"Do you think that we have some time to take a few more runs before we go back?" Kendall asked, taking a long sip of his steaming hot chocolate. He licked the warm mustache off of his upper lip as he looked at Carlos, James, and Logan, who were sitting at the table across from him.

The four of them were sitting in the lodge after a long day of snowboarding. It was the most fun that he had in a long time. Part of him felt badly because he had gotten out of the house before his mother could potentially stop him. He needed the time to let loose and to have some fun. So as soon as he had gotten into Carlos's family's mini-van he had started to feel his spirits lift. He was nothing but a ball of energy on the mountain, going down and coming back up to do it over again much faster than the other boys were moving. Even they couldn't miss his newfound happiness.

"Aren't you tired yet?" Carlos asked with a light groan, stretching his arms above his head. "My body hasn't hurt this badly since we first started training with Gustavo."

"That wasn't training," Logan reminded him. "That was torture."

"Whatever."

"You guys are seriously slowing me down," Kendall teased with a light smile before pushing his now empty mug away from him. "We used to stay on the slopes until dark and then not come home until it was nearly our curfew." He looked at the three and shook his head. "What happened to you?"

"We became a really famous band that had fans following us everywhere and Mom's that want us back for our curfew," James replied, pretending to think about it. "And trust me when I say, if I miss curfew again, my mom is going to kill me."

"It wasn't my fault," Carlos said when he noticed James's stare. "You were the one that suggested that we go to the mall." He threw his hands up into the air. "How was I supposed to know that we would get bombarded by fans?"

"Common sense?" Logan guessed, causing Kendall to laugh and Carlos to pout. Loan hesitated, lightly tapping his hands on the sides of his mug. "Kendall?" He asked gently. "How come you don't really want to go home?" He asked.

Kendall gave him a confused look. "What are you talking about?" He asked.

"All day today," Logan sat up straight in his chair, looking Kendall right in the eye. "Whenever one of us would suggest that we head back home, you would immediately try and keep us here." He shrugged. "If it wasn't for the fact that I know you have a really stubborn streak, I would think that something's wrong." He lowered his voice on the last part, the same way he always did when he knew something was up and he was trying to get the other person to admit it.

Kendall knew that game, he practically invented it. Now seeing it used against him pissed him off more than he could say. But he knew that he couldn't act on his anger or else the guys would use it to pry their way into knowing what was really going on. On one hand, he wasn't sure how much they knew, but on the other, he knew that they knew a lot if he was practically asking him right then and there.

Kendall opted to give a smile and shake his head. "Is it a crime to want to hang out with you guys?" he asked. "I mean, I've been at home or work basically the whole time we've been here-"

"And that was your choice," Logan said gently. "Since you could have easily come and hung out, but you decided not to."

Kendall's smile faded. He was stuck in a corner. "Whatever." He shrugged, his stubbornness coming into play. "I just had stuff to do. Chill, it's no big deal."

"We just couldn't help but notice that you've been acting strange since the party at Dak's house," Carlos said slowly, watching Kendall. Kendall merely looked back at him before looking over at James, who took the opportunity to look down into his own cup of hot chocolate which was starting to cool down. "You know that what happened to Jett wasn't your fault." He insisted.

"Yeah, but everyone else seems to think so," Kendall said bitterly with a shrug. "And it's only a matter of time until you believe it yourself."

"So that's what this is about," Logan said, more of a statement than an observation or a question. He leaned forward, resting his arms on the table. "Kendall, Jett was drunk. He fell and hit his head. It was an accident and he's fine. He's out of the hospital now and he doesn't blame you for anything."

"Yet that still doesn't stop the rumors, the whispers, the comments and," Kendall gave a barking, sarcastic laugh. "The disappointment." Bitterly, he turned his head away. The four of them stayed silent for a long time, neither of them moving to leave or say anything. Kendall gave an annoyed growl and turned back to the guys. "I mean, just because I just so happened to be standing there when they found us, I'm automatically the bad guy. Just because we didn't get along very well when we first met doesn't mean that I would want to do something like that. But did anyone care? Not really. Not even when things were cleared. I mean, it was my fault, if you think about it. I was the one that talked you guys into going to Dak's party, even though we hadn't talked to him since our first concert. I thought it would be cool. James, you were drunk, and that's my fault since I didn't stop you. Carlos was on a sugar high and Logan was the one that called the police. We weren't together at all that night, except when James was talking to me about Jo, and then I wandered around and ran into Jett. We went outside to talk and he apologized for everything that went on between us because his publicist wanted him to keep his popularity since the ratings for New Town High started to drop at that point.

