Ok so, anyone who knows me as a writer, knows that in my stories everyone usually dies... except this one ok. Sad or happy ending? You decide.

Listen to Forever Autumn by Justin Hayward if you want feels etc. Read on.

"Francis you need to get over what has happened." Arthur said in a frustrated tone, as he tried to kiss him but was yet again pushed away. "You haven't let me come near you in days…" He sighed, upset and disappointed with him. Every time he'd tried to touch him or kiss him, Francis would turn away, or refuse him. He'd hardly spoken at all since they returned from 1827 and it was hurting Arthur a lot. "I go all the way to the past to rescue you and this is how you treat me?"

"I am sorry." Francis said quietly as he got out of bed. Lying next to Arthur was just not the same as it was with Hindley, and he couldn't reconcile that now he was living in his own time and things were different. The mansion was dismal and falling apart, the little summerhouse where he and Hindley had shared romantic moments was nothing more than a wreck and Arthur was still obsessed with his machine, even though he had promised to destroy it. He missed young Arthur, as he was starting to feel like family to him. Right now, he didn't feel loved, or sexy, and above all he missed Hindley, that sweet gentle man with a tender touch that would send shivers down his spine. Francis would often sit and go back in his memory to the last time he saw him, on his knees, defeated, telling him to go back with Arthur, and he knew it wasn't because Hindley wanted him to leave, it was because he wanted the best for him.

"Why won't you let me even touch you?" Arthur asked, still frustrated. "We used to have so much… and now…"

Francis turned to him, emotionless and cold, the light that once shone in his eyes completely gone. "I can't." He uttered sadly. "I don't feel the same." He said. "I used to watch you tinker with your machine and I felt love for you and now, I feel nothing." He continued "I'd happily go along with all your ideas no matter how nonsensical they were but… now they fade into insignificance…"

"Francis…" Arthur uttered, his face dropped, and he looked so upset. "How can you say those things… I… I love you… don't you understand?"

"Oui I do." He replied. "But ever since I came back, the world is grey, and I cannot bring back my feelings…" He sighed and left the room.

Arthur got up and set about his work as usual, and they tried to ignore the fact that things had changed but it became more and more obvious that Francis' heart wasn't in it anymore. He still didn't want to give up on him though, hoping that one day he would get over the past and start to open up and love him again.

One morning Francis got up early and packed a bag, without telling Arthur what he was going to do. He retrieved the old photograph of himself and Hindley from the photograph album and went downstairs to the machine. He had made a decision and he knew it was the right thing to do. Finally, he picked up a pen and started to write a letter to Arthur.

"Dear Arthur

I know this is going to hurt you, and it took me a long time to decide what to do. Although I tried so hard to return to this life, for me it is impossible. I can't love you when my heart is still with Hindley. You never gave me a choice either of you, fighting over me like I was some object, and then you forcibly brought me back here, without asking me how I felt. When you dragged me away from his arms I felt as though my world had ended, and to bring me back here, where there are only memories, is just too much. There was a time when I loved you more than life itself, but when I thought I would never see you again, Hindley helped me deal with it, and then he became my world. I'm sorry Arthur, but when you try to put your arms around me, it is Hindley I want, and when you try to kiss me, my mind is filled with memories of his kisses… and I want to be with him. Don't follow me this time, don't come after me. I won't come back.

Yours

Francis. Au Revoir.. x

As the sun was just coming up over the horizon, Francis started up the machine, and it sprung to life with its usual strange sounds and odd music. Then he went into the chamber, this time clutching his bag of possessions and clothes and holding on to that photograph of himself with Hindley. "Take me back." He whispered as the swirling mass appeared behind him.

Arthur heard the machine fire up, and sat up in bed, alarmed and fearful. "Francis!" He cried as he jumped out of bed and ran to the basement, his heart beating ten to the dozen. By the time he got there it was too late. The machine was in full swing and emitting its blue flashes of light as Francis disappeared.

