My Home From Home - Chapter 38: Chapter 38

A cacophony of gasps and chatter erupted in the distance as both Emily and Henry turned their attention towards the tunnels to the mine, seeing one of the men in Thomas rescue party rushing toward them, carrying a young boy in his arms.
"God in heaven, lay him down right here." Henry leapt up and directed the man to lay the boy down on the blankets so he could examine him; immediately noting the boy was bleeding from his leg.
"He's the first of five, Constable Wilson has us take him first since he's the only one who was injured physically." The young mine worker who'd rescued the child briefed Henry. "But they're all a bit dazed, some have headaches, a few of the boys vomited in the mines. We suspect it might be-"
"Gas..." Henry's heart dropped with dread as the man simply gave him a knowing nod. "I feared as much..." he sighed in disappointment before turning to Emily. "Emily, ask the mine workers for every oxygen cylinder they've got, it's absolutely vital that everyone coming from the mines get fresh oxygen. And Mary!" He called out towards the young red headed girl as he remembered that many of the townsfolk were holding candles. "Do me a favour and request the townsfolk to blow out any candles." He gave his orders as he leant down to take the boys pulse which was slower than usual but not dangerously so.
He tended to the boys as they came, one by one administering oxygen as the need arose; as time elapsed and the men spent more time exposed to the leaking gas in the mine, they too began requiring doses of pure oxygen. Henry was thankful that the boys seemed to be stable; the gas exposure wasn't enough to be fatal but it was enough to exude a physical response which wasn't something to take lightly. He'd know more later, but for now they were safe, alive, and out of what Henry knew could be a rather volatile situation...
"Alright buddy, you're up." Thomas scooped up the final of the five boys and passed him through carefully the opening in in the boulders so that the last member of his rescue team could make haste to the outside; he kept calm though as he felt boys each grow less and less responsive, though thankfully still conscious. But deep inside he knew that time was running out. Here he was battling against not only the clock, but a colourless, odourless enemy that he couldn't even identify; and something about that terrified him to his core. "Go on and get him out, I'll be right behind you."
"But Constable-" The worker protested, prompting Thomas to sternly glare at him.
"That's an order, sir. Get the child out to safety." Thomas commanded with a final order that the man grudgingly followed, leaving Thomas alone in the cave with emptiness behind him and only the distancing sound of footsteps on the gravel ahead. He took of his brown wide-brimmed Mountie hat to wipe the sweat off his brow, taking a moment to catch his breath before making his own exit from the tunnels; but he felt it noticeably harder to breathe.
He heard a small thud behind him with the slightest rattle from the birdcage he'd brought into the mines with him and hung carefully on the wall. Glancing over he felt his stomach turn, seeing the once chirping and animated canary now reduced to a lifeless heap of yellow feathers at the bottom of the cage. Thomas grabbed the cage, to examine the bird, feeling very slight glimmer of hope as he noted the canary's body moving ever so slight; a sign of life though he knew not whether it'd past the point of no return.
Thomas climbed over the rubble, ducking his head to clear the little opening; he hissed in pain as he felt one of the boulders under his boots give way, rolling his ankle and nearly falling, had it not been for his palms breaking his fall. As he tried to recover his sense of balance, he glanced around, feeling a disoriented sensation in his throbbing head as the world around him seemed to go hazy
His heart began to race as he pulled himself up to standing, and with concerted steps he managed to manoeuvre through to the other side; he wanted to lay on the ground and simply fall asleep, feeling as though his body was heavier than his legs could bear to support. He closed his eyes as he took it one step at a time through towards the end of the tunnel; wincing in pain as he grudgingly put weight on his now sprained right ankle.
He wanted to give up, he wanted to go to sleep, but he trudged step by step in hopes of seeing the light at the end of the tunnel; for with every painful step on his right ankle his mind countered it with images. Images of Danny and Alfie, whom he wanted to hold one more time; whom he wanted to raise as his little boys and teach them everything a father ought to teach his sons, watch them grow and have their own families. And in between those little flashes of his boys, he saw perhaps the most beautiful face he'd ever seen; Henry's.
