May 2033: Dalton in Mourning Part II.

Leaving his earthly body behind had been an experience that Thad would never forget, but he did wonder why he did not feel himself entering his new angelic one. That was only for a moment though, as his mind was filled with joy at the fact that he was finally going to be with the man he loved all the time. He and Wes could finally be proper husbands, living under the same roof and of course, sleeping in the same bed. He realised with a start that he had never spent an entire night in bed with Wes, not even on the night of their wedding and that thought did make him giggle…

He then noticed that Wes was also chuckling, and he wondered for a moment if he had said the words out loud, then he recalled that in heaven, his husband would be able to read his mind even more easily than he had been able to back when he was on earth. Suddenly, he felt something solid beneath his feet again. He looked around and saw that he was now standing in an office which had two desks in it, and sitting at the smaller of them was a very familiar face…

"Hello Thad… I'm sorry, I am not quite sure exactly what it is appropriate to say now. Saying 'It's nice to see you' seems a tad wrong, even if it is, and to say 'I'm sorry you died' is also bad, as I really don't think you are that sorry to have died at all…"

Wes laughed then at Seth's words and responded, "Yes, that is always a dilemma at moments like this, which is why we are normally extremely formal at these moments and just ask for a name when we process our new arrivals…"

Beside him Thad knew exactly what to say at that moment. "My name is Thad MONTGOMERY!"

Wes looked startled at the fact he had shouted the last part, but then he grinned as he realised that was true at last. He guessed that he was no longer Wes Harwood, and as he had promised his handsome husband on their wedding day, they both now had his surname…

Seth had also smiled at Thad's words, as the smile that he saw on Wes' his face was the broadest he had ever seen before; indeed, he had not seen one like it since before Niff's wedding day. He looked younger too, as did Thad of course… He wondered if Wes had pointed it out to him yet and he assumed that he would not have done. He stood up and nodded towards the corner of the room. Thad wondered what was happening but then it dawned on Wes, and he was being swiftly guided to the spot with his husband's hands over his eyes. "What on earth is going on? Is this some sort of ritual that is carried out on every new arrival?"

"Yes, and no," replied Seth. "For some it isn't needed, but in your case, it most certainly is."

Thad was confused as to why his husband had not spoken to him then, but then his hands were taken away from his eyes and Thad gasped at what he now saw before him. He was standing in front of a mirror and the man that was looking back at him had been a distant memory for quite some time now, even before the cancer had ravaged his body and left him to look at yellow skin and pinched features. There were no longer any wrinkles or grey hairs in his reflection, just the youthful face that he had last seen regularly in his dorm room at UCLA as he was nearing the end of his freshman year there…

"You were always beautiful to me, my little one, even towards the very end. I did come and see you in those final days, but only when you were asleep, because it hurt me too much to see you awake and in such pain. I had to be sure that Trent wasn't around either, because it was hard enough getting all the lectures from Kurt and disapproving looks from Blaine up here in the heavenly realms; the last thing that I needed was one of Trent's well-intentioned interventions…

"I had a few of those in my time too; when he eventually gets here, you will need to find him a pretty big job to keep him occupied and busy," chuckled Thad. "However, I do owe him so much. Thanks to him I was able to stay at home in my last days and die in my own bed. He brought me back my siblings and gave them back to Ollie too…"

"Just now he will be calmly dealing with everyone else's grief as he hides his own feelings," mused Wes. "He is the best Head Warbler that we never officially had – it was never made a thing, but in the post-Hunter era he did take on much of that mantle. I think that we need to get that recognised in some way and entered into the annals of both Warbler and Dalton history…"

Thad nodded, regretting now that he had not thought to state that as a request in his will, as he knew that by tradition, the dying wishes of a Head Warbler would be granted without dispute or question…

Seth made quick work after that of all of the official things that had to be completed for every new arrival, then said to Wes, "I have everything under control here in the office; Emily will be here later, as we arranged, to assist me with the creation of the official collections rota for the next month, although we both know that will just be checking it in the main, given that you had already written up six weeks' worth of it… By the way, Elizabeth called and said that she hoped that you will both enjoy your four weeks of honeymoon…"

Thad turned to Wes then, and said, "Four weeks! You mean…"

"I have four weeks of holiday time, starting as of now, so that you and I can catch up on all of the things that we have missed out on since our wedding day a decade ago. I know that you will want to go and see them all, but once your funeral is done I thought that we could go away, just the two of us, somewhere we can be alone and not have any cares or worries. You have never been to Scotland, have you?"

