It felt like a very long walk. Lee's limp was getting worse by the time they reached the farmhouse. Sara and Young Joe had helped him get there. Cid's face was bleeding where he'd gotten shot, but upon examination, it appeared to be a lot less worse than they thought. Lee wondered if that was another change in this loop or if he'd gotten lucky last time. He'd never know.
An SUV pulled up, and Lee braced himself but then relaxed when Barney and Church got out of it. Young Joe slightly stiffened. He aimed his gun at Church, but Lee smacked it out of his hand quickly.
"Knock it off," he ordered. "He's the good version."
"But..."
"It's done," Barney said to him. "Abe's dead. It's over."
"There's no bounty to collect on me," Church stated, but he threw down two bags of gold and silver at Young Joe's feet. "This is what I could carry. The rest is at the office. All yours." Lee watched Young Joe eye it and suddenly relax.
"Okay," he said. "Okay. We're good."
"Good." Church nodded.
"Who is Abe again?" Sara asked, looking at them all.
"He took your son," Lee answered. "In the previous loop."
"Oh."
"You're hit?" Barney asked, finally noticing.
"Just a little bit," Lee answered sarcastically. He sank down onto the grass now with a groan, and Sara ripped his pant leg open to access the wound.
"You have the device?" Church asked him, and Lee nodded. He dug it out and handed it to him. Church took it carefully, hesitantly.
"You alright?" Barney asked.
"I'm nervous," he replied truthfully.
"Not sure what you'll find?"
"Yea, that's right."
"I think it'll be good," Barney said, resting a hand on Church's shoulder, which surprised Lee a little bit. "You're gonna be alright, Joe."
"What's going on?" Young Joe asked, watching with a worried expression.
"I'm gonna go back to my time and see what happened," Church told him. "Walk with me for a minute?" Young Joe was hesitant, but in the end, he did. Lee wondered what they were talking about.
"He's probably telling him where to find his wife but sooner," Barney surmised. "I would."
"What if it doesn't work out?" Sara asked. "If it wasn't the right time?"
"If it was meant to be, I think it'll be just fine," Lee answered, looking at her, and she nodded in recognition. Cid was clinging to her tightly, looking like he wanted to hide somewhere forever.
"So what's the plan?" Barney asked, looking around at the farm. "We staying here?"
"Actually, I want to go where you came from," Sara said.
"England?" Barney asked, startled.
"No, idjit," Lee chastised. "New Orleans."
"Oh. Yea, I'm down with that."
"You think they'll still be there?" Lee asked, referring to the rest of the team.
"Maybe. I can't wait to rub it in how young I am now compared to them," Barney said, rubbing his hands together.
"Mom, it hurts," Cid said now, and Sara soothed him gently, promising they'd fix him right up. Church came back while Young Joe walked away and left them.
"Where's he going?" Barney asked.
"To live his life," Church answered. He looked at them all. "Thanks...for helping. It's, uh, appreciated." Lee knew this was as sentimental as Church was gonna get. He gave a curt nod, and Church fiddled with the device before looking up at them just as he disappeared.
"Well," Barney said. "I hope it all works out for him."
"Come on," Sara said to Cid now. "Let's go." Barney helped Lee into the SUV and drove them to the hospital. On the way, Lee reached over to take Sara's hand in his, and for the first time in a while, he felt so happy and finally trusted that it was there to stay.
2074
Joe felt so nervous as he landed back where he'd been removed from. He had no idea what to expect or how any of it worked. Joe wasn't getting hung up on that right now. He made his way to his house, and he heard talking and laughing inside. He caught sight of himself, and he felt a twinge of strangeness inside that he couldn't fully describe. When that version of him came outside and saw him, Joe knew he'd been waiting.
"Is this it?" his other version asked. It was Young Joe, the man he'd just left. Himself.
"Yea," Joe said with a nod. "This is it. Remember what I told you?"
"Yea."
