A/N: A moment of wrapping up the past...

Content clarification at the end, be aware if you want to avoid the full explanation

Over the next few days, Gabriel didn't know what he would have done without Sawyer. He took all the paperwork away and sorted everything out.

Gabriel had been terrified when that big, scary detective had come to the apartment. He'd acted kind, but he'd seen the sharpness of his eyes as he'd looked around. He was so afraid Sawyer would end up getting into some kind of trouble because of him. He couldn't bear it.

But then, if the police had any other thoughts about what had happened, Gabriel didn't even know, and the fear dwindled over the days that followed the visit. Sawyer dealt with them and with everything else. He only even knew that the coroner had ruled it a heart attack – or some fancy name that meant that – because he'd seen it on the death certificate when Sawyer had left it on the kitchen counter one afternoon.

Sawyer had swiped it away, saying he didn't want Gabriel to be upset by it, which he appreciated endlessly, because he had been. Upset at the reminder, and at what the certificate represented.

The depth of emotion Gabriel was feeling over Henry's death had been unexpected. Not because he was sad. Of course he was sad at losing Henry: that was obvious. But he'd become really good, over the years, at keeping dramatic reactions to himself, because Henry had demanded it. He always said unnecessary drama gave him dyspepsia. So Gabriel was finding his sudden inability to hold his emotions in check unnerving. But at least he had Sawyer, who always seemed to be by his side to support him through the difficult times.

Henry had always been so healthy – had even described himself as having the heart of an ox before – so the suddenness of him being gone seemed even more unfair. Gabriel wasn't keeping the drama under wraps particularly well.

But that night, when he'd found the certificate, Sawyer had held him in a tight, comforting hug as he'd cried himself to sleep with the thought swimming behind his tearful eyes that it was the final confirmation that Henry was never coming home to him.

Sawyer even organized the funeral, not needing to ask anything beyond whether Henry had any other family. He was clearly pleased there wasn't, which Gabriel put down to him being aware of how uncomfortable it would have made him, having to meet any family members of Henry's in a circumstance like that. 

Sawyer insisted on paying for it too, even though Gabriel suddenly had more money than he knew what to do with when he had used his lawerly knowledge to organize the life insurance policy payment and transferred all the money into Gabriel's rarely used account.

Gabriel was stunned by it. It scared him a little, so he was grateful when Sawyer offered to lock the details away in his safe until he was ready to think about it.

The funeral was apparently simple to arrange, anyway. With no family, and only friends from within the teaching staff at the conservatory, Sawyer had stuck to a simple announcement in the New York Times, and informing Mr. Brubaker about what had happened, though he already knew because he'd spoken to the police.

Regardless, he was grateful. Sawyer couldn't remove the agony of losing Henry, but he'd removed the pain that having to dwell on it for too long would cause.

* * * * * 

The morning of the funeral dawned bright – clear and cold. Gabriel dressed in his only good suit. He should have bought a new one, but the day had almost crept up on him, with him having nothing to do with organizing it. When he walked into the living room, Sawyer was waiting with a kind smile and a heavy wool coat over one arm.

"I hope you'll accept this."

"For me?"

"A gift. I don't want you cold out there, on top of everything else."

"Thank you Sawyer. You didn't have to-,"

"I'm aware. I wanted to."

Sawyer helped him into it, smoothing the broad lapel and fastening the buttons. It was very grown up, and very warm, almost like a cashmere hug.

"Are you ready?"

"I need to be."

"I'll be with you, every step of the way."

Gabriel was thankful, and he stood still while Sawyer arranged a scarf around his neck. It was perhaps a little too cheerful – in pretty shades of purple stripes – but he wasn't going to reject the gift from someone who had done so much for him.

When they arrived at the cemetery – a rather bland and massive field of headstones an hour out of the city – there were barely any people. Gabriel saw Mr. Brubaker, and several other tutors, from a distance but Sawyer steered him to the opposite side.

"I thought I could speak to them?" Gabriel suggested – tentatively, because the guiding hand on his lower back was firm.

"I'm not sure that's wise, darling. Remember you don't want them to know there was something untoward about your relationship."

Gabriel winced at the reminder in its blunt form. He wasn't sure it mattered if people knew, now. He wasn't ashamed. He never had been, not like Henry had been. He understood the need for care when they still lived in the small town Gabriel had grown up in, but he'd never entirely understood his discomfort after they got to the city. And now...well, it was even less important. Henry wasn't here to be judged.

