Shoulders

Chapter Ten

A/n- first off, please watch this video. This is the song that Amber is watching when she hears about Katelyn's death. Sorry about that, by the way.

Conor's POV
I was getting worried. Normally, when she has to work this early, Katelyn comes home for lunch at 12:30. It's one o'clock, and she hasn't come. Then, the doorbell rings, and I answer it to find a police officer at the door.

"Conor Williams?" I nod, confused.
"Is your sister...Katelyn Williams?" I nod again, even more confused.
"Yes, she the only family that I've got....why?" She bowed her head before answering sadly.
"I'm sorry son. Your sister was killed at ten-fifteen this morning. Her car was hit by a drunk driver, and both cars went over a bridge. Both of them were killed. A social worker by the name of Jenna O'Neill will be here to pick you up in two hours. I'm very sorry." She turned and walked away, and l closed the door, slumping against it, and sliding to the floor. I pulled my phone out, but I couldn't dial, because tears kept blurring my vision. I gave up, pulling my knees to my chest and putting my head on my knees, and I sobbed. Katelyn had literally taken hits for me, and now she was dead. After a couple minutes, I picked my phone up again, and I dialed Amber. I wasn't sure how on earth I was going to tell her, but I had to.

Joel's POV
We had just finished lunch at Subway, and now Amber and I were watching a new music video from David Crowder, My Beloved. It was a beautiful song, and a minute in, her phone rang. I paused it, and she answered.

"Hello- Conor? Hey, it's okay. What's going on? Wh- what? How?" Her hand flew to her mouth, and she started crying.
"Okay. Y- yes. I'll be praying for you. Bye." She dropped her phone, and turned to me.
"Y- you remember Katelyn, right?" I nodded.
"Yes, love. Why?" She started crying harder, and I pulled her close, and she spoke, hiccuping with sobs.
"S- she was k- killed today. A- a drunk d- driver." Then, she just fell apart, and pulled her even closer, kissing her forehead, and I felt tears dripping down my cheeks as well. Katelyn was the reason we had Amber, and now she was dead. I played the video again, and we both just listened to the words.

'- I see the light, I see the light. I see the light, I see the light. Oh, thank you God, I see the light. Whoa, hey, hey. Whoa, hey, hey. No more sorrow, no more pain. No more darkness all around me,-' Despite what had just happened, I smiled. Katelyn would've loved this song. Amber had stopped crying as much by the end of the song, and she was smiling a little too.

"Katelyn would've loved this song. Do you think we could see if I could do this song tonight, in her memory?" I nodded.
"I think that's a wonderful idea, princess. I'll go tell Luke, if you want me to." She nodded.
"And, I'll go find mom and tell her. She'll want to know what happened..." Her voice trailed off as she walked away. Luke and I were the only ones on the bus, and he was asleep on the couch, so I did what I always do to wake everyone up when we're on tour. I grabbed my bullhorn, climbed into my bunk, and turned the siren on, trying not to die laughing. The driver always knew when I was going to do it, so that I didn't startle whoever was driving. I heard a yell and a thud, and poked my head out to see him on the floor, glaring at me.

"Seriously?!" He got up, taking the bullhorn.
"We're on tour! You should be used to this by now!" He glared at me again.
"That does NOT mean I appreciate it, in any way at all. Can you not figure out some other way to let us know that you're awake and we aren't yet?!" I scratched my head.
"Yes, but.....they aren't as fun. We should do that to the ladies sometime..." He grinned at me.
"YES! I'm willing to do that in the morning...just wake me without the bullhorn, got it?" I nodded, also grinning. I was lucky we were on tour, otherwise I'd be sleeping on the couch tomorrow night....

"Oh, and by the way," I said, remembering why I had woken him in the first place.
"Amber told me a song she wants to do for Katelyn." He looked confused.
"Why for her?" I winced slightly, answering.
"Amber just found out that Katelyn was killed in a car accident. She was dead before the ambulance got there, since her car went over a bridge." He inhaled sharply.
"The Katelyn that brought Amber to the concert where we met her?" I nodded sadly, and he put his hand to his mouth, sinking back into the couch, shaking his head.
"Wow. I- I don't even know what to say. Of she hadn't brought Amber, we might've not ever met her. She would probably still be in foster care right now." I nodded, hearing the door open, and the great of the band walked in.
"Hey, it's time to move out. Is something wrong?" I sighed.
"Amber just found out that her best friend was killed in a car accident. She chose a song she'd like to do in her memory on this tour." They all nodded, and when we got the go-ahead, we pulled out. I wondered how things went with Amber telling Moriah what had happened....

Moriah's POV
I had been dozing on the bus, when Amber came up to me with tear-stained cheeks, and her eyes were red and bloodshot. I sat up, patting the seat beside me, and she sat, tears filling her eyes.

"Mom, I know what song I want to do, and I have a reason. Crowder, My Beloved. I- I want to do that for Katelyn, because I found out that she was killed in a car accident today." She started crying again, and I pulled her close, also crying. We had a twenty minute drive to the coliseum, where we would be performing tonight. When we got there, I saw a group of people standing near the road with a huge banner that said, 'Welcome To Franklin, Winter Jam!' We heard Joel yelling to the people out there with his bullhorn, so we shrugged at each other, sticking our heads out windows, and waving. Skillet decided to open all their windows and somehow, (don't ask me how) they started playing Rise, and everyone loved that. We pulled into our designated parking places, getting out and going in to the coliseum where we'd be performing. The truck with the stage and the 'trick stuff' as we called it, which referred to the flame thrower thingies that Skillet used, and then other stuff of that sort. We got the stage set up within ninety minutes of arriving, and then the lighting experts took over, while we set up the corn hole and ping pong backstage. Then, we got into a game of me, Annie, and Amber versus Joel, Colton, and Luke, in ping pong, with everyone else cheering the two teams on. After a couple times with me trying and failing to serve, Amber took over, and she knew how to serve. Colton kept catching her serves, and every time, he gave us a point, so, finally Joel started serving, and things kept going back and forth, and by the time we had to go set up the instruments, it was 27- 18, in our favor. The guys weren't sore losers, but they insisted that Amber didn't need to keep serving. As we were getting ready for the performance, Joel came up to Amber, who was trying to get her in-ears in correctly.

"Need some help, princess?" She laughed.
"Yeah. I've got absolutely no idea how to put these things in. Oh, and were you able to get him?" He nodded, threading the wire up the back of her jacket.
"Yes. He said he would be glad to let you do that song with the arrangement me came up with." He got her in-ears in correctly, handing her the earbud looking ends.
She smiled sadly, putting them in her ears.
"I've gotta go. I'm doing three songs with Colton, and he's on in five. See you later!" She took off, jumping on his back. Thankfully, he kept his balance, and she hopped off before heading onstage with him. I watched as they started their first song, Our Time Is Now. I looked at Joel, and he practically shone with pride as he watched her perform. Then, they did Never Gone, and they did Scars, and Amber was crying as she performed that. As I watched her, I knew something. I knew that no matter what happened, we'd always be a family. I just didn't account for what would come next.