A/N: Hi again! :) Sometimes I wonder if I should leave it a few days before I update... but I just love writing this so much and I don't want to leave you hanging! :) Therefore all my other fics are on hiatus right now...

I really have to give a big thanks to FavUYA for noticing my awkward mistake on the last chapter - I completely forgot that the American school year actually ends in June? I think it's June... but anyway FavUYA pointed out that if James were a senior and the last chapter was set just before Thanksgiving then James would have graduated and be going to college by now... Oops! :P So yes being from Australia, where the school year ends in November/December and we go back the next Feburary, I am implying that James would be graduating and finishing High School at the end of the year :) Get me? haha. So yeah in American summer they would just have "mid year break" like we do in Aus :) So I hope that is all cleared up! Also the reason Kendall is back for break and Carlos and James are still at school is because Kendalls NYC school is cool and finished earlier... haha.

Now onto this chapter! James and Kendall are reunited; FINALLY! What will Kendall say? What will James say? Will James be happy to see Kendall? Will Kendall forgive James? Read on and find out! :D

Disclaimer: Title and italics at the beginning are from the song Bleeding Love by Leona Lewis. It's a good song... Don't judge me.

Chapter 10 - Bleeding Love

But I don't care what they say, I'm in love with you
They try to pull me away
but they don't know the truth
My heart's crippled by the vein that I keep on closing
You cut me open.

Kendall P.O.V

I was tired, so tired. All I wanted to do was go home and collapse in bed, shutting myself off from the world; something I had become intimately familiar with. It had been a long day, my Mum and step Dad deciding it was necessary to both take some time off work and treat me like I was some China doll that was going to crack at any second and I was sick of it. How many times did I have to say I was fine? The thing was though; they're smart and can see through my lies.

I was almost glad to be released from their clutches and go to the school ice rink, but once I got there I was no longer glad. Everyone wanted to chat, "Oh my god Kendall how have you been?" "What's living in New York like?" "Are you playing hockey over there?" But possibly the worst question was; "Why did you move?"

That was a hard one to answer, but I already had a pre rehearsed answer that rolled off my tongue so easily now; "I just wanted to spend some time with my Dad, I never see him"

People ate that answer up with no qualms, for you see; no one really cares. If they wanted to they could see through my wall I had placed up around myself and the undeniable hurt in my eyes, but they didn't because they didn't care, which is fine because I don't care about me either.

"Kendall throw some skates on and join us!" An old friend from the team and now captain Mitch Brown exclaimed excitedly as he twirled around me on the ice with a large smile.

I wanted that, I wanted the feeling of being on the ice without a care in the world and a big smile on my face.

"Sure, why not" I replied with a smile that was actually sort of, like... real... wow.

Once I'd put on a pair of Carlos' old skates and some basic hockey gear I flew out onto the ice and felt... whole. I'd missed this and I didn't realise just how much. But as I skated around now with a slight breeze coursing through my blonde hair I couldn't help but begin to feel again.

I threw myself into training with the team, taking on the immediate captaincy role once more, which no one complained about. As I lost myself in the feel of the ice beneath my skates and the control I felt when shooting the puck right through the centre of the goals with much skill I began to forget about my troubles, and began to really wonder that maybe there is more to life than... James. Who was he anyway? He might take away my heart but he will never take hockey from me.

"All right, move off juniors, time for some real hockey to be played." I heard a voice call to my left, causing me to skid to a stop and taking off my helmet to stare at the senior team now making their way onto the ice.

And that's when I saw him.

Hockey stick in one hand, helmet in the other and looking more beautiful than what I could have possibly remembered. His brunette hair slightly longer, with honey tones from the sun running through it subtly and hazel eyes so stunning I felt as if I were falling in love with him all over again... Or maybe my heart was breaking all over again. He was frozen, like the ice beneath our feet, and staring at me with what could only be pure horror mixed with heart breaking sadness. I too felt frozen; my brain told me to move, screaming at me "This wasn't the plan! He wasn't meant to see you!" But I just couldn't move, instead I just stood and stared straight on back.

