A/N Thank you all for reading my first fan fic. I have a few others in the works but school is kicking my butt right now. Once again I do not own anyone, John, Shawn, Shane etc. I think I read something about not including songs or whatnot, but I had to so the mentioned and quoted song does not belong to me either. Please review, as a first time "publisher" I am curious as to what you all think!!! Enjoy…
Hope is an anchor, and love is a ship, Time is the ocean and life is a trip You don't know where you're going, 'Til you know where you're at And if you can't read the stars, Well, you better have a map A compass and a conscious so you don't get lost at see, around some old lonely island, where no one wants to be…
The song echoed throughout the building. It seemed more haunting now than any other time anyone had heard it. Oversized wrestlers filled the place wall to wall with Hunter, Shawn and Shane standing near the front of the crowd. With all of that testosterone you wouldn't expect a single tear, but finding a dry eye would be a challenge. Shane stepped up to the mic, clearing his throat, desiring the attention of the crowd.
"Let's get this thing started shall we?" Shane turned to Shawn, motioning him to come up.
The men shared an emotional, tearful hug, before Shane stepped back.
"Man, I never though this was where it would all end. Imara, man, through her fear and hesitations, she fought like hell. No matter what she said or did, it took a hell of a lot of strength to go as far as she did." He paused to dry his eyes and choke back tears. His emotion sang softly in his tone as he spoke. "This girl man, I wish I would have had the chance to get to know her better but what I did know…this girl had a beautiful soul. She deserved the world. Most of you didn't get a chance to even see her like I did. Man, this girl. She never asked for the cards she was dealt, but she played them the best way she could. Imara, darling," He turn his head up to the ceiling, "I'll see you on the other side." Shawn sent a kiss up her way and turned to Shane and Hunter, all three of them loosing tears down their flushed cheeks. Shawn embraced Hunter and Shane once more as sniffles echo from the crowd.
From the beginning of creation, I think our maker had a plan For us to leave these shores and sail beyond the sand And let the good light guide us to the waves and the wind To the beaches and a world where we have never been And we'll climb upon a mountain, y'all we'll let our voices ring Those who've never tried it, they'll be the first to sing.
Shane stepped up to the mic. "You know, I was never the best big brother. I turned a blind eye to what my father put Imara through for a while. I regret every day I sat and did nothing. This girl was, like Shawn said, a beautiful soul. My sister is-was-my sister was one of the nicest girls you've ever met. She would have never told you how awful it was, she took it all with a smile. I wish every minute I would have been the big brother she needed but at least she got a few days of peace. This girl, man, I can't even speak. She was loved by a lot of people." Shane choked up, took a second to regain his composure. "I loved her with all my heart. She ran like hell from her own hell of a reality. Imara, her eyes sparkled when she was happy and glossed over when life was starting to win but through it all she held on to her McMahon million dollar smile. This girl man, you should have known her. She would have changed you." Shane let his head fall into his hands as the emotion over took his put together composure. His body shook with tears as he took a few steps back from the mic. Before leaving he said one more closing thought, "Ima, Imara, Sister, I'll see you on the other side." He too sent a kiss to the heavens and rejoined the other men, hugging once more.
Woah, my, my I'll see you on the other side If I make It, And it might be a long hard ride But I'm gonna take it, Sometimes it seems like I don't have a prayer, Let the weather take me anywhere, But I know I wanna go Where the streets are gold 'Cause you'll be there.
Now it was Hunter's turn. Shane purposefully saved him for last. That man loved his sister. He didn't speak for two days after the hospital visit. Hunter cleared his throat, sucked back his tears and stepped up to the mic, water bottle in hand. "Imara showed me how to live and she showed me how to love. When I first met her, her ice cold exterior was just another challenge for 'The Game' to win over, I never meant to get involved. If you knew Imara, you know that not getting involved is not an option. There is just something about her." He heard himself, and before he could correct the mistake he had to turn and swallow more tears. "There was just something about her. The few days Imara and I spent with each other, she opened up more and more. I still remember the first time I saw a hint of a real smile. Not that McMahon 'I'll smile through everything' smile, I mean the smile that lit up her eyes. Everything changed. That's when I knew that I loved her. From that moment on, I loved her. I did everything I could for that girl and it just was not enough. Life caught up." Hunter paused to take some of his water. "You know, if anyone ever deserved a break, she did. She never gave up no matter how easy it would have been to just go home and go back to the house she feared. This girl kept going. When I was holding her in my arms while the life bled out of her, all I wanted was for her to say something, move, anything. You know what her last words were? 'Thank you for everything' and finally 'I love you Hunter.' Those were the last words she spoke to me." He paused, taking time to speak to speak to whomever might be up above, "Imara, I love you too." He lowered his head back down to the crowd. "I wanted to show her how much I loved her, and I tried for the short time she stayed with me at that mansion of a home. Well Imara, I guess all that's left to say is," tears couldn't be gated anymore as they fell freely down the strong face and onto the quivering bottom lip of the tough man, "I'll see you on the other side…I'll see you on the other side."
You don't bring nothing with you here And you can't take nothing back I ain't never seen a hearse, with a luggage rack So I've torn my knees from praying Scarred my back from falling down Spent so much time flying high, 'til I'm face first in the ground So if you're up there watching me, can you talk to God and say, Tell him I might need a hand to see you both someday.
Hunter walked back to the other two men, and again, the three hefty guys embraced, heads on shoulders. Their dark suits now stained with feeling. John stood up from the front row and walked towards the wooden box, waiting for the others. The trio solemnly walked over to join him. They each grabbed a corner of the wood containing the girl they all loved so much. A few other burley men helped with the weight as they started the parade out of the church and down the stairs to the waiting vehicle. Never in your life have you seen such strong men out pour so much emotion. As they made there way on the sidewalk, Hunters foot nearly sliped out from under him on the newspaper that was mashed into the cement. The headline almost brought a smile to his solemn face.
WWE Chairmen of the Board charged in the death of his young daughter. District Attorney seeking life.
(Song George Strait "You'll Be There")