It's been a month since Woodsboro's second Ghostface murders, and today was the day all those who lost their lives were being honored - outside of the murderers themselves, of course. Dewey took it upon himself to authorize the memorial, just as his former superior, Sheriff Burke, did after the first Woodsboro murders.

The process was sorrowful for all the families affected as they rounded up photos of their loved ones to be displayed across the stage set up at Woodsboro's town square. Just over one-hundred twenty seats were placed for the ten victims' families and friends, and for those in town who showed for support.

The day was hard for him too, a squeezing pressure persisting in his chest since he woke up, for not only would he have to list off all the teens and deputies that were murdered, too soon might he had, but, as per Gale's and his wishes, he'd announce to the whole town and the victims' extended families that Woodsboro's Sheriff too suffered a personal loss in the murders, one that hadn't been public knowledge apart from the doctor who told them.

He expected the ceremony to last for almost three hours due to the family and friends of the ten victims wishing to say their peace for their lost loved one. There was also the matter of the funerals that would be occurring for the next couple of days, of which he planned on attending each one out of respect and to give people a sense of security with the town's Sheriff around.

He was backstage now, nervously fiddling with his service cap. He wasn't one for public speaking on account of his general awkwardness, but he had come to accept it as a part of his job, however, today he felt like he was right back to square one in terms of being able to speak in front of a crowd of several people.

People were arriving now, taking advantage of the thirty minute visitation service to offer condolences to the departed's family and friends. Dewey ensured Gale, Tatum, and Sidney had a reserved seat in the front row so that he could see them directly and have their support. He was sure some people would be upset by it as many dubbed Sidney the bringer of death, but he knew it not to be true and that's all that mattered to him.

In the month that had passed, life had crept back towards normal. Gale and Tatum had been released from the hospital, Tatum a few days after Gale, and although Gale was fully recovered, Tatum was back in physical therapy, having some difficulty with her previously injured arm, neck, and and her back as a result of her last round of stabbings and the new injuries additionally aggravating old ones. She was walking on her own and without a crutch, but she had joined her brother in carrying an unevenness to her gait and pain she had to manage as a result.

She and Sidney had returned to their shared apartment after Tatum was cleared to, but of course had returned for the memorial. Lately they had been talking about finding somewhere to live right outside of Woodsboro, somewhere closer to Dewey and Gale for when they started the surrogacy process. They hadn't yet discussed that with the other two, but it was a plan in the works.

At the memorial, Sidney was quiet and stiff, keeping her head down. She didn't want to see the looks of judgement or curiosity from the town, and she didn't want to see the blaming grief of the families. She made the time to greet a subdued Kirby and give her a few words of comfort, but otherwise tried to make herself as small and inconspicuous as possible.

She almost felt she didn't have a right to be there. It was her cousin who orchestrated all these deaths, and she was Jill's reason. Still, as Tatum sat on one side of her, gripping Sidney's hand, and Gale sat on the other, she told herself that it was only right she be here, out of respect if nothing else, no matter how bad it made her feel.

Tatum was quiet, occasionally checking in on Sidney or leaning her head against her. Gale too kept a face showing little expression as she waited for Dewey to begin, but she hadn't slept the night before or eaten today, and her stomach knotted with anxiety. She was waiting for the moment when their baby's death was announced.

She was bracing herself for the stares and questions, and kept her eyes fixed on her husband, though her hand picked at the nails on her other hand as she waited.

As Sidney waited, knowing that Dewey was backstage and prepping for his speech, she felt restless, fidgety with the desire to get up and move, to leave entirely. She had been to far too many funerals and memorials in her life, and each had been emotionally exhausting and devastating. This one felt even more personal than the others, somehow; although Billy had been her boyfriend, and Roman had been her half brother, she couldn't claim any sort of responsibility for Billy's actions, and she had not known Roman at all, let alone his blood connection to her. But with Jill, it was different. Sidney did know Jill. She had been completely fooled by her, a person she had known, if distantly, from her birth. She had been unaware of the darkness lurking behind the mask of her own family, a darkness that lent itself to evil. This was beyond the secrets and poor choices of her mother, beyond the naivety and confusion and trust issues that lead her to be unable to see the murderous nature of others. This was a person Sidney should have known well enough to see through, well enough to stop her and get her help. This felt personal far more so than any of the other murderers, because although Sidney knew she was not responsible for Jill's actions or whom she had become, she did feel responsible for believing in her, for not stopping her earlier.

