Author's Notes: Anyone reading this knows that Nickelodeon owns the rights to Big Time Rush, right? I just like to play chess with the boys, moving them around as I see fit.
So one night I was at the mall and heard a song that sounded like something out of a 50's diner. I suddenly had a vision of Kendall and James as rival gang leaders and it wouldn't leave me alone. The final product is quite a bit different than my original vision, but it was inspired by both Grease and Back to the Future, two fabulous movies that take me back to my childhood because I have such great memories of watching them with friends and family. If you haven't seen them, you really should.
Dedication on this one goes to PromiseMeTheStars because she is such a cheerleader and kept pushing me to continue it after I'd decided to give up on it. She's still bugging me with "Did you write anymore of your story? :D" Aranelle did the same thing, and I love them both for encouraging me when I thought this story had no place to go. Turns out it had two different places to go, but at least everyone will end up happy. I think. Because they always do in my world.
Gleechild gave me the push to start this in the first place, and she's already helped me with two scenes in this story just from her reviews alone. KEEP REVIEWING ME, SHARON. YOU'RE WRITING THIS WITH ME. Aranelle made a pact with me—we agreed that if she'd write her Kendall/James gangster fic, I'd write this one. She made good on her end of the bargain, so I had to follow through. AND YOU SHOULD ALL GO READ HER FIC BECAUSE I LOVE IT AND I LOVE HER AND IT'S JUST SO GOOD IT MADE ME CRY. It's titled "Call Me a Sinner, Call Me a Saint."
I don't even know why I'm still rambling here. I'll shut up now. But thank you for reading and I hope you like it!
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"Now what's this all about, Katie?" Kendall asks.
"You'll see. Just get us home."
They pull out of the drive-in and Logan looks to his right to see Camille arguing with the attendant, holding up a line of cars just so Katie has free rein to run amok. Katie calls her name, and after looking over she hops into her car and pulls away, turning around to follow them out. At the stop sign she pulls up next to them.
"Thanks, Camille!" Katie yells.
"Anytime! So you're the new cutie in town?"
Logan blushes. "I'm Logan. Nice to meet you."
"Oh, the pleasure's all mine," Camille grins. "See you at school tomorrow?"
"Uh...probably?"
"I look forward to it. Bye, guys!"
Kendall scowls at Logan after she pulls away. "Is everyone after you?"
"I'm...sorry?"
"Like having James isn't enough?"
"What, you want Camille? She's all yours."
"So it was a date!" Katie exclaims. "I knew it!"
They had both forgotten she was even there. Kendall turns scared eyes to her. "Katie, it wasn't, they were just two friends hanging out for the night."
"Save it, big brother. We have more important things to discuss."
"Tell me what's going on."
"Just get us home, I'll show you."
Logan feels her eyes on him from behind the entire way home, and his fears kick into overdrive. She knows. She's figured it out. Damn her, she's too smart for her own good. They're gonna stick me in a lab and dissect me, I just know it.
But maybe he's overreacting. Maybe this has nothing at all to do with him.
"Why are you starting something with James if you're just gonna leave?" Kendall asks, surprising Logan. "He's been hurt before, I wouldn't want to see him go through that again."
Logan blinks at Kendall in shock. After deciding that he really did hear that right, he asks, "Who hurt him before?"
"Not important. But he acts a lot tougher than he is. He gets hurt easily."
"I know that, Kendall. I didn't think you knew it, though."
"I know James better than anybody. Even if we haven't been friends in a long time."
Logan knows that voice, it's Kendall's sad voice. He used it when Jo left, when all he wanted was to have her back. "Why can't you just admit you miss him, that you made a mistake?" he asks gently.
"Because. He hates me now. I was an asshole and if he never talks to me again, it's what I deserve."
"He misses you, Kendall."
"No, he doesn't. You heard him. He said Carlos is the best friend he's ever had."
"He just said that to hurt you. Because he was hurt. He's not the most mature person when it comes to feelings."
"Yeah, well...I wasn't either. Not when I needed to be."
"Oh my God. You're in love with him, aren't you?"
"What? Hell no. I just-"
"Kendall, it's okay. It's more than okay. If you two would just-"
"I'm not in love."
