AUTHOR'S NOTE: Here's Chapter 7! :D I hope all of you like it. Please, let me know what you think in a REVIEW :)

Thank you to all of those who have reviewed. I really appreciate every single one of them :D

Disclaimer: I don't own Big Time Rush, but I do own Sage and Elliot

IMPORTANT: a few new, random characters are introduced in this chapter, but DON'T WORRY! They are just passersby :) I like to limit my OC's because this IS a Big Time Rush story (I'm so excited to get to the part when the boys come into this story :D)

-waterwicca

CHAPTER 7: BIG TIME REALITY CHECK

"Are you sure that you wanna be here? You could just stay at my house until I'm done. You might get bored…" Kendall warned Sage as they entered the building of the local ice rink.

"No, I want to see you play. How can watching you running around and exerting yourself get boring?" Sage joked as they stood in the lobby area. There weren't any people around yet, and Sage was grateful for the quiet as Kendall took her into his arms.

"You're right," he sighed and pecked her lips. "So, you'll be okay by yourself?" he asked in concern, but kept his smirk and raised a brow.

"I'll be fine. I'm just gonna sit in the bleachers and watch. You'll be able to see me the whole time," she reassured him by moving her hands up and down his back.

She wanted nothing more than to ask him to stay by her side, but she knew it was unrealistic. Kendall couldn't be around her every second. Even though she had grown accustom to dealing with being alone and isolated, it was difficult for Sage to maintain her comfort with it once she had experienced the way Kendall made her feel. When he was with her, she felt safe and relaxed. Being out in public made her remember her life before him.

It had now been three weeks since they met. The pair spent all of their time together when they weren't asleep. If they could be together at night, they would be. Sleep was always restless because they were alone. Their days consisted of mainly talking, music, movies, and family breakfast and dinners at Kendall's house. They hadn't gone out much at all. So, Sage tried to stay calm as other people started entering the building.

They were there today because Kendall had been in contact with the high school's hockey coach throughout the last week. With his previous record at other schools, there was no question as to why Coach Benson had already guaranteed Kendall a spot on the team. He had invited him here for a practice game with the rest of the team to see how they worked together before training for the season started.

"I should go," Kendall sighed as he took a reluctant step back, "The other guys are starting to flood in. I gotta make a good impression," he smiled wide and threw a friendly wave over Sage's shoulder at a few teammates that walked in. He recognized a couple of them from when he had been playing a game there the day he and Sage had met.

"Go change, and do some male bonding," Sage kissed him softly and smiled up at him. "Also, try not to end up in the hospital like last time."

"Hey! That hospital was very good to me," Kendall bantered back, pulling her close for one last kiss.

"Contrary to what we've been through, hospitals are usually where bad things happen. So, let's not press our luck," Sage patted his cheek in jest before blowing him a kiss and walking toward the bleachers. Kendall chuckled and moved to the locker room with his duffle bag slung over his arm.

As Kendall entered the room, he could already hear a few of his future teammates talking as they changed. Kendall stayed out of sight when he heard the topic of their conversation.

"Hey guys! Guess who I saw heading for the stands right before I came in? Sage Henderson. I don't know why she decided to grace us with her presence, but I'm glad she did. She was looking hot… in her usual freakish sort of way," one guy spoke, causing peals of laughter throughout the room.

Kendall finally stepped into sight, deciding to remain calm even though he really wanted to hit the guy for talking that way about Sage. He glared at the tall brunette as he placed his bag down on the bench. The back of his jersey read 'Glickman'.

"Hey, Kendall Knight, right?" Glickman spoke to him first, causing the others in the room to look at him while he lifted his shirt over his head, "I'm Caleb Glickman. You were talking to Sage Henderson in the lobby, weren't you?"

"Yeah," Kendall replied simply, deciding that, if he didn't have anything nice to say, then he wasn't going to say anything at all. Caleb had obviously never learned this lesson because he continued with a smirk that Kendall wanted to punch right off of his face.

