Warning: The story that I cried over while writing. And proof-reading.

"One Chapter Closes"

The sky was an absolute blue, so blue that it reminded him of his husband's eyes. The air was still, not a hint of a breeze to stir the leaves or the grass. There weren't many people around, though he knew he was being watched by well-meaning friends. Turning his back to them, he perched on the bench, and leaned forward. Hands curled over his stick, Phil sighed.

"How did you know?" he said. "How… I was careful. I was so careful, trying to keep it from you. This is exactly what I didn't want to happen."

No reply.

"I keep… I keep thinking of the little things. That Valentine's Day when you gave me a bag of coal. I just looked at you, and you grinned back. Then you took each piece of coal, turned up the heat, and a couple of minutes later, lo and behold, there was a diamond. I still think that's the most romantic thing anyone's ever done for me, by the way. I never told you that, Johnny. Didn't want you trying to top it."

He laughed softly, and tightened the grip on his cane, staring straight ahead.

"I hate that things have to end," he said. "It… it… it isn't fair. Six years apart. We'll never get that back. I know… I know you said that at least it wasn't seven, or ten, or more. At least we got back together in the end.

"And marrying you… it couldn't have been soon enough. After everything we'd gone through, it really was a Christmas miracle. If I could relive it… I hope I can relive it."

A tear slid down his cheek. Phil rested his forehead on his hands for a moment, ignoring the creak of the bones in his back.

"Not long now," he whispered. Then he looked up again. "Not long at all, love."

The grass stirred around his shoes.

"I never thought this was how things would go," he said. "It should've been the other way around. It was going to be the other way around. What you did… that was a cowardly thing to do. No one will ever convince me that you didn't know what could happen if you saved that girl.

"She's okay, by the way. Still shaken, and depressed. But… well, you did the right thing. You saved her. No one else could have.

"I just… wish you'd never been put in that position. It should've been me. My chapter's closing soon. Somehow you knew that, didn't you? I… apologise for keeping it secret, but I was going to tell you. I had a speech. All my arrangements were finalised. But you… you have a way of disrupting plans, don't you? You… did."

Phil's voice broke on that last word. Another tear fell to his wrinkled hands.

"We only… we only got forty years," he said hoarsely. "Nearly fifty, if you count from when we met. We couldn't have had a few more months? Make it to that magic half-century? I could've worked harder, tried the chemo. I know they said I was too old to risk it – I'm not even ninety yet, what do they mean by too old? – but for you… I would've done everything possible to be with you just a little longer.

"Then… then you went and died, Johnny. You won't even see seventy-five. You could've… why did you…"

Phil lowered his head again, and the wood strained under his suddenly-strong hands.

"Damn it!" He shook his head. "I don't care if it was only subconscious on your part. You shouldn't have given up. You… you shouldn't have signed off on that DNR… To be fair, I never thought that I'd be the one to call that shot. In that position. Even ten years ago, I still believed that I'd go first."

His lower lip trembled, and more tears trickled down his lined cheeks.

"Oh God, Johnny. I love you so much. But you… you made… you made me break my promise. I said I'd never let you go, and I had to. I had to let them turn off the machines. I had to let them take my husband away from me.

"Well, it won't be long now. They may be senior citizens now, but certain friends of ours were still able to sneak me out of hospital. Going under the knife tomorrow, to see whether there's anything salvageable. Between you and me, Johnny, I don't think I'm gonna make it. Never thought I was. Now I have no reason to fight, and… I just want to see you again.

"So this is the last time I'm coming here." He stood up, and made his way to the headstone, which his name would soon be sharing. "Alive, at least." His steps faltered, and he gritted his teeth before forcing his feet to move that final yard. "Next time we see each other… You know, I didn't start believing in an afterlife until the doc gave me the news. I had to cling to the hope that we'd be together after we died. Then you went before me, and now it's the only comfort I have. That I'll see you again soon."

Phil's knees trembled, and he fell to the ground. He supported himself on the grave marker, the stone cold beneath his aching hand. The breeze picked up, and it felt like it was caressing his cheeks. For a moment, he could allow himself to believe that it was Johnny's spirit.

"I'll love you until time itself stops," he murmured. "Even then, I'll still love you, Johnny." He rested a hand on the ground. "Forever."

"Uncle Phil!" Franklin was running towards him. Sue and Reed's only son took Phil by the shoulders. "Let me help you up, you stubborn bastard."

"You hear that, Johnny?" Phil asked, gingerly cocking his head towards Franklin. "No respect for the elderly. I'm fine, Franky. Just give me a minute."

Franklin backed off, but only as far as the bench. Phil could see Clint approaching out of the corner of his eye.

"We'll have those days again," Phil said, stroking the grass. "Days of eating ice cream under trees, getting up to no good in the elevator, watching movies with the family, taking the dogs for a walk… kissing in bed… telling… telling each other we…"

A sob caught in his throat. He squeezed his eyes shut, the last tears falling to the ground. He swallowed until he could breathe again. Finally, he gathered his strength, determined to be strong one last time, and slowly got to his feet. He noticed Clint hold Franklin back from helping out, and smiled at him gratefully.

But he saved his last smile for Johnny's grave.

"See you soon," he whispered.

Then he allowed Franklin to help him back into his wheelchair, and let the afternoon sun and fragrant breeze lull him to sleep.

Not long now.

FIN

I cried most of the way through this while writing it, which serves me right, I suppose. I wanted to round off the series in a permanent fashion. Oops. Well, I guess someone else will have to start writing more Coulstorm fan fiction, so that it won't all end sadly.

(Although I do have an idea for a light-hearted oneshot, not related to any of my other Coulstorm fan fiction, so I should probably get on and write that sometime, to make up for this fic.)

Thank you to those who've stuck with me the whole journey through. I hope you enjoyed it, and felt that the ending was… okay. I know that forty years is a long time to be married by today's standards; but with the one you love, you wish it could be a hundred. I imagine. Not having been married myself, I can only surmise. My Aunty Von and Uncle Peter were married for forty years before he died, so that's why I chose that particular number. And my mother's parents celebrated their sixtieth wedding anniversary before Granddad passed away.

So… assuming you don't hate me for this story, please review! I'll write more cheerful Coulstorm again someday. Promise! If nothing else because I've been re-reading this, and started crying again. And nearly cried a third time.