The next week went by slowly with Callie spending most of her free time at her family's house. Even though her crew would not return to service until they were assigned a new crew member, Callie still had paperwork to finish from the accident and there was media coverage that needed to be handled. In the midst of all this Callie was also helping the young man's mother plan a military funeral for her son. Callie had experience planning funerals and Michael's mother seemed to get overwhelmed by the decisions that needed to be made. Callie made sure everything was in place for her friend and crew member to receive a proper funeral service and burial.

That weekend the whole family was getting ready for the funeral and waiting for Callie and Luca to arrive before they headed to the church. Jude sat in the kitchen, pushing his breakfast around while Lena seemed lost in thoughts as she looked out the window. Their silence was broken when the twins came in to grab something to eat before they left. Brandon had offered to come home, but Callie insisted that she was ok and he should stay and work, all the while hoping that her brother's career would eventually bring him home like her's had.

"Is Callie gonna speak at the funeral?" Jesus questioned while munching on a bagel, trying not to get it on his tux.

Lena nodded, "Michael's mother wanted someone from the team to speak and she asked Callie since she commands the group and was the one to bring him home. Hopefully your sister got some sleep last night or it'll be that much harder for her to get through talking about him." Everyone nodded and fell back into an uneasy silence and that was how Stef found them when she finally came downstairs, dressed in her formal dress uniform.

"Callie and Luca here yet?" Jude held up his phone, "Callie just texted that they are almost here." Stef nodded and forced herself to drink coffee and eat a piece of fruit before they had to leave the house. Lena always admired Stef when she wore her dress uniform, but sadly it usually meant a funeral instead of some celebration like a promotion ceremony. Lena didn't have time to dwell on her sadness since the front door opened seconds later. Luca walked in the kitchen looking very handsome in his suit and his face told Stef that he was holding himself together for Callie's sake in the hopes of being her support system on this terrible day. Callie was two steps behind him and when she stepped into the kitchen everyone was in a little bit of shock: they hadn't seen Callie in her dress uniform before. Her graduations had her in her regular uniform and when she worked she was in a jumpsuit covering a wetsuit, so this look was new and a little startling for everyone.

Callie noticed that she was the center of attention and she shrugged her shoulders.

"I clean up pretty good I think." Stef offered her oldest daughter a sad smile, knowing how awkward Callie felt.

"You look very sharp sweets, I wish you were wearing your dress uniform under better circumstances, but it suits you." Now that Stef was standing next to Callie, Lena finally got a look at the two of them in their dress uniforms and the image made Lena feel a swell of pride and sadness all at once.

Callie broke the silence by pointing to the door. "We should probably get going, we don't want to be late." Everyone piled into the two cars and drove in silence to the church that was packed from the looks of the parking lot. Callie got out of the car and took stock of the situation. The hearse was already there and she could see Michael's parents standing near it and her crew standing a few feet away. Callie caught the attention of Michael's mother who quickly walked over to Callie and the rest of the Foster family.

"Thank you again Callie. Everything is just beautiful and…I couldn't have done it without you. Michael would've been touched you did all this to remember him."

"He was a good sailor Mrs. Brumby and an even better friend. He deserves to be honored and we will make sure that today his memory is upheld with a service fit for the kind of man he was." Callie offered the older woman a sad smile while still holding her hands gently. Callie looked over her shoulder at her family and she turned to introduce them.

"Mrs. Brumby, these are my mothers, Stef and Lena, two of my brothers Jesus and Jude and my sister Mariana. Luca you remember from the few times we've gotten together this week." Stef stepped forward first and removed her hat before shaking the grieving mother's hand.

"Stef Foster, I am so sorry we had to meet like this. Callie spoke very highly of you son. You have my whole family's deepest sympathy. If we can help in any way, please don't hesitate to ask."