"I wouldn't even bother with that girl, man. She's pretty nice to look at, but, the one time I hit on her, she completely spazzed out on me," he laughed with his friends while Kendall finished getting changed. He tried his best to keep his mouth shut while Caleb kept talking, "I think someone needs to loosen her up," he said suggestively with a wiggle of his eyebrows while his friends egged him on.

Kendall slammed his locker shut harshly, effectively silencing the room. He took a deep breath and decided that, despite the anger boiling inside, he wasn't going to beat the shit out of Caleb. The guy probably didn't know any better, and he knew both Sage and his mother wouldn't appreciate him getting into a fist fight on the first day with his new team. Instead of flipping out, he spoke sternly as he gathered a few supplies from his bag.

"She's my girlfriend," his voice cut through the silent tension in the room. Everyone then turned to look at Caleb, including Kendall.

"Oh! Uh-uh… I'm sure she's…" Caleb blushed and stammered lamely as he busied himself with his own belongings. Kendall smirked, satisfied that he had at least embarrassed the boy.

"Don't pay any attention to Caleb. His favorite past time is listening to himself talk," a boy with short, light brown hair spoke as he sat down beside Kendall, who was lacing up his skates quietly. The guy gave him a soft, almost shy, smile that reminded him of Logan's demeanor when they were kids. Kendall couldn't help but smile back. "I'm Dustin Sanders," the boy added, reaching out his hand.

"Kendall Knight," Kendall said as he shook his hand.

"So, Sage is your girlfriend?" Dustin asked politely and Kendall nodded. "I thought you just moved here?" he chuckled. Kendall laughed along and shrugged.

"It just kinda happened. It's hard to explain…" Kendall spoke, getting a faraway look in his eyes as he thought about Sage while finishing up the laces on his skates.

"That's cool," Dustin assured him while checking to see if his own skates were secure. "I can tell by your smile that she must be great. I worked with her once in Biology. She was pretty quiet and skittish, but she was really nice to me, and we aced our project," he smiled as he ran a hand through his hair thoughtfully, "Everyone at school likes to get down on her because she doesn't talk to anyone. They all treat her like an outcast, but we don't really know her… I try not to judge," Dustin shrugged nonchalantly. Kendall liked his attitude. Unlike most of the others in the locker room, he was calm and generally friendly.

"She really is special," Kendall told him proudly as he leaned back casually on the bench, "I'm not sure how she is in school yet, but I'm guessing I see a whole different side of her. The girl you're describing sounds like a stranger," he added, shaking his head in disbelief.

"Maybe she's only herself with you… Maybe you're her exception," Dustin punched him on the arm playfully. The reminder of him being special to Sage made Kendall's heard skip a beat. He was already missing her.

"Are you seeing anyone?" Kendall asked in a friendly tone. He kept his fidgeting hands busy by tapping out a silent beat against the bench beneath him. He's spent the last few weeks trying to figure out how to make his body adjust comfortably when he wasn't with Sage. Nothing ever worked fully, but distracting himself and engaging in idle conversation with others seemed to help.

"Yup!" Dustin said excitedly. "Her name's Erin. She's everything to me. We grew up together, but she moved recently. Thankfully she only lives a few hours away. So, we can still see each other every weekend," he finished with a softer smile before suddenly reaching down to fish something out of his skate, "I always keep her picture on me when I play. It's my good luck charm," Dustin held out a small photo of him and a bubbly brunette embracing happily.

"She's cute," Kendall nodded sincerely. He made a mental note to get a picture of Sage to keep with him at all times. Maybe he wouldn't fidget so much if he could see her whenever he needed to. Dustin seemed happy enough with the arrangement of just visiting with Erin every weekend… but, then again, Dustin seemed normal.

