Author's note: it's the second last chapter! Are you getting nostalgic for the times when it wasn't almost over? Okay guys this is a long chapter with Angst… beware the angst. So- ah why has this chapter taken so long? Well I just started back at uni (I passed all my exams BTW- even that stupid chemistry one) and good news I guess, I'm starting a new multi-chap story so you know watch out for that.

Oh by the way: Mia Carlos cousin was mostly inspired by and convo with CheekyBrunette so thanks for that!

Hortense waved brightly at Carlos upon entering the classroom, Carlos waved back enthusiastically brandishing their assignment in one hand and his science work in the other. James was sitting in his seat, furiously writing in his science book. Hortense cursed to himself, he forgot to ring James on Saturday and remind him to do his science homework.

Hortense made his way over to James, pausing to clasp Carlos on the arm in greeting. "Hey Jamie," he said, snagging a chair from an empty seat, "class is about to start." James looks up panicky, pulling at his hair "I know, I know- I'm never going to get this done!" Hortense takes his hand, relaxing his fingers until they were no longer tugging at his hair, "breathe James."

James took shallow breath after shallow breath, "I don't feel better" James told him miserably. "If I'm late with this assignment again, Mrs Cutner is going to ring home and mum's going to be mad." Hortense nodded understandingly, Mrs Diamond was terrifying (not that Hortense saw much of her, especially lately) but the prospect of her yelling at James made all the hairs on the back of his neck stand up in sympathy.

"Did you finish the assignment on the animals?" James nodded miserably, "Jill loves zebras- so she wouldn't even let me help." Hortense nodded and smirked, "that's probably for the best" James glared, "Hortense I am in pain, could you please keep your remarks to yourself." Hortense laughed "okay, okay- look we don't have science till the end of the day, you can borrow my book at lunch."

James' face lit up, "but Hortie, that's cheating!" he whispered excitedly, "I'm willing to do the work if it benefits all of us" he replies grinning, "all of us?" James questions, "Well yeah- the holidays are going to be pretty boring if you're grounded." James reached over and tugged lightly at Hortense's short hair affectionately "your really selfish on the inside aren't you?" Hortense laughed swotting James' hand "absolutely."

The bell rang and Hortense moved over to his desk, Carlos bounced up and down excitedly though seemed a little put out Hortense hadn't stopped to talk. He wasn't really worried though, James seemed to have something going on to do with homework. He probably wouldn't take kindly to Carlos' peppiness over having all his homework done on time for once.

Mrs Cutner shut the door and stood at the front of the class, "good morning class," she said, she looked a little haggard from staying up writing reports. The class chorused the words back at her (well most of them; Toby Jenkins and Sydney Boruk up the back were clearly asleep and a Sally Parkinson was up the front doodling in her notebook again.)

"Okay… since it's the last week we're not going to be doing much-" she waited for the cheers to die down, "but that doesn't mean this isn't a big day- your partnered projects are due today as is your portfolio science work. Now remember this needs to be finished today so I have something to show your parents when they come for interviews."

There was a grown at the mention of end of term interviews; she rolled her eyes at the class. She surveyed the class, "so news this morning, and then after recess you can finish whatever you haven't got done." She eyed her yellow group (they were the weakest) and her red group (the laziest), she was probably going to be running after them all day. "Otherwise it will be quiet free time."

"So if you're work is finished I would like you to hand it in now." Carlos rocketed off his chair, racing to the front desk and dragging Hortense with him. "I'm done! We're done!" Carlos slammed his work on her desk, Mrs Cutner looked at the pages in utter shock. Carlos Garcia never finished anything on time- or correctly. She flipped through the assignment, carefully worded and well presented- this reeked of Hortense Mitchell's work. She picked up his science book… and it yielded similar results- Carlos' handwriting was a little neater but it was defiantly his and it was all done.

"Carlos" she said slowly, "-ah good work?" he beamed at her, she turned to Hortense momentarily taking his science book without looking through it. "You too Hortense" and then shooed them away as the other children lined up with their half finished works. Carlos turns to Hortense and hugs him "yay! First in, we win!" Hortense laughs, "that's not exactly-" he catches sight of Carlos' blissfully proud face "I mean- that was totally all you man, up top!"

