⠀
He turns to her, almost looking excited to go on an adventure with her where they weren’t at one another’s throats.

“ 𝖨 𝖼𝖺𝗇 𝗁𝖺𝗏𝖾 𝖫𝖺𝗎𝗇𝖼𝗁𝗉𝖺𝖽 𝗍𝖺𝗄𝖾 𝗎𝗌 𝖽𝗈𝗐𝗇 𝗍𝗁𝖾𝗋𝖾, 𝖺𝗌 𝗅𝗈𝗇𝗀 𝖺𝗌 𝗒𝖾 𝖽𝗈𝗇’𝗍 𝗆𝗂𝗇𝖽 𝖼𝗋𝖺𝗌𝗁 𝗅𝖺𝗇𝖽𝗂𝗇𝗌! ”
⠀

⠀
“ 𝖲𝗁𝖾’𝗌 𝗂𝗇 𝗍𝗁𝖾 𝖳𝗈𝗋𝗍𝗎𝗀𝗎𝖾𝗋𝗈 𝖭𝖺𝗍𝗂𝗈𝗇𝖺𝗅 𝖯𝖺𝗋𝗄 𝗍𝗋𝗒𝗂𝗇𝗀 𝗍𝗈 𝖿𝗂𝗇𝖽 𝖺 𝖼𝗋𝖾𝖺𝗍𝗎𝗋𝖾 𝗍𝗁𝖺𝗍’𝗌 𝗌𝗎𝗉𝗉𝗈𝗌𝖾𝖽𝗅𝗒 𝗁𝖺𝗅𝖿 𝗍𝗂𝗀𝖾𝗋 𝗁𝖺𝗅𝖿 𝗐𝗈𝗅𝖿. 𝖨 𝗍𝗈𝗅𝖽 𝗁𝖾𝗋 𝗍𝗁𝖺𝗍 𝗂𝗍 𝗐𝖺𝗌 𝗇𝗈𝗇𝗌𝖾𝗇𝗌𝖾. 𝖶𝗈𝗅𝗏𝖾𝗌 𝖺𝗇𝖽 𝖳𝗂𝗀𝖾𝗋𝗌 𝖼𝖺𝗇’𝗍 𝖾𝗏𝖾𝗇 𝗉𝗋𝗈𝖽𝗎𝖼𝖾 𝗈𝖿𝖿𝗌𝗉𝗋𝗂𝗇𝗀… ”

He sighs good-naturedly.

“ 𝖡𝗎𝗍 𝗐𝗁𝖾𝗇 𝗁𝖺𝗌 𝗍𝗁𝖺𝗍 𝖾𝗏𝖾𝗋 𝗌𝗍𝗈𝗉𝗉𝖾𝖽 𝗁𝖾𝗋? ”

↓

⠀
Some of them were painted by men in Dawson back in 1897… in her dance hall days! How did he get his hands on these? Did he track them down?

“ …𝗅𝖾𝗍’𝗌 𝗌𝖾𝖾… 𝗌𝗈𝗆𝖾𝗐𝗁𝖾𝗋𝖾 𝗂𝗇 𝖢𝗈𝗌𝗍𝖺 𝖱𝗂𝖼𝖺 𝗅𝗈𝗈𝗄𝗂𝗇’ 𝖿𝖾𝗋 𝗍𝗁𝖾 𝖫𝗎𝗉𝖾𝗋𝖺… 𝗁𝖾𝗁… 𝗆𝖺𝗄𝖾𝗌 𝗌𝖾𝗇𝗌𝖾… ”
⠀

⠀
Eventually, the two would reach McDuck Manor. He began thumbing through itineraries mailed to him by Webby to find where she was. In the halls, several portraits of himself were hanging… though there were a few of Goldie as well, which might come as a surprise.

Some vintage stuff, too…

↓

⠀
He chortles at this, thinking back on Webby’s last appearance before heading off on a journey of adventure.

“ 𝖨 𝗐𝖺𝗋𝗇 𝗒𝗈𝗎, 𝗌𝗁𝖾’𝗌 𝖾𝗏𝖾𝗇 𝗆𝗈𝗋𝖾 𝗎𝗇𝖼𝗈𝗇𝗍𝗋𝗈𝗅𝗅𝖺𝖻𝗅𝖾 𝖺𝗇𝖽 𝗋𝖺𝗆𝖻𝗎𝗇𝖼𝗍𝗂𝗈𝗎𝗌 𝗍𝗁𝖺𝗇 𝗌𝗁𝖾 𝗐𝖺𝗌 𝗐𝗁𝖾𝗇 𝗒𝗈𝗎 𝗅𝖺𝗌𝗍 𝗌𝖺𝗐 𝗁𝖾𝗋 𝖺 𝖿𝖾𝗐 𝗒𝖾𝖺𝗋𝗌 𝖻𝖺𝖼𝗄. ”
⠀

⠀
—when most of his interactions with her have been that of a co-adventurer or rival.
⠀

⠀
A laugh is let out.