"Alright boys! Time to hit the ice!" Coach Benson entered, causing the majority of the team to look up and cheer, "I'm sure all of you have already met Kendall. He's our newest recruit, and he's done some great stuff at his previous schools. So, let's make him feel welcome!" he yelled, getting the team pumped as Kendall gave a small wave to the rest of the guys. The team gathered, preparing to go out onto the ice.

"Good luck," Dustin whispered with a friendly smile, and they exited the locker room.

Sage sat far up against the wall, at the top of the bleachers as she watched the boys pile onto the ice. She smiled when she immediately spotted Kendall in the crowd. Sage had been tense since walking away from him in the lobby, but now it was like he had never left. Kendall smiled and waved up at her. She waved back right before he had to look away when his coach started giving orders. Other people started climbing onto the once empty bleachers, and Sage's uneasiness returned.

Pushing herself further against the wall, Sage tucked her legs beneath her body and clasped her hands tightly together on her lap. She tried to focus on Kendall gliding across the ice to take her mind off of the other bodies that sat a few feet away.

Ever since Elliot had started abusing her on a daily basis, it was hard for Sage to be around other people. Every time someone would brush past her, or touch her by accident, she had the instinct to scream and flinch away. So, she found it easier not to talk and stay away from everyone as much as she could. It was like dealing with post traumatic stress disorder, but there was nothing 'post' about it. That's why Kendall and his family were so special to her… When she was with them, any trace of fear left her body. Being back out in public reminded her of the real life she lived day to day only a few weeks before. It reminded her of a life without Kendall, and it made her sick to her stomach.

The few people who came onto the bleachers to watch the practice game all seemed to be fellow students of Ramsey High School. They were most likely the girlfriends and friends of the members of the team. Sage cringed when one girl in particular came into view.

Samantha Carson checked her perfectly curled brown hair in a small compact mirror as she lead two of her friends to the front row. They stopped and sat slightly to the left of Sage, all the way down at the bottom. She remained quiet at the top as the girls began to gossip. The team had split into two groups and was just starting a match. Kendall was playing center for his team. All eyes were on him as the coach blew the whistle.

"Hey, look! There's the new guy!" Samantha said in interest as her two friends looked on.

Kendall currently had the puck and moved across the ice as if he were flying. He looked like a professional. He weaved in between and around the opposing players, like they weren't even an issue, before he passed the puck off swiftly to his teammate who scored an easy goal. Kendall bumped fists with his teammate as they celebrated. Sage couldn't help but smile down at her boyfriend when he took the time to look up at her while he skated back to his position at the center of the ice. He threw her his best smile before focusing back on the game.

"He's pretty good! I heard from my brother that he may have a shot at being captain," Samantha's raven-haired friend spoke.

"He's hot," the red head to her left added with a devilish smile.

"He's mine," Samantha interjected with a smirk as she watched Kendall move skillfully along the ice once again.

Sage couldn't help the harsh intake of breath she experienced. She felt anger and jealousy pump through her veins. It was something she had never felt before. She was usually indifferent about anything that had to do with her peers. It wasn't hard not to feel protective and jealous over someone when you had no one, but now she had Kendall, and she wasn't going to let him slip through her fingers.

Feeling determined, Sage moved her feet to the floor, ready the give Samantha a piece of her mind. Her shoes squeaked against the metal bleachers, and Samantha turned around to look at her. In that moment, any confidence Sage thought she had been feeling was wiped away like it had never existed at all. Samantha was looking right at her with a malicious glare that could only remind her of Elliot. Now that she was under scrutiny, Sage suddenly remembered why she preferred to be invisible. She stayed in her seat when Samantha spoke to her.

"What are you doing here, Henderson? I didn't think you ever left the house," she spoke with a toothy smirk as her friends cackled on.

Sage froze. She was being spoken to, which she almost forgot was on a list of her worst fears. She thought about leaving, but Kendall was out there laughing on the ice with a teammate as he assisted in scoring another goal. Sage watched him for a moment to get the feeling in her body back.

