Game Changer - Epilogue
9 years later...
Dan’s heart is racing as he smooths his hair for what must be the hundredth time now. He looks over his reflection again and again, until suddenly there are two pairs of his own brown eyes looking back at him. He turns around and smiles.
“Daddy!” the little girl gasps, running to him.
He hoists her into the air, scooping her up into his arms; the state of his suit temporarily forgotten.
“Hey sweetheart,” he exclaims. “Did Aunt Claire do your hair like that?”
“Yep,” she says proudly and he glances over at Claire, who’s leaning against the doorframe. “Daddy, you look so pretty!”
Dan chuckles and kisses her on the forehead, “Thank you, honey. So do you. You look like a beautiful princess.”
He bops her on the nose with one finger and sets her back on the ground, where she runs back to Claire and takes her hand.
“We’re going to go see Papa,” she says. “You should come see him too!”
“No, you two go ahead,” Dan says. “Two people aren’t supposed to see each other before they get married, it’s bad luck.”
Claire rolls her eyes, “That’s just superstition, it’s not true.”
“You an Ennis didn’t see each other before the wedding,” he reminds her. “Speaking of, where is he?”
“He’s with the kids,” she says.
“All three?” Dan asks.
“He’s more than capable,” she says. “Besides, I’m sure Liam and Aidan are running around entertaining themselves.”
She smiles fondly.
“Nora, sweetie,” Dan says, bending down so she can hug him. “I’ll see you in a little bit, okay? Go give your papa a kiss and then Aunt Claire will take you with her for the procession, alright?”
“And then you and Papa are gonna get married?” she asks him excitedly.
“Yeah,” he says with a nervous sigh.
“It’s okay, Daddy,” she whispers, cupping her hand beside her mouth. “If you get scared, you can hold my hand.”
“Thanks sweetheart,” he replies throatily, clearing his throat as he stands up and Claire takes her out of the room.
Neither one of them had wanted a big wedding, but the formality is still jarring for Dan as he takes his place at the front of the room. Ennis is sitting in the front row with their two sons beside him, cradling his and Claire’s baby daughter in his arms. He makes eye contact with Paolo, who gives him a reassuring smile and nod, and he can see Pingu sitting beside him. A bit farther back he can see his friends from the office, including Marcus and Jackson, and the gang from Stanley Knives as well. Lynn catches his eye from the other side of the aisle and gives him a subtle thumbs up, and he smiles in response. It’s not until the music starts up and they all turn to watch the door that he sees Toby with his arm around his girlfriend’s waist.
Danni walks into the room first, a small bouquet of wild flowers in hand. She grins at Dan as she walks towards him, only breaking their gaze to flash a wink at her girlfriend in the audience. She taps Dan on the nose playfully with the flowers as she passes him and takes her seat.
Next in line is Monica, her sunshine yellow dress draping over her very pregnant stomach. She’s giggling as she walks past him, grinning ear to ear as she takes her seat between Pingu and Paolo.
Claire and Nora come out together, holding hands before she lets Nora take the lead, throwing flower petals along the aisle in front of her. She reaches her small hands around Dan’s neck and kisses him and skips to her chair almost directly in front of him. Claire kisses him on the cheek lightly as they meet and takes her place beside her sons as the rest of the audience stands up and the music changes.
Jones wouldn’t let him hear the arrangement, insisting on it being a surprise, and he tears up at how Jones the new arrangement of the wedding classic is. Dan’s mouth falls open when he sees Jones. He’s linking arms with Bruce, his other hand clutching his walking stick, and he’s wearing a jacket like the one Axl Rose has on in the November Rain music video. In typical Jones fashion; however, he’s paired the elaborate jacket with a kilt instead of a traditional suit.
Dan dabs at his teary eyes with his handkerchief as he watches them make their way down the aisle. Bruce kisses Jones on the cheek and shakes Dan’s hand before taking the seat across the aisle from Nora, who gets up to give Jones a kiss as well before he and Dan hold each other’s hands.
Jones’s vows are filled with humour, ending with a double entendre about having Dan inside him for the rest of his life, but Dan’s eyes stream with tears anyway.
“Jones,” he starts, thickly. “You are my heart, you are my world, you are my everything. You taught me how to love, and how to be loved-”
He sniffles and continues, focusing hard on the piece of paper in his unsteady hand.
“You gave me my life back when I had all but completely given up. You, and our beautiful daughter, Nora,” he says, looking up to meet her gaze. She blows him a kiss and when he pretends to catch it, everyone laughs through their own tears. “Have made me happier than I ever thought was possible. We’ve been through a lot together, but I’d still do anything for you, Jones. I promise to always love and support you. I promise to always be open and honest with you, and above all else, I promise to be your candle on the water, because you have, and always will be mine.”
