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▎ ILLUSIONS    ▎
»»————-　nysm one. magic tricks
CHAPTER TWELVE ━━  the grant finale

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♯ ❝LEAD THE WAY ATLAS❞
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WREN WALSH WAS SURE SHE COULDN'T WAIT ANY LONGER, THE NERVES COURSING THROUGH HER BODY WERE SURE TO SEND HER INTO A BIG FRENZY. The Horsemen had made it to 5 Pointz early, they were setting everything up for their show, their final trick.

Daniel and Wren were just finishing up the monitors so they could speak to the fans through holograms as the crowd outside was already yelling and cheering for them at the top of their lungs.

"Everyone ready?"

With nods of confirmation they all got into position, Wren went to stand next to Daniel, who gave her a wink. She grinned at him before taking a deep breath. Letting all her nerves leave her body as she exhaled before inhaling again. Determination flashing in her eyes.

The final act was beginning.

"What is magic? Magic is deception. But deception to delight, to entertain, to inspire. It is about belief." And so their last stand began.

"Faith." Merrit started off.

"Trust." Henley stated.

"Happiness." Wren added.

"Without those qualities, magic, as an art form, would no longer exist." Merrit told the audience quite serious, something totally different from his normal easy going attitude.

"But what happens if these qualities are not used for their higher purpose? And instead they were used to cheat, lie, steal?" Henley asked the crowd.

"To mislead and deceive people." Wren shouted.

"For personal gain or greed?" Daniel finished her sentence.  "Well than is it no longer magic."

"It's a crime." Merrit confirmed eyes roaming over each and every person in the crowd even though he couldn't see them.

"And so tonight for our final act, you're gonna help us set a few things right." Wren announced determined.

The holograms disappeared from the building. The four magicians exchanged looks.

Merrit rubbed his hands together. "Showtime."

Danny snapped his fingers and, signalling the dummies of them to rise from the centre stage as a distraction, another illusion.

They took off running of in the direction of the elevator, quickly stepping inside. Each of them took a different side of the four corners. Their last moment together.

Wren leaned against the wall her arms crossed, closing her eyes for a moment, savouring the moment, the thrill. The memories and the crazy adventures she had over the year.

"Daniel?" Wren opened her eyes to watch the exchange between the Hermit and the Lover.

"Yeah?"

"Uh, as our, let's call it, year of living dangerously comes to a close, in a rare moment of vulnerability, I'd like to express a sentiment to you about our relationship." Merrit said.

"Okay."

"Well, when I first met you, I thought you were kind of a, uh... a dick." Wren and Henley laughed softly.

"And?" Daniel furrowed his eyebrows, waiting for the man to continue.

"No, no that was it." Merrit waved him off nonchalantly.

"That is very nice. I'm touched." Daniel smirked.

"Yeah, just from the heart." Merrit grinned.

"I didn't say where I was touched."

"Oh, You!"

Wren chuckled looking at Henley. "I feel obliged to have a sentimental moment with you now." She grinned. Henley laughed, eyes focused on the petite brunette across from her.

"Go on." She said.

"Alright, when I first met you I thought you were amazing." She informed the redhead

"And now?" Daniel grinned, waiting for Wren to finish her joke.

Wren smirked at Daniel before turning back to Henley. "No that is all. Now I still think she's amazing"

Daniel narrowed his eyes at the brunette, the two bickering back and forward while the other two horseman laughed, clearly seeing the adoration the hanged man and the lover had for each other.

"It's not my fault you have lacked humour ever since you were thirteen and I beat your arse at the talent show in high school." Wren chuckled softly, putting a stray piece of brown hair behind her ear.

"Well thank you, Wren. I appreciate your kind words."

Wren shook her head. "Oh God. What are we going to do?" She asked her smile slowly fading as she thought about parting ways.

"We are on our own. Our instructions run out after the show." Danny shrugged unsure.

"Even if there is no Eye, if we were to be completely played and spent the next 20 years in jail, then I just want so say that.." Wren trailed off.

"I know me too." Danny said, giving her a small smile.

"Whoa." Merrit held his hand up for a moment, opening the elevator. "Little too sentimental for me."

"This was one of the best choices I ever made in my life. This was a great year." Wren grinned as she looked between all of them.

"Mine too." Daniel said from beside her just as they reached the roof.

Show time.

The horsemen walked to the platform that would lift them up in the air. The lights flickered off in the direction of the four magicians.

"Hello New York." Henley shouted as the crowd began to cheer for them.

"Thank you for the magic and thank you for being such an incredible and dedicated audience." Henley scanned the crowd her smile ever so bright as she looked at everyone.

"But unfortunately , like all good things, it must come to an end." Wren spoke up from beside Daniel.

"So we would like to start our show, tonight..."Daniel began.

"By saying goodbye." Merrit finished.

"All we wanted was to bring the world a magic show." Henley explained as she looked back at her friends and back at all the people who had gathered to watch their final show.

"And thereby bring a little magic back to the world." Daniel told them honestly.

"To show you what real magic means." Wren added with a bright smile.

Wren took Daniel's hand in one and Henley's in the other and they disappeared to another stage before Dylan and Dray could reach them.

The four appeared on another stage in 5 Pointz, having the lights flicker back on them.

"This has been a hell of a ride for all of us. But it is time for us to disappear." Merrit explained sadly.

"Goodnight New York."

"Thank you for believing in us."

"Thank you for watching our shows." Wren smiled, taking Daniel's hand in hers.

The four could hear Rhodes yelling for them to stop. But Wren and her new found family ran off the edge of the building, making fake 100 dollar bills fill the air.

They disappeared out of sight and they ran across the roof of the other building.

Rhodes and Dray couldn't find them. they were gone. They've disappeared and the FBI nor the cops would be able to follow their trail.

They ran to the edge of the building onto a train. They needed to get to Times Square, they needed to see if their name would be remembered in history.

Wren, Henley, Daniel and Merrit left the subway, arriving at Times Square, just in time to see all the screens change to the news – it was all about them everywhere they looked they saw their logo or their faces on the big screens.

They did it, they were going down in history, Wren was sure about it.

"We did it."

"Oh my God."

"It worked."

"Holy shit."

The four grinned at each other they had made their names known to the world.

Wren jumped into Daniel's arms, hugging him tightly. Daniel held her close not caring about everyone around them. It was just them. Like when they were just kids, running around playing magic and not having a care in the world.

Wren lifted her head up to look at Daniel, who already was looking at her. She smiled up at him.

And for a moment everything stilled and time stopped before everything happened in a blur. In one fluent motion Daniel placed his hands on her cheeks and pressed his lips against hers. The brunette was shocked at first but she slowly closed her eyes and wrapped her arms around his neck, kissing him back. They broke the kiss and Daniel pressed his forehead against Wren's who had her eyes still closed.

They broke apart when Merrit whistled loudly. "Would you look at that." He said handing Henley a 20 dollar bill.

"Finally, It took you guys so long." Henley laughed, grabbing the money from Merrit.

Wren blushed hiding her face in her hands. "Shut up."

"C'mon you are cute together."

Wren peeked through her fingers before she realized something. "Wait a minute, did you guys bet on this." She asked with wide eyes.

"It was obvious since the day we all met." Henley shrugged nonchalantly.

"Let's get to Central Park." Daniel interrupted their stare down.

Wren nodded, smiling at him.

"Lead the way, Atlas." She said, taking Daniel's hand intertwining their fingers together.

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