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Marty Deeks has to work out his relationships with his partners. One is the love of his life, but she is no longer available to him. The other has always been there, but can he love her enough?
Disclaimer: The characters and sets of NCIS:LA are all owned by CBS, Donald P. Bellisario, and Shane Brennan. I only own a copy of the DVDs from season 1-6. I do get to play with everyone, but they all have to be home by curfew.
A/N: All of my stories will be on temporary hiatus until further notice. I need to have some medical procedures taken care of. When they have been successfully completed, I will again continue to post new chapters. I am sorry if this disappoints people, but I have to take care of me so I can continue to write.
Do Not Speak Ill of the Dead
Chapter 11
Chicago || November 1, 2010
The flight to Chicago was uneventful, and Deeks even managed to sleep for a short time. He slept without dreaming, for which he was extremely grateful.
When he got off the plane in Chicago, one of the ground crew members was waiting for him.
"Detective Martin Deeks?" he asked.
"Yes."
"Please come with me, sir," and he turned and led Deeks through a doorway and down onto the ground. Another one of those tractors was there waiting for him. The man who led him there turned to him and said, "Sir, don't worry. Your luggage will be offloaded and driven out to you. There is nothing you have to do; it is already being taken care of."
"Thank you," Deeks said as he got into the tractor.
The Detective was driven to an area close to the plane that brought him and Jess from Los Angeles. There was a small squad of police officers, standing in their ranks, Captain Murray standing apart at the head of the group. A hearse had its back door open, waiting to receive the coffin near the end of the beltway used to unload the luggage. Six policemen acting as pall bearers were waiting to transfer the coffin into the hearse.
The tractor stopped short of this whole scene. The driver leaned over and told the Detective, "Sir, Captain Murray has asked that you join him near the belt-loader, to receive the body of your fallen comrade."
Deeks hopped out and went over to introduce himself to the Captain. The two of them turned, and the short ceremony began. The airtray was placed on the belt-loader and slowly descended to the ground. It was stopped short of the end, and two airport employees lifted the cover off the airtray. All six pall bearers smartly stepped up, picked up the coffin and placed it gently into the hearse.
Captain Murray and Deeks held their salute as the body was transferred. Then the Captain escorted the LA Detective to his car for the ride to Mount Olive Cemetery.
The ride to the cemetery was generally quiet. Captain Murray did inform the detective that an American Flag would be draped over the coffin. At the end of the committal service, it would be taken off and presented to the next of kin.
He turned to Deeks and told him, "That would be you, Detective."
"Oh, no," Deeks answered him. "Maybe in a couple of years I would have been part of her family if we would have developed our relationship. Right now though, I am only here as her former partner."
"Then you don't want to receive the flag?" the Captain asked.
"I don't want it to become a problem, but no, I don't want to receive it. I just want to live with the memories that I have of her."
"Okay, we have an alternate plan for just such occasions. I will inform the honor guard before the service."
"One other thing," Deeks asked. I don't know if it is a long-established tradition to have a bagpiper play 'Amazing Grace' off in the distance. It seems that it is part of every police officer's graveside out in Los Angeles. I just don't like that song."
"It is customary for a piper to play off in the distance for police graveside services here, too. Usually, we ask the family members if there is any particular song or hymn that they want to be played. There is another traditional one that is played at a lot of funerals, 'Going Home'. It is a very solemn, dignified piece. I'm sure you will recognize it."
The younger man looked at the Captain and said to him. "If that is not a problem for what you have already planned, I would appreciate it."
"It won't be any problem at all. Whatever you want, we will try to make happen for you."
"Thank you, sir." Deeks said, feeling the sympathetic way everyone was dealing with him.
. . . . .
Mount Olive Cemetery, Chicago
The funeral procession turned and proceeded to enter the gate of the cemetery. It looked like a section of a castle wall, with a gate, gate house, and tower. Deeks was surprised that when the hearse passed through the gate, a bell rang in the tower.
There was a long line of cars, both police cruisers, and regular automobiles, that were parked off on one of the side roads near the entrance. These all joined the procession as they wound their way through the cemetery to the place of interment.
When they stopped, Captain Murray called an officer over to him and spoke a few words. He immediately ran off toward the hearse, speaking to the color guard that had assembled there to place the flag on the coffin. When he was done there, he looked where the piper was going to play, went there, and informed him of the hymn that was selected.
Captain Murray escorted Deeks to the few chairs that were set up close to the grave. He introduced the detective to the Deputy Commissioner and the Chief of Detectives for the Chicago Police Department. The young man was utterly surprised that these men would take the time to attend a funeral of an officer who was no longer on the force. But they explained that Karen had been an excellent officer while she was part of the force, and it wasn't her fault that she had to transfer out. It would only be natural for them to honor her for the service she gave to the city.
Everyone rose as the pallbearers carried the flag-draped coffin over and set it on the lowering device. The men stepped back and the Catholic police chaplain stood at the head of the coffin. He motioned for those who were provided chairs to sit and then began the committal service.
After a few prayers and Scripture readings, the chaplain began his homily. For some reason, the words he offered struck a deep chord with the LA detective. He appreciated that the members of the Church community accepted responsibility to care for the burial site and would continue to remember Jess and all the dead in their prayers. The chaplain encouraged all of them to use works of mercy, feeding the hungry, clothing the naked, serving the people of their community where they patrol, as ways to honor and remember their beloved comrade.
