The Mad Doctor set down his clipboard, smiling. "Now then, I would recommend taking it easy for a few days, just to be safe, but other than that, you appear right as rain."
Mickey smiled and hopped down off the table. "Got it. Thanks, Doc."
Oswald smiled too as he walked up and gave Mickey a playful punch on the shoulder. After they left the Mad Doctor’s lab, Gus warped in beside them.
"Ah, there you two are! I have some good news."
As the two toons watched, Gus pulled out a blueprint and spread it on the ground.
"What's this?" Oswald asked, examining the drawings with interest.
Gus smiled. "Prescott has been drawing up some plans. He thinks that with the Mad Doctor’s help, it might be possible to construct a portal leading back to the Cartoon World."
Mickey’s eyes widened. "Really?" he asked in a hushed, hopeful tone.
Oswald placed a hand on the mouse’s shoulder. "Do you think you’ll be able to find the right parts?"
The gremlin nodded, still smiling. "With the generators being dissembled, there should be enough."
Oswald grinned, giving Mickey a gentle nudge. "Ya see? I told ya we’d find a way to get ya home."
A wide smile grew across Mickey’s face, and he looked up. "I… I don’t know how t’ thank ya."
"You can thank us by not dyin' again." Oswald gave him a friendly bop on the head.
Mickey chuckled, looking sheepish as he rubbed the spot. "Got it."
Gus let out a chuckle of his own as he rolled up the blueprints. "If we start right away, it shouldn't take more than a few weeks."
"You don't mind spendin' a few more weeks with us, do ya?" said Oswald.
Mickey hesitated for a few moments, then grinned. "Nah."
A few short weeks later, the portal was up and running and Oswald, Ortensia, the Bunny Kids, Gus, the Mad Doctor, and Prescott all gathered in the Mad Doctor's lab to say their farewells to Mickey.
"Be sure to come visit!" said Ortensia.
The Bunny Kids, who had been quite droopy up to this point, began hopping up and down, squeaking agreements.
Mickey chuckled as he reached down to pat the nearest ones on the head. "Anytime."
Prescott fluttered up, looking uneasy as he rubbed his arm. "I know I've said this before," he said quietly. "But I'm sorry, for everything."
Mickey smiled and held out a hand. "It's okay... and I owe you thanks for helpin' me get back home."
The gremlin hesitated a moment, then smiled as he shook the offered hand.
The Mad Doctor stepped forward next, bending down to shake Mickey's hand as well. "Until next time, my friend."
Mickey smiled and nodded.
Oswald approached him next, giving the mouse a smile. "Well, looks like you're finally goin' home. Bet you're real excited, huh?" Mickey nodded, a huge grin stretching over his face. Then a thoughtful expression came over it, making Oswald raise a brow. "What?"
"Well..." Mickey said slowly. "I was just thinkin'... since you've got a heart now... do you wanna come too?"
Oswald blinked. He couldn't deny he'd considered the possibility but he'd held back from mentioning it until now. "I want to but I can't. Wasteland needs me."
The other toons exchanged glances with each other, then smiled and nodded in silent agreement.
Gus fluttered up. "We can take care of things here, Oswald. I'll supervise the repairs and make sure everything keeps running smoothly."
The Mad Doctor furiously typed some things into his machine, then slammed down the ENTER key. "A-ha! I've established a link between the portal machine and your remote, which should let you contact us from the Cartoon World. Whenever you wish to return, I should be able to reopen the portal."
Oswald then felt Ortensia take his hand and give him a peck on the cheek. "We'll go together. The kids too."
Not long after Oswald had discovered his heart had returned, Ortensia had hurried up to him with the news that she and the Bunny Children had one too. Oswald had to fight to keep himself from tearing up, overwhelmed with gratitude. "Thanks, I'll definitely visit soon. Just don't screw anythin' up while I'm gone!" He chuckled. Giddy excitement filled him as he realized he was about to step outside of Wasteland for the first time in many, many years. He'd wanted this for so long, and now it was finally happening.
A hand on his shoulder made him look at Mickey. The mouse smiled and nodded. Nearly bursting with joy, Oswald pulled Ortensia into a passionate kiss, then scooped up Mickey and squeezed him tight while spinning him around. Mickey yelped in surprise, then laughed as he returned Oswald's hug. After a few moments, they separated and turned to face the portal. Mickey stepped forward first, first poking an arm through it, then slowly stepping inside.
