Status: completed.

His Name Is Kirby Jones

twenty-five;

Zoey was lying on the sofa with Kennedy cuddled up against her and they both were wrapped up in a blanket. It was Sunday night and the whole clan was here. Drew had chosen the movie, and they were all spread around the room. Marcus was slowly falling asleep, Jonah and Tommy were quietly arguing over who was better actor in the film. Lucas was concentrating deeply on the plot and Kennedy was relishing in his sister’s attention as

Zoey subconsciously stroked her brother’s hair, hardly paying attention to the screen. It was raining outside, she noticed, quite heavily. She was watching the droplets on the bay window as the curtains were yet to be closed.

The knock of the door stunned everyone. It was ten at night and nobody was expecting anyone.

“Drew?” Tommy said unsure, as Marcus as snoozed away. Drew taking the lead, paused the film and got up to answer the door, grumbling cuss words of annoyance.
As the door was swung open, Drew looked shocked at the dark figure who was soaked and looked like he was about to kill himself.

“Umm…Zoey?” Drew said uncertainly, and Zoey looked up from talking to Kennedy and her eyes widened.

Kirby Jones was at her door.

Jumping up, Zoey rushed to the door and looked at Kirby in shock. “Kirby?” she said softly, and the mere mention of his name made Kirby lose it altogether.

“Pop’s died.” He said monotonously.

Zoey gasped, covering her mouth with shock. Zoey reached out to touch him and Kirby did a step more, and stepped into the house and hugged the girl that had his heart. The girl that he regretted hurting, the girl he deeply needed right now.

He hugged her so tightly, and buried his face in her neck, and allowed the tears to escape as he mourned his loss, his Pop’s. The Titian household silently crept out as Zoey held
Kirby, unsure of what to say.

But without needing to say anything, by just holding him just as tightly, and kissing his head softly. Zoey did the exact thing that Kirby needed; which was to love him.
--

Kirby had been allowed to sleep over and he slept in Zoey’s room, in her bed. He curled up against her, holding her tightly, afraid to let her go. Unbeknownst to him, Kirby had a dream and began to cry in the middle of the night, the dream as of Michael.

Zoey awoke very early the next morning and her brain still seemed in a state of shock. She didn’t understand why though. She knew Michael was going to die. But the confirmation of it just made it so….real.

She stroked Kirby’s bare arm as it wrapped diagonal across her. She kissed his wrist and felt him shift slightly from behind her. It had been a terrible night.

Kirby had cried for most of it, then stayed silent the rest, not once did he let her go.

Zoey turned around and face Kirby, and hugged him, placing her head on his chest, listening to his lively heart.

“I’m sorry.” Kirby’s voice croaked, surprising Zoey.

“What for?” Zoey asked, pulling back to look at him. Kirby ran his hand down Zoey’s back, and softly looked at her.

“For acting how I did. I should have never acted that way. I shouldn’t have pushed you. I’m so sorry Zoey.” He murmured, his voice deeply filled with remorse. Zoey snuggled closer and sighed softly.

“It’s okay, I understand.” She said gently, and buried her face into him. Kirby sighed and kissed her head.

“I’m so glad you do.” He murmured into her hair, breathing in her heavenly scent. Zoey stayed silently as they cuddled, their breathing could be heard.

“It’s going to be hard…” Zoey told him, and without needing to ask, Kirby understood what she meant. It was going to be hard, life without him.

“I know.” He replied, not easing his grip on her.

“But I’ll be there.” She told him, her feelings on how he behaved before completely forgotten.
This wasn’t the time to be selfish. Kirby needed her and Zoey needed him. It was a circle that needed to remain.

“Zoey, you have no idea how much that means to me.” He told her seriously, as they stared at one another, her heart swelling of love for him.

Zoey reached up and stroked his face; he had stubble on his cheek. “I’ll never leave you.”
She told him solemnly. Kirby’s face crumpled slightly, he hid his face away from her.

“I can’t lose you.” He told her, crying softly. Zoey rubbed his back and cooed him gently, whispering the words he needed to hear. When Kirby finally got control again, he sniffed slightly.

“I wish I was stronger.” He told her, and Zoey shushed him for saying such nonsense words.

“Kirby, you are strong. You have the strength to live life, the courage to face it and the love for people in it.” She recited the famous words, and Kirby faintly smiled. He hugged her tightly, and kissed her and thanked god for not taking her away as well.
--

It only took a week for the funeral to be arranged. Dora had been the practical person she is and organised things along the way. It had to be said that Dora was stronger than everybody thought. For an old woman, she was coping decently. That doesn’t mean that Dora wasn’t mourning her loss. She was.

Oh dear, she was.

Each night, Dora cried herself to sleep just like a school girl in love with a oblivious boy. She cried as she hugged her husband’s pillow and kissed it softly, begging for him to come back. She cried while making the dinner, she cried while Peaches barked softly and whined as she noticed her master was gone.

She cried when she sat in her chair and glanced at Michael’s empty one.

Dora was mourning worse than anybody else, just privately, like she wanted. Like Michael would have wanted. When the day of the funeral came, the respectful people were invited. Dora allowed Kirby to bring Zoey, Elena and Zack, but apart from that, it was a quiet ceremony.

Distant relatives mourned the man they knew, whereas Dora stood proud and watched as they lowered her husband. Kirby didn’t cry but he didn’t say a word until it came to his speech.

