The studio seemed so much brighter as they ran through the hallways, the sound of their loud footfalls echoing around them. Though there weren't any windows, it was like the sun was filtering through the walls themselves, lighting everything up. Even the ink stains on the floor were more faded, Bendy could even swear he could see little dust mites floating lazily in some sunny patches.

But of course it couldn't be. It was just a reflection of their happier, lighter hearts.

"Didja get em all?" Bendy asked excitedly.

"Yeah yeah!" Mary cheered back, her arms loaded with black bottles.

"Good! C'mon, c'mon, this way!"

He led her further down into the studio, nearer to the machinery. This would probably be the right room...

Something bubbled and swelled, and a long, thin arm emerged from a puddle of ink.

Large, toonish eyes blinked slowly as they landed on the small girl and the even smaller cartoon. "What...?"

Minutes later, the same process repeated.

Minutes later, a second toon got the wind knocked out of them by a hug so forceful it nearly knocked them down.

Mary kicked the kickstand back into its inactive position. She gripped the handlebars tight, her friends behind her. Walking was their only option – there was no way they'd all fit in her bike, and besides, she doubted she could pedal her whole way back. Not after the adventure she'd had.

"Ya ready, Mary?" asked the tallest one.

Mary smiled up at him, then glanced over at the studio. It was still boarded-up at the windows, the door closed once more. It looked...just as innocent as ever. No different from when she'd first arrived.

But with the Ink Machine off, nothing could happen. Even if someone dared to go inside and turn it back on...Joey was gone. All that would happen was some ink would sputter out.

She recalled the bones on the floor, after the acetone had mixed with the ink. For as much as he'd wanted to become a toon, he was still a human on the inside. Very deep down. He could never get rid of that part of himself.

So...none of the ink in the world would be able to bring him back.

She wondered what his whole story was. What must have drove him to do such things. Whether Uncle Henry had known about his plan, how much he'd known if he did...

...but those were stories out of her reach. They weren't her tales to be told.

It was over and done.

"Yeah. Yeah, 'm ready."

"Then let's go!" cheered Bendy, sitting in the little basket at the front of the bike. He laughed – a cute little whistling sound – and tilted his head back to smile at the others. "Henry's gonna be sooooo surprised!"

"Pleasantly surprised, I hope!" Alice spoke up.

"You bet he will!" Mary said with a grin. "Okay, let's go!"

As they walked, Mary felt compelled to look at the studio building one last time. Just to watch it shrink in the distance.

A group of cardboard Bendy's stared back at her, from a window up top. The only window not boarded-up.

Mary stopped for a second, staring back.

The cut-outs watched them for a few moments, nothing malicious about their smiles. In fact, it almost seemed as if they were...

Mary's expression softened into a sad smile, her brows lowering slightly. "Bye..." she whispered up at them.

There was a brief pause. The cut-outs wiggled slightly as if they were waving goodbye in their own way. And then they fell back, leaving the window empty.

RIIIIIIIIIIIIII- *clik*

Henry groaned and sat up in bed. His hands rubbed over his face, scrubbing away the grit from his eyes. Six AM – right on schedule.

Mary wouldn't be woken up for another two hours or so. But he had to keep to his schedule. And since he was up, he may as well get a head start on her breakfast – after his own coffee, of course.

With a yawn, he padded into the kitchen to start the coffeepot. The early morning light filtered through the curtains to illuminate little rectangles on the floor, the roads outside were quiet and tranquil...Early mornings were the best times. When all was as it should be; serene.

While the coffee brewed, he walked past the guest room he had set up for Mary-

-and stopped.

Her door was open, her bedsheets tossed aside.

...perhaps she was in the bathroom?

He looked down the hall. The bathroom door was wide open. She wasn't there.

"Mary?"

He went to the garage on an instinct.

Her bike was gone.

"Mary!"

Henry quickly threw a robe over his pajamas, shoved his feet into his shoes, and ran out the front door. His heart pounded a mile a second in his chest, a cold sweat already breaking out.

And then he stopped, and his heartrate slowly began to return to normal.

Down the street, he could make out a familiar red shape, walking her bike down to meet him. Mary.

And beside her...

and in the basket...

He could scarcely believe it.

Bendy sat in the basket at the front of her bike, his little feet sticking over the top, his head tilted back to watch the sunrise gently burn away the pink and golden-orange clouds. Beside Mary was Boris, walking tall and confident, his arms swinging casually like he remembered. Even from this distance, he could hear Boris whistling a familiar tune. On the other side of the bike walked Alice, her hands clasped demurely in front of herself as she looked around the street, enjoying the sight of the trees, the singing birds, the flowers...

They were all walking towards him. All healthy and cheerful as ever. Mary had numerous ink stains on her pinafore and shirt, but she had a broad smile on her face as they came nearer. She noticed him staring and grinned, lifting one arm to wave. "Hi, Uncle Henryyyyy!" she called out.

"Henry!" Bendy shouted, tearing his gaze away from the sky and towards Henry.

"Henryyy!" Boris and Alice called out together.

Henry stood mutely, weakly lifting a hand in greeting.

Mary began jogging her bike towards him, the cartoons chasing after her to keep up. Once she was close enough, Bendy launched himself out of the basket to collide with Henry's chest. The man's arms rose on instinct and once-forgotten reflex to embrace his creation and friend. "Bendy?" he whispered. "Boris – Alice? Mary, where did – what happened to your-" His sputtering came to an abrupt stop as the other toons ran over and locked him in a group bear hug, Mary dropping her bike and latching onto his legs.

It was Bendy who spoke first.

"Henry," he said, pulling back and looking at him with big, shining eyes. "We got such a good story to tell ya!"