Epilogue:
No Right Number For the Dead

He was staring at his phone. And not for the first time.

This was something he found himself doing more often then he should, but he had gotten better. He used to do this daily. Now it was only monthly if he was lucky. 

But he would do this because what had happened now and then what had happened seemed to be a dream, and he'd find himself staring at the phone waiting for it to buzz. Waiting for a simple text to come in. It never mattered what the text was about, the time of day, or why he had been texted. It was just the fact that he was which always made him feel better.

Usually in these times he'd send off a message himself. He'd send one off knowing there would be no reply, but now he couldn't. Because now he would get a reply, from someone he didn't care to know about. He had the wrong number, because there was no right number for the dead.

"Riley? There's a girl here for you."

He closed his eyes and to avoid looking at his mother, she always seemed to know he was upset by looking into them. "I don't care."

"But she's here to-"

"I don't give a shit."

He heard a sigh, "I'm sorry. Sometimes he's likes this. It's because-"

"You don't need to explain, I get it," said another voice, vaguely familiar. He ignored the sound of footsteps coming closer and felt someone's breath as they leaned down. "Get up fuckboy," a girl's voice whispered harshly in his ear. "We're gonna go see Jackie."

~~~~

"How did you find out where I live? And didn't you move?" Riley asked when they had been driving for a while.

Mickey kept her eyes on the road, "Our moms, and his, exchanged information the day of the funeral... in-incase of whatever. So I just asked my mom. And I'm back visiting an aunt for her wedding, and I figured I'd visit him too." When Riley didn't respond she fell silent she began to fiddle with the radio for a minute or so before turning it off again. "Have you uh- have you been since?"

"Couldn't bring myself to," Riley admitted leaning his head on the window and looking out. "There was always a barrier between the two us, but I certainly prefer when it's a screen and not several feet of dirt."

"Then why are you coming with me now?" She questioned she asked after a brief pause.

Riley looked over to her to see she her eyes were completely on him now that they were at a light. He studied her face for a moment before leaning on the window once more, "Why did you want me to come?"

~~~~

"It's too nice of a day for this."

Those were the only words he could force out when he saw it.

He stood in front of the stone slab awkwardly, unsure of what to do with himself. He wanted to sit down and tell it everything he could think of. He wanted to scream at it to return him from the ground. He wanted to break down in tears.

But all he could do was set down the flowers he had picked up on the way. "You never seemed like the flowers type, but I wasn't sure what else I could bring."

Mickey spoke, but he didn't hear it. Instead false words flashed in his eyes, and he could hear the made up voice he'd given Jackie in his mind, Dumbass. You could've brought me that cake or something. Or at least blue flowers. You know that's my favorite color.

Riley swallowed a sob and his eyes burned with the threat of tears as in the moment what he could only call an inexplicable smile spread across his face. "I miss you," he whispered but his words were covered up by the breeze.

Good, The false voice replied.

He wasn't sure how long he stood there, staring at the words carved in the headstone. Though after a while he noticed the second name on it- something which he had missed during the funeral.

"They put you both together then..." He realized sitting down.

It's both fitting and ironic huh? Yeah we're twins and all, but I spent a good part of my life wishing to be my own person. I finally get that when she's gone and now once again I'm stuck with her. I'm both pissed off and happy about it.

"Understandable," Riley whispered back.

Well?

"Well what?"

Aren't you supposed to be telling me all this random shit about your life that I don't care to know?

Riley gave a chuckle as the tears finally began to come down his face, he didn't bother to wipe them away.

Stop crying idiot. I'm not gonna cry, I finally got my wish of you going away. There was a pause. But I never thought you'd go away for this long.

"Me neither."

Do me a favor Ry?

"Anything."

Help her.

Riley raised an eyebrow confused, when he suddenly aware of the sobbing girl beside him. Tears were running down her face and she wiped at him to no avail as her mouth moved rapidly, having a conversation he could not hear.

Just until you leave, at least?

Riley swallowed back his own sorrow for a moment to throw an arm around the girl and pull her close. She didn't protest, rather she put her head on his shoulder sobbing harder.

Thank you.

Riley nodded and he looked up at the sky. Not a cloud was to be seen, and the sun shone brightly, it nearly seemed like it was mocking him.

"I brought Mr. Turtle," Mickey said between sobs drawing his attention. "I was gonna leave him here with you. Then I realized you wouldn't want him destroyed by the weather, so I left him in the car."

