Archive of Our Own ^beta

Chapter Text

Barbie was old. She was entirely aware she was old, too. She looked it, too, and she knew it well when she looked in the mirror to see her gray hairs, slightly shrunken figure, and wrinkled engraved on her face.

And they were the greatest damn things she had ever seen.

Whenever she looked in the mirror, a particular wrinkle always seemed to catch her eye, though.

Creases that seemed to flow out like sunshine from next to her eyes. Smile lines, Gloria used to call them. They always laughed that they matched, and Barbie still occasionally giggled thinking about it.

But it had been two years since Gloria had passed away, and she started to have a feeling it would be her own time soon, too.

She learned to not be as afraid of the concept as she grew older, and she kept a belief that Gloria was waiting for her, somewhere beyond the sky. At least, that was what Sasha told her when Gloria first died. She believed her, in a little corner of her heart.

Now? She just waited in their little home in Los Angeles for Sasha to visit that day. She loved it when Sasha visited.

”Hey, mom!” Sasha rapped on the door. “Are you there?”

”Sasha!” Barbie quietly exclaimed and opened up their door. “How have you been?”

”I’ve been great, mom. Sorry for being late, I had work stuff.” She hugged Barbie and lead them over to the kitchen table.

”Your work shouldn’t keep you so late, you need free time.”

”Well, there was probably a drawback in some way for working a high-paying job at Mattel.” She laughed. “Have you been feeling good, recently?”

”Well, joint pain is the one thing I’ll never get used to.” She tossed her head back to laugh. “But I’m weaker, Sasha. That’s about it.”

”That generalization doesn’t comfort me.”

“I never said it had to.” Barbie smugly responded.

Sasha sighed and shuffled around the kitchen, fidgeting even as she sat down.

”Also, mom, I kept telling myself to ask you this, but what did you plan about Barbieland?”

Barbieland. She hadn’t mentioned that name in ages. “What about it?”

”You know, moving back there, keeping some eternal youth.”

”And why would I do that?” Barbie asked.

”So you could be around a bit longer, maybe just keep me company.” She shrugged, although her slight trembling was still quite visible.

”Oh, Sasha,” Barbie cupped her cheek. “I think Barbieland would be wonderful, but I am human. I’m not going to cheat death by going back to that life.”

”It isn’t hard, I’m good friends with the CEO. You could go back and party for as long as you want.”

”Do you mean as long as YOU want?” Barbie softly asked. Sasha completely froze in her tracks.

”You know that’s not what I meant.” She clenched her fists. “I don’t know, maybe you could stick around for a little while longer, at least.”

Barbie had debated it, before. Just a few years in Barbieland to let everything sink in could do wonders. And she could see everyone, one last time. But her mind was set.

”I’ve become selfish, Sasha.” She held both of her hands in her own. “I don’t want to die…but I don’t want to stretch my time living so much I become a hollow shell.”

She threw up her hands, frustrated. “Well, maybe you won’t. I know you, you’re a goddamn Barbie!”

”You could say that.” She shrugged.

”That’s not a real answer.” Sasha snapped, much to Barbie’s surprise. She took a deep breath and attempted to compose herself. “Look, even if it was just for a little, it would be awesome. I mean, what do you want me to say?”

“Is this about your mom?”

”Yes! It is! I mean, she’s been gone for two years, and I just want you to be here for me!” She yelled. “You just have to go to Barbieland for a month or two, and I could go there with you and we could just…have a good time, for once!”

She just wanted to see Gloria, now. Barbieland was hard to visit, because last time she had gone was exhausting, but the last great time she had been able to have with her.

Barbie took Sasha into a hug, holding her close to her shoulder. “I don’t even think it’s my place to go back to.”

”It could be.” Sasha sniffled, her tears staining the cloth of Barbie’s shirt. “Mom could wait for a little.”

But honestly, Barbie did not want to wait. Not any longer than she had to, at least. “I’m older, and my joints hurt. But you know that even if I’m gone, I’ll still be right next to you, right? I could be an angel.”

”I think you watched too many hospital dramas.”

”Maybe I have.”

She knew she didn’t have long, but she didn’t have the heart to talk about it. Medically, doctors told her she was fine, but something told her it wasn’t that.

