Hey everyone. This is my first story that I have ever put up here so be easy with the reviews please. I hope it is not too bad and that you enjoy it. I'm sure there is lots of room for improvement though. Any reviews is greatly appreciated! :) I'm sure I should put up some kind of disclaimer so I do not a own any of the characters etc.

Life After Death

"I can't believe he's gone." It's the first four words that had been uttered since laying the flowers at his grave. Leo's grave. She is hoping she will just wake up and it's been a horrific nightmare. In reality though she knows it isn't.

"He was the closest thing to a Father I ever had you know." She had never really considered this until after the happenings in Afghanistan. She just wished that maybe she could have talked him out of going.

"You know you were right to try and talk him out of going." It had just started to rain. It was getting later in the day, the birds chirping in the trees.

Jack stood at the foot of the grave, not really knowing what to say or do. They had been standing there for what seemed like hours. "He's stubborn. Once he had his mind set on something there was no going back." Jack stated. He had not known Leo for long but the time he had known him had only made this trait more obvious. "That's Leo though, had to go looking for the truth, justice and closure for the family."

"Justice? What justice is there in this? He never done anything to deserve this! He was a good man!" Nikki snapped trying to hold it together. She inwardly cringed at her last statement. Jack took a few steps forward, sheltering her from the rain with a black umbrella. In reality Nikki hadn't even noticed the rain. "What am I going to do without him?" Looking down at the freshly modified grave stone she doesn't truly believe what she sees. She remembers the last time Leo nearly died. They had switched off the ventilator that was keeping him alive. That day she realised that he was an important part of her life. It had seemed like forever until he took a shuddering breath. She remembers how she had gasped when this had happened. A breath she hadn't realised she had been holding. She had Harry for support then. Now she felt alone. Harry's in America and had been delayed getting to the funeral because of flight delays. The sooner he would arrive the sooner he would leave and Nikki can't help but feel resentment because she knows he doesn't really belong here either anymore. He has his new life now.

Jack says nothing. He simply puts his arm around her shoulders. It wasn't until now he realised that she was shivering. "Come on Nikki, we should get inside. You can't stay out here in this weather." His soft accent breaking the silence.

Nikki just shook her head, trying to stop the tears that were threatening to fall again but she didn't succeed "He was all I had left in my life." In that split second all her resolve left her and she fell to the grave side. Jack instantly knelt down beside her and pulled her into a hug just as the tears started to fall. He wished he could find the right words to say but nothing he thought he could say would ever be right. He sat there with her for what seemed like an eternity wishing he could ease the pain someway.

"He wouldn't want to see you like this you know. Come on lets get you home and warmed up. Maybe get a pizza in? I still owe you, you know." She just simply nods and allows him to help her up off the wet grass. Deep down she just hopes that it will get easier and she knows that baby steps is the only way back to some sense of reality but does she want reality without Leo? She can't even begin to think about ever stepping foot in the Lyle Centre again. He has taught her so much and she can't help but hope that it is right what she said earlier. That she isn't truly without him for that is apparently what life after death means.