Several feet of bread later, the gang filed out of the sandwich shop, leaving Neo and Daphne waiting on line to pay. He wondered whether Tank had remembered to program him up a wallet, almost panicked, and sighed with relief when he found it in one of his overcoat's inside pockets.

"Hey, Tom?" Daphne tapped him on the shoulder. "I wanted to tell you, I thought it was really brave what you did back there."

Neo shook his head. "It was nothing – "

"Hardly!" the redhead smiled. "We couldn't have caught those ghosts without you. You and your hands of lightning." She mimed a couple of martial arts moves.

"Oh," he said. "I'm flattered. And, I enjoyed working with you guys too." Daphne's smile broadened. "It was a nice change to have people around we could actually trust."

"It was pretty different for us, too," she replied. "We don't get much help either. Of course, we usually don't get shot at so much, either."

"Sorry about that," Neo smiled nervously. "Hope it didn't ruin your New Year's."

"Oh, don't worry. It was still just about the best New Year I ever had!"

"Oh, good." Neo handed a fifty-dollar bill to the cashier. "It's too bad you guys have to be going so soon."

"Yeah." The teen offered a mock pout. "But my Uncle Matt's expecting us at his ranch. I haven't been in years! We'll probably pass this way again, though."

"If you do," said Neo, "we're usually somewhere around Mega City. We might run into you again."

"I hope so." Daphne patted him on the arm as they walked towards the door. "Best of luck, Tom. I hope you've solved a whole bunch of mysteries by next time!"

"You too." Neo paused just before they reached the door. "Daphne, wait a minute." He pulled the gun out of his overcoat and tucked it into his pants. Then he slipped the coat off and draped it over her shoulders in one smooth movement.

"But, Tom – "

"You said you liked it," Neo interrupted. "I can get another one."

Daphne's face brightened, and she slipped her arms into the overcoat's sleeves, turning slightly to admire her reflection in the window. "Just one more thing." Neo removed his sunglasses and gently slipped them onto the redhead's face. "Perfect!"

"Thank you so much, Tom," she said quietly. "Now I'll really never forget today." He held the door open for her, and they walked out towards the rest of the group.

"So I figure," Shaggy was concluding, "being able to think about infinity makes you, like, infinite yourself."

Trinity nodded sagely. "That's pretty deep," she admitted. "I think you kids could have handled the truth." She glanced over at the Mystery Machine's open side panel, where Scooby was chasing his own tail. "Well, most of you."

"Good-bye, Tom and Carrie!" Fred exclaimed, climbing into the driver's seat. "Thanks for all your help!"

"See you soon," Velma said, "I hope!"

"I'll take good care of your coat!" Daphne called.

"Stay groovy!" Shaggy suggested.

"Scooby-dooby-doo!" was the last thing the large dog contributed, leaning out the window to wave with all four of his limbs.

A brisk wind was blowing, but Neo stood next to Trinity in his short sleeves, and they waved until the van was lost in the distance. "What happened to your coat?" she said.

"Oh," Neo said quietly, "some whole crazy thing. What a bunch, huh?" Trinity half-smiled and shook her head. "Morpheus once told me," Neo continued solemnly, "that most of the people in here weren't ready to be unplugged. But not only would these kids not want to be unplugged, they don't need it either. They have everything they need right here."

"I guess Shaggy was right," Trinity concluded, "when he said the only true paradise is the one within."

And they walked away arm in arm, blending into the endless bustle of the Mega City, on their way back to a place where there was no Mystery Machine or Scooby Snacks, and life was a constant adventure of a very different kind.