A/N- I deeply apologize for not updating a lot sooner. I think this may be the last chapter. I may do at most 2 more. I hope you enjoy the chapter. It is a tear jerker. Sorry guys. It is the funeral. I don't own these characters, blah, blah, blah. The usual. Please leave a review if you have a chance. Sorry for any mistakes and errors. It's about midnight so I am a little tired but I know how you all love to see an update in your inbox in the morning to start off your day. I do. Have a wonderful week and have a safe weekend.

Laura

Previously in Time spent apart

"Jazz, I love you. You will always be in my heart. A day won't go by without thinking of you. I have a beautiful daughter and will always have piece of you with me. Goodbye. I love you." I said breaking down and falling to my knees. It was true. He was gone. I just laid there. Erica came to me and gave me a hug. I just held her. No one came over. They knew I needed my space. Erica had a tear in her eye and was waving to the casket. I wasn't going to show her. She knew we were saying goodbye to somebody. She didn't fully understand. She'd know who her daddy was. We gave one last look, said a silent goodbye, and headed home. It was emotionally draining. It was hard and it was final he was gone. He wouldn't walk through the door again. He wouldn't kiss me again. It finally hit. Tomorrow was the funeral.

Chapter 7

Bella POV

It was the day of the funeral. Each minute felt like hours as the time passed by. I was dreading it even more than I had the day of the viewing. I was dressed in black mourning my husband knowing they would hand me that flag and say sorry for our loss. I was dreading that the most. I was angry and was tired of people telling me sorry. Sadly the time came and I had found out earlier that the squad was back early for Jazz and the squad to take their place wanted to go early and with the loss in the squad it all hit them hard so their request was granted. They would be the one on the fire squad and a few carrying the caskets. Em, Carlisle and Peter would be pall bearers as well. We headed out with tears in our eyes. We didn't talk only sobs came out every so often. We made it to the chapel. It was beautifully set up. Flowers and decorated the way he would have liked. It wasn't over the top. It all started before I was ready. I was a complete wreck. Erica kept pointing the picture they had up of Jazz. The minister started with a prayer and did the soldiers prayer as well. The men from his squad and their wives were there. They were lucky to have their husbands home. I was one of the unlucky few who lost their husband to the war. They smiled at me sympathetically. I smiled back with tear after tear falling as each told a memory about him. The one that touched me the most was when Em got up there. You could tell he had been crying as a few tears escaped. He told the story of how he decided to marry Rose the day we got married and the reason why was because he finally realized after all the talk him and Jazz had about marriage he was right. When the one comes along you can't let them go. I laughed because I had known how he felt and I remember them talking about it. He announced it to Jazz as I walked up. He was the best man in the wedding as Rose was my Maid of Honor. Peter's speech hit me hard. It was remembering his moments when he was child and how Erica reminded her of him including his strong will and caring nature. He was a very caring person and would do anything for his family or friends. Esme went up and talked about some of their high school antics that Em didn't think she knew about. The look on his face was priceless. I let out a chuckle. The story was about them sneaking out to go on a date with a few girls in high school. His truck gave him away. They just laughed about it and left it at that. He didn't know they knew about that.

"We parents know more than you may think." Esme said making everyone laugh a little. "Bells, by the way Em would be happy to be at the door for Erica's first date with a shotgun telling him to keep his hands off her for Jazz."

I laughed with happy tears in my eyes. I was still sad but I needed to remember the good times with him because I couldn't lock myself away. Erica needed me. I nodded at Esme's comment. Em elbowed me and nodded saying gladly. Erica was giggling. His squad members got up to tell stories about their deployment about how he was worried about everyone else more than himself. They would give their lives for his as he would have given his life to save them. It made me sad to think about how the other wives may have felt about that because all of our worst fears was having the 2 officers showing up at our door giving us their condolence of a loss of our spouse or child. One fear we all had in common being a spouse to a member of the service in any branch.

It was time to head to the gravesite service. This was what I had been dreading. Just watching them lower him in the ground would be the most difficult scene to me. They had the car out front to transport him the cemetery for lost soldiers. I chose to have him buried there rather than at the local cemetery. Peter, Carlisle and Em got up with tear in their eyes as they helped the other 3 squad members Embry, Edward, and James carry out the casket. They were the closest to him. Em picked who would help. I couldn't. He was loaded into the car and we headed to the cemetery. The procession was long and as we drove by the people who saw it bowed their head and smiled a sign of condolence but also a prayer to the family of the lost soldier. I had done it when I had seen unfortunate families that lost a loved one. We made it to the cemetery. He was going to be buried right under the oak tree. The men again carried the casket to the burial plot and light placing it on the brace. The minister allowed the others to come over and had chairs set up for the family. I had them add Rose and Em along with their parents to the seats. They were family too. As the minister started to speak it all became a blur. We bowed our heads to pray and he said a prayer.