Joe had no idea what would happen, but he knew there couldn't be two of him in the same timeline. He was prepared to sacrifice himself and let his other self have the life he'd always wanted. He'd told this to Young Joe before coming here. It was time for his loop to close.
The other version pulled out a silenced gun and gestured for him to head around back, which he did. He closed his eyes, letting the memories swarm him. He saw his whole life play like a movie. His younger self had gotten to China when he was supposed to. He'd met his wife earlier, and he'd been sober and a good guy, worthy of her this time. They had a family. A family! He had children...grandchildren...it was all too much.
"You had a great life," he said, and the other version nodded.
"I did. Thanks to you."
"It was worth it."
"Well," the other version said. "This is it."
"Yea. Do it," Joe instructed. He braced himself, and his other version shot him. For a moment, things felt blurry and strange. Then suddenly he was standing there looking at empty ground with a gun in his hand. He felt himself begin to tremble. He'd somehow taken over this version, and he didn't know how or understand how it happened. He didn't care. He was given a second chance at the life he wanted, and he was going to take it. He was still himself regardless.
And there was no body. He blinked, unsure what that meant, but it saved him the headache of hiding it. He looked at the house, heart pounding. He was going to see his wife any moment now. He went and got rid of his gun quickly. As he walked, memories flooded him of the life he'd had up until this moment right here, and it left him almost gasping for air through tears at how happy it was.
"Joe?" his wife said, finding him.
"Hey, baby," he said back, opening his arms and letting her hug him tightly. "I missed you so much."
"I just saw you," she said with a laugh, smiling up at him. He touched her face.
"I know," he replied. He kissed her hard, feeling so incredibly happy. Finally.
"I love you," his wife said, still clinging to him.
"I love you too," he replied.
"Come on," she urged, tugging on his hand. "The kids are waiting." Children's laughter sounded, and he surmised his grandkids were here too. He felt overjoyed. Holding his wife's hand, they walked inside together where the rest of his life waited for him with open arms.
A Week Later
Barney had the results tucked in his pocket as he walked to the tattoo parlor. He couldn't believe the place was still up and running despite how the world was now, but Gunner, Caesar, and Toll had taken it over when Tool passed away. He'd made fun of their age when he first saw them, but then they'd hugged and sniffed hard while clearing their throats because it really had been an emotional reunion after all.
"Hey," Toll said now as Barney appeared. "The usual?"
"Of course."
Things were different these days, but beer was beer. Barney wasn't sure he'd get used to the changes, but it was worth it because he got to be with his family.
"Well?" Lee asked, showing up at his elbow now. "What does it say?"
"Where is she?"
"Over there," Lee said, gesturing. Caesar was moving in and out as he cooked in the kitchen. Cid was playing with Gunner and showing him something he was working on, of course. That boy was wicked smart. Barney was proud of him. They all helped him with his high emotions, and he felt like the boy was gonna be alright after all.
Barney went over to her, hearing Lee make a disgruntled sound behind him at not being allowed to know the results first. Sara's face brightened when she saw him, and he smiled.
"Hi," she said, hugging him.
"Hi."
"So?" she asked when they broke apart.
"So," he echoed, teasing.
"Come on, just tell me," she ordered, and he laughed. He made a dramatic show of pulling out the paper and spreading it open when Lee snatched it from him from behind.
"Hey!" Barney exclaimed.
"You're too damn slow," Lee retorted, looking at it. Barney snatched it back, shaking his head.
"Not your news to tell," Barney advised. He cleared his throat and handed it to Sara, who read it quickly. She lowered the paper, looking at him happily.
"You're my father," she said.
"I am." He grinned. She hugged him again, and he had no regrets about staying in this timeline. None at all.
"So, what happened then?" Lee asked.
"Obviously Lou lied about your age for some reason," Barney said. He saw Sara look at Lee, knowing he'd told her about her sister being adopted and her age being made up. Barney wondered why Lou would do it, but he'd never know, which kind of bugged him.
"It doesn't matter," Sara said, although Barney knew it did—she was just pretending it didn't. "What matters is you're here, and I get to have a father."
