Epilogue

A few months passed, and all Josiah did lately was lay in bed in his apartment as he looked up at the ceiling.

They picked up Spencer after The Director negotiated with the agents of the Bureau of Unusual Phenomena for his release. The Director chewed him out, which Josiah didn't remember what he said, though, after the debriefing, Spencer was put into the brig.

Turns out Spencer met up with a Quebecois family who vacationed in Queensland. He took a good sum of cash from them before sneaking away, which he used to buy his own dirtbike and some clothing. He then patrolled Brisbane and he noticed Josiah working on his own dirtbike.

When they arrived home, he was thrown into the brig after debriefing and though he avoided jail time, he was merely fired and made to sign an NDA. He had at least his severance package and word on the grapevine was, that his wife left him a week ago, taking her kids.

Josiah got up from bed and stirred from his thoughts as he got up, stretching. He'd been on paid leave for a while, and he would be soon getting back to work, though everything seemed pointless when he got home.

The loneliness was an honest existence, it was still loneliness. He fought back a tear as he remembered.

His first meeting with Brandy, was when he played that game with the Heeler sisters, the dirtbike race.

"You idiot," Josiah said to himself. "You should've never left." He clenched his fists as he sighed.

He wondered if he could make it right.

He glanced at his nightstand and saw his phone as he reached for it and looked through his contacts, he called The Director.

"Sir," Josiah said. "I need to talk to you ASAP."

Someone knocked on Brandy's door as she got up from the couch. She opened the door and saw it was Bandit and Chilli, as they held some Tupperware full of curry with naan bread wrapped around it.

"Hey," Brandy said, watching her sister and brother-in-law enter, as they placed the food on their kitchen counter before taking a seat on the couch. Brandy sat on the armchair as she looked at them. "The girls doing okay?" She asked.

"They're still a little torn up after Josiah left," Chilli said, putting her hands in her lap.

"They've played a game where they saw Josiah off at the airport," Bandit held up a hand. "I just can't believe that he actually left with that thing in Canberra."

"I know." Brandy said, looking down as she sighed.

"We'll always be here for you, Brandy," Chilli said, inviting a smile on her face. "Just don't hesitate to give us a call, you don't have to suffer through this alone."

"I know." Brandy bowed her head as Bandit looked at his wife.

"She needs a little more time, babe," Bandit put her hand on Chilli's shoulder. "She'll come to us when she's ready."

The Heelers got up and left, as they waved goodbye to her, reminding her of the loneliness of her situation.

Her neighbor Duke moved back to Canberra with Colt, to take care of his father. Brandy considered moving back in with her own father, taking a leaf out of Duke's book, though she was afraid to talk to him.

She was honestly anxious about talking to anyone over the phone.

She got up and walked to Josiah's room, hoping to see him. It was empty, as she made the bed, put his effects up as she looked at it. She sighed, imagining Josiah laying on his bed playing some games, hovering his little game system over his face, lit by its dim glow.

She felt angry for him lying to her, but that anger was quelled by a deep sadness. Despite that, she missed him. She wanted to give him some choice words but also to hug him if he ever saw him again.

She looked outside, the sunset setting. She promised Chilli not to have a stiff drink of anything, so she resolved to go outside and look at the sunset to perhaps relax a little.

This wasn't fair, but sometimes, it wasn't meant to be.

Somewhere in Brisbane, a bright blue portal opened up, as stepping out, an American Akita stood, looking up.

The bright Australian sun greeted him once again as he squinted his eyes. He knew what to do and he remembered where he was as he thought to himself. He took a deep breath as he walked down a dirt trail, surrounded by the thickets of trees of Queensland once again, he got onto the sidewalk and found a familiar Queenslander home.

"Time to take a major risk." He said to himself on the way.

He walked onto the steps, noticing they installed one of those doorbell cameras.

Lovely.

He rang the doorbell as he was greeted by Bandit.

"Hello?" He asked, looking around before looking down. He paused, squinting before his eyes widened in recognition. "Cheese and crackers, it's Josiah!"

"Hi..." Josiah smiled nervously, waving to his uncle.

"It's Josiah?" Bluey asked, she and Bingo flanking their father as they looked at Josiah. They squeezed past their father and hugged him, as they cried. "Josiah's back!"

"Is Aunt Chilli home?" Josiah asked, looking at Bandit as he chuckled, looking at his cousins.

"She's at work, mate," Bandit said. "Why don't you come in?" He asked. "You have a little explaining to do but," He sighed. "Welcome home."

"Hooray!" Bluey and Bingo said, holding their hands up as they went back inside.

"Before your cousin can play, I would like to have a little bit of a talk with him, if that's okay," Bandit said, kneeling down to his daughters. "Why don't you two wait outside in the backyard? Think of something to do?"

"Okay, Dad," Bluey nodded, the sisters running out to their backyard as they giggled to themselves, in the living room, Josiah and Bandit sat down.

Josiah recounted his stories to Bandit, who shifted in his seat. He went from bored to surprised to dry amusement, they shared a laugh and soon, Josiah was released into the backyard where suddenly, he was met with a beachball to the face.

"Boom," Bingo said with a giggle. "You're out Josiah!"

Josiah smiled as he rubbed his cheek, his tail wagging as he watched them go at it, the sisters laughing.

"Good ol' Bomb Rally." Josiah said as he got up. They played for hours until the sun started to set and Josiah heard a gasp from behind him.

He turned around, as he saw Chilli standing there, Bandit grinning, her jaw dropped.

Then once again, a beachball smacked Josiah in the face as he fell to the ground.

"Oh my goodness," Chilli said, running to Josiah. "Are you okay?"

"I've had that happen a few times today," Josiah said, looking at Chilli, Bluey, and Bingo laughing. "It's just air, anyways."

"Well," Chilli said, kneeling to Josiah. "It's nice to see you again, are you back for good?"

"Cleared to." Josiah gave a thumbs up, the girls letting out a collective squeal of joy.

Chilli got out her phone and she dialed someone.

"Hey Brandy," Chilli said, as Bandit got down and got the girls and Josiah back inside. "You'll never guess who is here."

Soon, Josiah was sitting with Bluey and Bingo, as they watched TV, the pair watching Cat Squad. Josiah still didn't really like it but he liked to see his cousins have joy on their faces as they partook in the delight of their cartoons, as soon the doorbell rang.

Chilli opened the door and behind it was Brandy who looked around.

Josiah leaned from his seat as he looked at Brandy, as they looked at each other, as he got down onto the ground, looking at each other.

Josiah found himself embraced in a hug, returning it as Brandy cried.

"Oh my goodness, I thought I lost you," Brandy said, as her voice quivered. "I'm so glad you're home."

"I'm sorry," Josiah said, leaning into Brandy. "I missed you."

"I missed you too, Josiah," Brandy said, releasing him as she looked down at him. "Why don't we go home?" She asked, getting up. "We have a lot of talking to do, but we also have a life to get back to," She said, as Josiah nodded. She held out a finger as she looked down at him. "Just no lies, okay?"

"No more lies," Josiah said, smiling. "I promise."

Josiah waved goodbye to Bluey and Bingo, his uncle and aunt as he grabbed Brandy's hand, and walking outside into the waning day.

In the end, for Brandy, it was meant to be.