This combat soldier's prayer,

Who has served his time in Hell,

Is may we learn the lessons of war well,

That we not doom future generations,

The same old tales of horror to tell,

To endure what in youth they see mistakenly as glory.

Oh God, do not let our children

Repeat the same old story.

Make it so that America's babies live to grow old

In this land of the free and the bold.

Help us throw off the shackles of hate that bind

And grow old in a life of a peaceful kind.

Teach us that there is no glory in war,

Nor honor there that brave men should not abhor.

Teach us instead, one for another our brothers to love.

Shower us with thine Celestial message from above,

That we plant seeds of peace evermore

And make war-no-more!

But if I should die on some far, far away battlefield

Know I answered the call

For a grand principle of freedom to yield.

My fervent prayer is that death

May not have been in vain

Fighting for peace and right for the world to attain.

My brothers, American roses standing by my side

On alien soil dying

In the summer of my youthful pride

All the leaves around me falling,

Now I'm lying here still, in sunshine and in shadow,

Longing to hear, "brother next door, I love you so."

For moldering in the soft ground below,

I feel you living and loving in the world above me

Standing tall because I fought that you might be...

Oh look ye down now,

And tell me you still think of me

Honor my red blood, spilt that others might stand free.

Tell me that I did not give my all for you in vain

That brothers and sisters do not look upon my sacrifice

With hateful,

Or even worse,

Uncaring disdain.

Do not forget me when my valley's hushed

And white with snow,

Grass growing green in the summer of my meadow

Help me see the peace I lived and died for grow.

Make my lonely grave richer,

Sweeter be...

Make this truly,

"The land of the free

And the home of the brave,"

I gave my life to save

That I might too, lie eternally,

Forever free...

(Gary Jacobson Combat prayer)

As the prayer was finished each of the member of the squad was mouthing it. It was what Jazz would have wanted.

They knew it by heart.
"Aim. Fire." The sergeant spoke. I jumped with each shot and another tear fell. This was the final chapter to Jazz's life. He was truly gone. As the last shot fired more tears fell knowing he would be laid to rest. Resting in peace watching over us and making sure we are safe.

They folded the flag as the national anthem played bringing tears to all at the service. It was beautiful and the sun shone through the trees. I smiled and said goodbye to Jazz as they handed me the flag giving their condolence. The service ended with a closing prayer and slowly each family left a rose on his casket with the squad members coming up and giving condolence as well. I could see it pained them as well. It was especially hard for Em when they did. He was showing his vulnerable side. His squad leader came over and smiled telling me he was a good man and a great soldier. They slowly left leaving only us. I walked up to the casket with tears falling to the ground with each step knowing this was the last time I'd get to see him.

"Baby, I love you. I know you are watching but help me be strong for Erica. I need it. I miss you so much. I don't want to say goodbye but I know I have to. I will see you in heaven and know you will be by my side with everything I do. I love very much. Erica misses you and will always be reminded what a wonderful man you were and how much you loved her." I said through tears falling with each word. Peter and Char each had a shoulder on my hand. Erica came up and smiled saying bye daddy. That only made it worse. We all said our goodbyes. Em was having the hardest time with it. I put my hand on his shoulder and gave him a hug. He was my brother that would be there for myself and Erica if needed. Rose said a tearful goodbye. Peter and Char said goodbye sadly. Losing their only son was hard enough, losing him to a war was even harder. We all knew the possibilities but we never thought it would be us. We lost a brother, son, husband, godfather, father and most of all a best friend. We could never get him back only press forward and make the most out of life and look at the good times he was with us. The good die young and they all have a reason, but we always have to remember that they will be watching down on us and have beautiful wings.

A/N- What do you think? I'm not sure whether to continue it or just leave it at that. I hope you enjoyed the chapter. Please review if you have a chance. I'd love to hear your opinion. Have a wonderful week and safe weekend. Thank you all for being patient with me with this story.

Laura