Thomas' eyes welled with tears as he thought about his Harry; the way he'd blush whenever Thomas would complement him, the way Henry's body felt beneath his, the way he'd smile coyly at him, lowering his gorgeous sapphire blue eyes as he'd push the beautiful raven black hair out of his pretty face. He needed to tell him the truth; he needed to tell him how he truly felt about him, and Thomas Wilson knew he'd be damned if he left God's green earth without telling him... 'I love you'...
Henry felt wave of moment relief wash over his body, countering the cortisol that'd been coursing through his veins as he watched the fifth and final boy being rushed out of the tunnels by a sluggish rescuer; he called for two more oxygen tanks to be prepared for them, which left a singular one for Thomas. But his relief was short lived as he realised his heroic Mountie in scarlet wasn't with the man..
"Last one, D-Doctor." The man slurred, as Henry hurriedly had him lay the boy down before telling the man to lay down himself.
"And the C-Constable?" Henry furrowed his brows, trying as hard as he could to not make his fear show on the surface whilst he attached the oxygen mask to the boy's face and turned the valve to start the airflow.
"H-he's p-probably r-right behind us..." The man stammered, though that was of little to no comfort to Henry. "H-he'll b-be o-out soon..." As Henry ensured the man and the final boy rescued were both stable and out of danger, he kept glancing over towards the mine entrance hoping he'd see his valiant young Mountie emerge safe and sound back to him.
"Hey." Henry craned his neck as he felt Emily's supportive hand on his shoulder and her voice softly and comfortingly sounding into his ear with a whisper. "Don't worry, he'll be out soon. He'll be fine."
"I should hope so..." Henry whispered with an exhausted huff. "I just- I can't help this restlessness, I simply must know he's safe; I can't bare to think of a life without him..." He said thoughtlessly without any hesitation or second-thoughts, glancing up towards Emily's face to see a pleasant smile creeping over her face.
"With all due respect, Doctor." Whispered Emily with a knowing gaze. "I think you've got your answer as to whether or not you should leave."
"Oh erm... I suppose I have done, haven't I?" Henry suppressed a grin as he lowered his gaze bashfully down to the grass under his shoes. "Now I just need to tell him."
"You'll get your chance, as soon as he gets back." Emily said softly, a calm reassuring look in her beautiful green eyes as Henry felt the sense of semblance deep inside; though it was fated to be short lived...
A large explosion jolted Emily and Henry's attention towards the mine tunnel, their eyes flashing with pure, unadulterated horror as they watched a large bright burning red cloud of fire roar from the entrance to the mine, followed by a ominous bellowing cloud of black smoke that seemed to spread like the plagues of Egypt sweeping through the desert.
"Thomas! No!" Cried out Henry, and before he even realised what he was doing, he sprinted off towards the cloud of dense, charcoal ladened smoke; he didn't know what he was doing, and against his better judgement, he ran. He ran away from Mary, Emily and others who yelled for him to stop, he ran towards a bleak, black abyss of smoke within which he knew not what he'd find; but he ran with hope in his heart, a flame of hope he nearly felt die like a candle on its last bit of wick.
"Thomas!" Henry called out, running helter-skelter through the smoke, the tears running down his cheeks as the panic began to set in; running a hand through his hair and tugging at his fine dark locks as his horror stricken blue eyes darted about the dark grey abyss around him. "Tom..." Henry whimpered softly, sinking down to his knees as he began to sob; feeling the hope exit his body, leaving him feeling alone and empty.
He cried out heart-wrenchingly, feeling every ounce of hope and joy stripped from his body as though leeched out by the soot-filled smoke that surrounded him. He wanted Thomas, but he knew in his soul that if Thomas was in the tunnels whilst the explosion had occurred, there wasn't a chance of his survival.
