Epilogue

[Columbarium, North Oak]

Today of all days, the clouds hung low over Night City, small slivers of sunlight breaking through at odd intervals. Grief was in the air; pain and suffering, and yet there was also an overwhelming sense of relief. 'Conflicted' didn't come close to describing it, but it was a start. Everything now was a fresh start; and so where did they go from here?

This and a thousand other thoughts clouded Miz's mind as she made the familiar walk she'd made so many times before. Never once did she think she'd be making it alone... and yet she wasn't alone. But he wasn't there with her, and yet she was carrying a part of him. While the Aldecaldos had honored Pops' request that his body be returned to Mother Earth, Miz still wanted him next to her mother.

She looked longingly at the old and worn revolver and folded leather holster sitting in the otherwise empty space of the niche's inner compartment as a stream of tears ran down her bruised face. And with a heartfelt final goodbye, she closed the last of three niches filled that very day with what remained of the old man's crew as she knelt down and pressed her forehead against the etched steel faceplate. Another round of quiet sobs escaped her trembling lips as her eyes closed and she brought her hand over her heart. All of her poured out as she said her final farewells... to Pops, to Max, and even to Ky... especially to Ky.

Her entire body shook until a gentle presence knelt down next to her, and she remembered in that moment that she wasn't actually alone. She allowed herself to lean into the warmth as Billy's arm wrapped around her shoulder and he placed his head against hers. After too long, a smile crept in on her face as her body calmed as she said, "Y'know, he probably would have wanted you of all people to hang on to that old six-shooter, Tiger..."

Billy gave a light chuckle as he sniffed up hard and answered, "It's not our life anymore, Em... that part of him belongs to Night City."

He was right, and she couldn't even fault him for it. They had finally broken free, found a way out. Despite all they had lost to get here, they had finally beaten the odds. They had the rest of their lives ahead of them, and despite Miz's earlier insistence that she wanted it all to end, she'd be damned if she didn't take the chance with what was left of her family to actually get away. She'd already tipped over the dominoes; the first of which was having Falco, unbeknownst to anyone else, waiting nearby with an AV and a small crew of Panam's most-trusted lieutenants on the infinitesimally small chance that they actually completed their final job. And the last of which being that, any moment now, her favorite Living Legend would be reading a note left on a shard while holding a jacket and a gun... her jacket and her gun... and likely swearing a blue streak at all of it.

This thought alone force a chuckle from Miz through the tears, and she pulled back as she looked up to the sun finally breaking through the clouds. Billy smiled as he looked in her eyes, "Yeah... I'm going to miss her too."

Miz tried to stand up before a shooting pain in her abdomen forced her to double over as she held her bandaged ribcage and stifled a cry. Billy caught her from falling to her knees, his own injuries causing him more discomfort than he'd like to admit. They were both tuned up something fierce after taking on Farris all by themselves, but the important thing was they'd made it out alive. Their bodies could heal in time, but it didn't make the short-term pain any easier to deal with.

Billy carefully helped Miz to stand up straight, serving as her rock to lean against if and when she needed it. Every contortion of her face bore the signs of what they were both fighting through, and it was obvious to anyone looking that they were in a bad way. It was only earlier that morning that she'd been able to fully open her damaged eye, and she had a long way to go otherwise... not to mention a veritable bomb dropped in her lap while she was getting patched up. Still, Billy tried to lighten the mood as he joked, "Hey, what d'ya think the chances are that Vik intentionally did a shitty job patchin' us up to keep us around a little while longer?"

Miz stumbled as they turned, one of her knees buckling as Billy braced himself under her arm and held her up. After an audible groan, she tried to laugh, "He knows better... fuck, this sucks."

Between the two of them, they were just barely able to limp out of the way as Falco and Liv stepped up in their places. Liv dropped to her knees, tears already running down her cheeks as she leaned against the wall of etched faceplates and said her goodbyes with eyes shut tight. She silently mouthed words through gritted teeth as Falco stood dutifully behind her, a somber and yet weathered eye keeping watch on anything and everything. Despite the pain they all felt, two of his charge were now at the top of the list among Night City's Most Wanted; even Mr. Blue Eyes couldn't protect them at this point. Still, he wasn't going to be the bad guy and tell them they couldn't grieve for their comrades. He'd give them as much time as they needed while he did his job of keeping them safe, come what may.

Finally, Liv sniffled as she leaned back and stood up, making room for Falco to bid his oldest friend farewell. He took a knee, leaning against it with his elbow as he pondered for several moments. He turned, looking to what was left of Phoenix's family as he smiled under his thick mustache. They all gave smiles in return through their collective tears, and he turned back as he laid a hand against the niche and looked up to the sky, "I'm watchin' over 'em, amigo... you have my word. Give the girls my best..."

He spoke his last words as he looked down and closed his eyes, fighting his own tears, "I love you, brother."

There was nothing more he could say, and he preferred to keep it short and sweet anyway. His hand curled into a fist as he gave one last gentle touch against the niche and stood up. He led the way out of the Columbarium as the other three turned to follow, Miz and Billy having the hardest time navigating. They barely had two working legs between the both of them, but as always, they had one another to lean on, and that was all they needed.

As they exited to the open sidewalk, the crew's repainted truck was sitting against the curb, sandwiched in by unmarked nomad vehicles on either side. Their escorts stood by, ready and waiting to guide them on their way. Miz kept her word to V; only she knew the real truth. For what Falco was paying, Panam and her crew were okay not asking questions, and it worked out for everyone. Less of a target on her people, as far as she was concerned. She'd mark it up as Falco tying up loose ends and leave it at that.

Miz stopped, giving another wince as she placed a hand over her stomach, but not where any bandages or bruises were. She gently pulled away from Billy, standing on her own two feet as she looked down with wide eyes. Something was different, and small as it was now, she felt it growing inside of her. Shit, Vik was right..., she thought to herself as Billy leaned in, "Hey, you okay...?"

In a split second, she was just fine. Despite her mental and physical anguish, all was right in her world, nervous as she may have been, and she bit her bottom lip as she looked in Billy's eyes. Her face threading flashed soft pink as she reached for his hand and placed it on her stomach, resting her hand over his. It only took a second before his eyes clouded over and he smiled wide, pulling Miz to him and embracing her. She whispered, muffled into his chest as she listened to his heartbeat, "Billy... we did it. This is our chance."

They stood in stunned silence, just holding one another as Falco and Liv watched with smiles from several feet away by the truck. Miz shifted herself to get a view of the smoke still rising from the City Center in the distance. From here, she could see the entire skyline stretching from horizon to horizon as she offered her last farewell in her own mind to the City of Dreams... to the City that took everything from her. But it wouldn't ever get the chance to take this new life from her.