This is probably one of the longest chapters haha :P SwagUPWindowsDOWN and I both stayed up pretty late last night to write it, so let us know if it came out good! :)

By the time it was time to head out to school, the bleeding had almost stopped and Logan had managed to tie up a ratty piece of cloth around his severed arm in a make shift bandage. The cloth itself was dirty and old, probably infested with germs, but it was the only thing he had. He didn't know about the risk of infection. Logan was so poor and neglected that he was pretty much unaware of the world. Most things an 8 year old had, he didn't, so he didn't know what it was. Things 8 year olds did out of school were foreign to him because he had never gotten to experience them with anyone. To some people, he may have looked dumb because of this, but really, he just really hadn't been cared for properly. He was the smartest boy you would ever meet, just extremely vulnerable and timid. The bus rolled around, but he didn't get on it. In this area, your parents or guardians had to pay for the bus monthly or yearly. Well, of course he didn't have that, so he walked the four blocks in just his thin t-shirt and jeans like he always did, except this time, he had a 'bandage' to match.

"Hey! Hey, kid! Wait up!" It was that boy again and his friends. Didn't they ever give him a break?

"Dude are you ok? What happened after yesterday and where did yo-woah what happened to your arm?" The smallest changed subject quickly, seeing a little fleck of the raw, red skin.

Logan didn't answer.

"Is that from that tree that fell. I saw that this morning. Are you ok? Do your parents know?" The one with flawless hair asked him.

Logan felt tears prick in his eyes at the thought of his parents.

"Hey, are you alright, buddy? We're just trying to help you. Why won't you let us? We won't hurt you" the blonde with the emerald eyes said softly.

Logan couldn't let them help though. They'd find out his secret. Why were they being nice to him anyway? He deserved worse. Way worse. But, instead of staying to find out, Logan did exactly what he did the other day, and bolted for school.

"Guys!" Kendall yelled, "We have to do something about this!"

"I know...his arm looked pretty bad." James agreed.

"Maybe we should tell someone..." Carlos shrugged.

"Like who?" Kendall questioned, "He needs help now, and my mom is at work...so are yours!"

"Besides, we have to go to school." James added.

"Maybe we can talk to Mrs. Kohler about it..." Carlos suggested.

"...that's not a bad idea." Kendall and James nodded

The four boys continued their walk to school with question filled mind. They were almost worries that their teacher would get mad at them for budding into the small child's life so much. Before they could even notice it, they had arrived. It had gone by so quickly...well, I guess that's what happens when your mind is busy. Instead of going outside for morning recess, the three boys proceeded inside the building and quietly down the halls. They knew if their nasty principal, Mrs. Groomer saw them, she'd send them outside with the other students.

"So...who wants to knock on the door?" James was shaking with worry...the pretty boy hated getting in trouble, believe it or not.

"I will!" Carlos smiled, "Guys, chill...Mrs. Kohler is so nice!"

Carlos knocked on the door, and instantly saw Mrs. Kohler get up and walk to where the boys were standing; she opened it up and smiled.

"Why are you boys in here?"

"C-can we talk with you, ma'am?" Kendall asked.

"Sure...come in." Mrs. Kohler sat at her desk and pulled three chairs over.

The teacher's kind smile also turned into one of concern when she saw the boys' faces.

"Boys, what's wrong?" She queried, not knowing how serious it could be.

"We...uh...we think someone may be in trouble or needs help...he's only young too" Kendall said vaguely.

"Ok, and who is this? A friend? Someone in school?" She asked her full attention on the conversation now she had learnt of the topic.

He's in 3rd grade here. He doesn't seem to be in the best condition when we see him" James told her.

"And something had happened to his arm today. He'd hurt it really badly and it needs treating. He's also really thin and we've never seen him eat" Carlos added. The teacher sighed.

"And you're worried, aren't you?" They nodded. "Boys, is this person you're talking about little Logan Mitchell?" She guessed.

They didn't know his name but when she explained what he looked like, they immediately said yes.

She sighed again, this time longer. "The school have nothing to go against the Mitchell's being a kind, loving family, boys. I must admit he's thin and looks to be in a bad way. Remember, he's only 8, don't terrify him or anything by being too harsh when you go up to him. I'll inform his teacher and talk to him about his arm if I see him, but that's all I can do. Sorry boys" she informed them with a sympathetic look.

