Sorry for the wait, but I am juggling a lot of fics right now. A lot.

Anyways, thanks for the reviews, here's chapitre deux! (Chapter two for you non-french-speakers ;). )

Enjoy!

Chapter Two: The Great Professor Kendork

Knock knock knock.

"One minute, I'll be right there!" Mrs. Knight said, as she was busy doing laundry. "Um, Katie, can you get the door? I'm up to my neck in laundry!"

"Sure!" Katie yelled back as there was more impatient knocking at the door. "I'm coming, I'm coming, jeez!" she grumbled. She crossed the family room and once she reached the door, she swung it open. "Oh, it's you." she said in distaste once she saw who was knocking.

"May I come in?" Mrs. Diamond asked.

With a loud sigh, Katie answered, "I guess."

"Thanks." Mrs. Diamond said through gritted teeth; it was obvious that she was embarrassed. She stepped inside and Katie closed the door.

They stood in awkward silence for a moment, but then Katie spoke up. "Listen, Brooke, I'm going to be frank with you."

"Um, ok?" she said.

"What are you doing here? I thought I told you to never come back."

"Don't get too high and mighty, kid." she responded. "I came because it seems I dropped that wretched songbook. I just wanted to know if you'd seen it." she explained.

"Even if I had, do you really think I'd tell you?" Katie said, feisty. Mrs. Diamond opened her mouth to speak, but Katie didn't give her the chance. "What you're doing to James disgusts me. Why can't you let him pursue his own dreams? I know that you're probably bored with your life, or maybe you had a bad childhood, but that doesn't mean you can control James! And now, he ran away because of you! Who knows where he is now! He could be dead, and it's all because of you."

"Don't pretend to know me!" Mrs. Diamond replied. "I just want my son to take on the family business. To be smart, responsible, and well-off. And he can't do that if he's letting his whimsical fantasies get in the way of his logic."

"Whimsical fantasies! They're his dreams, his ambitions! They're everything to him! Didn't you ever dream when you were a kid?"

"Yes, and I'm living it!" They were shouting now.

"Then why can't he?" Katie asked. Mrs. Diamond looked away, unable to formulate a response. "You know, I've known you for years, Brooke, and I've always wanted to tell you what I think of you. I think you're just plain out nasty. And it's not just me," Katie told, "But everyone else who I've known who has met you agrees. You're nothing but a cold, uptight witch!"

Mrs. Diamond gasped. "I'd watch your mouth, kid. I have the power to buy your house and put you on the streets. I have the power to ban you from buying any of my products!" she threatened.

"Why would I want your products, so I could look as hideous as you?"

Mrs. Diamond narrowed her eyes and backed up toward the door. "You'll regret saying those words to me, girlie. And believe you me, this won't be the last you hear from me!" she announced.

"I'm quivering in my boots!" Katie stuttered sarcastically. She reached behind Mrs. Diamond and opened the door. "Bye bye now!" she said as she pushed Mrs. Diamond into the cold night and slammed the door in her face.

"Who was it?" Mama Knight asked as she entered the room.

Surprised her mom didn't hear all of the yelling, Katie muttered, "Salesperson." She passed by her mom into the kitchen, leaving Mama Knight alone. With a shrug, she went back to her chores.

"Can you even believe them, Tori?" James complained. "It looks like no one cares about me."

There was a silence because, well, songbooks can't talk. Currently James was wandering the cold streets with nowhere to go. He would have gone and gotten his bike but it was at his mom's house and he didn't want there to be any chance of running into her; from now on, he was on his own.

"Y'know, Tori, sometimes I think the world just hates me. I mean, no one supports me, and now I'm a runaway. What will people think? Will I be like...a hobo? Or an orphan?" James gasped, "I'll be a hobo orphan! And as if that wasn't bad enough, it's freaking freezing!"

James's predicament was only made worse as small white crystals began to fall from the dark night sky. A cold draft blew by and James shivered.

The only lights illuminating the streets were street lamps and the occasional warm light filtering out of one of the windows of the many homes he was passing by. As he passed by these windows he looked into them; what he saw was warm families drinking hot chocolate by their fireplaces. They were all laughing and having fun together. Jealousy arose in James because he only ever had that when he was a toddler and his parents still loved each other. Now, although they still lived together, no one in the family talked, much less smiled. It sucked.

"And now it's snowing." James added. "Not to mention the fact that I'm walking. I mean, how ghetto is that!"

There was silence except for the crunching of gravel under James's feet. He looked down as he walked, watching his feet slowly stumble step by step onwards.

Something strange then wafted into his nostrils, a scent reminiscent of fresh produce and grocery bags. In his peripheral vision, James saw glaring light.

Finally he looked up and saw he had reached the local grocery store where Kendall worked. "LUCKY'S" was spelled out on the front of the building in bright red letters that were especially bold in the dark night against the white snow falling. Out front James could see Kendall sitting on a bench in front of the store, rubbing his hands for warmth.

"Oh no it's snowing now! Poor James!" Mama Knight said. She was standing looking out the window in the kitchen. Meanwhile, behind her, Katie sat on a barstool, munching on whatever snack.

