It was another average Saturday at the Palmwoods. Katie Knight was busy concocting a new way to terrorise Bitters, while her big brother and co rehearsed in the apartment.
Deciding she'd given them enough rehearsal time, Katie wandered back into 2J.
"Hey big brother" she called shutting the door behind her
"S'up baby sister?" he greeted wiping the sweat from his forehead
"What have you been up to?" Logan asked retrieving 4 bottles of water from the fridge.
Katie shrugged "Nothin' much, looked round the lobby, hid Tyler from his Mom. The usual"
Logan nodded and took a long drink of water. James stood at the mirror fixing his hair while Carlos hunted in the cupboard for the corndogs.
"Where's Mom?" Katie questioned pulling herself up onto the counter
"Shopping" Kendall told her screwing the lid back on his bottle "James needed emergency hairspray"
Katie rolled her eyes as the 19 year old muttered to himself in the corner.
"Don't you have a date with Jo tonight Kendall?" Carlos checked reluctantly giving up his search for the snack.
"Yep, picnic in the park at 6" he nodded
Carlos pulled on his helmet "Well I'm going to the pool to find the Jennifers" he announced diving for the door.
The others grunted a goodbye as it shut behind him.
Later that afternoon, Katie was sitting alone in the living room. Kendall was in his room getting ready for his date, Logan had gone to find Camille...And Carlos who had still not returned, and James had disappeared to the studio to have some more headshots taken.
There was a knock at the door and Kendall's voice muffled through the wall
"Could you get that Katie, and if it's Jo tell her I'll be there in a sec"
Katie sighed and walked over to the front door.
"Kyle?" she asked as she opened it
"Hey Katie" the boy began shyly
"What are you doing here?"
Kyle nervously bit his lip and avoided her gaze "I wondered if you wanted to come to the pool with me?"
Katie raised an eyebrow as she recalled the last time they went out together.
"You want to go out, with me, again?" she checked
He nodded furiously and a grin spread across Katie's face
"Cool! I'll just let Kendall know, meet you there in 5?" she asked
Kyle nodded again and left.
"Big brother I'm going to the pool!" Katie hollered through to Kendall's room
"Who was at the door?"
"Kyle, we're going to the pool"
Kendall frowned "Kyle? As in the one who James scared off?"
Katie nodded slowly "But now he's not scared anymore so..." she trailed off as the look on Kendall's face grew serious
"Katie, James scared him off for a reason, 'T. HAVE. "
"Did I say he was my boyfriend?"
"I'm just trying to look out for you sis"
"I know but it's really starting to bug me" she snapped suddenly
Kendall paused and looked at her
"You're not my Dad Kendall" Katie whispered before leaving the apartment.
That afternoon Carlos came bounding into the apartment.
"Did the Jennifers finally agree to go on a date with you?" Logan demanded from the couch
Carlos shook his head "Nah, but I did find an all you can eat corndog buffet!"
James stormed through the door next, almost trampling Carlos
"Look at these!" he screeched "Bad lighting, bad angles, bad everything!"
Logan calmly took the headshots from his friend and spread them across the table.
"They're not so bad" he reasoned "Kendall take a look at these before you go"
Kendall shuffled over to the couch and stared at the photos "Wow, another set of headshots, and these are different from the others how?" he asked sarcastically
"Dude!" James growled "Way to crush my feelings"
Kendall sighed "I'm sorry, it's just...Katie..."
Instantly James deadpanned "What's wrong with Katie?" he demanded
"Nothing, we kinda had a fight...About Kyle"
Logan frowned "He's back?"
"I thought I'd got rid of him" James snarled cracking his knuckles
Kendall shook his head "Nope, he's back and him and Katie are on a date"
Carlos spat out his last corndog in disgust "Why didn't you stop them?"
"I tried" Kendall sighed slumping onto the couch "But she stormed out"
"Well hopefully it won't go well, therefore destroying the chance of further interaction" Logan said
The others nodded as Jo walked in "Hey guys, Kendall are you ready?"
He nodded and got up to collect the food
"See you later boys" Jo called as they left.
"How nice is this?" Jo beamed twirling a daisy round her finger
Kendall sighed "It's great"
"Okay mister, what's up?" she demanded leaning forward
"Me and Katie had a fight"
Jo gave him a sympathetic smile "You know she loves you Kendall, but she's growing up"
"I know, I just don't want her to have a boyfriend!"
"What would you have done if my Dad had said that?" she murmured
Kendall smirked "I wouldn't have taken no for an answer" he said gently planting a kiss on her nose.
That evening when they arrived back at the Palmwoods, it was in uproar.
"What the...?"
"Kendall! Jo! Where the hell have you been?" Jennifer cried sprinting towards her son
"In the park Mom, we had a date remember?"
The woman ignored him and instead wrapped him in her arms
"What's going on?" he questioned holding her at arm's length
"There's been a shooting inside, they've evacuated but people are still missing. I got back and the boys said you weren't here and I..."