“ 𝖲𝗁𝖾 𝖽𝗈𝖾𝗌 𝖾𝗏𝖾𝗇 𝗆𝗈𝗋𝖾 𝗋𝖾𝖺𝖽𝗂𝗇’ 𝖺𝖻𝗈𝗎𝗍 𝗎𝗌 𝗍𝗁𝖺𝗇 𝗍𝖺𝗅𝗄𝗂𝗇’ 𝗍𝗈 𝗎𝗌, 𝖻𝗎𝗍 𝗒𝖾𝗌… 𝗌𝗁𝖾’𝗌 𝖾𝗑𝗉𝗋𝖾𝗌𝗌𝖾𝖽 𝗂𝗍 𝗉𝗋𝗂𝗏𝖺𝗍𝖾𝗅𝗒 𝗍𝗈 𝗆𝖾 𝗈𝗇 𝗈𝖼𝖼𝖺𝗌𝗂𝗈𝗇𝗌. ”

He found the idea sweet, and he was… unsure on how Goldie would respond to such a sentiment. It was hard to tell if such an idea appealed to her—

↓

⠀
Scrooge grins.

“ 𝖨𝗍’𝗌 𝗅𝗂𝗄𝖾𝗅𝗒 𝖻𝖾𝖺𝗎𝗍𝗂𝖿𝗎𝗅 𝗎𝗉 𝗍𝗁𝖾𝗋𝖾. 𝖠𝗇𝖽 𝖽𝗈𝗇’ 𝗒𝖾 𝗐𝖺𝗇𝗇𝖺 𝗍𝖺𝗄𝖾 𝗍𝗁𝖾 𝖼𝗋𝖾𝖽𝗂𝗍 𝖿𝗈𝗋 𝖻𝖾𝗂𝗇’ 𝗍𝗁𝖾 𝖿𝗂𝗋𝗌𝗍 𝖣𝗎𝖼𝗄𝗌 𝗈𝗇 𝖬𝖺𝗋𝗌? 𝖠𝗇𝗈𝗍𝗁𝖾𝗋 𝖿𝖾𝖺𝗍𝗁𝖾𝗋 𝗂𝗇 𝗒𝖾𝗋 𝖼𝖺𝗉, 𝗌𝗈 𝗍𝗈 𝗌𝗉𝖾𝖺𝗄. ”

He scratches his chin.

“ 𝖲𝗁𝖾 𝖺𝗅𝗆𝗈𝗌𝗍 𝗌𝖾𝖾𝗌 𝗒𝗈𝗎 𝖺𝗌 𝖺 𝗆𝗈𝗍𝗁𝖾𝗋, 𝗒’𝗄𝗇𝗈𝗐… ”
⠀

⠀
—she was impatient. He wouldn’t be… though, surely there was a place they had never been here on Earth’s surface.
⠀

⠀
“ 𝖲𝗈… 𝗈𝗇𝖼𝖾 𝗐𝖾 𝗀𝖾𝗍 𝖻𝗈𝗋𝖾𝖽, 𝗉𝗋𝗈𝖻𝖺𝖻𝗅𝗒 𝗂𝗇 𝖺𝗇 𝗁𝗈𝗎𝗋 𝗈𝗋 𝗌𝗈, 𝗐𝗁𝖾𝗋𝖾 𝗐𝗈𝗎𝗅𝖽 𝗒𝗈𝗎 𝗅𝗂𝗄𝖾 𝗍’ 𝗀𝗈? 𝖨𝗍’𝗌 𝟤𝟢𝟤𝟧, 𝖬𝖺𝗋𝗌 𝗂𝗌 𝖺𝗅𝗅 𝗍𝗁𝖾 𝗋𝖺𝗀𝖾 𝗍𝗁𝖾𝗌𝖾 𝖽𝖺𝗒𝗌. 𝖶𝗁𝖺𝗍 𝖽’ 𝗒𝖺 𝗍𝗁𝗂𝗇𝗄? 𝖴𝗇𝗅𝖾𝗌𝗌 𝗒𝗈𝗎 𝖼𝖺𝗇 𝗍𝗁𝗂𝗇𝗄 𝗈𝖿 𝖺 𝗉𝗅𝖺𝖼𝖾 𝗈𝗇 𝖤𝖺𝗋𝗍𝗁 𝗐𝖾 𝗌𝗈𝗆𝖾𝗁𝗈𝗐 𝗁𝖺𝗏𝖾𝗇’𝗍 𝖻𝖾𝖾𝗇 𝗒𝖾𝗍. ”