"Oh hey, it's Knight!" Jett Stetson bellowed to his teammates, skating up to me and getting right up in my face. "Hey James!" He called, "Your lover boy is back!"

I wasn't even focusing on what Jett was saying, my eyes were just staring into James' and a million emotions were running through my head.

Sadness. Hurt. Pain. Anger. Loss. Love.

There were so many things I wanted to do. I wanted to yell at him. Cry at him. Punch him. Kiss him.

But what would I choose...

"Anyway, shove off Knight, your play time is over." Jett grunted when he realised he wasn't getting a reaction out of me.

"No, wait" James called, the sound of his voice piercing my heart. "Why don't we train with the juniors for a bit?" He said, skating up to stand in front of Jett and I.

My heart was racing... "Freaking out" would be an understatement for how I was feeling. Here James was, in the flesh. This wasn't a dream... this wasn't a nightmare... this wasn't an imagination like the ones I had been having for the past 6 months... this was real.

"Ha why?" Jett scoffed.

"Because the junior team is actually good, and we can practice properly if we can play a game with the right numbers and besides, I'm captain so what I say goes."

"Whatever" Jett grunted, turning to skate away.

"Hey, Brown!" James called, turning quickly on his heel to my team who were now exiting the rink.

Mitch skated over to us quickly, looking up at James like he was a God. I recognised that look... I'd been so pathetic.

"Yes, J-James?"

"Get your team back on the ice, were going to have a match, it will be good training for both of us" He commanded.

"Sure!" He squeaked, sprinting over to my ex team and calling them back over before they had time to take their skates off.

When James turned back around to face me there was just us, no distractions, no one else, we were alone and all the walls were suddenly crumbling down. Neither of us could talk, lost for words, yet there were so many things that needed to be said. One thing did come to mind though, and it seemed...appropriate.

"Hello" I choked out, trying to sound strong but unable to keep the pain and nerves out of my voice.

"H-hi" He replied in a whisper. "Kendall..."

I stared at him expectantly, heart breaking slowly as he said my name. My instinct reaction was to cry, but I wouldn't (at least not yet), I wouldn't give him the satisfaction of knowing how strongly he had affected me. Although maybe he should know, maybe he should know about the blood that bleeds from not only my wrists but also my heart – all because of him.

"Kendall" He said again, moving so close to me we were now touching distance apart, and boy, I really wanted to touch him. But with my fist or my lips... I couldn't decide.

We were in our private bubble now, and it was so intense I wondered if there was any oxygen in this bubble, because I sure as hell couldn't breathe. We could have been standing there for only a few seconds, or minutes, or hours but I didn't notice, all that mattered in this moment were his eyes, his lips, his slightly red cheeks, his soft hair – all that mattered, was him.

He parted his lips, as if he were going to speak but the words didn't reach his mouth and he just stood there, tongue tied. I wanted so badly to reach out and cup his cheek in my hand, lean forward ever so slowly and then bring my lips down on his...

No. Kendall no, have you forgotten what he did to you?

Yes, yes that's right. I must listen to that voice inside my head. But if I was meant to be listening to the voice, why my heart telling me otherwise?

"Kendall" He started again, "There are so many things I want to say... But I just... I can't find the right words"

As one tear escaped the corner of his eye my heart began to scream at me. My hand twitched by my side, begging to reach out and just wipe the tear away.

I opened my mouth to talk, words on the tip of tongue that so desperately needed to be said, "James, I've spent the past 6 months –"

"HEY!" Someone yelled from right beside me, cutting my sentence off – it was none other than Dak Zevon.

"Diamond, if you're finished having your little lovers reunion with your toy boy here, we'd like to train" Dak spat, resentment absolutely dripping from his tongue.

I didn't fail to notice the slight growl that escaped James' lips as he finally pulled his eyes away from mine. "Back off Zevon"

"Look James, we all know you two want to start fucking again after being apart for so long, but can you maybe do it later?"

"I said, Back. Off" James grunted again, dropping his helmet and hockey stick to the ice floor to shove Dak backwards.

