A/N: Just letting you know that if you haven't seen yet, I REPLACED the author's note in the last chapter with the actual chapter I wrote out and if you haven't read that yet, you need to read it before this one!
Also, the funeral does take place in this chapter, and it is influenced by my religious beliefs. I hope that doesn't take away from the content of the scene. (I strongly recommend listening to Avril Lavigne's Slipped Away when you get to the funeral scene, so that you can get into the right frame of mind with which to read it.)
As Naminé was spending time visiting with her child, Hayner was told he was being discharged, but because of the circumstances surrounding his stay overnight, he was being released into police custody instead of his mother's. If everything that had happened hadn't felt real before, it sure as hell did now. Hayner grew withdrawn as the doctor explained that situation. His mother was called, since Hayner was still a minor, but she didn't come to stay with him as he waited for the police to show up. Olette still wasn't talking to him either. He felt completely alone, and his self-loathing increased.
Security personnel stayed stationed outside of his room with the door closed to make sure he didn't try to leave. He couldn't even if he wanted to; not with how guilty he felt. He knew he screwed up big time, and despite trying to get out of taking responsibility for his actions in the past, Hayner knew he couldn't run from this. He knew he'd be headed to jail today, possibly going before a judge and having his bail set as well.
There was a quick rapping at the door, before Hayner's doctor led the police into the room, letting them know that he'd have to come back to the hospital if he started exhibiting any signs of brain trauma. The doctor listed those off, but Hayner wasn't really paying attention. As soon as he saw the doctor leave the room, he stood.
"Hayner Leif, you are under arrest for the death of Ventus Strife. Put your hands behind your back." Everything in Hayner's body became numb. He knew exactly who Ventus was… Once upon a time, Hayner had been best friends with Ventus' older brother Roxas. But the two drifted apart when high school started because of different interests. But now… Of all people to hit – to kill – it had been someone he was once friends with? Hayner felt like the wind had been knocked out of him.
Struggling to even stand upright, he somehow managed to say, "May I please go to see my friend Pence before you take me? Please? I have to apologize to him…" The dirty-blonde's eyes filled with tears as he spoke, his voice quivering. He looked down at the floor, the tears dripping onto the white tile at his feet. The officers standing there, who were ready to handcuff him, looked at him briefly, and then at each other. They could tell Hayner was feeling genuinely remorseful and decided that letting him see his friend one last time wouldn't hurt.
"We'll take you to see him. You won't be able to stay very long because we have to get you to the jail soon, but five minutes won't make a huge difference. We'll escort you there and when you're ready to leave, we'll have to handcuff you. You understand, right?" Hayner nodded, at least grateful for the opportunity to apologize to Pence and say his farewell; he was certain that he would never see Pence again unless the brunette chose to visit him in prison. He highly doubted that would happen.
The two officers each had a hand on Hayner's arms, making sure he wouldn't run – though it was mostly for show. They took him to the desk located just outside his room and asked where Pence was being kept. They explained the situation to the nurses, and the nurses said he was in the ICU, room 417. The officers said a quick thanks and led Hayner to the elevator, to go to the fourth floor where the ICU was located.
They boarded and rode up two floors, and exited the elevator. Signs pointing to the left showed that rooms 400 through 430 would be that way, and they weaved their way through the various hallways until they reached Pence's room. They stepped through the glass doorway, staying in the room with Hayner should he try to do something. Again, it was for show.
Hayner stood there when the officers let his arms go, not at all sure what to do. He'd had no idea that his friend was still unconscious. Pence was hooked up to a ventilator, a heart rate monitor, a catheter, and had an IV for fluids. He had thick, white bandages wrapped around his head from where Hayner remembered seeing blood on the brunette's temple.
"Oh God, Pence… I'm so sorry!" Hayner sobbed at his comatose friend. He walked over to the chubby brunette, only to fall to his knees beside the bed. He grasped Pence's hand in his own. Hayner struggled to speak around the knot forming in his throat, "I know I don't deserve it, Pence, but I'm asking for your forgiveness… I never meant for this to happen; I'm sorry…" He trailed off, tears streaming continuously down his cheeks. He kept muttering 'I'm sorry,' chanting it over and over again. He had no idea if Pence could even hear him.
"I hope you wake up soon, Pence… Someone has to look out for Olette for me, and I… I know you two will be okay if you're the one to do that, but please, wake up… I couldn't live knowing I ended two lives because of my actions… So please, buddy. Wake up for me…" The dirty blonde's voice broke as he got to his feet, and leaned over the unconscious brunette, giving him a brief hug for what seemed like the last time. His tears stained the pillowcase behind Pence's head as he cried for his friend.