"I didn't even get a chance to say goodbye..." Henry sobbed into the void, his tears washing away streams of the coal ash that coated his alabaster cheek. "I didn't even get to say 'I love you'." But just as he felt himself lose the last iota of hope and happiness left in his body, he glanced up and through the dense dark smoke he saw something that caught his attention. Red.
He squinted his eyes to see through the cloud of grey bleakness before him and through it he saw in the slight thinning of the fog; an outline of a scarlet coloured uniform in the distance, laying motionlessly on the harsh gravel.
"Thomas!" Henry gasped as the adrenaline coursed through his veins, propelling his body forward to run over towards the man; he knew not whether his Mountie was alive, but in that moment he had the slightest glimmer of hope, like a ray of sunshine through dark storm clouds. As he approached Thomas' motionless body he noticed him laying prone in the gravel, the back of his scarlet tunic singed lightly by since-extinguished flames.
"Tom..." Henry collapsed down to his knees, before Thomas' seemingly lifeless body, hyperventilating as his hands trembled like an autumn leaf ready to fall from the tree. He shook Thomas vigorously, but to no avail; there was no reaction from the young blond. "Thomas!" Henry screamed in vain, hastily flipping Thomas onto his back feeling the panic set over him. "Please, look at me." Henry pleaded hopelessly, lightly slapping Thomas' face though it was no use. "Please just wake up, Please! Please don't leave me!" He sobbed uncontrollably."
Henry closed his eyes for a second and rubbing his hands over his face to collect his thoughts. He needed to think clearly and medically, but in that moment he found so many confounding emotions muddling his thoughts that it was nearly impossible to do so; he just wanted Thomas back with him, he wanted to tell him how much he loves him and he couldn't lose him before he did. Henry fluttered his eyelids open and glanced down, calmly letting out a cleansing exhale before placing two fingers over Thomas' carotid artery to feel for a pulse.
He gasped, eyes brightening and a slight hopeful smile tugging at the corners of his trembling lips as he felt a pulse; it was faster than normal, likely a result of the trauma, but it was there and to Henry that was all that gave him the slightest glimmer of in the bleakest of darkness. Henry hastily ripped off his own shirt and covered Thomas' mouth with the thinnest piece of cotton to try and filter out the harmful coal ash around them, pulling the hem of his own under-shirt to cover up over his nose; struggling to flip Thomas prone and manoeuvre himself under him, pushing with all his leg strength to get Thomas off the ground to could carry him.
Henry huffed and puffed as he shakily strained to lift Thomas who, granted, was taller and more muscular than he was; it was oddly easy compared to what he'd anticipated, leaving Henry with the only possible notion, the adrenaline in his veins was kicking in. He trudged along, taking it step by step, refusing to let the exhaustion nor his bodily limitations hinder his abilities. Screaming for help into the smoky void, he felt the cloud lift ever so slightly, as though he was reaching the end though he couldn't quite make out what lay ahead; he only prayed he was going in the right direction.
His screamed for help until he'd gone quite hoarse, feeling exhaustion setting into his body as he carried Thomas with every ounce of will power he had left in him; and just as he felt himself slowly losing his own battle against the smoke he felt it thinning out, the cloud of soot and coal ash dissipating gently to reveal the silhouettes of a few men hastily running towards them. Help had arrived.
Two of the mine workers rushed to aid Henry, helping to take Thomas off of Henry's back and carry him to safety. As Henry's muddled, cloudy mind began to clear he noticed practically everyone was still their with concerned looks on their face as they watched their town's beloved Mountie's life seemingly hang in the balance; Henry couldn't help but find it heartwarming that they cared enough to stay, despite an explosion having occurred.
"Lay him out in the grass and someone fetch me an oxygen tank for him, quickly!" Instructed Henry as he tried hard to keep his reactions as professional and as muted as he could; careful not to raise any suspicion about him and Thomas, though he knew it was more than plausible from the way he ran into that smoke without a second thought. In that moment he didn't care about anyone, other than Thomas; his Thomas.
