Title: Rest in Peace
Author: Linda R.
Rating: PG 
Spoilers: "The Lying Game" 
Summary: Exactly how do they mourn, having seen death so many 
times? What happens when they lose one of their own?

Disclaimer: Yes, Chris, I know, they're yours, to do with as you 
wish. But in the off season, they're mine. Am I making money? 
Hahahahahahaha

Author's notes: If you do not want to read about one of the Gunmen having died, 
delete this right now, although, you're missing out on a pretty decent story, IMHO.
If you have not read my work "Laundry", you may not 
understand who Tina is. She is introduced there. But that's not 
essential to read to understand this. If you love Jimmy, well, so do 
I, but I couldn't kill one of the main boys, I'd be shot dead in the 
street for that. And it's been done, actually. So…enjoy…or not.


Rest in Peace
By Linda Roberts

They stood at the grave, all looking down, solemn and quiet. Byers, 
Langly and Frohike kept their eyes shut tight as the priest spoke. 
Yves was there as well, holding a white rose in her hand. Mulder and 
Scully had shown up out of respect. Doggett and Reyes were there, 
feeling a bit of responsibility for his death, having given the 
Gunmen their latest FBI assignment, in other words, begged them for 
help of the illegal nature. Skinner stood in the very back, 
overseeing the proceedings it seemed, with his guilt making him feel 
as if they wouldn't have been there if he hadn't suggested the Gunmen 
be called.

In all honesty, he didn't know what else to do. They needed 
information, they needed it fast, they couldn't go through the proper 
channels and Skinner needed someone he could trust. He never thought 
the boy would be stupid enough to try and distract the pursuers. And 
as a result, he paid with his life.

Skinner looked to see a girl standing apart from the two groups, but 
close to the coffin, wearing a long leather trench coat and black Doc 
Martin boots with her hair pulled back in a ponytail. He noticed her 
because she wasn't quietly praying as the others were. She was 
crying, loudly and inconsolably.

He walked to her and put his hand on her shoulder. She turned to 
him. "Miss, are you a member of Jimmy's family?" Skinner asked, 
after the service was over, and they were waiting to say a last 
goodbye.

"No, I'm Tina. I live with them. I'm Ringo's girl." She was 
sobbing again, swiping at her eyes with her wrist. Skinner pulled 
his handkerchief from his pocket and offered it. She took it and 
patted her cheeks.

"I'm sorry about Jimmy. He was a nice young man. I shouldn't be 
surprised that he acted with such bravery."

"Why's that?"

"He once impersonated me and helped capture an international 
criminal. He was a good boy." Tina began sobbing again, hard. 

Skinner put his arm around her shoulders and pulled her into an 
embrace. He noticed that even though she had said she was Langly's 
girlfriend, he hadn't moved to stand with her. She was crying so 
hard, she began coughing and choking. He was still holding her close 
to his chest when she looked up at him and said, "You don't have to 
so this. I'll be ok."

She was trying to talk between choking and sobbing. Skinner stroked 
her cheek to try and calm her contorted features. She was too young 
and pretty to be this sad, he thought wistfully.

"Are you sure? Can I take you somewhere? I'm mean, you're crying so 
hard."

"I have to cry this hard."

"Why?"

Skinner was truly puzzled by this statement. She looked up at him, 
blotting her nose, but not blowing, as was comical for movies.

"I'm crying for five people."

"Five people? I don't understand."

"Well, myself…and them." She pointed at the four statues standing 
before the grave, hollow shells of her friends. "They won't cry. 
Not here. And Jimmy deserves someone to cry for him. So I cry for 
all of us."

Skinner nodded his head solemnly and allowed his own tears to fall, 
along with hers. He stood with her, holding her tightly, crying for 
his four agents while they stood quietly in their own group.

Only when the three Gunmen and Yves finally turned to leave, 
signaling the agents to do so, as well, Tina stepped away from 
Skinner and walked to the closed casket. She laid a kiss on the 
polished burgundy surface and patted the lid.

"Sweet dreams, little boy."

That was what she had said to him every night. He was as close to a 
brother to her as he could have been. And she would never forget how 
special he treated her. She walked up the hill, where everyone was 
waiting by the vehicles. But she stopped mid-stride as a fit of 
sobbing took her over her entire body. Langly stepped forward to go 
collect her, stopping Skinner in his tracks. He followed close 
behind the couple as they joined the waiting group.

Before she left, almost as an afterthought, Tina walked up to Skinner 
and pulled his handkerchief from her pocket. She reached up, dried 
his cheeks and handed it back to him.

"Thank you, Mr. Skinner. Goodbye."

She got into the van with the other Gunmen. Yves drove away in her 
Mercedes then the van pulled away. Skinner sat in his Blazer. 
Mulder slipped in the passenger side and Scully got in the back. He 
would drop them off at her mother's house to get the baby and 
Mulder's car. Then he would drive back to the office to lose himself 
in his work once again.

The End