Mrs. Brumby smiled with tears still in her eyes as she let go of Stef's hand. "You are very kind Mrs. Foster and your whole family showing up for this was not necessary, but now I can see where Callie gets her caring nature from. You and your wife must be very proud. Callie pretty much planned everything here today, I wouldn't have been able to do this without her. My husband and I are forever indebted to her for her kindness."

"You don't owe me anything Mrs. Brumby. I was glad to help and Mike was part of my team and therefore part of my family and I wouldn't settle for anything less than a hero's funeral for a man who lost his life fighting to save someone else's." Michael's mother smiled again, this time letting a few tears fall before brushing them away.

"We should started, if you'll excuse us." Callie kissed Luca quickly before walking towards the church with Michael's mother. The rest of the family found their way inside and took seats a few rows back, behind the rows of military personnel and the small group of Michael's family that still lived near by. Soon the chatter in the church was silenced by the organ playing the beginning chords of Amazing Grace. At the end of the aisle Stef could see Callie and Will at the head of the casket and she watched with a heavy heart as Callie and the rest of her crew, along with two other honor guard members, picked up the casket and began to carry it down the aisle. Normally this task would have been completed by the honor guard alone, but the family had requested that Callie and the other crew members carry the casket into the church, claiming that it is what Michael would've wanted. Michael's parents walked behind the casket and when they reached the front of the church they took their seat in the front pew while Callie joined her family.

A few family members read from the Bible and Michael's father got up and somehow made it through a beautiful eulogy where he talked about his son in glowing terms. Before he sat down he introduced Callie.

"My wife and I would like to introduce our son's crew leader Callie Foster who was kind enough to agree to speak about Michael and the kind of sailor he was." When Michael's father sat down, Callie stood up and made her way to the front of the church and fumbled with a piece of paper.

"Mike and I met when we were in the same training class and he was always one step ahead of me when I came to certain skill sets. Even when he beat my time or won a challenge placed before us in training, he never bragged or made himself out to be a big shot. He was humble and kind and wanted nothing more than to build other people up so that they too could be great. I knew Mike's family lived far away and I knew how it felt to miss the comforts of family so we built a friendship on the understanding that we loved our families fiercely, even though they were far from our touch."

"Today, it is Michael who is far from our touch and it still seems like this is a nightmare that we are all going to wake up from, but its not. It's the moment every military family dreads and it's the moment every commanding officer hopes they never see. I never wanted to think that anyone on my team could be lost and I hoped that the team I started my career with would be the team I had until I retired and today I am sad beyond belief that that dream will only ever be just that: a dream. The day he died, Mike had entered the water, hoping to find a lost pilot and he was so determined to do his job and find this man we all prayed we would find unharmed. He braved black, icy waters, trying to save a stranger: trying to save someone else's son. In his heroics he lost his life and that sacrifice will never be forgotten by anyone who was there that day, or by anyone who is here today."

"I ask all of you to remember Mike the way we remember him: a smile on his face, a heart full of love for his friends and loved ones and a passion for life so profound he was willing to sacrifice his life so that someone else could continue their's. Our motto is "so that others may live" and Mike embodied that motto everyday we flew, every mission we ever went on. Yes, Mike is far from our touch now and the pain we feel will take time to soften, but when it does I hope to remember Mike the way I encourage all of you to. He was a hero. He was a hero before he ever entered that water and every moment after that he was a hero to me and I stand here today to share with all of you, that I was proud of lead Mike, but I was even more proud to call him my friend. "Today we are here to say, 'Shipmate... the watch stands relieved. Relieved by those You have trained ,guided, and led. Shipmate you stand relieved.. we have the watch...". We have the watch Mike, you can rest now."