"Hear, hear," Barney said, smiling again. He wondered if that was why he wasn't in her life growing up or if Lou had never looked him up. He wondered if maybe he had actually died. He'd never know that either. It was easier to just not think about it.
"Do I have a grandpa?" Cid asked, coming over to them now. He looked so hopeful, and Barney knelt down in front of him, taking his shoulders in his hands.
"You sure do," he replied.
"Yes!" Cid exclaimed, throwing himself into Barney's arms. He picked the kid up, making him laugh, and spun him a little.
"Don't make him sick, Dad," Sara said, and the words hit him hard and fast. He was a dad, a grandfather. It just felt so good.
"Yea, Pops," Lee added, putting his arm around Sara. Barney made a face at him. He wasn't going to let that little wanker ruin it for him.
"You know," he said to Cid, "even if it had come back negative, I still would have been your grandpa."
"That makes me happy," Cid replied, smiling. It made Barney clear his throat a bit.
"Okay," Barney said, setting Cid down finally. "Show me what you're working on."
"Come on!"
Cid tugged him by the hand over to the table, and Barney looked over at Lee and Sara, unable to stop smiling.
He was just so damn happy.
...
Sara looked at Lee, and he pulled her to a quieter room for a moment. Once alone, he wrapped her up into his arms, and she accepted his kiss.
"I have a father," she said after, looking at him.
"I'm sorry it's Barney," he replied, and she swatted him. "Ah, I'm sorry! I just can't see him as a dad, but he'll grow into it."
"I'm really glad we came here," Sara said now. She rested her head against his shoulder, and he kissed it softly.
"Me too."
"Was it all worth it?"
"Yes, every second," he answered, and she smiled. They had long conversations about their time together that she had no memory of. She liked hearing the stories and reading the texting chain between them over the years. She sounded like herself for the most part, which was good. She couldn't imagine going without seeing Cid for six years; it sounded painful. She loved that their relationship was growing stronger now, though, and he was calling her Mom. She cherished that so much.
Lee murmured his love for her into her ear, and she responded in kind. She sometimes couldn't believe how lucky she'd gotten, and for once, she didn't feel afraid of it getting taken away.
"Mom! Uncle Gunner is taking me for a ride!" Cid called through the door.
"Oh, wait!"
He was gone, though, to race back to Gunner, and Sara sighed.
"He'll be fine," Lee promised.
"I hope so."
He cupped her face with one hand, and she finally smiled at him. They kissed again, and she felt so happy inside. She hoped it would never end.
...
Lee loved her so much. He hated to rejoin the others, but they had to. Sara was always touching him in some way, though. It was comforting and lovely, and Lee hoped she would always be like this with him.
"Dinner is ready!" Caesar hollered.
"Aw, we're gonna go for a ride," Cid whined slightly.
"After the grub," Gunner promised. Toll was setting the table, and Sara pulled Lee by the hand to sit down. It was one of those moments that Lee wanted to hang on to forever. His friends were laughing; his family was smiling. All was good.
"Ah, no double dipping!" Caesar scolded Gunner, who scoffed. It set off a conversation between the two of them plus Toll that was fun to listen to. They'd had years together to grow closer, and while it bugged him to see them so old, they still had enough energy and fierceness in them to appear like their younger selves at times. Lee looked at Sara, who was resting her chin in her hand and watching him, a smile on her lips. His foot found hers, and she smiled wider.
"Hey, Romeo," Barney said, snapping him out of it. "Pass the damn bread."
"Language," Sara scolded.
"Sorry. Seriously, Lee, come on. I'm starving."
"Alright, alright." He chucked a bun at Barney's head. His friend expertly caught it, though. It set off laughter and more jokes around the table, and Lee couldn't help but laugh and grin along with everyone. It was all just so perfect.
He was home.
The End
I hope it was a satisfying ending, even if it didn't fully make sense. It's the best my tired brain could come up with. Thank you so much for reading, following, favoriting, and taking the time to leave a comment! It meant so much to me :)
Cheers!