After regaining her composure, she took a quick look at Samantha and her friends. They were still glaring at her, waiting for her to do something. Sage held her breath and threw her hood over her head for a false sense of security before standing and moving all the way down in the bleachers until there was a good twelve yards between herself and the others.

"Freak…" Samantha muttered loud enough for her to hear before she and her friends started talking to each other quietly. They were probably talking about her, but Sage didn't care as long as they weren't talking to her.

Unfortunately, the whole exchange didn't seem to go unnoticed by Kendall. When she looked up, Sage saw him skating along the ice and not paying attention to the game. He was looking up at her with a confused frown. Obviously, he hadn't heard anything that was said because of the plexi glass that separated them, but he saw her get up and move. Sage reassured him with a soft smile and a slight wave. He smiled back, and she felt secure enough to slide the hood off of her head.

It was over an hour before Coach Benson told the guys they were finished. Right in the end, Kendall had scored the final goal after checking another player with the name "Glickman" on his jersey. Sage smirked because Kendall looked fully satisfied with himself as the team flooded back into the locker room to change again.

Sage waited as patiently as possible in the seat she had taken earlier. She had her hands shoved deep into her pockets as she anxiously waited for Kendall to emerge. The longing she always felt wasn't too bad when he was still in her line of sight, but when Kendall was gone she got antsy. She sighed in relief when he finally came out of the locker room and made a beeline directly for her.

Kendall smiled and quickened his pace, eager to have his girlfriend in his arms again. He threw his bags down on the ground, where the bleachers began, before continuing forward. Sage was already standing near the wall as he approached. Kendall was only a few yards away when he found his path suddenly blocked.

"Hi! It's Kendall, right? I'm Samantha Carson," the brunette girl stood in front of him with a hand on her hip and two girls at her sides.

"Hey, nice to meet you," Kendall smiled down at her politely before quickly trying to move past her. Samantha stopped him with a pushy hand on his chest. She smirked at him, causing Kendall to inwardly groan. She was trying to flirt with him, and, from the looks of her, she was probably used to having everything go her way. He was going to have to burst her bubble.

"You looked great out there," she continued speaking despite the fact that he hardly looked at her once. Kendall sighed heavily.

"Listen," he started by taking her hand and unceremoniously removing it from his body, "thank you for the compliment, but I really have to get going." Kendall moved past her without another word. As he closed the distance between him and Sage, he could feel the brunette glaring daggers into his back.

"Never mind, girls. He can't be that great if he's talking to her," Samantha spoke to her sidekicks with a snarl while Kendall immediately took Sage's hands into his own. She leaned into his touch when Samantha continued speaking. "Kendall, you're new around here. So, it's only fair to warn you: If you hang out with losers," she stopped to shoot Sage a nasty look that had Kendall instantly fuming, "then you won't really have a good reputation," Samantha finished with her arms crossed in front of her over exposed chest.

Kendall looked at Sage. She seemed completely distressed at the brunette bitch's words. He squeezed her hands tightly so she would look at him. He gave her a quick wink before he turned to Samantha with a full blown, almost friendly smile.

"Fuck you," he said it simply and sweetly, causing Samantha to gasp at his boldness.

Sage couldn't help but laugh at her horrified look and Kendall's expression of complete joy. It was only another second before Kendall pulled her close and kissed her passionately. Their lips separated in an instant so their tongues could meet in a playful battle for dominance that Kendall would always win. Sage smiled and wrapped her arms around his neck to deepen the lip lock while Kendall ran his hands along her lower back. They could hear Samantha and her friends' storm off in a huff as the kiss slowed. When they finally parted, Sage still kept her arms around him.

"School's gonna be way better with you around," she joked between breaths.

"Bet on it… Come skate with me!" Kendall exclaimed with excitement, causing Sage to laugh.

"I don't have skates," she shook her head from side to side, a smile still on her face.

"I packed Mom's old pair," Kendall responded with a satisfied grin as he broke away from Sage to run over to his abandoned bag. He dug out two pairs of skates and sat down on the bleachers, motioning for Sage to sit beside him.

