Well, here is my first Jatie fic and my first published Big Time Rush fic. I am hoping I have as much fun in this fandom as I have in my others. You should know this fic takes place when Katie is 22 and the boys are 27/28.

Disclaimer: If I owned Big Time Rush, Carlos and Kendall would be fighting over me, James would be my pool boy, Logan would be in charge of my iPod, and Katelyn would be my best friend. Let's just say my fantasy life is far richer than my bank account.

Chapter One: Reunion on the Runway

I was boarding my sixth cross country flight that month when I noticed how familiar the young woman whose carry-on I'd helped put in the overhead bin looked. Almost like someone I knew, but slightly different.

"James!" she addressed me, and suddenly I was sure.

"Katie!" She smiled and took the window seat while I took the aisle. Business class was a perk of constant travel, so thankfully I didn't have to worry about anyone sitting between us. It had been at least four years since Katie had left for Manhattan, and I'd emailed her constantly, but she had definitely grown.

"I knew it was you. You're the only straight male I know who can wear a scarf outside of winter in America." I let the comment pass, she knew half of the image was me and my agent was responsible for the other half.

"And you're the only fashion student who can get away with such a laid back style."

"Ha . I can design 'em and style my models but it took six classmates and the most painful three hour shopping trip of my life to find something for my juries last month. I still have scars!" She lifts her sleeve to reveal the yellowed-purple remains of a bruise.

"You remember what happened to Gilligan when he took six friends on a three hour trip, right? You're lucky thats all the scarring you have!" I had to joke about Carlos, who had watched that show incessantly for about seven months while the rest of us tried to erase it from memory.

"You should see my feet. Apparently it is a sin to be this petite in the fashion industry and attempt to wear a mere quarter inch heel." she said in an amused fashion, after giggling at my comment.

I don't know why I said what I said next. It's something that I'd often wondered, but even though there's something about Katie that I have always been able to talk to about anything, I didn't want to broach it. I guess because she was making it her life. It was quiet and soft, so I hoped I came across as caring as I felt. "Why the fashion industry, Katie? I know you've always wanted to be part of a cutthroat business, but that one will spit you out for far less than flats."

Thankfully she didn't seem put off. I know Kendall had had this conversation with her countless times, and I think Logan once, as well. Mrs. Knight didn't bother, since she found Katie trading stocks at age eleven, and Carlos just accepts things as they are, always. "I fell in love with LA, James. But I didn't want to be a performer. And I could have been a director or an agent, or whatever else, I know, but my personal style belies far less interest in fashion than what is really there. I thought I'd finish school, come back and become a stylist or work in wardrobe. Things have happened that make me question LA, but I definitely made the right career choice."

There was a reference there, to some emails we'd exchanged when I hadn't seen her for the entire four years since she started school. This was partially my fault, since I'd gone solo I'd not been to New York very often until just recently and Katie refuses to go back to LA. But even Thanksgiving? And then some confessions had tumbled out in those emails and suddenly I'd wished I hadn't prodded.

Apparently during the band's final tour, Katie had somehow fallen into bed with Jett Stetson. Jett had been in New York a few times during her first year of fashion school, and even though he was more like the distant crazy cousin, she'd have dinner with him because he reminded her of home and the old Palmwoods family. It wasn't until they were both in LA together that the affair happened. She'd come home for spring break and I guess Jett is less crazy when he doesn't have to make a fool of himself to get attention, so the dinners made him seem like a reasonable guy. Everyone else was touring, except Camille, who'd method acted her way into a coma role. So when he invited her to the set of the New Town High made-for-tv movie, she decided to go. She didn't know any of the current cast members except Jett, so she spent most of the time hanging out in his dressing room. And I guess things happened. I didn't press her, because honestly the idea of him and her...it made me a little nauseous.