He checked him as thoroughly as he could, going back to see that most of the others who had come out of the mines were now stable and alright; though he'd need to monitor them regularly for any damage due to the fumes. He instructed the families to take them home and watch over them like hawks, urging them to send for him immediately should anything seem awry.
The same two mine workers helped carry Thomas in a muslin stretcher once Henry felt he was stable enough to be transported; leaving him in his own bedroom where Henry could easily watch over him for the night. He remained unconscious for most of the night leaving Henry sleeplessly staring at his beloved, hoping every moment that he'd open those warm brown eyes and look at him adoringly like he always had done. Henry hated himself for taking those cherished moments for granted; allowing them to slip past without truly relishing in them, allowing Thomas to exist every moment thinking he didn't love him, allowing for Thomas to think he'd be able to live a fulfilling life away from him.
"Dear Lord" Henry said softly, kneeling boy Thomas' bedside as he held the yet unconscious Thomas' hand in his own; he'd checked every inch of Thomas' skin to miraculously find no deep burns barring a few surface level singes. It seemed as though his uniform took the brunt of the inferno's burning rage, and for that Henry couldn't be more thankful; Thomas was safe on the outside, but his body appeared to be in shock internally from explosion's impact. "One is quite aware that You approve not of the sort of sexual deviance one partakes in. Though, one can't help but feel You wouldn't make one of your own children in an image of something you condemn and detest. It is with that in mind, I ask merely one thing of You, O Heavenly Father. Please bring Thomas back to me, safe and sound. If not for me, for those two poor boys who sleep soundly in the nursery, knowing not of their father's life which hangs in the balance between this world and the next. I ask you to save him, Lord. Save him so that I may be able to tell him how I feel, for I know not if I shall be able to live knowing I hadn't done. I know not if I shall be able to survive without him. Of this, I pray. In Jesus' name, Amen."
Henry pressed his Thomas hand onto his forehead before kissing it lovingly; a single tear dripping down his already tear-stained cheek, falling onto Thomas' sun-kissed hand which juxtaposed starkly from Henry's alabaster fair hands. He allowed himself to simply relish in Thomas' touch, for he knew not what the future held; he knew not of any potential internal damage that he might've incurred during the explosion. He'd checked his pupils for cerebral response which seemed normal, yet he didn't know of there was any other neurological damage from the harmful gasses in the mine.. He knew not if he was ever fated to feel Thomas' touch ever again... That is, until he felt a gentle squeeze of his hand.
Henry gasped, his eyelids shooting open as he felt Thomas give his hand a squeeze; it was weaker than the usual strong, supportive squeezes Thomas gave, but perhaps it was just enough to give Henry a feeling that his prayers were answered. He glanced up at Thomas, a sensation of relief washing over his body as he watched Thomas slowly blink his eyes open, a slight smile perking up the corners of his handsome mouth.
"Tom!" Exclaimed Henry as a barrage of tears cascaded down his cheek; though contrary to the tears he'd shed earlier, these were tears of hope, not despair. Without even thinking,, he threw himself at the handsome young officer in the bed and hugged him tightly, suddenly letting go as he heard Thomas let out a pained hiss. "Sorry." Henry muttered as he leapt off of Thomas, his eyes concerned though the smile on his face impossible to conceal.
"Come here, you." Thomas chuckled cheekily, pulling Henry back in for a hug and snuggling him sigh against his body.
"Are you alright?" Henry settled in next to Thomas, laying on his side and gazing lovingly at the man as he laid on his back with his arm curled around Henry. "Any pain, discomfort I should know about."
"Well, I am a bit sore..." Thomas cracked a smirk.
"I should assume so, you were in an explosion, after all." Henry said matter of factly.
"Really? You don't say." Thomas let out a hearty chuckle that ended in him grimacing and holding his abdomen in clear discomfort.