"You planned this," Sage stated and chuckled lightly as she took the skates from him and started to put them on while he did the same.

"Hey, I'm an organized guy: 'Always be prepared' and all that jazz," Kendall joked, standing up in his skates and holding a hand out for his girlfriend, who took it instantly and followed him onto the ice. The pair made their way to the center of the rink hand in hand.

"You know, Kendall Knight, you looked pretty sexy out here playing today…" Sage smirked playfully and gave his hand a flirtatious squeeze.

"Oh, really?" Kendall bantered back with a brilliant smile and a raised brow as he skillfully circled twice around her with his hands glued to her waist.

"Thanks for sticking up for me back there," the girl's smile turned soft and sincere, referring to Samantha, as she wrapped her arms around Kendall's neck while he slid them backwards across the ice.

"I'm always going to look out for you," Kendall kissed her forehead before continuing, "…but I had no idea you were such a social deviant," he teased, running his hands along her back.

"But I'm your social deviant," Sage leaned up to kiss his cheek, making him smile.

"Even the guys in the locker room had something to say about you being here…" Kendall couldn't fight off the scowl that appeared on his face.

"Do I want to know?" Sage sighed and bit her lip at his reaction.

"I took care of it…" Kendall assured her with a nonchalant shrug and the reappearance of his smile.

"My hero," Sage laughed and rolled her eyes.

"Damn straight," the boy chuckled and kissed her lips gently, lingering for a moment, and then pulled back.

"So, now that you've seen what everyone in town thinks of me… Why would you still love me?" Sage whispered her last words. She had never questioned their feelings for each other before, but being back in the real world made her remember who she was.

She didn't sound sad, but Kendall felt almost sick at the complete disbelief that was in her voice and laced onto her usually serene features. It was as if she couldn't wrap her head around the idea of him loving her unconditionally when it felt like the simplest thing in the world to him. Sometimes, Kendall tried to figure out the whole crazy three weeks in his head, but even his own mind couldn't make sense of itself.

Loving Sage just came about with no real provocation… like breathing or blinking: It just happened… and he wasn't going to question the feeling because he needed it.

"First of all, please don't put yourself down like that. It makes me sad…" Kendall asked of her with a serious frown and begging eyes to make his point clear. Her gentle smile let him know that she heard him loud and clear, and he continued with a playful smirk, "… and, second of all, I have lots of reasons to love you."

"Such as…?" Sage asked with a grin as she turned in Kendall's arms to press her back into his chest while he continued guiding them smoothly along the ice in the empty rink. Kendall smiled as he spoke, loving when they got into these types of conversations… conversations that meant something… meant the world to him.

"When you smile, I can't help but smile too. So, we're never bored…" Kendall whispered into her ear and laced their hands together at her waist, "… I can sit with you in complete silence and feel like nothing needs to be said… I love you because you can read my mind. You always know what I'm thinking with just one look… Why do you love me?" he asked, turning the question back on her as they always did for each other. They would always remain equals.

Sage could hear the flirtation in his voice before she turned once again to look him in the eye.

"Because you're strong. You make me feel safe and free… Your confidence is contagious… When I touch you, I feel like anything is possible; even making Samantha Carson go away," she finished with a small laugh that he returned.

"I like this too," he gestured between their two bodies, "I like that we can play and be serious. We're smiling and flirting one second, and then we turn serious and I can be completely honest with you. There's no reason to be afraid…" Kendall smiled fondly at her, brushing a strand of blonde hair from her face.

Sage's heart flinched at his truthful words. She felt completely guilty because everything was perfect except for her honesty with him. It always came down to one thing… the one thing that dominated her life and thoughts three weeks earlier. Elliot was always the problem…

Sage leaned into his warm caress and decided that she would tell him everything when the time was right. She wanted to wait for the perfect moment, and now was not it. Kendall was looking at her with complete adoration and contentment, and she knew, despite her thoughts about her stepfather, her features were mirroring his own. Kendall always made everything better. He could make a meteor plummeting towards Earth seem like the best thing that's ever happened.