The officers watched with heavy hearts as the scene played out before them. One of them cleared his throat, gently letting Hayner know it was time to leave. As Hayner stood to full height again, he said one last time, "I'm so sorry for everything Pence. I'm sorry…."
The officer who cleared his throat came over, putting a hand on Hayner's shoulder to pull him away from the bed. Before they left the room, they handcuffed Hayner, escorting him back the way they came, down to the first floor's emergency bay and putting him in the backseat of their squad car, buckling him in for the ride. Hayner openly wept the entire way to the jail, doing nothing to stop his mourning tears. As he was brought into the building, he couldn't help but think that the sun shining brightly above him in the too blue sky didn't belong there today, and the doors slammed shut behind him.
~o~
For Axel, time couldn't pass by fast enough. He was itching to leave school ever since his mom had sent him the text that Roxas wanted to see him. But it was only a quarter to noon! He still had almost four hours. He was hoping his classes after lunch would fly by like they tended to do, so he could get the hell out of this building and go see his best friend. All he was waiting for now was the–
BEEEEEEEEEEEEEEP
–bell. Why did they even call it a bell anymore? It sounded like an alarm clock more than a bell.
The random thoughts continued to plague Axel's mind as he moved almost mechanically down the hallway to the cafeteria for first lunch. And after lunch would be anatomy; they were late enough in the semester to start their dissection unit, and this was the day that the cats would be chosen by the various groups in the class, to start dissecting within the next couple days.
Axel had been paired with Roxas and their mutual friend from middle school, Demyx. The sandy-blonde was waiting for Axel at the doors leading to the cafeteria where they would trudge through the line together and stuff their faces with about ten minutes till class started. The line's length didn't allow for any more time.
While standing in line, Demyx finally spoke up when he realized Roxas wasn't with Axel and hadn't shown up yet.
"Hey, where's Roxas at? Normally you guys come to lunch together," he said, confusion lacing his voice. Axel felt a pang in his chest and realized he missed his best friend, despite the fact that he'd be seeing him later that day.
"There was an accident last night, Dem. After Roxas left my house with Ven and Naminé. They were on their way to meet their parents for dinner when it happened."
"Oh no! Is Roxas okay? Are Ven and Nami okay?" Concern flooded Demyx's aquamarine eyes as he tried to wrap his head around the idea that something like that had happened.
"Roxas and Naminé are in the hospital – Naminé had her baby, by the way – but… Ven, he… He's dead, Dem. I don't know how or what happened, but he's gone."
Demyx didn't know what to think at this point. He knew the Strife family pretty well, even though his parents weren't friends with the family. Ventus had been like his and Axel's little brother as well, with the way he'd looked up to them. Demyx didn't ask any more questions, though he desperately wanted to find out the details.
A somber atmosphere settled over the two as they grabbed whatever kind of food was left. They sat down and quickly and silently ate so that they would be on time to class. Axel had one tardy slot left on his student pass, and if he used that last slot, it would mean a detention for the redhead. He didn't need that on top of everything. And who knows if his mom would have taken him to see Roxas if she learned he'd gotten a detention in the first place. He didn't think she'd be that cruel, because the point of his visit was for Roxas, not for him.
As they shoved the last few bites of food in their mouths, the bell rang, letting the students know that first lunch was over and to get to class before the students eating in second lunch crowded the halls. The duo dumped their trays in the trash, setting the plastic on the back of the trashcan for the staff to take care of while they speed-walked to class. Right as they slipped in the doorway of the anatomy classroom, the throngs of other students passed by like a herd. Axel and Demyx would have surely been trampled.
The teacher arrived back in the classroom shortly after the remainder of his students did, with a steaming mug of coffee. He set the mug down, announcing to the class that as they filed into the lab next door, that they would need to grab a dissection packet off of his desk at the front, next to the door leading to the lab. They'd already been over safety precautions and what to do if someone felt sick as a result of dissection.
After they filed through to the lab, the teacher announced that there was a small guide about the dissection in the top drawer of the lab table. That would help them to answer the questions in their packets, as well as follow the dissection without much demonstration. He then had all the groups pick a number between one and ten to see who got first pick of the cats.
Various students called out their numbers, and Demyx ended up being closest with number 4, so he and Axel were allowed first dibs. The teacher wasn't oblivious to the friendship they had with Roxas, and had been informed that morning of the accident, so while they were picking the cat, he whispered to them, "I'm sorry to hear about your friend."