"No, it was on the list of places that I wanted to see, but in the United Kingdom I was limited to London, York, Cambridge and Oxford," said Thad in a regretful tone.

"Well, you and I can go there then. I can take up the kind offer of being able to stay at the castle of Mey in Caithness that was extended by the Queen Mother and stay at Holyrood House too. You and I will have to go and see Queen Elizabeth, as she has expressed a wish to meet you and we would not want to disappoint her."

Thad shook his head at that, realising just how well connected his husband was, then replied, "Well, maybe in a couple of days, one I have settled in properly and you have shown me all that I will need to know about flying, once my wings have come in of course…"

Thad was surprised when Wes started to chuckle at his words, and Seth looked equally amused at it. "Oh, my dear little one, just think for a moment about those wings that you had on our wedding day…" He looked at Wes confused for a second, but then obliged. He was startled to almost at once feel the draught that came from his own wings as they popped out from his back. "You already have your wings and have done since the day that you made me the happiest angel in the realms and became my husband. All you need now are your flying lessons. You have avoided all of the pain that most people have to endure when they arrive here. Aren't you even more grateful that you married me on your 30th birthday now?"

Thad stared at his reflection in the mirror, overwhelmed by the wings that now sprouted from his back. Recalling what Wes had told him about how his own wings worked when they were brand new, he tentatively tried to flap his own now, and they moved a little. That made his husband smile and giggle. "You remembered what I told you all those years ago about how I moved my own… I do love you so much…" Then he turned his eyes towards Seth and said, "Okay, so I am going to take Thad over to our apartment. If you run into any problems, you know who to call. If anyone asks where I am, tell them I am giving my husband some intensive lessons on wing care, maybe moving on to the rudiments of flight if he proceeds well enough with his preening skills…"

Seth nodded, then said to Thad in a deadpan voice, "I'm sure that you will enjoy your preening lessons immensely, especially as Wes will probably be teaching you how to preen in a more hands on way than I was ever taught…"

Wes immediately went scarlet, but it took Thad a few moments longer to recall that an angel's wings were very sensitive, especially when touched by other hands, as they were attached to other parts of their body… His cheeks reddened then too, but he smiled and turned to Seth. "My friend, I have been waiting for two decades for Wes to gently stroke my wings, so I fully intend to ask him to show me the skills several times in the course of the next few hours…"

He winked at Seth then, and it was the turn of the youngest man in the room to go bright red. Beside Thad, Wes burst out laughing, proud of how quickly his husband had turned the tables on his current assistant…

Thad had to admit that the décor in Wes' apartment was exactly to his taste and the view out over New York from the sitting room window was in total contrast to the more bucolic scene at Dalton that he was used to. He knew that it would take him a while to wrap his head around the fact that there was a door from the apartment that led into the hallway of a New York apartment block and another that led directly into the dorm building that he had just left in his mortal life in Westerville. Wes happily showed him round, leaving the bedroom they would now share until last…

He stood awkwardly on the threshold as Thad went in, looked around, and then sat down on the side of the bed that did not have anything on the nightstand adjacent to it. "This room is very restful, and it is also decorated more or less exactly like my old bedroom was at Dalton…"

Wes nodded, and replied, "I did redecorate recently; I thought that having it this way would be more homely for you and well, you always did have excellent taste when it comes to interior design."

Thad smiled, and said, "I appreciate that so much. Now, would you mind if we went and had some coffee together? I am thirsty and hungry too for that matter. I take it that I can eat and drink whatever I want again now?"

"You most certainly can do, my love, so why don't we have brunch? French toast, bacon, sausage, scrambled egg and fried potatoes sound good?"