She went back off to New York thinking the thing with Jett was just a fling, or maybe one of those friends-with-benefits things, where stuff happens when your schedules and locations mesh, but no one is tied to anyone. So the last thing she expected were love letters. First she tried ignoring them, but they came daily. Then she tried responding diplomatically, but Jett didn't seem to take a hint. Things all came crashing down when she was letting a friend stay with her and Jett knocked on the door with roses, all set to serenade her or something, saw him, and accused her of cheating with this friend. The friend was incredibly put off, and Jett seemed drunk, though more on the adrenaline of the situation than if he'd actually taken a drink. After her friend left, Jett turned on the waterworks and begged her please not to leave him. She'd attempted to explain how it was a fling, but Jett was hearing none of it. They argued-loudly-for a good half an hour before the landlord came up and threatened Katie's lease. She said the whole thing had stressed her out so much all she remembered was telling Jett to go back to LA on the first flight he could find, and him telling her she'd come around.

Even though the drama happened in New York, the affair had been where she'd made her mistake, and where she realized things back home were different now, since Jett had been the only friend to hang out with when she came home. She had new friends in New York, friends her age, with similar interests. LA just wasn't the same and she was soured on the city.

"So why are you coming back to LA finally?" I knew she would, eventually, but there would have to be a very good reason.

"Tyler's getting married." Tyler? He was just a kid! No, I guess not. If Katie is twenty two, so is Tyler. I rarely watched tv, so I'd never seen him in anything, and it didn't occur to me he wasn't still that same kid running from his stage mom.

"Oh, wow. So where are you staying?" Mrs. Knight had moved back to Minnesota, and Kendall was having his apartment combined with the one next door to make room for his expanding family, so with all the construction he didn't have room.

"Not sure. Technically have all those favors lined up from back in the day, but I figured I'd call one in after I got there."

"Well why don't you stay at my place? It's got an extra bedroom."

"Are you sure? I don't want to put you out."

"Nonsense! I bought the two bedroom with guests in mind and I never have any. You will be making the extra 40K on my mortgage worth it."

"Well in that case, I'll stay for the next six months" she joked, "wouldn't want that money going to waste!"

"Let me cook you dinner tonight. For old times sake." It had surprised everyone, perhaps me, most of all, that Carlos' keeping our bedroom tv tuned to Food Network at almost all times actually taught me some tricks. I attempted to cook for a date one night, and Katie insisted on helping, or rather, hanging around menacingly with a fire extinguisher in case it went wrong. When nothing did, she then switched tactics to insisting she taste test, to make sure the meal was edible. When it was, suddenly I was assigned Tuesday and Thursday night dinners.

"James," she began, as if she were about to say something uncomfortable, then softened her face and finished "never mind."

"What?"

"You're the only one who knows. About the Jett thing. And I'd really like to keep it that way."

"I wasn't planning on mentioning it to anyone." I told her, confused.

"It's just, Jett left me a message last night. I have a feeling I'll be trying to avoid him a lot at the wedding." Why was Jett coming to Tyler's wedding? I wasn't invited and while not much, I had still probably spent more time with him than he did. But before I managed to question this, I realized Katie wasn't finished.

"I RSVP'ed for myself and a guest, mostly because Carlos is free this weekend and I figured I could fill him in if I needed to, but I'd rather not tell anyone else."

While I figured Katie still talked to Carlos by phone and email, like she did me, I was kind of surprised she knew his weekend plans. "Katie, why was Jett invited to Tyler's wedding?" I said, kind of behind in this conversation.

"You didn't know? Tyler and Jett are cousins. But you're not paying attention, James. Can you be my plus one for the wedding, so I can avoid Jett?"

"Oh. Sure. Hey, I'm a little curious about something. We wouldn't be having this conversation if you weren't in business class, except, I wouldn't expect you to be flying business."

"I have a friend who is a flight attendant who won ten business upgrades for each of five friends for winning a contest. I helped him save his final project so he owed me."

"Right." I was pretty distracted at the moment. While Katie and I spoke at least twice a week and emailed almost daily and were closer than ever, I still hadn't seen her in four years, and I hadn't guessed how beautiful and grown up she would be. I was pretty certain the whole 'protect me from Jett' plea hadn't helped at all, either. I wondered what Katie thought. No, I was pretty certain this attraction was one sided. I was pretty lost in thought and not paying much attention.

