Enter Abyss

Epilogue; Jumping off a cliff is not a good way to end one's evening.

The day dawned bright and clear, with only a smudge of dark clouds on the horizon to tell of rain yet to come.

'How fitting,' Archer thought glumly as he walked Pip to the airship docks, Cogs by his side, each one of them lost in thought of the changes that were yet to come. Changes involving the Keepers, and Thaddues, and things that Archer did not wish to think of. Things that Archer's mother had promised that she would have dealt with.

It was the least she could do.

There had been new beginnings with Cogs and Pip as well-- most of which involved Cogs' parents being slightly disappointed to see him and his Abyss-born lover and Pip telling them to go bloody jump into the Abyss.

Either way, both Cogs and Meera were living with Archer and his mother now, and, for the time being, they would stay in the city... until adventure called then elsewhere.

Just like it had called Pip.

Shaking his head to clear it, he glanced at Pip once more and attempted to break the dismal silence. "What did you say the airship captain's name was?"

"Vix Valentine something or other. She's an old friend of your mum's. In any case, cousin Liam's been on her ship for awhile now-- he'll tell me what's what if I don't punch him first."

"Don't hurt him too badly."

"Not unless he tempts me."

"And you will be back to visit, won't you?"

Pip grinned at him in her usual easy manner, and replied, "Aye, perhaps I will. But I'll be busy with pirating and all that nonsense."

Cogs snorted. "Don't let it go to your head."

"Blimey, I've got to have SOME fun."

Smiling slightly, Archer shook his head once more, savoring the moment shared between them. This moment of peace.

For while he knew that there would be more dark days ahead, he at least had this moment of peace-- even though it meant saying goodbye to a friend.

Reaching the airship docks, the three of them glanced around for only a brief second before spotting a small airship to their left. And there, standing before an open hull door full of promise, was cousin Liam, waiving enthusiastically-- a slender, silver-haired man leaning against the ship beside him.

"I think that's the one." Cogs said as Liam began waiving his arms about almost frantically, a huge grin on his face.

"Really? Was it the fact that it's a pirate airship or my cousin acting like a loon that tipped you off?" Pip asked sarcastically, hefting her bag of belongings over her shoulder.

The sight made Archer's heart sink slightly; she was going. For good.

And while it had all been so sudden and had happened too quickly for his liking, he knew it was best for her. She could not remain here, not with all the memories.

Placing a gentle hand on her shoulder, he turned her to face him, noting the tears in her eyes that she stubbornly would not let fall.

Gazing at her, he said softly, "I'll miss you, you know that?"

She sniffed slightly, brushing at her eyes with the heel of her palms. "I know. I'll miss you too." she glanced at Cogs and gave him a sad smile, "Both of you."

They embraced her then, the three of them each trying to hold in tears that escaped their bounds anyway. And though Archer wished to hold onto Pip forever, eventually, she slipped from his grasp, giving him one final smile before turning and sprinting toward the airship, never once looking back.

"Do you think she'll miss us?" Cogs asked quietly, watching as she boarded the ship with Liam and the silver-haired man, her face alight with the hope of new adventures yet to come.

And that-- that look of pure joy upon her face-- was what made Archer smile in turn, his heart lifting.

They would see one another again, for they were bonded by a friendship deepened from memories they had shared and the danger they had faced. Their fates were entertwined, unbreakable. And as Archer gazed after his cousin as she disappeared into the hull of the airship, the door closing firmly behind her, he knew this would not be the end.

"I think she will," he replied softly, "More than we can ever imagine."

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