He raises his hand and Carlos slaps it, Hortense grabs the smaller boys wrist and moves him out of the way. Carlos walks Hortense to his desk before skipping over to his. James looks up at him, "what are you so happy about Carlos?" he asked annoyed, scribbling out a word in his science book, was that how you spell that photosynthesis? Probably not, he'd get Hortense to check it for him after news.

"Nothing" Carlos told him cheerfully, "it's just… this is a good day right?" James rolled his eyes "if only."

**********-_BTR_-*************

Carlos sat on the swing at Lunch by himself pouting, today had started out so great as well! He looked over to where James and Hortense were sitting in the shade; poured over James' unfinished homework- it wasn't fair, Carlos had finished his homework. So why was it like he was getting punished.

Hortense had politely but firmly told him to take his shenanigans elsewhere so James could concentrate and Kendall was MIA all together. He glared at them momentarily. 'It was stupid to be jealous wasn't it?' Carlos hunched his shoulders, he would ask Hortense later, and he usually could explain things that his brain couldn't comprehend. He'd have to wait until James was finished with him to get an answer. Who knew how long that would take…

He caught sight off a tuff of blonde hair out of the corner of his eye, was that Kendall? Carlos sprang up from the swing. Kendall would help distract him!

The trace of blonde disappeared and Carlos looked around wildly, "KENDALL!" Carlos yelled, spinning around in circles trying to find his friend. "erh- dizzy" Carlos mumbled queasily and fell down.

"Carlos?" a voice called questioningly "Jenny?" he looked up at her, a vision in a pretty white dress. "JENNY!" he cried excitedly, "you're a blonde!" He gripped the hem of her dress, she quirked her head at him "yup" she told him brightly. "Does that mean you can find other blondes?" she scratched her head, "why-" Carlos grinned, "twins have super psychic powers and they have the same coloured hair."

They stared at each other for a minuet "thats not right is it?"

Jenny shrugged, "I think that might be racist," Carlos balked at her, "how?" she shrugged again "you were stereotyping me because I'm blonde" he scowled at her "being blonde isn't a race!" he's pretty sure- another thing to ask Hortense when he was free. She crossed her arms and grinned at him "then you're being blonde-ist" Carlos eyes widened, because who could argue with that logic.

He clings to her legs "Jenny you have to use your smartness to help me find Kendall!" she collapsed due to his force and they fell and rolled messily into the sandpit. "Rats!" she muttered the same time he said, "aw- hockey sticks" (one of Kendall's more favourite replacement swears.) her dress was stained and ripped, making it look like every other dress she owned, Carlos looked her up and down "maybe you should stop wearing dresses."

She hit him lightly "I look awesome in dresses" he surveyed her again and agreed "okay." She beamed at him, "Kendall left class in a rush" she told him "he yelled at the teacher and everything, he's in alotta trouble."

Carlos scratched his head, that didn't sound like Kendall or at least not ten-year-old Kendall, nine-year-old Kendall had done things like that all the time, but he had been so good this year. There had been that 'strain' on their friendship that year, Kendall had been so moody and unhappy- he could go days without talking to anyone who wasn't Hortense.

Then when school came back, Kendall had been good as new, with a hundred new pranks to try and answers to everyone's problems. It was like he had never been that person… until he fell into one of his moods. Carlos didn't want to go looking for Kendall on his own. His eyes fell on Jenny.

"Come find him with me?" He asked hopefully, she frowned at him thoughtfully "okay… but only for a second, I promised Trish I'd teach her how to plait her hair." Carlos nodded, that did seem like an important skill- it's why his cousin Mia made him learn how to plait her hair. Either that or she didn't want to do it herself. She made him put like a trillion bows on the end, it was weird.

"We should ask Hortense," she said confidently "why?" she shrugged "he always knows this stuff… maybe he and Kendall are the ones that are connected!" she said proudly, Carlos shook his head, Hortense wasn't connected to anybody because Carlos figured that his constant smartness would give a normal person a bad headache.