When they say their ‘I do’s and Dan finally hears his permission to kiss Jones, he cradles his face in both large hands and Jones holds him around the middle. He can hear Nora cheering excitedly as their lips meet, and someone he assumes is Danni wolf whistles. They’re pronounced officially married and he scoops Jones into his arms, kissing him again.
That night they sit at a large table, drinking non-alcoholic wine as Claire, Bruce, Lynn, and Danni give speeches. Dan holds Nora on his lap and they watch Jones and Bruce dance, and when it’s time for their first dance, she rushes off to watch Claire film it.
“You ready?” Jones whispers to him as the first notes begin to play.
“Ready as I’ll ever be,” he laughs, holding Jones close to support most of his weight. “Might still cry though.”
Jones grins, “You’ve been crying all night.”
“I’m happy,” Dan says simply.
“I was scared we’d have to wait until we were both old to get properly married,” he says.
“I am old,” Dan laughs.
“Oh shut up,” Jones giggles back. “You’re 42, not 80.”
Dan just smiles back at him.
“I love you,” he says.
“I love you too, Dan Duran.”
The song ends and they’re met by a round of applause and cheers. Nora runs up to them both and Dan picks her up.
“That’s the song from Pete’s Dragon,” she says.
“It is,” Jones beams. “That’s me and Daddy’s song.”
“And who sings that song in the film?” Dan asks her.
“Nora!” she says, delighted.
“That’s right,” says Dan. “That’s who you’re named after.”
She giggles happily, “Papa?”
“What?” Jones asks.
“I like your dress, it’s pretty.”
“Thanks,” he laughs. “It’s called a kilt, actually.”
“Yeah, just don’t look under it,” Dan mutters to Jones, who grins.
“Can I go see Auntie Claire and baby Caitlin?” she asks, pointing to where Claire sits watching Ennis dance with their sons while she feeds a bottle to their daughter.
“Yep, go ahead,” Dan says, putting her down. “And give Auntie Claire a poke in the arm and tell her it’s from me, okay?”
“Okay,” she calls back, already running off towards Claire.
They watch her as she pokes Claire and Claire looks up to meet his gaze, shooting him an annoyed look. He waves and laughs, turning back to Jones.
“I hope you are wearing pants under there,” Dan says suspiciously.
“You’ll just have to wait for tonight to see yourself,” Jones replies with a wink.
Dan smiles and kisses him, “I love you.”
Jones smiles.
“I love you too.”
~The End~
Dan’s heart is racing as he smooths his hair for what must be the hundredth time now. He looks over his reflection again and again, until suddenly there are two pairs of his own brown eyes looking back at him. He turns around and smiles.
“Daddy!” the little girl gasps, running to him.
He hoists her into the air, scooping her up into his arms; the state of his suit temporarily forgotten.
“Hey sweetheart,” he exclaims. “Did Aunt Claire do your hair like that?”
“Yep,” she says proudly and he glances over at Claire, who’s leaning against the doorframe. “Daddy, you look so pretty!”
Dan chuckles and kisses her on the forehead, “Thank you, honey. So do you. You look like a beautiful princess.”
He bops her on the nose with one finger and sets her back on the ground, where she runs back to Claire and takes her hand.
“We’re going to go see Papa,” she says. “You should come see him too!”
“No, you two go ahead,” Dan says. “Two people aren’t supposed to see each other before they get married, it’s bad luck.”
Claire rolls her eyes, “That’s just superstition, it’s not true.”
“You an Ennis didn’t see each other before the wedding,” he reminds her. “Speaking of, where is he?”
“He’s with the kids,” she says.
“All three?” Dan asks.
“He’s more than capable,” she says. “Besides, I’m sure Liam and Aidan are running around entertaining themselves.”
She smiles fondly.
“Nora, sweetie,” Dan says, bending down so she can hug him. “I’ll see you in a little bit, okay? Go give your papa a kiss and then Aunt Claire will take you with her for the procession, alright?”
“And then you and Papa are gonna get married?” she asks him excitedly.
“Yeah,” he says with a nervous sigh.
“It’s okay, Daddy,” she whispers, cupping her hand beside her mouth. “If you get scared, you can hold my hand.”
“Thanks sweetheart,” he replies throatily, clearing his throat as he stands up and Claire takes her out of the room.
Neither one of them had wanted a big wedding, but the formality is still jarring for Dan as he takes his place at the front of the room. Ennis is sitting in the front row with their two sons beside him, cradling his and Claire’s baby daughter in his arms. He makes eye contact with Paolo, who gives him a reassuring smile and nod, and he can see Pingu sitting beside him. A bit farther back he can see his friends from the office, including Marcus and Jackson, and the gang from Stanley Knives as well. Lynn catches his eye from the other side of the aisle and gives him a subtle thumbs up, and he smiles in response. It’s not until the music starts up and they all turn to watch the door that he sees Toby with his arm around his girlfriend’s waist.