”But can you please think about it at least one more time before you flat out reject it?” Sasha remained stubborn. “It could actually be great, I swear.”

Mentally, she already rejected it.

”Alright, I’ll consider it, just for you.”

Sasha slumped back in her chair. “Thanks, mom, it means a lot.”

Barbie’s heart beat up to her throat. She never got used to being called mom by Sasha, and the mild thought that it would end almost tempted her to saying yes to going back to Barbieland. Yes to being called mom for a few years more.

She reminded herself that everything good ended, though. Her time with Gloria, her time in Barbieland… she got the memo.

”Anyways, I’m sorry I brought that up so randomly.” Sasha wiped her eyes.

”It’s alright, I understand.” She rubbed her shoulders. “Do you want tea? It looks like you’ve had a long day.”

”I feel like my question might’ve made yours a bit longer, too.”

”I can afford some longer days, Sasha. Everything goes by too fast.”

”It’s the result of consumerism and social media, I swear.” Sasha grumbled.

Barbie playfully shook her head. “I remember when I understood everything you said.”

Sasha laughed at her remark. “Don’t lie, you completely understand me right now.” She sniffed as hot tea was placed in front of her.

”Sure I do.” Barbie quickly changed the subject. “Are you ever one to think about death?”

”Besides watching a bunch of people around me die? No, not really.” She sighed. “Being 48 is hard enough, I don’t want to hit my fifties.”

”Oh, your fifties aren’t going to be that bad. You’re a wonderful young lady, you’ll do amazing.”

”Thanks.” Sasha rubbed her eyes and drank her tea.

She tried not to think about the time that ticked by as she sat there with her.

Chapter Text

She woke up to a knock on her door, just a few days later after Sasha asked about Barbieland.

She didn’t really think about it, maybe it was just the mailman.

”Hey, Barbie.”

Barbie found herself with a wide grin at the shock of blonde hair she saw herself face-to-face with. Obviously, her clothes were slightly toned down to avoid suspicion from people, but she was right there.

”Barbie!” She gingerly held her hands out, and was met for a hug. “It’s been so long, what are you doing here?”

There was no way to say that she was basically doing a test drive, so she said otherwise. “I just wanted to see you.”

Barbie warmly smiled and gestured for Weird Barbie to sit at the couch with her.

”How have you been?” She asked, not quite used to the empty house and single mug of tea on the table. She had been there for Gloria’s funeral, a few years back, but felt she would never be able to process the feeling.

”Oh, you know. Peaceful. Sasha visited me a bit ago.”

”Sounds fun.” She weakly smiled.

”Why were you on a test drive here, though?” Barbie finally questioned her. “Are you coming here more? I knew Ken thought it was fun, last time.”

”I mean, I guess you could say that.” Weird Barbie rubbed the back of her head. “Nobody really wanted to do it, so I just offered to come here and immediately go back.”

”Immediately? I didn’t know visiting me would make it immediate.”

”Well…” Weird Barbie twiddled with her thumbs. “I was hoping you would come with me.” She shook her head at Barbie’s firm stare. “Or…visit, in better terms.”

”Did Sasha send you to do this?” Barbie looked around the room, looking for if Sasha was hiding somewhere and holding her breath.

”Sasha? No! Why? Did she ask this already?”

”Not exactly, but it was very close.”

So she wasn’t the only one that wanted Barbie to come to Barbieland for the time being. “Is that a no?”

”Not a no, just close to it.”

Weird Barbie leaned over. “What would it take you to come? We could give you anything. We have huge houses that were recently built, positions open with whatever you want. We could give you anything.”

”I’ve gotten everything I’ve ever wanted.”

”What do you want, an extra boat? We could give you an extra boat, or something.” She already knew this wouldn’t sway Barbie, but it felt like an act of sheer desperation.

And Barbie smiled. “No…I don’t think so.”

”Well, what do you want, then? Anything.”

”Unless Gloria’s there, I would say no.” She laughed quietly, but a newfound bitersweet feeling clung in the air.

”I know…” Weird Barbie sighed. “Gloria was amazing, nothing could ever replace her.”

”I’m sure I’ll see her again. I have to.”

