Hey, everyone! So, instead of, you know, updating the DLS-S Cruise, I go and post another multi-chapter story. I'm doing great here, huh?

Disclaimer: I do not own Big Time Rush, because if I did, season 3 would already be up.

Story Warnings: Heavy language, strong innuendos, sexual situations (whether graphic or not, I'm not sure yet).

Rating: T for the moment, although it might end up getting changed to M, depending on just what exactly happens.

Ages: James, Kendall, Logan, and Carlos are all 21, and Katie is 18.

So, I'm really, really nervous about this story. It's a lot more adult and dark than anything I've ever really written, but I'm hoping there'll be little bursts of humor in it. It's an enemies with benefits story, one that I've kind of been working on for the past couple of months, and that I'm finally just getting up the nerve to post. Most of the story is going to be told in a flashback, alternating between Katie's and James's POVs. This chapter is just the preface, and it's 'present day', which is actually a few months ahead of when the story actually begins. It's very short, and I promise, the actual chapters will be much longer. Oh, and this one is also an A/U. Big Time Rush never happened (sad, I know), and they're all still living in MN.

Well, if you guys are still reading after my extremely long introduction, props to you!

Enjoy!

Preface: I Remember ((Present Day))

Katie's POV

I hated him.

It was a known fact.

I hated him.

But that didn't explain how I had ended up here, laying next to him, cocooned between the sheets on his bed, listening to his steady breathing, one arm draped around me.

We hated each other. This arrangement, if you could even call it that, had been a way of stress relief, much like yoga, only less healthy. It was just something we did. It was just us. A part of us, in a way, such as the way my hair is long and brown, and James likes to name his combs. We were unapologetic about it. Maybe a little embarrassed. But unapologetic. Because, why would we be? It was human. Nothing but human. Biology. Nature.

But maybe it was because we kept it a secret. I mean, an enemies with benefits relationship? In thistown? Hah! Forget it! Imagine, the cosmetics designer's son fucking the diner waitress's daughter...who's brother just happened to be the cosmetics designer's son's best friend. Yep. That was really pushing the boundaries.

Not that we hid it because of the social structure.

Social structure only did so much, only controlled so much.

But if my big brother, Kendall, found out about my enemies with benefits relationship with his best friend, he'd go nuts. It was best to keep him out of it. And besides, who really ever admits to an enemies with benefits relationship?

It was a bit taboo, if you really thought about it. Sure, there was the whole Buffy/Spike relationship, but that didn't exactly end well. And Buffy wasn't in her right mind (well, not really) at the time.

Not that either James or I were in our right minds when this started.

Between family issues, money problems, and school, we were both beyond stressed out. But that's not really the point.

The point is, is that this started, and now here we were.

We were in this mess.

We did this to ourselves.

And at the end of the day, it would always be our fault.

We didn't mean to, but it happened.

Something seemingly harmless and platonic had gone to being painful and emotional.

Because we had broken the number one rule of enemies with benefits: We had fallen in love.

Looking over at him, I tried to remember how this had all started. It hadn't been innocent, that was for sure. Things were never innocent with James.

I smiled a little at the thought. I wasn't sure he could be innocent if he tried.

He stirred beside me, and slowly opened his large, hazel eyes. He blinked at me. "You're tossing and turning. Stop it."

"Sorry, I didn't mean to wake you up."

He rested on an elbow. "What're you thinking about?"

I shrugged. "Stuff."

"I'd imagine so."

I stuck my tongue out at him.

"No, seriously, what's keeping you awake?"

"I was – I was just thinking about how it all began…"

He looked at me in confusion.

"You know…us…this arrangement…this…thing…"

"Oh…"

"Yeah…" I pushed the covers back, and got out of bed. I grabbed his t-shirt off the floor and slipped it on. I went to his bedroom window and looked out over the quiet, peaceful neighborhood. Maple trees lined the street, and glowing street lamps dotted the sidewalk. Other than that, the neighborhood was dark, with no movement, no life, as far as I could see.

A second later, James joined me, standing mere centimeters away. I glanced at him quickly, before turning back to the street.

Out of the corner of my eye, I saw James bite his lip, thinking hard. "I guess in a way, it kind of started a couple of months ago, last August, the day I got back to town."

I nodded, remembering that day all too well…

"It's all still really clear to me," James continued. "I still remember how everything felt…"

I looked over at him again.

"Why did you bring it up?" he asked me. "I mean, why were you thinking about it?"

"I don't know…It's just been on my mind, I guess."

He nodded. "Okay."

I turned my head to look at him again, and his eyes met mine, as he began to reminisce…

Well...how was it? *Hides face* Was it absolutely horrible? I'm sorry if it didn't make much sense. I don't usually do prefaces, but once I started on it, it just kind of wrote itself. Hopefully, the first chapter will be much better.

So, let me know what you thought, and if you liked it or hated it or loved it (despite it's shortness). I'll try to get the next chapter up within a couple of days. :)