He wasn’t so worried about space travel anymore. Della only got stuck because—

↓

⠀
He takes her hand and leads her out into the afternoon Calisota air… it was surreal, finally walking alongside Goldie O’Gilt in Duckburg. Two adventurers and they were just taking a stroll… it was kind of hilarious. They usually spent every second going to inhospitable places…

↓

⠀
He stands up from his chair, still holding her hand. He uses the other to brush off his vest.

“ 𝖢𝖺𝗋𝖾 𝗍𝗈 𝗍𝖺𝗄𝖾 𝖺 𝗌𝗍𝗋𝗈𝗅𝗅, 𝗍𝗁𝖾𝗇? ”

They may as well start making up for lost time!
⠀

⠀
—pining for one another… maybe they were the biggest fools in history. But the Mansion would feel far less lonely with her there. She was the one thing always missing in his life. He had known ever since they were frozen together in that cave…
⠀

⠀
The old miser squeezes her hand gently, his feathery appendages locked with hers. This was all uncharted territory for him, but he was willing to try.

“ …𝖢𝗈𝗆𝖾 𝗁𝗈𝗆𝖾 𝗐𝗂𝗍𝗁 𝗆𝖾, 𝖬𝗂𝗌𝗌 𝖮’𝖦𝗂𝗅𝗍. 𝖫𝖾𝗍’𝗌 𝗌𝗉𝖾𝗇𝖽 𝗍𝗂𝗆𝖾 𝗍𝗈𝗀𝖾𝗍𝗁𝖾𝗋… 𝗆𝖺𝗄𝖾 𝗎𝗉 𝖿𝗈𝗋 𝖺𝗅𝗅 𝗍𝗁𝗈𝗌𝖾 𝗒𝖾𝖺𝗋𝗌 𝖺𝗉𝖺𝗋𝗍. ”

Over a century and a half of—

↓

lumb.

im going to add extra bacon to my baconator while thinking about you

⠀
“ 𝖨𝖿 𝖨’𝗆 𝗀𝗈𝗂𝗇𝗀 𝗍𝗈 𝖻𝖾 𝖺 𝖿𝗈𝗈𝗅, 𝖨’𝖽 𝗋𝖺𝗍𝗁𝖾𝗋 𝖻𝖾 𝗒𝗈𝗎𝗋 𝖿𝗈𝗈𝗅… ” he admits, forgetting anybody else was in the room other than her.

The patrons let out a simultaneous, quiet “aww”.
⠀

⠀
“ 𝖳𝗁𝖺𝗍’𝗌 𝗍𝗋𝗎𝖾, 𝖻𝗎𝗍… 𝗐𝖾’𝗋𝖾 𝟣𝟧𝟢 𝗒𝖾𝖺𝗋𝗌 𝗒𝗈𝗎𝗇𝗀… ”

Scrooge smiles at her words. Hey, maybe the ol’ McDuck charm did work, after all. The kids were out of the house, he had several years of life left to go on adventures, and here was the apple of his eye here in Duckburg. It was like destiny.

↓

⠀
“ 𝖨 𝗉𝗋𝗈𝖻𝖺𝖻𝗅𝗒 𝗅𝖺𝗂𝖽 𝗆𝗒 𝖾𝗒𝖾𝗌 𝗈𝗇 𝖺𝗅𝗅 𝗈𝖿 𝗍𝗁𝖾 𝗀𝗈𝗅𝖽 𝗂𝗇 𝖸𝗎𝗄𝗈𝗇 𝖽𝗎𝗋𝗂𝗇𝗀 𝗆𝗒 𝗍𝗂𝗆𝖾 𝗂𝗇 𝖣𝖺𝗐𝗌𝗈𝗇. 𝖠𝗇’ 𝗈𝗎𝗍 𝗈𝖿 𝖺𝗅𝗅 𝗈𝖿 𝗂𝗍…

…𝘺𝘰𝘶 𝘢𝘭𝘸𝘢𝘺𝘴 𝘴𝘩𝘰𝘯𝘦 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘣𝘳𝘪𝘨𝘩𝘵𝘦𝘴𝘵. ”
⠀

⠀
Scrooge smiles shyly, unable to believe that he was saying how he felt in this little nosy café… but he had to make up for all these years somehow.

