Note: this chapter contains mention of suicide and poor mental health.

• • •

The pair remain in the same embrace at the doorway for a minute, perhaps two; until Levi finally withdraws to look at George. "I'm so sorry," he apologises breathlessly. "My god; look at you. You look ... "

"Dead?" George offers, not much louder than a mutter.

"I did this to you, didn't I?" Levi frowns. "I've been so selfish. All this time you've needed somebody, and I've ignored you. I'm so sorry." He moves into the hallway, closing the front door so that passers-by can't hear their discussion. "I don't know why you ever loved me, when I've done nothing but hurt you the last few weeks."

"It's my fault," George tells him. "I let you down."

"I should never have made you choose." Levi smacks his hand against his head in frustration. "It wasn't my place to make you choose."

"You had every right to," George corrects him. "I was wasting your time. I was being thoughtless. You waited so long for me, and I took it for granted."

"It doesn't make what I did, right," Levi affirms, feeling the shame from his own attitude in the past few weeks. "I should have answered your calls. I should have listened to you every time you pleaded for me to talk. My mum told me to respond, but I didn't; and I'm so sorry."

George shakes his head, overcome with emotion that he'd never expected to experience today. "It doesn't matter anymore," he assures him. "I-I needed you, and you came. And you, and Penny saved my life again ... when I didn't think anybody would, this time."

"I told Mum to call you back as soon as I heard the message," Levi explains. "I ran to my car and drove over the speed limit to get here as fast as I could. I'm amazed I didn't get pulled over by coppers."

"None of it matters," George repeats. "None of it. You're here, and I've missed you more than you'll ever understand."

Levi nods, satisfied that his apologies are sufficient for now. "And I missed you too. And I'm hoping that maybe, we can—I mean, you can tell me where to go, if you like, but—"

George thoughtlessly pulls Levi in towards him by the collar, cutting his speech off by pressing his lips firmly to his in, what could be deemed as, the most heartfelt kiss the pair have ever shared. A stray tear falls down George's face from the turn of events that has occurred in the last few minutes; when he realises that Levi isn't avoiding his touch, he evaluates that the love he feels is reciprocated. At last, the men part to look at one another. The intense juxtaposition between the emotions that George has felt just in the last couple of hours is extraordinary. He is still shaken from his morbid thoughts earlier on; but right now, all he sees is his lover, and that's all that matters to him.

"Listen," George breathes; his next words are very impulsive, but he knows for a fact that he's never been so sure of anything in his life. "I know this whole thing has been crazy. Really, really crazy. But I love you, so much, Levi. And I know for a fact that I want forever with you." Tears form in the young man's eyes; he swallows down his nerves as he continues. "Levi, I know we've had this discussion before, and it didn't end well. And I know that we can't yet; because in the eyes of the law we are not seen as a legitimate couple. But I'll wait if you wait — whether it's next year, or in twenty years. Even fifty years, if needs must. I'm willing to wait for a time when we can be legally recognised as partners. And, when that time comes ... " George lowers himself down onto one knee, before his lover; he looks up, with an expression of hopefulness. "Would you please—?"

"Stop it," Levi interrupts him; emotion threatens his eyes, with small droplets falling down his reddened cheeks as he covers his face with both hands. He exposes the overwhelmed expression only to laugh in George's face. "I know I took away the first moment from you; and I can never bring that back. And I'm so sorry for it." Levi brings the small navy box from his pocket; then lowers himself down to the ground, so that both men kneel before one another. "But if I took away the first special moment for a bad reason, then I want to take it away a second time for a better reason."

"Don't you dare." George chuckles through his tears; the nervousness is still present, but is being overridden by excitement. "You are not taking this from me a second time, you bastard."

"Are you sure?" Levi challenges softly, amused, as he opens the box to reveal the same silver engagement ring he planned to use weeks ago. "How about this then? Will you—?"

"—Marry me?" George asks, simultaneously with him.

"Yes," they both breathe in unison; they both then laugh at how in sync their responses are.

"Of course, you tosser. Of course I'll marry you," George gushes.

Levi beams. "I'd wait a lifetime to do it, if I had to."

George glances at him, with an overwhelmed expression. "You promise?"

"I promise." The smile on Levi's face melts rapidly into an excited grin. "And I promise I'll wait for you to heal from all of this, too. I know things have been hard. But you have me forever, now."

George leans forward into Levi's arms, burying his head into his shoulder. He withdraws briefly; only to ensure Levi can slide the ring on his finger. Once he's taken a moment to admire the new piece of jewellery, he captures Levi's lips with his own in another deep, tender kiss. Levi's hands rest upon George's upper arms, holding the pair in place; still knelt down in their sweet proposal positions. The only thing that prevents the romantic moment from continuing on, is George's sudden recollection of something.

