I do not own Once Upon a Time.

Wake and funeral time.

Daniel's Funeral home was going to be a packed house. The family would have thirty minutes to themselves before it was open to the public. Neal kept a strong arm around Tara and Sophia was being watched by her cousins. Roxanne had her brother close by, she was struggling to remain calm and collected. She didn't think there were any tears left in her.

The family was huge, that's what happened when Tara's father was one of six kids and her mother was one of four. So Tara and Killian had twenty-one first cousins. And by this point, the cousins had kids. But there was going to be someone to lean on all day.

Friends came in, along with people from the company, including the board members. Former classmates and teachers, people from their church, it was quickly a full room. Then there were tears as people filled past Liam's open coffin. Nearby stood Tara, Neal, Killian and Roxanne ready to receive the mourners. There were stories shared and tears shed. It was going to be long day.

"Thank you guys for coming, you have no idea how much this really means for us." Tara hugged Adam when he showed up with the teammates.

"Anything for a fellow football player. Liam led us to victory." Shawn said after his hug.

"We are getting matching tattoos next week." Tarrant told Tara. "A football with Liam's jersey number. So we can keep him close all the time."

Rob showed the drawing he had already done of it, he wanted the final approval from Liam's sister before going forward with it.

"Guys, it's beautiful. Number 17, he got to carry it through high school and college. I trust you are braver than he was when it comes to needles?"

"I think anyone is." Ian joked,

They all laughed, they needed that so badly.

"How are you holding up, Tara?" Anthony asked.

"As well as I can. Can't ask for much more." She answered honestly. Today and tomorrow were going to be the hardest of her life. At least she wasn't alone.

"What about Killian? Do you need us to do anything? Like beat him up." Rob asked.

"Killian is here and coping. That's all I want. After that, it's up to him." Tara knew Liam's former teammates would do something to make sure Killian wasn't skipping out or messing up.

"Damn it, I forgot to rip these pockets open." Tara just tried to shove a tissue into her jacket pocket.

"Hand it over, I'll take care of it." Regina held out her hand.

Tara looked at her with a skeptical eye. "You carry a seam ripper?"

"Former girl scout, always be prepared. Give me the jacket, Father Brian just walked in."

Ten minutes later, Regina was at Tara's side. "Jacket…" She handed over the jacket that Tara gratefully took. "Water…" A cup of glass was placed in Tara's hand. "Sit." There was a sense of authority in Regina's voice. Tara knew not to mess with it, so she sat down and took a sip. "You need to stay hydrated."

"Who knew a person could cry so much and still have tears? How are we doing?"

"Ruby had to escort someone out who was taking pictures. I think Harvard is sending a wreath."

"That's so nice of them. Regina, thank you, for everything. You're like …" Tara started to say but Regina quickly held up her hand.

"No. Please don't say I am like your mother."

Tara chuckled. "No, my mother was nice from the start. I was going to say that you are like an older sister. A really strict older sister."

Oh, Regina could live with that.

Justine Krejsa was Tara's best friend, they had been through grammar school and high school together. She had been by her side through all the hard times, she just hadn't thought this moment could come this soon.

She looked around the funeral parlor and Tara was nowhere in sight. This was not a good sign. Maybe she stepped outside just to take herself out of the situation for a moment.

Justine walked outside and the patio was empty. Where could Tara be? Justine decided to check the bathroom and lucky for her she did.

Tara was leaning against the wall, her hand stiflingly her sobs and tears were streaming down her face. "I can't do this… I can't do this." She kept repeating.

Justine locked the door, they needed girl time. She crossed the room and pulled Tara to the bench.

"You can do this, you can get through today and tomorrow. You, Tara Sinaed Jones, are the strongest person I know." Justine told her, hoping her words would do something.

"The company, Justine. I can't run the company alone." Tara corrected her, hiccupping.

Oh, that. The Jewel of the World was huge, maybe too much for one person. Then there was the board but Justine knew how much Tara trusted the board, especially now.

"You're not alone, Killian is here." Justine told her

Tara gave a heartless chuckle. "How long will be he sticking around? He's not the most responsible guy." She did trust her brother but his track record wasn't the best.

Justine let Tara have a few more minutes before she stood up and unlocked the door. "Check your makeup and come back out."

Justine walked back into the room and quickly scanned for Killian. She found him standing in a corner, taking to some college classmates. She marched over to him and grabbed his arm. "We need to talk."

"That is never a good sign." Killian remarked but did not fight her.

Justine led him into a back hallway and rounded on him. "How long do you plan on sticking around?" She asked point blank.

Killian swallowed hard, and then his hand went up to scratch his neck. Honestly he hadn't given it much thought. The wake and the funeral were a given. Then maybe a week after that. He had little to no intention to run the company. How could he possibly walk into that building where his brother was murdered?

His silence told Justine everything. "You need to weigh your options very carefully. Your sister just had a panic attack in the bathroom because she knows she's the head of the company. No amount of convincing from me is going to make her believe she can do this. So are you going to leave her?"

"She and Liam did a good job of running the company without me messing it up." Killian tried to argue. He never wanted the company.

