He didn't expect it when he walked through the door from school on Friday. His father had come home from work, drunk, and put quite a hurtin' on him after the beans had spilled about Kendall sneaking out over the weekend. That was the day his mom no longer existed to him. Kendall now stood in front of the stove, two days healed up, cooking his parent's dinner. He held all of his weight on one leg, mostly, his other leg ached painfully. It was most likely fractured. He limped, taking the two neatly made meals into the dining room, putting them in place. Then he had to wobble down into the wine cellar, the stairs brought tears to his eyes, but he couldn't take his time.

Upstairs, he approached the front room where his mom and dad were watching television. "Dinner is served." They got up and went to eat, Kendall followed behind them. "Pour me some wine, boy." Mr. Smith snarled. "Yes, sir." Kendall mumbled. He uncorked the bottle and filled his mothers glass first. Then he walked over to his fathers side, Mr. Smith held the glass up in his hand for filling. Kendall poured carefully, keeping his eyes trained on the filling champagne, he was terrified to look up, and then…

WHACK

Mr. Smiths other hand snuck up and knocked Kendall across the face with such force he actually spun around. The glass bottle flew from his hands, spilling into the carpet. Mr. Smith gave a hard chuckle as Kendall picked himself back up, an angry red hand print began to appear on his left cheek, blood dribbled from the corner of his mouth. "Clean that up, then get out."

"yessir…"

His mother didn't even look at him as he passed her, even though he begged her with his eyes to do something about this. He knew she wouldn't. Up in his room Kendall sat on his bed in fury, frame shaking, fists clenching – unclenching – clenching back. He did this often since the move. Mostly because it made him feel better, getting angry. In his rage he slung some of his action figures into the wall, liking the way they burst into bits. Getting up, Kendall paced, he thought better that way. Slowly the anger bubbled down and his brain was clear again. At first his leg felt like it was slammed with a hatchet, but the pain he could tolerate, he continued pacing, thinking.

Not too long later, Kendall was walking down the dark sidewalk. It was late. He knew kids his age shouldn't be out after curfew, but give him a break…he watched his back for cops and night creepers, he wasn't stupid. Actually, this was probably the smartest thing he'd done ever and for the rest of his life. Despite the cold winter weather and not having a coat on, despite his forever growling stomach, despite his physical aching…nothing had felt as good as walking away from it all. It was clear that his dad didn't care, his mom didn't care too much either, so why should he.

It was only meant to be a little walk around a few blocks, Kendall loved walking around. There was always an adventure somewhere, and anywhere – even in the pouring snow, was better than being home. His peace walk was short lived. As he began walking down the street Carlos lived on, red and blue lights lit up the snow from behind him. He couldn't run. So he stood there, listening to the sound of the snow crunch under feet as the cop approached him.

"Can you tell me why you're out so late, son?" The officer asked as he came to a stop next to Kendall, placing a hand on his nothing but a t-shirt shoulder, "Where's your parents? And coat…"

"At home and at school, sir." Kendall replied, keeping his face down at the snow. He couldn't afford for this cop to see the marks on him, he already had enough.

"You didn't tell me why you're out at this time, its past curfew."

"It wasn't when I started walking. I guess I must have lost track of time. I don't have a watch, sir." Taking a risk he looked up a little to catch the cops face. A humored grin stretched his lips and he chuckled. Kendall lied and still managed to make the cop laugh, thank goodness. "Alright, son. Do you live around here? I need to escort you home." Dread clutched Kendall's insides as the cop escorted him to the passenger seat of the cruiser. Thinking fast, Kendall started rubbing his frozen cheeks, his left cheek stung with the contact. "Cold?" The cop asked. Kendall nod, "I bet, here." He pulled one of three of his thick flannels off and offered to Kendall, whom grabbed it with his right hand. "Thank you." He managed. He really was cold. Kendall pulled the large flannel around him like a blanket, covering his small body clear up to the nose. He shivered violently, being out of the snow now. The cop pushed his door closed and circled the hood, getting in also.

"What's your name?"

"Kendall, sir."