"I didn't even care anymore, things were going really great for us and nothing could take that away from me. So forgiving him was the least of my problems. Unlike most people would think I actually did forgive him. He's not a jerk at all; just someone that cares about is career. So we started talking and we were kicking a random soccer ball back and forth, getting into a good game of it. Next thing I know he trips over the ball and falls hard to the ground, hitting his head. Of course there just so happened to be a rock where he fell and the force of the fall on said rock caused him to cut his head open. I bent down to see if I could help him and, as clichéd as it sounds, got blood on my hands. When I stood up, I heard nothing but screaming and looked up to see people running outside. Some people were shouting at me, asking why I pushed Jett and me guess since so many people were drunk and they didn't see everything, they thought that it looked like I pushed him. But I didn't.

"Logan, I remember you coming outside to call the police. Next thing I know, I'm sitting in the station being questioned and being accused of pushing Jett to the ground. Then Mom came and took me home. Of course as you guys know, Jett came to and said to and said it was an accident, that he was drunk and that he fell. But that didn't stop the rumors from going around. Some of our fans started to say that I pushed him; people that I thought cared about us no matter what. And then there were the people in the PalmWoods, media sites, I started to get calls from people back home that I hadn't talked to in years. And my Mom and Katie started to get calls and started to have things being said about them online. I swear to god, I couldn't take it anymore. But I put on a brave front, like usual. By the time things started to die down, no one wanted to believe that I would do something so terrible. But the damage was already done and I was already a disappointment."

At this point, Kendall had started to silently cry. He didn't even notice though; the tears fell down his cheeks silently as he bitterly told his story.

"Now I know that there are people out there, some closer than we think, that won't believe anything I say, no matter how many times the truth is told." He clenched his hands into tight fists. The blood moved out of his hands and his knuckles turned white, his fists shaking. "I'm going to be nothing but a disappointment to them."

James listened in silence. He had no idea that his friend had been hurting for so long. But he also knew that this wasn't the whole story. He seemed to be so hung up on the disappointment thing, which was strange for him. Gustavo constantly said that the dogs were disappointments to him, but Kendall could care less what Gustavo thought. Katie could insult them in so many ways and Kendall wouldn't care about that either, knowing that his sister was nothing but proud of him and was just hiding her true feelings in fear of going soft. That left one option and it was the only thing that he wished wasn't true.

"Kendall," James said slowly. "Does this have to do with your Mom?" Kendall's eyebrows lowered as he looked over at James, but he didn't say anything. "I know that this is going to be a hard question to hear, but I want you to answer me." He licked his lips. "Is Mama Knight hurting you?"

Kendall's hands immediately dropped from being fists and he looked away. "Don't be ridiculous!" He snorted.

"It's not ridiculous," Logan spoke up. "Things like this are more common than we would think or want to know. But no one talks about it." He continued as Kendall turned his glare to the smart one. "Take Julianne Hough for example or Tyler Perry. They were abused as kids but didn't admit to it until-"

"I'm not being abused," Kendall said in a harsh whisper.

"Then explain the bruises," Carlos said sharply, causing Kendall to immediately close his mouth." The first time you got hit, you told Logan you got into a fight and was hit in the face. How do you explain all of the bruises that you got while we were here? Did you get into fights with other people?"

"Fans attacked me," Kendall said quietly.

"If that were the case, we would have heard about it seconds after it happened," James reminded Kendall. "Either through you, Mama Knight, Katie, or the internet. But we haven't heard anything."

Kendall stayed silent.

"Dude, we're not blaming you for anything-"

"It sounds like it," Kendall interrupted.

"It was an accident," Carlos insisted. "The fact that people are still blaming you for it is ridiculous. The fact that your mom-"

"She's not-"Kendall tired to say.

"-Is hitting you and blaming you for this-"

"-Shut up-"

"-is ridiculous! If she is really that disappointed in you-"

"-Stop it-"

"-then it's because of her own insecurities, not because of what really happened!" Carlos concluded.