"Killian…" Justine growled. "When it was them. There's no them anymore, it's just her. Alone. Tara can't do this alone. I know you are better than this." She walked away, leaving Killian as alone as his sister felt.

He dropped into a chair. The right thing would be to stay, that would be good from. Besides, if he left, where would he go? There wasn't much left in Storybrooke besides the band. But New York, that held broken promises and death.

Lesser of two evils. That's what was facing Killian.

At the end of the night, the wake was finally over. Tara had held herself together quite well during the prayer session. Her hands had been laced through Killian's and Neal's. Roxanne sat close to Killian, whose arm was around her.

Finally, the room was empty apart from Tara, Neal, Killian and Roxanne. They were ready to leave, but Killian was still standing by Liam's coffin, having a silent conversation with him. His family let him have his moment.

"What was the last wake Killian went to?" Roxanne asked.

"Your father's." Neal answered.

Tara almost nodded in agreement but the harsh reality hit her. "No, Dad's wasn't the last wake Killian was at." Roxanne and Neal turned to her. "Milah's was. And he was all alone."

As if they didn't feel bad enough already.

Tara walked back into the room and touched Killian's shoulder.

He didn't jump, he put his arm around her shoulders. "Nice touch with the drum sticks." Killian tried to lighten the mood.

"Just wanted to remember the good times." She responded quietly.

They stood there, staring at their brother. He looked so peaceful, like he would sit up at any moment. But they knew better. So instead of wishing for the impossible, Tara and Killian studied their brother's face, committing it to memory.

"Killian, I'm sorry you had to do your last wake alone. Don't shut me out again."

He pulled her close for a hug. "Never again."

Tara was tucking Sophia in later that night. "You were so brave and strong today. Thank you, baby." At seven, Sophia should not be attending her uncle's wake. But she had every bit a Jones, someone who could take on the world.

"Mommy, do I have to go to the funeral tomorrow?" Sophia asked.

Tara sat on the bed. "No, you went to the wake. We can say good bye to Uncle Liam together privately." She hugged her daughter tight.

Tara held it together quite nicely if she did say so herself during the short service at the funeral home before they went to the church. Even through the poem from her uncle Daniel.

"Don't grieve for me, for now I'm free!

I follow the plan God laid for me.

I saw His face, I heard His call,

I took His hand and left it all…

I could not stay another day,

To love, to laugh, to work or play;

Tasks felt undone must stay that way.

As if my parting has left a void,

Then filled it with remembered joy.

A friendship shared, a laugh, a kiss…

Ah yes, these things I, too shall miss.

My life's been full, I've savored much

Good times, good friends,

A loved one's touch

Perhaps my time seemed all too brief-

Don't shorten yours with undue grief.

Be not burdened with tears of sorrow

Enjoy the sunshine of the morrow."

Then at the church, Tara found that was only possible by giving Father Brian one ear. The other one listened to the noise outside. Traffic, birds, subway, anything she could catch.

Neal and Kathleen were strong during their readings. Kathleen gave her cousins tight hugs after hers.

Tara and Killian handled doing the gifts well, they didn't have talk. It worked for them.

But all bets were off when a very familiar tune began to play. Aunt Nancy stood a few feet from them, microphone in hand. Tara panicked, this was not part of the program.

Oh Danny boy…

Maybe she could do this. Maybe she could even… sing along. Grandma Sophia had taught her the words so long ago and they were engrained in her soul.

Tara opened her mouth but no sound came out.

Oh my god…

Tara broke her promise to him. Liam never asked for much from her. All he ever wanted for her to sing again. How had she responded? "Before die, you will hear me sing." Of course she foolishly believed she had decades before that happened. But the truth was, she could count on one hand how many years she had left with him.

But come ye back when summer's in the meadow…

Tara Jones failed her older brother. How was she supposed to live with herself now?

And the floodgates opened. She buried her face in her hands and sobbed. Neal gathered her close, shielding her in his shoulder.

And I shall sleep in peace until you come to me.

And now on to the grave site. That least that service was short. Somehow Killian brought himself to quote Oscar Wilde. "Death must be so beautiful. To lie in the soft brown earth, with the grasses waving above one's head, to listen to silence. To have no yesterday, and no tomorrow. To forget time, to forgive life, to be a peace."

After the final prayer and the invitation to a local restaurant, people began to file past the coffin, placing flowers on it. Eventually it was just Roxanne, Tara, Neal and Killian left. They finally had emotionless looks on their faces, they were out of tears.

"He's with Mom and Dad now." Killian said quietly.

Tara nodded though she wished they were all together. Neal wrapped an arm around her. "Come on, let the workers do their job. We have to get to the restaurant."

"I'll be right there; I need to say hi first." No one asked who, they knew exactly who she meant. Tara walked a few yards and stopped in front of a large head stone. She resisted the urge to drop to her knees. "Keep an eye on him. I miss you so much." She rolled up her sleeve and touched her tattoo.

Sorry if you needed tissues. So who is person Tara needs to say hi to? That promise she broke to Liam, why doesn't she sing anymore? So many little things in this chapter.

FYI- Justine is named after a coworker.

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