After blessing her body one final time and commending it to the earth, the chaplain stepped back, and the final part of the service began. The Deputy Commissioner stepped forward, asked those who were seated to rise, and then called everyone to attention. He read a list of accomplishments and commendations that Karen had earned with the Chicago Police Department. Deeks was proud of everything that she did. What did surprise him was that the Deputy Commissioner added her commendations from the Los Angeles Police Department as Jess Traynor. He was pleased that Lieutenant Bates and the other officials had awarded her the Medal of Valor and the Detective Service Ribbon for her work as a Detective in Chicago and Los Angeles, although he had a sneaky suspicion that Henrietta Lange had something to do with how quickly it was processed. The little ninja knew everyone, but more importantly, knew the crimes and misdemeanors of everyone. Knowledge like that helped when she needed to call in favors.
The Deputy Commissioner turned, faced the coffin, then issued the order, "Salute." As the officers held their salute, the bugler began to play 'Taps'. Once again Deeks thought how those twenty-four notes were the saddest song that had ever been written. The ranking officer turned to face the group and ordered them to form up, and then told them to stand at ease.
The three-volley salute caused Deeks to jump, even though he knew it was coming. In Chicago, they used a seven-man team, each man firing a shotgun with blanks. Three times they raised their weapons and discharged them. The custom went back to the wars in Europe where the fighting was stopped so the dead and wounded could be removed from the battlefield. Then three shots were fired into the air to signal that the battle could continue.
When it came time to remove the American flag that draped the coffin, two officers of the honor guard stepped up, lifted the flag, and prepared to fold it into the traditional triangular shape for presentation. Deeks looked at Captain Murray, certain that he remembered the conversation they had about this in the car. But he just looked at the Los Angeles detective and asked him if he knew the significance behind the thirteen folds of the flag. Deeks admitted that he did not.
As the two officers folded the flag, Captain Murray described the meaning behind each of the folds as his officers completed the task...
"The first fold is symbol of life; the second fold is a symbol of our belief in eternal life; the third is made in honor and remembrance of the veteran departing our ranks, and who gave a portion of his or her life for the defense of our city and country to maintain the peace we all desire."
"The fourth fold represents our weaker nature; as in times of peace, as well as in times of war, we seek out divine guidance; the fifth is a tribute to our country, in dealing with other countries, may she always be right, but it is still our country, right or wrong; the sixth is for where our hearts lie. It is with our heart that we pledge allegiance to the flag of the United States of America, and to the republic for which it stands, one nation under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all."
"The seventh fold is a tribute to our armed forces, for it is through the armed forces that we protect our country and our flag against all enemies, whether they be found within or without the boundaries of our republic; the eighth is to honor our mother, for whom it flies on Mother's Day; the ninth is a tribute to womanhood, for it has been through their faith, love, loyalty and devotion that the character of the men and women who have made this country great have been molded."
"The tenth fold is a tribute to father, for he, too, has given his sons and daughters for the defense of our country since he or she was first born; the eleventh fold represents the lower portion of the seal of King Solomon and reminds us of the verse 'Place me like a seal over your heart, like a seal on your arm; for love is as strong as death' (Song of Solomon 8:6); the twelfth fold, represents an emblem of eternity."
"When the flag is completely folded, the stars are uppermost, reminding us of our national motto, 'In God We Trust.' When the last little bit of the flag is folded over and tucked in, it has the appearance of a cocked hat, always reminding us of the soldiers who served under Gen. George Washington and the sailors and Marines who served under Capt. John Paul Jones and were followed by their comrades and shipmates in the U.S. Armed Forces, preserving for us the rights, privileges and freedoms we enjoy today."
The officer with the flag had walked to the back of the squad, and presented it to the last man in line there. He, in turn, presented it to the officer on his left, and she did the same to the officer next to her. The flag traveled through the ranks, being presented to everyone present. Finally, it got to the last man on the front row.
He marched up to Deeks and presented it to him as he spoke, "Sir, receive this flag, as a token that you are a brother in this family here, and join us to honor our sister Karen, who paid the ultimate sacrifice."
Deeks was so moved by the ceremony and what was said to him, that all he could say was, "Thank you."
He then turned to Captain Murray and presented the flag to him, but found that the only words he could think of to say to accompany the action was, "You and your people honor me by including me in this ceremony. Take this, for your Karen and my Jess."
He had been with these people for a little more than an hour, and already they were accepting him as part of their family. How many years had he been in LA, and still he didn't feel as welcome there as he did here?
. . . . .
After the service was over, Deeks asked Captain Murray what would happen to the flag.
"We will put it in our 'heroes gallery' at the precinct, and in rotation with some of the others we have, it will be flown at the precinct on special occasions, the Fourth of July, Flag Day, the anniversary of the person's death. This way we continue to uphold our bond of faith with them as if they were still active members of the force."
Deeks looked at him and said, "That is truly an inspiring policy. So much better than just sitting on a shelf, forgotten in someone's home."
The Captain told him that was the way they usually got such flags when there was no family left for them to present them to. But he again said that Deeks qualified as Karen's family and he should have received the flag.
"No. Let it be the way it is. Jess would be so glad if she knew that she was still serving the people with her comrades."
After the two of them went back to the Captain's car, the senior officer asked him, "When do you have to go back to LA, and what do you plan on doing until then?"
"I am taking the red-eye back late tonight. I hadn't planned anything else for today. I just didn't know how long the service was going to be."
"I tell you what, why don't you come along with me and take a tour of the precinct. I'll treat you to the best steak that you have ever eaten, and then I'll make sure you are back at the airport in time for your flight."
Deeks looked at him and said, "I'd be a fool not to take you up on that offer. But could we stop at the cemetery office before we go? I would like to make arrangements for a new tombstone for Karen's grave."
"No problem."
At the office, Deeks arranged for a tombstone the same size and shape as the one that was on the grave now. He gave them the correct date of death to be engraved on it and asked for three more lines of information to be etched into the granite. In flowing script on a diagonal, the words 'Jess – I will always love you – Marty', would let the world know his feelings for this woman.
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