Ellington's POV
This is how most stories end in the hospital. Not with car accidents and blaring sirens and electric shocks to the chest, but with an empty room, a crisp white bed, and deafening silence.
The seconds turn to minutes, and the minutes soon turn to hours. Before long, the hours become days and I always miss her.
I've recently been moved from Rydel's hospital room to our bedroom back home, and I have barely moved since. I don't eat, I rarely drink, I don't sleep, and I don't cry. Just stare blankly at the wall and think about everything that I've lost.
"Hey," a voice cuts through my thoughts. "Ellington?"
Blinking rapidly, I allow my eyes to focus on the image of Marriya walking into my room.
"You need to take a shower. The funeral is today," she says gently; taking a seat beside me on the bed.
For the first time since receiving the news, I find my voice. "I can't. It's too hard. I just can't do it."
"Ellington, everything in life has a beginning and an end. The tough part that was most difficult was when you could see the end coming. You've lived through that, and slowly but surely it will get easier."
"When I think about Rydel, I wanna think about how she lived. Not how she died," I say. "I want to remember the time we had together when she was alive and with me. This funeral won't be about her life, it will be another reminder that it's over."
"I'm so sorry, Ell."
"She was so young! She was so beautiful! Why do such perfect people have to die?" I scream.
"I don't know, Ell," Marriya whispers.
"It's not fair," I cry. "My wife and my daughter. Neither of them deserved to die!"
"No, they didn't," she agrees.
"I just want to know why!"
"When you're picking flowers in a garden, which ones do you pick?" Marriya questions me softly.
"The most perfect ones I can find," I murmur.
Letting out a deep breath, I allow the feeling of defeat to overtake my body. I fall into Marriya's arms, letting out the tears I've held in for far too long.
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The memorial service is a blur. The room is packed with thousands people, as we made the decision to open it up for the R5 Family to attend. People have flown up from all around the country for the chance to say goodbye.
Everywhere I go, Marriya is on my arm. Every word spoken by the man at the front pushes me slightly closer to my breaking point, but I manage to relatively keep myself together.
The drive to the cemetery is all too familiar, and I wonder to myself how many more times I will be forced to take this trip. First my mom and dad, and now my wife and daughter. There is exactly five people left in this world that I won't be able to live without, and I won't be able to bear laying another one to rest.
My knees threaten to give out beneath me as I exit the car. The last time I was here was when I proposed to Rydel. Our story officially began here, and it seems all too cruel that this is where it ends too.
The Lynch brother's and I get into formation as pallbearers; each of us taking hold of the casket.
We walk towards the grave; none of us speaking a word. Marriya is sobbing silently as she does everything in her power to keep herself together for my sake. At this point, I don't know who is supporting who. I just know that she is the last rock left in my life.
After placing the casket, we each take a step back to fall in line with Marriya.
Words are said, a prayer is spoken, then we are given our final moments to say goodbye.
"You may have been a pain in my ass," Ryland whispers. "But you were my favourite pain in the ass. I love you, Rydel."
With tears pouring from his eyes, Rocky silently approaches the casket. Kissing his fingers; he presses them against the coffin.
Ross moves to join him, repeating his actions.
"I will never stop missing you."
Riker falls into Ryland's arms; sobbing hysterically. He mumbles incomprehensible words into his brother's chest before falling to his knees and screaming.
All of his brothers move to him, encircling him in a Lynch group hug.
They soon break the circle, waving Marriya and I over. We collapse on the ground with them; our sobs mixing with theirs to the point that I wouldn't know I'm crying if it weren't for my lack of breath and the pain in my chest.
After many minutes, we gather ourselves and stand. Our faces are stained red, our heads throbbing with pain.
"All she wanted was to be able to hold Abigail in her arms. All she needed was to hold her daughter once, and she didn't even get to do that," I murmur.
"She's with her now, Ellington," Rocky says softly in an attempt to comfort me; wiping the tears from his eyes. "I know that it hurts like hell, but we can take comfort in that."
"I'd take hell in place of this any day," I whisper.
"Come," Marriya urges softly. "It's time."
The six of us stand together as the casket lowers into the grave, taking my wife and my daughter away forever. Trembling hysterically, I reach forward and grasp a handful of dirt.
One by one, the six of us approach the graveside. Taking a moment, everyone whispers a few last words before tossing the soil over the casket.
When it is finally my turn, I feel my throat constrict. Each step I take forward feels heavier; the presence of my pounding heart becoming more and more noticeable.
"You were my everything," I manage to say; my voice extremely hoarse. "You both were all I wanted in life. You deserved the world, but the world didn't deserve you. Now the world will never get you back, and I'm going to have to find a way to live with that. I love you both so much, and I can't wait till the day that we can be a family again."
Wiping my fingers across my eyes; I take a few deep breaths. As I turn to face my brothers and sister, my eyes begin to water again.
Reaching out, I grasp Marriya's outstretched hand. Her other hand links with Ross, who then offers a hand to Ryland.
The six of us walk hand in hand, teary-eyed, and broken hearted back towards our cars, accepting the fact that a big part of our lives is over. Never forgotten, but over.
/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\
Riker's POV
Instead of going inside with everyone else, I decide to take a walk on the beach. I've been gone for a few hours now, but I feel content.
Every time I look into anyone's eyes, the broken look destroys me. My only sister is gone, and nothing I do will bring her back.
As the sun begins to set, I find my way home. Swinging the front door open, I see Alana and Rocky talking in the kitchen. He goes to say something, but she cuts him off by pulling him close and pressing a kiss to his lips.
/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\
Hey guys! I hope you all liked this chapter. I'm going away for a week, so I won't update for a little while. I hope you enjoyed this though, it made me feel very emotional while writing it
All the love. Always.
~ Hannah xxx
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Crazy Stupid Love
Fanfiction"She was his first, he was her last." Marriya Mitchell didn't have it easy. Her life was far from perfect, and the people around her were a constant reminder of that. She had a dad who was never there, a verbally abusive mother, a physically abusive...
