Between Then & Now // Hugh Jackman

22 // Forward in Time

The first thing I noticed when I opened my eyes was that I was pressed up against Hugh's side on the couch, my body nuzzled between him and the cushion. My face rested on his chest, which slowly moved up and down as he slept.

I glanced at the wristwatch, checking to see how much more time I had left here, and reality, like it always did, came rushing back when I saw I didn't have much left.

I wished I could close my eyes and go back to sleep, cherish this moment a little longer, but I was already cutting it close. I couldn't ignore it like I had the past couple days. If I didn't go now, I'd have to wait till nighttime, and I was already pushing my luck. If I stayed another day, it would only be that much harder to go.

Blinking against the soft afternoon light filtering through the curtains, I slowly sat up, making sure not to stir Hugh from his slumber. The candles from the night before had long since been burned out. There weren't even faint wisps of smoke from the flames going out. We'd been asleep for a long while as it was almost 11.

I turned my head to look at Hugh, taking in his peaceful expression as the arm wrapped around me fell slightly down my waist. He looked so relaxed and worry free.

This wasn't fair. Neither of us had done anything wrong. We didn't ask for any of this to happen, but here we were, living on borrowed time, which was slipping away much too fast.

Why couldn't we have this one thing? Where I could stay and we could be happy?

I didn't want to wake him, but I didn't want to leave without saying goodbye. There were only minutes left before the face of the watch was at the time I needed it to be at so I could go back when I first jumped. Back to a life that didn't include him except watching him and being a fan of his from a distance.

My heart ached knowing I'd have to leave all of this behind. Him, what we had. It would all be gone.

Gently, I glided my fingers against his cheek. He was so warm under my touch, and I watched as just that small movement was enough to have his eyes flutter open.

A sleepy smile tugged at his lips, and for a split second, he forgot about what was going to happen until he was more fully awake. His smile faltered as his eyes studied my somber expression.

His voice was rough with sleep. "Is it... Is it time?"

I silently nodded, unable to speak as the sadness overtook me in one full sweep.

We tried to forget about it as we sat on the couch and talked last night, enjoying one another's company, but it was ever present in the back of our minds, and no amount of pushing it aside would stop it from happening.

I trembled slightly as I spoke. "I wish it wasn't. I wish I could stay."

He didn't say anything at first, just used the arm at my waist to sit up and pull me closer. His other hand combed through the ends of my hair as my face once again rested at his chest. I tried to memorize the outline of him, his warmth, how perfect this felt. I didn't know if I would ever get to be this close to him again.

In 2024, he was a celebrity, and I was a nobody in comparison. This was likely the last I would see of him.

His next words were thick with emotion. "I don't want you to go either. You've made me so happy staying here for a couple days, but asking for more would be selfish of me when there's a lot at stake here."

I knew from the very beginning that this would have to come to an end. He didn't know until a few days ago, and somehow he was handling this better than me. I knew he was only doing it to make things easier, but it would never be that simple.