A/N: I apologize for making you wait for an update for so long. I'm struggling with writes block for this story, I just don't really know what to write; so any suggestion would be greatly accept. I hope you enjoy! ~KJ99

It had been a week since my grandparents had arrived in town, they had spent a couple of nights over at the Marin's house for dinner but other than them Hanna, Ashley and the girls I hadn't seen anyone else. My grandparents had brought over most of my clothes, so I wouldn't have to keep wearing Hanna's which I was grateful for. I hadn't left the house at all, I spent my days at home crying when no could see me. Mona hadn't stopped by the house at all which made me worry, especially since she wasn't answering my texts. I had been studying every time I wasn't crying, I know my parents wouldn't be happy with me doing this and shutting people out but I couldn't help it. Hearing my door open, I turned to see it was Hanna.

She walked into the room, sat down on my bed and asked "You ready?"

I replied with "No," today was the funeral. My grandparents and other family had taken care of all the arrangements and allowed me just to grieve.

Hanna asked "What can I do to help?"

I answered with "Just take care of me."

Hanna said "Okay, I can do that."

I replied with "Just give me a second and I'll be down," Hanna nodded her head, stood off the bed and left. Sighing I stood up from the bed, walking over to the full length mirror that was in the room. Looking at myself in the mirror, I had a jus a simple black dress on, my hair down and a pair of black flats; that were Hanna's. Picking up off from the cupboard that was behind the mirror, I picked up my Dads army dog tags. When they had shipped the body's home, they had all their personal stuff and my grandparents gave me the stuff they had been wearing when it happened.

Putting the necklace around my head, I picked my hair up took it out of the chain. After the necklace was on, I picked up the last two items I needed before I would be ready, which wear my parents wedding rings. I put my Mums wedding ring on my right ring finger and my Dads wedding on my left ring finger. Taking a deep inhale, I looked myself over in the mirror and when I was ready I took another deep breath and walked out of the bedroom. Taking each step down one at a time, until I run out of steps. Standing on the last stepped I looked in front of me to see Hanna, Ashley and my Grandparents standing there looking back at me as I looked at them. Hanna and Ashley had insisted that the wake would be held here, which was way the house looked spotless and was all decorated.

My Grandpa walked over to me and said "Hey Kiddo," I smiled at him weakly before he crushed me in bone crashing hug.

He stepped back seeing the neckless he picked up the tag and said "I like it on you but don't go getting any ideas."

I smiled and replied with "Mum and Grandma would kill me."

My Grandma said "You got that right," I smiled at the two of them.

Grandma then said "We should get going, don't want to keep everyone waiting." Grandpa and I nodded our heads knowing she was right, Ashley was driving my grandparents and Hanna was going to drive me. Ashley led my grandparents out of the house and Hanna stepped up to where my Grandpa had been standing.

Hanna said "I'll catch you if you fall."

I replied with "Thanks," she nodded her head and held out her hand. Taking her hand and allowing for her to lead me out of the house and to her car. The car ride was silence, it was a little awkward but that was only because Hanna and I are normally really loud when we are together but we weren't today.

I then say "In case I haven't said it or forget thank-you for having the wake at your house."

Hanna replied with "It's nothing Emily; we just want you to know we are here for you."

I nod and say "I know you are," after smiling at her we went back into silence.

Asking "Have you seen Mona lately?"

"Yeah she's been at school but been doing her own thing, we don't mind her hanging with us."

"I know you don't and I've told her that. She must be trying to avoid you guys and me."

"Why would she do that?"

"I don't know, maybe I freaked her out with what I said or she just needs more time to think." I saw Hanna nod her head in a reply before we went back into silence, I was trying to distract myself with thoughts of Mona but it wasn't really working. We soon arrived at the churches car parking; Hanna parked her car next to Ashely. I saw as we parked people standing outside the church waiting for us but it all went into the back of my mind when I saw Mona standing there looking like she didn't belong but she did.