"and then he told me Logan was in town so maybe you guys can have a reunion." I had no idea who told her that, Kendall, I supposed, and I had no idea anything she said about him.

"I'm sorry, I was thinking about something and didn't hear all of that." Way to sound rude, right?

"Kendall said he heard you were home this week and since Logan is too, maybe you guys can all get together."

"Yeah, that would be great." I wondered if this is what it was like to worry about rejection, something I'd never really dealt with before. Even if I wasn't planning to make a move. Oh who was I kidding, of course I was. But there was all the basic complications to worry about. Katie is five and a half years younger than me. When she was younger our relationship was pretty siblingish. She probably thinks of me like a brother. But above all else, even if she didn't, the chances are about ten million to one that Kendall would kill me if he found out. If there's one thing I've learned since leaving my teens and entering my late twenties, it's that the older you get, the less an age difference is worth in any kind of relationship. In general, no one would bat an eye in Katie's and my direction, if the media got wind of this. Except Kendall. And considering I can't breathe in someone's general direction without the media blowing it up I knew no matter how secretive and sneaky we were, they'd figure it out.

"James?" Damn it! She must think I'm a flake.

"Yeah sorry. I've got some stuff on my mind."

"I can tell. Want to talk about it?" Hell no! What would I say? Oh hey, I like you, if you like me you should know the media will find out immediately, especially if there are any on this plane right now hearing me confess to that and your brother will murder me.

"Not really. It's complicated. Maybe later." Then I thought to ask. "So I've been in New York three times this month and you haven't been able to see me. Have things been okay?"

"Things are okay, but I've been having juries and interning and dealing with extra hours at work, so I've had about three free minutes to myself in a day."

"So school's going good, aside from the busyness?"

"Yeah, I'm at the top of my class, I'll be graduating in two weeks. Kendall wants me to come live with them for a few months when the renovations are finished. Says he misses me. I don't have any plans for after graduation, though. Guess living with Kendall would take the pressure off paying rent while job searching."

"So have you seen any of the other guys? Logan, Carlos?" I knew Kendall flew out to spend time with her a lot.

"I saw Logan when he came for a doctor's convention in January. Haven't met his fiancée, though. Carlos comes in once a quarter for stunt double work and I usually have dinner with him and bring him out dancing with my friends. He still has more energy than anyone knows what to do with, he's the only person I know who begs to stay till the club closes and wants to keep dancing. Everyone else settles onto the couches while he dances with the latecomers."

"Just like old times. We'd go in shifts. Logan would round up some girls and they'd hit the club around ten, he'd leave at midnight and Kendall would show up, I'd get there at two as the night owl and drag him home at four, exhausted, while he took a Tylenol PM and managed to sleep until around ten in the morning."

"Just listening to that makes me tired."

"I know. We'd switch out with other friends, because he wanted to do it every weekend. The Jennifers usually managed to be up for it once a month. Sometimes he'd go with Stephanie or Camille."

"I missed you most, you know. Why did you never book interviews in New York?"

"I had, more recently, but then you were away in Paris and Milan for a year. A year. What is that about, anyway? I thought most study abroad programs were like, six weeks."

"I got an amazing opportunity to do a year long program and for free. I couldn't pass it up."

"I just don't get how we kept missing each other, you know?"

"Neither do I. So, what are you making me for dinner?" Our conversation kept up it's weird, non-linear pathway, where someone moves on, and the other picks up from elsewhere. It was like a game of Sorry: move forward one space. Move backward two spaces.

"Well," I thought about it for a minute. I had a limited and strange assortment of things in my pantry, none of which went together particularly well, if at all. Carlos had gone grocery shopping for me last week because his apartment was being fumigated and he stayed over while I was gone. So I figured I had few options. "I hate to break it to you, but in my kitchen you'll find taco shells, oranges, some brie, a can of black olives, shells and cheese and very likely some corn dogs and dino nuggets. I can throw the last of Carlos' food in the oven or I can take you out to dinner, your pick." I was sure she'd want to skip the junk food.