But, still, it was probably best not to argue with Sawyer. He'd paid for the funeral; he'd offered support . Gabriel felt neither need nor desire to upset him by fighting for something like that – if it didn't matter if people knew, it equally didn't matter if they didn't.

Sawyer left Gabriel standing at the side of the grave. The coffin was glossy and cold – dark wood with brass fittings. It looked expensive, and Gabriel felt a flash of guilt, despite having nothing to do with any of the final decisions. He appreciated that Sawyer hadn't scrimped though. The rest of the service was as simple as could be – no wake afterwards, no viewing before – but Gabriel could tell Sawyer had chosen what he had with him in mind, and his need to give back to Henry in this final way.

Sawyer returned after speaking with the priest, his hand resting again on Gabriel's lower back. It felt good there. Safe.

"Are you okay, darling?" Sawyer leaned down, making sure his words were for Gabriel's ears only. But he did feel okay, strangely, and he nodded. There was a peculiar void in his chest, as if a part of it was missing, and he suspected it was there, in front of him, in that coffin about to be lowered into the ground. But the void seemed to be drawing all his other emotions too, and he felt almost cold – numb, even. There were no tears threatening, finally, and he wondered if it was because he'd cried them all over the days leading up to this.

He wasn't really there, mentally, for most of the service, and paid little attention to the few other people gathered around the grave site. So, when he heard a high voice say his name, and Sawyer's hand press more firmly against him, pulling him closer, he jumped.

"I'm sorry to interrupt," the voice said, and Gabriel looked up, stepping back against Sawyer when he saw it was Tommy.

He looked even younger close up and dressed in something that looked like it was borrowed from his father – two sizes too large. He had a friend with him, who hung back, but looked equally child-like.

Sawyer spoke for Gabriel, who was stunned into awkward silence.

"Can we help?"

"Yeah. I'm sorry to just barge in, when you don't know me. But Henry was my teacher, and I wanted to give my condolences."

Gabriel found his voice. "I know. That Henry was your teacher, I mean."

"Oh?" And there was a flash of something knowing for just a moment, before it sank off his face and was replaced by sadness. "Anyway, I'm sorry."

"I know about that, too," Gabriel blurted just as Tommy turned away, and Sawyer's hand tightened against him.

Tommy turned back, trying to look unaware, but it was clear he knew exactly what Gabriel was referring to by the bright flush high on his freckled cheeks. They looked at each other for a moment, and it was Tommy that dropped his eyes first.

"You won though," he whispered.

"I did?"

"Of course. He chose you, didn't he?"

"Did he? He never told me. He never even admitted anything."

"It must have been that day. You know, the day he- anyway. He told me he was sorry, but that he didn't want to hurt you. He wasn't bothered about hurting me though."

Gabriel didn't know why, and perhaps it was just the idea that he would have won – if there'd been anything left to win – but he didn't want Tommy to be feeling that kind of pain. He looked so much younger than he was, standing in front of Gabriel with silent tears slipping down his cheeks.

"I know he was bothered. He wasn't sure in those last days. I don't think it was an easy decision. I don't think he chose it lightly."

Tommy looked up at him, his eyes shiny.

"You think?" he gulped.

"I'm certain." He didn't want to say that the biggest thought he was having was that because Henry hadn't even said anything to him it was possible that such a decision wouldn't have been set in stone if he'd lived. He wouldn't say it, even to alleviate the pain on this boy's face. He had to hold onto some form of dignity.

Tommy gave him a weak smile and a small wave, going to join his friend.

"You dealt with that very well," Sawyer said, looking searchingly at him.

"Uh, well, I wasn't going to fight him or anything. It's not as though there's anything to fight over anymore."

Sawyer smiled, and gently pulled Gabriel into his side as they walked back to the car. He still felt numb, and as though, somehow, his words had been a dissapointment, and he didn't know what to do with that. 

A/N apologies, okay. This draft feels like a proper noun soup with 'Sawyer' and 'Gabriel' feeling like every second word, but I don't have the wherewithal right now to adjust that

* * * * *

A/N: Okay, once again, a reminder that Gabe's understanding of people is not so great because he's been so sheltered, so his interpretation of peoples' motivation is definitely not always right, or what someone less sheltered would take from it

So that was a wrap up wrt Tommy - to clarify, yes, Henry was having an affair with him, but he'd told Tommy that he wouldn't leave Gabriel. I mean, who knows whether he *really* wouldn't have left... he was obviously under a lot of indecisiveness over a decision. Gabe is even more vulnerable as a result, emotionally, because he doesn't know for sure, either