"After the last few months, that sounds like heaven!" said Thad with a chuckle, and that laughter made Wes laugh too. He had already brewed a pot of coffee and Thad was happy to help him cook the food; they worked in tandem to produce their brunch feast, then sat and ate it side by side at the breakfast bar, Thad savouring every mouthful. Happily replete, and with the dirty dishes in the washer, they retired to the sofa, where Thad leaned into Wes, who held him to himself, kissing him every so often…

"I think that Seth suspected that we would be doing a lot more than hugging and kissing by now," Thad whispered after nearly an hour had passed.

"I suspect that a lot of people back in the mortal realms will be suspecting the same thing; that you and I will have, since I collected you, been getting wanky…" responded Wes, before he started to laugh, Thad quickly joining in.

"We have all the time in the world for that sort of thing; right now, I am content just to enjoy an endless snuggle, perhaps interspersed with some lessons on wing care and flying, because both of them are vitally important for an angel…"

Wes nodded, then rose from the sofa to give his husband a lesson on the correct way to preen his new wings; Thad was a quick study and was soon mastering the techniques that Wes had been taught by Kurt and Blaine so long ago. "Of course, we can preen each other too," added Wes, "although I am informed by Kurt and Blaine that such things can end up messy for a couple…"

"You can show me that at bedtime then; in fact, I insist that you show me that skill at bedtime tonight," replied Thad with a grin. Wes nodded, looking forward to teaching that lesson every bit as much as his husband…

Of course, Wes was not all that surprised that Thad should be an almost instant expert at preening, because his husband had always been so fastidious about his appearance. He was confident that he would maintain his wings to the same high standard as he maintained the rest of his body. That speed meant that there was ample time to give him a first flying lesson too, one in which Thad learned how to hover just above the ground in the grounds of the heavenly version of Dalton. He did not get more than six inches or so off the ground, but Wes smiled at the way his husband's face lit up when he realised that he was now capable of defying the forces of gravity that had held him in check for so long…

At the end of the lesson, Wes on impulse took Thad by the hand and pulled him up with him into the sky, so that they could swoop over the school campus, the quiet air being filled at once by the sound of happy laughter that was coming from them both. Eventually they headed back down to earth and to the apartment they would now know as home. As soon as they were inside, Wes grabbed Thad and kissed him as they had only kissed three times before; twice at Penn Station on the last night of Wes' mortal existence and once on their wedding day on Thad's thirtieth birthday…

Eventually Thad would pull away, a blissful look on his face, and say, "I wonder how everything is at the other Dalton? I love being here with you so much, but I can't help but worry about them all, and David and Ollie in particular. I would like to know that they are okay…"

Wes smiled back at him, and replied, "I am every bit as concerned as you are, my little one, so shall we put our own joyous reunion on hold just for a few minutes and go to see what is happening there? None of them will be able to see us right now, but in the case of David, he should be able to sense that we are present…"

Thad nodded, then asked, "Do you think that Ollie will ever have the ability to sense us; hear and see us too? I know that he is much more receptive to the idea now and I would love it if he was able to see that I was still around, keeping an eye on him, in my angelic form…"

"Well, that is actually up to him and whether he would wish to; believe it or not, the ability to see and hear us is largely down to the desire of the person in question. We all wanted to see Kurt and Blaine again, and to see them happy, and that was the final factor in all of us being able to see them. If Ollie wants to see you, then when the right time comes it will happen for him." Thad nodded, knowing that for now he would have to wait for that moment…

They headed back to Ohio, and at first Thad had to admit it was strange to be back there when he knew he had passed away. They went to his old bedroom first, and watched as Mrs Thompson and Mrs Carmichael cleaned his body and got it ready for its final mortal journey. Then they walked around the campus and to see the entire school so silent and sombre made Thad feel so emotional; to then see the door of his room and the walls around it covered in so many heartfelt notes made his eyes blurry. The fact that those notes came not just from his Warblers but from across the school, all of the expressing their love for him and how much they would miss him just set his tears falling…

Then they returned to the dorm, and there in the common room sat the current generation of Warblers. They were supporting each other through the stages of grief and it made Thad proud to see that Owain had really stepped up into the Head Warbler role in that he was supporting everyone whilst his own heart was equally broken…

