Future Dreams, Past Nightmares - Epilogue
Author: Milady Dragon
Artist: Bookwrm89
Beta: Bookwrm89
Rating: PG-13
Pairing(s): Jack/Ianto, OFC/OMC, Jack/John Hart (Past); all others implied
Warnings: Language, Violence, Angst, Past MPreg
Spoilers: Up to "Reset", goes AU after that (Owen is still alive)
Disclaimer: I don't own Torchwood, darn it.
Author's Note: This is written for Torchwood Classic Big Bang Round One. A BIG thank you to Bookwrm89, who not only did the fantastic art, but also beta'd for me. She really went above and beyond on this.
Summary: Jack Harkness has all he's ever dreamed of: he's mortal once more, married to the man he loves, and it's his only daughter's wedding day. He only has one problem: he cannot remember the last twenty-five years of his life. Can his past nightmares affect his near-perfect future?
Epilogue
Jack awoke and stretched, reaching toward his husband’s side of the bed…
To find it empty.
He sat up quickly, immediately regretting the action as his head began to throb in time with his heartbeat. He immediately vowed never to go out drinking with Owen again, because he really hated the hangover…
“Glad to see you’re awake.”
Jack’s eyes found Ianto; he was leaning against the foot of the bed, looking undeniably sexy in a somewhat rumpled tuxedo, a red and silver embroidered waistcoat hanging open to reveal a white shirt, and a matching tie that had been undone and was lying against the brightness of the button-down.
He was wearing his wedding tux.
Jack frowned. Why was Ianto dressed like that?
“What do you remember?” Ianto asked, coming to sit beside Jack on the bed and taking his hand.
“I remember going out with Owen, and giving Rhodri my fatherly speech about hurting Mairwen…” his voice faded away as his mind was suddenly flooded with images of what had gone on yesterday. “The Chronolicron!” he exclaimed, then immediately wishing he hadn’t as his head warned him to be quiet from now on.
“Yep,” his husband affirmed. “I’d almost forgotten about it, because I always thought we’d somehow changed the future when you became mortal. I’d always believed that you could have ended up somewhere…anywhere…in space and time.”
Jack reached out and cupped Ianto’s face, and his husband leaned into the touch. “It’s over now,” he said. “At least we don’t have to worry about it.”
“How are you feeling?”
“I have a bit of a headache,” Jack confessed. “But I think I’m going to be just fine.”
“Glad to hear it, big boy.”
Both men turned in the direction of the voice. John Hart stood in the entrance to their bedroom, looking mighty pleased with himself. “Haven’t you ever heard of knocking?” Ianto demanded.
“I did knock!” Hart answered. “But there wasn’t any answer.”
“That should’ve told you right then that we didn’t want to see anyone.”
“Cut it out, you two,” Jack said, not wanting a screaming match over his aching body. “John, thanks for what you did back then. I appreciate it.”
“No problem,” the former Time Agent replied. “I’m just glad it turned out all right.”
They hadn’t seen Hart since the day he’d left the Hub for parts unknown, and Jack couldn’t say he’d missed the man at all. But he did owe him for trying to help, and for kicking him just that little bit in the arse about talking to Ianto. That conversation had eventually led them to where they were now.
“Well, I just wanted to stop in and see how things were,” Hart said into the uncomfortable silence. “I’ll be heading out now; got a lovely lady in Paris waiting for me. You two take care of each other, yeah?” He turned to leave.
“John, wait.”
He looked back at Jack’s call.
“Maybe we can try that whole friends thing?”
A smile graced Hart’s sharp features. “Yeah, I’d like that. See ya both later.”
Once Hart was gone, Ianto gave Jack a disbelieving look. “You can’t honestly be thinking of being his friend, are you?”
Jack shrugged. “He did help. It wasn’t his fault that Gray used him. And he made it right in the end.”
Ianto nodded, conceding the point. “But if he offers another orgy…”
“No way.” Jack tugged him forward, so that Ianto lay beside him. “I don’t share anymore, and he knows that.”
“Good, because I’d hate to have to shoot him in a delicate place.”
Jack laughed, pulling Ianto closer. As his eyelids grew heavy, he realized just how lucky he’d been in his life.
This was his future, and he had everything he’d always wanted.
No more past nightmares.
Fin
PDF of this is Here
Loved it!
Well done. :)
Snagging the PDF.
I was thinking it would be something different, the way you dropped little hints in. Like the daughter not having any current books, I then thought this was going to be a vision or dream of some sort, maybe alien induced. I also wondered whether it's because paper books will cease to exist.
I also liked the idea of Jack being mortal, it's very different to the usual trope of Ianto becoming immortal. Very sweet.
Oh, I had to have a few red herrings in there. Just to keep everyone guessing. And, in a way it was alien-induced, just not in the way anyone might have thought. *winks*
Jack deserves a happy ending, and one of the dreams he's always had was to become mortal. Glad you liked that. :)
This was such a unique take on the story of Gray and his attempted revenge against Jack. I loved the way you went between the two timelines, as they were both actually happening at the same time for Jack. I think if I'd have been the team, I'd have been going crazy the whole time in between waiting to see when this happened, if at all. I'm really glad you had things work out the way they were supposed to and that you found a plausible way for Jack to become mortal so he could have the life, with Ianto, he always dreamed of.
Beautifully done.
I always thought Gray could have had something nastier planned for Jack, and this was just one way to do it. Show him the future...and then tear it away. And Jack really did get the future he deserved after so long.
I'm really glad you enjoyed it.
Ooh, and the art is just lovely. The shelf full of photos particularly stuck out to me as something that must have been hard to pull off, especially changing the angle on things, but that came out looking very natural, just as you'd expect a somewhat jumbled shelf of photos to look in someone's home.
The shelf is my favorite piece! I can't help but look at it, she did a fantastic job on it.
I'm happy Jack and Ianto got their future together.
The art was fab too, and all the pictures really fit in with the mood of the fic. Great job by the two of you!
Jack just deserves a happy ending. He's been through so much! And oh yes, she did a fantastic job with the art. Thanks again! :)
And you're welcome, I really did love your story. :)
Good luck with the catch-up...
I love the artwork too, I should have mentioned that sooner!
(Snagging the PDF for future re-reading!)