Oswald took Ortensia's hand, making sure she was with him as he approached the portal. Together, they stepped through and suddenly, the ground seemed to vanish below their feet, as if they were falling. Bright light blinded their vision and a whooshing sound like a high-speed wind filled their ears. They could faintly make out some of the bunny kids' voices crying out behind them, but the wind was so loud, it was nearly impossible to hear what they were saying, or whether they were even saying anything at all. Then, just as quickly as the sensation had begun, they suddenly landed on solid ground.
Getting up from the soft grass, they looked around to find themselves in what seemed to be some sort of a residential neighborhood. Just down the street, sat a familiar yellow house, as well as an equally-familiar pink one. Mickey stood nearby, a huge smile on his face.
"Welcome to the Cartoon World," he said.
Oswald smiled back, but any words he was going to say were cut off by an incredulous voice.
"Mickey?"
The mouse whirled around, his heart pounding. "Minnie...?"
The two could only stare at each other at first, unable to form words. Then tears began to fill both their eyes, and Minnie broke into a run.
"Mickey!"
Laughing with joy, Mickey caught her in his arms and twirled her around before pulling her into a tight hug.
"Minnie, I..."
Minnie cut him off by pressing her lips to his in a passionate kiss. After a few minutes, she drew back and began looking him over anxiously.
"Where were you? What happened? Are you all right? Where WERE you?"
Mickey glanced over at Oswald and Ortensia, who had been watching the reunion with big smiles, and laughed.
"Min, it's a really long story."
Oswald nodded, giving a little chuckle. "Mick sure missed ya," he said, making Mickey blush.
Clearing his throat, Mickey took Minnie’s hand and gestured toward Oswald and Ortensia.
"Minnie, there’s some people that I want ya to meet."
Oswald held out a hand. "Oswald the Lucky Rabbit. Nice to meet ya."
Ortensia held out her hand as well. "And I'm Ortensia. It's a pleasure!"
"Oh, Mickey's told me so much about you both!" Minnie said, shaking both their hands in turn.
"Oh, has he?" Oswald teased, eyeing Mickey. "What kinds of things?"
"Oh, he told me all about what you went through the first time. It's so wonderful to finally meet you!"
At that moment, several of the Bunny Kids hopped forward.
"Are you Auntie Minnie?" one squeaked. Minnie blinked at the sight of all the bunnies but smiled again.
"Yes, I am. It's wonderful to finally meet you all."
"Oh! Oswald, we’ll need a place to stay!" Ortensia said, a worried look on her face. "And it’ll have to have enough room for the kids and their beds and toys and—"
Oswald put a hand on her shoulder, stopping her frantic rambling. "Don’t worry, honeybunch, we’ll figure it out."
Mickey stepped forward. "I can get ya guys a room at one of the resorts here until you figure things out. And don’t worry about the cost, it’s on the house!"
"Oh, thank you so much, Mickey," said Ortensia, "but are you sure it’s okay?”
"Of course!" Mickey responded, glancing over at Oswald with a smile. "It’s the least I can do to repay ya for savin’ my life."
Oswald smiled. "Thanks a bunch, Mickey."
The rest of the day passed in a blur of activity. Oswald and Ortensia had their hands full getting the Bunny Children calmed down enough to get settled, and everyone in Toontown was eager to meet the new arrivals. As a result, Oswald found himself shaking more hands then he had in his life.
Later, Oswald and Mickey were walking along Main Street. Oswald was taking in the familiar sights, marveling at the similarities between the two worlds.
"You were right, ya know," he said quietly. Mickey glanced over at him, not quite catching his words.
"Huh?"
Oswald gestured at the street in front of them.
"This place. It’s a lot like, well, home."
Mickey looked ahead and nodded, smiling.
"Yeah. It’s great to see it again."
Oswald grinned.
"I know what ya mean."
After a moment, Oswald realized that Mickey had stopped. He hesitated, his ears pricking.
"Mick?"
Mickey looked over at him, then gave him an apologetic shrug.
"Sorry, just… old memories coming up."
Oswald followed Mickey’s gaze and noticed something that he had never seen in Wasteland. In the window above the Fire Station, a lamp glowed.
"That’s…" he said softly. "That’s the apartment."
Mickey nodded, a slight smile on his face.
"They’ve kept it on every day since."
Oswald felt a slight smile tug at his own face.
"So he’s still watchin’."
Mickey nodded, his eyes still fixed on the lamp.
"Yeah. Exactly."
They stood there together, gazing up at the lamp. As the sky grew darker, it’s glow seemed to grow even brighter. Oswald felt the smile on his face grow.
It’s good to be back.
