Bring Me To Life

The cold, lifeless body of Rick McGuire lay in the open casket at the front of the church while all of his friends, family and loved ones were sitting in the pews, most, if not all were crying. Rick's brother, Chris stepped up beside the casket.
"Well everyone, we're here to mourn the death of Rick Cameron McGuire." Chris spoke, voice trembling with tears. "I'm Chris McGuire, Rick's older brother. Me, and most you here have helped in setting up this tribute to the man you all know and love..." He and Alex had gotten all the pictures they could find of Rick when he was younger, Kevin and the others had helped with the rest. Chris gave Alex a nod at his spot in the back where he was working the lights, sound and everything like that. Alex pressed play on the slideshow and pictures began to go across the large screen in the front of the room. Then he walked back up and took his seat in the front row beside Mike and his eldest son, Kevin.

It was hard to decipher who was crying harder, Mike or Kevin. Both were having a fit. Mike had lost his baby and Kevin....had lost everything. They were wrapped around each other, sobbing and wailing and throwing their little fits. Neither were naive enough to deny it and say he would come back. They knew better than that. But something about it made them want to hope....Kevin just couldn't believe his Rick was gone. His rick had left him...
And Mike was just dying inside. Losing a child was hard but one like Rick...Rick had been special and there was no getting him back now.

The only reason Chris wasn't bawling was for Rick. When they were younger they'd both agreed, if the other died they were supposed to be happy. Stay strong. Crack jokes about being glad the other was gone. But that had sounded a lot easier than it was. Chris was hurting so bad...
Alex was also bawling, tears streamed down his cheeks as he held both of his babies.
The first picture was of a newborn baby, still in the hospital, wrapped in a blue blanket, bawling while an older boy, around seven held him, beaming at the camera.

Mike's wail sounded out through the church, Kevin was staring at the picture, heart break clear in his big blue eyes. His lover had been so beautiful as a baby....Jr looked just like he had....
And it made his heart constrict in his chest. Rick was gone....Left him and his babies all alone.....
Kevin screamed.

The next thing was a video.
"MINE!" Rick screamed. In this he was around three or four years old. He was very small.
Chris was around ten in this. He was laughing, holding a small teddy bear high above his head so Rick couldn't reach it.
"Dive it bawk!" Rick whined, jumping up and down.
"Gotta reach it squirt!" Chris chuckled.
The person holding the camera laughed. It was Alex.
Rick growled and tried jumping a bit more before he made his tiny hand into a fist and hit Chris in the crotch.
Chris's eyes widened and he dropped the bar to hold the spot in between his legs.
Alex bust into hysterics as Rick stuck his tongue out, grabbed the bear and strutted off.

Mike buried his face in Alex's chest, sobbing lightly at his baby boy, choking on his tears when he tried to laugh at the small video.
Kevin couldn't do anything but cry, his lover....gone.....
The video got a nice laugh out of Biddy who was sitting with Blake, grinning like he always was even as tears welled in his blue and green eyes. Austin in his lap giggled at the screen, not old enough to really grasp that his father was gone.

The next picture was Alex and Chris standing side by side, still around ten or eleven, holding Rick upside down, each one of them holding one of his ankles. Rick was pouting, arms folded across his chest.
Then another of Rick sitting in Chris's lap, smiling at the camera.

Dustin reached over, pulling Chris to his chest and kissing the top of his head. He felt bad, he wanted to cry a little too and he didn't know the man. He wanted to cry because right now his lover couldn't and god knows Chris looked like he needed to. Dewayne sat on his other side, hugging his mom along with his father as the little slide show played. He and Rick had never been friends, one of the only times they talked he remembered them fighting. Rick Jr had yet to shed a single tear. Not because he didn't want to, God knows it was coming but he was supposed to be his fathers strong kid, the one who didn't cry, the one who took after Rick the most. He did have his name after all.