Each word was spoken with love, honour and pride of how wonderful Michael Jones was. At one point, he managed to make people smile at the memory he shared. He was the first one to throw a handful of dirt onto the deep mahogany coffin. Dora second, then the family continued. Hymns were sung quietly and music, most of it was The Beatles as they mourned their loss.

Kirby had been one of the carriers and even though it pained him and made him want to scream in loss. He was proud. He was proud to have carried it. He was proud to be there.
Throughout the whole process as they continued the burial, Kirby held Zoey’s hand tightly. He didn’t look at her, just watched the burial, but the comfort warm hand in his made it easier for him to breathe.

After the burial, everybody, excluding Kirby and Zoey piled back to the hall where the reception was being held.

“Strength to live life, courage to face it and love for all those in it.” Kirby murmured the caption of the stone into the wind as he looked once more at the newly carved grave that had been planted. His grandfather’s name freshly etched into it. Zoey stood a good step behind and said a silent goodbye and thank you in her head.

“Kirby?” Zoey finally said, breaking the silence as Kirby stood in front of the stone, hands in his pockets as he read it again. The words burned into his mind.

He turned his body slightly, and looked at Zoey. “It’s time to go…” Zoey urged gently, and Kirby nodded, knowing she was right. It was a double meaning, and Kirby accepted both.

“Goodbye Pop’s” Kirby whispered, turning away and offered his hand to Zoey who took it and interlaced their fingers. The couple slowly walked away from the grave and back into real world, where saying goodbye to Kirby’s loss was only the beginning.
--

Two months later and Kirby was struggling to cope. He had finally returned to school and had received plenty of condolences as well as tons of catch up work. His relationship with his Grandmother was beginning to strain as they coped their own ways. Kirby was managing by no longer crying but instead just going into stages of silence, where talking was just as much effort as sprinting a marathon.

His lifestyle had changed; he was struggling to sleep, to eat and to function. But, thankfully, he had Zoey. Zoey had been sleeping over often and that helped him sleep, and Zoey reminded him to eat and Zoey helped him function.

Zoey seemed to be Kirby’s life support, giving him all her attention made him feel he wasn’t alone. And when he didn’t feel alone, glimpses of the old Kirby returned. But only mere glimpses.

It was hard, just like Zoey said. Coping without Pop’s was hard, before his illness, Pop’s was the man of the house and ran the household. Pop’s handled everything and now it was up to them entirely.

Death of family would never in this universe be easy to deal with. Kirby had never experienced it before either. No matter how much they missed that person, that person would never be returning and that’s what hurt Kirby the most. That the chance of him even coming back was zero, but no matter how hard it seemed and how strange his life had become, Kirby was always grateful for one thing…
--

“So what’s all this then?” Zoey said, as they jumped out the car. Kirby had persuaded Zoey to skip school and come with him to the beach for the entire day, just them.
Zoey without hesitation agreed.

“I just feel like we need to get away…” Kirby murmured as locked the car. Deciding to fetch their belongings later, Zoey skipped over to Kirby and their hands joined almost automatically as they began to walk onto the white, soft sand. Zoey instantly took her shoes off and ran back to the car and placed them under the car. Running back, and squealing slightly like a child, she jumped on Kirby’s back and he flawlessly caught her.

“I love how you act like a child whenever we’re doing something remotely close to childhood memories…” he teased and Zoey giggled and nuzzled his neck.

“I love the beach….” She told him, sliding off and hugged him from behind instead. Kirby and Zoey danced a bit, laughing as Zoey refused to let go.

“Come on…I want to see that beautiful face of yours.” He murmured, and finally brought her in front of him and kissed her gently. He pushed her hair back and smiled, his heart beating gently.

“I love you so much, you know that?” he said, and Zoey nodded confidently.

“I love you more!” she told him and Kirby grinned, refusing to be beaten.

“That’s impossible.” He told her teasingly, and kissed her again. Their hands joined as they fell into a natural step, their arms slightly swinging.

It was silent for a while, the sounds of the beach around them, the serene ocean, the gazing sun on them and one another’s company.

“Do you think there is a heaven?” Kirby asked, glancing at Zoey who was glancing at her feet. She looked up and smiled slightly.

“I think there’s a place where loved ones look down on us and protect us….so I guess yeah…” Zoey said, and sighed as the smell of salt and sun and Kirby’s addictive smell filled her nose.

“Do you think Pop’s is there?” he asked her, and Zoey nodded.
“Without a doubt.” She said happily. Kirby smiled slightly, pleased and they continued to walk. His love for this girl was unreal and he wondered how he coped before he met her.

“Oh Zoey Titian, I do love you.” He said, wrapping his arm around her neck. Zoey instantly wrapped her own arm around his torso and used her free hand to join with the one dangling by her shoulder.

“Oh Kirby Jones, the feeling is more than mutual.” She replied lovingly, and they both stopped for a moment and kissed. A spark ran down their spines before they continued to walk on, further down the beach.

His name was Kirby Jones and he had learned how to lose love and how to gain it. Her name was Zoey Titian and she had learned how to show those close to her that she wasn’t as fragile as they thought and that her heart could really be given to somebody else to cherish.

It was magical moment as the couple continued their leisurely stroll and without anybody knowing. One of the couple had a cracked heart, and the other of the couple was slowly but most positively fixing it. To think it all started with a casual greeting and blossomed into something neither of them could ever imagine.
♠ ♠ ♠
Last chapter :)
I have enjoyed writing this story, but it's time for it to end :)
Thank you every one who supported it, and I hope you read some of my other stories :)

<3