There's Always Tomorrow, Epilogue
Chapter 6
Jensen watches, not for the first time, in fascination. He sits, front and center, and watches Jared move effortlessly across the stage. Jared’s muscles are defined, but there’s no strain in them as he lifts Sandy, carries her, stays poised and in control. It’s a perfect performance, and Jensen stands when it’s over, applauding, his heart leaping in his chest when Jared looks directly at him and smiles. He thinks about how many times he sat in this seat and wondered what it would be like if Jared Padalecki were to acknowledge him here. He thinks about how impossible that seemed, and how real it is now. Christmas has never meant so much to him before.
“You were amazing, Jared!” Jensen exclaims, wrapping Jared up in a hug when they meet up after the show.
“Thank you.” Jared leans down and kisses him and then steps back, gesturing to Sandy. “I think it’s time you two met.”
Jensen smiles and takes Sandy’s hand, leaning forward and kissing her on the cheek. “It’s a pleasure to meet you, Sandy. You were wonderful, as always. Perfect performance from both of you.”
“Well!” Sandy laughs and ducks her head a bit. “Jared didn’t tell me how much of a charmer you were.”
“I’m not a charmer,” Jensen says, shaking his head. “It’s the truth.”
“It’s very nice to meet you, Jensen.” She leans forward and squeezes his hand in hers. “I’m glad you and Jared are happy.”
“Thank you.”
“And now, I have to run along to find my family,” she says, smiling and bounding away. “Merry Christmas!”
“Merry Christmas!” Jared calls after her, and Jensen echoes him. Jared nudges him and starts walking towards the back rows of the theater, people still mingling in the crowd. “Now let’s find my family.”
Jared’s parents find him before he can find them. Jensen stands back, fidgeting nervously as Jared greets them with hugs and kisses. His ears perk up when he hears Jared saying, “Mama, Dad, I’d like you to meet Jensen…” He’s never been greeted so nicely in his life, both of them hugging him and smiling at him like he’s God’s gift to their son. His nerves dissipate, and he glances at Jared, who can’t stop smiling.
“We’ve heard so much about you,” Jared’s mother says, clutching his hands in hers. “And we’re so happy that you’re joining us for dinner.”
Jensen barely gets out his thank you before he hears his name being called. He dismisses it at first, because he’s sure he couldn’t have heard it. Who else could be there who knows him? But he sees Jared’s eyes looking over his shoulder, towards the voice, and then it sounds again.
“Jensen!”
Jensen knows who it is now, and he can’t believe it. He spins around, his arms spreading open wide when he sees his little sister coming towards him. “Mackie!” She practically leaps into his arms, giggling. “Oh my God,” he breathes, closing his eyes and squeezing her. “Mackie, I can’t believe it.” He grabs her arms and pulls her off of him. “Let me look at you.”
“All grown up!” she says, grinning and holding her arms out to her sides, and Jensen smiles at her. She’s taller now, older, obviously, but he still sees that same rambunctious kid in her expression as she bounces on her feet. He pulls her in for another hug.
“You look great, kid.” He steps back and looks at her again. “I just can’t believe you’re here. How did you know?”
“You told me, silly,” she says, playfully slapping him on the arm, and Jensen’s cheeks are starting to hurt. This is too much, joking around with his little sister again. “You mentioned Jared’s present to you on the phone, and I thought I’d come and surprise you. I wasn’t planning on going home for Christmas, so I figured I’d visit my big brother instead!”
“It is so good to see you,” Jensen says, and then he remembers that Jared and Jared’s parents are behind him. “I’m sorry,” he apologizes, turning around. “This is my little sister, Mackenzie.” He introduces her to Jared, to Jared’s parents, and he’s just beginning to wonder about dinner when Jared’s father steps in and asks her to join them.
Dinner is at a restaurant just a couple doors away. It’s warm and cozy, and not too crowded. There’s a tree lit up in the corner and Christmas music being softly played on a piano. They’re not at home, but they still have turkey, stuffing, and cranberries, and enough pie to last them a month. It’s amazing how everyone seems to fit together, their excited conversation carrying on throughout the meal, even though they’d all just come together a couple of hours before. Jensen genuinely likes Jared’s parents, and Mackenzie’s a hit at the table, almost the life of the party. This is what family is supposed to be. Jensen’s just glad that he finally has one.
Jensen catches Jared’s eye when they start talking about New Year’s at the Padalecki home, Jared’s parents even extending the invitation to Mackenzie. He matches Jared’s slow grin, and he catches Mackenzie’s enthusiastic reply, but he never breaks their gaze. The moment stretches out in time, and they stare at each other, the look saying everything between them. It’s “I’ve never been happier” and “this can’t possibly be real.” It’s “can’t wait to get home” and “can’t believe how far we’ve come.” It’s “Merry Christmas” and “I love you.”
They leave the restaurant and step out into the snow and onto the sidewalk, their sidewalk. They walk together, Jared’s parents on one side of Jared and Jensen and Mackenzie on the other, Jensen’s arm around his little sister’s shoulders. Jared’s hand moves for Jensen’s, their fingers twining together. It isn’t recorded forever in a painting in a frame, but it’s an image and a memory that will forever live in Jensen’s heart.