The next was another video. This time they were a bit older, the video was taken in a school. You could see Rick leaning against a locker, his hand on some girls hip as he sweet talked her.
"So babe, my parents are outta town for the weekend, y'know."
"Oh really?" She raised an eyebrow, smile playing on her lips.
"Yupp, how'd ya like to come over to my place tonight?"
"That sounds-"
Just as she was about to say yes, Alex jogged over.
"Bitch puh-lease. He's taken." Alex winked as he hooked his arms around Rick's waist, kissing his cheek sloppily.
The girl looked disgusted and walked off.
"LEX!" Rick growled. "The hell was that?"
Alex shrugged, rolling his eyes sarcastically.
"Oh I dunno, not wanting my best friends little bro to get an STD from that whore."
"Ass." Rick rolled his eyes.
"But you love me."
"You're gonna get my foot up your ass in two seconds Alex. Start running."
Alex chuckled and turned to the camera, talking to the person filming.
"Chris, help me! He's gonna hurt me!"
Laughter was heard from behind the camera.
"YOu were RECORDING this!?" Rick exclaimed and came charging at the camera.
The camera fell to the floor and the screen went fuzzy.

Chris chuckled at the video as he rubbed at his eyes.

Mike sniffled, kissing Alex's cheek softly before another sob tore from his throat. He had spent so much time fighting with Rick.....His baby was gone now. Kevin was trying to watch but with every little video he just thought he would die with his lover. It was NOT fair, Rick had gone and died on him...
Dustin chuckled softly, pulling Chris into his lap. He had done that to Mike when they were younger, he knew what a good memory it made and how much it could hurt if something happened and maybe Mike died. He felt for his lover....He really did.
"Are you alright darlin?" His thick southen draw met Chris's ears, the warm breath on his cheek.

"I'm fine babe..." Chris sighed, taking Dustin's hand and leaning back against him.
Another video began. Rick was about thirteen in this one. He sat on the bed, trembling, eyes terrified as he looked out the window. Chris sat beside him, pulling his brother into his arms. Only a few people would realize what they were talking about, it was the night after Alan had raped Rick.
"Rick.. are you okay?" Chris whispered.
"Just fucking dandy Chris..."
"Don't get mad at me, I just want to help."
"I know..." Rick sighed. "And you did... Thank you...."
"It was just instinct bro. I'm so sorry I didn't help earlier... how long?"
"How long what?"
"You know what Rick. How long has he been building up to this."
Rick said nothign.
"Answer me."
"I... six years."
Chris looked horrified as he held Rick close. Tears fell from his eyes into Rick's hair.
This video pushed Chris over the edge. He turned around, buried his head in Dustin's shoulder and sobbed.

Dustin held him tight, watching closely.
"Was this about that man you and Kevin fucked up?"
He was not stupid. His accent made him sound like it but he actually had a brain in his head.
Kevin wailed, getting up and tripping over himself as he made his way over to Chris and Dustin. He sat in his older brothers lap and cried into Chris's shoulder.

Chris nodded to Dustin as he held Kevin close.
"Yeah, that was the night after he... y'know..." Chris sighed, stroking Kevin's hair.
The next picture was one of Alex, Rick and Chris as teens in a photo booth together. The booth hadn't fit all three of them, so Rick was on Chris and Alex's laps. In this, Alex was trying to push Rick off the seat.

Dustin frowned, kissing Chirs softly.
"Its going to be okay Chris...."
He would make sure Chris was okay. Kevin was throwing a fit, Dustin had moved so he was sitting where Kevin was crying into his chest so when he had a fit and hit him it was him and not Chris. Kevin was indeed punching him weakly.

The next was another video. It was dark wherever they were but you could make out Alex and Rick standing beside each other.
Alex was giggling hysterically.
"Lex shut up will ya?" Rick said, chuckling himself. "You're gonna wake him up."
"S-sorry." Alex laughed.
Rick shook his head as he tiptoed over to a bed. Someone was sleeping in it, hidden under covers. Rick pulled the covers back slowly, revealing a snoring Chris.
Rick took Chris's limp hand and sprayed whipped cream in it. He then smiled at the camera before tickling Chris's nose.
Chris was supposed to go to itch his nose with the cream filled hand. Instead, the hand swung upwards and slapped Rick across the face, getting cream all over his face.
Rick gasped and Alex laughed
Chris opened an eye.
"NExt time make sure I'm sleeping, retard."

Dustin and Biddy bust into hysterics, looking back at each other. They were not mourning, they were celebrating his life. Dustin kissed the top of Chris's head. "You two were adorable baby." It was so much easier to laugh than it was to cry and let people see how much they were hurting.