"Hey!" Katie interrupts. "Can we talk about this later? We're home now. And Kendall, you're an idiot. You love James and you're too stupid to admit it."
"Shut up, Katie! You don't know anything!"
"And how are you okay with all this?" Logan asks her. "You're ten years old and living in a world where being a fag is enough to get you beaten to death."
"I'm a free thinker. Rules are for chumps."
Kendall rolls his eyes. "Just keep your mouth shut, okay? Nobody needs to know about any of this."
"Fine. But Logan's right. Even if James likes him, he likes you more. Sorry, Logan."
"It's fine. It's also true."
"You're leaving soon anyway, right Logan?" Katie presses. "Gotta get back home?"
Oh crap. She totally knows. Why isn't she freaking out? "I haven't figured that out yet."
"Kendall, come on. I gotta show you something." Katie hops out of the car and they follow, but she tells Logan to wait in the living room.
They're gone for ten minutes, in which Logan tells himself not to panic and that he's overreacting. And if he's not, what then? What would Kendall do?
Logan knows as soon as Kendall comes into the room, though-his secret's out. Kendall is staring at him as if he's an alien, keeping his distance. Katie follows with both his wallet and cell phone in her small hands.
"Um. Katie thinks...well. She's crazy but she thinks..."
"Don't bother lying, Logan, we know you're from the future!"
"Katie, be quiet! Don't wake up mom!"
Logan stands there speechless and terrified, aware that Kendall will see right through him if he tries to lie.
"Logan, this license. It says..."
"I know."
"What's it like there? Does everybody fly in spaceship cars? Does money grow on trees?"
"Katie, enough!"
"Aww come on! You know you want to ask questions, too!"
"Is it true, Logan? Are you..." Kendall shakes his head at the absurdity of the idea.
When Logan doesn't answer, fighting the urge to run for his life, Katie answers for him. "Of course it's true. Look at this cool thing!" She holds up his phone. "What is it, Logan?"
"It's a phone."
"A phone? Like the one we talk on? Wow!"
Kendall makes a frustrated noise. "Come on, let's talk out back." He takes the phone and wallet from Katie and passes them to Logan. "Here."
Logan licks his lips and follows Kendall out into the backyard, away from the house to sit on an old swing.
"So what's going on? Is it true? Are you from the future?"
Kendall doesn't sound accusing or scared, just honestly curious. Logan reminds himself that Kendall is level-headed and will hopefully not freak out. "It's...complicated."
"How complicated can it be? You either are or you're not."
"Okay, then yes. I am."
Neither speaks for a few moments as they stare at each other, Logan's heart like a jackhammer in his chest.
"Are you going to tell everyone?"
"No, but Katie might. We'll have to talk to her."
"Or pay her," Logan jokes, trying to break the tension.
"Yeah, that might work," Kendall laughs. "But Logan...how? Where are you from?"
"Minnesota originally. But here. In my time, the bank is a hotel that we live in."
"We? So your family is alive?"
Shit. Okay, no more slip-ups, Logan. "Yeah. I didn't know how to explain things, so I lied. I'm sorry."
Kendall nods slowly. "And you're trying to get back? What happened to your...I mean, is there a contraption of some kind?"
"It was in the hotel. The bank, I mean. That's why I freaked out when the building was destroyed. Now I'm stuck."
Logan stays quiet for a bit after that, letting Kendall absorb it all.
"What are you gonna do? Just find relatives and try to make a life here?"
"I'm going to rebuild the machine. I need parts, though, and I don't know if I can find them in this era."
"Yeah, that's not gonna be easy. But I'll help in any way I can. Whatever it takes, we'll get you home. I promised you that the day we met, remember?"
Logan smiles. "I remember. I was so happy to see you."
"Yeah? Why me?"
"Because I wasn't alone."
"Never."
Logan smiles again and reaches out to hug Kendall. "I couldn't ask for a better friend."
"Don't forget it."
Relief floods through Logan as he pulls back from the hug. He's no longer alone in this. Kendall will figure it out, because Kendall always does.
"So what next?" Kendall asks.
"I need to get back to the library and see what I can find. Where to get the supplies I'll be needing."