"He might know anyway" he said decidedly and grabbed her hand, "he and James are over by that tree." Jenny paled "James?" she squeaked, Carlos nodded "James hates me" she told him sadly. "nooooooooo" Carlos lied, "he's just not quite over what happened to his shoes, he's coming around."

James was not really coming around and showed it by hiding behind a tree when he saw them approaching. Hortense rolled his eyes at the taller boy's antics "don't be rude James." The boy reluctantly came back out, simultaneously sitting impossibly close to Hortense and as far away as he could manage from Jenny.

"I'm sorry about the thing with the paint" Jenny told him sincerely "I think he was more squeamish about all the blood Jenny, he did have to get a blood transfusion." Logan told her kindly, she frowned "oh" Hortense patted her hesitantly on the arm, "well I'm sure it wont happen again now that your not aloud to wear high tops anymore."

Carlos cleared his throat; "Hortense" Hortense turned and looked at Carlos. "Yes Carlos?" Hortense handed James the book, James gave him a soft smile in return- and Carlos felt horrible for ever feeling jealous of them- it was obviously a different friendship than he had with either boy. "Have you seen Kendall today?" Hortense shook his head, "no I've been busy with James" Carlos frowned "Jenny says he's been off."

Hortense looked worried, James grabbed Hortense "I've still got ten questions!" he said panicky. Hortense looked torn "I'll catch up with him soon Carlos, why don't you check under the jungle gym- he hides there sometimes." Carlos nodded and turned to Jenny but she was already edging away "you want to find Trish right?" he asked dejectedly, she nodded smaller "I don't want to make things worse, I kind of do that."

She rushed off and Carlos sighed "wow Carlos I see you have a way with the ladies" James sniggered. Carlos and Hortense smacked him simultaneously, "what?" James cried, "I'm just speaking the truth!" Hortense glared "maybe you can do these by yourself." James' eyes went wide "NO!" he flung himself on Hortense knocking them flat on the ground, James pinned him easily "don't go! I want you to stay," he sounded almost… desperate.

Hortense suddenly felt it click into place, this wasn't just about homework. It probably didn't have anything at all to do with what they were working on. His eyes flickered to Carlos who was already backing away from them with a look of annoyance.

Carlos would have to help Kendall, and Hortense would have to stay with James.

**********-_BTR_-*************

Kendall is hiding under the jungle gym, knees to his chest; staring blankly at the plastic wall.

The bottom of the jungle gym is four plastic walls with a crawling space to get in and out, nobody is supposed to go under there because a normal sized adult couldn't fit through it. That was the reason Kendall loved it the most, it left him alone, to watch feet walk pass and listen to the creeky sound of people playing above him. Almost like the whole thing would fall down on him.

Two shoes stopped at the opening, two familiar white and blue sneakers dug into the sand as if nervous. 'No' Kendall thought gloomily 'not you, go away.'

Jean covered knees appeared into view and Kendall quickly wiped his mostly dry face, rubbing his eyes. Carlos stuck his head in, "Kendall" he called hesitantly, their eyes lock and Kendall can feel the sudden lack of light prick his eyes uncomfortably. He glares, uselessly angry "go away Carlos, I don't want you here."

The words bite, but after all this time Carlos has learnt not to let the little things Kendall says in the heat of the moment hurt too much. He crawls in; there is almost no space between them, nowhere to hide and no physical way for Kendall to get out. "I don't care, I need to be here."

It's all so serious now, but Kendall doesn't want to say it to anyone, especially not to Carlos. Watching Carlos and Hortense that weekend just intensified everything, Carlos had a loving family. Two parents who cared about him- who wanted him there. He had Hortense whenever he needed him. He could be who ever he wanted and everyone would support him.

Kendall was dealing with a constant wave that everything was not right for weeks; things were getting worse and worse, not better. Times were tough, and his mum was never home and really all he really wanted was to burn that stupid ice cream place to the ground. Anything to make him feel better… even only momentarily.

Carlos puts his arm around him, but he wants Hortense. Where is Hortense? Why isn't he here?

He can feel himself breaking apart and he doesn't want to, grown-ups don't do that and that's what he needs to be now, a grown-up.

