Fic: RunAway - Epilogue

[silentdescant]

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Chapter Title: Epilogue
Chapter Summary: A few loose ends are tied
A/N: This is it. This is really the end. I'm getting a bit emotional! I can't really believe that 1) I made it to the end, and 2) there won't be any chapters to post next week. What am I going to do with myself on Tuesdays and Thursdays? I really need to say thank you again to all of my readers. I literally would not have done this if not for you (if you remember, this started off as a one-shot ficlet!). And you've all been so encouraging and enthusiastic, and you even stuck with me through six months of procrastination and writer's block. So again, thank you so very much. I love you all and all of your wonderful comments. ♥ Okay, enough sappiness, on to the end of the story. :D

The first thing Dom did was call Viggo from Billy’s mobile and explain what had happened. Billy wouldn’t speak to Viggo, afraid that if he did, he wouldn’t be able to control the rage he felt about Viggo lying to him all that time. Dom did explain to Billy that it was his fault Viggo couldn’t say anything, but Billy didn’t seem to care. The knowledge that Viggo swore loyalty to Dom didn’t quite keep Billy from feeling betrayed by a friend he thought was loyal to him.

 

So, Dom handled that phone call. Viggo was pleased and surprised to hear from Dom, and even more surprised that Dom was using Billy’s mobile, but after a long conversation that nearly ran the phone’s battery down to nothing, everything was explained to Viggo’s satisfaction.

 

The next hurdle was erasing Dom’s life as Nick Bernard. Billy let Dom go alone to the theatre to quietly set a few things straight with his friends. Dom gave Helena a tearful goodbye and a very heartfelt thank you for the many times she had unknowingly saved him from the worst of his depression, and then that was it. To the rest of the people Dom knew or had met during his time in Germany, Nick Bernard would simply disappear.

 

Dom told Billy then that he wanted to—that he owed—Hans a visit and Billy encouraged him, admitting that he wanted to meet the man himself. Dom smiled and happily agreed to introduce them.

 

The visit was unexpected and Hans was shocked to see Dom again. Dom started out the conversation with introductions: “Hans, this is Billy. My Billy.” and “Billy, this is Hans, the man who saved my life.”

 

Billy said nothing and instead wrapped his arms around the taller man and hugged him fiercely, whispering, “Thank you” quietly enough that Dom couldn’t quite hear. Hans returned the embrace and that was all Billy needed.

 

Billy stood back and watched the two men interact. He couldn’t follow most of their conversation, but he recognized the signs of a deep friendship and affection between them. He also recognized Hans’ protectiveness of Dom in the way his eyes kept darting to the fading bruise on Dom’s cheek. Billy smiled and let Hans look and wonder. He knew Dom wouldn’t mention it unless specifically asked, and neither of them questioned the fact that Dom deserved at least some of Billy’s anger. Billy suspected that Hans had guessed what happened and also hadn’t questioned whether or not it was deserved.

 

At long last, the time came for Billy and Dom to say goodbye to Hans and to Germany. Dom promised to keep in touch and all three of them knew that this time, he actually would.

 

***

 

In Glasgow, Billy called Jack right away.

 

“You are one clever son of a bitch,” Jack said to Dom when they met. “You fooled them, I’ll admit, and you even fooled me for a while, but I almost had you in Germany. You slipped right through my fingers, mate, I was that close. If you hadn’t been such a bastard, I would’ve really admired how you pulled it off.”

 

Dom smiled nervously and let Billy handle the rest of that conversation.

 

After Billy told him a condensed version of the story, Jack agreed to help Dom get his life back, from a legal standpoint, through his connections with the government.

 

“There’s just the whole thing with the death certificate being issued in New Zealand,” Jack explained, “but hopefully everything will get sorted soon enough.”

 

***

 

For the next month, Dom hibernated in Billy’s flat. Billy went out occasionally to get food and check in with a few of his friends, but for the most part, he stayed in as well. They hadn’t called anyone else yet, because Dom was afraid everything would spiral out of control too quickly once the media got wind of the situation, and he wanted some time alone with Billy before they got swept away by it.

 

Eventually, though, they had to tell someone.

 

After a long talk, Billy and Dom agreed that Sean Astin would be the logical choice. Sean would be able to help them.

 

Sean, predictably, blew a fuse and started screaming at both of them. After they convinced him that Dom really was the real Dom, Sean launched into a tirade about betrayal and lying and stupidity of the highest order.

 

“Sean—"

 

“I know you’ve already had this fight, Bill, but he needs to hear it again.”