"The machine is completely gone? Nothing left of it?"
"I imagine, I mean-well, it was in the basement. I didn't even think of that, there might be some of it left intact. Don't know how we'd get to it, though."
"Leave that to me. I'll get you in there. I'm sure Katie would be happy to help, too. She's actually a great kid."
"Yeah, she is. Your mom's been so nice."
"She is not gonna let up on the school thing, though. Not unless you tell her everything."
Logan shakes his head. "The less people who know, the better."
"Not even James?" Kendall questions, sounding a bit catty.
Here we go again. "You two really need to kiss and make up."
Kendall's eyes narrow at Logan's choice of words. "I told you. He doesn't want anything to do with me."
"Yes, he does. What happened when he kissed you, Kendall? What did you do?"
Kendall stares at Logan in surprise. "He told you about that?"
"No. And it doesn't matter who did."
"Are we famous in the future? Is that how you know, are there books about us?"
Logan laughs. There's no way he can explain the situation, or that they are indeed famous. "I just know. So what happened?"
Kendall shrugs, embarrassed. "I wasn't expecting it. He kind of ambushed me. I hadn't ever thought of him that way, so I maybe reacted a bit harshly."
"Did you make him feel like a freak, Kendall?"
"I don't know. Maybe. I made sure he knew I wasn't into that sort of thing."
Logan nods. "And then went out and made new friends? Distanced yourself?"
"I don't know. I guess. You're shrinking me again."
"Somebody has to in order to get you two talking again. You miss him, don't you?"
Kendall looks down. "Every second of every day," he says softly.
Logan allows him some time before speaking. "You should tell him. I know he misses you, too."
"Even if he does, he won't ever forgive me. I screwed up pretty bad, Logan."
"Have you ever apologized? Told him you're sorry for pushing him away?"
"No. After I made the football team, we stopped talking. He was pissed off at me for doing it."
"But why? He probably could've made the team, too."
"He definitely would have, if he tried out. But he didn't want to. Said it was stupid. Said he didn't need to be on a team to play sports, that the two of us was enough. And when I pushed it, kept asking him why he was so against me trying out...he kissed me. It uh...pretty much fell apart after that."
"I think he was afraid to lose you. Didn't want to share you, because you might meet someone more exciting, someone you liked more than him."
"I've never met anyone like James. I never will. He's...incredible. And when he sings, when he loses himself in a song. It's beautiful. He's beautiful. And I lost him, Logan. I'll never have that back."
"Maybe not what you had, but what about something better?"
Kendall shakes his head. "It's all about you now. He likes you a lot, I can tell. And you like him, too, so I don't get why you want us together."
Logan shrugs. "Because it's right. And I've got my own guy waiting for me back in my time. If I can ever get there."
"Really? You have a guy?"
"I think so. I wasn't sure if he felt the same way, but...now I'm pretty sure. And I miss him so much, he's probably going crazy without me, probably thinks I'm dead."
"Are things different in the future? The year 2000 seems like a whole other lifetime from this one."
"Well, it basically is. It's crazy how much has changed even from the year 2000 to where I'm at, 2011. The changes come faster as time goes on. But yeah, things are a lot different. Though some things never change, I guess," Logan says with a smirk, thinking of his own James and Kendall and their incessant bickering.
"Are things easier in your time? For two guys to be together?"
"Yes and no. It's still not accepted by everyone, but it's a lot better than it is in this time. In some states, you can even marry a same-sex partner."
Kendall's eyes bug out. "What? I could actually marry James if I lived in your time?"
Logan can't help but smile. "Do you realize what you just said?"
Kendall blushes, which is something Logan's only seen a handful of times in his life. "I didn't say I wanted to, just thought it would be cool if I could. If anybody could, really."
"Well, if you lived in the right state, you could. California legalized it for a while, but then they took it back. I think eventually the federal government will step in and make an amendment or something. I'm hoping, anyway, because someday I'd really like to marry the guy I love. Whether it be Ja-" He bites his tongue, knowing he can't give that away; he doesn't even understand how it's possible for them to exist in two time periods, there's no way he can explain it to Kendall.
"What's his name? Jason?"
"Yes."