By then, of course, his old friends were no longer all together, but they were still in constant touch with each other. They all now knew when his funeral would be held and as such they had started to think about making their way back home – indeed, Edward and Colin were already on their way back to the Hudson Valley, as they needed to talk to the people that were covering their dental practice and pharmacy, to see if they could help them and cover for an extra day the following weekend as well, to allow them to attend all of the funeral rites…

They found David in the company of Trent, and he seemed fine, accepting of what had happened and delighted to have Mr Bangy as his own, a memento of the two people that would always remain his best friends. However, when they found Ollie, Thad's heart sank a little; he was with Michelle, but he looked totally lost and distraught…

As he watched, Thad was surprised to hear his brother curse, then say to Michelle, "Why is it that everywhere I go is so draughty these days? I never used to feel any draughts, but now it is constant. Maybe it is just an age thing, but it is really starting to frustrate and annoy me…"

"Someone once told me that those sorts of draughts weren't draughts at all, but the effect of an angel in the room beating their wings. Maybe you new openness to them means that for the first time in your life, you can actually feel their presence all around you," said Michelle quietly in reply.

Ollie looked at his wife; whereas once he would have scoffed at her, now it wasn't that far out a concept for him. "Well, if it is angels, I wish that they would leave me well alone for a little while."

"Even if one of those sets of angel wings belonged to your brother?" asked Michelle in the same quiet tone she had used before.

Ollie thought for a moment, then replied, "Well, that would be different… Do you really believe that he and Wes are back together in heaven?"

"I am certain of it, and I think that you are as well. It is one of the things that helps at a time like this, the idea that they are up there, side by side, able to love each other properly for the very first time…"

Ollie sighed, and said, "It is a beautiful idea, and I am going to try and believe that it is indeed the case." He paused, then said, "If you can hear me Thaddie, I want you to know that I love you and that I do believe in it all now; every time I feel a draught, I will think that you are part of the cause…" He said no more, as tears had started to roll down his cheeks once more, but then he suddenly gasped. Thad was shocked, but then he realised that he had not noticed Wes move to stand beside his brother, unfurl his wings, then flap them hard right beside Ollie. Michelle also felt the draught, but unusually she could not see anyone. She wondered if Thad was indeed present and that made her smile…

It was then that Thad felt Wes take his hand, and they were flying back to the heavenly realms and once more to their apartment in the afterlife. "Well, I must say that all the signs are promising with your brother and everyone else seems to be dealing with things okay this time around. Giving David custody of Mr Bangy was the best idea; the fact that Gabriel has stepped up and offered to be his new best friend is inspired to, given that circumstances have meant that they are now almost neighbours. I think that we can now hold off for a couple of days before we let you see anymore of what is going on back in the mortal lands; concentrate on getting you fully settled in here and get you flying properly on your own. Then, once your funeral is passed, we will have our long-awaited honeymoon…"

Thad nodded, as he knew that Wes was right; there was no need for them to keep a constant eye on all of their friends back on earth…


Back on earth, the following morning saw the remainder of the alumni leave Dalton, all knowing that they would be back on Friday for the graduation ceremony as normal, but then staying on for the funeral. It had been easy for Ethan to arrange for the company jet to fly everyone back to the east coast, and he had also arranged that it would bring them all back on the day of the funeral, along with all of their other friends from the New York area that would be wanting to attend the event. Their departure time was late enough that Nick and Jeff could head back to Dalton to see their son before breakfast, and if a few of his personal belongings that he would not need in the next week went back with them to New York that day on the plane, nobody made any adverse comments. Indeed, Ethan made sure that he would have a seat free to accommodate Wes on the flight back after the funeral and committal ceremonies next week.

They were also able to tell their fellow alumni that Tim's parents, Joe and Sugar, would be coming to the funeral on Friday. "They were intending to drive over on Friday so that they could pick Tim up on Saturday and take him back home, but they will just leave a little sooner now to ensure that they are in Westerville in time for the service. I spoke to Joe myself last night and he sounded quite upset to hear that Thad has passed away; he knew like everyone else that he was ill, but one thing that he had hoped for was that he might make it to the end of the school year," said Nick.