They were taken aback, but nodded solemnly. They didn't want to say anything out loud so that the whole class knew. If staff decided to inform the students what happened, it was their call. Axel and Demyx picked a cat at random and took it and a box of tools back to the lab table where the dissection tray lined with blue foam awaited. They didn't start doing anything until the teacher let all the groups come up and pick their cats.
"Okay, you all have your tools, you all have your cats. If you want gloves, there's some in the top drawer closest to the aisle at each of your stations. Keep in mind, we are only getting started today, and I don't expect you to move fast. I want you to take your time to learn and absorb the information. With that said, you will be skinning your cats today, and if you finish that before class lets out, you can start working on exploring the facial muscles and such. I would prefer you not to work on the packets until after we've had a couple of days to explore, but as I explained earlier in the week, if you start feeling nauseous, you're more than welcome to take the guide and the packet back into the classroom. Go ahead; get started." With that, the teacher sat at the desk at the front of the lab, anxiously awaiting when the questions would start.
Axel and Demyx removed their cat from the bag it was in and set it in the metal tray. Neither was particularly squeamish and they opted not to wear gloves (at least not today). They opened the guide and read the instructions on how to go about skinning the cat, being that neither of them had ever skinned an animal. The instructions were minimal, just advising not to cut too deeply with the scalpel. Axel figured Demyx would have steadier hands since he played his guitar so often, and thus left the skinning up to him.
They progressed very slowly, wanting to get the skin off in large pieces rather than small ones. But as they worked, they found fur getting all over their hands, since Axel had to keep holding parts of the cat for Demyx – namely the legs and tail since they'd been stuck in such odd positions when the cat was preserved. They regretted not wearing gloves. Finally, as the end of class was approaching, they removed the last bit of skin from the hind end of the cat, not at all sure what to do with it. Thankfully, the teacher spoke up at that moment.
"Alright class, we have about ten minutes until class is over, and I want you to start cleaning up. I have Ziploc bags up here for you to store your cats in since the bags they came in aren't resealable. I have sharpies as well for you to write your names on the bag, as well as the class period. You will be keeping your cats in the lab table along with my other anatomy class, so it is imperative that you have your names on the bag. Any questions?"
"What do we do with the skin we just took off?" Someone asked from the back of the lab.
"Make sure you keep it in the bag with your cat. When we actually open them up, you can use the skin to keep all the organs from falling out inside the bag.
"Any other questions?" The class remained silent this time. "Okay, just wash your hands before you use my sharpies. When the tools have been properly rinsed, I want those returned to the front table here where you can get some spray and paper towels for your stations."
The sinks at the lab tables were all put to use as each student went about washing their hands of the fur and smell of formaldehyde. Axel opted to get the bag and write his and Demyx's name on it. They both doubted Roxas would be back in class in time to join the dissection, but even so, they could always add his name to it if he did get back. As the redhead joined Demyx back at their station, they situated the cat and its furry skin inside the bag, zipping it shut. They set to work rinsing out the tray as best as they could, leaving it for the next group after spraying it and their table with the cleaning agent and wiping them both down thoroughly.
The rest of the students finished up roughly the same time as Axel and Demyx and the teacher went around inspecting each of the stations to make sure they were clean enough. When he seemed satisfied, he released the students to the classroom to gather their backpacks just as the bell rang to release them to their sixth period class.
Demyx left to exchange some books at his locker, with a quick, "Keep me updated," to Axel. The redhead went to his own locker to drop off his bag and then headed to the library for his "class" in there. Mostly, he was straightening books on the shelves and re-shelving the books that had been returned. The librarians said that it hadn't been particularly busy in the library today though, and that he didn't have much work to do. And it wasn't like he would be tested over anything. After he finished what little work there was to do, he asked his teacher if he could leave early, since his last class period was a study hall. She thought it over, and decided that Axel could leave since there wasn't anything else for him to do. She wrote a pass for him and he nearly ran to his locker to retrieve his phone and bag so that he could call Yuffie to pick him up.
The conversation was short, and Yuffie promised she was already on the way since she knew upper level students were free to leave during study periods if they were at the end of the day. Axel wasn't waiting long after hanging up the phone with her, and when her car pulled into the lot, he barely let her stop before he was already climbing in, throwing his bag into the backseat.
The black haired woman took off when Axel buckled his seat belt, knowing he was anxious to see his best friend. Almost immediately Axel's right leg began bouncing up and down – one of his nervous ticks. Yuffie took it as a sign of his anxiousness, however, more than a sign of nervousness.