Chris nodded, smiling softly at the screen. He looked over and Alex was too.
They had mroe videos than pictures.
This one was taken in a high school gym. People were everywhere, it was obviously a school dance.
"Its time to announce this years prom king and queen!" A man on the stage announced to many cheers and screams.
"Your queen is... Mindy Cruz!" A blonde, stick thin girl wearing a practically non existant dress ran up on the stage, squealing as they put the crown on her head.
"And your king is.." Dramatic pause. "Rick McGuire!"
"HELL YEAH!" Rick jumped up and high fived Alex, strutting up to the stage.
Alex and Chris whistled and hollered.
"You go you sexy thing you!!" Alex called. Chris laughed and whistled at his brother as people stared at them strangely.
Rick bowed, grinning proudly on the stage.

Kevin sobbed harder, burying his head in Dustin's chest. Mike looked at the screen, wailing loudly and pressing close to his lover.
"M-My baby is g-gone...."
Biddy smirked, god knows Rick was prom king.

"I-I know sweety..." Alex sniffled, hugging his lover close.
The next item on the screen was a picture. Alex gasped and tried to turn it off but Chris stuck his foot out and tripped him, letting the picture on the screen.
"Chris, ya just had to put that in there?"
"indeed I did..."
The picture looked to be taken in a women's dressing room at some sort of store. A closer look and you would see the Victoria's Secret sign. Alex stood in front of the mirror, hands on his hips, in nothing but a bra and lacy underwear, angry look on his face.
In the mirror you could see Chris snapping the picture and Rick laughing his ass off. It'd been part of a bet Alex had lost. Alex shook his head, blushing as he went back to Mike and held him.

Mike sniffled, kissing him softly.
"I-Its okay A-Alex, thats looks good on y-you." He was hurting but he loved that picture, he would need to get a copy of it from Rick.
Biddy would so fuck with his father about this now, but in all seriousness Alex didn't look to bad.
Dustin shook his head. "You guys are so mean." He chuckled, kissing Chris's temple.

Alex chuckled at Mike.
"I love you baby.." He kissed his temple.
Chris nodded at Dustin.
"We did worse things too." He chuckled. "Sent that picture to everyone at school."
The next video was them at some sort of bar.
Rick was drunk off his ass.
"'Ey Lex, you should c'mere." He gestured to Alex, standing beside him.
"Uh, I am here." Alex chuckled.
"Noooo, come closer." Rick tugged him closer
"Why?"
"Cause I gotta secret. now cooperate." He pulled Alex's ear to his face as Alex listened with a raised eyebrow. "Did you know... I wanna fuck you."
Alex laughed out loud, patting him on the back.
"Wha's so funny?" He pouted drunkenly.
"You're drunk. You don't wanna fuck me."
"Do too." He frowned and threw himself at Alex.
Alex caught him but backed away from Rick's puckered lips. Rick held his arms down and licked up the side of Alex's face, trying to be sexy.
"um... CHRIS! I think he wants to rape me!" Alex chuckled, trying to get Rick off of him.
Chris appeared and promptly laughed his ass of.
"C'mon Rick, you can get better than Alex." He threw Rick over his shoulder and strutted out of the club.

Kevin wailed and pressed close to Dustin, refusing to look anymore. Mike sighed and kissed Alex's temple. "I love you too....And you guys were so ridiculous...." Normally he and Kevin both would have been jealous and upset but not today....all they could do today was cry and morn.

"Don't I know it." Alex shook his head as the next picture came on.
It was one of Rick and Sydney, Rick was hugging Sydney and Rick's parents were in the background. Mrs. McGuire was sneering at Sydney, she had hated her. Chris hadn't wanted to leave Sydney out of the tribute, she was a part of Rick's life but he didn't want to hurt Kevin either, so he made sure to follow this picture with one of Rick and Kevin.

Kevin sighed, looking at Chris.
"Th-Thank you Ch-Chris....."
He could barely look, but he knew Sydney was part of Rick'sm life and Rick had loved her.....
No matter how bad it hurt....
He still wailed though.

Sydney was in the very back, crying silently to herself.
"Welcome Kev." Chris smiled sympathetically at him.
The next was another of Rick and Sydney. His arm was around her shoulders. She was smiling softly at the camera while Rick's face was blank. His eyes were hurt and his face was tearstreaked....
She had just aborted Zac...