Gray clouds hung in the sky, highlighting the white headstones all around them. Thunder rumbled in the background. The smell of rain was thick in the air. The icy wind whipping around them. They watched as the honor guard walked up the casket and started to fold the American flag that was draped over it. Taps was being played on the bugle.
Jake, Alex, Monica and Cody stood in the background watching. Alex and Monica were having a hard time trying to hold back the tears.
"I've always hated funerals," Monica whispered.
"Me too." Jake agreed.
Lightning flashed and thunder rolled. The rain started to fall. The honor guard walked over to Director McMillan, head of the FBI, and handed him the flag. He took the flag and walked over to the family.
Alex just looked at the woman. She didn't know her, but she had to give her credit for being strong. She did wonder how much longer she could stay that way.
"With respect and gratitude of this nation, please accept this flag in memory of his years of service." Director McMillan said.
As Nicole looked at the Director, tears started to fall down her cheeks. She stepped forward and took the flag. "Thank you," she whispered hugging the flag to her chest.
Nicole stood there blinking away the tears. She jumped when the thunder rolled again. She heard the people moving around her, giving their condolences. He's gone, she thought, he's really gone. She took a deep breath trying to control herself.
Unable to keep her composure, Nicole fell onto her knees sobbing. She held the flag to her chest and let the tears fall. The rain started to come down harder, but she didn't care.
"I'll meet you guys at the car." Jake said walking towards Nicole. Jake took his coat off and placed it over her shoulders. He reached down and helped her stand up. Nicole looked at Jake trying to understand his kindness.
"Thanks Jake, I'll take Nicole back to the house." Donovan quietly said taking her in his arms.
"Oh Frank, I can't believe he's gone." Nicole sobbed into his chest. Donovan tightened his hold on Nicole. How Donovan wished he could take the pain away from her.
"See ya back at the house." Jake said walking back to the team.
"I'll go with them, to make sure they get back to the house okay." Morgan said kissing her husband's cheek.
Donovan nodded. He watched Morgan walk back to the car with Jake. He stayed at the grave site with Nicole until she was ready to go home.
An hour later
"What are you going to do now?" Morgan asked walking up to Nicole.
"She's coming back to Chicago." Donovan flatly stated.
"What?" Morgan and Nicole asked.
"School's over for the year. Spend the summer with us." he replied.
"I think what your overbearing, controlling, emotionless, scruffy looking cousin is trying to say," Morgan said.
"Hey." Donovan protested.
"What? Did I forget something?" Morgan innocently asked, "Nicole, your family and after what happened you need to get away for awhile. Besides I need someone besides Alex to help spend his paychecks."
"I'll think about it." Nicole replied before she started to walk over to the swing set.
"Overbearing? Controlling?" Donovan asked.
"Telling Nicole that she's coming with us like it or not is not the way to handle things." Morgan argued.
"Morgan, she watched her stepbrother get gunned down in front of this house. She was almost killed. They have no idea who killed Robert." he argued back.
"I know, but the choice has to be hers." Morgan said kissing his cheek. "I don't give up that easy. I'm sure Monica can help me reason with Nicole to come back with us."
"Emotionless?" Donovan asked lifting an eyebrow, "That's not what you said last night."
"Oh come on," Cody complained, "Get a room or go behind a tree or something."
Donovan glared at Cody causing him to walk away fast. He walked towards the swing set.
"Hi. Not sure if you remember but I'm Cody." he said sitting in the swing next to her.
"I remember." Nicole replied.
"Yea, may I?" he asked.
"What?" she asked.
"You look like you could use a good push." Cody smiled as he pushed the swing. "I overheard the high almighty trying to bully you into coming back with us. If you change your mind, I'd like to take you sightseeing."
"I'd like that." Nicole smiled, "We'll see."
Jake, Alex, Monica and Cody stood in the background watching. Alex and Monica were having a hard time trying to hold back the tears.
"I've always hated funerals," Monica whispered.
"Me too." Jake agreed.
Lightning flashed and thunder rolled. The rain started to fall. The honor guard walked over to Director McMillan, head of the FBI, and handed him the flag. He took the flag and walked over to the family.
Alex just looked at the woman. She didn't know her, but she had to give her credit for being strong. She did wonder how much longer she could stay that way.
"With respect and gratitude of this nation, please accept this flag in memory of his years of service." Director McMillan said.
As Nicole looked at the Director, tears started to fall down her cheeks. She stepped forward and took the flag. "Thank you," she whispered hugging the flag to her chest.
Nicole stood there blinking away the tears. She jumped when the thunder rolled again. She heard the people moving around her, giving their condolences. He's gone, she thought, he's really gone. She took a deep breath trying to control herself.
Unable to keep her composure, Nicole fell onto her knees sobbing. She held the flag to her chest and let the tears fall. The rain started to come down harder, but she didn't care.
"I'll meet you guys at the car." Jake said walking towards Nicole. Jake took his coat off and placed it over her shoulders. He reached down and helped her stand up. Nicole looked at Jake trying to understand his kindness.
"Thanks Jake, I'll take Nicole back to the house." Donovan quietly said taking her in his arms.
"Oh Frank, I can't believe he's gone." Nicole sobbed into his chest. Donovan tightened his hold on Nicole. How Donovan wished he could take the pain away from her.
"See ya back at the house." Jake said walking back to the team.
"I'll go with them, to make sure they get back to the house okay." Morgan said kissing her husband's cheek.
Donovan nodded. He watched Morgan walk back to the car with Jake. He stayed at the grave site with Nicole until she was ready to go home.
An hour later
"What are you going to do now?" Morgan asked walking up to Nicole.
"She's coming back to Chicago." Donovan flatly stated.
"What?" Morgan and Nicole asked.
"School's over for the year. Spend the summer with us." he replied.
"I think what your overbearing, controlling, emotionless, scruffy looking cousin is trying to say," Morgan said.
"Hey." Donovan protested.
"What? Did I forget something?" Morgan innocently asked, "Nicole, your family and after what happened you need to get away for awhile. Besides I need someone besides Alex to help spend his paychecks."
"I'll think about it." Nicole replied before she started to walk over to the swing set.
"Overbearing? Controlling?" Donovan asked.
"Telling Nicole that she's coming with us like it or not is not the way to handle things." Morgan argued.
"Morgan, she watched her stepbrother get gunned down in front of this house. She was almost killed. They have no idea who killed Robert." he argued back.
"I know, but the choice has to be hers." Morgan said kissing his cheek. "I don't give up that easy. I'm sure Monica can help me reason with Nicole to come back with us."
"Emotionless?" Donovan asked lifting an eyebrow, "That's not what you said last night."
"Oh come on," Cody complained, "Get a room or go behind a tree or something."
Donovan glared at Cody causing him to walk away fast. He walked towards the swing set.
"Hi. Not sure if you remember but I'm Cody." he said sitting in the swing next to her.
"I remember." Nicole replied.
"Yea, may I?" he asked.
"What?" she asked.
"You look like you could use a good push." Cody smiled as he pushed the swing. "I overheard the high almighty trying to bully you into coming back with us. If you change your mind, I'd like to take you sightseeing."
"I'd like that." Nicole smiled, "We'll see."