Ava, one of the few people in the know about Jack's plan to travel to the future to reunite with Lucy, insisted on seeing him off before he left. She grinned at him. "And you're absolutely sure about this?" she double checked, despite already knowing the answer.
"Of course I'm sure," he shot back.
"You tell that girl of yours I said hello."
"I promise that I will," Jack vowed.
"Good. Now break a leg and go get her." Ava smirked before the two of them embraced. When they pulled away from each other, she blew him a kiss as he turned the hourglass upside down.
He disappeared from view and that was that.
"I love you too," Lucy whispered once she and Jack finally stopped kissing. "I'm so glad you're here." Her mind raced as she contemplated their next steps. "Well, there's no way we can fly home - you don't have an ID so no boarding planes for you. I guess I'll rent a car and we'll drive back. Oh, you're going to enjoy a road trip and finding out what the modern world is like."
He wouldn't stop staring at her and it made Lucy a little self-conscious but she ignored the feeling because she also couldn't take her eyes off the man she loved. "I have to call my sister and let her know I'm not going to be there tomorrow."
Jack paused. "She knows?" he guessed.
She nodded. "I showed up on Becca's doorstep last year a whole mess and she ended up prying the story out of me. I was surprised she believed me but it was so ridiculous and out there that she knew I wasn't lying," Lucy explained, wincing at the memory of the weeks she spent in tears. She managed to rewrite the script during that time, however, desperately clinging to any distraction she could find. Grabbing his hand and squeezing it, she rooted around her pockets trying to find her phone with her free hand. When she got it out, she called Becca and put her sister on speakerphone. Jack's eyes widened at the sight of it but he stayed silent.
"The movie wrap yet?" was Becca's first question.
"Yeah. And about tomorrow - I don't think I'll be able to make it."
"Why?" asked Lucy's suddenly suspicious sister. "You aren't still moping around about Jack again, are you?"
Lucy cringed even as Jack lifted his eyebrows. "No, I'm not still moping about Jack! And about that - he's here."
Silence for a few seconds as Becca tried to process that. "Wait, what?"
"Yeah, he didn't die in 1948. He and some friends planted his death in the paper because he wanted to travel to the future to be with me. The hourglass only works on Christmas, apparently."
Sniffles on the other end of the line. "That is the most romantic thing I've ever heard in my life. Well, get here as fast as you can - we can still celebrate New Year's together. But next year, you are not getting out of Christmas. I mean it, Lucy!"
Lucy snorted. "Got it, Becca. I'll see you in a few days." The two of them talked for a few more minutes before hanging up. "We should probably head back inside - I'm freezing."
"Sounds like a wonderful plan," Jack agreed. They walked back into the house holding hands, and were immediately spotted by Margaret.
Margaret's eyes widened. "He's not dead?" she excitedly stage-whispered to Lucy.
"He's not dead," Lucy confirmed. "Jack, this is my friend, Margaret. I met her last year, and she's been in on the secret, helping me, since then."
Margaret squeaked. "It's so nice to meet you. Cannot believe I'm talking to Jack Huston. You two must want to be alone, and I'm here rambling. Go have fun!" she encouraged with a wink.
"Margaret!" laughed a jokingly scandalized Lucy.
"It's nice to meet you too, Margaret. Thank you for being a friend and confidant to Lucy," Jack told her.
"You're both welcome. I'll see you later, and I want to know everyone," she told Lucy.
Lucy rolled her eyes but led Jack upstairs to her room. "You're probably going to experience a lot of culture shock in the next few days but you'll adjust. Hopefully." She bit her lip.
"As long as I have you by my side, I can do anything," Jack seriously responded.
Lucy teared up again. "Stop doing that!" she chided.
"I love you. Again."
"Sap," she teased before kissing him.
They spent the entire night talking after Lucy made reservations with a car rental company, and got on the road as soon as possible in the morning - it would take them a few days to get home.
They got to know each other better - if that was at all possible - during their three days on the road and nights spent in motels. And when they finally made it to Lucy's, they were relieved. And of course, Becca sat on the couch, waiting for them. "You didn't think I was going to stay home did you," she teased her sister. "You two have been on your own for several days, and enough is enough. I'm Becca Hardgrove," she told Jack.
"Jack Huston. It's nice to finally meet you in person, Becca. I'm looking forward to getting to know Lucy's family."
"Wow, the 1940s movie star is so suave. Damn. I'm so happy for you, Luce, and I want to know everything." She handed them some of the food she ordered, and then stuck around for about an hour and a half before bolting.
Lucy and Jack spent the next few days exploring the city, trying to avoid the holiday tourists, but decided to stay in on New Year's Eve. "Ah, 2025 approaches," she mused, beaming at the man she loved as he helped her dry some dishes. She turned around to put a dish in the cupboard and when she whirled around to face Jack, he was down on one knee, holding a ring out. Lucy gasped, her hand flying to her mouth. "What are you doing?"
"I'd say it's rather obvious," he deadpanned. "Lucy, I know we haven't known each other that long but I came to the future to be with you. Nothing has changed my mind about our future this week. I'm head over heels in love with you - it feels like we've known each other for an entire lifetime already despite our short courtship. I've never felt this way about anybody before, and doubt I ever will. Will you make me the happiest man in any timeline and marry me, Lucy Hardgrove?"
Sobbing, she held her hand out and laughed when Jack slipped the ring on. Lucy wrapped her arms around him before peppering him with kisses. "I know we fell hard and fast but this is insane and I don't regret it. We're probably going to have a long engagement, though," she warned.
"Fine with me, as long as I get to call you my wife," he agreed.
Lucy melted. "You'll be my husband. Wow. It feels right," she realized, her eyes widening. Yes, they had rushed through many steps of their relationship, which would have sent her head spinning with any other relationship, but they had traveled back and forth through time for one another. They were meant to be together.
Jack stood back up and dipped her so they could kiss and celebrate their impending marriage.
And courtesy of the government (who surprisingly knew about time travel), Jack was established in the new world as his own namesake grandson (the son of a supposed illegitimate child no one had known about). And when he and Lucy did marry, they, of course, chose to wed at the Biltmore on Christmas Eve 2025 (Becca let her sister off the hook since they were technically spending the holiday together this time).