Callie tucked the paper into her pocket and before she returned to her seat she paused at the casket and placed her hand on the flag draped across the wood. Callie said nothing, but she hoped that wherever Mike was, he could feel at peace and feel just how loved he was in this life. Callie returned to her seat, noticing that her whole family was in tears, crying for a man they had only ever heard stories about. The funeral ended sometime after Callie spoke and they all headed to the cemetery. This time the honor guard took charge of carrying Michael's casket to the grave site, leaving his crewmates to stand by and watch as their friend was brought to his final resting place. After the priest said a few more words the firing squad was signaled and they fired their shots into the air the appropriate number of times and when silence fell it was soon replaced by the sound of TAPS being played. The flag was folded, saluted and then gently handed to Michael's mother who by that point was inconsolable. As they lowered Michael's casket into the ground Callie, Stef and all other military and paramilitary members offered a salute to the fallen sailor one final time. It took everything Callie had to leave the gravesite and join the rest of the crew as they headed for the car where Mike's parents had set up a gathering for everyone to eat and drink and just remember their son in a positive way.

Callie found herself smiling and even laughing at Mike's father's stories of Mike growing up and she found herself sharing stories from their training days that made everyone smile for the first time all day. About an hour into this party, Will tapped his beer bottle with a knife, calling for everyone's attention.

"Excuse me folks. I won't take up much time because unlike Callie, I do not have a way with words. But one thing I will always remember about Mike is how he always was humming this tune. Every mission we went on, all through training, all the time humming this tune. I finally asked him what the song was and when he told me I took the time to listen to the song and I even learned it, sang it with him a few times when we were stuck on long training days. With that in mind I would like to sing it now, with everyone's help since I can't sing well, but for Mike I'd sure be willing to try."

Callie and Will met each other's gaze and smiled before Will started singing.

Once a jolly swagman camped by a billabong
Under the shade of a coolibah tree,
He sang as he watched and waited 'til his billy boiled
You'll come a-Waltzing Matilda, with me

Callie jumped in and so did the rest of the crew.

Waltzing Matilda, Waltzing Matilda
You'll come a-Waltzing Matilda, with me
He sang as he watched and waited 'til his billy boiled,
you'll come a-Waltzing Matilda, with me.

Soon anyone who had ever heard the song joined in and it seemed a fitting tribute to their dearly departed friend.

Down came a jumbuck to drink at the billabong,
Up jumped the swagman and grabbed him with glee,
he sang as he shoved that jumbuck in his tucker bag,
you'll come a-Waltzing Matilda, with me

Waltzing Matilda, Waltzing Matilda
you'll come a-Waltzing Matilda, with me
he sang as he shoved that jumbuck in his tucker bag,
You'll come a-Waltzing Matilda, with me

Stef had heard the song on TV once or twice so she joined in along with Jude who somehow knew it and the rest of the family watched in amazement at how this one song seemed to be bringing everyone some level of peace in this tragic time.

Up rode the squatter, mounted on his thoroughbred,
Up rode the troopers, one, two, three,
With the jolly jumbuck you've got in your tucker bag?
You'll come a-Waltzing Matilda, with me.

Waltzing Matilda, Waltzing Matilda
You'll come a-Waltzing Matilda, with me
With the jolly jumbuck you've got in your tucker bag?
You'll come a-Waltzing Matilda, you scoundrel with me.

Up jumped the swagman and sprang into the billabong,
You'll never catch me alive, said he,
And his ghost may be heard as you pass by that billabong,
you'll come a-Waltzing Matilda, with me.

Waltzing Matilda, Waltzing Matilda
You'll come a-Waltzing Matilda, with me
his ghost may be heard as you pass by that billabong,
You'll come a-Waltzing Matilda, with me.
Oh, you'll come a-Waltzing Matilda, with me.

So as per usual, this would not have happened like this and I stole that last scene from JAG because I LOVE that song. Got the family name from JAG too since it was the only Australian name I could think of. For reference Mike was born in the states, but his family moved to Australia when he was young and he grew up there for much of his life before returning to the US. Hope you like the chapter even though it was a bit sad. Next one will move on into other things so suggestions are appreciated.