"Axel, I know you're probably stressed about this, whether you realize it or not, but I have to let you know that Roxas… he feels terrible. He thinks on some level that it's his fault that Ven died, and he's suffering from a condition called survivor's guilt. I talked with Naminé about it after she went to go see her baby, and of course, after I finally convinced Tifa to try to sleep after having been up all night. Anyway… I just wanted you to know that he needs his best friend, but don't sympathize. Empathize. He won't want you feeling sorry for him, he'll want you to understand how he feels. I know that might be a little difficult for you though… I mean, you and Reno have never had to face that kind of situation before…" Yuffie trailed off. Axel didn't bother to reply, just shaking his leg.
The drive to the hospital seemed to take years but in reality was only about fifteen minutes because there was no school traffic to deal with yet. As Yuffie drove through the parking lot trying to find a place to park her car, it was all she could do to keep Axel from diving out of the car and running inside. She found a spot relatively close to the doors and parked, locking the vehicle with her keychain remote and managing to grasp the back of Axel's shirt before he took off sprinting ahead without her.
"Axel, sweetie. I know you're in a hurry to see Roxas, but I promise he's not going anywhere for right now. And need I remind you that I'm the one who knows where his room is?" Yuffie lightly scolded her redheaded son and released his shirt when his shoulders sagged a bit. He knew she was right. They proceeded without any further hindrance, and Yuffie had to stop them outside of the room to advise her son once more.
"I want to remind you, Axel, that Roxas' spine was injured severely and he can't move a whole lot on his bed, okay? And remember that he's in pain, so while you can hug him, don't do it too tightly."
"Okay, mom. Thank you for bringing me to see him," the redhead said, wrapping his arms around the shorter woman. The affection startled her briefly, though she returned the gesture a moment later. Axel released her and squared his shoulders to prepare for whatever he was about to see. His heart was beating rapidly in his chest, feeling as though it might burst if it didn't calm soon. He hadn't realized he was so nervous to see his best friend. He steeled himself though, and stepped calmly into the dimly lit room.
Axel couldn't help the gasp that came out of his mouth when he saw Roxas on the bed and tubes and wires seeming to be attached to the blonde everywhere. He looked so small in that moment, with his eyes shut. He looked like his face was screwed up in pain because he had his eyes shut so tight. Axel moved slowly over to the bed, and as he got closer, he saw that tears were leaking out of Roxas' eyes, despite being closed.
He reached a hand out to rest on the blonde's shoulder as he quietly said, "Roxas?"
Roxas jolted as the redhead's voice broke him out of the nightmare he'd been sucked into as he dozed off. It seemed to take him a minute to remember that he was in the hospital and not dying behind the wheel of Naminé's car. But the thought of dying reminded him of Ven and the blonde couldn't help the fresh tears that fell as he continued to feel the waves of guilt over his brother's death.
"Axel…" Roxas reached out for the redhead, cringing when his back protested, but not caring as Axel cradled the blonde boy against himself. Axel didn't know what he could say – certainly not that everything would be okay, because it didn't really seem like it would be. So he held his best friend, not caring that his shirt was getting soaked from the tears. He desperately wanted to ask what happened in detail, but he knew it'd be wrong to ask Roxas right now.
As Roxas calmed down enough to speak, his words startled Axel.
"Axel… I shouldn't be here," he said, voice still quivering.
"What do you mean?" The redhead was confused as to what the blonde meant.
"I mean I shouldn't still be alive… Ven should. He shouldn't have died in the crash Axel… I wish it had been me instead!"
The words angered Axel to a certain degree, but he remembered what his mom had told him about the survivor's guilt that Roxas was suffering from, and clearly, the guilt had reared its ugly head.
"Roxas, do you honestly think things would be any better if your parents had lost you instead? If I had lost you? I know you feel guilty that you're still alive, but you shouldn't… You should take this as your chance to live life to the fullest. And… Would Ven really want you to feel like this? Think about it, Rox. He wouldn't want you to be so miserable. I know things are hard, but they will get better in time. Maybe not ideal, but better than they are now." Axel let his voice soothe his best friend. Roxas just clung to the redhead like his life depended on it.
Sniffling, Roxas replied, "I know he wouldn't want me to be so upset, but I can't help it, Ax. I mean, fuck, he was only ten years old. And I'm… I was his big brother. I was supposed to protect him from getting hurt."
"Roxas, what could you have done? I watched you get into the car; you were driving. There's nothing that you could do to change the outcome of everything. I know what you're feeling, because if I were you, I'd be feeling it too, but you can't be so hard on yourself. Nothing you do now can change yesterday's events, no matter how much you want it to. You need to understand that."