”How’s Sasha holding up?” She quietly asked. “I heard she got a big-shot job at Mattel.”

”She did!” Barbie clapped her hands together. “Isn’t that amazing? She’s trying to get a new doll in production.”

”Really? What kind of doll?”

”She told me it looks as alike to Gloria as she could get it.” Barbie had plans to buy it, if it came out. It would be quite nice to show it to her. “Isn’t that wonderful?”

“Sounds like it, yeah.”

Truthfully, it sounded awkward for them to all grieve Gloria but have to see a doll in her image this soon after.

”But…Barbie, I assure you. Nothing on this earth could make me go there and live when I shouldn’t be.”

”Not even a dog?”

”Especially not a dog!” Barbie slouched. “I found out I’m allergic! Isn’t it terrible for humans to be allergic to something so amazing?”

”I feel like that’s a lot of human things. They’ll be amazing, but then humans can’t handle it.”

”That’s life.” She shrugged. She knew the drill after seeing people who loved life die, and people who loved peace so cruelly put as far from it as possible.

”Is that a joke?”

”It could be. I think it’s very true, though. It’s why we die.”

Weird Barbie blinked, awkwardly sitting there. That was a feeling she could get. Dying. The fear of dying, because really, she couldn’t die, so she had nothing of those sorts to be afraid of.

”Don’t say that. You don’t have to die.”

”Sure I don’t, Barbie.” Her blue eyes, slightly foggier from her age, turned sharp and clear as a glass blade. “But if I’m willed to, I will.”

”No one is willing you to. That’s why we want you to be in Barbieland. I’m not giving up on you.”

”I’m not giving up this time, either.” A mischievous flash of determination gleamed in her eyes.

Weird Barbie resisted the urge to smile at the challenge. “You’re awfully excited to die.”

”Just because I’m not scared doesn’t mean I’m excited.”

Weird Barbie rubbed her forehead and left to scour around the house for a few minutes, much to Barbie’s confusion. “Alright, I’ll give you one last choice.”

She held up a pair of Birkenstocks, and an old, discarded pair of high heels, far too high for any person of Barbie’s age to wear safely.

”High heels, and return to a life where you will have more than you ever wanted, or Birkenstocks, and see the truth?”

And much to her dismay, Barbie pointed at the one she hadn’t chosen when they had first talked. She’d changed, even if it felt like she hadn’t.

”I want the Birkenstocks.”

Chapter Text

Apparently, peace wasn’t going to find Barbie, but plenty of Barbieland residents were. That’s what she accepted when she found Allan, clueless and in awe at her door.

”Hey, Barbie!” He waved.

”…Allan?”

They had never directly interacted very much, even after saving Barbieland from the patriarchy decades before.

”What are you doing here?”

”A test drive!”

She raised her eyebrows. Another one? Weird Barbie had been at her home mere days before, so she thought the Barbies and Kens might have thought it was enough.

”Why do you need another test drive? Weird Barbie did one, recently.”

”For males, this time. We only know that Barbies can make it through, for now.”

”Well, I guess it worked…?”

”Yes, it did!” Allan happily remarked. “Do you mind if I come in and sit down?”

”Sure! I’ll make you some tea.” She gestured towards the couch, quickly brewing a small pot of mint tea.

“What brings you here?” She asked from the kitchen.

”I told you, a test drive.”

”I want the real reason, please.”

“Whatever.” He threw up his hands. “I’ll try to keep this short so I don’t bother you. Come back to Barbieland.”

That was blunt, to the point where Barbie had to take a moment to process what he had said.

”I kept it short. Did you hear me? Come back to Barbieland.”

”Seriously? Was this planned?”

“I’m hearing a no.”

”Of course it’s a no! I at least thought Weird Barbie would have reported to you.”

”She did.”

”Great, I don’t see how that’s supposed to convince me about anything.”

Allan rubbed his eyes. “I’m not going to drag you there by force or anything, but you need to consider it. I mean, come on, it’s paradise!”

”Define paradise for me.”

”Well…” Allan mumbled. “I don’t know, you would get everything you want. The scenery would be pretty.”

”And what is paradise if you want for nothing more?”

He paused and dumbly blinked. “Well, maybe paradise is just feeling content.”

