A/N: Penultimate chapter! I don't have much to say about it, just that I hope you enjoy it! Once again I have been rubbish with replying to reviews, so, as always, thank you for all your support!

xxxx

Howard was just about to go back into Vince's room when the doctor came up on his left and put a hand on his arm, looking at him solemnly. For one terrifying moment Howard thought he was about to be told the worst, and his stomach instantly tightened, tears stinging the backs of his eyes.

"Don't look so worried, Mr Moon. Vince is fine. It's just... I told him something that I didn't realise you hadn't discussed with him. He knows about his clinical death. I'm sorry, I should have checked with you first."

Howard frowned and swallowed heavily. "Is he okay?"

"I think he just needs his friend."

Howard nodded, noting the doctor's apologetic smile, and opened the door. Vince didn't look at him as he entered – he was sitting with his knees pulled up under his chin, staring down at the bed. Howard's heart went out to him.

Hey. How you doin', little man?" He sat down in the chair bedside the bed as Vince slowly turned his head to look at him.

"I died."

Howard looked back at him with sad eyes and took hold of his hand. "Vince, you're still here – that's what matters."

Vince shook his head, biting down on his lip to stop himself from crying. "But I wasn't – for a few minutes I was dead and..." Hot tears toppled over the rims of his eyes and his breath caught in his throat. Howard moved to sit next to him on the bed, his arms going around him. Vince flung himself into Howard and sobbed.

"Shhh, it's all right. You're okay, Vince. You're safe now."

"But I was... I was..."

Howard hugged him tighter, whispering soothing words into Vince's ear until he started to calm. Vince sniffed and rubbed at his eyes with the back of his hand, then gratefully took the tissue Howard held out to him and wiped his nose.

"Vince, did the doctor explain to you what clinical death was? What it meant?"

Vince nodded, hiccuping as tried to even out his breathing. His throat was still sore from the smoke and his lungs ached.

Howard reached a hand up to Vince's face and pushed a strand of hair away from his eyes. "You were brought back – it wasn't your time. When I was told, I couldn't believe it. But now all that matters is that you're alive, and you have to concentrate on that, otherwise it'll do your head in."

Vince smiled slightly. "Yeah – you're right."

Howard gave him a look of mock surprise. "I'm sorry. I'm what?"

Vince laughed and gave him a small shove. "Shut up." He picked at a thread on his hospital gown and sighed. "When can I go home?"

"Not yet. You need to be kept in for observation for a couple of days."

"Observation? Makes me sound like a science experiment."

Howard shuffled back against the headboard and pulled Vince into him, stroking his hair as they sat in a companionable silence. Vince turned his head so that his face was pressed against Howard's neck. He breathed in his comforting scent, closing his eyes as he snuggled further into him, arm sliding across his stomach.

"Comfy?" Howard asked, amusement in his voice. But Vince didn't answer, and looking down, Howard saw that he'd fallen asleep.

xxxx

"Mr Moon?"

It was the police.

Howard slowly cracked an eye open and peered blearily at the up at the Inspector. Vince was still curled up against him and he shifted slightly and pushed himself upright, trying his best not to disturb him.

"I'm sorry, Mr Moon, but we thought you should know – we've found him. He's dead. When he ran from the house he fled towards the main road and ended up running blindly in front of a lorry. He was pronounced dead on arrival at hospital."

If Howard didn't believe in karma before, he sure did now. And not only that, he also didn't know what to say, so he just nodded seriously and listened intently as the Inspector continued to explain the situation. When he left, Vince stirred and sleepily sat up.

"He's dead?"

Howard frowned. "You heard all that? I thought you were asleep."

"I was for a bit. And then when I woke up I didn't want to say anything in case he wanted to ask me loads more questions. He's really dead? It's really over?"

"Yeah, little man. It's over. How do you feel?"

Vince shrugged. "I dunno. Is it wrong to be glad that he's dead, to think that he got what he deserved?"

Howard shook his head. "No, I don't think so. I mean, I wouldn't usually wish death on anyone, but he was deranged and he hurt a lot of people, not to mention killing his poor wife and that policeman."

"What?"

Howard inwardly cursed himself. Shifting on the bed, he turned to face Vince fully, scratching at his stubble as he did so, as if it would somehow prepare him for telling Vince just how far this man had gone. "The body you saw that night – it was his wife. He'd caught her cheating on him and he killed her. And the officer who had been with us at the house – he killed him too. He was a policeman, too, you see. That's how he was able to find out about us."

Vince sat quietly as he took all this information in. He stared down at his hands, then at the door, rubbing his palms over his knees and breathing in deeply.

"Vince?"

"I don't know what to say."

Howard put an arm across his shoulders. "It's okay. I know it's a lot to take in. It's a big shock."

Vince pushed away, suddenly angry. A flush of colour spread across his cheeks, which would have made a welcome change to his pale face if it wasn't for what was causing it. "A lot to take in? A big shock? Howard, you went through all of that alone! I slept while you were tied up and threatened, while you watched that psychopath set fire to the house! I can't even -"

"Vince!" Howard grabbed him by the shoulders and looked him in the eyes. "Listen to me. It's over. None of this is your fault. You have nothing to be sorry for and nothing to feel guilty about. This stops, right now, because I will not have you beating yourself up over something you had absolutely no control over. The man was a murderer, and I thank God every second that you were asleep because I can't bear the thought of what he would have done to you if you'd woken up. If anything, I should have done more for you. When you were trapped in the bedroom, passed out on the floor and I didn't know if you were dead or alive, I thought my whole world was about to end, and all that mattered was getting to you. I had to do something, because there was no way, dead or alive, that I was going to let you burn, but then I was pulled out by a fireman and even though he saved my life all I could think about was how I'd failed you, and when they brought you out on that stretcher, and I didn't know... I didn't..." his voice cracked and he fought desperately to stay in control. "I didn't know if you were all right, and then we got taken to hospital separately and they wouldn't let me see you until they'd fixed me up, and during that time I had absolutely no idea that they'd nearly lost you, that I'd nearly lost you. You were fighting for your life and I didn't even know. You could have died and I wouldn't have ever had the chance to tell you... tell you..." and he burst into tears, instantly setting off Vince, who flung his arms around him and clung to him for dear life.

"I'm sorry!"

"No -"

"I know, I know – I just..." Vince sobbed. He took Howard's face in his hands. "Thank you."

"W-what for?"

"For caring about me. For risking your life for me. For -" Vince pressed his lips to Howard's in a desperate kiss, running his fingers over Howard's face and wiping away his tears. It was messy and wanting, and they sobbed against each other's mouths, Howard's hands twisting through Vince's hair.

"I thought I'd lost you," Howard sobbed against him, breath catching in his throat as he gasped through his tears.

"Never," Vince said, hiccuping as he pulled away to rest his head against that of the man who he now knew meant more to him than anything else in the entire world.

They both wiped at each other faces with their thumbs, wobbly smiles playing on their mouths as they calmed down, tears drying up until they were left just staring at each other intensely. As if someone had flicked a switch, Howard suddenly didn't know what to do with himself, and Vince tried not to laugh at how adorably awkward he looked. Instead he cuddled into him, feeling Howard relax almost immediately.

"Thank you. Again."

Howard pressed a kiss to Vince's head.

"I'd do it again."

Vince smiled up at him meaningfully. "I know."