SCP AJR Au one shots

A funeral

Mirror timeline.
Jack, Ryan: Nova
Sherman, Adam: Me

Jack set the last lantern down in the clearing near the woods. He sighed, looking to adam. "You have the letters sent out?" He asked, tucking his hands in his jacket pocket. It was a cold evening outside of the facility. Ryan was with sherman inside, helping him get ready for the funeral and making sure he was mentally somewhat okay.

Adam nodded, "Yep. I sent them out this morning." He said as looked at Jack. "I hope this will help Dad..at least a little bit." He said worried about Sherman.

Sherman was getting ready for the funeral with Ryan, he doesn't know if he is mentally ready..but he knows he has to do this. His team needs a proper send off...

"alright... I'll radio them. I hope it helps too.." jack sighed, clicking his radio and going to the private line. "Alright guys, we're set up outside. Ezras waiting to escort you up at the elevator."

Ryan was dressed in a black suit, waiting for sherman. "Adam sent out those letters.. it'll give their familes closure, at least.." He said softly, brushing back a curl from his own face.

Sherman was dressed in a white suit, he nodded. "Okay...." He said in small voice. He played with his own hair in the mirror then when he was okay with what his hair looked like, he turned to Ryan. "I'm ready.." He really wasn't.

".... you're lying again, i can tell." Ryan sighed softly, holding out his hand to sherman. "..we got your back, dad.. don't worry... They didn't die in vain... Remember...?"

Sherman nodded and took Ryan's hand, "Sorry...I remember.." He said and he hesitantly walked toward the door. He knew that his team didn't die in vain but...he just can't get it out of his head that it should've been him and not his team. Fucking survivors guilt.

"...y'know... If you were dead too... We wouldn't know what to do with ourselves.." Ryan spoke softly as he led him to the elevator to go to the gate Ezra was waiting at. "We'd be lost without you."

Sherman frowned and nodded, "Sorry..." He said in a soft voice as they made it to Ezra. He wanted to run back but used as much strength as he could to keep going.

"c'mon.. we're almost there, you can do it dad..." Ryan spoke softly, squeezing his hand gently. Jack turned around at the sound of the opening door, smiling softly. "Well pops.. what do you think?" He asked, a large amount of lit lanterns on the ground, being weighed down by a makeshift paperweight mechanism attaching them all together, each lantern with a picture of the dead researcher attached to them, and a name.

Sherman nodded as they walked outside. His eyes looked at all the lanterns that had his teams faces on them, "I...I love it.." He said in a soft tone. He could feel the tears make their way to his eyes but he held them back.

Adam looked at his Dad's face and could see the tears at the edge of his eyes. He made his way toward Sherman and put a hand on his shoulder, "It'll be okay Dad.. we're making sure their death wasn't in vain." He said with a small smile.

Sherman just nodded as he looked at the faces of his team staring back at him smiling, so different from when he last saw them...

"we're giving them a send off into the other side, so they can safely cross, if you will." Jack smiled, opening a notebook and looking through it. "The researchers of site 42 were brave souls. We bid them a safe travel to the afterlife, as their bodies return to the earth they gave their life to protect. We will never let them be forgotten, and may the memories of them be etched into our souls for eternity." Jack finished, closing the book and looking towards the others. Ryan had closed his eyes, keeping a tight hold on shermans hand.

Sherman looked down as Jack read from the notebook. He could feel tears fall down his cheeks and as Jack finished he felt a sob build up in his throat.

Adam kept a hold on Sherman's shoulder as Jack read. As Jack finished, he waited for a couple minutes then he let go, he went to a lantern and picked it up. "You..guys ready?" He asked mostly to Sherman.

Jack picked up two lanterns, and Ryan gently led sherman to the pile. "...are you ready dad..?" He asked softly, looking to sherman. He picked up a lantern in his free hand, bringing it closer to sherman. "We can do it together.. we're with you.. always.."

Sherman looked to Ryan and nodded, "Y...Yeah..." He said in a broken voice. He held the lantern as well with Ryan. He looked at the face that was on the lantern..it was his look alike..they always joked which one was the hotter one. He gave a shaky laugh.

Adam looked toward Sherman and Ryan and waited for them to start off the lanterns.

"one... Two....." Ryan gently counted, seeing the duplicates face on the lantern. Terry bright. Ryan gave a soft smile, whispering "....three." and started to push the lantern into the sky with sherman.

Jack followed, pushing his two lanterns into the sky and slowly making his way through the pile, pushing more and more lanterns up into the night sky.

Adam let go of the lantern in his hands, then went to the others next to him and also let them go.

Sherman watched as his friend floated into the sky. He bent down and grabbed another lantern, Rain LaRose. She was the most bubbly on his team and she always made sure everyone had a smile on their face no matter what. He let it go with a soft sob.

Jack let another go.. cheryl shelstrop. He remembered that she made the best cookies... And another.. garry velms. He liked to smack his shiny bald head... He chuckled.

Ryan looked to sherman, placing a hand on his back gently. "... they're in a better place now, Sherman..."

Sherman looked to Ryan then hugged him tightly as he sobbed into his shoulder.

Adam let the last one go. He then heard Sherman's sobs, he went to where Sherman and Ryan were and he placed a hand on Sherman's back and joined in on the hug.

Jack joined the group, holding sherman gently as he watched the lights float up into the sky. Ryan held sherman tight, closing his eyes.

"...goodbye, everyone..." Jack breathed softly, a soft smile on his face.

Sherman could feel a scream coming up, he let go of the hug and wiggled his way out. He walked into the woods more, far enough that his scream won't damage his son's ears. Once he felt he was far enough, he let it out. "FUCK!" He screamed as loud as he could. He fell to the ground and punched it as hard as he could, he didn't care if it hurt.

Ryan and jack jumped, but just decided to stay back and let sherman let it go. ".. he's never gonna get past this." Jack spoke softly, wrapping his arms around himself and putting his head down. "...well.. all we can do is be there for him... Right Adam..?" Ryan asked softly, a frown on his face.

Adam nodded with a frown on his face as he looked to his brothers. "That's..the best we can do right now.."

Sherman continued to scream and cry as loud as he could until it hurt too much to continue. With one last punch to the ground he took a deep breath and made his way out the woods and back to his sons...his knuckles were bleeding.

Jack hesitated, seeing the blood and worrying slightly. "..lets get back inside.. its getting colder." Ryan spoke softly, placing a hand on shermans shoulder. "You ready to go, dad?"

Adam frowned as he looked at Sherman's state. He was glad he got it out but..he hurt himself doing it..

Sherman just nodded not really trusting his voice right now. He hugged himself as he walked toward the doors of the facility with one thing on his mind..fuck the foundation.