”What do you think I am, now?” Barbie found his argument quite weak. Would Gloria simply come back to life if she were to go back? Quite the opposite. Going back to Barbieland would be to go back to her old life, one before Gloria and Sasha entered her life.

”I think you could do better. We could both do better.” He felt himself sounding more like a businessman than an Allan. “We could have Sasha with us. She can stay for a long while before the effects of not being a Barbie take place.”

”She’ll still die, Allan.”

”Not for a while!” He hopelessly shouted. “Isn’t that enough?”

Barbie clenched her fist, so tempted to not be selfish.

”Allan, no.” Her voice stayed firm and strong. “I will not be watching Sasha die, too.”

”She won’t die on our watches.”

”Stop! You’re not convincing me. It doesn’t matter because she’ll still die! She was never a Barbie!”

”Do you want me to beg you, or something?” Allan calmly said in the face of her rising frustration. “I could get on my knees and beg you. I could march over and make the President and Ken have the CEO wipe every debt and bill you ever had and will ever have.”

”I just wanted a real conversation, Allan.” She knitted her eyebrows together. “What is it about me going back to Barbieland that prevents real conversations?”

”What conversation can I even give you? I have no words left to give.”

”Tell me about how Barbieland is doing.”

A glimmer of hope raced through Allan’s mind.

”Don’t get any ideas, Allan. I just want to know if everyone’s okay.”

”Obviously they’re okay. It’s paradise.” He said matter-of-factly. “But if you want to come back, you should do it fast.”

”Why is that?”

”Someone else is taking up your house, soon.”

”Really?” Barbie cocked her head. “Who?”

”Some limited edition Holiday Barbies. The CEO even came over and told us to tear it down or let someone else live there. We really tried to keep it, Barbie.”

”It’s nice you’re putting it to good use. So many people use and use without ever doing anything else.”

”Good thing you’re not one of them.” He muttered under his breath.

”No.” Barbie stopped him. “I am. I try not to be, though. What kind of Holiday Barbies are incoming.”

“Oh,” Allan snorted. “I think it’s something along the lines of an elf Barbie, it’s ridiculous.”

”She sounds like she would be fun.”

”Not as fun as you.” Allan sulked.

”Oh, come on. It won’t be that bad, you’ll hardly miss me!”

”I’m missing you now even thought I’m seeing you, though.”

Barbie scrunched her nose, touched. “You’ll get over it.”

Allan guffawed at her, completely dumbfounded. “Wow, that’s actually crazy. I have no words.”

Barbie exhaled, satisfied with her performance, and left Allan in an uncomfortable silence for a moment. He didn’t get up and leave as she expected, though.

”Barbie?” He squirmed. “Do you mind if I stay the night?”

Her patient eyes flicked back to him, finally reacting to the question she thought would come. ”Sure!” Barbie exclaimed, albeit quite quizzically. “What for?”

”I got my roller skates stolen down at the beach… I think I’ll have to buy new ones to leave, tomorrow.”

”Could Mattel provide you with a pair?”

”Let’s be very honest with ourselves. I’m pretty sure they’ve forgotten I exist.” He went back to his old, sheepish self, but she couldn’t help feel pity for the man.

”See? That’s how fast it’ll take for me to be out of your mind, too.” She laughed at her own, slightly twisted statement.

”Oh yeah, they’ll forget you even if your face is on every billboard they put out.” His voice dripped with sarcasm. “If you came with me, then maybe I could ask them without shaking so hard I cause an earthquake.”

”So it is. The guest bedroom is open, I’ll go with you to the Mattel headquarters, tomorrow. I’m happy you’re here.”

He smiled and hugged her. “Thank you, Barbie. I don’t know what I’d do without you.”

Chapter Text

Barbie almost rolled her eyes when her doorbell rang again. She wasn’t usually bothered by people visiting her, but what if someone else came to try to tirelessly convince her to run from death?

”Who is it this time?” Barbie sighed as she opened the door, but she immediately froze.

”M-Madam President!” She felt herself turn red. “Come in, please!”

Despite years of not seeing her, she could still feel her elegant aura throughout the house.