"Hmm, Kendall Sir, nice name you got there." The cop said jokingly, earning a laugh from the kid. Kendall spotted the name Donald on a Chief of Police badge.

"Where do you live?"

"0202 Melody."

Ten minutes later James heard a knock at the door, he rushed to get it hoping it was his mom back from her work tour early. Much to his surprise it was Kendall, with a big tall cop towering over him. "Kendall." The blonde grinned and stepped through the threshold, shaking the snow from his hair. He held his hands to his cheeks. "Thanks for the ride, officer." Kendall said. The cop nod his head in acknowledgement, then turned to James. "Is there a parent home?" James nod, even though there wasn't. "Sleeping." He said. The cop sized him up, not finding anything off about him. "Okay, just make sure your brother here doesn't stay out past curfew again, son. All the freaks come out at night, don't forget that." James didn't know how to respond. "duhhhh-okay, thanks."

"Not a problem. You boys have a good night, and get Kendall there some chicken soup. He looks like he could use some."

"Yessir, goodnight." James didn't mean to be rude and run the cop off, he was just curious as to why he was there dropping off one of his friends late at night.

"Goodnight." He turned and began walking away. James closed the door and faced Kendall, "Du-" he spotted the red fading print on the blondes left cheek as his hands dropped. For a minute James Diamond was speechless, "Sorry for popping up like that…I couldn't have that cop take me back home, I can leave if you want me to…" Kendall looked at the wall, at the floor, anywhere but James, whose silence frightened him.

"What happened?" asked James.

He knew though, the answer was clear as day on Kendall's face.

Kendall rubbed his lips together uncomfortably, unknowingly making the split in his bottom lip noticeable to his friend. "It's…complicated." He managed.

"Remember who you're talking to." the two boys shared joking smiles, then James said, "What happened? No lying this time. Who hit you?"

At first Kendall didn't say anything, but like a cracking fishtank, he spilled. "Sometimes, when im bad…or do something wrong…I get hit over it. Even when im not bad, he still hits me…just because he can, I suppose." James cut in, "Who hits you?" he sounded really concerned, it gave Kendall encouragement to keep speaking. "My dad. He gets really angry sometimes, especially when he's drunk. I try so hard not to piss him off, but…" Kendall only shrugged, not finding the right words. His voice thickened over as his throat nearly clenched shut, he fought away that familiar urge to cry, he laughed with no humor. "I cant even remember a time when he wasn't hurting me…I got my fingers broken when I was like three, for accidently smacking his beer off the table. Since then it's been one casualty after another. Not cleaning the dishes right. Overcooking the dinner. This time it was for sneaking out over the weekend. Now do you see why I couldn't have that cop take me back there?" Finally, Kendall said, "What's wrong with me" His question was rhetorical, but James answered anyway.

"Nothing! Oh my God, Kendall, we have to tell someone!"

"No! James, you can't tell anyone."

"w-what?" James face crumbled into hurt confusion, "Why?...Kendall, if we tell someone they can make it stop. My mom has the bes-"

"No."

James didn't like to be cut off, but he stayed quiet. The look Kendall was giving him was a silent plea, "But why would you want to stay with them, even though he hurts you?" Kendall shook his head a little, "I don't…but-" "But nothing, Kendall, we need to get you out of there!" He tried to use his inside voice, but it was becoming difficult. "No, James!" "WHY!" "Who the hell wants me!" Kendall exploded.

James was struck silent, watching his friends eyes mist over, his own beginning to prick with the waterworks. Suddenly he enveloped Kendall in his arms, hugging the guy tightly. For a moment Kendall was stiff and silent, not used to this, but then he broke. He gave in to the hug, clutching to James like a lifeline. His back shook with unshed sobs, unshed pain, unshed emotion. He cried. He didn't mean to, nor did he want to, but they just came, bursting over like a busted dam. James' grip got impossibly tighter, the shoulder of his Egyptian Cotton night shirt was beginning to feel damp. James didn't care, because he was crying too.

As a young boy, James was always pampered after. He didn't even have to walk if he didn't want to, making his mom or dad or the butler carry him to where he needed to be. He got whatever he wanted, even if he had to be bratty about it, but no one ever lifted a hand against him. The thought of his own parents hurting him seemed far out and impossible, his parents would never ever even think of such a thing. How could anybody do something so horrible to their own child?

