Let Me Go

Epilogue

Kat's POV

Everything was in place, and it was the day of the concert. I watched as Erica paced the room. The girl was nervous.

"I can't believe you talked me into this." She stops, point an accusing finger at me.

"I'm pretty sure I said you didn't have to." I counter.

"It's just... I never would have stepped onstage if it wasn't for my brother." She says, her expression changing. "I miss him."

"I miss him too." I nod, "You'll be fine I promise."

She sighs, as we got word that it was time to go onstage. First we were singing a song by Frank Sinatra. It was fitting, of course. Erica and I were singing it together, we decided it was perfect since he was Brendon's favorite.

"Dry your eyes, and take your song out. It's a newborn afternoon.." I was singing first, as Erica stood by and waited for her turn.

"From the center of the circle," Erica jumps in later in the song. "To the midst of the waving crowd."

"To that distant calling angel, who descended much too soon." We sang together, reaching the end of the song. "And come, dry your eyes."

The crowd, as emotional as everyone was, cheered for us. It seemed much louder than before. It's been so long since I've been up here. Erica started to leave the stage, but I grabbed her arm and pulled her in for a hug.

"I know this is hard." I say softly to her, "We can get through this."

She pulls away, giving me a smile. She looked like she would cry, but she didn't. Then it was time for me to sing Northern Downpour.

"I remember this song when we wrote it back in '08... it meant so much to both Brendon and I. It's one of our favorites from this record." I sigh, looking at the crowd. "He loved you guys. Just keep going."

I start to sing, looking to my friends onstage with me. Dallon, Kenny, and Dan were all up with me on this one. Later it would be some of our friends from Fall Out Boy.

"If all our life is but a dream, fantastic posing greed, then we should feed our jewelry to the sea. For diamonds do appear to be, just like broken glass to me..." I start singing, I see people waving their flashlight lit phones along to the music, "Hey moon, please forget to fall down. Hey moon don't you go down." I kept my voice as steady as I could, as I got through the song.

When I finished singing the song, I needed a minute to gather myself.

I didn't even notice Erica come back. Once I heard her voice start singing Behind the Sea, I was back.

"A daydream spills from my corcked head, breaks free of my wooden neck." She sings, as I smile.

Her eyes were red. I guessed she was crying from before, but here she was again. She's one of the strongest people I've ever met.

"And they all played along to marching drums, and boy did they have fun, behind the sea." We sang together.

She went offstage when the song was over once again, as everyone switched places. It was Pete, Joe and Andy on now. Patrick shows up, kisses my cheek and takes a seat at the piano.

I don't think I'm going to get through this song without crying.

"I've got troubled thoughts and a self esteem to match, what a catch..." Patrick sang as he played, as I sat down on the riser in front of the piano.

"You'll never catch us, so just let me be. Said I'd be fine till the hospital or American Embassy." I jump in.

Everyone was singing, everyone was smiling. They were having fun. Then the song was over, and Erica went onstage alone this time. We were all quiet watching her, as she took her seat at the piano.

"This song..." She says. "This song my brother wrote for me."

I could tell she was having a hard time. I clasped my hands together, placing them under my chin as I watched her.

I wanted to make sure she was going to make it through this. I knew she could.

"From pieces of broken memories..." She says, as everyone else jumps in. Dallon came in with the backing vocals, as she took the microphone and stood up. "If you love me let me go..."

Her voice filled the venue as the crowd sang, and she went around the stage.

"Cause these words are knives that often leave scars, the fear of falling apart."

By then I can see she was crying, but she sounded normal. "The fear of falling apart."

Brendon talked about that line. Whenever she was down he was always afraid of falling apart himself.

The thought of the memory made tears start to roll down my face, it had been building up for awhile but noe I couldn't hold back anymore.

She stuck through it, bouncing around onstage like she usually would. It was the end of the song and Dallon went onstage to sing "Trade Mistakes."

Pete came offstage with Erica, as Dallon grabbed his bass to play with the boys of Fall Out Boy. I tried to calm myself down, but had to walk somewhere else because that wasn't working.

I remembered to take a moment to breath. My breathing was shaky, but it was slowly becoming easier. I could still hear the sound of Dallon singing.
"Let me save you of this wrong

I may never sleep tonight,
As long as you're still burning bright
If I could trade mistakes for sheep,
Count me away before you sleep
I'll still wait till I trade my mistakes,
So they fade away."

I turned around to see the crowd cheering, as Erica left Pete's side and went onstage. I walked closer as Dallon took a moment to speak.

"Lets end this one on a happier song, shall we?" Dallon says, looking to Erica who smiles. "As you may know, the profits from tonight's show is going to Coveant House."

The crowd cheers, as I smile. Then Erica kicks off the song with one of those high notes the Uries are known for.

"Alarm goes off at 7, and you start up town." She sings, as I couldn't help but smile. "Put in your eight hours, for the powers that have always been."

I remember when Brendon, Dallon, and I did this song together, I also forgot how high of notes she can hit.

"Downtown, where the folks are broke. Downtown, when your life's a joke." Dallon sings.

The song was long, but the way they performed it live was great. And before I knew it the show was over. It was great while it lasted, but also glad it's over because it was emotional for all of us.

We all stood in a circle, exchanging out smiles and nods to each other. We knew it wasn't the end of music for us. It was just a different beginning.