Author's Note: The chapter title is self-explanatory. I've had this planned for a while. Finally, here it is!

Disclaimer: wheeeee Young Wizards belongs to Diane Duane wheeeeeee

Chapter 17: Epilogue

Tom,

Found exactly what we're looking for. I hope you'll love it as much as I do.

Love, Carl

Tom Swale's eyes widened at the note, then a huge grin blossomed on his face. He checked the time. 5:16...both fortunate and unfortunate. Carl would be driving home from work. He would be there soon, but on the other hand Tom could not call him up and talk to him that very instant like he wanted.

Still, that was probably for the best. Despite how public he wanted to be with his affection and love for his boyfriend, the cruel fact remained that most people found it disturbing. Some thought it disgusting, which would be fine—those people could go do something anatomically impossible—except their words could cut, and cut, and cut. Tom was almost used to them. Carl, on the other hand...though he never complained, Tom could see the distress those words caused him. Each one etched the lines in his face a little deeper, made his eyes and mouth pinch a little more, and the worst part was that though Tom longed to kiss away that pained tightness it would only make it worse.

The man—no longer blonde, his hair had darkened to a light honey-brown—shook his head to clear away the somber thoughts. Carl would be home soon, and then they could talk and talk and excitedly talk to their hearts' content.

Tom tried many things to pass the time, but he couldn't focus. The ticking of the clock seemed spitefully sluggish. It was one of the longest 20 minutes of his life before he finally heard the crunching of tires on gravel, the soft creak of footsteps on the wooden deck, the snick of the door opening, the rough, Brooklyn-accented, tired, beautiful voice calling "Hey Tom, I'm—mmph!"

Turns out he didn't need to call. Tom had wrapped himself around his boyfriend like the world's most affectionate, humanoid, vertebrate octopus and muffled his words with a kiss.

Carl chuckled. "Found the...mmm...note, did you?"

"Yes, tell me everything, you lovely gorgeous wonderful man, including why you didn't tell me sooner!"

The darker-haired man threw back his head and laughed, kicking the door shut behind him and ruffling Tom's hair. "Hey, don't get mad at me—"

"I'm not mad at you, I'm just—"

"—I only saw it today. I got a bit lost in thought, and then a bit lost, when I was driving to get lunch—"

"You forgot your lunch?"

"—and I—yes I did, but shush, stop interrupting—and I saw this gorgeous property. Giant hedge all the way around, really beautiful huge old house, a little run-down, and it's for sale!"

Tom's grin looked like it would split his face in two, even when Carl leaned in and kissed it. "How much? And where is it?"

"Not sure how much exactly...but the owner seems in a real hurry to leave. I think he thinks it's haunted." He chuckled. "And it's right in Hempstead. Twenty-three hundred Rose Avenue. You want to see it?"

Tom looked at him like he had five heads. "Do I...of course I want to see it! Can we go tomorrow?"

"Not tonight?" Carl teased.

He shot Carl a Look. "Well I would, but that doesn't give me much time to, ah, thank you properly. Have to show my appreciation, don't I?"

Carl's eyes widened, then he met Tom's kiss with his own and mumbled, "On second thought...tomorrow...does seem like...mmmm...a better option."

"It's getting a bit late, after all."

"Yeah. Late. That's it."

"They'd think we were crazy if we showed up asking questions at this hour."

"Hm. Maybe."

"Although I guess we could go now, just to look..."

"Tom, just shut up and kiss me!"

"Oh my god." Carl stood on Rose Avenue with a silly grin on his face, disregarding the chill, late October wind whipping his curly hair into a frenzy.

"I can't believe it's ours!" Tom said for perhaps the hundredth time with happily glazed eyes.

Carl glanced around, assuring himself that nobody else was in sight, then took his partner's hand in his own and laced their fingers together. Tom closed his eyes and smiled, leaning into Carl's shoulder and savoring the rare public display of affection.

The moment was brief, though, because Tom's excitement finally overtook his disbelief. "Come on, let's get a better look at our house!" And suiting action to words, he tugged a laughingly protesting Carl behind him by their joined hands, navigating both of them through a gap in the hedge.

"We could have a Christmas housewarming party."

Tom took a moment to respond, finishing scribbling the sentence he was writing. "Hm?"

"It would be nice to finally do Christmas right, for a change. We could invite Rick. And maybe Josh. And...your folks." Carl's voice trembled. Barely.

But Tom heard it anyway and looked up, a sorrowful frown building. "I'm so sorry."

"Don't be," Carl said, impatiently scrubbing the back of his hand over his stinging eyes. "It's not your fault."

