Final Grief

Author: Neth

Rating: PG

Summery: After grief, there is still more grief as those left behind mourn. ELF.

Category: Character Death, Angst

Disclaimer: I own nada, if I owned seaQuest, I'd have all the episodes on tape! Plus I would have made a few changes, like no man-eating plants!!!! Seriously, I don't own anything remotely big or important, so leave me alown!

Author's note: I love Lucas like an older brother (maybe younger since I was born before him…. But he's older than me so….), and I generally don't like hurting those I love. But I just thought I should have a go. There's enough fics out there where he tries something (evident in this) and doesn't succeed. Well, he does here (thought I'd make a change). It's based in season 3, but doesn't have season three characters in (I don't know their names or personalities). This is cause I figured if he was gona do this, that would be the season he'd do it in. Hope ya like!

*****

The mourners stood in the rain and damp of the cemetery. The priest babbled on, but no one really listened. They were too busy mourning their friend, surrogate family member whether it be brother or son.

Why the priest? He hadn't been a religious person and didn't believe in a god. Suppose it was more the sense of normalness it provided in the whirlwind of confusion and grief.

There were many people there, and only two had a dry face. Those where at the back, exiled by the others though allowed to be here because they shared blood with the person they mourned, gave life to him.

But the true family of the person being lowered into the grave, the people that were family by choice were all standing there in black, crying and holding onto one another for support. And outside the walls was a group of cameras and reporters.

The boy genius who'd lived on the seaQuest had died; it was a story all right. Who gave a damn about those who cried, those who grieved? They didn't matter!

At that point, the closest family member was asked to step up and say the Eulogy, the first of the many. The priest was surprised when it was not the parents but a retired captain that stood up. His tanned skin watered and stained with salty water not of the sea or sky but of the immense pain that filled his being to the brim.

"Lucas…Lucas was an amazing kid, man. It was hard to not love him be it as a brother or son. He… he would give his life for any of us, and had saved us all.

At first he was a little cocky to put it mildly, but that was just his defense. He was sensitive and private, but warm and kind and loyal. We didn't love him because he was clever or because we could show off and say 'look at this kid we've got on the boat, aint he clever!' We loved him for who he was…

Good-bye kiddo, you were a son to me and I'll always love you. We'll all miss you so very much. May you find peace in death" Bridger walked off and into the arms of Kristen and broke down crying, her arms around her and face also stained with tears that would never end. Several others spoke, but the last two were special.

Ben, who had come just for this, and Tony stood up together. Their natures and relationship with Lucas similar but different. They'd both been the jokers and the person Lucas played practical jokes on the crew with. And he was a younger brother to both.

"We… we never met before a few days ago, Tony and me. But we both felt we should give our Eulogy together. God knows we shared the responsibility of getting Lucas into trouble…" and so they went on. Talking of some of the adventures they'd gotten into, and how much they would miss the lively young man. The boy that had been their brother and fellow kid among the crew.

But of all of the Eulogies, the last one was the strangest. Kristen stepped forward for the second time, and took a deep breath.

"The final person was one of Lucas' best friends. They spent so much time together, and never hid their true selves from each other. Each meaning so much to the other. However, due to classified reasons, he can't be here. He has left a recording though" and with that she nodded to an invisible person who played the tape.

"Lucas gone, Darwin sad. Pod is sad. Pod not same. Darwin miss Lucas. Lucas loved pod and pod loved Lucas. But Lucas sad, lost pod members. Lucas played with Darwin. Lucas Darwin friend. Darwin miss Lucas. Lucas gone. Pod sad. Bye Lucas. Pod cry for you. Darwin cry for you. Brother. Feel absence already. Hurt already. Find peace." And it shut off. All who knew who it was knew what it had meant. Those that didn't had an idea, but not a true idea, and wondered why the person said pod and not family…

The grievers all dressed in black walked off to Lucas' home, the seaQuest. Tears were marked on their faces, standing out more than rain ever could. People clung to friends and loved ones stumbling along only because they had to. A big crowd had come to mourn the death of the brilliant boy. Nothing could ever say how much his absence would hurt, more than anything else. There had been no meaning to his death for he had killed himself. Why? He had lost so many friends, was forced to be a man when he was still a boy, was forced to be a person who could not be.

But as the mourners walked away, a person enveloped in a dull light watched, a single tear falling down his cheek. Looking at the new stone, he read it in his mind.

' Lucas Wolenzak. Beloved friend, son and brother to many. We will miss you to the end of eternity and beyond. Good bye, lost amigo'

The figure looked back up from the stone, and didn't bother to wipe his tear away, his figure partly translucent.

"Good-bye family" He said and turned to walk away. He had not found peace in death, only grief for those left behind. But he was free. Free. "I love you all"