Kendall closed his eyes, brought his hands up to his face and slumped forward, resting against the table. His shoulders shook as he quietly sobbed. James, Logan, and Carlos moved over to his side of the table to give him a group hug, waiting for him to calm down. It was a release to Kendall, he was so scared of letting people down, or making his mother feel even worse that he didn't realize how bad he was getting. He was lying to his best friends to protect his mother, he was torn between his loyalty to her and his safety. He didn't know if she was ever going to get to that point with Katie and he was damned if he was ever going to actually let that happen. So he kept it a secret. But at what price? His own sanity? Pushing his friends away? Alienating everyone? Keeping secrets? Stewing in his own guilt? It wasn't worth it.

He was scared that the secret was now out, there was no doubt about it. He could tell that they knew as soon as Logan started the conversation. The only thing he hated about himself was that he was so emotional that he knew that when he was caught, he was caught and there was no denying it.

Kendall sniffed loudly as the tears continued to fall down his face. The only difference from crying alone, as he had done for a while, was that his friends were there for him as they always would be.

And for the first time in a long time, Kendall felt safe.

"What are you going to do?" Logan asked quietly, still rubbing Kendall's back.

"I don't know," Kendall replied, wiping off his eyes. "It's my Mom, you know. I've been protecting her since Dad left and now…god she's gonna hate me if I tell on her."

"No she won't," James said reassuringly. "If she's doing this to you, then there's something wrong with her and she needs help."

"Yeah, she needs help around the house, taking care of Katie, taking care of us when we're back home," Kendall shook his head. "And I've done nothing but disappoint her this whole time." He closed his eyes briefly. "God, I wish this never happened."

Carlos thought for a moment. He opened and closed his mouth a few times before he rested his chin in his hands and looked glumly down at his feet. The other guys waited patiently for him to speak. "Ok," he said finally. "What if there was someone that you could tell, that could call the police anonymously?"

"I don't think that would help my guilt at the situation at all," Kendall replied honestly.

"But you can't just sit back and hope that things get better," Logan reminded him. "They could get worse and Katie might start to get hurt too." Kendall froze. "You wouldn't want that to happen would you?"

"No," Kendall whispered, shaking his head.

"Well, I know one person that you could call that could help you," Carlos continued. "And it's not Gustavo, Kelly, or our moms." He looked at Kendall earnestly. "But the one person that didn't try to punish you since you started acting weird and has just wanted to help you the whole time that you've needed it."

Kendall slowly nodded.

He knew exactly who Carlos meant.

Kendall took his cell phone out of his pocket and stared at it for a moment. "Guys," he lifted his head and look at his best friends, his brothers, each in the eye. "I love you" he said firmly.

"We love you too, Kendall," James replied.

"Where have you been?" Mrs. Knight demanded as soon as Kendall stepped through the front door of the house. He turned his bloodshot eyes away from him. He started to move by her, to go to his room, knowing that he wouldn't be able to stop himself if he started speaking. Mrs. Knight grabbed onto his arm, holding him still. "I'm talking to you!"

"I was out with the guys," Kendall muttered in reply, keeping his gaze to his feet. "We were snowboarding, remember?"

"You know the deal that we made, Kendall," Mrs. Knight said as she looked hard at her son. "You're supposed to call me when you're on your way back." She let go of Kendall's arm and took a couple of steps back. "I was worried sick about you all day."

"Really?" Kendall lifted his head to look at her.

She crossed her arms over her chest. "Yes, really." She replied, impatiently. She looked at her feet and then gave Kendall a steely glare. "I got an interesting visit today," She said in a low voice. "It was some man from Family Service Agency."

Kendall's eyes widened and he quickly looked over his shoulder, when he turned back to his mother, he caught a glimpse of Katie sitting at the top of the stairs looking down at him. "I swear to god, Mom, I didn't say anything." He held up his hands. "I didn't know that someone was going to come by." He let out a cry as Mrs. Knight reached up and slapped him on the cheek.

Kendall heard Katie's light gasp.

"Do you think I believe that?" Mrs. Knight demanded. "You've been doing nothing but lie to me since the party!" She said. "You lied when you said that you were going to go bowling and you ended up there and then you were accused of hurting someone!"

"I didn't-"Kendall raised his arms to shield himself as his mother hit him again.

"And since then, you've done nothing but lie about your failing grades, what you've been doing, where you're going, and I don't know what else!" She hit Kendall again before giving him a sad look. "Do you know how I felt when I told the guys that I thought that you were supposed to be hanging out with them and they had no clue what you were talking about. You've done nothing but lie to me, how do I know you're not lying now?"

"I swear, I'm not!" Kendall pleaded.

