Epilogue
Jack and Maddie sat in the basement in front of the computer, Jazz's journal in Jack's lap as Maddie typed on the keyboard.
The screen lit up as she typed, revealing the words that had been copied from the journal. She turned to her husband with a look of concern on her face, but his small smile and nod told her to continue.
Turning back to the computer, Maddie began to type again, the words "The End of Clockwork" appearing as a header. Slowly, Jack recounted all that Danny had told them about the final battle as Maddie continued to type, until finally, after what seemed like hours, she hit enter and rolled her chair back from the screen.
Letting out a huge sigh of relief, she gazed into Jack's tearful eyes and spoke in a calm voice.
"Your mom would be proud."
"I know Mads, I know."
With this, he stood and walked to one of the many file cabinets, opening one and dropping the diary inside.
Ddddd
It had been a few weeks since Sarah had mysteriously died and been brought back, but for some reason it was still on her mind as she explored the neighborhood on her daily outing.
Was it possible there really was a link to her and Sam that was more than just grandmother and granddaughter? Could it show itself again?
She wanted to believe that she had woken up because Sam was finally ready for the commitment of being with Danny, but she still found that whole idea so bizarre.
Here she was, almost 70, and there he was, her former boyfriend, back from the dead and in a serious relationship with her granddaughter. She was happy that Sam had finally found happiness, but the idea of all of them linked still sent shivers up her spine.
She stopped at the next crosswalk and closed her eyes, allowing herself to daydream.
She felt a hand on her shoulder and looked up to see his ocean blue eyes looking down, a small smile on his elderly face.
His hair was gray and receding a bit at the top, but she would recognize those eyes anywhere. She looked over to her shoulder and saw his wrinkled hand, worn from age, was clamped tightly upon it.
"Don't worry Sarah, I promise I will always be here for you."
"Danny. When you died, I didn't know how to feel. Life, it just ended.
"Yes, it did for me too. But at least one of us moved on and found happiness."
"You found happiness too! Just in ways we never expected."
"That is true, and I wouldn't change a thing."
"You know, I wouldn't either."
"Thank you Sarah. For everything. Always being faithful and allowing our destinies to play out."
Sarah smiled and looked up into his eyes again, as the vision began to fade.
"Promise you won't hurt her."
"I will NEVER hurt anyone I love." Was the last thing he said before he disappeared.
She jerked her head awake to the honking of a car, reminding her that the light had turned red and she needed to cross.
'Danny, thank you for saving us all.'
Dddd
Danny, Sam and Tucker were sitting on her doorstep, ice cream cones in hand. Danny looked over to Sam, a twinkle in his eyes as he spoke.
"So I guess I can eat this now?"
"Guess so!"
He looked down at his cone and let his tongue touch its cold, chocolate goodness. He smiled after the first lick and then quickly took more, as if the feeling would end at any time.
Sam and Tucker both looked at him and giggled before tucking in to their own.
They sat in silence for a bit, enjoying their ice cream before it could melt in the hot summer heat.
Danny was the first to finish, enjoying his rediscovered eating abilities a little too much. He looked over to the others, only to see Sam's had begun to melt, and then his eyes got big.
"Sam, this is it. This is 'the scene'!"
Her eyes widened at this too, while Tucker just looked at them in confusion.
"The scene?"
"The scene Clockwork saw! The one that started this whole mess. But… it's not."
Danny looked at Tucker, and then the melted ice cream that should have been on his leg, not Sam's.
Sam looked back, before letting out another giggle.
"Well, I guess not every prophecy plays out the way it's supposed to."
Dddd
The screen went blank and the ghost let out a soft wail as he tried to pull away.
"That's not how it's supposed to go! That's not how anything is supposed to go!"
The more he fought with his chains, however, the more he found himself trapped.
He had been chained up in this room for what seemed like eons, being forced to watch Danny and Sam's story play out in a screen across from him; so far he had not enjoyed what he had seen.
Another ghost appeared in front of him at these words, blocking the screen from view.
"Clockwork, you of all people should know that the timelines can change. And now that you are no longer in control, the boy's destiny will play out on its own, WITHOUT your help."
"Then at least don't force me to watch every moment of it!" Clockwork shouted to the Observant in anger.
"Until you can learn to watch, and NOT meddle, you will stay here, under our keep. If, and only if, you can prove you can handle being a simple observer, then we will discuss your freedom."
The ghost disappeared again as Clockwork continued to struggle with his chains, another scene from Danny's life playing out before him.
"Daniel, I will get free someday, and you will discover your true destiny."
Dddd