"I want you, Kendall, you can be my little brother." James finally managed to croak out as they pulled apart. Both of them seen eachother's tear stained cheeks, they took a moment to clear themselves of such girlyness. "thanks, James." Kendall murmured. They were pulled from their little moment when Kendall's belly gave a monstrous groan, he clutched a hand to his gut, flushing in embarrassment.

"What have you ate today?" James suddenly asked, his mind flipped back to lunch on Friday, two days before. An uneasy feeling settled in the pit of is stomach as Kendall shook his head. "Im not allowed to eat at home, most of the time, at least."

A sudden rage took control over the taller boy, a mental rage. Kendall seen the anger in his eyes and flinched back a little when James took a step closer to the door. That kind of reaction sent James' head into a frenzy, he was so mad at Kendall's parents. "Come on, we have food in the kitchen." They stepped out into the hallway, walking side by side, until they came to the stairs. James was six steps down before he realized Kendall was no longer next to him. He stopped and turned, Kendall stood at the top of the floor landing, staring down at the first step. "Kendall?" The blonde's head snapped up, meeting James' eyes, before they dropped back down in embarrassment. "I…cant." James lifted a brow in confusion, "Cant what?"

"Walk. It hurts too bad, my leg…"

James stood silent for a minute before nodding, "Okay. Just go have a seat, I will go get the food. Anything specific? We have, like, everything."

Kendall shrugged, "Im not picky." He said.

James nod his head once before turning around, then he turned his head back again to watch Kendall walk down the hall, this time he noticed the way he limped.

Downstairs in the kitchen, James had made everything that wasn't frozen solid or glued down. Pizza's, chips, soup, chicken sandwiches, pudding cups, soda galore… He had to nuke most of it in the microwave, not knowing how to operate an oven yet. It took him ten minutes and the worlds largest serving trays, but he managed to carry it all back up the stairs and to the front room without dropping a single thing. He sat the food down on a coffee table, pulling it over to sit in front of the couch Kendall was on. He took the time while Kendall ate to hook his system back up and pull out the best of the best video games he had. "Wanna see how many times I can overlap you?" he smirked to Kendall and sat down, offering out a second game controller.

Kendall ate as James picked his car and driver. They raced for hours, well into the early morning. After James had told Kendall all the buttons, he couldn't even get past the blondes bumper. "Oh come on!" James yelped when Kendall break checked him at the final lap, causing his car to spin out and crash into the fence in a huge fiery mess as Kendall's racer crossed the finish line. "Twelve and zero, wanna see how many more times I can overlap you?" Kendall was grinning, so big James realized his huge dimples for the first time ever.

The butler entered the house at a quarter to eight, "Mr. Diamond, this is your school wake up call. Oh, hello boys." Butler Thomas spotted them sitting in front of the TV, still playing video games. Food scraps littered the table and floor around them, "Your mother would lose her hair, seeing this mess. I will be back shortly to deliver the two of you down to breakfast, and I expect this party for two to be cleaned up." "Yessir!" James saluted. The man with the white hair and aged face smiled and shook his head at the two before making his leave to tend. James stood up and stretched, yawning behind his hand. He looked down on Kendall, "Come on, we're going to school in style." James said, leading them into one of many closets.

.

.

(teacher's lounge)

Jennifer Knight ran the papers through the copy machine. She rubbed her forever swelling belly as the baby kicked, she couldn't wait to bring her daughter into the world, Katie was doing a stomp dance on her bladder, or so it felt like. She looked at her watch, it was almost time to pick up her band of second graders. No sooner did she mentally wish that her PTA papers would hurry the old machine gave a strained cry before shutting itself down, Jen used the side of her fist to pound it back to life. She jabbed her finger into the copy button impatiently, she should had done all this at home.

