The Power of the Q- Ch.7- The Funeral
Two days, two days since Jess died, two days since I saw anyone, two days since I saw Q. In the beginning, someone would try to get in to talk, but when I wouldn't answer they would give up. Harry tries three times a day to get in. Janeway tried once, she knew Jess, they were friends, not the best of friends, but still friends. Janeway once told me that Jess called her to tell her thanks for giving me another try.
I was lying on the couch, like I have since I came back. Just staring like I have for two days at the ceiling, Neelix was right, these ceilings are ugly.
"Come on Tom." Q said; he was in his admiral costume.
I just stared at him. "What do you want, Q?"
"Your family is holding Jessica's funeral today. I want you to go, you need to she's your sister." Q looked at me. "Here, put this on-" He threw me a suit. "Kathy is coming, too, she did know Jessica, and so I thought that it would be appropriate if she came. Hurry, we'll be late."
I stared at him and got up, moving to the bathroom, but stopped. "Why are you doing this Q?"
"Because, I feel like it." He smiled. "I do have a heart, Tommyboy. You'll have the Q powers again, no going back in time. You can be invisible and visible, but not during the funeral. Hurry, I'll go see if Kathy is ready."
I put the suit on, black tie, black pants, black jacket, and a white shirt. I looked in the mirror and fixed my hair. Q appeared again.
"Nice, Tom. I thought that would look good on you, Kathy is ready, now, you two have fun." Q snapped his fingers, and both Janeway and I were on a hill. We were near the infamous Paris burial plots.
I looked at Janeway; she was wearing a black dress, she looked good.
'Kiss her, kiss her, kiss her!' Tameth chanted.
'SHUT-UP!!! His sister died, so we all shut-up. Okay?' Culnac yelled.
'Yeah, sorry.' Tameth said, a little embarrassed.
'Got it, sorry, Tom, even though I said nothing.' Jack muttered.
I rolled my eyes.
"Let me guess, Tameth and the guys are flipping out?" Janeway asked, she had a smile on.
"Yeah, but Culnac shut Tameth up." I tried to smile. Suddenly it started raining, hard.
We were quiet the first couple of minutes of the walk, it would take about two more minutes before we were to reach where the funeral would be held.
"I'm sorry, Captain." I whispered. I could probably not be heard over the rain. Janeway looked at me. She draped her right arm over my shoulders and her hand was on my right shoulder.
"I understand what you're going through, Tom. Don't be sorry, you did what I did when my father died." I looked at her. "I locked myself away from everyone else for a long time, then, I thought, 'Dad wouldn't want me to waste away my life over his death.'"
"But, Captain, you weren't there, were you? I was there; I was sitting next to her. Then Q came along and saved me, but not her." I looked down on the ground. We were there.
The Captain was about to say something, then realized that the funeral had started. We were invisible, whoop-de-doo. I stood next to Kathleen and Moria. They had brought their husbands, but no kids- if they have any. Kathleen was pregnant when I left, I just don't know if it was a boy or girl. I noticed standing next to my mom and dad, was Jadzia.
Her and Jess were barely ever separated, even when Jadzia went to the academy, she was there for a visit at least once a day. Jadzia was crying, so was the other man next to her, Jess's fiancée.
Dad looked sad, but he wasn't crying, he looked like he might. Mom was in tears, Dad was holding her.
The funeral was slow. I kept going back to two days ago; it played over and over again in my mind. Q could've saved her.
After one hour the funeral was over, people would go by and say their goodbyes. Janeway and I stayed behind. After everyone had left, I snapped my fingers and we became visible, and the rain poured harder.
"Perfect weather, huh?" I asked. Janeway gave me a little bit of a smile.
"You go first, Tom, I'll be at that bench over there." Janeway pointed to a stone bench under a tall willow tree. She started to leave.
"Captain, wait." I called after her. She turned around. "You might need this." My left hand was outstretched; I snapped my fingers and an umbrella appeared in my left hand. Janeway smiled and took it. She turned back around and I watched her leave with the umbrella over her head.
I walked over to Jess's grave. The tombstone was normal size, it read: Jessica Lynn Paris Born- May 14, 2346 Died- February 1, 2372. Beloved sister, daughter, friend, and fiancé.
"Hey Jess." I said, kneeling down next to the grave. "Been a couple days, how's death treating you? Met any ghosts, yet?" Stop joking around you idiot. I thought. "I miss you Jess, you weren't supposed to die. That's not the right order of things, it goes mom or dad, then Kathleen, then Moria, then me, and last you. Not you first, why you? You had your whole life ahead of you, you were a great painter, you were probably gonna make DaVinci run for his money. You'd be proud of me, Jess. Chief Helmsman of the starship Voyager, Janeway's here, she'll say hi or bye soon.
"Don't worry, Jess, I'll get home. Before seventy years is up, I'll be back. I'll see Kath and Moria, hell if I back it back early I can see mom and dad. I'll miss you, Jess. And, don't worry, I won't hide anymore, I love you." With that I kissed my hand and put it to her grave.
I got up and walked towards the bench Janeway said she would be at. Janeway stood up and walked towards me.
"Your turn, Captain." I said. Janeway started to leave, then turned around and tried to give me the umbrella. "No, I'm good." I sat down on the bench and Janeway left.
The whole day played over and over rewinding, fast forwarding, pausing, slow motion, it was like my head was a TV. The rain kept pounding hard on my head, my hair and clothes were probably soaked, but I didn't care.
Suddenly, I didn't feel the rain anymore. I looked up and saw an umbrella over my head. I looked to my right, expecting to find Janeway next to me, but instead found Jadzia moving to sit next to me on the bench.
I just stared at her. I jumped up and tried to make myself invisible, but it didn't work, Jadzia started laughing at me.
"Who do you think you are, Q?" She asked.
"Close, he gave me the powers of one." I smiled and sat back down. Jadzia smiled for a bit, but then it faded. "What's wrong?"
"Tom, I'm sorry." She said. "I know you and Jess were close. She died by a bomb."
"I know, I was there." I started to stare straight ahead.
"Tom, this was no random act of terrorism." Jadzia said. "It was planned. And I think I know who and why."
I snapped my head in Jadzia's direction. I grabbed Jadzia's arms. "Why Jadzia, why was she murdered? Who killed her, Dax, who did it?"
"I'll tell you, but you might want to explain to your Captain who I am." I looked at her quizzically.
I looked past Jadzia and saw Janeway. She was completely in shock of what she just heard come out of mine and Jadzia's mouths.
"Captain," I started, I stood up and made the Captain sit where I was. "this is Jadzia Dax, an old friend. She and Jess were really close they-"
"Cut the chit chat Mister Paris." I was a little taken aback. Janeway turned to Jadzia who was sitting next to her. "Why would someone want to kill Jessica?" She asked her.