"Why are you sad Kendall?" Carlos asks quietly, and Kendall leans into him, Carlos is warm and kind and it's almost enough just to sit with him and everything to be okay. "I don't know" he chokes out, it's almost the truth and Carlos believes him. He doesn't want Carlos to see him like this; nobody was supposed to see this. It was a weak moment.

And he's not sure he can keep his friends if he's not stronger.

"It's okay to be lonely sometimes" Carlos tells him and hugs him tighter, Kendall just shakes and falls apart. "It's hard doing things on your own, so you don't have too all the time."

"I-I don't want to feel-" Kendall doesn't know how to explain, when he's sad he talks to Hortense and everything is just unexplainably okay. But he hasn't felt unexplainably okay for a while, and he's coming apart under the strain of it all.

Carlos lets go of his friend. And silently crawls out of the hidey-hole, Kendall takes a sharp breath and follows. Carlos leads him to the bathroom and grabs a bunch of paper towel and wets them, "I don't know what to say to make this better," Carlos, tells him honestly. Kendall smiles shakily "that's okay, I think I'm okay."

Carlos looks at him forlornly "hey Kendall" he says slowly, "guess what" Kendall shrugs "what" Carlos looks at him seriously "What are unhappy cranberries called?" Kendall shrugs uselessly at the random question.

"Blueberries."

They laugh for a good long while until they don't know what they're laughing about anymore.

**********-_BTR_-*************

Hortense and Carlos sit across from each other before school, Carlos had insisted they go early for their last day of school. They were sitting cross-legged, knees touching and Carlos was twitching.

"Rehearse it with me one more time" Hortense said unsurely "Aw- again?" Carlos whined but did as he was told, "Mrs Cutner" he recited "I think it would be in everyone's best interest if Kendall Knight switched classes for next term."

"Why?" Hortense asked, "he is not- not meeting his fullest potential and feels isolated."

"Really?" An amused voice asks and they both whip around to see Mrs Cutner coffee in hand and bag over shoulder. "Mrs Cutner!" Carlos yelps scandalised, Hortense rubs his neck in both embarrassment and suspected whiplash. She sits down and her desk and beckons them over, "neither of you are very sneaky" she tells them lightly. She shuffles papers and Carlos drags over two seats so they can sit across from her.

"So what is the real reason Kendall wants to move?" she asks "that is the real reason!" Carlos said insistently "or maybe I could move" Hortense adds firmly "I don't mind." Carlos looks at Hortense in surprise "I don't want you to move!" Hortense smiles softly, "I'll still see you" Carlos grabs his hands "that's not the same thing."

"That brings us back to the point actually" he slips out of Carlos' grip and turns to Mrs Cutner "I'm worried about Kendall."

Mrs Cutner sighed, Jane (Mrs Frances, Kendall's teacher) had been complaining loudly and uncaringly of Kendall's recent increasingly unmanageable behaviour. They knew why, things had gotten tight in the household; Kendall was under a lot of stress and didn't seem to be coping. But if Jane- the more experience teacher couldn't control him what hope did she have?

"Do you think he'll be happier here?" she asks carefully, the whole reason Kendall Knight wasn't in her class this year was his previous track record with misbehaviour. "Because we're here!" Carlos told her truly "and we make him happy." Hortense adds hopefully, "he doesn't smile much anymore, and I want him too!"

Mrs Cutner could feel her heart break for these boys; they really just wanted to help with something too big for them. She rested her hands on the boys shoulders "I'll see what I can do boys" they both cheered, "I promise nothing!" she told them firmly, she wasn't even sure how Jane would react- switch classes was a giant hassle. Plus it would mean interview and rearranging schedules and a whole lot of extra work in their holiday time.

"Are you sure he'd even want this?" she asked, they both nodded furiously, "what about in a couple of weeks?" they nodded again "he'll want this always" Carlos confirmed strongly. Mrs Cutner watched Hortense squeeze Carlos' hand affectionately and she couldn't help but think maybe a change of scenery might help in this situation.

"I'll have to talk to Kendall- but for now go play outside, class doesn't start for a while." She'd have to talk to Jane…

**********-_BTR_-*************

Kendall sat in Carlos' kitchen with James, Kendall was feeling a whole lot better about Carlos now that he knew Carlos wouldn't make fun of him for crying. Katie was flat on her stomach on the floor, she had a book, like she normally did and seemed unaffected by her surroundings.

