RELICS

Author:     Eggbert
E-mail:     mbejane2000@...

Disclaimer: The Bill does not belong to me, nor do the characters and
            you'd better believe there's no money being made from this
            either.

Summary:    Craig Gilmore passes the long hours in hospital by
            remembering happier times.

Rating:     NC-17. Or Unbelievably Filthy, if you prefer.
Pairing:    Craig/Sean, implied Craig/Luke.
Spoilers:   For Craig's last episode only.

A/N:        Written solely for someone who wanted to see a happy
            Gilmore, and after watching a lot of pre-Luke Craig I
            can understand why.



Through bruised eyes Craig watched Gina walk out the door of his
hospital room, leaving him alone with his thoughts.

Thoughts of Luke only made him feel even more depressed than he was
already, and the thought of his distraught parents arriving at the St
Hugh's tomorrow was even worse.

He was contemplating where his transfer might be to when he was
interrupted by the arrival of yet another doctor.

" I just need to check you over again, Mr Gilmore, " said the man
soothingly, and Craig submitted to being prodded and poked yet again,
having lights shone in his eyes and being asked ridiculous questions.

Maybe it was the man's accent, or the way he carried himself, Craig
would never be sure, but when he was finally left alone again he was
assailed by memories of the last time he was really happy. Before Luke
arrived at Sun Hill and broken his heart. Before Carl, the supposed
one-nighter who had caused him nothing but grief.

He remembered Sean and how much he had loved him.

*~*~*~*~*~*~*

Six o'clock on a dreary April morning and Craig Gilmore's first shift
at Sun Hill had come to an end. All in all it had been a very positive
experience. He had announced the fact that he was gay to the entire
relief at the end of parade and left them to deal with it, or not, in
their own way. No one could accuse him of being ashamed of what he was.

He got in the car and headed out of the car park, heading for home and
his beloved partner.

They had met by accident, Craig couldn't believe something so perfect
could just walk into his local pub and order a pint and he had spent
the remainder of the night looking at the tall, dark-haired man with
the hazel eyes, translucent skin and the slight Northern accent. He
hadn't stopped looking since. Sean moving in with him had cemented
Craig's happiness; even their differences made them a stronger couple.

 Craig couldn't wait to tell him all about the first shift, the whole
Sun Hill set-up and how some of the women had definitely given him
interested looks.

The latter had always amused him, but had exasperated Sean.

" Of course women fancy you!" Sean had yelled, the one and only time
Craig had ever mentioned it. " You're gorgeous. Even I thought you were
at least bisexual the first time I saw you. Don't complain, Craig. "

Craig had merely smiled, the outburst proving again to him how much
Sean was in love with him.

*~*~*~*~*~*~

 The one good thing about nightshift was that the Canley streets were
almost empty of traffic and he made it home in good time.

Quietly he opened the front door and stepped inside. The curtains were
still drawn in the living room and it was deathly quiet. Craig walked
into the spotless kitchen and boiled the kettle. He usually woke Sean
with a cup of coffee and they would have all of five minutes together
before Sean would have to get ready for work. Usually Craig was dead on
his feet by now, but his nervousness at starting at a new station
hadn't quite worn off. He had never felt so wide-awake in his life.

He made the coffee and walked into the bedroom. Just inside the door he
stopped and stared.

Sean was sprawled on his back, snoring lightly. A half-read book of
poems was open on Craig's side of the bed and, at some point in the
night, Sean had been feeling the heat, as the duvet was somewhere
around his knees. Sean always slept naked and last night had been no
exception. Craig realised he was making growling noises in the back of
his throat as he felt himself stirring at such a beautiful sight. He
placed the mugful of coffee on the bedside table and pulled off his
clothes, letting them fall where they would. He climbed into the bed
and wrapped his arms around his lover, pressing his mouth to Sean's
soft lips.

Sean's eyes fluttered open and Craig felt him smile into the kiss as he
returned the embrace.

" Good shift? " asked Sean drowsily as their mouths parted.

" Mmmm" replied Craig, too busy with caressing his lover's neck to
reply properly. One of the real benefits of being with someone so long
was he knew exactly how to turn Sean on.

" I'll have to get going in a minute, " mumbled Sean, making absolutely
no effort to move. He yelped as he felt Craig's hand close around his
fast-growing erection.

" Craig! " he protested feebly. " I'll be late..."

" You've got time for this, " said Craig softly, sliding down the bed,
knocking the duvet to the floor and giving Sean an unparalleled view of
exactly what was happening. Sean's protests died in his throat as he
watched Craig take him deep into his mouth and felt the velvety
softness of his lover's tongue as Craig began to suck gently, gradually
building up a rhythm, just the way Sean liked it.

Sean clutched at the bedsheets as he felt his orgasm beginning to build
and his hips shot forward as he came with an incoherent but bone-deep
cry of pleasure.

" That was the best alarm call I think I've ever had, " he said dazedly
he drew Craig up beside him.

Craig grinned, delighted with the response.

" You'd better go, " said Craig as he recaptured the duvet and snuggled
down under it. " It's getting on, "

Sean glared at him then burst out laughing.

" I really do love you, " he chuckled. " See you tonight. "

" Yeah. Bye, love. " yawned Craig.

As he heard the front door close behind Sean, Craig felt a moment of
uncharacteristic worry. Just for a second he had had the feeling of
impermanence, as if his time with Sean would be finite. That at some
time in the future Sean would leave him.

" Gilmore, you're an idiot, " he said to himself. " You're just tired.
Go to sleep. "

Contented, he drifted off.

*~*~*~*~*~*~*

The older and wiser Gilmore felt the tears stinging his battered face
but it would pull too much on his damaged ribs to wipe them away so he
let them fall.

He had spent so much time blaming Sean for his infidelity and himself
for falling in love with someone else that he hadn't had time to
remember just how good it had been with Sean.

He had tried explaining it to Luke, that the good times usually always
outweighed the bad and that was how it had been for him, but Luke
couldn't, or wouldn't understand. Faced with the grandest passion of
his life, Luke had run straight back to what he knew, the arms of a
woman.

Now Craig had nothing but time.

Time to reflect on the relics of the past and to prepare for the
future.

The End

6/8/03

====
'Out of the crooked tree of humanity no straight thing can ever be
made'  Immanuel Kant.

*~*~*~*

Out Of The Blue. Britfic. http://www.rose-tinted.net/eggbert