Danni walks into the room first, a small bouquet of wild flowers in hand. She grins at Dan as she walks towards him, only breaking their gaze to flash a wink at her girlfriend in the audience. She taps Dan on the nose playfully with the flowers as she passes him and takes her seat.
Next in line is Monica, her sunshine yellow dress draping over her very pregnant stomach. She’s giggling as she walks past him, grinning ear to ear as she takes her seat between Pingu and Paolo.
Claire and Nora come out together, holding hands before she lets Nora take the lead, throwing flower petals along the aisle in front of her. She reaches her small hands around Dan’s neck and kisses him and skips to her chair almost directly in front of him. Claire kisses him on the cheek lightly as they meet and takes her place beside her sons as the rest of the audience stands up and the music changes.
Jones wouldn’t let him hear the arrangement, insisting on it being a surprise, and he tears up at how Jones the new arrangement of the wedding classic is. Dan’s mouth falls open when he sees Jones. He’s linking arms with Bruce, his other hand clutching his walking stick, and he’s wearing a jacket like the one Axl Rose has on in the November Rain music video. In typical Jones fashion; however, he’s paired the elaborate jacket with a kilt instead of a traditional suit.
Dan dabs at his teary eyes with his handkerchief as he watches them make their way down the aisle. Bruce kisses Jones on the cheek and shakes Dan’s hand before taking the seat across the aisle from Nora, who gets up to give Jones a kiss as well before he and Dan hold each other’s hands.
Jones’s vows are filled with humour, ending with a double entendre about having Dan inside him for the rest of his life, but Dan’s eyes stream with tears anyway.
“Jones,” he starts, thickly. “You are my heart, you are my world, you are my everything. You taught me how to love, and how to be loved-”
He sniffles and continues, focusing hard on the piece of paper in his unsteady hand.
“You gave me my life back when I had all but completely given up. You, and our beautiful daughter, Nora,” he says, looking up to meet her gaze. She blows him a kiss and when he pretends to catch it, everyone laughs through their own tears. “Have made me happier than I ever thought was possible. We’ve been through a lot together, but I’d still do anything for you, Jones. I promise to always love and support you. I promise to always be open and honest with you, and above all else, I promise to be your candle on the water, because you have, and always will be mine.”
When they say their ‘I do’s and Dan finally hears his permission to kiss Jones, he cradles his face in both large hands and Jones holds him around the middle. He can hear Nora cheering excitedly as their lips meet, and someone he assumes is Danni wolf whistles. They’re pronounced officially married and he scoops Jones into his arms, kissing him again.
That night they sit at a large table, drinking non-alcoholic wine as Claire, Bruce, Lynn, and Danni give speeches. Dan holds Nora on his lap and they watch Jones and Bruce dance, and when it’s time for their first dance, she rushes off to watch Claire film it.
“You ready?” Jones whispers to him as the first notes begin to play.
“Ready as I’ll ever be,” he laughs, holding Jones close to support most of his weight. “Might still cry though.”
Jones grins, “You’ve been crying all night.”
“I’m happy,” Dan says simply.
“I was scared we’d have to wait until we were both old to get properly married,” he says.
“I am old,” Dan laughs.
“Oh shut up,” Jones giggles back. “You’re 42, not 80.”
Dan just smiles back at him.
“I love you,” he says.
“I love you too, Dan Duran.”
The song ends and they’re met by a round of applause and cheers. Nora runs up to them both and Dan picks her up.
“That’s the song from Pete’s Dragon,” she says.
“It is,” Jones beams. “That’s me and Daddy’s song.”
“And who sings that song in the film?” Dan asks her.
“Nora!” she says, delighted.
“That’s right,” says Dan. “That’s who you’re named after.”
She giggles happily, “Papa?”
“What?” Jones asks.
“I like your dress, it’s pretty.”
“Thanks,” he laughs. “It’s called a kilt, actually.”
“Yeah, just don’t look under it,” Dan mutters to Jones, who grins.
“Can I go see Auntie Claire and baby Caitlin?” she asks, pointing to where Claire sits watching Ennis dance with their sons while she feeds a bottle to their daughter.
“Yep, go ahead,” Dan says, putting her down. “And give Auntie Claire a poke in the arm and tell her it’s from me, okay?”
“Okay,” she calls back, already running off towards Claire.
They watch her as she pokes Claire and Claire looks up to meet his gaze, shooting him an annoyed look. He waves and laughs, turning back to Jones.
“I hope you are wearing pants under there,” Dan says suspiciously.
“You’ll just have to wait for tonight to see yourself,” Jones replies with a wink.
Dan smiles and kisses him, “I love you.”
Jones smiles.
“I love you too.”
~The End~