Roxas just held even tighter to Axel as more tears came to his eyes. He thought he'd dried them up with how much crying he'd already done, but Axel's presence alone seemed to make more tears appear. He appreciated his best friend so much more than he ever had before, silently thanking whatever deity that existed for bringing them together. Roxas didn't know what he'd do without the redhead. Axel hoped that he could pull Roxas out of this pit of depression, but he didn't know how long it would take to do so. He had a feeling that Roxas would be down for a while. So he continued to hold the blonde, not knowing how else to comfort him.
After several minutes, Roxas was able to get the tears under control, and he pulled away from Axel slightly. He looked up at the redhead and said quietly, "Thank you, Axel…"
"What are you thanking me for?" Axel asked.
"For being here, coming to see me, and not making a huge deal of everything."
"Roxas, you're my best friend. You don't have to thank me for this. Alright? It's my job as a best friend to be here for you!"
"Job? So it's an obligation…" Roxas visibly deflated as he spoke.
"No, that's not what I meant! I just… I mean that even if you don't want me around or think you can get by on your own, I'm going to be here, helping you along the way. I'm your support system; me and whoever else you need, whether you realize you need them or not. Got it memorized?"
At Axel's so-called catchphrase, Roxas forced himself to smile just a hare. He knew Axel would be there for him no matter what happened, and that was enough for now. The two chatted idly, not really of anything too important.
Tifa and Cloud returned a little later to tell Roxas and Naminé when the funeral for Ven was going to be. But when they got there, they only saw Axel and Roxas in the room.
"Where's Nam?" Tifa asked Roxas.
"I don't actually know… I was asleep when she left, but I'm assuming she went to go see her baby," he replied sullenly. "I only woke up when Axel got here."
"I'll go get her," Cloud volunteered. He stepped out of the room, heading to the NICU. Tifa stood by, looking at the two teens and then back at the floor. The atmosphere was awkward at best.
"Mrs. Strife?" Axel spoke up.
"Yes, Axel?"
"I um… I'm really sorry for your loss… I can't begin to imagine what you're going through right now, but just know that if there's ever anything I can do for you or your family, I'll do it."
Tifa nodded, not really sure what to say. Tears threatened to fall, but she didn't let them. Cloud came back a moment later, Naminé being pushed by Riku into the room. Everyone was silent as Cloud grasped Tifa's hand in his own, squeezing lightly. She turned into his side, laying her head on his shoulder. He started speaking.
"So, with Dr. Wise's help, we planned Ventus' funeral… It's going to be in a week and a half. Visitation will be the evening before. We'll have the visitation open to the public, but the actual funeral will be for friends and family only…" Cloud informed everyone.
Everyone absorbed the words, not really knowing what to say. After several minutes of silence, Naminé spoke up, "Hey mom?" Tifa looked at her daughter.
"Would you like to come with me to see Joshua?" The blonde looked hopeful, wishing that this might bring a small smile to her mother's face. Tifa looked shocked, almost as if she'd forgotten that Naminé had her baby now. But she nodded nonetheless.
As the brunette pushed her daughter's wheelchair from the room and back to the NICU, Cloud looked at everyone else in the room. He said, "I need to go call the elementary school to let them know about the visitation." With that, he turned and left, cell phone in hand.
Riku stepped out, calling Sora to see how putting together the baby furniture was turning out. This left Axel and Roxas alone again in the room.
"Axel?"
"Yea, Rox?"
"Will you stay? I don't wanna be by myself right now…"
Axel nodded, sitting on the bed next to the blonde. He couldn't fight the blush that made itself known on his face when Roxas snuggled up closer.
~o~
The week and a half passed quickly, suddenly upon everyone out of nowhere. Roxas didn't think he'd have the mental strength to deal with things alone. He was glad when Axel said he'd definitely be there to help Roxas through the procession. Demyx showed up too as extra support. Both were wearing black suits and white button-up shirts. Axel had a black tie and Demyx sported a gray one.
Riku, Sora, and Kairi showed up for Naminé. Riku wore a dark gray suit with a black button-up and silver tie, Sora was in a simple gray button-up with black slacks, and Kairi had on a plain black dress.
Naminé was wearing dark gray slacks with a black blouse, her blonde hair pulled over one shoulder in a braid. Roxas was in a black suit with a black button-up. He opted for a green tie since he knew that had been Ven's favorite color. His hair was as messy as ever, still doing its own thing.