"There's something I need to do," he blurts, having barely given himself chance to move away from Levi before speaking. "But I need you to come with me."

"Of course," Levi responds. "We're engaged now. We get to do life together."

• • •

"I've been rather afraid to tell you about this," George admits, taking an anxious sip from his mug; he leans into the cushioned bliss of the sofa, to make himself feel a little more comfortable. "But it was important that I brought Levi here with me."

"You can tell us anything, Gogos." Lesley, George's mother, reassures him lovingly.

"Well," George starts; he hasn't rehearsed how he plans to divulge this confession, but he reasons with himself that it doesn't really matter. "I-I've been hiding something from you since I was fifteen years old. And lately, I've started telling other people about it; but I was always scared of telling you. Just because of my own apprehensions."

"Why do I feel as though I know where this is going?" his father, known as Jack, chuckles.

"I don't know," George responds. "But, uh, what you should know is that ... I'm—" He pauses briefly, shaking his head to help his mind brush off the nervousness. "I'm gay, and I've been seeing Levi for a while, now."

"What did I tell you?" Lesley asks Jack, elbowing his arm playfully. "I told you, didn't I?"

"You ... you bet on it?" George questions, furrowing his brows in confusion. "Did you really see it coming?"

"I'm not saying you displayed all the classic signs for years, baby, but ... " His mother smiles, bringing him in for a hug. "You remind me so much of my brother Colin."

"You've mentioned him a couple of times before," George points out. "But what makes me so similar to him?"

"I figure it's about time I told you the story," Lesley sighs, bracing herself. "Your Uncle Colin was such a lovely man. He ... he was perhaps too kind. Everyone loved him; he was my best friend growing up. But he was a deeply troubled man, Gogos. Very deeply troubled."

"What happened to him?" George asks.

"People believed that he was secretly gay," she continues. "But he just wouldn't come out. He had a lot of friends — both male and female — but the way he interacted with men was entirely different to how he interacted with women. He ... he struggled through his life, for a host of reasons. We assume his sexuality was tied in with everything else. But unfortunately, he—" She comes to a halt with her speech, as sadness overrides.

"He what?" George presses softly.

"The day you were born ... on June the twenty-fifth, nineteen-sixty-three, we found out that he'd taken his own life, Gogos." She gives a sympathetic smile, to suggest that the event still haunts her. "People think part of the reason, was that he was unhappy with who he was. If he was gay, he wanted no part of it. It was a very different time back then, you know. People were far less accepting than they are now. People think that the pressure of coming out may have gotten to him; that he couldn't find joy in who he was, because of the stigma surrounding it."

"That's awful," Levi chimes in, no louder than a mutter. "That poor man."

"We miss him, even twenty-four years later," Lesley points out. "It was such a bittersweet day. Almost as if to say, as one life left, another began." She looks to George, taking her son's hands in her own. "I am supportive of who you love, baby. Just please promise me one thing."

"Anything you want, Mum," George agrees.

"Promise me that you're happy with who you are; and you're proud of who you love. I don't want you to fall victim to the same fate as Colin did."

George's expression mellows out a little; he doesn't wish to tell her how low he's felt lately. On the bright side, however, he feels more joy from his sexuality than he ever has in his lifetime. "I promise, Mum. Levi makes me happier than I've ever been."

"I'm so glad." His mother glances down, seeing the ring on George's finger. "That's a nice ring, isn't it? Where did you get it?"

"You'd have to ask Levi," George laughs. "He's the one who proposed with it."

Lesley's eyes light up at the realisation of what George is suggesting. "You mean you guys are—?"

"We proposed to each other," Levi explains. "And we both said yes."

"This is excellent news," Jack pipes up, shaking Levi's hand in a congratulatory manner. "Even if you'll have to wait a fair while."

"We'd wait a lifetime, if we had to," George ensures his parents. "But you're okay with all of this, aren't you, Dad?"

Jack titters at his son's question; for he deems that it has an obvious answer. "Of course I'm okay with it, Georgios. You're my boy! Whatever makes you happy, makes me happy, too." His eyes avert to Levi, who's observing quietly, to be polite. "Welcome to the family, Levi. You're most welcome here."

"Thank you so much," Levi beams. "I really appreciate it."

"There's one more thing I need to tell you guys, though," George announces; this time, he isn't sure how they will react. "The rental contract on my home ends in a month or two. So, I'm going to be moving out when the lease it up. And I'll be moving to Goring, to be with Levi."

"How far is Goring?" Jack quizzes.

"It's an hour or so away," Levi informs them. "But I promise, I'll make sure he comes to visit you as often as he can. If he doesn't, I'll drag him down here myself."