”I’m okay, thank you.” She bowed her head. “And… before you say anything, I’m not here to try to make you come back to Barbieland.”

She guessed they finally took the hint that she didn’t want to go back.

”But you’re not coming inside?” Barbie raised an eyebrow. “It’s chilly outside, come on.”

A gentle breeze rolled through the air, rustling the trees and their hair. President Barbie, remaining ever-so-diplomatic, did notice Barbie’s slight shiver at the wind.

”You know what? It is cold. Can I still come in?”

Barbie’s shoulders were no longer tense behind the warmth of her closed door when she stepped in.

”Thank you.” President Barbie promptly said.

”Well, of course! You shouldn’t be out in the cold like that.”

”Well—yes, but I’m not thanking you for that specifically. I want to thank you for everything you’ve done for Barbieland. I’ve never had the chance to.”

”What could I have done for Barbieland that could possibly be greater than everything you’ve done for me?”

President Barbie’s lips curled, but not quite into a frown. “For…saving us from patriarchy? That’s a pretty good start.” She was worried Barbie had forgotten, after all, someone who lived life so much could forget something that was like nothing to her so many years ago—

“I know. But I wasn’t the only one that did it, remember?” She gently patted the side of President Barbie’s arm.

So she was joking.

Barbie snapped herself out of her silence at the fleeing moment that she felt, the one she had waited years to say.

”I wanted to give this to you.” She blurted. “We, actually.”

She held out a small, pearl bracelet in her hand. She hadn’t actually had anything to give to her, but she wanted to stay for a little longer and see Barbie’s face, just to remember it. She had never lost a Barbie before.

”Really?” Barbie took it in her hand, feeling the warmth of the pearls against her skin. “Thank you. I’ll wear it well.”

Despite how arbitrary it felt, she swore to herself she would wear it for the rest of her life.

President Barbie clapped her hands together. “How have you been, lately?”

“I’ve been better.” Her answer changed from the day before. That was another thing on being human. None of her emotions seemed to be quite the same as the previous one.

”Why? Are you okay?”

”I feel more tired than usual.”

Naturally, President Barbie grew concerned.

”Why? Did you sleep well last night?”

”Yes, I did.” Barbie rubbed her eyes with the tips of her fingers. “But my bones are aching more than when I was younger. It’s tiring just to live.”

Even Barbie could feel her words becoming more pessimistic. She didn’t mean to, but she felt like she was finally hitting that point where she was just tired.

President Barbie barely had a concept of death, besides Gloria, so she cocked her head. “Oh. Perhaps you need some rest?”

”I think I do.” She clutched the bracelet behind her back, occasionally fidgeting with the bouncy, plasticky pearls.

She resisted the urge to ask her if she wanted to come with her to Barbieland to rest.

”I wish I had more to give you, right now.” President Barbie bent down as she chuckled. “This…sucks. I don’t want to lose you, too.”

Barbie shuffled over, taking her into a warm embrace. “I’m losing more than you by dying.” She smiled, although it was contrary to the shaking of her whisper. “You are a wonderful Barbie.”

“You’re a huge loss to us. I swear that you are the greatest thing that was ever produced by Mattel.”

“You flatter me.” She flushed light pink. Her pink.

”There’s no flattery when it’s true.” Her voice cracked, a wetness in her eyes leading her to look away from Barbie. “But…thank you. For letting me in.”

Barbie got a good look at her, almost towering over her now that she had shrunken, over time. “You’re always welcome here, I hope you know that.”

”Now I do.” She shrugged through her tears, knowing she had to leave for her own affairs back at Barbieland.

”Do you need to stay the night? I have a room open.”

”I think I really do have to go now, but thank you.” She bowed her head. “It was great seeing you, I’ll see if I can come back sometime.”

Barbie felt quite comforted by her words, and waved her off as she hesitantly rushed away on her roller skates.

Barbie gripped the bracelet one last time, but she started to wish it had been something else.

She figured if it was something Gloria had left there, long ago. Then she would have a missing piece of her back, in a way.

What could she say? She missed her. And she couldn’t storm around the house anymore, yelling for someone to find her and comfort her, with gentle, much smaller hands intertwining with hers. That person was Gloria, and the only thing she had to remind her there was nothing left of her soul was the plastic pearl bracelet on her wrist.

