A Criminal's Kiss

Epilogue

Authors note:

Here is the epilogue.... :)

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I looked at myself in the mirror, trying to ignore my red eyes and the dark circles under them. They were the result of endless days of crying over Elliot, days of lying in Blake's arms as he attempted to calm me down, days of hoping that Elliot would just jump of my closet and laugh, telling me that it had all just been one big joke. However, none of that happened.

Thankfully, my eyes didn't look as swollen as they usually did. This was due to the fact that I had bothered to put some makeup on, but only for today. Only for Elliot. Only for his funeral.

I sighed and adjusted the dress that I was wearing.

It was made of black lace and came up to just above my knees; it had no sleeves and a simple round neckline. It was an elegant dress, modest yet beautiful, decorated with lace made flowers.

Around my neck, hung a beautiful diamond necklace, it was lined with small diamonds that looked iridescent when the light caught them, they were laid elaborately along the necklace. Beautifully cut diamonds set into a single thread.

It was the necklace Elliot had given me on my eighteenth birthday.

I was still staring at myself in the mirror when Blake came up behind me and wrapped his arms around my waist. "Hey, you okay?" he asked.

Giving him a small smile, I nodded, "I'm okay. You ready to go?"

He nodded and I looked him over. He was wearing a smart black suit, a well ironed white shirt and a black tie, which he had obviously undone so it looked loose and messy.

I leaned over and fixed his tie so that it wasn't hanging around his neck and he rolled his eyes, loosening it again.

Blake nodded at the door, "The limos outside, we should get going."

I nodded and slipped my cold hand into Blake's own, warmer one, enjoying the comfort his touch brought.

We silently made our way downstairs and into the awaiting limo, where Jake, Marcus and Aaron were waiting for us, sadness etched across their faces as the gazed out the tinted windows, lost in thought.

When I closed the limo door, they turned to me and murmured polite greetings, quickly returning turning their heads back to face the windows.

The rest of the ride was silent and we were soon outside the church. One by one, we exited the limo.

"Hey," Jake said. "At least Elliot will get what he always wanted, a tasteful funeral in a church."

I couldn't help but crack a smile at that; it was true that Elliot hadn't been a very religious person, but we all felt it was right to have his funeral service in the same place that his body had been put to rest.

By the time the scheduled time for the service arrived, the church was already filled up with people. Friends and even some family, people that knew and cared about Elliot. Most of them came up to us and apologized for our loss, while some others just stood by uncertainly.

I clutched Blake's hand as we walked down the aisle; I could see the coffin at the front of the church, enveloped in a garden of flowers, all resting on and around the coffin like a majestic barrier. I wished I could gather the courage to walk over there and pay my respects, to lay my eyes on my brothers motionless body one last time, but I knew that if I went there now, then the tears I had been holding back for his sake would come pouring out.

I let Blake guide me to our seats, all the while keeping my eyes on the coffin until the service finally began and the priest entered.

"I welcome you all to God's home," The priest began. "We are gathered here today to say farewell to Elliot James Moreno and to commit him into the hands of God."