The reporters were already clustering outside the hospital when Jack went to sign the hospital papers.
"Ask for three death certificates," said Yong.
"Why?" asked Jack.
"To get the body out of England and back to Hong Kong."
The body. Jack's stomach twisted and turned. He took out the letter and noticed that it already had the address for the funeral, somewhere in Hong Kong. His dad was giving him orders straight from the grave. How very in character of him. Take my body back to Hong Kong. Bury me in the family cemetery, close to my parents. Jack huffed. He wanted to get angry at him, but couldn't.
The hospital director extended his sympathies to Jack, and presented him with a small tray that contained all of his father's effects. His watch, wallet, passport, and marriage ring. Jack took the ring.
"I…I want this to-," said Jack, unable to express how he wanted it to be placed back on his father's fingers.
"I will take care of that," said Yong, putting the ring in a small envelope.
The hospital director looked at Jack with a sadness that made him feel like he was five again.
The funeral was held in Hong Kong. It was a public funeral just as his father had been a public figure. As people paraded in front of him to shake his hand and offer their condolences, Jack couldn't help but think that all these people had hold more of his father's time than he had.
"Hi, Jack," said a voice off to his side. Kimiko, dressed all in black. Behind her stood all the Xiaolin Monks, and a tall Japanese man that Jack recognized as Kimiko's father. They all looked so weird in all black, Jack was stunned into silence. Suddenly, everything seemed all too real. His family life, his Xiaolin Showdown life, they both clashed together and he hated it. He wanted them all to go away.
"We're very sorry for your loss Jack," said Kimiko, holding his hand. The other monks came to stand around him, saying that they were sorry. That they were there for him if he needed anything. Nobody else came to see him. Only they remembered him, and he felt pathetic. He only realized he had started crying again when Clay gave him a handkerchief.
The throng of people started waning by nightfall, and the Xiaolin Monks left around 8, after staying most of the day, and even bringing him and his mom something to eat. There was a full meal prepared for them on the back room, but when Omi pressed the tiny pudding cup in his hand and said 'You should eat something', Jack felt almost glad.
He let his mom handle the rest of the people. He found that he couldn't stand to be around strange faces anymore, and sat at the back of the hall, looking at her shake hands and accept words of sadness with perfectly cool calmness. His father had been right when he expected her to be stronger than Jack. He had probably only addressed the letter to him because he couldn't be sure that she wouldn't have a 'difficult time' when he died. They had long ago settled on calling her drinking binges like that.
Someone stood on the aisle next to him, and a scent of ginger and incense reached Jack's nose, sending cold terror down his back. But the terror faded sharply under the wave of freezing rage that flared up in him.
"Chase," said Jack, almost spitting out his name. The memory of the battle with him came back to him. Of all the planning he had done. All his efforts. All of the wasted time. Jack turned to look at him, feeling numb. He had no more energy to be afraid of him.
Chase narrowed his eyes at him, and Jack expected him to slap him across the face. To punch him. Anything. He didn't care anymore.
Chase bowed. "I came to present my respects to your family."
Jack scoffed. "You? Why?"
Chase bared his fangs, the way he always did when something displeased him. "It is the honorable thing to do."
"Just go away Chase. I'm so sick of you. I can't stand to see you," said Jack, barely containing his rage and struggling to whisper so no one would notice them.
"Hmph. We will settle our issues later," said Chase, turning away from him.
"We will not settle anything, Chase. Don't come back. Don't come back ever."
Chase stopped, and in a swift move, grabbed Jack's arm and twisted it painfully behind his back. Jack swallowed his pained scream. He didn't want anyone to see them, much less his mother, and the way Chase held him, they would look like they were whispering to each other to anyone who cared to glance their way.
"I am extending you a courtesy Spicer. My revenge is still to come, but we will settle this as adults, seeing as you are one now," whispered Chase, so close to Jack that strands of his hair fell over Jack's face.
And for the first time, Jack felt nothing. Nothing beyond the sharp icy rage that seemed to coat his every thought.
"Let. Me. Go."
Chase did so, and Jack stepped away from him, until he hit the wall behind him. So Chase wanted revenge? Well, so did Jack. He wanted revenge for all the time he had stolen from him. For stealing the last few hours of his father's life away from him.
"How honorable of you, giving me a day to mourn my father so you can pretend to be the high and honorable knight," spat Jack.
"Hmph. We will settle this in its due time. I will not come like a coward during the night. Unlike others," said Chase, with a pointed glare at him.
"Whatever. Scram. I can't fucking believe I was in love with you," said Jack, walking away from him.
"What?" asked Chase.
But Jack didn't look back.
He felt nothing.