That was her paradise.

Chapter Text

Barbie noticed no one had been at her home, recently. Despite the strange feeling, it felt peaceful again.

The past week, only Sasha had come by for some tea and conversation about her work life. Nothing out of the ordinary.

That’s what she was hoping, actually. On a regular day where she was simply trying to get her mail, she saw a familiar blond head of hair sitting on her lawn, the wind tousling it while it ran through.

Was she hallucinating? Or…

The head turned slightly, just so she could only see part of his face, but she knew immediately who it was.

”Ken?”

She could finally see his full face, and she knew she wasn’t hallucinating.

”Hey, Barbie.”

She froze when she saw him. “You’re here? And real?”

”Apparently I am.” He spread his arms out in a sarcastic flourish. “I didn’t know where your house was, so I just waited outside the street I knew you were on.”

”You didn’t know? I thought everyone would have told you!”

”Well, they didn’t have the chance to. I snuck out to see you.”

”You… what?” She furrowed her eyebrows. “Why would you have to sneak out? Wouldn’t they be fine if you left for a bit?”

”It’s just cooler to sneak out.” He smirked, an undying glint bright in his eyes. “You look great, by the way.”

”I know!” She stood next to him on the grass, but she would rather just sit on her porch.

”You always know.” He smiled and looked straight forward.

”Why don’t you come on the porch? It must be uncomfortable, sitting on the grass like that.”

”I’m good.”

”That wasn’t a request.” The patience in her voice made her words almost terrifying to hear.

”I’m allowed to?”

”That’s why I’m inviting you!” She gestured, almost to the point of aggression.

He found himself grinning at her invitation, and confirmation they were still friends, and plopped down on one of the wooden chairs that rested on the patio. “I heard you’re not coming back to Barbieland.”

”And you’re smiling?!” Barbie sarcastically shook her head.

“I could if you wanted me to.” He tried to force his smile to be even larger. “See?”

Barbie thought she would give herself a heart attack from her laughter, a refreshing feeling from all the somber moments that week.

”What are you here for? On my lawn, I mean.”

”I…wanted to see you. It feels like we’ve drifted apart too much, and I might as well try to fix it.”

”How so?”

”I don’t know.” His eyes darted through the neighborhood. “You been okay since Gloria?”

Since Gloria. The words punched her in the gut like a fighter in a ring.

”I miss her.” She absentmindedly whispered.

”It’s hard not to.”

”I mean, come on!” All the frustration that was piled up in Barbies heart that she suppressed felt like it was being released. “All I have of her now is a bunch of her words and memories and old things she owned. What am I supposed to do when those are here but not her?”

There was no true response that Ken felt he could give. To him, Gloria almost felt like a distant memory, like a rainbow that you knew was beautiful, but not quite how it looked.

”Can you tell me some of those memories?” He saw the tightness behind Barbie’s lips. “There has to be something you could do with them.”

And Barbie was happy to oblige.

”I try to follow almost everything she’s ever told me. There was one time she told me coffee tastes better when you have it with two creams and two sugars, and that’s how I drink it no matter what, now.”

”I thought you liked it sweeter?”

”It tastes better when it’s Gloria’s.” She chuckled. “But I do admit, I’m more of a tea person.”

”Not that I know how to argue with that.” He shrugged. “But I think I do remember Gloria telling us about the coffee she likes.”

She beamed, telling him more about Gloria, and all he could see was the young blonde woman that was so in love with Gloria that she bursted out in a joyful giggle every time she held hands with her.

“You’re red.” He faintly smiled with her.

”Oh, am I?” She touched her cheeks, seeing as they were red hot.

”You blush that much just thinking of her?”

”Whenever I think of her I remember her calling me gorgeous before she died. I don’t know why I do, but it does.”

”I guarantee you she still thinks you’re gorgeous.”

”She thought I was pretty.” Barbie smiled. “Isn’t that wonderful?”

”You are pretty.”

”I’ve known!” She proudly stuck up her head. “And I’ve made sure to tell her she’s gorgeous every day before she passed away, and I still do whenever I can!” Her expression slightly dropped after saying that. “I hope she knows it, too.”

