I know I don't really write much, but I'm on break from college and I had free time so I figured I'd write a bit. This request comes from BTR'slovesong, who I'd just like to take the time to say is amazing! Anyways, on with the story. Didn't prove read, so…sorry.

Three hours. It had been three long, miserable, painful hours since Carlos, Kendall and Logan last saw James. They didn't even know what happened. The last time they'd seen him they were on top of one of the mountains at the ski lodge they were currently staying at, getting ready to race each other down. Needless to say, they were perplexed when only three of them made it to the bottom.

Logan tapped his fingers on the desk, waiting anxiously by the phone for a call saying that the search and rescue team had found James and he was okay. Kendall sat on the couch with his arms crossed, lost in his own thoughts as he tried to keep his cool. Carlos sat on the other end of the couch, curled up in a ball, whimpering softly. The mere possibility of his best friend being hurt was too much for him to handle.

"This is stupid! It's been three hours! I'm going to look for him!" Kendall suddenly shot up from his seat and scrambled for him coat off the coat rack.

"Kendall, no! There's a full search and rescue team out looking for him. Besides, it's too dangerous for you to go out there! It's dark and below zero and you don't have the proper equipment!" Logan tried to reason with him. He understood Kendall's worry and frustration but having two missing friends wasn't going to help any.

"I don't care! If they won't find him I will! What are we supposed to do, sit here and wait?" Kendall retorted as his shaky fingers pulled on his winter hat.

"G-guys, be quiet!" Carlos whimpered. He didn't want to hear anyone fight. All he wanted was for all of them to be together, warm and safe in their cabin.

"Not now, Carlos!" Kendall snapped.

"Hey, don't yell at him!" Logan countered, sharply.

A full blown screaming match was about to start, but before it could take off there was a knock on the door. Everyone seemed to freeze for a couple of seconds before Kendall snapped out of it and pulled open the door.

There stood a very cold and wet looking James, teeth shattering and shaking like a leaf.

"James!" All three of them were on him in an instant, pulling him inside the warm cabin and shutting the cold out behind him.

"What happened, buddy, are you okay?" Logan inquired, "Come on, we've got to get you out of these wet clothes." He pulled him in further and began stripping him of his soaked outerwear.

"I-I g-g-g-got lost." James stuttered out. "I went th-the wrong w-w-way."

"Oh, James," Kendall didn't know what to say, so he and Carlos just enveloped him in a tight embrace as soon as Logan left to the other room.

"I was so scared, Jamie! I thought you were hurt!" Carlos cried into the crook of his neck, relieved to know his friend was safe again.

"I'm sorry. I'm s-so sorry." James breathed out.

"It's okay, we're just glad you're okay," Kendall reassured him.

"Are you alright, James? You're not hurt are you?" Logan inquired as he came back into the room, armed with a stack of blankets and a pair of warm PJs.

"Just c-c-cold is all," James nodded, shivering.

"We need to get you warm. Carlos, go call the lodge and tell them he's with us and he's safe. Kendall, go make James something hot to drink," Logan ordered as he guided James over to a spot on the couch that sat directly in front of the fire place.

Logan didn't say anything as he heaped blankets around James broad shoulders and pulled him in for a hug of his own.

"I was so scared. I went down the wrong was on the mountain and all the trees looked the same and I tried to yell but no one heard me." James spoke after a bit, tears welling up in his hazel eyes.

"Calm down, it's okay, you're safe now," Logan cooed softly in an attempt to soothe his distraught friend.

James wiped his tears on his blanket when he heard Carlos come back in.

"I called and let them know!" Carlos chirped as he plopped down on the other side of James.

"Thanks, Carlos," Logan said.

"Here's some cocoa, James, be careful it's really hot," Kendall warned as he placed a large steaming mug into James' hands.

"Thanks," he said as he took a sip. He smiled when he felt the warm liquid heat up his insides. Never had he been so cold in his entire life. Even in his warm ski gear the bitter cold managed to bite him hard. Three hours lost in the snow has him thinking he'd never be warm again. Just thinking about it was enough to remind him how tired he was. It was only seven in the evening, but he could already feel his eyes starting to droop.

"Guys, is it alright if I go to bed? I'm kind of tired."

"Yeah, of course," Kendall said, understandingly.

"You've had a long day; you need the rest," Logan assured, patting his back.

"Good night, James," Carlos said, giving him a quick squeeze around the neck before letting him go.

James headed for the room he was sharing with Carlos, dragging his blankets with him. He didn't even bother to turn off the lamp next to his bed as he crawled under even more sheets and passed out as soon as his head hit the pillow

The intense shivering that plagued his body was what woke him. He was so cold, but at the same time he felt hot and he wasn't sure if he should pull the covers tighter around him or kick them off all together. James was sure it was the most uncomfortable thing he'd ever experienced.