Tifa opted to wear a long black skirt with a white blouse and black cardigan over the top. She'd pulled her hair into a bun on the nape of her neck. Cloud was wearing black slacks and a white button-up, forgoing his suit jacket until they reached the mortuary.
Riku, Sora, Kairi, Axel, and Demyx had been asked to meet the Strife family at the hospital so that they could ride in the limo with Cloud, Tifa, Naminé, and Roxas. The driver of the limo assured everyone that there would be room for both wheelchairs in the trunk space.
As five o'clock in the evening rolled around, the driver of the limo pulled up to the entrance of the hospital where he'd been told, calling Cloud to let him know he was there. Axel and Demyx helped Roxas into his wheelchair while Riku and Sora did the same for Naminé. The redhead opted to push his best friend, as Riku wheeled his girlfriend, following Cloud and Tifa out of the room. The rest of the group followed behind the family towards the large elevator that would take them to the first floor.
They reached the entrance and remained in silence. Tifa climbed into the limo, Cloud right behind her. He situated himself to help Riku get Naminé into the seat next to his wife. Riku wheeled the chair around to the trunk to put it away as Cloud then helped Axel with getting Roxas into the vehicle. As Axel followed Riku to put away the other chair, the rest of the party squeezed into the limo. The other two joined after maneuvering the chairs to fit like pieces of a jigsaw puzzle in the limo's trunk, and finally, they were on their way to the funeral home. No one spoke on the way over.
When the limo pulled into the designated spot to let the group of nine out, Axel and Riku were the first to exit the vehicle, pulling the chairs out for the blonde siblings. Demyx, Sora, and Kairi stood off to the side so as to be out of the way. Again, Cloud helped get his children taken care of before he and Tifa got out as well. A doorman held the wide door open for the group as they filed inside. They all made note of the rich, dark colors as well as the fake decorative flowers sitting on the tables in the main room of the building.
They followed a short hallway to the right of the room, which led to the room where the casket was, along with all the pews. The four members of the Strife family sat up front, the rest of the group sitting in the row behind them. Up next to the casket were several different flower arrangements, one from the funeral home, one from Ven's soccer team, one from the elementary school Ven had attended, and a few smaller ones from individual families, including one from Axel, Yuffie, and Vincent.
Yuffie and Vincent showed up shortly after that, the black haired woman offering warm hugs and watery eyes to the family. Vincent bowed his head to them, not saying anything. Next to show up were Sora's parents and his little brother, Vanitas. Sora knew that Vanitas had been Ven's best friend and was unsure of how his death was affecting him. Vanitas' expression was unreadable, though his eyes were red like he'd been crying already. Sora didn't blame him.
As the rest of the small room filled in, the preacher showed up, dressed much the same as the rest of the men in the room. He cleared his throat before starting. His voice was deep but gravelly, resonating through the room.
"'Blessed are those who mourn, for they shall be comforted. Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God.' These two verses point out God's great love for us. We know then, that He shall take care of those who remain on this earth, as well as those who have gathered in Heaven because they were called home. Such is the case today, as everyone here mourns for the death of young Ventus. But we are not merely here to mourn his death; we remain to celebrate his life. I met Ventus when he was a small child, and I knew his heart was pure from the very beginning. I have no doubts that he is watching over us all now, happy to see how many people loved him, as evidenced by the presence of everyone in this room." The preacher continued his eulogy.
"Ventus was a very bright young man with a wonderful dream of helping others as he grew older. His life is a testament to that dream; as a young child, he set up a lemonade stand, raising money to donate to the local animal shelter when he found out that the animals there needed extensive care that couldn't be provided because there weren't enough donations to pay for it." Those words put a small smile on Tifa's face as she remembered the day she and Cloud had helped set that very stand up. Ven's smile could have lit the entire town, it was so big. Naminé's eyes were brimming with tears that left streaks down her face. Roxas looked down at his lap as he quietly sobbed, missing his younger brother. Axel reached a hand forward to rest on Roxas' shoulder, squeezing it lightly.
"This young man was the very form of love we should have all strived for. He stood up for a classmate who'd been picked on for a trait he cannot control and showed him the kindness he embodied. That classmate became Ventus' best friend." Vanitas pulled his knees up to his chest, not wanting to cry in front of everyone else. He had no idea what he would do without Ven there, teaching him the kindness he was showed from the blonde the day Ventus had stood up for him.
"And even though he no longer lives physically, Ventus is still alive within our hearts and our memories. With those, we must cherish the time we had with him, and know that we will see him again in paradise. Let us close with prayer," the preacher said, inviting everyone to bow their heads and close their eyes.