"Is something the matter!? Is it like a sharp shooting pain, or more dull?" Henry's sapphire eyes flashed with concern, lifting the covers to check the bruising on Thomas' torso he'd incurred from the fall.
"Harry, Harry. Look at a me." Thomas turned onto his side, grimacing as he hit a few sore spots whilst he manoeuvred his body. "I'm fine. I'm tougher than I look." He joked reaching over to caress Henry's cheek with his lightly scoffed up hand. "This isn't my first explosion, as we both know" He joked, earning him a playful eye-roll form Henry.
"You gave me quite a fright back there." Henry's eyes washed over with pain as he reminisced on the trauma he'd experienced that day. "I reckoned I'd lost you..."
"I had just cleared the entrance to the mines when the explosion occurred." Explained Thomas. "I guess I was thrown by the impact more than I was burnt by the flames."
"Your uniform would beg to differ." Henry muttered in jest.
"Remind me to call in a request for a new uniform from the RCMP." Thomas chuckled at that, prompting an awkward and prolonged silence to ensue between them; each man knowing they needed to say something to one another, but needing the little boost of courage to do so.
"There's something I wanted to say." Thomas and Henry both said simultaneously, stopping mid thought to let the other speak.
"You first." Said Henry cordially.
"No, you. I insist." Thomas gave him a polite nod.
"N-" Henry started, huffing anxiously feeling a flutter deep within his stomach.
"I love you." They both said in unison, their faces illumining as the other's words crossed their ears; the words they longed to say almost as much as they'd longed to hear it from the other's lips.
"I love you so much, Harry. I-I fell in love with you in that battlefield tent-hospital and I told myself I was bonkers for it." Thomas unloaded all his thoughts, an ecstatic grin beaming over his perfectly manly face. "When fate brought you back into my life, I fell in deeper and deeper in love with you to the point where I felt pain holding the words back; I've known for so long that I love you but I've been so afraid to say it because I didn't know if you felt the same way, and y-you always talked about going home and how much you miss England I-I suppose I was afraid to tell you how I felt if you ended up leaving." Thomas' voice cracked as he gently cupped Henry's face, thumbing his cheek lovingly as he prepared to do what he thought fit in that moment. "And that is why I want you to go home."
"W-what?" Henry furrowed his brows in shock.
"I love you so much, Harry." Thomas explained softly, his eyes pained yet the smile forced as though hoping to convince Henry he'd be alright without him. "And that is why I want you to go... Because I know you'll be happier with your family, and with people like you. And when you're happy, I'm happy." Thomas chuckled to hide the pain he felt within. "I know it sounds mad, but I suppose that's love. The desire from the bottom of one's heart to see the person they love and hold dearer than even themselves to be truly, and wholeheartedly happy. The desire to see them happy even if it means sacrificing your own happiness; even if it means having to lose them and see them leave, knowing in your heart that they'll be happiest wherever life will take them... So I want you to go home, Harry. Go back to where you'll be happiest, and even though I don't know if I'll be able to survive a minute without remembering you, I'll always have the memories, I'll always have the love for you that burns within me; I'll always know that you're happy where you are and that alone will keep me going."
"Tom, I... I don't know what to say..." Henry stammered, trying to make head or tail of what was going on. "I'm not going back to England."
"I-I don't understand?" Thomas narrowed his honey brown gaze in utter confusion. "Y-you said you wanted to go home?"
