A/N: Ok, so bear with me. The worst is over...I think. Thanks Sup, for reading.

Chapter 14: Senior Year...Without Matt

It was a very quiet and somber first day of school. Of the one hundred and fifity senior class members only twenty or so actually showed up for the first day of school. Many were home mourning, while others went to the site of the accident to light candles and say a prayer or two for Matt. No one was hurting more than Matt Montgomery's closest and dearest friends. Dear, sweet Becca hadn't stopped crying since Saturday night. Mollie was in a state of shock and turmoil over the loss of a good friend.

The person hit hardest by Matt's sudden and untimely death was Becca. Since late Saturday night Becca hadn't said a word to anyone. She spent a day and a half locked in her room, crying. She wouldn't come out for anything or even talk to her own family. She poured over her photo albums and scarpbooks she had of her and Matt. The hardest part about losing Matt was that Becca kept remembering what Matt had said to her at the beginning of the summer. I will never break your heart again. I promise.

Becca's mother called Mollie, Monday morning to see how Mollie was doing and to ask for a favor. "Becca's been in her room since Saturday night. She won't eat, drink or talk to anyone. I don't know how to help her."

"Do you think that she'll talk to me?" Mollie asked. "Rita, I am hurting just as much as Becca is. I think that it's best to just let her grieve."

"I don't know who she'll talk to or if she even will, but we have to try something. I am not asking her to be the same Becca she was before Matt died. I just want her to come out of her room."

"I'll see what I can do," Mollie sighed, wiping away a tear from her own eyes. Mollie hung up the phone and looked over to the Ross's home. The last time she had seen Emma was at the ER when she was led away in the sheriff's custody. Mollie tried to feel anything for Emma however nothing but anger and betrayal surfaced. The others were able to express their own hurt, anger and betrayal by cutting Emma down, calling her a murderer. Mollie knew in her heart that what had happened Saturday night was not all Emma's fault. What her head knew and what her heart wanted to believe were two of the hurtful and conflicting emotions of Mollie's life.

In everything that had happened Mollie kept coming back to the same place. If it hadn't been for the party, none of this would have happened. It was ingrained her mind that everyone should be blaming her for this disaster. If she hadn't decided to throw the party she and Emma wouldn't have fought, Emma wouldn't have started drinking and Matt would still be alive. Casper and Maddie did their best to convice Mollie otherwise.

After Jesse screamed at Emma and was escorted out of the ER by Deputy Malone, he took Kate back to the McGill's, then found himself sitting on the side of the road just staring out at nothing. Staring at the broken car parts left by Matt's truck and Emma's car. Over and over the words he screamed at Emma in agony played in his mind. Now that he was thinking clearly, he felt bad about what he had said. Emma had been a major part of his life in America. On the other side of the Emma coin was her behavior throughout their entire relationship. Everything they ever did reolved around her ongoing battle with Maddie. There were parts of Emma that Jesse loved and others that he couldn't stand. Sure he felt bad for what he had said but there was no way in hell he was ever going to take it back. Emma killed Matt, there was no other way to look at it.

Marc went home feeling as numb as he had ever been in his life. He couldn't believe Matt was gone. He kept wiahing that this was all a big joke and Matt would come bursting into the room with another one of his crazy ideas. Like Jesse he was angrier than hell at Emma. He spent the first fifteen minutes calling Emma everything he could possibly think of.

In his daze he put on the last video he had of Matt. It was of their last camping trip they took. Marc laugh and cried as he watched the faces of his friends as they hung together. He paused it for a moment on Matt's laughing face. That was the Matt that Marc was going to remember. The happy-go-lucky, devil may care, goofball that he was. The Matt that could trip on his own shoelaces and fall face first into the Wind River. The Matt despite all his faults had won the heart of the sweetest girl in the world. THe Matt who failed his driver's test seven times but could take on any Navy guy in a nautical map reading and charting race. The Matthew Edward Montgomery III that could look shaggy and debonair at the same time.

While watching another video of Matt, Marc got a great, Matt like idea. He would take Matt's sailboat and release it out of San Deigo. He and the guys would road trip to California. It would be the best thing they could do to honor their friend.