It felt to her like it was taking far too long for him to actually start the memorial. Behind her she could hear the hissing of whispers, her name clearly heard far too often to be paranoia. She knew that Tatum heard it too from the stiffness of her shoulder against Sidney's and the way she rubbed her thumb over the back of Sidney's hand. She could see from the way Gale clinched her fists in her lap that she too wanted to do or say something to snap back but was holding herself in check, probably more for Dewey than for Sidney. But just as Tatum turned her head and started to open her mouth, her ability to stay socially appropriate reaching its limit, Sidney reached a decision, saving her the need. Standing suddenly, she squeezed Tatum's hand and then dropped it, walking onto the stage.

The crowd silenced immediately, some looking at her curiously, others with hostility. Sidney kept her focus on Tatum and Gale as she addressed the crowd at large.

"I wasn't expected to start this off today, but with no disrespect to Sheriff Riley or any others, I believe it's possibly necessary that I do."

She took a breath, seeing the little smile on Tatum's face, and lifted her chin to look now at the others in the crowd. "You probably all know that I'm Sidney Prescott, and the level of infamy I represent to this town. I never asked for it, I never wanted it, and I've found a way to live with it and make my peace as much as I can. I know that a lot of you probably think that I brought a curse on this town, and that I have no right to be here at a memorial for the most recent victims of a fifteen year cycle of violence. Sometimes I even feel the same way, but today I want to say to all of you that although I understand the need to feel anger, let's put the blame on the people who are responsible for these deaths. Those people were Charlie Walker and Jill Roberts. I will not speak their names again, because this day is not about them, and they deserve no further remembrance other than to remember where blame lies for the loss of lives we are honoring today. And that's why I'm here- to honor those lives, including that of my aunt, my mother's sister, Kate Roberts. Kate and all the others we remember today were not perfect people with perfect lives, but they deserved far more and were worth more than was done to them. I understand your anger, and I understand your grief. But let's remember where and to whom those feelings belong."

Her legs were a little unsteady as she moved off the stage, resuming her seat between Tatum and Gale. Tatum wrapped an arm around her waist, giving her a tight squeeze, and murmured into her ear, "You are such a fucking badass, I love you," before pressing a kiss to the corner of her lips. Gale too gave Sidney a raised eyebrow and a small smile of respect, hesitated, and then reached to take Sidney's hand in hers. Linked to both women, more settled now by having said her piece and receiving their support, Sidney leaned back in her seat, waiting for Dewey to begin.

There had been murmuring for so long that it reverberated in his head, so when it abruptly stopped he was confused, and even disturbed. He stood from his stool and approached the entryway from the backstage to the stage, peeking through the curtain to see Sidney at the microphone.

He already had his worries about people giving dirty looks or even saying nasty comments to her, but there was no doubt to him now that people would certainly do so with Sidney on stage in front of everyone. He intended to show her off the stage until she started talking, expressing that she believed it was necessary she speak.

He wasn't one to question Sidney's judgement, and so decided to let her continue; he put a hand up to some of his approaching officers to hold where they were before they could breach the curtains. He wanted to listen to every word, even if he already knew it to be true.

When Sidney had finished and walked back to her seat, he checked the crowd for their reactions; some looked annoyed, but most looked almost shocked - they hadn't expected her to push back. He looked to the front seats where Tatum and Gale sat, Sidney just joining back with them, and caught Gale's eye.

He wanted to be reassured that all would go well, and that what he was about to share to all of Woodsboro was *truly* okay with her. When he took the first dreaded step, his heart felt heavy, but he willed himself forward nonetheless.

At the podium, he set down a document, of which contained the names of the victims and their family members who wished to speak on their since passed relative. He cleared his throat quietly to himself and kept repeating in his head "*you can do this*".

"Good afternoon," he started, his voice ever so slightly shaky. "First I'd like to thank you all for coming, especially to those who've lost someone to this tragedy.

"And secondly I'd like to congratulate the community fund raiser for raising over two-thousand dollars for donation to the departed's friends and families. Without any further delay, I ask that all those who can rise from their seats and hold a moment of silence as I name all of those who've lost their lives"

As Dewey crossed the stage and looked out to her, catching her eye, Gale gave him a small, strained smile that didn't meet her eyes. It was her effort of support and belief in him, despite how she felt being present. She could tell that he was seeking her approval, a last reassurance that she was okay with his revelation of their personal loss. She wasn't okay with it- how could she be? But it felt right and necessary nevertheless, and it was what their baby deserved. Its loss mattered and always would, and they grieved it just as the other victims were grieved for.

