-Introduction-

Night fell over the California sky like every other day; the magic hour dying as the harsh glowing of lights prevented any start to shine its own natural light; but this was Hollywood, there were stars in every corner, surrounded by the media, stalked by the paparazzi, blinded by the flashes of cameras, asphyxiated and aggravated by the lack of privacy.

Noise traveled the air; it was rare, if not impossible for the city to be quiet; it was as likely as a dark New York City.
Now downtown was a whole other story. Flickering post lights, dark alleys, and silent streets, where the only noise you could hear was that of stray cats who were either in heat or just lonely. Dog's growls and howls as they fought, and if you listen closely you could hear the soft yet pitched squeaking of rats rummaging through garbage. From time to time you could hear cars burning rubber in races, gunshots, and the occasional arranged street fight. Other than that, it was complete silence, and it's only company; darkness, but James basked in them both.

- Chapter I -

A faint tall silhouette could be made out from dim street lights, as it jumped a fence and climbed up a rail-ladder; biting down the unlit cigarette on his lips to make sure it didn't fall on his way up. The figure missed a few steps, but didn't notice due to his height. At the top, he sat on the edge of the roof, fished a lighter from the pocket of his dark-brown leather jacket and lit the stick on his lips. The light revealed his young face; soft, tan skin adorning his features. Inhaling the smoke, he closed his hazel orbs and opened them again. He wiped his chestnut locks from his face, allowing a clear view of the city below him. The sight always seemed to calm him down; it took all the rage and lies away, even if only for a moment.

He'd been walking around the deserted streets for hours now, unable to find anything that would kill his boredom. He'd even texted one of his contacts to see if there were arranging any fights tonight, but he hadn't received a response. He needed to let out steam, to hit and kick and feel the cracking of another human's bone, the impact of his fist on someone's jaw, even the taste of his own blood when they cocked him on his own, he knew it was sick, but it all mixed in together. He couldn't remember when it had all started, the need for release; aggression and physical pain distracting him from the emptiness in his life. If it wasn't for his best friend Logan and his dog Leo, he'd had probably disappeared by now. Logan was constantly keeping tabs on him, though the tall brunette lied all the time to the short genius about his whereabouts and activities. Leo on the other hand, would keep him company in the house even if all he did was slobber, cuddle and sleep next to his master.

As he thought of his two friends his cell vibrated, checking, Logan's name appeared on the screen. He decided to answer, being it the 13th time he'd let it go to voice mail.

"Yeah?"

"Don't yeah me! Where the hell have you been! I've called you like a hundred times and all I get is your freaking "I'm probably taking a shower, eating or sleeping…or I don't wanna hear any of your bull-shit, so, leave a message." Logan finished mimicking the apathetic tone he had when he'd recorded the message.

"Thirteen is a more accurate number. Still I'm alive as you can hear, so chill."

"James, I know you like to disappear from time to time, and give me little heart attacks really often, but seriously this is getting old. And by the way, not loving the new message, maybe if you added some melody to it, it would've worked. But hey, who doesn't love hearing that their worries are bullshit."

The tall brunette chuckled lightly to himself, rolling his eyes, knowing that sarcasm was the shorter boy's defense mechanism, as well as his.

"Fine, I'll change it later."

"You're not gonna change it."

"Nope, so deal. Anyway… anything new in school?"

"If you showed up every once in a while you'd know yourself."

James rolled his eyes annoyed again and nodded his head slightly not giving it much attention.

"But no, everything's been boring as usual. But…I volunteered for math tutoring in a school downtown."

"It looks good on your college app, doesn't it?"

"Yeah, plus… I have another reason to stay out late."

"Why, you sly fox." James half teased his shorter friend, knowing that if someone needed a little loosening up, it was Logan. "So, kid's older or younger than you?"

"Same age and a guy, from what I heard."

"Don't go seducing the poor fool with your unconsciously shameless flirting."

"I do not flirt unconsciously!"

"Oh, you do it on purpose?"

"Fuck off Jay! I do not flirt in general…I suck at it. I get all tongue tied, my palm get all clammy and I forget how to enunciate…it's just not in my nature!" he finished with an exasperated tone. "Now you on the other hand…"

"Yeah I know. I'm Casanova's teacher, a shameless flirt, a play boy, a dick. I've been told a million times.

"Took the words right out of my mouth..."

"Chill, I was just messing with ya."

"You just love doing that don't you? You're a cruel, cruel man, James, cruel! I've seen snakes with more…" Logan's remarks over the phone were drowned out by another sound.

