Cimorelli Oneshots

Shine On (A Katherine Story)

"Even in the dead of night the stars and the moon still shine." -Lauren Cimorelli (at least that's where I found it haha)

Ages (even though they're not all in the story): Christina- 15, Katherine- 14, Lisa- 12, Amy- 10, Lauren- 7, Dani- 6

"Kath! Kathy!" A dark shape hurtled down the stairs and into the inky black night. The little girl ran across the dewy grass, tripping and stumbling over the uneven ground. "Kath!" she called out in a tiny voice.

Katherine spun around angrily, expecting to see her older sister Christina. Instead she found her younger sister Lauren, wobbling on the spot.

"I thought you were sad, so I brought you something," whispered Lauren, holding out her beloved teddy bear. It was worn and dirty from years of use, but that made it all the more special. She looked up at her older sister with sweet, unwavering adoration.

"Here," she said. "SingingSnuggleBear wants to give you a hug."

Tears welled up in the corner of Katherine's eyes. She tried to brush them away.

"Thank you, sweetie," Katherine said as bent down beside the young girl, attempting to hide the wetness streaking her face. "But I could never take 'ol SSB away from you. Here, let's go back to bed."

Katherine took Lauren's cold, thin hand into her own as she led her back up to the house.

"I can't go back in," Katherine whispered. "You can go back to your bedroom. And if Chrissy asks where I am, just say you didn't see me. Okay?"

A flicker of confusion passed over Lauren's face for a moment, then she nodded, her brown eyes shining. She paused for a second, then spoke again.

"Kathy? What did Chrissy do to you?"

"Nothing you need to know about, sweetie," Katherine replied, patting her head gently.

"Did she hurt you?" Lauren pressed, her eyes wide with fear.

Katherine opened her mouth, ready to lie and say no, but something in Lauren's face made her pause for a second.

"Do you think she did?"

Lauren nodded slowly. "Yes. I do. I saw her hurt Lisa once. She slapped her." Lauren mimed the motion, imitating the anger and hatred on Christina's face.

Katherine closed her eyes slowly, trying to process the new information. Lauren was already aware Christina's actions. And she understood them.

"Well... we have to give her the benefit of the doubt. Dad's death really took a toll on her," Katherine said in a quiet voice. But even as she said the words, she didn't believe them. And she knew Lauren wouldn't either.

The younger girl shook her head quickly, her hair whipping around her face. "No." Lauren said simply. "Whoever trys to drug a little kid doesn't deserve that. Chrissy should have gotten help when she could."

Katherine blanched. "She's drugged someone? Who?"

Lauren tilts her head to the side. "You don't know? She drugs all the little kids to make them sleep and be quiet. Dani and everyone younger. She doesn't do it to me, though, because I don't talk much anyways."

Katherine dropped down heavily on the patio steps. She hadn't realized that Lauren had known so much. And understood so much. She wondered what else the little girl had seen. And what the rest of her siblings knew. She wondered how much she had missed, how many problems had slipped under her nose while she was focusing on her own troubles.

Then a new thought hit her like a truck. Katherine hadn't known that Christina was harming the younger kids. She thought it was only her and Lisa. So that must mean...

"That must mean she's more unstable than I thought. We all have to get out of here soon." Katherine clapped her hands and started rubbing them together worriedly. She started mumbling to herself frantically, trying to come up with a plan.

"Um, Kath?"

"Hmm?" Kath responded, not paying attention.

"Christina saw you. I- I think she's coming to get you."

Katherine jumped to her feet, her eyes urgently scanning the surroundings. "I have to go now, but I-" Her voice gave out.

"Take SSB." Lauren shoved the stuffed animal into Katherine's hands. "And... and keep shining on."

Katherine smiled sadly at the family motto. The saying had kept her going for a great many years. Then she turned and looked at her younger sister and saw the face of someone a hundred years older and a thousand wiser.

"Thank you," Katherine whispered. "I'll see you soon, I promise."

Lauren nodded, tears streaming down her face. She reached up to wipe the tears away, then paused. Her face lit up with an idea.

"Come by the library tomorrow at 8," Lauren whispered. "I'll get the rest of the family there while Christina's out. She always goes to the bar then."

Katherine nodded, not trusting herself to speak. She looked at her younger sister one more time, trying to pour as much love as she could into one glance. Then she turned around and sprinted down the stairs and into the night, melting into the inky black.

With each step Katherine felt stronger and stronger. She knew that, with her entire family by her side, she could overcome. They could overcome. They might find a place to live together. And they could finally be happy... without the constant fear of Christina hovering over them.

And with that realization, Katherine felt something she hadn't felt in a very long time. Hope.

Shine on, she told herself. Shine on.

Hi! I hope you liked this oneshot. Umm... yeah.

Anyway, you can like and comment if you want. :) I really appreciate all the votes and reads! Thank you so much for reading my writing :)

Have a great day!