Rowan deserved her to allow them to be mourned. Rowan deserved it, so she nodded to him slightly, okaying this for the last time.

As Dewey asked that they stand, she, Sidney, and Tatum did, with Sidney helping Tatum up and keeping an arm around her waist. Each lowered their heads, and Gale kept her hand in Sidney's, bracing for the names to be read.

Almost unanimously everyone stood and bowed their heads, some dabbing at the tears that pooled in their eyes. Dewey didn't need to look at the list of names, as he had remembered each and every one of them; a person he couldn't save.

"In order of passing," he started. "Marnie Cooper, Jenny Randall, Olivia Morris, Rebecca Walters, Adam Hoss, Anthony Perkins, Rowan Riley, Kate Roberts, Gordon Jenkins, Trevor Sheldon, and Robbie Mercer."

He left a pause to allow himself to give the victims his silence before addressing the audience again, telling them that they can now sit. He slipped in their baby's name casually as to not draw all attention to him and Gale; nobody else apart from Tatum and Sidney, and obviously Gale's surgeon, knew of the miscarriage.

There would be questions, he knew, but for now he continued on, wiping at the stray tear that rolled down his cheek. One by one, he introduced family members to the stage so that they can commemorate their loved ones' life, and for each one, when he stood off to the side to give the families their time, he looked over at Gale to make sure she was okay.

They had agreed for Dewey to speak on their baby, what little he could anyway. He was dreading the moment with each passing family, biting at his lip to keep it from quivering.

As Dewey speaks each name, Sidney's arm tightens around Tatum's waist, and she bows her head, hearing the responses of grief at the names spoken aloud. It is so many names, far too many names, each of them attached to a person who was loved and missed. It felt simultaneously surreal and horribly heavy with the weight of the sorrow attached to it all.

Gale's hand tightened in Sidney's when Dewey spoke Rowan's name. She was sure she heard people murmur in confusion, unable to recognize the name or place them as a known Woodsboro resident. Sidney squeezed back, giving her a sideways glance to check on her, but Gale's eyes were on her husband. Although she was still shaken, shaky, a new shock of pain hitting her chest as she heard their baby's name spoken aloud, she gave another small nod to Dewey, letting him know she was still wanting to bear through this, to let their child be spoken of.

Tatum's eyes were already glistening with tears before Sidney detached from the two to go speak on Kate, and she reached for Gale's hand across the empty space Sidney had occupied. Gale let her take her hand, gripping her back as Sidney spoke.

"Kate Roberts a woman who struggled with personal demons," she said quietly. "My mother's death affected her deeply, just as it affected me, and I believe the Kate I knew before was not the same as the Kate I knew after. Many of you may not remember the woman who liked to watch old sitcoms and go shopping with her sister and niece- me. The woman who laughed easily and had a quick sense of humor, who was loving and lively. The Kate of the last 15 years was a dimmer version of the Kate without grief and trauma, and the world is at a loss from losing the Kate I knew then just as it is at a loss without the Kate she was in recent years."

She took a breath, looking at her girlfriend and Gale, and continued. "My aunt welcomed me and my girlfriend into her home, never showed any difficulty in accepting me for my sexual accepted me in spite of the danger I could bring her with my mere presence. She wasn't perfect, but she meant well and wanted to be the woman who could be there for others. She loved me and the others in her family as we were. And I love and miss her. All of who she was and used to be."

Her voice shook slightly as she returned to her seat, and Tatum gave her a fierce hug that made her wince at the pain of the effort. Still, she didn't let go when Sidney tried to be mindful of her still painful back and neck. And as she sat back again, Gale took her hand once more, squeezing once.

The time had come. Everyone had said their peace except him, and he knew the crowd still murmured in question to this 'Rowan Riley'. The residence must've been able to piece together that this mystery person was someone close to Woodsboro's Sheriff, judged by the same last name, but nobody ever heard of a 'Rowan'.

He took back his place at the podium and thanked all of those who braved speaking of their passed loved ones in front of an entire audience. "As I'm sure many of you have noticed, there was an additional name to the roster who has yet to be mentioned," he started, the lump in his throat lying in wait to rise at any moment.

"Rowan Riley. They had no gender, and never got the chance...to be born," he stuttered. "Their existence was unknown to us before it was too late, when Charlie Walker, dressed as Ghostface, kicked my-...my wife in the stomach, and pushed her down a barn's loft.

