We know you'd be with us if heaven wasn't so far away -- Fall 2018

I thanked my husband.  "You have thought of everything," I said to him quietly, sipping at it. the warmth made me feel a littel closer to my mother and father.

Once Lincoln came back I wrapped my arms around him to give him some of my strength. Once Lucy was done saying her goodbyes, it was my turn. I slowly walked up and looked down at how peaceful he seemed. I took a few deep breaths before I could start. "I know you were just Lincoln's adoptive dad but you were so much more for him than that." Tears threatened to fall and I forced them back. "You proved to him that there are good people out there and that he deserved happiness. You were the best thing to happen to him." I felt the tears start to fall. "I can never thank you enough for everything you did for him and my family." I stayed there a few moments longer before I walked away.

When Juniper walked back, I held out my hand for her to take.  "Come... let's get to the cottage with the kids and the rest of the family," I said to her softly, squeezing her hand comfortingly.

I found my sister and sat down next to her.  "How are you doing, Lenni?" I asked, offering her the cup of tea in my hand.  It was really for me, but I did not mind giving it to her if she wanted it.

Leopold Greyback wrote:I rubbed the back of my neck and looked at Abel, nodding.  "Thanks, mate," I said to him.  "You have no idea how that makes me feel..." I knew it sounded stupid, but a weight really was taken off my shoulders.  I would not go to some of my other family members about the things I had to go through with my vampirism.  It was not that I did not trust them, because I did, it was just that I did not want to worry them.  Even though I did not want Abel to threat, we had a pretty good bond and I knew he would not completely panic if I said I lost control or something.

I smiled at Leo and placed a hand on his shoulder, squeezing it slightly in reassurance before letting it fall back to my side. "I know not many people know, but we are all hear for you, even if they don't really know what they're supporting. I would name everyone but that could take me a while." I gave a small laugh at my lame joke, hoping it would make him laugh as well.

I chuckled slightly; it was the best that I could do.  "Yeah, that would take ages to do," I agreed.  I just felt as if everything was going horribly -- Grandma and Gramps were gone; Mum and Dad were not fighting as much, but there was still plenty of tension after everything that had happened.  I was just happy that today none of that mattered and that Mum was leaning on Dad and that he was there for her despite everything. 

I kicked at the ground a bit, toeing at nothing in particular.  "Everything is just going to keep getting worse," I commented, looking across the distance.  "Things are slowly going downhill... Great Gran has said things are looking like they used to be.  This is just the beginning... and it's already hard."

<< Okay, Leo went super melancholy there... my bad! >>

Sedona Black wrote:I sighed as Ryan went off to be by himself.  Everythign was tough on all of us.  We were all practically family.  I looked at Nana Cathie.  "I'm sorry about him..." I said, trailing off.  Ryan was never good at handling loss.  In the last year we lost Mum, Auntie Chloe, and now Uncle Remus... it was just too much.  I had no idea what else we were going to be able to go through so close together like this.

I shook my head and put a hand on Sedona's shoulder.  "It's quite alright.  We all have different ways of handling things," I assured her.

Parker Weasley wrote:Elliot was right; we were all in shock.  "I know what you mean... we barely got ourselves under control from Grandma's death a year ago... now Gramps... I just hope that nothing else happens," I said quietly.  "I don't even know what else could happen, you knwo?"

I nodded at Parker.  "I understand," I said to him.  "Though, technically, weren't they your aunt and uncle?"  I chuckled slightly when I said that because things were always so confusing.

"Yes they were," I said, coming up behind Parker and Elliot.  I smiled at them.  "I'm sorry to interrupt, but have you seen Lucy or the others?  I'm worried about my niece and nephews..."  I grouped Lincoln into that phrase because he was one of my brother's children, so I naturally became his auntie.  I never used it over them, but I felt like I had to phrase it that way instead of listing names.

I jumped slightly not having realized that Mum joined us.  "I though I heard Lucy and Ayden come in... but I'm not sure.  I haven't seen Will or Lincoln, either," I said to Mum simply.

Em and I had stayed behind to be the last ones as I let everyone say goodbye to my dad. I couldn't take it to say my goodbyes in front of everyone. Emelyn went ahead of me to say something to dad. I walked slowly up to his casket as I could barely move. " Dad....I'm sorry for everything you had to go through in the end. being with mum when she left us...."I took a deep breath. I felt like I couldn't really be upset because everyone needed me to be strong for them. This was strange for me because I knew that everyone would be thinking my fight with lycanthropy is going to end. " You have shown me how to be a good father....to be a good man. I hope I can be even a little bit like you....." I said as I felt tears in my eyes. Wiping my eyes quickly. " Goodbye.." I said putting my hand on his casket as I left and met with my wife waiting for me. We headed to the cottage, we showed up as it was eerily quiet.

Letting out a breath as I started walking toward the cottage, Em stopped and pulled me into a hug when she whispered to me. I couldn't break down and cry. I couldn't do that right now. I had to go find Gran. I had to see if I could help with something. I held her as I felt her body relax in my arms as she cried. This broke my heart even more. I cant break down. So I tried to continue pushing my feelings down. Walking into the house after Emelyn said she was all right I went to find Gran to see if there was anything I could do to mainly keep my mind busy. Em set off to help whoever needed it. I found Gran talking to Sedona, " Need me to do anything?"

<< It's so sad reading their goodbyes! >>

I gave Sedona's hand a squeeze and looked at Will.  I stood up and looked around.  My first instinct was to protect him; to tell him that he did not need to do anything.  I also knew that keeping him busy would do him well.  "I haven't seen Nate," I said to him.  I figured that the boys might be good at helping each other.  "Do you mind looking for him?  I think it's best if I stay here... I just don't know if he's outside or..." I trailed off.  I was worried about the whole lot of them.

Dean Black wrote:I found my sister and sat down next to her.  "How are you doing, Lenni?" I asked, offering her the cup of tea in my hand.  It was really for me, but I did not mind giving it to her if she wanted it.

" Have to make my own. Yours is to strong." I pointed out attempting to give him a sort of smile. " I'm okay..how are you?" I asked him. I didn't really want attention on me.

"I'm fine," I lied quickly.  I would make sure to take care of everyone else; it was what I did.  "The kids aren't handling any of this well, though."  First their mother, then Aunt Chloe... now Uncle Remus?  I knew that Stan Saw more than he let on and it worried me what he was going through.  I took a sip of my apparently-too-strong tea and sighed, looking down at the steaming mug in my hands.  "I'm not worried about handling any of this yet... I need to make sure they get through everything first."

I knew Elena was going to say something about me dealing with everything -- because I handle things much like my youngest son -- but I had to get them through it first.  Besides, Juliet would deal with me later, anyways.

Nodding, in Dean speak that meant he was going to talk to Juliet later. If that. Shaking my head, " I understand that. Cael hasn't really been himself...and the girls are awfully quiet. " I told him as I didn't really know what to do for them.