waited for him on their world, William accepted Audrey's suggestion of a new personality – one that could do some good and perhaps bring some redemption after all he'd done.

"Do what you did to Mara." He told Charlotte. "Not an overlay personality – just wipe "William" out. I don't have anything to live for with her gone. I burned all my bridges for her."

Charlotte agreed, feeling remarkably guilty about William's pain. In all honesty she'd never considered his feelings for her daughter – she just resented his participation in her daughter's misguided actions.

Croatoan also received a personality overwrite, not voluntary on his part but everyone agreed that even in a completely human body – which Mia had given him – he was simply too dangerous with his memories and malice. Audrey came in for her share of guilt when she explained their decision. He once again protested that he'd done it all for her but she held firm that all the lives lost and ruined weren't something she could forgive. So Croatoan was now Calvin Jenkins and he was a new math and science teacher at Haven High. William was now William Thompson, the newest pediatrician at Haven Memorial.

The people who had miraculously returned from death in the golden rain had no memories of their deaths and their presence made Haven's return to the mainstream of life easier. Howard, under Charlotte's direction, created a new facility modeled on Vince and Dave's old fishing shack and all the troubles that existed outside of Haven that hadn't been transformed by Duke's healing explosion were drawn from their hosts and vented back into the Void. And Howard was in the process of sealing all thinnies to Earth, a somewhat time-consuming process because not all of them were known by Charlotte, William and Croatoan. Mia had only known of the one in North Carolina that she had come through.

Nathan was Chief again. Dwight was working with Vincent's contacts to make sure Haven's infrastructure was completely up to modern standards.

Charlotte was working at Haven Memorial as a general practitioner but she continued her research in her free time. She had questions about the interaction between the genetics of her world and Earth, which had been mixed enough times to produce Duke. And she was deeply curious about those who had been touched by the golden rain. She was trying to determine if their abilities were going to be passed on, as the troubles had been, and was creating another census about who did what and why. Audrey shocked everyone by resigning her place on the force to help her mother with her research. Their relationship was growing as the two women got to know each other better.

Duke closed the Gull for a night and invited Gloria, Dwight, Nathan, Charlotte, Audrey, Vince, Dave and a few other close friends for a celebration and an announcement. After good food and a few drinks he stood, tapping on his whisky tumbler for attention.

"Haven is safe now." He announced when everyone's face was turned to him. "The troubles are gone and gas leaks are a thing of the past."

The group chuckled.

"So Mia and I are going to take off."

Audrey gasped slightly but Gloria nodded knowingly.

"It's not forever." He assured Audrey. "I need to personally deal with some of my more questionable business associates."

"Wouldn't that be all of them?" Nathan asked, his mouth turned up on one side in a wry grin. Duke rolled his eyes.

"And I'm going to develop unquestionable business opportunities. When we return, and we will return, I will be as respectable and boring as… well, Nathan."

"That'll be the day." Nathan scoffed.

"True – few can dream of reaching your level of boring." Duke zinged back.

The party broke up after that. Gloria hugged Duke and told him not to be a stranger and went back to Aaron. Vincent and Dave told him to swing by the office for a list of folks to contact on their voyage.

"We've wanted to turn some of these ventures over for some time but the right person never showed up." Vince told Duke.

"So I guess we'll have to settle for you." Dave joked.

"Thanks guys." Duke replied with a small smile.

Dwight and Charlotte just wished Duke luck and Charlotte and Mia exchanged hugs.

"Take care of her." Mia told Dwight. "She's special."

"I agree." Dwight said, taking Charlotte's hand possessively.

And then it was Audrey's turn – and she hugged Duke fiercely with tears glittering in her eyes.

"Don't be gone too long." She told him when she finally released him.

"I won't." He promised.

"Keep in touch." Nathan said laconically.

"Get over here!" Duke grabbed Nathan in a bear hug which Nathan returned after a token resistance.

"I'll miss you." Nathan offered seriously.

"I'll keep in touch." Duke told him, lips twitching. "Someone has to make sure you know how to police a place with no troubles."

"I'll strive to struggle on without you."

And then it was just Duke and Mia. She went to him and wrapped her arms around his waist.

"Happy?" She asked him.

He considered. Something Mia loved about him was that he tended to think before answering her questions.

"I am." He said with a trace of surprise. "I'm happy."

"Good."