Around him virtually everyone else nodded, as they had all been hoping for the same thing. It hardly seemed like any time had passed since April 1st and Thad telling them all he was terminally ill; the only good thing about it all was that he was no longer suffering and in pain. The next time they all saw him Thad would look so much younger and would be smiling thanks to the fact that he was spending every moment of his time with the man that he loved so much. They were all sad, of course, but their loss on earth meant there was so much gained by two angels in the heavenly realms…

That weekend passed quietly at Dalton Academy; an air of reverence hung over the school, the number of notes placed on the walls beside the door to Thad's classroom continuing to grow exponentially, until David became convinced that there were more notes than there were pupils and staff at the school. He came to the school most days, often sitting in the Senior Commons with Sebastian, recalling shared memories of Thad as they tried to decide between them what they should sing at the funeral. There would be hymns of course, as such things were expected in the circumstances. Trent had given them a list of Thad's favourites that he had dictated to him in his last few days…

He had also left a list of other possible songs they could sing at the funeral which would show off their vocal talents. The last entry on the list was in a different ink and a shakier hand than all the others, obviously added at the last minute; it was thus a no-brainer to sing it and the fact it was included had made Sebastian cry a few tears…

They also knew that they had to involve Thad's siblings in some way, and not just Ollie. That was going to be complicated by the fact that only Ollie had come to know his recent likes and dislikes, but they would do their best to ensure that his two sisters and eldest brother did not feel like spectators…

As they were discussing things in the Senior Commons, Trent was keeping himself busy in the housemaster's apartment, where he was packing up the vestiges of Thad's mortal existence just as he had directed in his will. He found those items that were specifically bequeathed to someone in that document and labelled them with the name of the person to whom they were intended for, before placing them to one side. He was also kept busy answering the phone, as former Warblers from across the world called to express their sorrow and ask about the funeral. He gave them all the details and wondered if the auditorium would actually be big enough to hold everyone. He also had to contact a few people specifically and pass on instructions to them from Thad, as requested in his will. These tasks from beyond the grave were not onerous, but it still felt strange to some…

By the time that Monday came, Thad was an accomplished enough flyer that Wes was happy to allow him to soar alongside him in the dawn skies above New York, the bustling metropolis getting off to another day at work. They dallied around the skyscrapers of midtown for a while, before swooping low over Murray Hill, but they purposefully avoided both the West Village and that nearby part of town that Ollie called home. When they arrived back home for breakfast, a repast of pastries and cereal, Thad knew exactly where he wanted to be that morning…

"I know that you might well have made other plans for us today, but could we possibly go to my father's hospital and sit quietly in the boardroom? I know that it might seem a trifle inappropriate for an angel, but I would like to hear for myself what Benji has to say to them," he said quietly, nervous to hear what Wes' reply was.

He had no need to be - his husband nodded and replied, "That is actually what I had planned for us this morning in any case. The only question is whether you would like to see your father, or if you would prefer to arrive after he leaves?"

"If he is there when I get there, Wessie, I am liable to want to go and stand right in front of him and call him a lot of very unangelic words, before flapping my wings directly into his face; for that reason, it would probably be best if we held off…"

"Oh, I am so disappointed that you said that, my little one. I was looking forward to using our combined wing draught to blow off his ridiculous toupee…" replied Wes, who stopped as he saw Thad's mouth drop open. "Oh, so you had no idea about his hairpiece then?"

"No, back the fact that he has one does not surprise me one iota. Of course, it could be blown off by a surprisingly strong freak gust of wind once he is on the golf course, and blown straight into a nice, deep, water hazard…"

"Noted," said Wes with such seriousness that Thad burst out laughing.

"I always thought that angels had to be so good all the time, but it would appear that there is a fair degree of latitude when all is said and done," he responded once he had stopped laughing.