It was loud, metallic, and hollow, a garbage-can he presumed. Voices soon followed the crash, as well as a small thud. Steps could be heard as they rustled through the garbage.

"Look, I don't want any trouble. I just wanna get home." One of the voices said calmly, but it lacked the confidence to convince anyone.

"Logan I'll call you back."

"Do not han…" Before he could finish the sentence James had already hung up, shoved the cell in his jeans, and jumped down the ladder.

-Scene break-

"Kids shouldn't be wondering the streets this late at night…lots of creeps hanging around." A man of bulky figure patronized Kendall, as he backed up against the alley wall.

Another male appeared next to the man, holding a steel pipe and wearing a sick grin that only made his lanky figure look more twisted and menacing than that of his partner. Quickly regretting and cursing his decision to stay at practice a little longer.

"Yeah, freaky things happen… stomachs carved open, brains smashed in… but cash always saves their asses." The second one grinned, slowly moving towards the blonde.

"I'm in high school! I don't have anything on me that's worth much!" Kendall responded back, but he knew that if he didn't hand them something, maybe his iPod, he wasn't gonna breathe to see the next day.

"Leave the kid alone." A smooth bored voice cut through. Kendall froze as well as the fugs, his eyes travelling over the shoulders of his two attackers.

Green eyes spotted a tall and tanned brunette standing behind them. He guessed probably a year or two older than him. The first thug looked through his shoulder to where the voice had come from.

"Keep walking asshole, nothing you'd be interested in, unless you looking for an ass whooping." He then faced the tall stranger, and smirked inwardly. Not being impressed or intimidated by his physique. Lately lots of kids sported hard bodies, but that was all. Presentation and no performance.

"Actually I love ass whooping, especially if I'm the one handing them out." The brunette replied, a small grim smile graced his features. The blonde looked back and forth between the two. Ecstatic that someone had intervened, and scared shitless for his and the other guy's sake.

"Tuc, take care of Blondie over here. Looks like this fucker has a death wish." The second thug cornered him, waiting for his next order. His green eyes sneaked every now and then to the other two, but never for too long. Not wanting to be struck for being distracted.

"More like an obsession, but hey, it's cool."

The first thug turned around facing the tall brunette, and glared.

"You're a real smart ass, aren't ya? Bet that mouth of yours gets you in a whole lot of shit." He said slowly moving towards the stranger, taking a knife out of his pocket.

"Tsk, tsk, tsk, now that's not very nice, I wasn't told this was a knifing, I'm more of a "hands on" sorta guy." The brunette shrugged off, hands buried deep in his leather jacket. He'd fought with guys like these before, cowards, hiding behind weapons. Never man enough to fight alone always protecting themselves with numbers.

"That's it! You talk too much!" the thug charged at him.

Kendall's smashed his eyes shot, expecting the brunette to be no more that another victim. When no cry was heard; only grunting and punching, he opened his left eye and saw that the brunette was keeping to his word. He was literally handing an ass whooping to the mugger.

The tall stranger had the creep pinned to the floor as his fist struck repeatedly at the face. Grabbing him by his collar with his free hand and throwing him to the pile of garbage cans that lay close to him. The second mugger turned to the blonde -being distracted by the earlier attack- inching forward, steel pipe dangerously close to the teen's pale face. Raising his hand to strike, the blonde took the opportunity and kicked the lanky mugger on the chest. When he saw him on the floor he made a run for it, only stopping five feet away from the alley, to see if the brunette had made it out.

The brunette looked like he could handle himself but the muggers were armed, which put him on disadvantage. Slowly walking towards the alley he heard grunting followed by a long retched scream. Running inside the alley he saw the bulky mugger passed out on the pile of garbage cans while the other was face down on the floor with his shoulder sticking out in the wrong direction. His eyes scanned the scene and he noticed his blue hockey stick; which had been ripped out of his hands on first encounter, laying a foot away from the lanky mugger, and broken in two. Dreading the loss of his weapon on the ice, he closed his eyes and sighed deep. Tomorrow Coach would rip him a new one for sure. Opening his eyes he saw the tall brunette walking towards him, light from the only working street light hitting his face and showing his strong yet beautifully handsome features. How had he not noticed ealier? He shrugged it off. Who could admire anything, let alone pay attention; when you're being mugged?

"I'm assuming that what's left of that hockey stick is yours?" Snapping from his trance he looked at the brunette in the eye.

"Was' more like it… but thanks. You didn't have to do that" smiling at the brunette "not that I don't appreciate it…" he added quickly. "…but you could have gotten hurt."

