Gavin pushed open the door to the small flat he and Tim shared and flicked the light switch on. The single bulb cast a sick, yellow glow on the kitchen and the small lounge area before him.

Closing the door behind him, he let out a great sigh, cleaning out all the exhaustion, all the depression and the sheer absurdity of it all.

First he had nearly drowned after falling off Colin's death trap of a lilo, then he had been captured by French pirates, almost got shipped off to Africa and to top it all off, he had come home and gate-crashed his own funeral.

He was half-expecting a hysterical Tim to have a go at him for making Tim believe he had died.

The couch was empty, though the bedclothes remained untidied. Gavin almost cried at the thought that Tim couldn't bear to go back to their bed alone. Come to think of it, if he lost Tim, he knew he couldn't sleep in that bed either. Although it had belonged to him before he had even met Tim, it reminded him of his partner, as did virtually everything they shared together in the flat.

He walked over to the bathroom and knocked softly. Pressing his ear to the door he heard nothing.

"Tim? Are you in there?"

Silence.

A shrill ring startled Gavin; and he rushed excitedly to the phone.

"Tim?"

A nasal cackle brayed down the line.

"Nooo Gavin, it's me! Gordon!"

"Oh?" Gavin feigned surprise to mask his disappointment. "So it is."

"I just thought I'd phone you up to see how you were settling in back home."

"Mr. Brittas, I was only gone a few days."

" A few days in which you nearly died, got kidnapped and came home to your own funeral. Believe me, I know the feeling!"

"Yes Mr. Brittas."

"So, if you ever need anything, someone to talk to, time off work, anthing at all.."

"Actually, there was one thing, Mr. Brittas."

"What is it, Gavin?"

"Well, Tim wasn't at the funeral and he isn't here either. I wondered if you had any idea where he was."

"I understand you were a close friend of his Gavin, and the new of your death affected him more than I had expected it to. He started to behave very irrationally and eventually I had to get Linda to…Oh dear…"

"What, Mr. Brittas?"

"Meet me at the centre, quick as you can Gavin."

"But Mr. Brit.."

The line went dead. Gavin stared at the phone for a long while in disbelief before shaking himself out of his reverie and running out of the flat.

Tim contemplated sleeping for what seemed like the hundredth time and like the times before he decided against it. His arms were tied back and he couldn't even feel them anymore. Even if somebody was to cut him loose he couldn't have moved his arms if he tried. With nothing to support his head he would have woken with one hell of a stiff neck.

Once his initial euphoria over Gavin being alive had faded and he felt his familiar anger returning. He hated Brittas, he hated Gavin and he hated everyone in this awful hellhole of a leisure centre.

They enver took him seriously. Everyone only ever saw him as Gavins boyfriend. No one ever saw him as Tim, well except for Britain, who saw him a Tim, the runt of the litter.

He felt his head drooping again and this time, he didn't think he could stay awake much longer.

The sound of the entrance doors shutting woke him up. Footsteps echoed through the reception outside. He tried to call out but his voice had disappeared as a result of shouting nonstop for help.

The staff room door opened and Tim scrunched his eyes shut against the fluorescent light that now flooded the room.

"Ah, Timothy! Still with us I see! Eeeexcellent!"

Tim lifted his heavy head and mouthed profanities.

"Didn't quite catch that, Timothy!" Gordon waled over to the back of the chair Tim had been strapped to for the best part of the day and undid his extra secure knots. "Not really what skipping ropes should be used for, but first things to hand."

Gordon helped Tim to the table and sat him down gently. Tim was waking up slowly and began to glare daggers at Brittas, who swallowed hard.

"I do apologise Tim. Have I had known you were telling the truth about Gavin I wouldn't have tied you up, but let's face it Tim, you were acting pretty hysterical today."

Tim swallowed painfully. "I was acting perfect rationally!" he snapped back, his voice a deep rasp, a complete contrast to his usual voice. "As people do when they lose a loved one. Remember when Songs of Praise were here, and you thought Mrs. Brittas had been attacked?"

Tim was saying too much but he was beyond caring. Gordon cleared his throat.

"You've damaged your voice. I think it's best if I make you a cup of tea."

"I'm afraid that won't be possible Mr. Brittas."

"Why not?"

"I haven't got 20 pence on me." He smirked at Brittas, feeling back to his own self.

"Don't be silly, Timothy. I'll dock it from your wages."

Tim glowered.

"I'm only joking. Look, I've apologised already and I apologise again. You and Gavin have had a rough few days, and I haven't helped matters. That's why I'm giving you both a fortnight's paid holiday.

Tim seemed to pick up. "Really Mr. Brittas?" Gordon nodded. "I don't know what to say."

"There's nothing you need to." Brittas finished preparing three cups of tea, leaving the third on the side. He placed once cup in front of Tim. Tim took a sip of the tea and marvelled at its warmth, and the feel of it going down his parched throat. He then went into a state of confusion.

"Gavin's here! I have to find him, he'll be looking for me." He stood up and his legs buckled. Somehow Brittas was there to hold him before he fell, and he helped Tim back into his chair.