Casper hadn't been home since Saturday afternoon. He had been staying with Mollie trying to calm her down and be there for her. He held her while she cried and silently held in his own pain. He couldn't believe that Emma did what she had done. Out of respect for Mollie, Casper kept his hurtful opinions of Emma to himself. Like the rest of his friends, Casper wanted to see Emma hang for what she had done.

Edward and Kimberly didn't want to wait long to have Matt's memorial service. They had it scheduled for Tuesday afternoon. Kimberly had been just as upset and distraught over the loss of her son. Edward made most of the calls for the service. Scott agreed to preform the service. He called Matt's friends to ask them to be the pallbearers. Jesse, Marc, Ty, Casper, Sebastian and the student council advisor Mr. Jake Moore agreed.

Tuesday morning, before the service the Montgomery's opened their home to visitors. Mollie and Becca greeted people at the door and thanked them for coming. It was very hard for Becca to keep a cheerful and strong apperance. She still believed that that she was dreaming and she would wake up and Matt would still be alive.

The last three people to arrive at the Montgomery house was Emma's family. Harlan and Isabelle walked in with Emma between twith the grimmest look she had ever had. There was a large bump protruding from her ankle. Upon the conditons of her bail, Emma was under house arrest and required to wear an ankle locator until her trial date could be set. Emma in an attempt to salvage what was left of her reputation and dignity walked up to Edward and Kimberly.

"Mr. and Mrs. Montgomery, I am so sorry that my irresponsibility took the life of your son and my friend. I take full responsibility for my actions and am prepared to face whatever punishments the courts apply. I know that it won't bring Matt back but I hope that someday you can forgive me," Emma said.

The Montgomery's nodded at Emma and continued on their way to talk with other guests. Emma nodded and started for the door, until her grandparents pulled her back. It was their idea of tough love having Emma around all the people who were bitterly angry and upset with her. They kept her close as they mingled with the other guests of the Montgomerys'. Emma could feel the stares of everyone there. She could tell that she wasn't welcome in the least. Not that she was shocked. The most hostile glare that was shot Emma's way was from Jesse. She barely remembered what it was that she said to him that night. She figured it had to have been bad. The one thing she did remember saying was to Matt just before she drove off. "Jesse hates me, Mollie hates me. Might as well make everyone else hate me too." How right Emma turned out to be.

A few moments later people started filing out of the house to join the processional to the cemetary. Emma's former friends strode past her without even a second glance. She wanted to call out to Mollie, however the glare from Casper halted her. Harlan and Isabelle waited until everyone had left the Montgomery home before they joined the last of the cars.

There were more poeple at Matt's graveside service than there were people in the town of Hidden Rocks. Once at the cemetary; Jesse, Marc, Casper, Ty, Sebastian and Mr. Moore lifted Matt's casket out of the car and carried it over to the gravesite. Overhead the thunder began to rumble. It was a somber moment when Scott began to pray.

"Father God, we lift the soul of Matthew Edward Montgomery III to you and your angels. Though he is truly missed here amoung his friends and family we know that he has gone to a better place and is no longer in pain. God, grant us the peace and understanding to properly greive the loss of this remarkable young man. In Your son's holy name, we pray. Amen. Matt's friend Jesse has asked to speak."

Jesse took the podium and began to speak from a sheet of paper he pulled from his suit coat. "I first met Matt when my family moved here from England four years ago. He and Marc were racing with Casper on their jet skis. I was out on the lake as well and they called me over to join in. Ever since then, Matt and I have been the best of friends. even though he was the wealthiest kid in town, Matt never acted like it. He was homey, a friend to everyone and he rarely used his family's wealth and standing to get out of things. Matt was the kind of guy who would, without being asked, shovel everyone's driveway in the winter, especially Mrs. Helen Stevens', so she wouldn't have to try to navigate through the snow with her walker. He was always helping people, even when they didn't want or deserve his help."

