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The last of the smoke from the lighthouse curled into the sky like a beacon for their suffering. A glimmer of light shot through the clouds as the sun rose on the aftermath of something truly horrible - something none of them had anticipated.
Flop watched it dissipate into the sky as a heavy weight settled into his chest.
Patting him gently on the shoulder as they drifted away one by one, the others slowly settled into each other. Hands to hold, shoulders to cry on.
Flop stood alone.
Who did he have to lean into? His husband was a lost cause. Ziggy would rather believe he was fucking his sister than offer emotional support. He knew he was fighting his own demons but god damnit would it kill him to try to understand just this once? Only the formalities of paperwork remained when it came to their divorce.
Norman was right too, he wasn't sure if even his dads wouldn't come looking for their son. One of them barely remembered his existence. The other he was certain wished he'd never adopted him in the first place.
His colleagues tolerated him at best. Even when he was giving it his all, he just couldn't seem to be the great detective everyone wanted him to be.
Doubt swirled with grief and a storm was brewing within him. Flop knew what needed to be done.
The thought that he was the only one here that wouldn't be missed had rooted itself deep in his brain. Certainly not as much as Cleo who had sacrificed herself for their sins.
Flop pulled out his phone. He searched Cleo's name in his texts and her final message to him cemented his decision.
"WHY DO YOU HATE ME"
With shaking hands, he tapped out a reply.
"Hey, I didn't say this enough, and honestly it's one of my biggest regrets - however, I love you. Thank you."
"I hope you can forgive me for what I'm about to do."
But his feet remained planted to the cliff. Was the old man even still reachable? If he went over to that lighthouse and called for death would he appear?
Something in the general air of uneasiness that still hung over his family told Flop he would. The flowers had started to grow, the waves had calmed and the crows rested easy as a murder in the treetops.
But killing death could never be that easy. He knew if he asked, a deal could still be made.
Not one to save his marriage. Not one to save his dads. One to bring her back from the eternal emptiness of purgatory.
Steeling himself to his fate, Flop started down the stairs towards the dock.