"Don't worry, Tim. Gavin's on his way."

"I'm sorry Mr. Brittas, I just can't seem to get to grips with the fact that Gavin's alive! I mean it all seemed too real! He is alive, isn't he? I mean I'm not dreaming this am I?"

"Calm down, Tim and drink your tea. Gavin's alive and he's on his way, so the two of you can sort things out together."

Gordon thought Tim would cheer up now, and for a moment he did. But the moment passed and sadness filled his eyes. He looked, it seemed to Gordon like a kicked dog.

"I find it very odd, you know."

"What?"

"That Gavin didn't mention you to his parents."

Tim glared stonily at his mug and Gordon knew he was close to the source.

"I mean, of all people he chose to mention Colin!" Tim stayed resolute silent. Gordon snorted. "Colin! Why would a man write to his parents telling them all about his colleagues, and not mention his best friend?"

"Why don't you tell me, Mr. Brittas?"

"How long have the pair of you known each other?"

"It's our tenth Anniver… Almost ten years."

"You don't have to pretend anymore, Tim."

Tim looked up at Gordon confused.

"Mr. Brittas?"

"About you and Gavin. All these years I may have been blind to the two of you but these last few years it's all begun to get a bit clearer. The way you two seemed to be inseparable, that flat you share, the way you'd get angry whenever any girl flirted with Gavin, but most of all it was how truly upset you were when we thought he was…well, dead."

"I suppose you're going to insist that we should have been honest about our relationship."

"No, Tim. Obviously I'm for honesty as much as the next person, but why should two people have to tell the world that they're together. Relationships are a private and special thing, and I admire the two of you."

"You do?"

"Absolutely. Seven out of the 10 years you've been together you've been working side by side. As much as I love my wife dearly, I find coming home to a loving wife would be far better if we were together every minute of the day."

"We don't mind that, Mr. Brittas."

"And whatever obstacles you face, you overcome. Gavin's fiancee, his promotion, even his death doesn't seem to put a dampener on your relationship."

Tim smiled at this.

"It still hurts, though."

Gordon pursed his lips thoughtfully.

"Yes, I imagine it would. Helen never told her parents about me until we'd gotten back off the honeymoon, you know?"

"Really?"

"Yes. I never did find out why, they seemed pleasant, until her mother strangely chased me out of their house waving a steam iron."

Tim laughed at the picture, and eventually Gordon, surprisingly joined in. They both started as Gavin's voice could be heard from outside the leisure centre. Tim suddenly looked anxious. Gordon reached over and patted the back of his hands by gesture of support, and Tim looked genuinely appreciative.

"Tim!" Gavin cried as he burst into the room. Tim looked up at him with ambivalence. He was ecstatic to see him alive and well not so well, as Gavin hadn't had a chance to get cleaned up, on the other hand he was furious to feel unimportant in his life, not worth mentioning even in passing to his parents. Gordon cleared his throat and stood up to leave.

"I'll just leave you two to, talk things over."

"Mr. Brittas?" Tim called out before Gordon disappeared out of the room. "Thank you." Gordon nodded, and left. There was an awkward silence.

"Hello Timmy," Gavin said, wringing his hands nervously.

"Mr. Brittas left you a cup of tea up there."

"Oh! Right, thank you." Gavin walked over to pick his mug up and Tim stared at him, watching him with cold eyes. Gavin turned and met Tim's glare, swallowing hard.

"Have I done something wrong, Tim?" Gavin asked as he took a seat next to Tim.

"Ask your mother."

"My mother? What's she got to do with us?"

"It's bad enough that you lied to me about going to your mother's when she turned out to be living in Fiji!"

"Oh…you found out about that? Look Tim, I was going..."

"I don't care about that, Gavin!"

"You don't? Well then what do you care about? What is this about, Tim?"

"When we first moved in together, about a year after we met, my mother thought it was strange that two men could be such good friends after only knowing each other for a year."

Gavin put his elbows on the table, resting his head in his hands, knowing exactly where Tim was going.

"Your parents arrived early this morning. I went to offer my condolences and do you know something, Gavin?"

"I think I do," Gavin murmured despondently.

"They've never heard of me. You didn't even tell them I was a friend or a colleage."

"Timmy, look I'm sorry!"

"Oh, you're always bloody sorry! Well this time I'm sorry."

"For what?"

"For being such an obvious disappointment to you. For making you ashamed to even tell people my name."

"That's not true!" Gavin reached for Tim's hand but Tim drew it back slowly.

"Don't touch me!"

Gavin's eyes went wide with hurt and shock. He withdrew his hand and studied it, ashamedly.

"I'm not ashamed of you Timmy, really I'm not! Don't you think I want to tell people I love you?"

Tim was caught off-guard. He knew Gavin loved him, of course he did, but Gavin very rarely said it out loud, and he usually said it when Tim was getting angry. Tim hated Gavin for but already he could feel it working.

"I think most people can tell just by seeing us together. I mean, everyone that works here knows and we never told them, did we?"