He rolled over and stared at the clock. 2:34 blared brightly in blue at him, forcing him to look away. He didn't realize how badly his head hurt. He closed his eyes, trying to relax enough to go back to sleep; 2:30 was too early to be awake and he was still sleepy.

That's when the coughing started.

What started as a tickle in his throat soon sent him into a painful coughing fit. It came from deep within his lungs and tightened his chest worse with every painful hack. Finally, the coughing calmed itself and he could shut his eyes and rest against his pillows once more.

"Dude, are you okay?"

A tired sounding Carlos made his eyes pop open and his head turn toward him.

"Go to sleep, 'Litos," James muttered, wincing as a small cough escaped him.

"Something's wrong," Carlos stated. He slid himself out from under his covers and sat up on his bed, feet just touching the wooden floor beneath him. "What's wrong?"

As much as James wanted to tell him nothing was wrong so they could both get back to sleep, he was too exhausted to lie. He suddenly felt painfully tired and the burning in his chest wasn't helping. He was sure the ache in his head, the uncomfortable hot and cold sensation and his newly runny nose would keep him up anyway.

"I don' feel 'ood," he slurred into his pillow.

That was all Carlos needed to hear. The raven-haired boy bolted out of the room and arrived back in no time flat with a very worried looking Logan and a half asleep Kendall in tow.

"What's going on?" Logan asked softly, stroking moist strands of hair behind his ear.

James didn't say anything. He just moaned and leaned into Logan's gentle touch. Soon he felt a hand resting on his forehead and his cheeks. The cool hands felt amazing on his scorching hot skin.

"Buddy, you have a fever," Logan informed him, or tried to anyways; James wasn't listening anymore. All he wanted was sleep at this point.

"James, come on, man, stay awake for a minute. We know your sleepy but you need to let Logan take care of you first," Kendall's sleep clogged voice filled James ears and he listened, forcing his eyes to remain open, despite gravity's intentions. He turned his focus back to Logan who was patiently waiting to continue.

"What hurts?"

James brain felt foggy, like it was full of smoke as he had to sift through it to find words. "Um, my chest. And my…my head."

Before he knew it a thermometer was stuck in his mouth and his friends were joining him on the edge of his bed. The thermometer soon beeped and Logan took it out to read it.

"102 even. That's a fever," Logan said, frowning.

"Sorry," James said, noticing the look on Logan's face.

"Don't be sorry, James, it's not your fault," Carlos said as he rubbed his shoulder, trying to provide some comfort to his ill friend.

"Yeah, it is. If I didn't get lost, I wouldn't have had to be outside for over three hours and I wouldn't have gotten sick, I wish I wasn't so stupid," James mumbled miserably.

"You are not stupid! It was a mistake, James. Accidents happen. You didn't choose to get lost," Kendall tried to reassure him.

"Yeah, James, this could have happened to anyone of us," Logan added.

"Yeah. Remember the time I got lost in the toy store? Getting lost happens to everyone," Carlos tried.

"We were eight, though," James said as he coughed into the crook of his elbow.

"I'm going to get you some medicine for that cough," Logan spoke as he got up from his spot on the edge of the bed and left the room.

"It doesn't matter how old we were. Stuff like this happens. It doesn't make you stupid," Carlos continued.

"Thanks, Carlos," James felt a little better, even though his head was still pounding and his chest burned with each cough he sputtered.

Logan came back carrying a medicine cup full of red liquid and a glass of water. He handed the medicine to James, who accepted it and downed it quickly. He coughed a bit, gagging at the foul taste that dared call itself "cherry". Logan handed him the water and he chugged it greedily, the cool water feeling like heaven on his now sore throat.

"Thanks," James said as he nuzzled his cheek back into his pillow.

"No problem. Try to get some sleep; you might feel a little better later," Logan said. After a pat on the shoulder, Logan and Kendall shuffled off back to their room.

Carlos remained on the edge of James' bed, rubbing his back gently.

"You can go to bed, Carlos. I think I'm alright now," James told him. He felt himself growing sleepier and knew he couldn't hang on much longer.

"That's okay. I just want to be sure," Carlos said, quietly, knowing his sick friend was near sleep.

James didn't argue, he let himself slip into unconsciousness as he was comforted by his best friend.

It was moments like these that made James realize how lucky he was to have best friends who would look out for him and comfort him. Whether it was a chest cold or low self-esteem, his friends would always be there.

Didn't like that ending, but I don't always know how to end things. Hope you all liked it! Review, maybe? I'd also like to take the time to say I'm really sorry I'm not on here much. I'm in college now, which is an ass load of work, I'm very active in my school's theater department and I'm looking for a job this semester. I'll probably only have breaks to write :/ But thank you to all of you who have stuck with me and understood my circumstances. You guys really mean a lot to me!