Emma cringed in the back of the crowd as Jesse very pointedly made a jab at her. She could feel the eyes of her former friends burn towards her. She had begged her grandparents to not make her attend the service. They had refused. Her grandfather believed that and was very clear that Emma had to face all the repercussions of her actions. Although nothing she did or could do would bring Matt back. All she could do was try to make amends for what she had done. Emma wasn't stupid enough to think that she would get out of this ordeal with just a slap on the wrist. She knew she faced major jail time.

"As a memorial to our friend; Marc, Casper, Sebastian, Tyler Morris and I are going to launch Matt's sailboat out of the San Deigo peir this weekend. If anyone has anything that they would like to put in the boat as a memory is welcome to do so," Jesse said, finishing his talk.

Kimberly stood next to Jesse and began to speak. "Matthew Edward Montgomery III was born on January 20th in Cape Town, South Africa. He was unintentionally born there. We were on our way back to the states and the boy just didn't want to wait. Turns out that became a thing for Matt. He was the first of his friends to walk and talk. He was always on the go. At times I was lucky that I could get him into his shoes before he was out the door to play with Marc and Isaac O'Ryan. I lost track of how many water balloon wars I had to break up with the three boys. It got worse once they all learned how to sail. The best thing to ever happen to my son, happened three years ago when the Cornwallis family moved here from Austin, Texas. Becca is the sweetest girl I could have hoped for, for my son. I told Matt at one point that I liked Becca more than I did him. I hope that with Matt's passing, Becca will continue to feel like a daughter to us. I am thankful for the love and support granted to us by members of this community."

Becca broke away from her family and came to stand next to Kimberly. Mollie followed suit and soon Kimberly Montgomery was in the middle of a hug from all of her son's friends. As the teens surrounded Kimberly, the rumbling of the thunder changed to a sudden and instant downpour. With nowhere to retreat but to the cars it was a mad dash to get out of the rain. In the confusion Becca and Emma remained out in the rain. It was the first time that the two girls had been that close since the fourth of July. Becca was the first to walk away but Emma grabbed her arm to stop her.

"Becca please," Emma pleaded over the deafening sound of the rain.

"I have nothing to say to you," Becca said sharply.

"Look Becca. I made a mistake and now I am paying for it. I don't know how to make it better But I want to try."

"You can't mke it better."

"Becca, I'm sorry. I really am. I hate what happened just as much as the rest of you do. Matt was my friend too."

"You what Emma? I don't give a shit what you have to say. The facts are these: You chose to come to the youth center drunk. You chose to pick a fight with Jesse and Mollie. You were given several chances to not drive. You chose to drive. You chose to speed. You lost control of your car. You hit Matt. You killed him. You can't deny that!"

"What do you want from me Becca?!" Emma shouted over the rain.

"I WANT HIM BACK TO SELFISH BITCH!" Becca screamed. Her scream was punctuated by a bolt of lightning. Becca didn't say another word as she walked away from Emma. in fact, Becca didn't say another word to anyone at all.

Four days later the boys took Casper's truck and Marc's SUV and headed west for San Degio. Matt's sailboat was filled with flowers letters, photographs and mementos from the people of Hidden Rocks. It was an emotional task for the five boys. Casper, Jesse and Ty rode together in Casper's truck while Sebastian and Marc followed. Casper, Jesse and Ty didn't make it out of Hidden Rocks proper, without tearing up. The hardest part about making this trip was that Matt had talked about making a similar one that spring. The plan was to sail to Mexico and party it up there. Casper remembered Matt talking about the trip in kindergarten.

The drive there was quiet. None of the boys said much of anything. Other than their walkies going off picking up the frequencies of other truckers not much noise was being made in the Lang truck. Somewhere in Nevada Ty had enough of the silence and flipped on the radio in Casper's truck. Be it rotten timing or providence the radio station that they picked up was in the opening bars of Nickleback's hit Photograph. The issue they had with the song was not only was it one of Matt's favorites but it was the song that they heard playing quietly overhead when they recieved the news that Matt had died. Ty quickly flipped off the radio.

"Never mind," Ty said sheepishly. "I can't take the quiet anymore. I need someone to say something."

