Together Forever - (Station 19 fanfic)

CEREMONY

TW : Death

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Carina's POV :

I was grateful Bianca decided to stay for the ceremony. I wasn't ready for this kind of reaction. I've seen dead bodies during my medical studies, and it also sometimes happened in my job, so I'm kind of use to it. As for Maya, she treats people where they have just been found so I know she must have already seen worst than dead bodies.

But the little girl was so young and innocent, it was the first time she saw corpses, two in a row, very injured, and on top of that they were her parents.

Maya stopped us just before we reentered the room with the coffins.

"What do you need from us baby girl ?" She asked Bianca, and the teen only shrugged before taking both one of our hands and squeezing it as hard as she could.

I have to admit, I was very worried for Bianca. She must have been so scared, sad, shocked, and after throwing the little breakfast she had in her tummy, she must have felt so weak. I was afraid she would end up fainting, but she seemed to push the weakness away. How brave she was, I thought to myself, and when I exchanged a glance with my wife, I understood she felt the same.

We didn't came back near the coffins and just sat on our reserved bench, Bianca between the two of us.

She was still holding our hands when the funeral director stepped in and stood in front of all of us.

He did his speech, paying tribute to Bianca's parents very respectfully. Then, few friends of her dad talked a bit, all praying for Bianca and sending nice but still sad smiles to the little overwhelmed girl.

Bianca was watching in front of her, giving the impression she was paying attention to what was happening but in fact, her mind was somewhere else, very far away.

Once the last person finished their speech, the funeral director asked if someone else wanted to pay homage. The whole crowd looked at Bianca, who suddenly became so little. She sighed and unexpectedly stood up. I let go of her hand but Maya kept a tight hold of it.

"Are you sure you want to do this honey ? Don't feel pressured. Do you want Carina or me with you ?"

Bianca only shook her head no again, and walked in front of everyone, standing right next to her parents' dead bodies.

She was obviously shaking and her breathing was shallow.

"I- I just want to say th- that I lo- loved mommy and daddy w- with my whole hea- heart. And I want t- to thank them f- for giving me everything I- I needed. I'm gonna m- miss them."

She turned to the coffins closing her eyes, but clearly talking to her parents.

"I l- love you. Pl- please always be here for me." She whispered the last part but as we were sitting in the front row, we were the only ones to hear it. We were expecting Bianca to go sit down again but she stayed, standing straight next to the coffins, her eyes closed. After few minutes, the funeral director dismissed everybody else but us. We made our way to the motionless little girl.

"I know you're afraid to look. But bambina they're still your parents. They look different because it's only their bodies resting here and their souls are resting somewhere else. Today is the day for the final goodbyes of their bodies, but not of their souls. And what you liked more about your parents was their inside. It still lives as I explained you before. But their bodies will be buried and you won't see them again. If you feel ready, you can try to open your eyes and say goodbye." I said, tears pouring down my cheeks as I finished my monologue.

Bianca tried to find the edge of her mother's coffin without looking, and when she did, she slowly opened her eyes. She nearly had a gag reflex before breathing heavily and leaning over, kissing her mother's cheek. She made a face when her lips met the dead corpse.

"She's cold." She murmured, her words trembling.

I didn't know what to answer to that, but Bianca kissed her mom again before doing the same with her father and then she just stood between the two of us. She stared at nothing and I approached her.

"Bambina..." I sadly whispered and she immediately fell down, totally breaking down.