"Are you ready?"

"As I'll ever be," taking a deep breath before I had my door open by my grandpa, who smiled and held his hand out for me to take. After hopping out the car, we all
looked over at the church with my grandparents either side of me and Hanna and Ashley behind us we start to walk over. My grandparents and Ashley went to go sayhello to the adults, while Hanna brought me over to the girls. The girls each hugged me one at a time before we did a group hug, they asked me how I was and we went into normal as possible conversation you could outside of a church.

A voice behind me said "Emily," turning around I saw my Mum's younger sister Angela holding a mini-me of her Bella.

I say "Hey."

Bella held out a flower for me and I said "Thank-you."

Angela said "I'm so sorry for your lost."

I replied with "Thanks, you lost your sister though."

Angela smiled sadly and said "You can be so Emily sometimes, so much like your Dad."

I replied with "I can't help it."

Angela said "Oh I know," we both laughed before she hugged me and walked away.

Another voice then said "Emily," looking over to where it come from to find it was Jenna.

I then said "So I didn't imagine meeting you."

She smiled and replied with "Nope, I'm real. Sorry for just taking off."

I say "It's fine, thanks for coming."

Jenna replied with "No problem, my Dads is tomorrow."

I nodded and asked "What time?"

Jenna answered with "Some as today."

I nodded and said "I'll be here."

Jenna said back "No, no you don't have too."

I replied with "I do," she smiled before hugging me and going to pay her respects to the rest of my family.

Turning back to the girls, Ali asked "Who was that?"

I answered with "That's Jenna; our Dads were in the same platoon."

Spencer said "Her Dad died too," I nodded my head sadly and tired not to cry. Ali, Aria and Spencer all then got called by their parents that it was time to entre, nodding my head telling them I was fine for them to go in and they did.

Hanna turned and said to me "You don't have to be so brave all the time."

I replied with "I don't know what you're talking about."

Hanna said "You've had red puffy eyes everything single day this week when I get home from school, you can cry iin front of people. It's okay to cry Emily."

I replied with "I know Hanna, I just choose not to."

Hanna said "Okay, I'll go get us a seat up front," I smiled at her lame attempt t get me to smile.

Hanna said "It work," before entering. Looking around I saw I was the only one standing outside; I was about to head inside when I saw Mona walking to her car in the parking lot. Looking at the church before taking off running to the car park to catch Mona before she leaves.

I say when I'm close "I thought it was supposed to be the family that leave the funeral first."

Mona replied with "You have enough people here, you don't need another."

I said "You're not just some random person Mona and I don't like hearing you talk about yourself like that."

Mona replied with "Sorry."

I say "I don't want you to be sorry."

Mona replied with "I don't know what you want from me."

I said "I want you to come in there with me because I don't think I can without you."

Mona replied with "You have the girls."

I said "But I don't have the one girl I want and need."

Mona replied with "You have your family."

I said "Family, I haven't seen in months."

Not letting Mona speak I say "If I hadn't said what I had said, you would be in there right?"

Mona replied with "Of course."

I say "Then for one day being today forget and help me say goodbye to my parents or you might as well drive me to the Marin's house."

I saw Mona go over it in her mind and replied with "It's forgotten for now."

I said "Good," I held my hand out for her to take and when she did, I could have sworn I felt a spark. Together we walked up towards the church, outside my Grandpa was standing looking for me was my guess.

Grandpa said "Thought you'd done a runner."

I replied with "Thought about it."

He nodded and said "Hi I'm this one's grandpa, everyone calls me Bob."

Mona smiled and replied with "It's nice to meet you, I'm very sorry for your lose."

My Grandpa nodded his head and said looking at me "I like her and approve," smiling at him and watching as he walked quickly inside the church.

Mona asked "What did you tell him?"

I answered with "Nothing but his smart for his age and he knows me well."

Mona said "Right."

I replied with "Thank-you for coming."

Mona said "Of course," smiling at her before we heard my name being called and head inside the church.