"Mom where are they...The boys?" Kendall demanded attempting to see through the crowds
"They're fine" she sighed "They're worried about you though"
Jo squeezed his hand in comfort
"Katie" he muttered "Mom where's Katie?!"
"With you?" she asked almost pleadingly
Kendall shook his head "She was with Kyle at the pool, we had a fight I haven't seen her since this morning"
Jennifer brought a hand to her mouth at the thought of her daughter abandoned inside.
"Kendall!" 4 voices called through the throng of people
Logan, Carlos and James jumped on him
"Where's Katie?" he pleaded looking at them
"We haven't seen her"
"And we were the first out"
"Which means..."
"She's still inside" Kendall gulped.
Inside the Palmwoods, Katie and Kyle were hiding behind the reception desk.
"We should be safe here" she whispered
"I'm gonna make a run for it" Kyle muttered cautiously standing up "I'll send help in for you"
"Are you crazy, you'll get killed!" Katie hissed attempting to pull him back down
Kyle shrugged her off and made a break for the exit, Katie gave a sigh of relief. He was out safe.
"I could give it a try I guess" she reasoned with herself standing up.
Before she could move anymore however, footsteps came pounding towards the lobby.
Katie swore under her breath before dropping back down and curling up beneath the counter.
Outside, Kyle had appeared.
"Where's Katie?" Jennifer cried rushing forward "Kyle where is she? Where's Katie?"
"Still inside, I promised to get help" he panted.
"You left her in there?" James demanded
"Alone?" Carlos added
"With a crazed gunman?" Logan finished grimly
Kendall stepped forward, a dark look over his features "I'd start running if I were you kid" he threatened
Jennifer held her sons arm to prevent him getting any closer to the teen.
"Let's just focus on Katie" she soothed as Kyle made a break for it.
Back inside Katie peeked out from behind the counter. It looked clear.
Deciding to risk it she sprung to her feet, but a sudden shooting pain went through her ankle.
"Arghh" she hissed collapsing to the floor once more "Stupid ankle" she cursed.
"I can't take it anymore" Kendall snapped
"Honey just let the police do their job" Jennifer said half-heartedly
"What job!? They're just standing there!" he yelled
Logan placed a calming hand on Kendall's shoulder as a silent tear slid down his cheek
Carlos wrapped Mrs Knight into a silent hug while James and Jo stood taking it all in.
Without warning Kendall twisted out of Logan's grip and sprinted full pelt into the Palmwoods, ignoring the cries from behind him.
Under the counter Katie was beginning to feel woozy, the pain from her ankle and pure hunger draining her.
She leant against the base of the counter trying to keep herself awake when the pounding footsteps returned.
Katie held what little breath she had left and prayed for the steps to fade, but they had stopped.
She saw the shadow hit the wall opposite her and Katie swallowed, this was it, she was done for.
As the figure sprang out in front of her, Katie let out a scream. Instantly she found a hand over her mouth.
Opening her eyes, Katie saw Kendall looking at her, pure relief flooding his face.
Slowly he removed his hand from her mouth and wrapped her in a hug.
"Katie are you ok?" he questioned as she began to sob into his chest
"My ankle, Kendall I really don't feel good"
With that, she passed out.
"Nnngghh" Katie groaned as she opened her eyes.
"Oh honey I've been so worried" Jennifer cooed appearing at her daughter's side.
Katie blinked several times to take in her surroundings. It was clear they were in a hospital.
"What happe-" Before she could finish, Kendall came rushing in
"Katie!"
Jennifer smiled at her son as he hugged his sister.
"She's ok Kendall, they've strapped up her ankle, she's safe now"
Kendall nodded refusing to let Katie go though.
Jennifer laughed "I'll go and tell the boys" she said and left.
"I've been so worried" Kendall breathed finally releasing his sister
"I'm sorry I yelled at you Kendall, I know you were just trying to look out for me"
He smiled at her
"What happened?" she asked
"Some crazy guy broke into the Palmwoods with a gun, you were at the pool with Kyle when it started. Everyone was outside when Jo and I got back from our date, Mom was asking me where you were, that's when we realised you were still inside"
Katie nodded and took a deep breath
"Kyle came out, but you weren't with him, he said you sent him to get help"
Katie snorted "I asked him to stay"
Kendall shook his head "Anyway, he made a break for it once the boys and I had threatened him a bit, that's when I ran in to find you. Katie I've never been so scared, when you were barely conscious under that counter, I thought I'd lost you, then you just kinda stopped. I knew I had to get you out so I picked you up and ran for the exit myself"
He finished with a sigh, and wiped the stray tear from his cheek
"After how mean I was to you this morning, you risked your life to save me?" Katie asked disbelievingly
"Always baby sister" Kendall promised wrapping her in another hug and planting a long kiss on the top of her head.
She was safe, and that's all that mattered to him.