"No…" gasped Arthur in shock. The pain in his heart was indescribable, and he couldn't believe Francis had just done this. His attention was drawn to the letter with his name on it that was left for him on the table. As he read it he sank to the floor, heartbroken and devastated. Francis didn't love him, he loved Hindley.

In 1827 it was night time, 8pm in the evening of a Tuesday in mid autumn, as Hindley unsuccessfully tried to play his guitar in the summerhouse to try and quiet his tortured mind. The place was lit up by a few candles casting a gentle glow on the pillars and the climbing ivy, the leaves of which were turning red. Outside the trees were shedding their leaves and it was growing colder. He hadn't been able to play the guitar since the bones of his left hand were shattered during the duel, but he did try. He got a few notes and maybe a tune, but nowhere near the beautiful music he used to play. It was no use anyway because, nothing would bring back Francis, and he knew it. He'd never been able to get over his wife's death before but this, somehow it was far worse. If he could just play the guitar again, that would help, but it was damn near impossible with his bandaged fingers. He couldn't tell anyone how he was feeling, nobody would have understood, and how could he say to anyone he'd fallen in love with a man? No, this was his secret heartache, one he had to keep to himself.

Francis found himself at the entrace of the summerhouse where he stood for a few moments, listening to Hindley try to play, even with his injured hand. He couldn't do it, though he managed to get a little tune out of it. He knew that playing the guitar was what Hindley was best at, and not being able to play must have been devastating for him. Slowly he moved himself behind Hindley who was unaware of his presence, and gently wrapped his arms around his waist, then kissed his neck. Hindley didn't know what was happening, till he turned around and saw Francis there, and he just couldn't comprehend the moment. He gasped in surprise, in shock, and his heart leapt.

There was a long pause in the silence of the summerhouse, only the sound of the water in the pond outside could be heard, the soft sound of the wind and an owl hooting in the distance. "F…Francis…?" Hindley whispered "You came back?"

"I had to mon amour." Francis said, as the light of the candles reflected in his deep blue eyes, revealing his emotions. "Je t'aime… I love you."

Arthur Hindley Kirkland was a gentleman, and had been brought up to believe certain things, and that crying in front of anyone was to be avoided at all costs, it was not a gentlemanly thing to do. He'd never in all his years shed a tear in front of anyone, only ever in private. He was very surprised to hear Francis' words as they stood there embracing one another.

"Oh Hindley…" Francis whispered tenderly "You're crying…" He said as he slipped his finger under Hindley's fringe and lifted it up a little, then cupped his face in his hand, gazing at the beautiful tears whispering down his cheeks.

Somehow he had let tears escape from his eyes without even realising that's what was happening. He wasn't upset, just emotional, just overcome that Francis had come back to him.

"Oh…" He uttered, and sobbed a little. Francis brushed his tears away with his thumb. "I am…aren't I?" Hindley mumbled. "Sorry… I…" he said as he leaned in and found himself weeping on Francis' shoulder.

"Don't be sorry…" Francis replied softly. He'd seen Hindley upset before, that first day he met him, from a distance, yes, and the day he left him, but this was the first and only time he'd seen him cry. He reached up and stroked his hair and kissed his head. "You need this mon amour."

"Are you home for good?" He asked quietly. "Please stay…"

"I am mon amour." Francis replied. "I missed all this… I missed young Arthur… and I missed you."

"What about your Arthur… from your time?" Hindley asked, genuinely concerned.

"I'm sure that one day he'll find someone to bear a child for him. But that someone is not me." Francis sighed. "I had to leave him."

A gentle smile graced Hindley's face as they stood there. He couldn't remember ever feeling so happy to be with someone in his entire life.

"Je t'aime…" Francis repeated.

"I love you too." Hindley sighed as they melted into a deep kiss in that little summerhouse, wrapped in one another.

I hope you liked this story. If you did, leave a review. Did I get the feels across ok? What do you think of Hindley?