Standing in between my grandparents as we shock people's hands, thanked them for coming and inviting them to the Marin's house for the wake which everyone seemed to accept and head there. The funeral had been really sad, I had managed to get through my speech with no one's help but I had let myself cry in front of people. Seeing their bodies go into the ground was tough and I had cried again but Hanna held my hand every time I had cried. After a big flow of people, I was bored and you could tell by the look on my face. The girls had all come through and left with their parents to head to Hanna's place. I felt my grandpa nudge me, I was going to ask him what it was for when he pointed and I saw Mona standing leaning against her car in the carpark. Looking at him, he nodded my head and took off running down towards her.

Mona said "You didn't have to run."

I replied with "I felt like it and I didn't want to miss you."

Mona said "I wasn't going anywhere," I nodded my head.

I asked "Are you coming to the wake?"

Mona replied with "I wasn't sure if you wanted me there."

I said "I do, I really, really do."

Mona replied with "Then I'll come."

I smiled and said "I'll see you there?"

Mona replied with "Yeah, you will."

I then heard a voice say "Emily, I'm under strict orders to take you to our place now."

Looking at Hanna I replied with "Okay, just a sec," she nodded her head and went over to the car.

Mona said "I know your still waiting for answers."

I cut her off with "I can wait Mona, just don't be ready to talk today."

Mona replied with "Okay, see you there Emily," nodding my head before I walked over to Hanna's car and got in.

Hanna asked as we started to drive towards her house "What was that with you and Mona?"

"Nothing, it's the first time we've seen each other since we talked the other day."

"Really?"

"Yeah, she hadn't replied to my text."

"What did you say to her?"

"Just don't worry about it," I knew Hanna wanted to go on but didn't which I was grateful for. After the silent drive to Hanna's house for the wake, we walked into find it was in full swing and I started to go around making my rounds. I took a seat on the bottom of the stairs as I took everything in, a lot of people loved my parents and I just didn't know what I was spoused to do. It hurt to hear people talking about them, I knew it was good for them but it was hurting me. As I felt tears start to fall from my eyes, I felt someone sit down next to me.

Looking to see it was Mona, she then spoke "You help me when I cried; I think I should pay you back."

I say back "I just don't know what I'm supposed to do now, I've done the funeral and now the wake, what am I'm supposed to do now?"

Mona replied with "I don't know Emily, but I think they would want you to do things your way."

"I don't even know how to do that."

"Okay, what would you be doing now instead of this?"

"Doing homework or watching movies."

"Well go upstairs pick a movie while I grab us some food to eat."

I nodded and replied with "Okay, I can do that," Mona squeezed the top of my knee before standing up to go get food like she said she would. I head upstairs before anyone could notices me going, I went into Hanna's room knowing that's where all the best movies were and grabbed a handful of them and took them into my new room. In the room I looked at all the DVDs I had grab to see which one I wanted to watch and decided that 'Aquamarine' was the best choice to go with, I put the DVD into the DVD player and got comfy on the bed. Mona then walked into the room carrying two full plates of food, she placed them on the bed before going back to the door and closing it.

"What movie did you chose?"

"Aquamarine."

"I've never seen that movie."

I nodded and replied with "Well it's a pretty good movie," Mona nodded her head before sitting down on the bed.

I said "That's a lot of food."

"I know sorry, I tend to go overboard."

"It's cool, but I probably won't eat much of it."

"That's okay, just eat what you can," I nodded my head before pressing play on the control and the movie started to play.

Mona asked "How are you?"

"I don't know," I shrugged as picked up a carrot stick to eat. When we had eaten enough, Mona moved the plates while I got under the covers and Mona looked at me and the bed.

I asked "What's wrong?"

Mona replied with "I really wanted to snuggle but don't know."

I smiled and say "Just get in here, I really need it." Mona nodded her head, got under the covers and wrapped herself into me and held her tightly; as we continued to watch the movie.