They smiled but inside they were defeated. When would they be able to help the little guy out? Not like this, that's for sure. They'd have to do it themselves.

Mrs. Kohler sighed, feeling her heart shatter. The poor child, she thought. It hurt her to see a student so in need and not really being able to do anything. Then again...

"Yes...thank you...ok, sounds good...alright..." Mrs. Kohler hung up on her phone. She was so glad that she had decided to let Logan's teacher send him down to her class to talk with her.

The teacher was a little nervous herself...she wasn't sure of what to expect from the tiny student.
Before she knew it there was a small student standing in her doorway. He looked like he was going to throw up...Mrs. Kohler felt bad, he must have be so anxious at that moment.

"Sweetie, would you like to come in?" She cooed.

Logan timidly entered the room and sat down at the sat by the older women's desk.

"Can we talk for a moment, dear?"

Logan just continued to look at the teacher with the same shy face he had always worn.

"What happened to your arm?" She questioned.

Logan sniffled, holding back tears.

"Don't cry..." Mrs. Kohler placed a hand to Logan shoulder.

"S-sorry." was all Logan could say before dashing out of the classroom.

The small boy ran and ran. Luckily, the school bell had just rung, signaling the end of the day. Logan burst through the doors and ran away from the school, tears pouring down his face like a fountain. That teacher was showing so much concern for him...why? She shouldn't be wasting her time on him. And he couldn't tell her what was going on. Logan ran at full speed, dodging other people on the sidewalk and leaping past the people who seemed to actually care. But, he couldn't keep up this pace and he found himself slowing, coming to a stop outside a pretty blue house. His legs felt like jelly, his chest felt like it was being ripped apart from all the panting his was doing and he felt incredibly light headed. Sick. He felt sick. Soon, the little boy's knees buckled, sending him to the floor with no energy to get up. He could taste something acidy creeping up his throat and a pool of vomit came bursting out of his mouth, splattering on the hard, stony sidewalk. Logan could feel how all his energy had been zapped, how his eyes were drooping lower and lower. Without any say in the matter, Logan fell into unconsciousness.

Time passed by, and Logan still lied there on the side walk. Though he wasn't conscious, he could still feel his chest pounding and paining him more and more as the time passed by. Mother Nature picked a perfect time for it to start raining. Logan's little limp body began to become soaked with cold water. Harsh winds blew on his face causing him to become even icier.

Meanwhile, James, Carlos, and Kendall had just left hockey practice. They were lucky that there houses were by the rink and able to walk home easily. Usually their treks back to Kendall's house for dinner were short and boring.

"So my mom is going to pick me up after dinner." James started to chat.

"Ok sounds good." Kendall smiled, "What about you Carlos?"

"Oh my..." Carlos gasped.

"Huh?"

"L-Look..." Carlos pointed to the lifeless figure that lied on the ground in front of them.

"I-isn't that L-Logan?" James was so shocked.

"I-I think..." Kendall kneeled down near the small passed out boy, "Logan...Logan, are you awake?"

The blonde continued to shake the tiny boy's shoulders, "A-are you ok?"

Logan's eyes fluttered open, as he peered up at the taller boys weakly. He tried to squirm away, but this time, Kendall scooped him up into his arms.

"Nope, you're not going anywhere this time...what happened?" Kendall questioned.

Logan just began to cry, he didn't even know why he fainted and now he was worried. What if Kendall was taking him to beat him up like all the other kids do?

"Shh...don't cry." James cooed.

"Yeah, it's ok, Logan." Carlos added.

Kendall hugged the shivering child to his chest tightly for warmth as they walked to the Knight's house. When they entered they noticed Mama Knight must have been upstairs helping Katie with her homework, so they sat Logan at the kitchen table and stared at him...honestly, not having the slightest bit of ideas as to what they should do to him. How could they help?

"What happened?" Kendall tried again.

Logan began to sob hysterically. He found his chest becoming tighter and tighter as he struggled to breathe. Suddenly, everything became too unbearable. He was so pressured that he couldn't handle it. The boy wrapped his arms around his stomach and hunched over, puking all over the kitchen tile. He whimpered in pain.

"Shhh..." Kendall rubbed his back, "Calm down, Logan. I'm gonna try again...can you tell me what happened?"

