La Maison 5: Darkness (Complete: mxm BDSM)

Arc 2 Chapter 4.1

The move was going to be easy. Gabe didn't have that many things, even though Gray had offered to speak to the policeman who'd been dealing with the case and get him access if he wanted his old stuff. He knew his cello was still at the apartment he'd lived in with Sawyer, and he would want that eventually, because it meant something to him. Everything else, though? The only reason he'd get it back would be to burn it. Sawyer had never bought him anything without exacting penance for it.

While he was pushing the last of his new clothes into a gym bag owned by Owen, he had a visitor.

"Hello, Detective Brown," he greeted the man, gesturing to the lounge, where they both sat.

Gray was there, but he sat back after saying hello to the man, with a small smile that Gabe thought might have been because he was pleased that Gabe wasn't nervous. And he wasn't – the detective was definitely on his increasing list of people he felt safe around.

"Gabe," Detective Brown said, with his own pleased smile, "I hear you have your memory back."

"I have. There's some bits I'd rather not think about though. Are you going to want me to talk about them?"

"Not even a little bit," he said, his smile getting even warmer. "With the suspect deceased, the case is closed." He got serious for a moment, glancing at Gray. "Though, we would open a case against someone else if it was necessary."

"No," Gabe said, before he could think against it. Sawyer was dead – the situation that landed him in the ER was done and closed. There was the brief guilty flash that Sawyer's friends should also pay for what they did, but that was so long ago, and a time he didn't want to think about now.

As if he could read Gabe's mind, Gray leaned forward. "I think, Weston, that even if this case is closed for now, perhaps it could be something Gabe chooses to look at again in the future, when he's more ready. What about Montgomery's death? I presume that case is closed too?"

"It is. His funeral was yesterday."

Gabe noted that Gray didn't bother mentioning that they'd gone to it, though he was wondering why he was asking about the case.

"He drowned, right?"

Detective Brown sighed in that way people do when they're about to reveal something they really shouldn't.

"He drowned after falling from a great height. It was assumed he came off one of the East River bridges, but because of the delay in finding him, and the fact that he'd been caught up rather than travelling freely in a current, it wasn't possible to determine where he'd entered the water. Or exactly how. Medical Examiner ruled it death by misadventure but said she thought it was suicide – but she had no solid evidence. I had other thoughts, but I also had no evidence, so we go with what she decides."

Detective Brown seemed content with that, for now, and went on his way, wishing Gabe all the best.

"I meant it you know?" Gray said, passing Gabe a glass of water.

"Meant what?"

"I've provided therapy for people who've come out of abusive relationships. There's no one way to do things. I'm not going to say anything about how hard you avoided those men at the funeral, but I'm not stupid. I'm just saying, if you wanted to do something about them later, when you're in a better place, I'll support you. And, if necessary, Weston would, too."

Gabe appreciated it. He couldn't possibly be getting more support from everyone around him, lifting him up and-

"You should think about therapy."