As the couple met in a loving kiss, Sage promised herself she'd tell him…

When the time is right…

"You're late!" Katie sighed heavily as she climbed into the backseat of Kendall's car.

"Sorry…" Sage and Kendall apologized nervously as they drove away from Katie's day camp.

"We got a little caught up…" Sage offered with a small grin in Kendall's direction as they laced their hands together between their seats.

"So, what's the deal with you two?" Katie asked abruptly and curiously, sitting forward in her spot to be closer to the couple.

"What do you mean?" the blonde girl asked with a quick glance at the brunette.

"Are you two dating or what?" Katie questioned further, eager to get an answer. Sage had spent every day at the Knight house for the three weeks they've known her, and she fit in perfectly, but Kendall and Sage would never flat out admit anything. It was starting to drive the youngest Knight insane. Katie preferred to know everything that was happening around her. It was the only way to keep the upper hand.

"Yeah, she's my girlfriend. Is that okay?" Kendall responded defensively, keeping his eyes on the road.

"Fine by me!" Katie smiled and shrugged her shoulders as she at back in her seat, satisfied with getting a definitive answer.

"Good, because I love her," Kendall added sweetly, leaning to the side to kiss Sage when he reached a stop sign.

"I'm gonna get a cavity if you two don't knock it off," Katie whined halfheartedly, crossing her thin arms over her chest.

"I love you too," Sage spoke to her boyfriend, ignoring Katie's protest.

"Don't tell Mom!" Kendall suddenly interjected, turning to look at his little sister with wide eyes before driving forward.

"It's not like she doesn't already know. You guys are so obvious," Katie laughed to her self.

"Are not!" Sage defended but still smiled.

"Are so… You're always touching. It's like you share the same personal space," the young girl insisted, gesturing to their clasped hands.

"Whatever…" Kendall stuck his tongue out at her when he stopped at a traffic light.

"How was camp today?" Sage asked, changing the subject.

"It was alright… This kid kept trying to pick a fight with me…" Katie answered with an indifferent shrug.

"He probably likes you," Sage told her with a big smile.

"You think so?" Katie seemed interested.

"I don't wanna hear this!" Kendall exclaimed and reached forward to blast the radio as loud as it would go. Sage immediately turned it back down.

"Oh shush… Is he cute?" Sage continued, ignoring Kendall's protest about hearing his sister talk about boys.

"I don't know! I'm ten! He only lost his cooties last year…" Katie insisted, throwing her hands up in exasperation.

"Fine…" Sage sighed dramatically and slumped into her seat with a smirk, knowing the small brunette would speak eventually.

"Well, he's not ugly…" the girl mumbled.

"I knew it!" Sage laughed and turned around in her seat with excitement.

"Stop encouraging her!" Kendall swatted his girlfriend playfully, laughing along as they pulled into the driveway.

Kendall may complain in jest, but he secretly loved that Katie had found a sister in Sage; giving her someone to talk to and trust that wasn't his mother. The three of them entered his house with warm greetings from Karen. Soon, they would sit down for dinner all together and spend the mild, August evening lounging around. His mother would read, Katie would play her video games, and Sage and Kendall would work on their instrument lessons with each other. In the past weeks, they had settled into their new home and welcomed Sage with open arms every day. They were becoming a real family unit…

Late in the night, Kendall and Sage followed their usual routine. He drove her home at the same time every night, but this time was different from all the others. Elliot's car was in the driveway… Sage's stepfather came outside as the two teenagers climbed out of the car and stepped onto the lawn.

"You're late… You missed dinner…" Elliot spoke with tight words at Sage when he stood beside them. They had no plans for dinner. They never did. Sage knew something bad was going to happen…

"I'm sorry. I lost track of time…" Kendall watched as the girl made an excuse. Her eyes lost their spark, and her voice lost every ounce of its power. Kendall felt uneasy to say the least.

