The Only Thing I Ask

"Dude, look at that short shit! Looks like one of those seven dwarves!"

"Hey dude! Dude! You wanna play with us? Wanna be our bass player?"

"I'd like to be invisible so that I could kill Johnny and no one else would know."

"Things I'll do to have something like that in my life, you know."

"Did you not see how hot they are? One of them has been grabbed so I'm up for the other."

"That's creepy. We've been together since middle school. How much of me have you seen!"

"Sorry, cockblocker coming through!"

"It's fucking 9 pm, Zacky! What are you drinking? Give me some!"

"Poor guy. Awl he wanted was someone to wuv him. Aww..."

"Yeahh..everybody says that. In the end they just pack up and leave, you know?"

"Ha-ha! You're all fools!"

"Let me beat him. NOBODY messes with my friends!"

"I ask only one. One thing. Be happy, be content with each other even when I'm not around anymore. I can't be your baby sitter all the time, jeez!"

It was an open casket funeral for Jimmy. There were a lot of people coming, dressed in black, paying their last respect to him. Everybody couldn't believe, just yesterday he was all cheerful and happily giving a speech at Matthew's wedding and today he was gone.

Matthew and Valerie flew back home first thing after they had landed in Italy when he got a call from Brian saying that Jimmy didn't wake up. He cried hard on the way home, his best friend and brother had lost the war. But he won in his life. He didn't waste his life away completely. He had friends who love him, being by his side always even after he was gone.

His wife, Valerie gripped tight his fingers as they both watched Jimmy's calm face inside the coffin. They watched him for a while without saying anything. Soon Brian, Zacky, Johnny and Michelle joined in. All six of them stood in silent watching their noisiest and the craziest friend sleeping.

Suddenly there was a chaos at the front door of Jimmy's parents' house. All of them turned around to find Leana running in with Zoey in her arms, crying. It's like Zoey understood what was happening. Leana too, was crying. Her eyes were bloodshot red and puffy from crying so much on the way here.

"James," she whispered.

She walked slowly towards all the guys, and Valerie immediately took Zoey from Leana's arms to make way for her. Leana let go of Zoey and paced forward until she was standing directly in front of Jimmy's face.

"James," she whispered again.

She raised her hands to touch both sides of Jimmy's cheeks. They were cold. Leana lost someone in her life, again. She'd just gotten used to the idea of having Jimmy in her and Zoey's life and now she was left alone, yet again.

"James, you said you wanna hear Zoey calling you 'daddy'. She will, but why are you leaving so soon? JAMES OWEN SULLIVAN, CUT THE CRAP NOW AND WAKE UP!! IT'S NOT FUNNY ANYMORE!! JAMES!"

Leana had lost it. She was practically screaming and shaking Jimmy's cold body that Brian and Matthew had to restrain her. She was reluctant to let go but she was forced to when Matthew picked her up so easily with his strong hands and brought her out of the room.

"LET ME GO!! JAMES!!I LOVE YOU! DON'T LEAVE ME!"

All of their hearts broke seeing her like that. They gathered in front of the coffin again, without Matthew this time. Brian fixed Jimmy's position as he was shaken by Leana earlier that it made him shifted a little.

Zoey was surprisingly quiet after seeing her mother went crazy like that. She looked down at Jimmy and laughed, her cute little voice echoed through the silent room.

"Dada," She cooed. All of them turned to look at her.

"Did she just call Jimmy-" Zacky pointed to Zoey who was held by Valerie now.

"Dada, bffuuu." The baby cooed again. All five of them broke into smiles and laughter, and started to gather around the baby as she called Jimmy 'daddy'.

All of their sadness gone for a little bit, it was as if the baby was Jimmy's apparition, trying to cheer them up. Knowing Jimmy, that was exactly something he would do. Always cheering people up and bringing the life of the party.

Their hearts were less heavy now, they can finally say their final goodbyes to him. Zacky being the first in line, started.
"Jimmy, Rev. I owe you my whole life, man. If it wasn't for you I would still stuck, being a nobody. Rest in peace now, we're right behind you."

Valerie, with Zoey in her arms, followed.

"Jimmy, I always looked up to you as my brother. Always came to you for help. You're being the best brother ever, always helped me through. Thank you, and so long."

Johnny was next in line.

"Goodbye my friend. Your final chapter was written well. Great job. See you on the other side."

Matthew followed, with tears in his eyes.

"Dude, I could never imagine life without you, the band without you. You're the life of this band. We could never replace you. Goodbye, Jimmy. I'll never forget you."

Brian closed his eyes before moving on behind Matthew. He took a deep breath, images of his childhood memory with Jimmy came into his mind.

"My best friend. I've known you my entire life. Your pain is mine too. My pain was yours." He grabbed Jimmy's cold hand. "Rest well, Jimmy. Your hands untied now. You deserved it."

He kissed Jimmy's forehead and couldn't held on any longer. He broke down into tears and Matthew hugged him tightly.

Michelle was the last one to say goodbye as Tona, Zacky's girlfriend couldn't be here right now. She flew to Brazil this morning because of a job. She will be on her way first thing tomorrow morning.

She leaned over to Jimmy, and kissed him on the lips. The kiss was cold, but it made her warm tears ran down her cheeks and soaked Jimmy's cheek too. She remembered something from the past. A conversation she had with Jimmy on a plane back home.

"Jimmy, this is beautiful. I fucking love it." She leaned over to kiss Jimmy's cheek but he naughtily turned his head around so that her lips landed on his mouth.

"Jimmy!" she smacked him on his shoulder for playing. He laughed hard.

"Yes!! Rev - 1, Michelle - 0!"

She pulled away from the kiss and smiled at him.

"Rev-2, Michelle-1."

I hope you'll find your own way
When I'm not with you tonight

The End.