"The rules state that we should conduct ourselves in a fitting way at all times, so that doesn't preclude the odd act of revenge on those that conspired to make our earthly lives miserable. I will have to tell you what I did to my dear father one of these days and how Kurt, Blaine and Finn tormented Hunter. I would suggest that your father is fair game at least once and maybe even twice, as is your mother for that matter. If your father happens to still be on the golf course when your brother finishes speaking then we could head there and ensure that his day has a really awful start when his expensive toupee is blown off and ruined when it lands in some foul, fetid water…"

Returning to the hospital in Columbus where he had spent so much time as a child was a strange experience altogether for Thad. His parents had often left him and his other siblings in the corridor of the buildings whilst they worked, more often in the medical library where the student nurses and doctors could find texts on all matters medical. He guessed now that putting them in there had been a blatant attempt to indoctrinate all five of their children into wishing to have a career in medicine; to have it all so familiar to them that it would be unthinkable for them to consider pursuing a career in any other discipline, and thus diligently follow in their footsteps…

Alas, they had never actually entered the library themselves, as had they done so they would have realised that there was a corner in which a stock of non-medical books were kept, provided by some more enlightened board of governors years before as a means to help the students relax and destress. Thad had found that corner and had found history books and classic novels that attracted the interest of their youngest child, who had no interest in the world that his parents inhabited at all…

The truth was that the world of medicine was just a little too much for the fairly sensitive young Thad Harwood, much too close for comfort. He could read about disease, death and destruction in history books, but it wasn't right there in front of him, and he was not being counted upon to fix the issues. Wes knew that the library had been a great source of comfort to Thad growing up and for that reason he took him there first; the latter was a little surprised that it was still there and still untouched, given all of the other changes his father had instituted. It was not a money generating space by any means and usually that was the kiss of death in his father's eyes. The reason for that, he surmised, might be that the library had been gifted to the hospital at its founding by a relative of the man that was now the chairman of the board, and that might have ensured its survival…

Wes watched as Thad walked round, then headed for a quiet corner; as he turned into it, a huge smile lit up his face. "It is all still here, so he still can't have been in here and discovered it. I used to get a book and place it inside one of the medical ones just in case he came in to see what I was reading," he said, before walking back round the corner and returning with a chuckle with a hefty textbook. "This is another old friend that I frequently used for my purposes – Todd S Ellenbecker's Clinical Examination of the Shoulder. 224 pages that I never read as I had a history book inside it… The fact is that a lot of the books in here are first editions and that would mean that they are worth a considerable amount of money because of their good condition. Maybe if they were all replaced by the current edition of the same text then I could suggest that Benji sold those really valuable ones with the money to go to patient care…"

Wes smiled, but then said, "I somehow don't think that he would do it, even if he knew you approved, because he would see it as selling off your happy place…"

Thad nodded, then wandered around the little section of the library again, running his finger over the old volumes of historical text that had inspired him to become a teacher of history…

It was no distance from the library to the boardroom; Wes entered first to check that Thad's father had taken his leave. The man was just heading out the door, still apologising about the fact he had to go and operate, and Wes shook his head in disapproval. Then he went back for his husband, and then they sat down together on one of the side cabinets. Thad glanced around the room he had seen a few times in his childhood, and it too was little changed, apart from one thing which made him feel angry. A portrait of his parents now hung in pride of place behind the chairman's desk, where once there had been a beautiful painting of the surgeon that had founded the hospital back in the late 1800s. He wondered where it was now… "I guess that he'd run out of descendants with a place on the board," he scoffed, then realised that he had said it out loud…

"Yes, I would agree with you on that one. I think that the painting is currently gathering dust in the hospital archives; it can be returned to its rightful place in due course when they need to remove that monstrosity…"

"If only there was some way that I could communicate that suggestion to one of the board members," sighed Thad. "They might not come to that conclusion on their own…"

"Sadly, that is true. Alas, we can also not unhook that joint portrait from the wall and said it crashing to the floor, damaged irreparably…"

"No, because that would be going too far, even as an angelic act of vengeance," replied Thad, still looking at the portrait and wondering if some accident could befall it. Then his mind moved on as he heard the sound of multiple pairs of feet marching together towards the doors of the boardroom, and he knew that his eldest brother and sister's big moment had finally arrived…