(a few nights ago)

Donald Knights car pulled into the driveway, flashing the front room with light. Jennifer sat slumped on the couch, grading papers. Donald inhaled deeply as he walked through the door, smelling that nights dinner. "Mmmm. Smells good, Jen." Jennifer smiled a little, focusing on getting her grade book up to date. Donald kicked his boots off as he sat down next to his wife. He kissed her and placed a hand on her stomach, "Hi baby, daddy's home!" he cooned, placing a kiss on Jen's belly, Katie started to kick. "Aw, honey look. I think she might just be a daddy's girl." Jen rolled her eyes in a joking manner, "I don't have to look, I can feel it all in my bladder." She used her hand to try and nudge Katie into a different position, sighing in relief when the baby complied. "How was work?" Jen asked, marking red X's down Carlos Garcia's failed paper, making the note 'smiley faces are not math' once again. Don shrugged, tossing his feet onto the coffee table and placing an arm around her. "Same ol, same ol. Except today I got to lead a high speed chase across the freeway." Jen turned to look at Don, "I sure hope you were being careful!" Don laughed at his wife's panic stricken face. "No worries! We got the guy, after a fishtail spin…those things never get old." He used one hand to sweep his mop of blonde hair back, making it stick in funny angles. "How was school?"

"My feet still hurt, and half of the class has picked up Carlos' waddle walk." Don laughed out loud, Jen slapped him in the arm with her binder. "It's not funny, having a line of children clutching at their backs and pushing out their stomachs…Can you believe that little boy actually spilled water in the floor and pretended to go into labor when I walked them to lunch? It was…something…" they laughed together. Jen flipped one graded paper over and started another, but the name at the top of the paper caused her to stop.

Kendall Smith.

"Is that your new edition?" Don asked, recognizing the name from Jen's teacher talk. Jen nod, "Yes. I cant help but notice him, he's odd…" she said lightly, not tearing her eyes from his name. "Odd how? Does he pick his nose in public?" Don joked, but Jen didn't laugh. "It's not like that…he's…I don't know, but something isn't right…I can feel it." Don didn't like the sudden change in the atmosphere, "I cant help to think he's been hiding something, from everybody." Jen continued, "Call me crazy, but I will get to the bottom of this." Don smiled, Jen was so protective over her students, she was going to be a great mother. After she marked another perfect score into Kendall's grade she sat the binder and all of her papers onto the coffee table, rotating her wrist to get feeling back in her fingers. She stood with the help of Donald, and at dinner her thoughts were consumed with a million different scenarios, each with a little blonde second grader as the main character. By the end of the night she was still coming up short, and the boy ate away at her brain, eventually following her into unconsciousness. In her dream, she was back in her classroom, it was dark and she was all alone. The wind howled, thick snow plummeted the ground outside, six or seven inches deep and quickly growing. The moon was bright that night, illuminating the dark room through the windows. She shivered.

"No…stop…please…"

"Hello?" She called out.

"Im sorry! Please da- ahh!"

Jennifer iced over at the sound of a child crying in pain, causing goosebumps to appear on her skin. She reached into her desk , pulling out an LED flashlight. She clicked it on, shining it head on. Kendall Smith stood at the other side of her desk. Only he wasn't the tiny boy from her class.

The boy standing in front of her was sunken faced, and severely bruised and swollen. Blood, thick and crimson, marred his once blonde hair. It flowed in a stream down from his hairline into his face where it pooled and soaked into the neck of his shirt. His right shoulder stuck out in an unusual way, deffinantly a dislocation. "Kendall?" she whispered, terrified.

"HELP ME!" Blood sprayed from his mouth with his scream, specking Jennifer's face.

She had woken up the next morning screaming so loud her throat remained raw for the last two days. The morning bell rang above. Jennifer pulled her stack from the machine, slamming a fist to make it shut off. She wobbled to the lunchroom. She was happy to see her kids bright morning faces through the door glass. Hortense seen her and waved with a grin. She returned the motion, then made one that told him to gather his classmates and come to her, he did as he was told. Bless him.

She watched their small heads as they passed, some of the girls stopped to feel the baby. Today was going to be a good day, that is, until she noticed a certain blonde was absent from her lineup.

And bless all of you guys! Thank you, everyone, for the support on this story… Things are starting to become interesting, hope Jennifer's nightmare didn't freak anyone out…I was while writing it. haha