“ …𝖢𝗈𝗆𝖾 𝗇𝗈𝗐, 𝖦𝗂𝗅𝖽𝗒… 𝗒𝗈𝗎 𝖼𝗈𝗎𝗅𝖽𝗇’𝗍 𝗌𝗉𝗈𝗍 𝖺 𝗌𝗆𝗂𝗍𝗍𝖾𝗇 𝗈𝗅𝖽 𝗆𝖺𝗇 𝗐𝗁𝖾𝗇 𝗒𝖾 𝗌𝖾𝖾𝗇 𝗈𝗇𝖾? ”

He carefully placed a hand on hers.

↓

⠀
—“manned up” and marched down to her parlor to tell her himself. Was he really so afraid of being hurt emotionally?
⠀

⠀
“ 𝖶𝖾𝗅𝗅… 𝖨-𝖨 𝗌𝗎𝗉𝗉𝗈𝗌𝖾 𝖨 𝗇𝖾𝗏𝖾𝗋 𝗍𝗈𝗅𝖽 𝗒𝗈𝗎… 𝗁𝗈𝗐 𝖨 𝖿𝖾𝗅𝗍 𝖾𝗂𝗍𝗁𝖾𝗋… 𝗌𝗈 𝗂𝗍’𝗌 𝗇𝗈𝗍 𝖿𝖺𝗂𝗋 𝗍𝖺 𝗉𝗂𝗇 𝗂𝗍 𝗈𝗇 𝗒𝗈𝗎… ” he mumbles. What a perfect fool he had been, sitting in his castle in the 40s pining for a woman he had left behind. If he wanted to be with her so bad, the letter be damned; he should have just—

↓

⠀
“ 𝖦𝗁— 𝗐𝗁𝗒 𝖽𝗂𝖽𝗇’𝗍 𝗒𝗈𝗎 𝗃𝗎𝗌𝗍 𝗍𝖾𝗅𝗅 𝗆𝖾, 𝗅𝖺𝗌𝗌? 𝖸𝖾 𝗄𝖾𝗉𝗍 𝗉𝗋𝖾𝗍𝖾𝗇𝖽𝗂𝗇’ 𝗍𝗁𝖺𝗍 𝗒𝖾 𝖽𝗂𝖽𝗇’𝗍 𝗐𝖺𝗇𝗍 𝗆𝖾, 𝗈𝗋 𝗌𝗐𝗂𝗇𝖽𝗅𝖾𝖽 𝗆𝖾 𝗈𝗎𝗍 𝗈𝖿 𝗌𝗈𝗆𝖾 𝗍𝗋𝖾𝖺𝗌𝗎𝗋𝖾, 𝗈𝗋… 𝗂-𝗂𝖿 𝗒𝖾 𝗁𝖺𝖽 𝗃𝗎𝗌𝗍 𝗌𝖺𝗂𝖽 𝗂𝗍, 𝖨 𝗐𝗈𝗎𝗅𝖽 𝗁𝖺𝗏𝖾 𝗄𝗇𝗈𝗐𝗇! ”

It was true. It was a game of cat and mouse they played with one another…

…one… another…

Oh.

Scrooge rubbed his head.

↓

⠀
“ 𝖦𝗈𝗅𝖽𝗂𝖾… 𝖨 𝖽𝗂𝖽𝗇’𝗍 𝗄𝗇𝗈𝗐 𝗂𝗍 𝗐𝖺𝗌 𝗌𝗈𝗆𝖾𝗍𝗁𝗂𝗇𝗀 𝗅𝗂𝗄𝖾 𝗍𝗁𝖺𝗍… 𝗒𝗈𝗎 𝗐𝖾𝗋𝖾 𝗉𝗅𝖺𝗒𝗂𝗇’ 𝗍𝗋𝗂𝖼𝗄𝗌 𝖺𝗇’ 𝖻𝖺𝖼𝗄𝗌𝗍𝖺𝖻𝖻𝗂𝗇’ 𝗆𝖾, 𝖨 𝗍𝗁𝗈𝗎𝗀𝗁𝗍 𝗒𝗈𝗎 𝖽𝗂𝖽𝗇’𝗍— ”

He cut himself off with frustration. If he had just read the darned letter… would his life have looked different?
⠀