 

“Sean, no, listen. We fought, yeah, and there’s still some unresolved issues, but right now we just need your help, okay?”

 

Dom sat next to Billy in front of the speakerphone, his head resting in his hands miserably. Billy touched his shoulder gently.

 

“Dom’s said he’s sorry, and I know that doesn’t fix anything right now, but it’s all he can do at the moment, okay? Can you please help us?”

 

After a long pause, Sean grudgingly agreed, making it known that he wasn’t happy about the situation.

 

“Dominic?”

 

Dom looked up and stared at the small speaker. It was the first time Sean had addressed him by name since the beginning of the conversation.

 

“Yes?”

 

“I’m really—I’m really glad you’re alive. Ev—Even though I’m so fucking angry, I’m re—really really glad you’re alive,” Sean said haltingly.

 

“Thank you.”

 

***

 

Billy woke up suddenly one night, hugging a pillow for warmth. He looked around, but the room was dark and he couldn’t hear Dom anywhere. Several hours of fitful sleep later, Billy got up for a glass of water. He saw Dom in the living room and flinched comically.

 

“Dom?”

 

“Yeah?” Dom replied, look up to meet Billy’s eyes.

 

“I thought… Fucking hell.” Billy put a hand over his racing heart. “I thought it was… a dream. You weren’t really here.”

 

Dom opened his mouth to speak but didn’t have anything to say.

 

“It’s okay. What, um. What are you doing out here?”

 

“Just thinking.”

 

“’bout what?”

 

“I was trying to… figure out how it got so bad. So it wouldn’t happen again. Didn’t mean to scare you just now, I’m sorry.”

 

“Did you come to any conclusions, then?”

 

“No. Not yet.”

 

“Come back to bed?”

 

“Okay.”

 

Billy reached out a hand to pull Dom up from the couch. They lay down on the bed facing each other, their knees touching and Billy’s hands clenched tight around Dom’s. Neither one of them fell asleep.

 

“Dommeh?”

 

“Hmm?”

 

“I need to tell you something.”

 

Dom moved to turn on the light, but Billy held him still.

 

“Leave it off. It’s easier in the dark, I think.” Billy’s thumb traced little circles around Dom’s knuckles as the thought about what to say. “I owe you an apology—"

 

“Billy, you said no more of that. We’re both sorry, let’s just move on.”

 

“No, hear me out. It was because of me, in the beginning, and I’m sorry I drove you to do all that. But now I’m living in fear that you’ll—"

 

“I won’t do it again.”

 

“I’m scared that you’re just a mirage, something that I wished for hard enough that I made myself believe it. And I know that’s not true, but that’s the thought that keeps me up at night. I’m scared that I’ll wake up one day and none of it will have happened and I’ll be alone again and you’ll be gone forever.” Billy’s voice had softened into a low whisper that carried only to Dom, a handful of centimeters away.

 

“None of this was your fault, Bill. I’m sorry if I made you think that, because it was all me. I just… I needed you, so much, and when I couldn’t have you, it pushed me over the edge. I won’t leave you again, Billy, you don’t have to worry about that. I never want to leave you. I never wanted to in the first place, so there’s no point in thinking that I will now, right?”

 

“Mmm.” Billy’s thumb slid down to touch the faint raised scar on Dom’s wrist. “I’m trying not to be so angry at you for what you did.”

 

“We haven’t been reduced to fisticuffs again, at least.”

 

“I think the good outweighs the bad,” Billy continued. “I’m more happy that you’re here than angry about what happened.”

 

“I’m glad for that.”

 

“I think we can work it out, eventually, and just be happy.”

 

“Billy, I think if we work this out, we’ll be able to handle anything.” Dom smiled, his teeth shining white in the darkness. He scooted forward and kissed Billy on the tip of his nose. “And I’m happy right now, so I think we’re on the right track.”

 

Billy chuckled and kissed Dom back. “Love you, y’know.”

 

“I think I do know, now. Love you too, Bills.”

 

***

 

“No, no, no... you've got it all wrong... you can't act death. The fact of it is nothing to do with seeing it happen — it's not gasps and blood and falling about — that isn't what makes it death. It's just a man failing to reappear, that's all — now you see him, now you don't, that's the only thing that's real: here one minute and gone the next and never coming back — an exit, unobtrusive and unannounced, a disappearance gathering weight as it goes on, until, finally, it is heavy with death.”

 

- Guildenstern, from Rosencrantz & Guildenstern are Dead

 

 

fin.