"It was my fault…" Kendall jumped in to take the blame even though Sage had never mentioned even needing to be home, "… It won't happen again."

"I bet…" Elliot responded smugly, looking to his stepdaughter with a glare before turning to Kendall with a fake smile, "… Why don't you head home now? Your mother's probably waiting, right?" Elliot insisted with a raised brow, his muscular arms crossing in front of his large body.

"Well, probably, but-" Kendall started but Elliot had cut him off.

"Okay. Sage will call you whenever she can," Elliot spoke sternly and turned to walk toward the house but paused when he realized Sage wasn't following him like he had expected her to, "You coming, Sweetie?" Elliot used the term of endearment and laced it with enough venom to make Kendall's heart sink with a feeling he couldn't understand.

"Y-Yeah… Bye Kendall…" Sage gave her boyfriend a small smile and a short wave but he knew her well enough to realize something wasn't right. Her shoulders were tense and her eyes were moving from his to the ground in rapid movements. Sage was hiding, but Kendall was having trouble figuring out why because she had never done it before. Why would she be fake with him?

"Bye. I love you…" Kendall smiled sweetly despite his anxiousness, hoping to raise her spirits. He could see the real her shine through the moment she heard him speak. She gave him a genuine smile, making his own body relax.

"I love you too-"

"Sage!" Elliot's voice cut through their connection as he called from the bottom of the porch steps.

Sage was gone again… Her eyes were down. Her smile faded almost instantly, and her shoulders were tense and rigid. She waved at Kendall once before stepping back a few times and turning away completely.

Kendall hesitated for a moment, watching Sage move toward Elliot, and then jumped into his car. He eased away from the curb slowly, feeling more reluctant than ever to leave. He drove down the road at a snail's pace, still feeling uneasy. Something was wrong, and he was struggling to figure it out.

Without thinking, Kendall moved his eyes to the review mirror even though he was sure there was nothing to see. However, he could see Elliot with his hand firmly planted on Sage's arm. She looked uncomfortable but wasn't really pulling away as Elliot spoke to her.

Kendall panicked… He didn't like the sudden feeling in his chest.

"He's just talking to her… Maybe he's just scolding her for being late…" Kendall spoke aloud to himself as he tore his eyes away and back toward the road. He gripped the steering wheel tightly and drove forward for a few more minutes, "… Mind your own business…"

Kendall stopped at an intersection and stared at the black asphalt that lay before him. The light was green, but he wasn't moving. His chest was tight and he couldn't shake it…

Something's wrong…

Something's wrong…

Something's wrong…

"Fuck it… Sage is my business," Kendall gave in to the feeling with a fierce determination and did an illegal turn through the empty intersection, heading back to Sage's house.

When he arrived, Elliot and Sage weren't on the lawn anymore. He jumped out of the car. As he approached the house, he could hear yelling… and then a crash. Kendall sprinted across the grass. When he reached the bottom of the stairs, the front door flew open.

Sage was standing there breathing heavily. Her shirt sleeve was torn and a nasty red mark marred her face.

She and Kendall stared at each other. Shock… Fear… Anger… They all ran through him so fast. Sage looked scared and broken. He just wanted to put her back together, but it felt like his feet were glued to the ground beneath him. His mind was racing, yet not working at all. He was trying to process everything… What's happening?

Sage finally spoke, her panic and surprise evident as she whispered.

"Kendall…"

A/N: Sorry for the cliffhanger! :D This is JUST THE BEGINNING... There's so much more to go! :)

In the next chapter: See the first confrontation between Kendall and Elliot...

ANONYMOUS REVIEWS ARE ENABLED :D Please Review and let me know how you liked this :)

In the meantime, if you're into SLASH, check out my other stories: "For the Lovers of Kogan" and "For the Lovers of Jagan" for some fun :D