"Cas, you've been really non-verbal in all this," Jesse commented. "You have barely said anything at all. Everyone and their dog knows what I've said."

"Out of respect for Mollie, I've kept my mouth shut," Casper said, staring intently forward.

"Well, Mollie's not here right now," Jesse pressed.

"That doesn't matter," Casper retorted, looking from the road over to Jesse. "I've known Emma a lot longer than anyone else in this truck and I choose not to put her down for the stupid choices she's made."

"That's Mollie talking, not you. You knew Matt just as long."

"I know that Jesse," Casper said. "But if I say something, anything at all, I'm going to regret it. Mollie is very important to me and weather we like it or not, Mollie still cares about Emma. I can't bring myself to downgrade her anymore."

"I see your point Casper," Ty said, speaking up. "Whan my brother was killed in Iraq, I blamed everyone under the sun. I blamed my father, the Marines, even Kevin himself. But all the blame and cursing I did wasn't going to change the fact that Kevin was gone."

"Your brother died doing what he and so many others believed was right," Casper argued. "Matt died for no reason at all. His was a senseless, meaningless crime. Emma stole from all of us our friend and for that she can rot. And that's all I'm going to say."

Mollie, Halle and Jo met outside the Cornwallis home around the same time that the boys were somewhere in Nevada. Since the screamfest with Emma at Matt's funeral, Becca had stopped talking. Rita was worried that her daughter was going to fall into an inconsolable depression and had enlisted her daughter's friends help lift Becca's spirits. one more person was arriving to join the ranks to buck Becca up: Maddie. Armed with candles, girl rock CDs and pleanty of junk food, Maddie came to win Becca back to the light. Mollie rang the bell and the four girls waited for someone to answer the door.

Answering the door was Becca's little brother Chad. Chad didn't fully understand what had happened to Matt. With his own big brother so far away Chad looked to his big sister Becca's boyfriend as his big brother. Matt and Chad had been good buddies. They would go fishing, hiking, hang out on Matt's boat and even one time they took a road trip to Denver to see the Avalanche hockey team. Mollie knelt down next to the little boy and hugged him tightly. They all knew how Chad was feeling because they all felt it too.

"Hey buddy," Mollie said softly. "Is Becca home?"

"Yeah," Chad answered. "She's been in her room crying for days and days."

"We know little guy. Can we come in?"

Chad nodded and let the four girls into the house. Rita met them in the living room. She thanked them for coming and hoped that they could pull Becca from the funk she had been in. Jo led the girls up to Becca's room and knocked on the door. Jo wasn't sure if Becca would even open the door so she took the first step by opening it for her. Lying on her bed, staring at photo of Matt and clutching a teddy bear was Becca. The curtains were pulled tight, blocking all daylight out. Jo nodded to Halle who went to the window and pulled open the curtains.

"Ok Becca, it's time to get up!" Jo said cheerfully.

"Go away, Jo," Becca signed. "I just want to be alone."

"Not a chance Becs," Mollie replied. "We're going to have some fun, just like Matt would want."

"What I want is to be miserable for a few more days," Becca retorted looking over at her friends.

"Becca I broght Norah, Alanis, Kelly and Paramore," Maddie said, pulling out the CDs. "A very dear friend of mine and yours once said that when someone passes the best thing for us to do is to celebrate that they have gone home."

"There's nothing to celebrate," Becca sighed. "Nothing at all."

"Oh but there is Becca," Mollie argued. She knelt down next to Becca and looked her right in the eye. "Becca, we are young, amazing women. We have each other to help us through this hard time. Come on Becca, get up."

"No offense Mollie, but talk to me when Emma kills Casper and then see where and what you'll be doing."

"Becca!" Jo chided.

"I'm not taking it back," Becca said. "Matt's dead. He's dead and Emma killed him. None of you can deny that. I know you're all trying to help but this is not something I am just going to get past. I'm just not. So please, just go away and leave me alone."

"Becca don't you do this. Don't push us away like she did," Jo said. "We're all hurting. We just want to help you feel better, even if it's only for one small afternoon."

"Becca, please?" Mollie pleaded.

