A/N: So this is going to be almost as painful, if not more so than The Fall. So it's time once again to break out the tissues and the shock blankets.
xXx
Greg parked in front of the Diogenes Club, knowing from A that Mycroft was in the room they kept for his meetings. He got out of the car and froze on the sidewalk looking at the doors. Greg would give anything not to give this news but it had to be done.
He walked in and went straight for the back office, knowing where to go from picking up his partner a few times. He peeked in without knocking hoping Mycroft was busy, hoping to delay this grim task he had.
"Gregory hello" Mycroft said awkwardly. It was partly because he knew why Greg was there, but also because there had been an underlying tension between them since Mycroft had said I love you.
Greg stepped inside the room and closed the door behind him.
"Mycroft I really don't want to be the one to tell you this, but it's something you need to know and I really think you should be sitting when I tell you it."
"Alright." Mycroft walked over to a sofa and sat down. He gestured to the empty space next to him; Greg didn't miss a beat and sat down next to his partner.
"This is difficult and I can hardly believe it but it happened. It's devastating and I wish it weren't true but it is, and I can't do anything to change it. It's going to break your heart and I wish I could spare you this but it's better for you to hear it from me than read it in the papers." Greg had started out calm, but the emotions he had buried at Scotland Yard were bubbling to the surface and he no longer had control. Tears were threatening to spill over and the words were getting harder to say.
"Gregory dear, what's wrong? What happened?" Mycroft asked worried. He'd never seen his partner so emotional.
"My, Sher-Sherlock's dead." Greg choked out, the first few tears falling down his face. "He's dead and it's all my fault. He jumped off the roof of St. Bart's because he thought I thought he was a fraud. But I don't think he's a fraud, and I didn't tell him for fear of being taken off of the case. I kept silent because I knew if I voiced my belief in him, my captain would have removed me from the case and then who would've defended him? Anderson would have delighted in building a case against Sherlock, Donovan would've reached the truth eventually but only after his reputation was tarnished and everyone firmly believed he was guilty. I was silent and he's dead because of it. You should hate me. I killed your baby brother."
It had been like a dam breaking, once Greg had gotten the initial news out he couldn't stop. He conveyed everything to Mycroft between sobs, tears streaming down his face.
"Gregory. Dear. It's. Not. Your. Fault." Mycroft said cupping the crying man's face and directed his tear filled gaze to his own. The sad look in Mycroft's eyes made Greg feel even guiltier.
"But it is and you should hate me." Greg sobbed out, trying to divert his gaze from the overwhelming guilt he felt.
"Gregory, I could never hate you." Mycroft paused for a second to make sure his words were registering with his crying partner.
"I could never hate you because I am bound to you."
Mycroft's words sunk in with Greg and the wall he'd been clinging to finally fell.
"I love you Mycroft."
Mycroft took a sharp breath. Of everything that he had expected to hear today that was the furthest from his mind. He quickly pulled Greg into a tight hug, and whispered into his ear "I love you too Gregory" his voice thick with emotion.
Greg clung to Mycroft and continued to sob into his lover's shoulder.
My let Greg's tears soak his shoulder while he rubbed his back soothingly. Mycroft shed a few tears of his own, because of how torn up and guilty Greg felt. He could dispel the grief by telling his partner the truth, and came close to doing it after each heart wrenching I'm so sorry. But what stopped Mycroft every time was that Greg's ignorance of Sherlock being alive is what kept him safe.
All Mycroft could do was comfort the man he loved the best he could against guilt he didn't deserve.
Greg finally quieted down, his eyes unable to produce any more tears.
He pulled away from Mycroft enough to look him in the eyes but still in his arms.
"I-I am truly sorry about Sherlock." Greg started slowly. "He was the friend, brother, and son that I never asked for, but wouldn't replace for the world, and now he's gone."
"Shh Gregory" Mycroft said softly when it looked like Greg was going to start crying again. "Love, look at me." Greg looked at My, guilt still in his eyes. "I don't blame you. You did what you thought was best for Sherlock. He needed someone on his side to clear his name, and you couldn't have done that if you had spoken up. If you're looking for a reason to why Sherlock jumped, look no further than Moriarty. That man is manipulative and must have convinced Sherlock to jump."
Greg stared at Mycroft, not wanting to believe him, but the detective knew his love was right.
"You're right I suppose." Greg said sadly.
"Of course I'm right. I'm always right."
Greg let out a short laugh.
"I'm glad it was you who told me." Mycroft said softly cupping Greg's face, wiping the remnants of tears away with his thumbs. "I love you, you know that."
"Don't know why. I don't deserve you." Greg had tried for a mocking tone, but his words were serious.
"Don't say that. Of course you deserve me."
Greg's lips curled in a sad smile. "I love you My."
Mycroft returned the sad smile and pulled Greg's face to his own, capturing his lips in a soft kiss.
Greg pulled away sighing a few moments later. The guilt was no longer overwhelming but changed from blaming himself for Sherlock's death to lamenting that he couldn't have done more to prevent it.
"I'm going to miss him, My."
"I know love. I'm going to miss him too."