"Mom, I'm sure he's fine." Katie huffed. Really, though, she wasn't so sure.

"I don't know, Katie-cat. I mean, where's he to go? He's probably out on the streets, freezing..."

"Did you really just call me Katie-cat?"

"Oh, James. I wish he would just come back. Why did I side with his mom? That was stupid...I was all he had, you know."

Katie sighed and put down her snack. "I know mom, I do. But you weren't siding with his mom. Let's face it, she is his mom, and you can't tell her how to raise her son."

"I suppose you're right. I'm just worried is all."

"He'll be fine." Katie assured. Outside, though, the storm was picking up. The snow was swirling in the wind, flying around before gently falling onto the ground. It was like a beautiful yet grim dance.

A blizzard was coming...

"What'cha doin' sitting down, lazy?" James teased playfully as he approached Kendall.

"Nice to see you too, James." Kendall muttered sarcastically. "I'm supposed to be pushing carts but it's freezing; I'm warming up. What about you? Why are you here?"

"Well," James started as he sat on the bench next to Kendall, "Long story short, my mom's trying to ruin my life and no one cares so I ran away."

"Wait, what? James, you can't be so irrational!"

"You don't understand, Kendall! It's all I want, to be a famous singer, and my mom doesn't give a rat's behind about it. Then, no one backed me up and there was this big confrontation, and I said some things, and I..I left."

"What did you say?" Kendall asked cautiously.

"It doesn't matter. I just feel unappreciated, ya know?"

"Yeah. Sorry I said you were irrational." Kendall said comfortingly.

"It's cool. I don't know what I'll do without you, bro." James said.

You see, Winter break started in a week or so, and Kendall Knight had big plans. Kendall was something of a big time hockey star, and this winter presented a huge opportunity; for two weeks Kendall was going to a special hockey camp all the way in Los Angeles. If all went well, he might even come back with scholarship offers.

"I know...Me too."

"I wish you were a fortune teller, so you could tell me what to do."

"I always know what to do!" Kendall said with a wink and a smirk.

"Then tell me, O Great Professor Kendork, what do I do?"

"Well, it's a bit unorthodox, but maybe...you should come with me to LA?"

"James's face immediately lit up and he said, "Really? Can I? Oh my gosh thank you so much Kendall!" He tackled Kendall with a hug, causing him to grunt.

"No problem, buddy. I'll take you home after my shift then we'll head to the airport at midnight." Kendall said once he was released from James's death grip.

There was a pause before James said, "I hope your mom's ok though." Kendall's eyes widened but James quickly continued to calm him down. "I just said some harsh stuff to her before I left...do you think she's ok?"

"Do I think she's ok! I don't need to look into a crystal ball to know that she isn't, James. Well, with the snow and everything, she's probably worried sick!"

"Well jeez, Kendall, it's not like she's dying." James muttered in defense.

"That's the thing, she probably is! You know she considers you her child, too. Just like she does Carlos and Logan! She's probably having a heart attack or something!"

"Oh gosh, you're right. Oh poor Mama Knight!" James said. "I've gotta go make things right!"

He stood and ran off into the night.

"What about California?" Kendall yelled after him, but he was too far gone. "I hope he's ok...this storm is really picking up."

"HEY, KNIGHT! GET BACK TO WORK!" Kendall's boss yelled from in front of the entrance to the store. Kendall slowly stood, rubbed his hands, and went back to work.

"That's it, Katie, the weather is too bad outside. I'm going to go search for him."

"I'll come with you." Katie said. Normally, her mom would protest, but she was too worried now.

The only problem was, as soon as she turned the handle to the front door, a powerful gust of wind blew it wide open. Outside, the wind was roaring and the snow was flying down. They could hardly even see through it.

"James!" Mama Knight called out. "Ja-ames!"

"Mom it's deadly out there, it's no use." Katie yelled over the wind. Her mom didn't listen, though, so she had to push the door closed herself. After a struggle due to the wind, it finally clicked shut.

James started out running as fast as possible; soon, though, he was considerably slowed down by the weather. Harsh, cold wind slapped him left and right and stung against any exposed skin. The snow was falling so fast he was practically blinded.

Eventually James gave up on getting to Mama Knight and only cared about his safety. His body was sore from the wind and it was so freezing he was numb.

Not too far away he saw an abandoned barn and he slowly made his way too it. Once he reached it, he tried to pull the door open but the wind made it extremely hard. He pulled with all his might and when it was far enough opened he threw himself in.

The wind slammed the door shut and James laid heaving and shivering.

Suddenly the roof started rumbling; that could only mean hail.

James looked up and saw there was a hole in the roof. Just then a piece of hail the size off a golf ball flew threw the hole and smacked James right in the head.

He was knocked out immediately.

Whew that was a rush. No pun intended.

I just want to say really fast that while there are some serious messages in this story, don't take them too heavily. This is based off of The Wizard of Oz, after all, and there is humor and stuff. This is meant to be a lighthearted story, so please realize that.

Please forgive any typos and all that jazz. Thanks for reading! And please review? Thinks about to get funky up in here...I'm sure you all know what comes next in the story ;).

Bye!

AK