Becca stared up at the Wicked poster on her wall. It was the last show she and Matt had gone to. In her heart she knew she needed her friends. In her head she heard Matt's voice telling her to get up. She sat up and looked over at Maddie. "Did you bring any Sarah?"

"Yeah Becca," Maddie smiled.

For the rest of Friday afternoon, Becca and her friends ate junk food, listened to empowering girl rock and just talked amongst themselves. Slowly things were getting back to normal.

Across town at the courthouse, Emma was facing a judge, facing the music, so to say, for her actions a week prior.

"Counselor, do you wish to enter a plea?" the honorable Judge Anthony Marietta asked.

"We wish to plead guilty to negligent vehicular manslaughter, your honor," Emma's attorney replied, standing up.

Judge Marietta paused for a few moments before making his next statement. "Emily Noelle "Emma" Blythe, by order of this court, you are sentenced to six years in prison. The first year is to be served under house arrest with the following exceptions: You are to finish school and complete an alcohol rehabilitation program. You will be required to check in with the principal of Hidden Rocks High School every morning when you arrive and every afternoon when you leave. You are to be back to your home by four pm. If you fail to complete any of the stipulations this court has mandated you will be sent to directly to prison and serve the remainder of your sentence there. This court is adjourned."

Casper and the boys arrived in San Deigo proper early Saturday morning. They parked at one of the many marinas and waited for the launches to open. Casper sat in the bed of his truck checking his messages. He had three random texts from Sebastain about Marc's driving and one voice message from Mollie. Skipping the rest of the texts he listened to Mollie's message.

"Hey Casper," Mollie began. "It's about one in the morning here. I couldn't sleep so I figured I'd talk to your voice mail for a little bit, seeing as you're most likely asleep. The girls and I went to see Becca today. She's not doing well Casper and I don't know how to help her. She's taking Matt's death a lot harder than we all thouhgt. I'm afraid things are only going to get worse." She paused to gather her thoughts. "I miss you Casper. With everything that has happened over the summer with Emma and Matt and even with my own family drama, I haven't thanked you enough for being there for me. I can't begin to understand what Becca is going through. I don't think I could handle losing you. Casper, I love you. I do. I love you. Come home soon."

Casper listened to Mollie's message so many times that all he heard was the last few words. He couldn't believe that his sweet Mollie had finally said it. She loved him. Casper knew that was a huge step for Mollie and he wasn't about to take it for granted. He was so elated that given the time he would have flown home of his own power.

When the marina opened the boys launched Matt's boat and rented another boat to bring back in after they left Matt's in the ocean. Floating out the boys dropped anchor and climbed over to Matt's. Casper was the first to say anything.

"Hey yo, Matt," Casper said, lifting his Pepsi can. "Thanks for the memories, good and bad. It was a most excellent and crazy eighteen years. Love ya, man!"

"To Matt," Jesse, Ty, Marc and Sebastian echoed.

They sat out on the water for several hours laughing and sharing stories about Matt. Casper decided to tell the story of Matt's fifth day of kindergarten.

"You remember what Matt did on his fifth day of kindergarten?" Ty asked.

"Yeah. Matt, Marc, his twn Zach and I all had Mrs Foster for kindergarten. At that time she had a son who was the biggest, meanest bully in the fifth grade. Ben Foster rode the same bus as Matt and the O'Ryans. He gave Matt crap for the first four days of school By day five Matt had enough. He loaded his Spider-Man lunch box with dirt, rocks, worms and other bugs. When Ben stole his lunch box he was in for quite a shock. He freaked out and the lunch box landed on Carly Hunter, the sixth grade girl all of us had a major little boy crushes on."

"Even as a little kid Matt had balls," Marc laughed.

"Only did he have balls, he was quite the ladies man. By the time Becca arrived he had gone out with every girl in our class," Casper laughed.

"He was an awesome guy," Ty said. "Wish I could have gotten a chance to know him long enough to have cool stories like you guys."

"You know Mollie would say-" Casper began.

"No more Mollie-isms!" Marc and Jesse moaned, throwing things at Casper.