"I didn't realise what home was..." Smiled henry softly. "I love you, Tom. I love you so much that I was absolutely gutted at the thought that I might not be able to tell you. The thought that I could've lost you without you knowing how much I love you made me physically sick." Henry's lip trembled as his breath hitched in the back of his throat, yet he cracked on with it; he needed to say this to Thomas. He needed him to know how he truly felt. "I never knew two men could love one another. I'd never felt love, and society only ever labels what we are as being a 'sexual deviation' with no mention of love. Deep in my soul I knew I loved you, but I was afraid to say it. Afraid I'd say it and I'd lose you; afraid we'd be separated by this cruel world that is hell bent against our love. Afraid I was living a fantasy, a dream that I'd be woken up from by the bone-chilling morning air. But now I know I was terribly naive; sometimes love isn't about pragmatism; it's about letting your soul, body, and mind be dedicated to someone without whom you can't imagine living a day, a minute, a second of your life... and Thomas Wilson, I can't imagine living a life without you."
"Y-you're staying..." A smile crept over Thomas' lips, watching as Henry nodded enthusiastically at him; not even wasting a second, he crashed his lips onto Henry's to kiss him passionately on his lightly parted lips. His arms tightly snaking around Henry's slight build as though the raven haired boy would disappear should he let him slip away. They shared a kiss that was different from any they'd shared before; for with this kiss they knew exactly where they stood. They stood with each other, yet against the world; and they'd have it no other way.
"Harry, I-" Thomas broke off the kiss abruptly, their lips temptingly close to one another yet painfully far as he gazed deeply into Henry's sapphire blue eyes. "There's something else you need to know..."
"Whatever's the matter?" Henry narrowed his gaze wearily, scanning the handsome blond's perfectly chiselled face with it's light cuts and scoffing from the explosion.
"Well... I... received a letter this afternoon... As I suppose you know." Thomas started nervously. "My grandfather wrote me, saying he has officially recognised my parents' marriage and as the child of his eldest sone, he wishes to name me as his sole heir...He wanted my permission before he finalises making me the sole heir to his title as Duke of Bedford."
"God in heaven..." Henry gasped, utterly dumbfounded as his eyes widened in surprise. "I can't say I didn't expect this but it's still jolly surprising. Whatever shall you do?!"
"I was going to tell him to sod off, not exactly in those words obviously." Thomas joked as Henry pursed his lips to keep from laughing; He imagined Thomas' very stern and strict grandfather whom Henry grew up close to hearing his grandson telling him to sod off. "But I want to give Danny and Alfie the best life they can have... They deserve to know where they came from. Just because I was deprived of a privileged childhood, doesn't mean they should be. But ultimately... I wanted to ask you for your permission."
"Me?! Heavens, why?!" Henry cocked an eyebrow at Thomas in genuine confusion.
"You might think I'm foolish for being so hopeful." Thomas chuckled at his own expense. "And I know quite well that the world is stacked against us. I don't know what the future holds from us, Harry, but if I have any say in it, I know one thing for absolutely certain; I want you. I want to fall asleep with you in my arms, your skin against my skin; and wake up with your soft hair pressed against my face, your breath tickling my chest. I know it might sound terribly radical, but I want a family with you, I want to live with you, grow old with you; I don't care if we have to lie to the world and say we're brothers, or cousins, close friends, just so we can live in the same house together. I want the boys to have two fathers in their life; me and you. They can call me Dad, and you Papa. I want you, whether the world and society want it or not... That's why I want to make every decision with you."
"Oh Thomas..." Henry's stammered, feeling the emotions in Thomas' monologue give him a warm, fuzzy sensation deep within him. "No matter what you do, or where you go. I'd love nothing more than to be right there with you... For as long as I shall draw breath..." Henry wrapped his arms around Thomas and buried his face in his strong chest; all the while Thomas wrapped his arms around Henry's body, further intertwining their bodies as one.
For in that moment these two lovers knew that the path ahead of them wouldn't be easy; they'd have secrets to keep, lies to tell just to exist as they are, difficulties that they'll need to face and adversity they'd be forced to overcome. But they were prepared, for they had each other and they had the love that they'd kindled between them. Lord Henry Aldringham left his homeland only months prior in search of a home from home which he found not in a physical house built of brick and mortar. But in the arms of his dashing, heroic, beloved Mountie he found more than just his home from home... He found home.