A drop here, a drop there (a one-shots/snippet book)

Red Hands, Red Heart (WtNV)

Dana took note of the first part of his words, happy that apparently the two radio hosts hadn't met and Kevin didn't dispose of Cecil's body somewhere.

But there was a tinge of wistfulness in his voice when he spoke the second part. His smiling face somehow conveyed a quiet sadness that made Dana ask in a fit of sudden compassion, "What's too bad?"

He blinked and perked up, smiling widely once again. "Oh, I didn't mention? Vanessa died a long time ago!" He said cheerfully.

Dana opened her mouth, then closed it.

"It was quite...brutal. I had trouble sleeping for weeks afterwards before they fixed me!" He giggled, then lamented, "Oh, I was quite a handful back then. I was lucky that Strexcorp was so patient with me."

"Uhm." Dana didn't know what to say. He had previously talked like Vanessa was still alive, and even mistook Dana as her, so why...?

Kevin glanced at the soundboard and exclaimed, "Oh dear, the weather will end a minute from now. It's time for me to go." He turned to her and gave her his widest grin, pulling at the stitches in his cheeks and causing more blood to join the collection already on his person, a sight that made Dana shiver in disgust. No, horror.

"Now, I don't know when your usual radio host will arrive, but I'm sure you can take care of the broadcast in the meantime. You're reliable, aren't you? Your town can count on you, riiight...?"

There's something like a threat there in the overly sweet and expectant tone, but Dana can't be sure. She nodded wordlessly. Kevin clapped his hands in delight.

"Wonderful! I'm sure you're as efficient as Vanessa, you are her double after all. Goodbye, Dana! I hope we meet again someday!" He gave a little cheerful wave and turned around to face the vortex. From behind, without seeing the scarred cheeks and the eyeless black pits, ignoring the dried and still wet blood covering his clothes, he looked exactly like Cecil.

"Oh, I can't wait to tell Vanessa what happened! She'll be sooo jealous~!"

Dana inhaled sharply and opened her mouth, but he was gone. Lost in the swirling ink of black, almost indigo. She stared at the vortex, mind blank and struggling to make sense of the contradiction. The humming was still in the background, filling the silence.

Dana shook her head and pushed the thought of Kevin and his intern away, now thinking about Cecil. She wondered whether she should wait or attempt to find their town's Voice herself. But looking for their radio host whenever he's missing or taken isn't an intern's job, no matter how worried she is. She had to take over of the show first if Cecil stayed gone, and once it's over maybe, maybe, she can help the Secret Police look for him. Wherever he is. Was he in the vortex?

Another shot of worry went through her chest at the thought. She hoped not... but knowing Cecil and his curiosity.... the intern sighed and started walking to the room adjacent. She collapsed in her chair heavily, feeling gravity pull down on her weary limbs as the adrenaline in her bloodstream slowly lost its hold of influence. There was a family picture sitting on her desk among the papers, her's, and she put it face down.

She can't look at her own face right now.

Dana didn't have to wait long, as only a few seconds later did a figure stumble through the vortex. She flinched because the man was covered in blood, but was soon relieved to realize that his eyes were still intact. Wide, haunted eyes dazedly looking around as if he just came out of hell and couldn't believe he was out, but intact. That was more important.

They met eyes, and Cecil's face melted to match her relief. The weather played its last notes, a cue for them to get back to work, and Cecil shakily took his place next to his desk. There was blood on the chair, giving him pause, but he just took hold of the mic and stayed standing.

Dana listened with mounting concern as Cecil's voice shook like it never had since Station Management left their office, and the disgust was clear in the faint snarl of his voice. But Dana remembered Kevin. She remembered his words, Vanessa died a long time ago! It was quite...brutal, the quiet sadness that showed even through his unnaturally wide grin. The painfully casual mention of being "fixed" by a "they," (Did he mention a Strexcorp...?)

She thought of Cecil. Cecil with his bright eyes and just as bright smile whenever he gushed or talked about something he was passionate about. Cecil's face, with bloody wounds on his cheeks, gaping holes in place of his eyes, and a painfully wide and forced rictus of a smile.

Dana didn't know what Kevin went through, nor did she know who was cruel enough to do it to him, but she knew that she wouldn't be able to drum up the same disgust present in Cecil's voice. And she had no wish to do so.

She mentally tuned back in to the radio host expressing his happiness at the continued living of the other man, himself, and the town. Then Cecil's eyes turned distant, a glow shining through his eyes like cloudy sunlight through colored glass.

During the times that Cecil got like this and used a general "you" to talk to his listeners, Dana liked to think that he's using his ability to look at each and every citizen. So that he is talking to them, to each and every one of them personally, intimately, even as he remained an unseen spectator.

She hadn't asked him herself to confirm, but every citizen had felt that comfort more than once in their lives, that The Voice was watching over them, comforting them personally with their voice and watching eye despite the physical distance. And in this case, they knew that Cecil really was expressively glad that they were alive no matter how distant or close their personal relationship is with him...

"Those of us, whoever we are, who survived. Those others of us, whoever we are, who conquered. Whoever you are now, you are home. "

...and no matter if they were the original, or the double.

"We are home, Night Vale. My mouth, your ears. We have each other."

Dana smiled, weakly, but no less genuine. Cecil didn't turn to look at her, but she can see him smiling back.

"And for now, and always, goodnight, Night Vale. Goodnight."

(And years later, a mayor of Night Vale, young but wise, will extend a hand of friendship to a broken town recently freed)

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