"Mr. Brittas doesn't."

"He does now." Tim said with a raised eyebrow.

"Oh Tim, you didn't lose your temper with him, did you?"

"Whatever makes you think I would?"

"Well I don't think you've ever had a conversation with him that hasn't involved getting hysterical or into a fight!"

"I was well within my rights to! If he's not reassuring me that you'll go off with the next attractive woman that comes along, he's trying to take my trousers down!"

Gavin nearly choked on his tea, earning yet another glare from Tim.

"Sorry, Tim. But come on, he thought you were a woman!"

"Yes, and I suppose you would have told everyone about me if I was. I bet you'd still love me if I were a woman."

"Of course I would."

Tim sneered and crossed his arms.

"Brittas is right. You are waiting for the right woman. I'm just second best!"

"Timmy, that's not fair!" Gavin reached for his hand again, and this time he didn't let go. "You're not second best! Yes, I'd love you if you were a girl, but that doesn't change anything. I mean, I'd still love you if you…if you started hanging around with Colin and picking up his personal habits!" He squeezes Tim's hand and the other man smiled.

"I think you should worry more about that yourself, Gavin." Gavin looked down at his clothes and laughed. Tim lifted Gavin's hands with some measure of effort and kissed them both. Gavin beamed at Tim with deep affection.

"I'm really glad you're back, but I'm still angry!" Gavin only smiled.

"The day you stop getting angry is the day you stop caring." Tim smiled slightly at this. "Look, the last time I wrote to mum and dad, it was a week before Jenny turned up. I decided just after that I would have to tell them everything, that I wanted to tell them everything. About Jenny, about her mental health, but most of all about you.

"But every time I sat down and wrote something down it never seemed to come close to telling them how happy I am, or how special you are." Tim blushed and looked away. "You know that box in the cupboard besides our bed?"

"You mean the one you never let me look inside?"

"That's the one. Inside that box is every letter I ever wrote to my parents about you, all about you. For some reason, I just didn't think they were good enough to be sent out."

"Oh, Gavin…"

"No! No, I'm sorry Tim. I'm just being silly. I mean, my sister's know all about you. And I've told Peter as well. First think tomorrow, I'll go round to their B&B and…"

"Invite them to dinner!"

"What?"

"I'm serious. Invite them round to dinner tomorrow night and you can tell them afterwards."

"Timmy I'm not so sure…"

"I'll be there to hold your hand…or throw plates at you if you chicken out."

Gavin laughed nervously.

"It'll be alright Gavin, we'll face this together.

"Yes, yes of course, you're right."

"Come on, let's get home. It's been a long day for the both of us."

Gavin smiled and nodded, getting up to help Timmy. He wrapped his arm around Tim's back, resting his hand on Tim's hip. Whilst Tim wrapped his arm around Gavin's shoulder. Together they walked over to the door and confronted a sudden flash of bright light.

"Nyah!" Gordon cackled from behind the camera. "Well don't just stand there looking shocked, go on, hug each other!"

"Mr. Brittas, what is this for exactly?" Gavin asked, eyeing the camera suspiciously.

"The photo album, Gavin."

"What photo album?" Tim rasped, his voice going again.

"Well Tim, you mentioned that it was coming up to your 10th anniversary and I thought to myself, 'Gordon' I thought, 'wouldn't it be nice to give them a little something to mark this milestone in their relationship, a thoughtful gift, one that showed how your relationship has grown, flourished and how the leisure centre brought the two of you closer together.

"Sadly the only photos I have on file of the two of you, you're either bickering or have just had a fight. I wanted some new ones of the proud couple, stronger than ever!"

"That's really…very kind of you Mr. Brittas…Thank you!" Gavin said sincerely.

"Think nothing of it Gavin. I may not have shown it over the years, but I consider the two of you valuable members of the staff here at Whitbury Newtown Leisure Centre. Gavin, you have proven to be a good deputy manager, helping the centre run much more smoothly, wouldn't you say?"

"Er…yes, Mr. Brittas." Gavin shared an awkward glance with Tim.

"So why are you being nice to me, Brittas? I don't exactly make your life easy."

"No you don't, Timothy. But every time you do something, whether as union rep, or by undermining me, committing mutiny, insubordination, whatever it is you feel like doing at the time I know that you're simply keeping me on my toes. Behind every great manager is a subordinate, pushing him and challenging him, testing his limits. You have helped me better myself Timothy."

"Have I? Oh goody!"

"Oh, come on you two! Give us a hug." Brittas raised the camera up again and Gavin pulled Tim into a hug. Tim murmured in contentment. Gavin hadn't been away that long, but when Tim was faced with a future without him he fell into despondency and despair. He never wanted to let him go again.

"Eeexcellent! Thank you boys."

"Don't you want one of us kissing, Mr. Brittas?" Tim asked, his smile cheeky and his eyebrow raised. Brittas stamped his foot and straightened up.

"Don't push your luck, Timothy!"

Tim only smiled and rested his head in the crook of Gavin's arm, extremely tired.

"Well, come along boys, I'll give you a lift home."