"I'll be coming down a lot anyway," George reveals. "My goddaughter is down here. And my best friend. And of course, my family. I can't just forget about the life I have here."

"Of course not," Lesley reasons. "But, you're spreading your wings, and you're finally flying away. You've waited so long for this. You've waited a lifetime to be yourself. So you'd better go and do it right."

"I will, Mum," George promises. "I've waited almost a decade to be unapologetically myself. Things are going to get so much better from now."

• • •

"I'm going to miss you so much, Yog." Andrew brings his best friend into a tight hug, squeezing him as harshly as he can. "I can't believe you've finally done this. You're going to go and live the life you've waited for."

"I know. It's mad, isn't it?" George laughs breathlessly, still overwhelmed that the dream is finally becoming a reality. "I'm going to miss you, mate. But I'll be coming to visit as often as I can — don't even question it."

"I don't think Rosa would let you leave it for too long anyway," Nancy chuckles, rocking the smiley four-month-old in her arms. "She's going to miss her goddaddy so much, aren't you baby?"

"And her goddaddy is going to miss her, too." George looks to Nancy for permission that is immediately granted; then, he reaches to take the sweet little girl from her arms for one final cuddle. "Try and be as noisy and disruptive for Mummy and Daddy as you possibly can, yeah?" he teases, peppering her tiny cheeks with several kisses. "I'll come and see all three of you once I'm settled in Goring, I promise."

"Have the best time," Melanie instructs him softly. "Tee will miss her Uncle Yoggie just as much as Mel will miss her baby brother."

"And I'll miss her too — but I'll be back, before you know it." He moves his gaze to his adorable little niece. "I love you, Tee."

"Love you Uncle Yoggie," she says back, raising her arms up to hint at a hug from her beloved uncle; he obliges, handing Rosa back to her parents, before lifting Tee up into his arms.

Melanie gives a sad smile, not quite wanting him to leave. "I'm so proud of you, Gogos."

"Thank you, Mel." He places Tee safely back on the ground, bringing his sister in for a hug. "Thank you for being so supportive."

"Anything for you," she answers sweetly. "Safe journey. Anyway, you—" She turns her attention to Levi. "Give me a hug. You deserve it, for making my brother happy."

As she gives Levi a friendly embrace, George moves in to offer Yioda a farewell hug. He goes around his family and friends; until he comes to his parents. "Here goes nothing, I guess."

"Go and live your dream," Lesley tells him. "And be happy. That's all I want for you, my baby boy."

"You'll make me cry." George expels a shaky laugh, using his thumbs to wipe the outer corners of his eyes. "Stop with the mushy stuff, Mum."

"He'll be in good hands," Jack reassures his wife. "Levi is a good man."

"Thank you," Levi speaks sincerely. "He's going to do great with us. I promise."

"George?"

George turns his head at the familiar voice; until he spots Stephanie stood a short distance away from the small gathering. He looks to her, puzzled; but nonetheless he makes his way over to her. "Why are you here?"

"I didn't feel right letting you go without saying goodbye," she responds. "A-And I know you didn't want to see me again, but I want us to move on from what happened between us."

"I'm moving on already," George responds matter-of-factly. "I'm about to move away to Goring with the love of my life. I'm happy, Steph. I just hope you are, too."

"Alex was born three weeks ago," she informs him softly. "I-I know it's difficult for you to come to terms with the fact he isn't yours, but that doesn't mean you shouldn't be a part of his life."

"How can I be, when I'm going to be in Goring?"

"Harrison and I talked it over," Stephanie elaborates. "We decided that, if you want to, we'd like you to be godfather to him."

Despite all the hardships Stephanie has put him through, George can't help but take the offer into consideration. Finding his happiness again has made things a lot easier to let go of; this includes the immense hurt he's felt as a result of Stephanie's deception. "I'll think about it," he replies. "And I'll call you when I've settled into my new home."

"The offer is for Levi, too," Stephanie adds. "We wanted more than one godfather."

"Thank you," Levi intercepts. "We'll talk about it and let you know."

"I just feel like it's only fair for you to still be a part of his life," Stephanie says. "I couldn't bear the idea of ripping him away from you from birth."

"Thanks," George acknowledges. "I have to go now. But I'll talk to you at some point."

Stephanie nods, standing back so that George can conclude his goodbyes. Levi walks over to his car, getting into the driver side; George blows handfuls of kisses to everyone, before waving to them all. His friends and family return the love, wishing him well in unison with varying statements.

George opens the door to his side of the car, climbing in with Levi. "I love you all!" he calls out, from the rolled-down passenger window.

His frantic waving brings smiles to everyone's faces, as the men drive off down the street, to start their new lives together.

• • •

Can't believe the next chapter will be the last one! Hope you're still enjoying the story. xx