"Lord, I humbly ask that you watch over the Strife family and heal their hearts with your love and the knowledge that Ventus is at peace in your kingdom. Heal the physical afflictions that Roxas and Naminé face and grant them peace of mind from this ordeal. Allow them to forgive the driver who caused them their pain and give them the strength they need to survive. Lord I ask that you bring this family closer together than ever before and surround them with the people they need in order to share their grief and remind them that no matter how far it feels like they've fallen, you show them that it's how one gets up from tragedy that proves life does indeed get better again. I ask this in Jesus' holy name. Amen."
Most of the room echoed the 'amen,' raising their heads again. "I would ask that anyone who wishes to, to come up and share with us a memory of Ventus that has impacted you." With that, the preacher stepped aside.
The first to approach the front was none other than Vanitas. He'd tried drying his tears to no avail and hoped he could speak clearly. "I just want to say that Ven was my best friend; and he taught me to forgive the people who picked on me. He told me that I'd feel better doing that instead of staying mad at them… he was right, too. A few days after that happened, he invited me to join the soccer team so we could have time to become friends outside of school… And he… he was the best friend I could've asked for," Vanitas' voice trembled with his words. "Ven, I just want you to know how much I'll miss you." As he said that, Vanitas broke down sobbing, no longer able to hold back the flood of emotions. Sora stood up and went to him, pulling him back to his seat where their mom held him close.
Naminé asked Riku to push her up to the front next. She spoke clearly despite the constant stream of tears. "Ventus was indeed the person described, but he also had his moments of being that little brother… When he was a toddler, I was fourteen, and I had just gotten all this makeup as my birthday gifts. Roxas and I went to school the next day, and mom and dad both had to work, so we called a babysitter to watch Ven until school was out. And at some point, Ven had gotten out of his crib during naptime and went into my room since he'd seen all my new makeup. And he decided to try it out all over himself and all over my bed and my walls," Naminé laughed sadly at the memory.
"I remember being so furious with him that I cried. And when he saw me crying, he just looked up at me with his big blue eyes and said, 'Nami, don't cry.' He taught me to have patience with frustrating situations, and whether he knew it or not, that helped to prepare me for motherhood more than anything. I only wish he could have met his new nephew, Joshua." Riku bent down to kiss her cheek, whispering in her ear that Ventus would be watching over their baby from above. He pushed her back to where she'd been and sat down behind her.
Axel helped Roxas get to the front of the room and stood quietly behind him. It took a moment for Roxas to find his words. "Ven was probably the best little brother anyone could have had, and I'm glad I got to be his older brother… I remember always being so annoyed that he would follow me around everywhere when I had friends over. But I realized as I got a little older that he was just looking up to me. He told me one night that he wanted to grow up to be just like me and that he was glad I didn't push him away… What Ven taught me was to put other peoples' perspectives in mind instead of just my own. My regret now is that… I didn't get to tell him one last time how much I love him…" As Roxas cried, Axel's heart went out to his best friend. He knew that Roxas had been Ven's hero. The two went back to their places.
The preacher looked to Cloud and Tifa, asking silently if they wanted to say something. They stood and walked up together.
Tifa started, "Ven was so perfect when he was born… I'll always remember that day, knowing in my heart our family was complete then. Like any child would, he tried my patience more than once, and there were a few times I had asked myself if having a third child was worth it." Tifa took a moment to compose herself. "But each and every time I asked myself that, I would see just how happy he made everyone around him, and I knew it was."
Cloud looked at his wife and wiped a tear from her eye. He said, "You can imagine how thrilled I was to learn that our third child was another boy; there was no way I would survive with three females in the house," the people listening chuckled at Cloud's comment. "To see him start to grow up into the kind, loving, caring, thoughtful young man that he was made my heart swell with pride. I know he felt like he had to compete for attention compared to Naminé and Roxas, and that's part of why he strived to do some of the things he did, but ultimately I know that his actions were based out of the goodness of his heart. He truly was a light in this world, and I only hope he can continue to be that light for others in darkness… I just want to say how much you are loved here, Ven. You'll always be remembered by these people for just being you. Thank you for showing us all how to live life…" If there had been a dry eye in the room before, there was not a single one left now.
Even the preacher had to stop and admire Cloud and Tifa for the strength they displayed during their moment to acknowledge their son. He knew the road ahead would be a hard one for the family, but he also knew that they could make it through; and they would each be stronger for it. He returned to the front of the room and looked over everyone.
"I would like to let you all know that we will be moving to the Traverse Town Cemetery now for the committal service. I need the pallbearers to please come up here." As he started to close the lid on the casket, Vanitas shouted out.
