Look, I just really hated the ending of the finale and am getting this off my chest. The world goes back to what it was. That's it.
Aziraphale glanced over to Crowley with the full knowledge they appeared as the mortal couple of Asa and Anthony.
"Anyone looking?" Aziraphale asked carefully.
Crowley pressed his fingers to his temples and closed his eyes. He shook his head. "No. Nobody."
"Swap back then?" Crowley suggested.
"Are you going to do the eye thing?" Aziraphale asked, a hint of hope in his voice.
Crowley smiled. "With all the pleasure in the world." He removed his glasses. His brown eyes shifted into yellow, and his round pupils shifted into vertical slits.
Delighted with a giddy smile, Aziraphale asked, "Ready?"
Crowley nodded. He stood and offered his right hand. Aziraphale accepted the offered aid, standing as well. They swapped positions from where they stood.
They kissed softly, briefly, before sparing some space between them.
Both held their hands up together and touched, channeling their supernatural energy toward each other.
Black wings sprouted from Crowley's back, and white wings sprouted from Aziraphale's back.
The material energy of their universe shifted.
They no longer looked human but as the angel and demon from their own universe.
So many people who had been waiting patiently to return back to that place felt a burst of relief. Their lookalike forms whisked away. This hollow horror that they had lived in for the span of a few minutes, masking itself as billions of years, was gone.
Back at the cottage, Crowley and Aziraphale stood in a warm embrace, then let it end.
They turned to face the cottage. "What do you think?" Crowley asked. He knew his own vote but would not say it aloud, at least not yet.
"I think, considering the source," Aziraphale remarked carefully, "we really should return it. Get a new one properly with some time," he advised.
Crowley agreed, nodding. "Right. I'm more than happy to leave this ghastly idea behind." He snapped his fingers.
The cottage popped away in an instant. The two momentarily stood in darkness. Crowley scowled. He would have to figure out how to get a job, earthly or infernal, but a job was better than this farce.
He pulled a pair of dark sunglasses out from his pocket and put them on, feeling like his proper snake demon self.
Color returned and blurred like horizontal motion as they found themselves returned to Whickber Street, just outside the front doors of Aziraphale's bookshop.
The supernatural magic had started to cleanse the area.
"Hey." They heard a familiar voice and turned around. Before them stood a human who was older than they had least seen him. He had grown up some.
"Adam?" Aziraphale asked.
"Thanks you two. You really had me worried there. I did what I could as soon as I felt you both," Adam told them.
Aziraphale nodded. Crowley nodded as well though his nod was more subtle.
"Can anyone tell me what's going on?" asked another careful and timid voice.
"Oh, Jesus," Crowley asked in a borderline mock of surprise.
"Yes, well...this universe was gone for a few minutes, mostly, and we uh...brought it back," Aziraphale started to explain. "We just needed a little placeholder in the meantime. But we're back! And now we're going to have to see who is where and doing what and what-have-you. Let's you and me start with Heaven." He motioned for Jesus to follow him. With a pause, he looked over to his partner. "Crowley?"
Crowley looked around and met his gaze with Adam's.
"Let's check the bookshop first," Adam offered.
Crowley nodded in agreement. The two started in that direction, up the steps, together. Aziraphale and Jesus had already resumed their walk.
"Welcome back, world. We missed you," Crowley said with a little smile.
