T-minus 7 hours and counting.
The party was well under way. abc was doing a special, following the year 2000 around the world, and Nosedive refused to move from his spot in front of the TV. Kaaryn was busy folding confetti stars from silver and blue paper, while Mallory was outside preparing "a surprise, to welcome the New Year in style." Tanya was running last-minute checks to make sure Drake One was Y2K compliant, Wildwing and Duke were playing card games, and Grin had been singing "Auld Lang Syne" every hour since three AM.
"Hey guys, look what I found!"
Duke and Wing looked up from their poker game to see Kar holding a bottle of red hots. They glanced at each other. "This can't be good." Wing said under his breath. With a maniacal grin, Kar poured half the bottle into her mouth. No one made a sound...
"AAAAAAAAAAHHHHHH!!!" She cried, hurriedly chomping, and she swallowed as fast as possible. Fanning her mouth, her eyes welled up as she began laughing hysterically. Shaking his head, Grin brought her a slice of pizza. "Thanks," she giggled, and took a big bite. She chewed thoughtfully. "I think I burned my tongue. I can't taste very much." Duke groaned. "Are you INSANE??!!?" She smiled sweetly. "Yes."
"Dumb question to ask!" Dive called from across the room.
Mallory walked back in, dusting her hands. "All done," she gave a satisfied grin. "at exactly 12:00 we'll be celebrating with a fireworks display that'd make entire Chinese dynasties green with envy." She walked over to the fridge and pulled out a bottle of champagne. "What say we toast the new year a bit early?"
"Sure!" Wildwing, who was losing terribly at Black Jack, jumped up from the table. "I'll get out six goblets."
"HEY! What about me?!?!!" Nosedive hollered. Duke glared at him. "Need you really ask?" Dive folded his arms and pouted. Kar ran over and patted him on the head. "Would it make you feel better if I didn't have any?"
"No."
She shrugged. "Okay, then. Pour me a glass!" she ran into the kitchen to join the others. Mallory pulled another bottle out of the fridge and grabbed another goblet. "Here, Dive, you can have ginger ale."
"Thanks a ton," he muttered, and stalked into the kitchen.
They all looked at Wildwing expectantly. "Oh, I get to go first?" He made a face. "Great. Ummm... to another year full of chances to defeat Dragaunus and get back home." He turned to Mallory, who shook her head, then raised her glass, thinking.
"To us, and all we've pulled through together."
Duke bowed his head and said solemnly, "To the hope that we get a new manager." Applause all around.
Tanya's was simple but profound. "To life."
"To our friends and family. Those we've lost," a tear shone in Kaaryn's eye, "and those we've yet to make."
"To good health and inner tranquility," Grin rumbled.
"To the knowledge that soon I'll be old enough to legally intoxicate myself," Dive said with a grin.
They clinked glasses all around.
"KAAAAR! IT'S TIME! THEY'RE ON RIGHT NOW!!!"
Kaaryn yelped and ran to the TV, where Dive was standing. "The BeeGees?!!?!" she shrieked. He nodded, putting a silencing finger to his beak. The opening notes to "You Should Be Dancin'" throbbed, Barry started singing in his signature falsetto, and Dive and Kar began happy dancing together. Duke stared at them with a raised eyebrow. "The BeeGees? Okay, you guys have serious problems." Mallory stared at the screen thoughtfully.
"Actually, that guy with the hat--"
"Mo," Kar interjected.
"--okay, Mo. He's actually pretty good-looking..." Duke whirled around to face her. "What?!!" She chuckled. "No, really! Come to think of it, Duke, if you were human, you'd probably look like him!" Duke couldn't have looked more disgusted.
4:42 AM.
The pre-dawn darkness found Nosedive digging through the freezer. After a bit, he stood upright, "A-hah!" and shuffled across the kitchen in the general direction of the table, something small under his arm.
"Hey."
A whisper not two inches from his ear sent Dive shooting six feet in the air with a yelp. An unseen hand clamped his beak shut.
"shhhhhhhh... it's okay, it's just Kaaryn," she giggled. "Nice of you to join me."
"What are you doing at this time in the morning?!"
"Munching, same as you," she said, eyeing the carton of ice cream in his hands. "Phish Food?"
"Yep. Want some?"
"I thought you'd never ask."
She grabbed a spoon and they attacked the half-full carton with gusto. They chatted quietly together for a while, when Nosedive had one of his lapses in sanity.
"Hey, Eddy," he began, "does the little light in the fridge stay on when you close the door?"
"I don't know, Ed," Kar answered. "Leave me alone, go back to sleep."
Nosedive walked over to the fridge and opened the door. He peered up at the small, bright bulb. "Hello, light," he said, then closed the door. "Buh-bye, light." He opened it again. "Hello, light." And closed it again. "Buh-bye, light. Hello, light. Buh-bye, light. Hello, light..." Kar was on the floor in stiches, trying unsuccessfully to stifle her laughter. She finally managed to roll over and grab Dive's ankle. "Stop," she gasped, "my tummy hurts..." and she rolled over in another fit of giggles.
Eventually, she calmed down, stood up and wrapped her arms around Nosedive's waist. He held her and rested his chin on her head.
"Happy new year."