"Thank you so much for looking after the kids" Mrs Knight gushed to Mrs Garcia, "no trouble at all Jen, you know their welcome here any time." Clara grinned at both of them, "and you always know their welcome to have play dates with James" she hushed her voice "I think the company would do him some good right now."

"Well" Mrs Knight smiled brightly, "I've got a parent/teacher interview to get too, and to think I was just at one yesterday. I've got to say it's going to be intimidating with both of them there!"

Kendall, James and Carlos spread card on the table, "why isn't Hortense here?" Kendall whined like Hortense hadn't spent the last two nights sleeping over in veto of getting in extra practice for his meet on Sunday. "He's at the gym" James tells him, Carlos rolls his eyes "yeah and we can't tell him about this- It'll ruin the surprise!"

He had already started, stencilling the words 'TEAM MITCHELL' in pencil and was about to go over it in bright colours. He wanted to draw a big rainbow on it (because they both loved rainbows) but Kendall was adamant he wasn't to do that. So he stuck to drawing 'gymnastic' things- only he wasn't sure what they were.

"BALLET SLIPPERS AREN'T GYMNASTIC THINGS!" James screeched taking the lead pencil from Carlos' hand and began erasing the half drawn picture. "Then what do they wear?" he asked curiously "nothing if they can help it" Kendall piped up and then they all burst into giggles. Kendall hadn't meant to imply that Hortense would do gymnastics naked (though when he was sixteen he would say the exact same statement with the full intention of that interpretation.)

"MIA" Mrs Garcia called from the front of the house, "I'm going to go get milk, watch the boys will you!" Carlos' cousin Mia flounced out, Mia was fourteen and made James go cross-eyes and tongue tied every time he saw her- much like Carlos' sister Alexis. She was very pretty, but made Carlos and Kendall go cross-eyed for another reason. She wore nothing but bright pink, and variations of the colour.

"Hi Mia" James said dreamily, she made a face at him and crossed her arms, "don't do anything stupid while mum's out Carlos, I mean it, I am not picking you up off the side of the road if you try to bungy jump with yarn." Carlos' eyes lit up, he turned to Kendall, who shut him down immediatly. Kendall turned to Mia with fake excitement "Hi Mia! It sure looks like a unicorn threw up on you!"

James hit him as Mia made another face, Teresita wandered into the room. "Hi guys" she said brightly, going red at the sight of James "H-hey James" and then turns for the fridge. "Where's Hortense?" she asked curiously, both Mia and Carlos raised their eyebrows at her, "what I can't ask a question?" she mutters embarrassed.

"It's embarrassing" Mia told her, "why do you crush on Carlos' little baby friends you're a teenage now." Teresita went even darker "I don't-" Kendall spoke up "Hey Tere- don't you have cheerleading?" she smiled gratefully, "no we finished last week, but I learnt a really cool move, wanna see!"

She beckoned them outside, and on the grass the proceeded to do several backflips and a handspring in quick rapid succession. "That's so cool!" Kendall gushed to her, he felt bad that Mia was being mean to her, "yeah, I'll wonder if Hortense will do that on Sunday" James added. "Hortense has a gymnastics meet then, we're making posters to cheer him on."

"Oh he'll hate that" Teresita laughed, the boys grinned "oh we know."

**********-_BTR_-*************

"James…" Kendall said hesitantly, lying down on the grass in the park. "What?" James asked agitatedly, he lay on his back and two rats ran along his stomach. "Why did you bring cuddle-pot and cutie-pie to our meeting?"

James sits up and picked up the rats gently, stuffing them into the pockets of his oversized coats. "The rat-babies are in hiding, mum has decided that they're disease infested and wants to get rid of them," he told him despairingly. Kendall patted one of James' squirming pockets lightly, "don't worry rat-babies, we won't let Mrs Diamond get you."

"Would you mind taking them home tonight?" James asked hopefully, Kendall looked hesitant and then shook his head. "Mum said I can't have pets after what happened to Mr Hamsterton the third" James nodded grimly, they had learnt soon enough that their rocket making skills were not adequate enough to have live passengers.