The brunette eyed him up and down, smirked and then scuffed. "No, I didn't have to do that. And No I couldn't have gotten hurt. So don't thank me, I was just bored. Just count yourself lucky I was hanging around."

Shouldn't surprise him, the guy that had just saved his ass, was not only handsome, no; he was also an, arrogant, pompous, prick.

"Hey, don't mention it, I'm glad my misfortunate was fun for you." He started walking off, not caring any longer for the other's presence "Dick." Muttering the word to himself, though the other probably heard him.

"Wait, don't I get your name? It's the least I deserve." he could feel the smirk on the guy's face.

The blonde turned around and saw the other smirking. Yep he was smirking alright. The brunette's half lidded eyes scanned. Glints of mischief and something else he couldn't put his finger on danced across hazel orbs.

"Kendall."

"And does Kendall have a last name, or are you like Cher? Not bothering with those." He half laughed walking towards Kendall.

"Knight."

"Kendall Knight, huh? Has a nice ring to it… James Diamond." He flashed Kendall a million dollar smile, but his smile faded and turned stern. "Kendall, the muggers were right though…" he said smoothly taking a step forward towards him. All sense of personal space vanishing in seconds. "Kids shouldn't be out this late at night."

"I'm not a kid! What are you? A year, may be two, older than me? Please. And I don't usually do this. Practice rang a little late and I told my ride to leave without me."

"Risk taker aren't ya? …Or probably mentally damaged. Everyone knows that after the sun sets you don't walk outside unless you're part of the evil hunting these streets."

"Yeah?" he tilted his chin up, air filled with defiance and rebellion. "Then, why are you out? Are you one them?" he asked, half mockingly.

The brunette lifted his gaze towards the blonde and smirked. "Maybe." He replied, raising one eyebrow and flashing a dark grin at Kendall.

Kendall's mind froze and screamed DANGER! He couldn't tell whether the taller male was lying to mess with him, or stating the truth. Though, something about his presence, and earlier events hinted towards the later. His clothe on the other hand didn't look of that of a punk, thief, or anyone on the lines of criminal. Armani brown leather jacket, and what were probably designer jeans, ripped due to the latest's fashions.

"Oh…" he didn't know how to respond. Hell, he didn't even know how to react to the situation, at all! "Like I said before, thanks, I'm…gonna go, now."

"Want some company? You know, to scare off the creeps?"

"Wouldn't having one by my side, attract more?"

"Ouch!" he hit his chest and laughed from the fake pain. "That's no way to talk to your savior, no hero or would you prefer knight? Any title you choose is fine, but I'd love to be the knight of a knight."

"I'm not even going to respond to that…"

James smirked, and raised his eyebrows at him. "You don't have to."

The blonde considered it for a second, he was still a little weary from what had happened, he hoped the guy didn't turn out to be a psychotic maniac that used his looks to lure innocent by passers for his Hannibal Lector habits. Before he could respond a very familiar line/song caught his ears.

'I wanna talk to you'.
'The last time we talked, , you reduced me to tears. But I promise you, it won't happen again.'

Grace Kelly by MIKA rang through the air. He recognized it thanks to his little sister and Carlos, who would act out the intro of the song in the middle of his living room. Frowning he raised an eyebrow and faced James.

"You wanna answer that?"

"Not really." He wrinkled his nose and shook his head slightly.

Raising his eyebrow again, he crossed his arms over his chest, and stared at the brunette. James reached into his pocket and answered, his eyes never leaving Kendall's.

"Yeah?"

Kendall waited for the other, not feeling it very thankful to leave the other male just yet, after what he had done. After a "seriously", a "sucks to be you" three "I got it" and a very loud and firm "I swear if you keep repeating it, I'll leave you stranded in the middle of nowhere, where your only company will be a Scare crow and a horny dog " he heard the click of the cell indicating that the call was over.

"Well looks like we'll have to re-schedule our little walk, for next time."

"What?" he asked confused. Next time? If he had anything to do with it, there wouldn't be a next time, much less a walk. It's not like getting mugged was a hobby of his, or running into weird guys… correction, weird/attractive -just stating the obvious, noting weird about that- guys that saved him. As he processed his thoughts, he saw James walk into another alley, jump over a metal fence and climb up the rail ladder of an old apartment complex.

After what seemed to be a pregnant silence, the blonde took a step back, rolled his heel and shook his head like a wet dog.

"I'm renting a bodyguard." Maybe the school guard; Freigh Trein needed a little extra cash?

TBC