"Don't you feel weird making out with James when you're in love with this Jason guy?"
"It's hard to explain. They're a lot alike. James reminds me of him, so much more than you can imagine."
"So that's why you went for him so fast. You guys just met and already you're letting him kiss you. I thought that was weird."
"I know, and I like your James so much, he's incredible, but he's just that—your James. Not mine."
"He's not mine. Lost him ages ago. Logan, do you really think I could get him back? Do you think there's a chance?"
"Kendall Knight, I think you could do anything you want to. Once you set your mind on something and go after it, there's no doubt you'll get it. Unless you choose to let it go," he adds, thinking of Jo. "Don't let James go. It's not too late."
"But how? He won't even talk to me."
"So let's find a reason for you two to work together. How about I tell James the truth about me, and then we all work together to get me home?"
Kendall is already shaking his head. "No way. He probably wouldn't even believe you."
"I think he would. And I know he'd help. He's already offered that, without knowing everything. He's a good person, Kendall. You should know that better than anyone." Except me, that is.
"I know he used to be, but he's changed so much. I don't even know him anymore."
"Trust me. He hasn't changed all that much. He puts on a tough-guy act around you, because he doesn't want you to know he still has feelings for you, that he still cares."
"Well, his act is fooling me. He acts like an asshole."
"And you don't?"
Kendall shrugs, looking away.
"So you've changed your mind about not wanting him that way? Decided maybe it's not such a bad thing?"
"I realized it when I kept having dreams about him. We weren't even speaking anymore but I'd see him at school and he was so beautiful, and I'd dream about him singing to me and kissing me and wake up so hard I couldn't go back to sleep without—well. You know. But it was too late then."
"It's not, Kendall. I promise. You guys work out a truce to help me with this, and I guarantee by the time I leave, you'll at least be friends again."
Kendall nods slowly. "I hope you're right about him still having feelings for me. If you are, then I know I can get him back. As long as there's still some part of the old James in there, I can get him."
Logan grins, relieved that at least one of them is willing to try. "I'm right. Just don't hate me for making out with your guy."
"He wasn't mine then. But he is now, so hands off."
"Can I at least get a goodbye kiss out of him before I go? I'd really like that." There's still the fear of dying in transit, and the last thing Logan wants before he goes is a taste of those lips so the memory can see him through.
Kendall hesitates, but finally answers. "I suppose. No tongue, though."
"You got it. I'll behave. But by then he may not even want to kiss me. He'll just want you."
"I sure hope so. Okay!" Kendall claps his hands together and stands up. "So tomorrow we're skipping out of class as soon as we can, taking James with us and heading to that bank. Or what's left of it. We'll have to leave Katie at school, though she's not gonna like that."
"She can help us with other stuff after school."
"And I really think it's a waste of time to let Mom enroll you in school. Possibly a bad idea as well, because the more people who know you, the more danger of you being found out."
"I agree, but how do we get out of it?"
"We disappear. Once she gets us to the school, we find James and take off."
"She's gonna be so pissed, Kendall."
"She'll get over it. Hopefully we can get far tomorrow so that we don't have to figure out a way to get out of it the next day, too."
"There's no way in hell it'll be ready that fast."
"We'll worry about that when the time comes. For now, let's just...oh, hell, let's do it right now."
"What?"
"Let's go down there now. You have a little flashlight, right? I saw it with your stuff."
"Yeah, but you want to sneak out now?"
"It'll be easier now than tomorrow, when it's light outside. Plus we can take Katie with us. Though we have to go find James, too. But that won't be hard, I know where to find him."
"Really? This late at night?"
"Yeah, he always goes down to the beach when he's upset. And I'm sure he's pretty upset right now."
"You seem to still know a lot about him, for someone who doesn't talk to him anymore."
Kendall shrugs again. "Just because we don't talk doesn't mean I don't still watch over him."
Logan smiles, shaking his head. "I should've known that."
"You go get Katie. I'm gonna push the car down the block so Mom doesn't hear it when I start it up. Meet me there. And grab all your stuff, just in case!"
"On it." Logan can't help but laugh at Kendall's sudden hurry to get rid of him; it's a sign that he truly does plan to win James back.
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