Just a matter of time...

Angie Ramirez was in good mood as she poked her head into the FX trailer, "Hey Rollie!"

The Australian special effects assistant started with fright, he hadn't expected to see anyone just 'pop' in. "Jeez Ange, you scared me. What the heck are you doing down here tonight anyway? Oh wait, let me guess... boring party?"

The 18-year-old recent high school graduate plonked herself down on the trailer step, and stuck her hands in the pockets of her denim jacket. "You think I hang out here when there's a good party?"

Rollie grinned at her, "And I thought it was because you enjoying spending time with me and your Dad."

Angie poked her tongue out at him, "Ya right..." She paused, looking around the set, "So, I guess the director is the reason Dad's been in such a crappy mood all week."

The effects assistant looked up at the young woman, "What makes you say that?"

"He's having an argument with him."

"Yeah, well, you better believe it. This is Nick Breen's first movie, if we'd known he would be such a pain in the butt I don't think your old man would have taken the job," sighed Rollie as he continued working on a gadget.

Manny Ramirez, FX expert and the best in the business stormed back over to the trailer. The frown in his forehead was alleviated slightly as he noticed his daughter, "Hey sweetie." He brushed a hand over her head as he stepped past her into the trailer.

Angie slid to the side to let her father get past, "Hey Dad. You looked pissed... Breen's on a power trip right?"

"Watch you language young lady..." One of the Cuban's eyebrows lifted as he looked at his daughter, he then sighed. "...And yeah he is."

Rollie looked over at his boss, "So, what's the problem this time?"

"Safety - he wants shortcuts... They're starting to compromise safety," replied the tired effects expert.

The young woman glanced up at her father sharply, "You're not compromising safety, are you Dad?"

"Not if I can help it Angela, but the way Breen wants this scene... he won't listen to any safer alternatives. Doesn't give him the look he wants."

"Put your foot down. Make him listen," said Rollie, interjecting from the sidelines.

Manny looked over at his assistant, "I'm trying, he's threatening to pull us from the job if we don't do it though. Getting fired won't look good, and we need this job. I'll make sure we're organised to do it either way and have another go at him before we roll in a couple of hours."

"Good", Angie replied, smiling.

Angie Ramirez waited beside the make-up mirrors watching another argument between her father and the director. Rollie walked up beside her, "They still at it?" She nodded as the two young friends continued watching Manny's last ditch effort to change the way the scene would be filmed.

"I don't have time to discuss it," bellowed the director.

The effects expert retorted, "It's not safe."

"If you're afraid, we'll get someone else," stormed Nick Breen, feeling the power of his position.

Manny tried to reason with the man, "I can do it, but it's not safe."

The conversation was ended there with Nick Breen stomping off to talk to one of his ADs and everyone got into their final positions for the scene...

"And Action..."

As the actors worked through the sequence and the camera panned around, Manny ran, just out of camera shot to where detonator charge was located. He glanced back to confirm the timing, making quick eye contact with his daughter as he did so. The FX expert then turned and hit the switch...

Angela Ramirez frowned as she watched her father work, she knew the sequence wasn't safe and she was still annoyed and worried he was doing it despite that knowledge. Her eyes opened wide in shock, as the explosion that rocked the set, engulfed her father.

Rollie Tyler's mouth dropped as he watched the fireball explode out from where his boss and mentor had been standing. His eyes dropped to the young woman standing in front of him. All around them was chaos, the ADs were yelling, firemen and crewmembers were rushing around attempting to put the fire out.

Angie made a move to run towards the explosion. Rollie's reflexes were faster and he grabbed her by her shoulders, physically pulling her back. She was screaming, "Noooooo!!"

The early summer sun was shining brightly in the late morning sky, contrasting dramatically with the overcast mood of all attending the ceremony. Angela Ramirez, a young woman, yet still a child in the eyes of most there, stood at the head of the group. Her black skirt billowed around her ankles in the light breeze, as she stood, stock still, and alone. And just behind her, Rollie Tyler stood, older than she and a man in the eyes of those there, but still so young.

Her dark blonde hair hung in waves to her shoulders, she had left it loose for this day, her make-up, as always, impeccable. The only sign there was something seriously wrong was in her eyes. Her eyes shone, as though tears permanently threatened, but there was no sparkle. She stared into the grave, not seeing hole, lost in her own world of memories and faces, not hearing the minister's drone. Almost all of the others around her were moving, shuffling their feet, wiping tears from eyes and yet she was totally unmoved. Still except for the billowing skirt and a slight tremor that had been shaking her since the blast had rocked her world two nights before.

And the Australian, his brown hair not as long as hers, yet some parts still hung almost to his shoulders. He stood behind her, far enough away for her to be able to show the world she was independent and could cope, yet close enough to lend the desperately needed support. Tears shone in his eyes, although unlike her he allowed the occasional one to fall. He also stood unmoving, leaving the tears to dry on his face.

As the ceremony ended Angie stepped forward, throwing a single yellow rose bloom into the deepening hole. She stepped back again and waited as school friends and industry acquaintances, all the people she knew file past. Most stopped, giving hugs and offering words of hollow encouragement as they fled the scene, removing themselves from the tragedy.

Rollie remained, still standing back, allowing her privacy as she stared into the hole but refusing to render her completely alone. Her tears finally began to fall, and she slowly sank to her knees beside the grave as she allowed the grief take hold. He stepped forward then, and knelt beside her, his own tears falling more readily now.

He took her in his arms, pulling her close. There was no wailing or sobbing, the two young adults just held eachother's shaking forms as tears washed down their faces. Neither could fill the void created in the other's life by the loss of this one man but it was a comfort to know they were not alone and they still had each other. They both had been told the acuity of the pain and loss would subside one day and they would go on, it was just a matter of time...