Riley could nearly hear his laughter in response.

You need to stop this, came the voice suddenly.

"Stop what?"

You need to stop thinking about me all the time. It's been months Ry, I'm dead. Move on, meet some girl who's deranged enough to like you and go date her or something. You need to stop just staring at your phone to make you happy and stop being sad when it doesn't.

Riley gave a hollow laugh, "And why should I?"

Because that's how I spent some of the last days of my life.

The words seemed to knock the wind out of him, and he found his laughter turning into coughing- choking. He fought his sobs in order to take a few deep breaths, and when he managed to he looked up to the too nice sky. "That's a low blow," he murmured finally.

I knew what was happening to me. I could feel it that day I was readmitted to the hospital. I told you how I felt that day because I needed to get it off my chest before hand. I knew I didn't have long, before then I had never felt weaker. It took nearly all my strength just to text you and to smile at your replies. Other than that the only thing I could do to occupy myself was to look into my parents depressed faces, and when I looked at them? I could tell that  they could see what was happening to me too.

Riley closed his eyes and shook his head then wiped his cheeks. "I'll try," he promised opening his eyes.

That's all I ask. Well, there is one more thing I need to ask of you, but I admit it's sorta contradictory...

"I won't forget you, ever."

You better not, was the reply and Riley could near the smile in the voice.

"Mickey?"

Riley blinked and turned around to see Jack's parents, and his sister standing a few feet away. "Oh, and Riley."

Mickey pushed herself off Riley's shoulder and he let her stand up. He watched as she and Jack's mother embraced tightly.

"What are you doing here?"

"I'm back in town for a wedding," Mickey explained. "And I dragged Riley out here with me."

The woman nodded, "Tomorrow's Lily's birthday and we're having a party, but she said we needed to have a small one here today."

"We have extra sandwiches and cupcakes," his father said raising the picnic basket in his hand slightly. "That is if those two are willing to share." His eyes went to his daughter who stood still and then smiled,

"They will!"

Riley gave a small smile and wiped his face. He stood and wiped the dirt and grass from his pants, "This seems more like a family thing actually, I don't want to intrude."

"But you're not!" Lily told him grabbing his hand. "You make Jack happy! And I'm the birthday girl and I say you stay!"

Riley gave a chuckle and he ruffled her hair, "How could I say no to that face?"

"We've been trying to figure that out for years," his father muttered setting down the basket and taking a seat.

Riley sat back down as the other did. Food was dispersed and he ate his sandwich quietly as Jack's parents questioned Mickey about her new life miles and miles away.

"And what about you Riley?" His mother asked politely. "You're in college now, right?"

He nodded once, "Yeah I'm back on break. I've got a few more days before I leave."

"Do you prefer being home or at school?" His dad asked. "I always preferred being at school."

"Why because I was there?" His mother asked with a small smile.

"No, because at school I only had one roommate instead of three. But I guess you were an added bonus honey."

She rolled her eyes, "Don't you know how to make a woman feel special."

Riley gave a small smile, "Things are certainly more fun at school."

An hour or two passed of them talking and eating, before Mickey noticed the time, "I've got to go so sorry, I have the rehearsal dinner to get to. And I still gotta drop Riley off and change."

"No problem," his mother told her as they all stood, "We understand." She pulled Mickey in a hug, which is father and Lily sooner joined in. Riley watched them, before Lily grabbed his hand and pulled him in the hug too.

When the hug ended, they said their goodbyes and Mickey led the way back to the car. Once inside she began messing with the navigation, "Thank you for coming with me. And for comforting me..."

"Thanks for dragging me out here," he responded as they began to pull away.

Riley stared at the window as the cemetery became smaller and smaller in the distance. He blinked away the tears which began to fall, he had cried enough for today. Instead he looked back with a smile, "Adios Jackie."

See ya Ry.

~~~~

Welp that's the end!

Thanks for sticking with me through this! I hope you enjoyed and/or cried! I love Jiley so much.

And before you say I'm an evil author, even though the ending was one of the first things I wrote, when I was going over this sometimes I'd still get sad and I'd feel the feels. So it hit me too.

And if you want more Jack and Riley in AUs in which they are alive my book "One Shots and One Liners" is where I'll be posting a bunch of Jiley things. This is just the only one which has ever been finished.

So yeah, thanks again!

-Jaz