Logan shook his head as he puked a second time. He was crying so hard now that his body was shaking with every heart wrenching sobs. Kendall clung onto the small boy, rubbing his back whilst Logan continued to cry. James and Carlos joined in comforting, joining the hug. They pulled away when Logan's breathing became really labored and his lips were tinged blue.

"Hey, shh, it's ok, we won't hurt you. You're safe now. Just breathe, c'mon, in and out" Kendall told the panicked little one, holding him even tighter.

"Logan, breathe buddy" Carlos added as Logan only became more agitated and unable to take in the precious air he now definitely needed.

"You need to breathe Logan. In and out, like Kendall said" James said to him. Kendall got an idea.

"Logan, buddy look at us ok. Look at the way we're breathing and try to match it, ok?" Logan nodded, holding Kendall's too for dear life.

The three boys breathed in and out deeply and slowly. Logan watched them and copied, feeling his breathing return to normal after a long time. The tiny boy fell forward into Kendall's chest with pure exhaustion, but still crying slightly. That was until he puked again all over himself. Kendall and his friends knew at this point something was very wrong with Logan. You don't just collapse and throw up multiple times.

"Mom!" Kendall called urgently. "We need you! Quickly!" They heard a pair of feet rushing down the stairs and into the kitchen. Mama Knight gasped.

Mrs. Knight ran over to the tiny boy and kneeled down to his level. She noticed how there was vomit on his clothes, she also saw how incredibly thin he looked...but the thing that stood out the most was his wounded arm.

"Who is this, boys?" She questioned.

"Logan...he's a third grader and we found him passed out on the sidewalk, but he won't tell us what happened." Kendall sighed.

"Logan...sweetie, what's wrong?" Mrs. Knight cooed, trying to not scare that boy.

"M-my tummy h-hurts." Was all the small child was able to whisper before leaning over and gagging up mostly liquid.

Mama Knight grabbed a napkin from the table and wiped up the raven haired boy's face, being uncertain as to why he was freaking out so much. Her mother instincts kicked in.

"Are you ok, sweetie?" She tried, but yet again, Logan failed to answer.

She frowned in concern and placed her hand on the little ones forehead, keeping in there as he flinched and squirmed. This behavior wasn't normal.

"He's burning up." She turned to 10 year old Katie who had now entered the room also. "Katie, can you bring me the thermometer and a bucket please?" She asked, her daughter already retrieving them.

She placed the bucket on the table and gave the thermometer to her mom. Logan blinked at the small device in puzzlement. What was it? Why did she have it? Mama Knight slowly brought it up to his mouth.

"Open up sweetie" she softly instructed. Logan's mouth didn't budge. Mama Knight tried again, getting the same results.

"What is it?" Logan asked innocently. "What's it for?"

Everyone was taken aback by the questions. Who hasn't been alive for 8 years and didn't know what a thermometer was? Mama Knight recovered from her shock.

"It's a thermometer, honey, to check your temperature" she explained. "Haven't you seen one before?"

She was even more worried when he shook his head. This time she explained he needed to hold it under his tongue for it to work and Logan cautiously opened his tiny mouth, chapped lips closing around the device. After a moment, it beeped and Logan must have jumped ten feet high in Kendall's arms when he heard it. Mama Knight took it out, eyes widening at what she read.

"What is it?" Kendall asked his mother.

"102.5" Mama Knight sighed.

"Is t-that bad?" Logan asked in a tiny voice.

Again being puzzled by the young boy's question, Mrs. Knight tried to respond, "yes, honey...you have a fever."

Logan's eyes filled with fear and worry, "a-am I going t-to die?" The small child found himself now crying again.

"Shhh..calm down sweetie." She rubbed his back.

Logan dry heaved a few times, feeling extremely queasy. Mama Knight handed his the bucket. The raven haired boy hugged it to his chest and coughed before vomiting again. This time Mrs. Knight could notice a little bit of blood come out. Yes, Logan had thrown up quite a few times, but not enough for his stomach to be empty yet.

"Logan, have you been eating lately?" She noticed how thin he looked again.

Logan sobbed more than before, being worried that Mama Knight would be mad at him, "n-no...'m s-sorry, I-I try t-to eat, b-but t-there is n-no food and when there i-is, I always puke r-right af-after."

