Milady Dragon's Place

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.