Title: Gently in the Darkness
Author: lucy_roman
Fandom: Inspector George Gently
Rating: Teen and up
Summary/Warnings: George and John are stranded at night. Death fic.
Pairing: George/John
Word Count: 507


In the darkness George reaches out and takes John's hand. It is worryingly cool. He chafes the fingers with both of his hands trying to instill some warmth.

The moon is behind a cloud and George can't see John's face but he can hear his shallow breathing. George focuses on the sound. John is still alive. He clings to that fact. He runs his hands over John's body, trying to be as gentle as possible. The fall that John had taken seemed initially not to have been particularly injurious but John can't move and George is very worried.

To add insult to injury all of this is his fault. If he hadn't criticised John's level of fitness the sergeant likely wouldn't have felt the need to go chasing after their suspect on his own.

John had stormed out of the office and George... He regretted his words the instant he said them. Went after John as soon as he could but he was too late to stop him falling.

Come morning there will be a search, men and dogs. They will be found. But until then there is just the night.

The air is cool. George shivers but he has already draped his jacket across John. How long before hypothermia sets in? He knows this like he knows lots of things but the only thought in his head right now is John.

He tries not to think about what happened to Isabella. How he held her body in his arms. This is not the same. John is alive.

"Sir?" John's voice is quiet, hoarse with effort.

George squeezes the hand he is still holding. In his head he plays out a multitude of future possibilities. John is dead, John is alive but has life changing injuries, John declares his love from his hospital bed and the two men live happily ever after.

George smiles. When he had come north desperate to find the man who had hurt Isabella he had never expected this. He has found a home here, friends, a place he feels he belongs. And most of all he has found someone he could love if he let himself.

George shivers but he makes no move to reclaim his jacket. John needs it more than he does. He concentrates on John's breathing, squeezes John's hand but gets no response. All John has to do is hold on until morning. Just a few hours.

George sleeps. He had meant to stay awake all night but fatigue has other ideas. He jerks awake to silence. On the horizon a glowing line, herald of the day to come. Next to him John is still, quiet. A breeze swirls around the two men. The edge of George's jacket flutters but John doesn't move and George presses a kiss against the cold forehead. The men and the dogs will come but it is too late. Too late for John. Too late for him and George wonders how will he cope living the rest of his life in the dark.