Master Post
Jensen watches, not for the first time, in fascination. He sits, front and center, and watches Jared move effortlessly across the stage. Jared’s muscles are defined, but there’s no strain in them as he lifts Sandy, carries her, stays poised and in control. It’s a perfect performance, and Jensen stands when it’s over, applauding, his heart leaping in his chest when Jared looks directly at him and smiles. He thinks about how many times he sat in this seat and wondered what it would be like if Jared Padalecki were to acknowledge him here. He thinks about how impossible that seemed, and how real it is now. Christmas has never meant so much to him before.
“You were amazing, Jared!” Jensen exclaims, wrapping Jared up in a hug when they meet up after the show.
“Thank you.” Jared leans down and kisses him and then steps back, gesturing to Sandy. “I think it’s time you two met.”
Jensen smiles and takes Sandy’s hand, leaning forward and kissing her on the cheek. “It’s a pleasure to meet you, Sandy. You were wonderful, as always. Perfect performance from both of you.”
“Well!” Sandy laughs and ducks her head a bit. “Jared didn’t tell me how much of a charmer you were.”
“I’m not a charmer,” Jensen says, shaking his head. “It’s the truth.”
“It’s very nice to meet you, Jensen.” She leans forward and squeezes his hand in hers. “I’m glad you and Jared are happy.”
“Thank you.”
“And now, I have to run along to find my family,” she says, smiling and bounding away. “Merry Christmas!”
“Merry Christmas!” Jared calls after her, and Jensen echoes him. Jared nudges him and starts walking towards the back rows of the theater, people still mingling in the crowd. “Now let’s find my family.”
Jared’s parents find him before he can find them. Jensen stands back, fidgeting nervously as Jared greets them with hugs and kisses. His ears perk up when he hears Jared saying, “Mama, Dad, I’d like you to meet Jensen…” He’s never been greeted so nicely in his life, both of them hugging him and smiling at him like he’s God’s gift to their son. His nerves dissipate, and he glances at Jared, who can’t stop smiling.
“We’ve heard so much about you,” Jared’s mother says, clutching his hands in hers. “And we’re so happy that you’re joining us for dinner.”
Jensen barely gets out his thank you before he hears his name being called. He dismisses it at first, because he’s sure he couldn’t have heard it. Who else could be there who knows him? But he sees Jared’s eyes looking over his shoulder, towards the voice, and then it sounds again.
“Jensen!”
Jensen knows who it is now, and he can’t believe it. He spins around, his arms spreading open wide when he sees his little sister coming towards him. “Mackie!” She practically leaps into his arms, giggling. “Oh my God,” he breathes, closing his eyes and squeezing her. “Mackie, I can’t believe it.” He grabs her arms and pulls her off of him. “Let me look at you.”
“All grown up!” she says, grinning and holding her arms out to her sides, and Jensen smiles at her. She’s taller now, older, obviously, but he still sees that same rambunctious kid in her expression as she bounces on her feet. He pulls her in for another hug.
“You look great, kid.” He steps back and looks at her again. “I just can’t believe you’re here. How did you know?”
“You told me, silly,” she says, playfully slapping him on the arm, and Jensen’s cheeks are starting to hurt. This is too much, joking around with his little sister again. “You mentioned Jared’s present to you on the phone, and I thought I’d come and surprise you. I wasn’t planning on going home for Christmas, so I figured I’d visit my big brother instead!”
“It is so good to see you,” Jensen says, and then he remembers that Jared and Jared’s parents are behind him. “I’m sorry,” he apologizes, turning around. “This is my little sister, Mackenzie.” He introduces her to Jared, to Jared’s parents, and he’s just beginning to wonder about dinner when Jared’s father steps in and asks her to join them.
Dinner is at a restaurant just a couple doors away. It’s warm and cozy, and not too crowded. There’s a tree lit up in the corner and Christmas music being softly played on a piano. They’re not at home, but they still have turkey, stuffing, and cranberries, and enough pie to last them a month. It’s amazing how everyone seems to fit together, their excited conversation carrying on throughout the meal, even though they’d all just come together a couple of hours before. Jensen genuinely likes Jared’s parents, and Mackenzie’s a hit at the table, almost the life of the party. This is what family is supposed to be. Jensen’s just glad that he finally has one.
Jensen catches Jared’s eye when they start talking about New Year’s at the Padalecki home, Jared’s parents even extending the invitation to Mackenzie. He matches Jared’s slow grin, and he catches Mackenzie’s enthusiastic reply, but he never breaks their gaze. The moment stretches out in time, and they stare at each other, the look saying everything between them. It’s “I’ve never been happier” and “this can’t possibly be real.” It’s “can’t wait to get home” and “can’t believe how far we’ve come.” It’s “Merry Christmas” and “I love you.”
They leave the restaurant and step out into the snow and onto the sidewalk, their sidewalk. They walk together, Jared’s parents on one side of Jared and Jensen and Mackenzie on the other, Jensen’s arm around his little sister’s shoulders. Jared’s hand moves for Jensen’s, their fingers twining together. It isn’t recorded forever in a painting in a frame, but it’s an image and a memory that will forever live in Jensen’s heart.
Master Post