"Well—"

"It's not," he insisted, tightening his lips and blinking hard. "You're wonderful, and I love you. It was their choice to..." He shook his head. Then, under his breath, "...damn it, not again."

Guilt and sympathy warring in the pit of his stomach, Tom crossed the room and hugged Carl, hard. Carl lowered his head to Tom's shoulder, clinging to his partner tightly. Tom pretended not to notice the few stray tears that wet his shirt.

After a minute or so and a few shaky breaths, Carl spoke again. "So. Christmas housewarming party?"

Tom smiled and kissed the dark hair. "If that's what you'd like. You know I like Christmas. And parties. And this house."

"Excellent. Anything in particular we should prepare?"

"Mm...eggnog. Can't have Christmas without eggnog. It's my dad's favorite."

Carl pulled back a little to smile at Tom. "Really? I didn't know that. I'll put it on the list."

Both of them jumped as the phone rang, Tom bumping the side of his head on Carl's nose. "Ow, watch it!"

"Sorry love...ouch, that was my rib, your elbow's sharp!"

Massaging his ear and his side, Tom trotted over to the phone and picked it up. "Hello?"

"Hey Tom, it's Josh Grogan—"

Tom smiled in surprise. "Oh, hi Josh, we were just talking about you! We're going to have a housewarming party around Christmas—"

"Oh, that sounds great..."

"Josh?" His eyebrows knitted together in a slight frown. "You okay? You don't sound like yourself. What's going on?"

There was a silence on the other end. Then Josh said quietly, "Tilly's having puppies."

"That's fantastic news, Josh! Oh my god...but you don't sound too happy. Wait...how old is Tilly now?"

The words flowed as if a dam had broken. "She's nine, and normally that would be way too old, and I told her she was too old to have puppies, but I don't know how much my wizardry extended her lifespan and she insists that it's okay and I would've had her spayed earlier but every time I tried to convince her she just looked so sad and betrayed that I never went through with it and—"

"Whoa, whoa, calm down!" Tom said, alarmed.

"Okay." Josh's voice was small.

"Listen to me, okay?"

"Okay."

"She's going to be fine. And if she isn't fine, you'll be the first to know. She's had puppies before, right? Two litters?"

"Three."

"Three, then. So she knows what's going on, and you're a wizard so you can talk to her, and you're also a vet. So if anything happens you'll know what to do, right?"

"...I guess so."

"You will." Tom grinned. "You're a great puppy dad."

That got a weak chuckle. "Actually, I was going to ask you something. I can't possibly keep all the puppies. If everything turns out okay...would you and Carl want one?"

Tom's eyes, and his smile, widened.

"...Tom? Did you hear what I said?"

"I...oh my god, yes I did, wait just a second...you're sure?"

"Absolutely."

Tom took the phone away from his mouth and hollered, "Hey Carl!"

"Yeah?"

"Want a puppy?"

"I mean, I love dogs, but isn't it a little early, we just moved in..."

"Tilly's having puppies, and Josh needs to find them homes!"

"What? Hold on, I thought I heard you say that Tilly is having puppies? Wait, no, stop shouting, I'm coming in, hold on..."

"Yeah," Tom said, eyes wide. "Tilly's puppies. You want one of Tilly's puppies?"

Carl grinned in disbelief. "Yeah. Definitely."

"...I love you so much. Josh?"

"Yeah, I heard, you guys are loud enough, geez! Thanks though, Tom. I really appreciate it."

"You kidding? Tilly's great. We'd love to have one of her puppies. When's she having them?"

"...Uh. She is having puppies. Like, she is actively having puppies. Like, right now."

"What?!"

"What?" Carl mouthed, confused. Right now! Tom mouthed back. "What?!" Carl echoed.

"Yeah, I know, oh my god, uh...I wanted to ask you...could you do me a favor? I'm a nervous wreck. Could you come over? I'm terrified something's gonna go wrong."

"Yeah, sure...no problem. Be there in an hour."

"Thanks. I'm so scared."

"Don't be!" Tom said, aiming for reassuring. "Tilly says she's fine, so don't worry. See you soon!"

The line went dead. Tom stared at the phone for a second before gently placing it back in its cradle. "I...can't believe that just happened."

Carl's face creased into a bemused grin. "Me neither. We have a house. We're going to have a housewarming party. We're getting a dog. Are we...are we settling down?"

The slightly taller man shrugged, smiling slowly himself. "Must be. It feels...nicer than I expected."

"Because you're settling down with the best, most thoughtful, handsomest person in the world," Carl said airily.

"That's a given," Tom shot back. "You're talking about me."

Carl looked like he was about to make a sharp retort, but then his smile softened. "Of course I am."

-FIN, FOR REAL THIS TIME-

Aaaand there you have it!