"So the plan" James pushed forward, Kendall frowned "I'm not sure, I think we could be being mean." James made a face "of course we're being mean!" James yelled, "That's the point!" Kendall made a face at him "no it isn't!"

"Did you think this was going to hurt them?" James asked blankly "well yes…" James cut him off "but you we're going to do it anyway." Kendall bit his lip "yes" he said in a small voice, "then you were being mean." James told him matter of fact. "Well maybe I don't want to anymore!" Kendall scowled; James leant over and slapped him.

"Snap out of it Kendall" Kendall looked at him dumbly, "you- you slapped me" he said faintly "what kind of person SLAPS SOMEONE!" James rolled his eyes "you were being hysterical," Kendall lunged at him "I'll show you hysterical!" tackling him to the ground "the rats! The rats!" James shrieked, Kendall let the rats escaped before assuming his attack.

"Violence is not the answer Kendall" James muffled, trying to throw the blonde boy off. "Really that's not what you said that time I broke your comb" he growled, pushing him further into the dirt "well yeah but that was different- I loved that comb more than you love your face."

Kendall sat up and helped James up "true." James scrambled up groping for his mirror and comb "aw" he whined "I have dirt clumps in my hair." Kendall picked up the rats, who were lolling on the ground, "we'll try it one more time okay James."

James beamed, Kendall creased his eyebrows "why do you want this so badly?" James shrugged "I dunno why do you?" he took his rats cradling them gently "Hortense likes me the best" he said honestly, and James pretends it doesn't sting. "What if he doesn't like me the best anymore."

"You are incredibly insecure- and that's totally not the reason" James scoffed, "you like that you have control… them doing things without us, takes away the control." Kendall glares at him "you make me sound like a control freak" James sniggered "only cause you are."

Kendall looks tempted to tackle him again "I" his tone serious "am going to smack you down like the hand of God." James let out and 'epp' and scrambled to his feet. "Come here" James clutched his rats and ran "never!"

The chase began, James had longer legs but Kendall had more stamina and James was rapidly running out of steam. He turned a corner quickly, Kendall ran straight for a few seconds too long and had to double back, putting James firmly in the lead again. "Come back here so I can hurt you!" Kendall yelled, grinning sillily "tempting" James huffed "but no."

He turned his head back to the front, and ran straight into a man. "Argh" James said landing on the pavement hard, "get out of the way kid" the man growled stepping over him. "You alright?" Kendall asked out of breath, helping James up "yeah" he held onto his shoulder. "Hey look where we are" Kendall said in surprise, James turned and came face to face with 'Hal's.'

"You want some ice cream?" James asked, Kendall shrugged pitifully and James sighed, "it's on me" Kendall perked up "well if you insist." He opened the door for James and they raced to the counter, "hey, hey, hey!" Kendall said excitedly, hitting the counter repeatedly the girl behind the counter winced and turned.

"Hi boys, how may I help you?" James put his finger to his lip "two double choc fudge triple scoops please." The girl smiled, "just a minuet…" a flood of people rushed in as she made the second ice cream "oh hell" she muttered, "this is why I hate Saturdays."

They took the ice creams and sat at a booth, "who hates Saturdays?" Kendall asks in disgust, ice cream already covering his face, James licked his gingerly and shrugs. "Crazy people who think working at an ice cream place sucks, I mean what's bad about ice cream? Nothing!" Kendall nodded.

James' pocket squirmed "no cuddle-pot" he hissed, "you don't want to meet your end at an ice cream place." Kendall laughed, "That's where I want to meet my end" he stuck his foot up and lightly touched James pocket with the toe of his shoe. "Smart rat."

"No dumb rat, stop it!" Kendall sighed, "they mean a lot to you don't they?" James nodded "they're all the family I- wait Cutie-pie… CUTIE PIE!" he groped through his other pocket, "he gnawed his way out!" he his, he got down on the ground, "quick Kendall help!"

"AHHH!" The girl behind the counter screamed and James ran, the other ran slipped out and people jumped up onto the table. "Are those yours?" the girl screamed "n-no" James lie, picking up Cutie-pie, "you must have a rat problem- I'll grab this one Kendall catch the other one.