"You have ketchup and mustard? I can't eat corn dogs and dino nuggets without that. And can you make the shells and cheese, too? It'll be just like old times." Old times. I knew what she meant.

"Maybe I should call up the guys for that reunion then?"

"It doesn't have to be that much like old times. We need to catch up." Catch up? We may not have seen each other in years, but I had practically a record of her daily life in my inbox. I heard a whimpering noise, which broke my thought process. Katie wasn't whimpering at me, that would not make sense. And then I saw her lean over to the carry on under her feet with a puppy in it, and unzip it a smidge and pet the dog.

"What's the puppy's name?" I asked her.

"Her name is Susie. And don't worry about me taking her to the apartment, the whole reason I didn't get a friend to babysit her is Carlos begged me to bring her out."

"Oh, no worries." the pilot's voice interrupted the conversation telling us we'd be landing soon, so we all obliged with the tray tables and seatbelts and a few minutes later we were taxiing to our gate. I was surprised, Susie had seemed to handle the flight very well. I once again assisted Katie with her other bag, as well as getting mine down, and I asked her if she had any bags at the luggage carousel. She didn't, nor did I, so we waited at the pickup curb for Carlos, who had graciously offered to pick Katie up. After exchanging greetings and explaining how I ended up being there with her, I offered Katie the front seat, and almost choked when I saw the car seat in Carlos' back seat.

"Carlos, did you leave something very important out of our communications?" Katie demanded, while Carlos just wrinkled his eyebrows and said "I'm on time, right? How long were you two waiting?"

"No, Carlos, not the time, the car seat."

"Oh that. No, that's just for my niece. Leo and Sarah moved here from San Diego when they opened a second restaurant. I have Gracie as often as my schedule allows so I have a car seat for her. No big secret."

We both breathed a sigh of relief, and Carlos asked Katie how long she was in town for. "I...don't actually know. I mean, technically the long weekend, because I finish up school in the next two weeks, and then graduate, but then I'm coming back. Kendall's apartment should be finished next month, and my lease is up then too, but I might come out early."

"I thought you were avoiding, LA, Katie, though I've never understood why." Carlos said.

"I was, but the reason for avoiding it wont be here anymore. And everyone is back now. It's not like it was before I left, but it's not like it was when I was gone either."

Carlos looked confused, and I didn't blame him. I wondered what she meant by Jett "wont be here anymore" but I remembered her asking me to keep quiet about it. I put my brain to work and managed "I wonder what Jett's doing now that his show is canceled."

"I heard he signed on for a movie in Sao Paolo. Supposedly he's leaving in a month. Tyler said it's all but final." That explained a lot.

We arrived at Carlos' place, where Katie unloaded Susie, handed Carlos some cash and told him what sort of food she feeds the tiny dog. He then drove us a few blocks away to my place, before leaving to pick up his niece. It wasn't until I had shown Katie the guest room and she was asking about an iron, that her phone rang and she jumped, not from the sound, but at the name on the caller ID. "Damn it."

"What is it?"

"It's Jett." To my surprise she answered the phone. After their argument, he'd attempted to contact her a few times, but eventually let her be, so calling again after all this time seemed a little weird to me. "Hello."

I watched her face, and since I could only hear her side of the conversation and she wasn't saying much, it was her face softening a few minutes into the short conversation, that made things interesting. When she hung up, she said "Jett wants to see me, and I think I'm going."

"What? Why? I thought you hated him!"

"I never hated him, but I spent a long time disliking him. He heard I was going to be in town, and he called and apologized. He said he didn't want to go to Brazil without making things right, and I guess I'm going to let him try."

I mused to myself that this was one of those girl things. A guy would probably never have heard him out. But then, a guy would have forgotten about the whole thing after this much time, too. So even though it bothered me I didn't argue when she told me she'd be back later.

"Alright, be safe." I told her as she gathered her purse and left. Even though I didn't think she was in any real danger hanging out with Jett, and he really is just an idiot, that same protective streak I have always had kicked in and I still didn't want her to go.