"You may wonder why we came to the conclusion that announcing such a personal matter to a crowd of grieving strangers was the right thing to do; it's because Rowan deserves to be known - they were just as much a victim as everyone else. Forgive me if that sounds...controversial for me to say, but it's undeniable that I feel just as much pain and loss as my community does.

"I'm sure you are all aware of who my family and friends are, and that we've experienced this type of event several times - four specifically, now - but this one...this one has hurt me the most - emotionally, that is."

He didn't notice the tears that had been dripping from his eyes until they slid over his lips. He wiped them away and continued, glancing over at Gale to see if she was okay.

"I didn't get to know them much, at all really, but they were still my child - mine and my wife's. We weren't sure for a long time if we'd ever want a child," he said, using 'we' instead of pointing out Gale as the one who was hesitant about children. "But now that we've lost our chance, we know now more than ever that we missed a great opportunity."

He stood at the podium in silence for moment, his mind collecting its thoughts and processing everything he had said; none of his speech was planned, he just said what his heart told him. "Thank you all again for coming, and I hope you all can find some sort of peace after this great loss," he concluded before walking backstage, wiping more stray tears from his eyes.

Gale's heart thudded hard, her chest aching as soon as she looked into her husband's eyes. Even before he said a word, just seeing him stand there, with his hat in his hands and pain in his eyes, was horribly difficult to watch without wanting to tug him down beside her, away from the exposure of the others. And when he spoke their baby's name, Gale's heartbeat stuttered, and she trembled, wanting to look down from him, but unwilling to let herself. She had to hold her husband's eyes with hers, to be there in the moment with him in his emotional bravery instead of hiding. She forced herself to sit there and keep her eyes on him as he described what had happened to her- to her child. Their child.

Dewey spoke of their missed chance, their opportunity gone, and although Sidney had kept her offer open, Gale felt the weight of understanding this all the more as he spoke of it publicly. And when Dewey began to cry, she was dimly aware that her own eyes were overflowing as though mirroring him. Nevertheless she kept her face turned up to him, not looking down or away, and she didn't try to wipe them.

Beside her Sidney held her hand, and Tatum sniffed, crying quietly herself as she reached across Sidney's back to touch Gale's, rubbing between her shoulders. She let her. But when Dewey went backstage, she stood on somewhat unsteady legs, needing to find and go to him.

"Gale," she heard Sidney say softly, and Tatum tried to take her arm, but she shook them off. Going around behind the stage, she zeroed in on Dewey and went straight for him, throwing her arms around him and hugging him tightly, head bowed down to his chest.

"Thank you for telling about them," she managed, the words barely understandable. "I...you are so brave."

He let his tears flow lose once he was out of the public's eye, covering his face with his hand to hide from his officers; he was an openly emotional guy, but he felt he should be stoic for the department.

He almost missed Gale coming straight for him but had the time to braise for her incoming embrace. He wrapped his arms around her too and squeezed, one hand placed on the back of her head.

"I wouldn't have done it if you didn't want me to," he murmured into her hair. "I'm only brave because I have you, and Tatum and Sidney; without you guys, I would've given up a long time ago."

Gale shook her head against Dewey's chest, not believing him. "You wouldn't have. You're better than that, stronger than that. You are a big part of what made those two who they are, and you're...you've made me closer to the side of the good guys than the bad ones," Gale murmured. "You've always been brave. You always will."

She let herself cry for a few moments, not caring if the officers were watching in the moment. Fuck it if they judged, this was their child, their deepest loss, and she needed to be there with her husband and feel it with him then. Pulling herself together, she stayed in the embrace, whispering.

"I still want to try again. With Sidney. Not now. But soon."

Back in the audience, people are beginning to mingle, getting up from their seats. Sidney had comforted Tatum for a few minutes, giving the older Rileys time of privacy before letting her pursue them as she had immediately wanted to the moment Gale fled after Dewey. Calmer, but still emotional, her eyes red, Tatum walked with her arm around Sidney's waist to find them backstage. Breaking away from her, she went to the side of Dewey and Gale and pulled them both into a hug, although her left arm around Dewey was loose and clumsy in the gesture. Sidney stood a few steps back, ready to gently pull her back if Gale looked like she wasn't okay with the physical invasion.

"Sorry," she said quietly to them on Tatum's behalf. "She's proud of you, we both are. You did great, Dewey."