It took a few minuets to get the willy Snuggle-pot and then they bolted of the store, rats in hand.

**********-_BTR_-*************

Carlos held his sign close "can you see him? I can't see anything! Can you see him?" Kendall smacked him on the back of the head affectionately "he's on the sidelines" James ruffles the smaller boy's hair "and of course you can't see him, your short."

"Oh! Oh! Look he's about to start" Kendall shrieked holding up his sign 'Hortie's no 1.' Carlos looked around wildly and James turned his friends body so he was facing the right direction, the commenter rambled unhelpfully and Logan grasped his hands on the parallel bars.

They watched in silence as he pulled himself up and started his routine, "wow" Kendall muttered. "Hortie's strong" Carlos said in surprise, it was a rare opportunity to see Hortense use his upper body strength it was actually quite impressive.

James looked down at his arms "I should start working out more" he said determinedly. Kendall rolled his eyes "that would require will power James, and you- have none." James smacked Kendall and Carlos leaned forward so he wouldn't come between the budding slap fight, "boys!" Tereista scolded them. Their hands stilled "sorry Tere" they muttered and she trained her eyes back on Hortense.

He flipped and landed on the mats. "WHOOOOOOOO" Kendall screamed and James and Carlos screamed wildly waving their signs, Hortense turned and blushed darkly. He ran off the mat embarrassed, they had done that all day- right to the last area of the meet.

The judges scored him, "is that good- how do we know if that's good?" Carlos asked after the numbers were read out, "it's very good Carlos" Mr Garcia beamed. Carlos let out another whoop, "just one more now!"

"He's nervous about this one" James muttered knowledgably the rest of the group turned to look at him, "his last event is the rings and his dismount has gone up a level in difficulty." Kendall scratched his head "I don't know what that means" Carlos nodded confused, "it means it's going to be wicked."

They waited impatiently for the last few people on parallel bars and screamed loudly when Hortense came in second. They sat down and Hortense walked over to the coach who slapped him heartily on the back.

All too soon it was time for the rings, they waited impatiently through the boys from the other gym and one of Hortense's gym friends who crashed hard on the dismount. They all winced in unison, "is he gonna be okay?" Carlos whimpered "he's fine hunny" Mrs Garcia assured them, "yeah" Mr Garcia commented "kids get hurt in gymnastics all the time."

The boys went white thinking back to Hortense's last gymnastics related accident; he broke his wrist during an unsuccessful vault dismount. Mrs Garcia smacked Mr Garcia "what?" he complained, Tereista hit him as well "what is this hit Papi day?" Carlos reached over and smacked his Papi "yup!"

"Come here you-" Carlos shrieked, diving for cover "shh- here he comes!" James raised his sign 'Hortense Mitchell for the gold' (his sign had been a bit more liberal with design and was by far the prettiest.) they watched in bated breath as Hortense jumped up and grabbed the rings, the bottom half of his body going completely ridged.

Carlos gasped and he flipped in the air, and caught his body weight with the rings once more- the routine looked far more difficult than anything else shown so far and if the hush over the crowd was any indication, he was doing really well. "Here comes the hard bit" James hissed and Hortense dismounted in several perfect flips.

They weren't the only ones going wild.

After the meet, Hortense ran up to them, gold medal in hand. "I can't believe our gym won!" Kendall laughed, "yeah well you dominated every section genius" he wrapped his arm around him. "You were awesome!" Hortense blushed "thanks" he muttered.

"Come on boys" Mr Garcia called, "I'm taking you home, I'm dropping you right James?" the boy nodded mutely.

When they pulled up at James house Hortense walked him to the door, "thanks for coming" Hortense said shyly- "sorry me and Carlos are getting ice cream without you, it's just you know" he waved his hand. "Tradition?" James asked, Hortense nodded, James unlocked the door. Screams began to echo throughout the large house; James winced as a plate smashed.

"You know what…" Hortense said grabbing James' hand "you can sleep over, grab your stuff" the door opened wide and they could hear James' mum breaking plates. "You know what forget that, Kendall left some clothes at my place- you can wear those."

And with that Hortense pulled James back to the car.

As always please review (any ideas about the ending)