"Mom!" Katie hurried down the stairs. "What are you doing? What's going on?"

"Katie, go back to your room!" Mrs. Knight demanded.

"But Mom-"

"Katie, go!" Kendall cried as he continued to back away from his mother.

"And just think about what you're doing to your sister!" Mrs. Knight whirled back around to face her son, nothing but disappointment and stress in her eyes. "Think about what you're doing to me. This acting out and everything is causing people to question us and the way that we live. Do you want that to keep happening?"

Kendall stayed silent as he looked at his feet.

"Do you not get that your actions affect me and your sister too?" Mrs. Knight asked, repeating herself from earlier. "Every decision you make does and your decision to go to that party ruined not only your reputation but mine and your sister's. I've already told you about how my parenting skills are being questioned. Do you know how much that hurts? How much stress I'm put under? I'm already taking care of you and Katie and the boys, all by myself because your father left. I need you to help me, Kendall, not hurt me."

Kendall looked at his mother, an unrecognizable look on his face. He looked weary as the sound of sirens got closer and closer before they finally stopped in front of their house. Through the front windows, Kendall, Mrs. Knight, and Katie could see flashing lights and hear car doors slam shut.

"What's that?" Katie asked, hearing footsteps approach their door.

"How could you?"

Mrs. Knight grabbed Kendall's attention with the one question. He opened his mouth to say that he was sorry, but he just turned his gaze to his feet. He couldn't say anything that would ever make her feel better about what was going on, not until she realized what she had been doing to her son, physically, mentally, and emotionally abusing him, was wrong.

He hoped she knew that.

"Kendall." Katie was crying now.

The doorbell rang and when nobody moved to answer it, it was opened by a police officer. Two more moved in behind the first one and started to go around the house, as if looking to see if there was anyone else that was there. The first officer moved over to Mrs. Knight, his hands on his hips.

"Jennifer Knight?" he questioned. She nodded. "You're under arrest for child abuse against your son, Kendall." Katie let out a cry and moved to Kendall's side, throwing her arms around his waist. Kendall hugged her back, silent tears falling down his cheeks as he closed his eyes. The officer turned his mother around and put her hands behind her back. "You have the right to remain silent. Everything you say can and will be used against you in a court of law…" the officer put the handcuffs on Mrs. Knight's wrists and then turned her back around.

Kendall refused to look at her.

But if he had, he would have seen remorse in her eyes other than the disappointment he expected. She finally had everything crash down upon her, she knew what she had done was wrong, but she didn't know any other way to express how she was feeling. It was her problem and hers entirely. She was stressed from being a single mother and then being a single mother to five kids, four of which thrusted her into the spotlight. She made a bad decision. She knew that now. She just hoped that her son would forgive her for it. Kendall didn't open his eyes until he heard her getting walked out of the house. He then bent down and wrapped his arms around his sister and lifted her up balancing her against his own body, using one hand to wipe the tears off of her cheeks. He wasn't sure what was going to happen now, but he knew that he would be there to make sure that his sister was well cared for. He wanted her to know that nothing was her fault and that she wasn't to blame in anything that had gone on. He just wanted her to understand that stress could get the better of anyone, even someone that was as loving as their mother. But still, there was no one to blame.

"Things are going to be fine, Katie," he said, not believing the words himself. He turned and looked out the door, watching his mother's retreating form. Her head hung low, her red hair framing her face as she looked at her feet. He couldn't be sure, but he thought that he saw her shoulders shaking slightly.

"What's going to happen now, Kendall?" Katie asked quietly. "What's going to happen to Mom? What's going to happen to us?"

Kendall took a deep breath. "I don't know for sure," he said slowly. "But I promise that things are going to get better." Kendall watched his mother get led to a police car, his arms still around Katie.

Kendall always wanted to make his mother happy, even if it meant getting hurt himself.

THE END

A/N: Thanks so much for all of the favorites and the alerts and reviews. Like I had said before, I wrote this story because it was a random idea I had that I was sure no one else did and I wanted to get it out. I think I could have done it better, but I'm glad you all enjoyed it.

The only reason this story didn't have an entirely happy ending was for the same reason I didn't have a happy ending in Fairy Tale Nightmare. Not all stories have a happy ending and I thought it would be realistic that way.

I'll either re-write this later or make a sequel to it, so keep a look out on my page. Thanks so much for the support and I hope that you continue to enjoy my sister's and my future stories.

-Cheers,

-Riley