”I think she does. You make a lot of things feel beautiful.”

The cool spring breeze hit Barbie’s face in her happiness.

”Do you think I could ever see her again?”

”See her again? What do you mean?”

Ken had been in the human world for a decent amount of time, but not enough to understand such things.

”Sasha told me when I was younger that for some people, there is something called heaven when you die. She said it would be just how I like it.”

“So…horses?”

”What do you mean horses—? You know what? Yes. There are probably horses in heaven, too.”

”Then that sounds fun.”

They smiled at each other, having fun bickering and talking with each other.

”I missed you a lot, you know. I didn’t think I’d see you after the last time you visited.”

”Come on, we saw each other for Gloria’s service.”

”Yeah, but— I mean…” He paused. “I figured that at that point, Gloria was the only thing bringing you back. You loved her, and she loved Barbieland enough for you to come back.”

”I love Barbieland, too, Ken. I lived there for over forty years before I came here.”

”Then why haven’t you visited in over two years?”

”I—“ She sighed. “Do you want me to be honest?”

”Yes! Absolutely!”

”If I go back, I’m afraid that I won’t want to come back, and then I’ll have run from death and watch everything around me pass by.”

”That’s why you rejected it?”

”Yes. I told you that I love Barbieland.”

He pursed his lips and gingerly held his hand out for Barbie. “Mind if I take your hand?”

Barbie took it.

”I…have known you for god knows how long, and I am very happy to have known you.”

”Was that an early eulogy?” Barbie giggled.

”It depends. What’s a eulogy?”

“It’s like…a speech for dead people.”

”Oh.” He flushed pink. “I’m sorry.”

”No, no, it’s fine. I at least want to know what people will say about me when I die.”

”They’ll say good things, I promise. They love you.”

“Thank them for me.”

”As you wish.” Ken exhaled

Barbie leaned against his shoulder, feeling herself relax from his words, the wind hitting her eyes enough so that they watered. Well, maybe it was just her.

”I’ll say hi to her for you, Ken.”

Chapter Text

The black dress Sasha wore clashed almost painfully against the bright pink nature of Barbieland, and apparently, none of the Barbies owned a single black piece of clothes.

And the funeral was well-prepared. Whatever. Barbie had planned most of it for her, anyways. There wasn’t anything to be mad about. They missed Gloria as much as her, and the silence on the island was shockingly peaceful.

She would rather have them, though.

She watched the crowd that seemed to have fallen silent for Barbie from a large hill, although she was surely sticking out with her clothes.

Sorry, she figured she might word it better for herself.

The crowd fell silent for her mom.

Her nose scrunched as she tried not to cry. How on earth was she alone?

”Hey, mind if I sit here?”

Sasha looked up and saw Weird Barbie admiring the view, too.

”Go ahead.”

Barbie shuffled next to them.

”What, you aren’t going to be with them down there?” Sasha asked, almost begrudgingly. Talking with anyone felt like the last thing she wanted to do.

”I mean, I could, but they have each other.”

Sasha laughed, almost bitterly. “Oh, that’s great.”

Weird Barbie pursed her lips, not sure if her tone might have made her sound off-putting. “I’m sorry for your loss.”

”Yeah, me too.” She furrowed her eyebrows in an attempt not to cry. “God, I honestly don’t even know how to feel. Should I be happy for her? I mean, she got her goal to live a happy life as a human.”

”You can feel whatever you want about it. I won’t force you to be sad.”

”But I’m obviously sad! And I don’t know if I’m mad.”

”At her?”

”I could never be mad at her, she was the greatest freaking mom ever.”

”Yourself?”

”Yes. I’ve done so many things I regret because I was just a stupid little kid. I didn’t even start calling her mom until I was in college, and I know damn well she didn’t deserve that.”

”She told me about that before! She said you accidentally did on the phone, and she almost cried of joy when she told us about it.”

”She…did?” Sasha squeaked. When she said it, she thought she should have been embarrassed. She figured someone like Barbie wouldn’t want to be called mom. She had even silently apologized for doing so.

”Yeah, back when you guys visited every weekend she’d be grinning from ear to ear from every visit whenever you said mom. We were all happy, really.”

