Ryan hated funerals and as he stood beside the gravesite of Dr. Neil Roberts, he was highly uncomfortable. The presiding minister began to issue the final rites and the only sound beyond the minister's was Summer's stifled sobs. It had happened all so suddenly. A week ago, Dr. Roberts was a healthy man; then suddenly a heart attack had carried him off because he had even reached his 60th birthday. Ryan watched Summer suffer in agony as Seth tried to comfort her. Ryan had never seen Summer broken down like this before and it crushed him to see her like that. He hated feeling helpless but that is how it was. He was helpless as his friends suffered.

It was a gorgeous early June day and the hanging cloud of death seemed out of place in the otherwise green world that surrounded them. Ryan looked at each somber face and wondered how life would be without them. Rose at his side stood silently, impassively. The words, mainly about Christ and the Holy Spirit, probably were strange to her—they certainly were a bad reminder of her own family life and the chaos Ian had caused by his decision to convert to Catholicism. It had been a crushing blow to all three when he had decided to join his Mary's faith. Rose was only going to the wedding because of her strong love for her brother—her parents were not.

He loved Rose and as he thought about her missing in his life, Ryan suddenly became dizzy and sick to his stomach. He squeezed her hand and she smiled back at him, beautiful. Ryan continued to look around the funeral party. Seth and Summer of course would be a horrible loss to him, and he tried to think as little as possible about it. Sandy and Kirsten stood there, watching silently and sadly as Summer cried away her shock and despair. Like Ryan, they wanted desperately to help the girl but knew that right now, she was in her own world of pain and sorrow. One day she would allow them to enter, but not now. Julie and Frank too watched on in concern. Summer was like a daughter to Julie and she had once loved Neil. If anyone was suffering as Summer, Julie had the largest claim. Ryan watched as silent tears fell from her eyes.

His gaze now moved towards Taylor and her mother. It was agreed by all that Taylor had been amazing in coming. She had just graduated from the Sorbonne when she had gotten word about Dr. Neil's death and despite Summer's protests, had found the first flight out of France and had been flying since that morning. The girl looked tired and sad; she and Ryan had exchanged a brief, sad and awkward hello before the start of the services but now he terribly wanted to talk to her. Seeing her, knowing and feeling her nearness, he suddenly realized that he missed her, and wanted her apart of his life. If were to die, he would be crushed because no matter how badly she had hurt him, he had imagined that one day they would be friends again.

"Summer wants to see Marissa." The service was over and Seth seemed very old and wise as he spoke. Leading a still crying Summer by the hand, he walked the girl up the hill to where Marissa lay buried. Ryan and Rose followed slowly behind them and as Ryan glanced behind him, he could see Taylor and Veronica Townsend talking to Julie and Frank.

"That was a pretty service." Rose was always awed by death. Her grandfather had died when she was very young and the memory of his service still was vivid to this day. The thought of the utter finality of death was something that had stunned her then and it still had the power to stun her now. She always felt very small when she thought about the mortality of human life—only fools thought that they would live forever.

"It was." Rose had certainly found religion in the past year—but Ryan wasn't convinced it was a good thing. Ever since her brother had converted—been brainwashed as Rose's parents called it—Rose had discovered a new found interest and passion for her parent's Conservative faith. It had started by her starting to eat Kosher—by her giving up pork and shellfish and mixing dairy and meat and then had evolved into going to Temple services every Saturday morning and buying new silverware and cutlery for dairy products. Ryan didn't necessarily mind her newfound enthusiasm but Rose increasingly expressed disappointment that Ryan didn't follow the same dietary habits as she and didn't go to Synagogue every Saturday with her.

"What are you thinking about?"

"I—" They were interrupted by Summer and Seth coming upon Marissa's grave. As the watched the girl crumble down next to her best friend's final resting place, the sadness overwhelmed them both.

"Why did you have to die?" Summer brushed her fingers along Marissa's name and then kissed the stone. "I miss you so much."

"We all miss her."

"It's funny."

"What's funny?"

"I'm not even twenty-two and my two best friends are dead." Her voice, which had been sunken in heartbreak, now broke out in a cold bitterness. "There isn't a God—there can't be a God out there if things like this can happen."

"We should go." Seth was getting nervous. Summer had been hysterical all day and had just calmed down some during the actual funeral service—he didn't want her to lose it again.

"You go down—I want to be with Marissa."

"Summ—"

"I want to be alone."

"Let's go Seth—she'll be all right."

"Thanks Ryan." When she smiled, Ryan caught a glimpse of the Summer of old—she would be fine. As they were walking down the hill, Taylor was coming towards them. She flashed them a sad smile.

"Thanks again for coming Taylor." Seth, for all his negative comments and loyal feelings towards Ryan, felt a lot of love and affection for Taylor now.

"Of course. How is she?"

"Bad—but she'll get better."

"Can I go and see her?"

"In a bit—she said she wanted to be with Marissa." As soon as she had heard what had happened, Taylor had booked a plane ticket and had spared no expense at getting home to Newport. She desperately wanted to be with Summer right now, but knew she had to give the grieving your woman some space and time. She turned her attention to Rose, whom she had met briefly before the start of the funeral.

"Are you guys staying for the wake?"

"Yes—are you?"

"I am—my mom is staying for just a second or two and then has to head off to Phoenix." As she spoke the words, Veronica Townsend called her daughter away so they could head to the wake.

"We should probably head over too."

"I'll go get Summer." They watched as Seth ran up the hill and knelt down next to his girlfriend.

"Taylor is sweet."

"It was really sweet of her to come."

"Is it weird seeing her again?"

"Only a little."

"You missed her?" Rose had a knack for telling what was going on in Ryan's mind and heart.

"Not really until today." Whatever it was, her reappearance on the scene had unlocked a formerly closed door of emotions. It was not any sort of love, but rather a hope that they could rekindle some sort of friendship. They had been so close once, and then nothing.

"You should catch up with her at the wake."

"You don't mind?"

"Not at all." Seth and Summer rejoined them and they continued to walk on in silence.