Disclaimer: I don't own Jericho.

"What is your problem?" Gail demanded of Jake when he stepped through the door at 2:30AM.

"I was working," Jake said defensively.

"You should have called me and told me," Gail said.

"I forgot," Jake said.

"Forgetting is an excuse, Johnston Jacob Green Junior."

"I'll call next time," Jake told her.

"You've been doing this for awhile."

"I'm sorry, Mom. I have an important job to do. In case you forgot, I'm sheriff."

"I want you to quit," Gail demanded.

"I can't quit! I'm the one paying the bills in this place. You're just volunteering at the clinic!"

"I want you out of this house tomorrow. You are such a disappointment," Gail said.

Jake scoffed, and tried to hide the hurt he was feeling.

"Fine, Mom. I'll be out tomorrow. Don't worry about me or anything."

When Jake woke up for work, Gail was already gone.

"What happened?" Eric asked his brother.

"Nothing," Jake snapped. Eric stared at him.

"Jake," he warned.

"Mom kicked me out. That's it. I'm leaving today."

Eric and Stanley exchanged a look.

"You can stay with us," Mimi told Jake.

"You are welcome," Stanley said.

"Come with me for a second," Eric said to his brother.

Jake sighed and followed his brother back home. Gail was cleaning.

"Mom, what is your problem?" Eric asked.

"Nothing," Gail answered.

"You threw Jake out of the house for no reason."

"It's fine," Jake interrupted, but the two ignored him.

"I had a valid reason," Gail defended.

"He's grieving, Mom. Did you forget that part where he can't remember two whole days of his life-Dad's funeral and burial?"

"Still here," Jake said.

"Of course I remember," Gail said.

"Jake was so devastated about Dad's death that he blocked the funeral and burial from his mind, Mom!"

"I know that, Eric Charles Green."

"You act like you don't. You abandoned us for the ranch when we needed you the most. Emily told me Jake cried over how much Dad loved you."

"Still here," Jake pointed out.

"I'm trying to defend you," Eric told him.

"I know that, little brother."

"It's hard to deal with everything and I took it out on you," Gail confessed guiltily.

"Everything hurts, Mom. I can't make it stop. I don't mean to yell, but it keeps happening," Jake said.

"I know Baby," Gail soothed.

"You're going to be okay," Eric told Jake.

For the first time since his father's death, Jake broke down in front of his family instead of in his room.

As the sobs increased in intensity, Eric and Gail hugged him.

"I can't make it stop hurting," Jake sobbed.

"We know," Gail comforted.

The door opened, and Stanley and Mimi stepped in.

Jake's breath hitched, and even though they had no idea what was going on, the Richmonds joined in on the hug.

"It's going to be okay," Eric told his brother. Jake nodded.

He was finally grieving for the father he missed so much.

Things were far from okay, but they would be eventually.

The End

I've had the idea of Jake blocking the funeral and burial for a long time. It's nice for it to finally be in a story. It'll also be mentioned in Time Traveling, if you're reading that.