Author's Note: This is my tribute to 9/11. Yes, I know it's not 9/11 but I couldn't get it up in time. I wrote the song by myself and I wanted it to be in here because it's so touching. To all those who gave their lives in the attacks, those who lost loved ones, all the members of the United States Armed Forces and to everyone who helped on that fateful day, thank you and may all the lost souls rest in eternal peace. I hope you enjoy this.

Warning: angst, pain, death, sadness

Disclaimer: I am not Scott Fellows and therefore do not own Big Time Rush

Kendall sat alone in Apartment 2J. He sat on his bed, open notebook to his right, pen laying lifeless on the blank paper and his guitar in his lap. He was thinking about how, ten years ago, the al-Qaeda terrorist attacks devastated the country.

The other three members of Big Time rush weren't as affected by the anniversary as the tall blonde. Kendall was the most affected of all the boys because he lost an uncle in the attacks on the World Trade Center in Manhattan.

Kendall looked across his room into his mirror and his emerald green eyes showed how much pain he was actually suffering. He sighed. No matter how hard he tried, his eyes could always give him away.

He looked back down at his guitar and began strumming random chords; he alternated between minors and majors, trying to find the right sets for the lyrics he was scrawling on the paper.

Kendall finally found some nice chords that he thought were both inspirational and heartfelt at the same time. He closed his eyes and positioned his fingers along the neck as the words began to flow from his mouth, filling the empty air.

"Ten years ago today

So many lives were ripped away

All the loved ones and the friends

Met their tragic ends

All too soon.

The sirens split the air

People screaming everywhere

We watched in silence through the cries

As people ran, fear in their eyes

Not knowing who'd get out alive.

As the heroes swarmed the towers

We all knew it could take hours

Then the first tower collapsed

All the people there were trapped

It was then we knew how bad things would become.

We sat and watched it happen

While the structure, it was crackin'

And as the tower crumpled to the ground

My mom let out a painful sound

And my father held her close.

The call came in late that night

To tell us we had lost John Knight

Both my parents cried and held me tight.

His body came the next day

Burns all across his face

I stood in total silence

As they lay him in his place.

I wish I knew him better

While He was still alive

But for now I can only thank him

For the man he was before he died.

So rest in peace my uncle

Look down from your castle in the sky

And know that I am proud of you

For saving lives and being you."

Kendall finished his impromptu song and wiped the tears from his face and eyes. He hadn't even realized he was crying until he finished. He was about to get up when he heard light sniffling.

The tall blonde leader turned and saw James, Carlos, Logan, Jo, Camille and his mother standing just inside of his doorway.

"That was the most beautiful thing I've ever heard, Kendall," Jo said as she walked to him and kissed his cheek before sitting next to him.

"Dude, you have to record that song for Gustavo. It was amazing," said James as he wiped a small tear from his tanned face.

Carlos looked at Kendall and rushed him, pulling him into a bear hug. "I'm sorry you had to lose someone like that," he whispered in Kendall's ear.

Camille wiped a few stray tears from her face as she and Logan embraced each other. The tall blonde noticed the faint silvery tear tracks on the short brunette's face and the slight ring of red that told him Logan was crying the most.

He rose slowly from the bed and walked over to his mother. Mama Knight was the only person who hadn't moved or spoken.

"Mom?" Kendall asked, concern and worry flashing through his piercing green eyes. His mom looked up at him with big brown eyes.

"That was beautiful, Kendall. Your uncle and your father are both very proud of you right now, I know they are."

Kendall leaned down and wrapped his mom in a hug as he let all his tears fall. He cried quietly into his mother's shirt as the two held each other for a long time.

When they released each other, Kendall's face was puffy and tear stained. "I want to do something for this memorial. But what?"

All the people in the room thought about what to do and Jo spoke up.

"In Japan to memorialize something, the send paper lanterns up with messages for the dead. We could do that with balloons and get all the kids at the Palmwoods to do it with us and launch them from the roof."

"That's a great idea, Jo. Logan and I will go get 500 helium balloons and the rest of you guys can round up people here at the Palmwoods," said Carlos. They agreed to meet on the roof at sunset for their memorial tribute and then took off in separate directions.

The four members of Big Time Rush stood on the roof of the Palmwoods along with Mama Knight, Katie, Jo, Camille and all the other residents of the Palmwoods, including staff, and even Gustavo, Kelly and Griffin had shown up for Kendall's memorial.

Logan and Carlos had gotten light-up balloons so that as the balloons floated away they could still be seen. The balloons were already forming a multicolor rainbow on the roof as they waited for the sky to darken.

The golden light of the sun finally sank below the horizon, plunging Los Angeles into the dark velvet colors of the night. Kendall stepped forward into the center of the mob.

"Today marks the tenth anniversary of one of the darkest days in the history of this country. While most of us here only felt the aftershocks of September 11, I was personally hit. I lost an uncle of mine. He was a fire fighter and was one of the first responders to the scene of the accident." Kendall fought tears as he pushed forward.

"He was still trying to evacuate people from the North Tower as it collapsed. He had watched South Tower fall and knew Tower 1 would meet the same fate. He heard the mayday calls over the radios but refused to abandon the people." A lone tear escaped Kendall's eye as he took a shaky breath.

"He knew he was going to die, the people knew they were going to die but something about seeing my uncle there with them calmed them down. They found the bodies soon after the collapse and all the people with my uncle's corpse were all smiling." Kendall lost all composure as tears streamed down his face.

"To this day, I haven't forgotten the phone call or the funeral for my fallen hero. And as I dropped dirt on his flag-draped coffin, I remember thinking about how proud of him I was, even through the terror of that day. Which is why I wrote a song."

Camille handed him his guitar and he sang the song he wrote earlier in his bedroom. As he finished, he could see tears on everyone's faces, including Gustavo, Griffin and Mr. Bitters. He smiled weakly as he held hi balloon tightly in his hand.

"Whisper a message or a wish into your balloon and on the count of three we are going to release them, sending our wishes and messages up to those who lost their lives that day."

Everyone on the roof brought the lighted balloons to their lips and the roof was filled with whispers as people prepared for the release.

Kendall looked around and saw everyone had finished. "On the count of three. One. Two. Three!"

Five hundred balloons drifted upwards into the California sky as the people on the roof stood in total silence. When the final light had disappeared from their view, people clapped and cheered.

As they exited the roof, many complimented Kendall on his speech and his song. Kendall also received multiple condolences for his uncle. Soon, Kendall, Logan, Carlos, James, Camille and Jo were the only ones left on the roof.

"That was an amazing thing you did, Kendall," Logan said, breaking the silence between the six teens. Kendall smiled.

"The best part for me is that I feel like I'm one of those balloons. I'm free. I will always remember what happened ten years ago, but it's not a heavy burden anymore. Now, it's a memory, not my life."

The teens smiled at the blonde boy and dog piled him. They fell to the roof and lay there, staring up at the starry night.

"Forever gone, but always remembered," Camille said. The other looked at her.

"You said it, Camille. We will never forget." Kendall said as the teens rose and headed inside

Note: I know the ending sucked! I couldn't think of anything! But I hope you enjoyed and that it touches you as much as it did me.