"Are you not fed usually? Does lack of food happen a lot?"

Logan nodded, and whimpered, waiting for Mrs. Knight to scold him.

"Why does that happen, Mom?" Kendall questioned.

"His stomach probably isn't used to food, so his body rejects it." Mama Knight explained, "but now, he's definitely vomiting due to an illness."

Logan whimpered. He didn't want to be ill. Being ill meant staying home from school, in his lonely, abandoned house. He didn't want that. But, Mama Knight spoke up before he could say he had to go.

"Where are your parents, honey? Why are you like this?" She was such a kind woman.

So loving and caring. And this had gone on long enough. Time to tell someone the truth.

"My mommy and daddy don't love me anymore. The don't do anything for me or get food or pay the money for the power and water. I've had the same clothes since I was 5 and I can't eat and yesterday they left a note saying they wouldn't be back for two years and that I was only trouble. And then last night a tree fell through my house and trapped my and it hurt!" He wailed as he started crying again.

Mama Knight carefully lifted Logan into her arms, becoming angry at the poor boys' parents for doing this. They didn't even deserve to be called that! She could feel every single one of Logan's ribs and shoulder blades were sticking out. She gently rocked the child in her arm who, through instinct had wrapped his arms around her neck and legs around her waist, walking up and down the kitchen.

"Logan, I'm not going to let you go back there, ok? You can stay here with me, Kendall and Katie. You can be a part of our family, ok? You can be MY son Carlos' dad is a police officer and we'll tell him about this tomorrow. He'll make sure they don't get away with it, sweetie" she told him softly.

Logan calmed down and nodded, thinking of the prospect of having a new mommy. Being Kendall and Katie's brother. Mama Knight took Logan info the living room and placed him on the couch, covering him in warm, fuzzy blankets and putting a pillow under his head.

"We'll call the doctor tomorrow too, ok sweetheart? Get you checked over properly. Oh I almost forgot! Your arm!"

She started to unwrap the piece of cloth and was shocked at what she found beneath. Mrs. Knight was shocked to see a bloody, dirt filled wound that almost went in deep enough to see his bone. She could see tears rushing to her eyes. The poor poor little thing. Mama Knight tried to slowly pull sticky blood covered pieces of fabric out from the huge cut.

Logan let out a yelp of pain.

"I'm sorry, sweetie." Mrs. Knight sighed sympathetically, "I'm going to carry you to the bathroom so we can clean it out, okay?"

Logan nodded meekly and put out his arms to be carried. Mama Knight scooped his tiny bony body and brought him to the bathroom, sitting the small child on the counter that was right next to the sink.

"This is going to sting a little bit, honey...I just need to rinse the cut so it won't get infected."

Mrs. Knight carefully and gently picked up Logan's injured arm and put it under the running faucet. The raven haired boy's eyes filled with tears as he whimpered in agony.

"shhh...almost done, baby." Mrs. Knight cooed, and then finally turned the sink off to stop the water from continuing to run.

Kendall's mother made her way to the linen closet and got some gauze along with a tube of Neosporin. She squirted the gel onto the fabric and then lifted Logan's arm, beginning to wrap it properly. Once she was finished she lifted Logan to her arms again and carried him to the couch. Logan snuggled under the blankets.

"I'm going to make dinner for the other boys, honey, but I'll be right in the kitchen, if you need me don't be afraid to call my name, I'll be in here to help you with whatever you need in seconds." she handed him the TV remote, "here, so you can flick through the channels and find something to watch."

Logan looked at her as if she had been speaking a foreign language, "what's this and what are channels?"

Mama Knight explained everything to the younger boy before putting 'Sprout' on for him to watch. She remembered how much Kendall had loved that channel when he was Logan's age. A few moments later, she left the room and entered the kitchen to start cooking.

When they all wandered back into the living room to see Logan very into an episode of Blues Clues.

"No! It's there Blue! Behind you!" Logan pointed at the TV to the object Blue was trying to find. It was a truly adorable sight.

"Logan, baby, I've made you some chicken soup. You need to try and something" she told him gently as she brought in the big bowl.

"But I'll throw up! I don't wanna feel icky like that again" he whimpered. The boys and Katie gave him sympathetic looks. How could a little child this young be this sick?