"Wait! I have something I have to give him!" The black haired boy ran up to where his best friend lay, appearing to sleep. He carefully placed a necklace of a key-shaped sword under Ven's cold hands that were folded on his chest. "He always said how much he liked mine… now he has one of his own just like it…" With that, Vanitas went back to his seat, watching as the preacher shut the lid of the casket, sealing his best friend in the dark forever.
Cloud stood again, walking to where the casket was. Vincent joined him, as did Axel and Riku. Normally, it'd take six to lift a casket with a body inside, but since it was Ven, the casket was smaller than an adult sized one, and the four were able to lift it relatively easily. They followed the preacher out of the room and outside, under the canopy to load Ven's casket into the hearse that would transport him.
Tifa pushed Naminé and Demyx pushed Roxas, allowing Sora and Kairi to follow behind as they went back to the limo. The other three joined them soon after, climbing back into the stretched vehicle. Two police cars were in the parking lot, to help lead the procession to the cemetery. As everyone filed out of the building and to their separate vehicles, the squad cars turned their lights on, ready to lead the way. One car pulled out of the parking lot as the hearse came around to the front, following closely behind the squad car. Next, the limo pulled out, and then the separate cars followed suit. As the last one left the lot, the other police car brought up the rear.
The trip to the cemetery was made quickly, since traffic wasn't an issue. It was during that trip that the driver of the limo informed Cloud that hospital staff had asked him to return Roxas and Naminé as soon as possible after everything was said and done to make sure they weren't putting any unnecessary pressure on anything just yet.
The cemetery came into view, and everyone parked in the small lot closest to the plot of land where the grave was. Everyone gathered around as the four pallbearers set the casket on the lowering device. The director of the funeral had baskets of white roses set up on each end of the grave, so that when the casket was lowered, each person could take one to toss into the grave.
The preacher spoke loudly, so as to be heard, "We shall bless this gravesite with a prayer. Lord Jesus Christ, by Your own three days in the tomb, You hallowed the graves of all who believe in You and so made the grave a sign of hope that promises resurrection even as it claims our mortal bodies. Grant that our brother may sleep here in peace until You awaken him to glory, for You are the resurrection and the life. Then he will see You face to face and in Your light will see light and know the splendor of God, for You live and reign forever and ever. Amen.*"
The funeral director turned on the lowering device, allowing the apparatus to slowly lower the casket into the ground below. Each person took their turn with picking up a rose to toss into the grave as a final show of respect and love for Ventus. Cloud and Tifa stood together to toss theirs in, followed by Naminé and Riku, then Roxas, and Vanitas. Axel, Demyx, Sora, and Kairi followed after, and then the other mourners. The last rose was tossed in as the casket came to rest at the bottom of the grave.
Again, the preacher spoke, "Because God has chosen to call our brother Ventus from this life to Himself, we commit his body to the earth, for we are dust and unto dust we shall return. But the Lord Jesus Christ will change our mortal bodies to be like His in glory, for He is risen, the firstborn from the dead. So let us commend our brother to the Lord, that the Lord may embrace him in peace and raise up his body on the last day.*"
Slowly, the mourners left, leaving the group of nine still at the gravesite as dusk turned to evening. Then finally, Cloud said, "We should get back to the hospital now." He turned away from the grave of his youngest son, leading the way to the limo that would take them back to Traverse Town Mercy. As Roxas was wheeled away, he said to himself, "This is only a 'see you later,' Ven… I refuse to say goodbye to you right now."
A/N: *Both of these came from liturgyoffice dot org dot uk /resources /OFC /6-cemetery dot pdf (all minus the spaces of course).
I would like to take a minute to apologize for my lateness in uploading anything. Things picked up with both of my jobs since I posted the last chapter, and then I started my internship with the DYS (and if you are unfamiliar as to what I'm talking about, go read on my profile). I was literally working every single day, and I did that for a month straight. The only two days during that month that I didn't work were days that I had to call in sick. And then from the 8th to the 10th, I was out of town without access to my laptop, because my cousin got married. I was finally able to take some time to write after I got back home, and I sincerely hope that this chapter can somewhat make up for the fact that I didn't update for so long. (This chapter is 8000 words, just fyi.)
If you liked the chapter, hated the chapter, hate me for what I wrote, please, leave a review! I'd love to know your thoughts regarding everything! Again, I'm deeply sorry that I couldn't upload anything before now. I really hope anyone who was interested in this story still is.
PS: HAPPY AKUROKU DAY FRIENDS!