”Wow…I thought she hated me calling her mom when I did for the first time.”

”Why would you think that? She loved you so, so much.”

”Maybe I was just denying it. But it’s too late to say anything, now.”

”She knew you loved her, kid.”

It felt weird to be called kid by Weird Barbie, considering Sasha looked quite a bit older now than her, now.

”I hope so, because I cried when she mentioned me as her daughter to a friend, once. I was almost done with college by then.”

”Time flies, doesn’t it?”

”It does.” She clapped her hands down on her knees. “It still feels like yesterday when I saw them making lunch for each other without a care in the world.”

”You’ve said something about heaven, before. Maybe they’re making each other lunch, there.”

”Oh, heaven? I don’t actually believe in it.” She was actually agnostic, just like Gloria had been. “But Barbie seemed pretty sad about what happened after death, so I told her that so she wouldn’t feel so bad.”

”It worked though, right?”

”She’s gone, so yeah.” She scrunched her nose in a tense fashion. “And now I get to live my life all alone!” She shouted angrily, hearing the echoes from the hill’s peak.

”You’re not alone.”

”I’m basically a cat lady without cats, which makes it so much worse.” She miserably grumbled. “I wasted my life away at work and doing things I regret now.”

”You’re still young, Sasha. You can do whatever you want. You know, you could stay at my house if you wanted.”

”Would that make me immortal?”

”No, but it could make you relaxed.”

”Oh.” She whispered, now starting to partially see Barbie’s point of view.

”Maybe that was the wrong pitch to use.” Weird Barbie scratched her head. “But tell me honestly, would you ever come back, now?”

”Yeah, why would I not? I love this place.”

”Well, Gloria loved Barbieland, and Barbie’s a Barbie. What about you? What do we have that might bring you back? If there isn’t anything, we better start making something.”

”I guess I have you guys.”

There was no hiding the surprise in Weird Barbie’s eyebrows. “Us? Really?”

“Don’t pretend it’s false. I’ve been friends with you ever since I was a little kid.”

”You weren’t that young, per se.” 

“Tomato, tomahto. I was thirteen, I was still a baby.”

”You hardly acted like it.” Weird Barbie snorted.

”I know, right?! I should have been holding hands with my mom or sucking on a pacifier, or something. Being thirteen does something to you.”

”I bet. You make it sound pretty tough.”

Sasha exhaled loudly. “It wasn’t that bad. I got to watch my mom be the happiest she ever was with Barbie, and I got to have Barbie as my mom. It’s not every day someone gets to say that.”

“I’m glad it was you that got to say that. You’re a wonderful person.”

”I might cry because of you.” Sasha tried to sound like she was joking, but her cheeks were already wet.

Weird Barbie allowed her to take it all in.

”Sasha?”

”Yeah?”

”In case you don’t come back—“

”What are you saying? I’m coming back.”

”But if you don’t, because I don’t know if we could visit you again, what with the current CEO and all, I just wanted to say thanks for taking care of them so well. Your moms, I mean.”

”The pleasure was mine.” She frowned. “Human life is going to be pretty lonely now, though.”

“Maybe you could start dating. You need a boyfriend. Or girlfriend, I don’t judge.”

”Unfortunately, the dating pool at my age kind of sucks, man or woman.”

Weird Barbie fell silent.

”It’s okay, I’m fine with it. I have…a lot of life to live.”

”We’re here for you. Just one call and we’ll do whatever we can.”

Sasha smiler faintly, but deep in her mind she knew that at this point? It was hard to come back. This was where so much of Barbie and Gloria’s life had taken place. This was where she watched them live.

And now that they weren’t here? Well, it kind of hurt to see it frozen in time like this.

”What if heaven is real?” Sasha asked. “Do you think they would be watching us right now? I mean, it ominous, but maybe they’re somewhere wondering what the hell I’m doing now.”

Weird Barbie saw it as her turn to comfort Sasha, and pointed to two, small clouds in the distance.

”Do you see those?”

”Those…tiny, oddly fluffy clouds? I do.”

”If you ask me, I’m pretty sure that’s them. And they’ll be here for a long time.”

”How would you know? I’m pretty sure clouds change here.”

“I don’t know. If you come back later, you can find out.”