"I've got some medicine that'll make your tummy stronger when you take it so hopefully you won't throw all of it up. You need to eat to get better honey" she informed him.

Logan looked from the steaming bowl to Mama Knight and back again. It did look good. He sat up and took a spoonful of the raspberry tasting medicine, before being fed the first spoonful of the soup by Mama Knight because she insisted. Logan was her son now, she'd make sure legally after he was all better. In her eyes he was already her little baby boy and no one would take that away from her. And to complete her lovely little family, were her princess and her big boy. Oh, and don't forget James and Carlos. Everything was fine and Logan was enjoying the soup, until about an eighth of the way through. His stomach started churning, twisting in knots and cramping in a tight pain that made him curl over. He whimpered and yelped. He was going to throw up again. He hated throwing up. He became aware of another presence on the couch, not Mama Knight, but Kendall, his new big brother. Kendall could see what was going to happen and just got the bucket under Logan's chin, before he vomited violently into it.

Puke dribbled down Logan's chin as he sat there whimpering and feeling so incredible sick at that moment. His stomach was empty, so puking just made it ache like crazy. The tiny boy's body quivered as he ducked his head back into the bucket and vomited the soup he had attempted at eating back up.

His eyes filled with tears, "I-I feel r-really y-yucky." He whined.

"It's ok, baby." Mama Knight cooed, "we'll take small steps with this so you can eat normally again."

Logan nodded as Kendall took his thumb to wipe away the forming tears in his baby brother's chocolaty brown eyes.

Katie got up and exited the room, returning shortly with a damp wash cloth. She quietly knelt in front of him and dabbed at his chin, wiping up the remnants of throw up still there. She smiled encouragingly, noticing all Logan's attention was focused on her, those big brown orbs staring at her. She finished up, making sure his entire face was clean.

"There you go baby brother, your face is clean now" she said comfortingly.

The others smiled at Katie's term of endearment. Logan smiled and since his bucket had been taken away from Katie, he flung himself forward, wrapping his tiny arms around her neck. Her arms immediately went around the 8 year olds waist, pulling him close, Logan tucking his head into her neck. Katie loved this. She had always been the little sister, the youngest, and the one everyone protects. She could never so that to someone herself. But now Logan was here, she could. She could be that big sister she had always dreamt of being and the best one at it too. They broke apart and Katie pushed Logan back to lean against the couch.

"Whilst his stomach is settled, we should wash him." Mama Knight said to the boys.

She picked Logan up explaining he was going to have a bath and she'd run the shower over his hair." They had gotten up the flight of stairs when Logan asked: "what's a shower?"

"What do you mean sweetie?" Mrs. Knight questioned.

"D-don't you use rain water to bathe yourselves?" Logan replied in a tiny voice.

Mama Knight wasn't sure of how to respond, she just sighed sympathetically. Once they were inside the bathroom, Kendall's mother placed Logan on the ground and start to run the warm water for a bath.

"We'll shower you're hair afterwards, honey." She smiled.

Logan nodded.

"I'll also let you borrow some of Kendall's clothes until tomorrow when I can buy you some. They'll be a little big, but it should do for now." She grinned, "I'll go and get them, I'll be right back sweetie."

Once Mrs. Knight had left the bathroom, Logan began to take his shirt off, and then put it on the counter by the sink. He dipped his hand into the water and then jumped back. Why was it warm? The raven haired boy stood there with a few tears forming in his eyes. Wasn't water supposed to only be cold like the rain?

"What's wrong, baby?" Mama Knight cooed as she entered the room to see that the small child was shocked.

"I-it's really w-warm." Logan replied in a tiny voice.

"Well of course it is, sweetie." Mrs. Knight giggled, "It's freezing out!"

"How is it warm?" Logan added.

Mrs. Knight grinned a little bit and then explained how when you turn the faucet one way it becomes warm, and the other way makes it cold. Before she could continue talking, all of her focus went to the small boy's stomach. Now that a shirt wasn't covering it, you could see his bones. His tummy was far in, causing his ribs to stick out farther than it. Mama Knight had to brace herself and prevent crying. How could two adults allow such an innocent little child become like this?

Well, there is it! We both found it pretty cute LOL :)

xoxo

~EMiLY and SwagUPWindowsDOWN