Living Happily After

48: In the Loving Memory

(Flashback)

It was the day-off of two specific people and decided to meet up.

"So? What do you think?"

"What?" Lucas said.

"I think this is it..." said James, showing Lucas a ring, an engagement ring to be precise.

"What? You want to marry me? Well, thanks for that, but I don't swing that way, plus I'm married." Lucas said sarcastically.

James laughed, "No, you idiot, I told you, we're shopping for rings." James glanced at the ring he was holding. "I think this one looks perfect for Jewel, don't you think so?"

Lucas looked at the ring, hearing James' voice, he smiled, "Hmmm, yeah. I think it looks good." Then, he looked at James, "Do you love her?"

James was a bit taken aback by the sudden question, but immediately replied with an affirmative, "I love Jewel and no one else. I love her." James smiled.

"Are you sure you want to marry her?" Lucas asked, looking at his eyes.

"Absolutely." James said, loudly and proudly.

"Then, I think the ring is perfect for her." Lucas grinned, thinking back to when he picked a ring for his now wife. "Now, go ahead and buy it, we've been here for at least an hour, I want to get some lunch."

"Right." James said, then quickly headed to talk to the merchant with the ring in his hand.

Later, after they had lunch, they decided to walk around town.

"So..."

"Mm?" James questioned.

"You had military service? What was that like, for 4 years, right?" Lucas asked, looking at the town. He was curious about it, he overheard that James and Violet met once in the war, of course, in the same side.

"Well, only for the last 2 years of the war actually, I was there...in the battle of Intense, but I was part of the cavalry with Lieutenant-Colonel Hodgins. Ahh, you should've felt that feeling of relief when I saw the flashing flare in the sky." James said, reminiscing.

James continued, "I don't know what to tell you, I was scared, they outnumbered us. I waited there with my friends, when that flare beamed, it felt like, 'Alright, Major Gilbert's alive, we got this.', but it wasn't like that a few minutes later. That relief was quickly washed over and fear came in, I didn't have time to fade into that fear, but I used the fear to keep myself alive, unlike my friends. I was a fool to think that was going to fight through that easy. I was a coward, I ran away and left my dead comrades lying there."

James looked down, clearly the memories the question Lucas brought up wasn't much of a good one.

"But you came out of it alive right?" Lucas said, confusing James a bit.

"You said you were a coward, but just like you said, the fear you kept you alive. And the fact that you're alive should be proof enough that you deserve to be here, right?" Lucas said, nudging James a bit for being down.

"I guess you're right. Yeah, and I'm lucky, because I met Jewel and made my life a life. Even had decent comrades like you." James smiled, "Thanks, Lucas, for helping me out today, I should get going and meet up with Jewel."

"Yeah, happy to help you, kid." Lucas replied.

"I'm only a few years younger than you." James said, walking away.

"Yeah, yeah, good luck James!" Lucas said, walking away as well, smiling. 'It was a good decision to come here.' "I should buy my wife a present." He thought out loud.

(End Flashback)

(Flashback to the memorial)

Everyone from their station and from the C.H. Postal Company, as well as Jewel's family, came and stood in front of James' tomb, where he was buried.

The closest one to James as family was Jewel, so she decided not to have a funeral service with the priest and everything, but instead had a memorial service, without the normal formalities.

Someone will speak to open, someone else will tell a eulogy, then they will have a moment of silence. That was how Jewel wanted it to go.

The someone who was going to open is Lucas Mellor.

He walked up front, glancing the crowd who came, then looked at the tomb where the late James rested, and lightly placed his hand on it, before looking at the crowd again. 'Damn it kid, I was going to ask you...when the wedding is.'

He took a breath, "Private James O'Neil, a proud citizen and soldier of Leiden, now rests on XX-XX-XXXX. He was a man with great fortitude. He was a wonderful partner to Jewel, a very loyal comrade to Leiden, and a very worthy person all in all." He then nodded to his comrades.

They recited, "Rest easy, sleep well my brother. Know the line has held, your job is done. Rest easy, sleep well. Others have taken up where you fell. The line has held. Peace, peace and farewell. May you rest, thank you for your service."