I was fairly sure everyone was watching us now, and I hated that, I hated having eyes on me.

"Oh, oh!" Dak laughed, regaining his balance. "You wanna go Diamond?"

"Just fuck off Dak and leave Kendall alone" James growled, fists balling as he stood defensively in front of me.

Was James defending me? Shouldn't he be joining Dak in the insults against me?

"So you're protecting him now? Well that's interesting... hey Kendall?" Dak said loudly, looking past James' shoulders to look me dead in the eye. "Do you think James loves you? Do you think he has missed you this whole time you've been away? Did you ever wonder why he drove you away in the first place? Did he tell you what really happened? Because if you've got a spare minute I would absolutely love to fill you in on everything that happened that Thursday morning and -"

Whatever Dak was about to say was cut short by James hurling his body at Dak's sending the two crashing to the ice. Which was a shame because I really wanted to know what Dak had to say; but for now that would have to be stored at the back of my mind as James was now pummelling Dak into the ice.

Some other guys stepped in then, from both teams, trying to pull the animalistic, rage filled James off a defenceless Dak but nothing could stop James though, he was a man possessed and if someone didn't stop him now I had no doubt he would actually try and kill Dak – I had to get in there and try stop him, maybe he would listen to me.

"James!" I screamed, throwing my arms around his waist and trying to drag him off Dak, "James! Stop this!"

"Get off me Kendall" He grunted, breaking out of my grip to place some more punches to Daks already swollen face.

"JAMES!" I yelled again, using every bit of strength I had to completely pull him off Dak.

"No Kendall, no!" He cried, thrashing against my hold on his waist. "You don't understand!"

"I don't give a shit what he says! James you have to calm down!" I tried to soothe.

"You should listen to him Diamond" Dak groaned as he started to sit up slowly, "Listen to your precious little Kendall"

James managed to break free of my death hold and lunged himself at Dak once more, not holding back as he began to beat him senseless and now no matter how I tried I just couldn't stop pull him off again.

"DIAMOND! ZEVON! KNIGHT!" I heard someone scream into my ear, before I felt strong arms around my waist, pulling me off James.

I think it was Carlos, but I wasn't sure, all I saw was the coach of the senior hockey team, Coach Skinner, with the assistance of nearly the whole team, pull James and Dak off one another. Once they were finally separated and about five boys having to hold James back, Coach Skinner was absolutely fuming as he looked back and forth between both boys.

"DIAMOND! ZEVON! THE PRINCIPALS OFFICE! RIGHT NOW!" He bellowed, "AND YOU TOO KNIGHT!"

"Never, never in all my years as coach of the hockey team and a teacher at this school have I ever seen something so disgusting!" Coach Skinner yelled, pacing back and forth in front of Dak, James and I looking down on us in our seats, whilst Principal Collins sat in her chair behind the desk, not saying a word.

"Diamond you were COMPLETEY out of order!" Skinner said, staring at James right in the eye.

"And you!" Now diverting his attention to Dak, "You're not the complete victim in this so don't try and wiggle yourself out of punishment!"

"And last but not least, Knight!" he exclaimed loudly, turning to face me, "You are not even a pupil at this school anymore and yet somehow you manage to get involved!"

Coach Skinner took a second to compose himself before continuing to yell, "Now, if it were up to me I would suspend you, Zevon and I might go as far as expelling you Diamond!"

"But Coach I-" James started to argue before he was cut off by Principal Green.

"Enough!" Miss Collins said, ushering Coach Skinner to take the seat that was next to her hardwood desk.

"No one is getting expelled." She began, "But that doesn't mean I am not extremely, extremely disappointed in what has taken place this afternoon. What I fail to understand is why this happened in the first place. Mr Zevon and Mr Diamond you are both excellent students and have never had a spot on your records and from what I gathered; I thought you two were best friends?"

"Hardly" Dak scoffed, shooting James a menacing glare.

"Anyway, social matters don't concern me, but what I do want to know is why two of my best students and hockey players are suddenly trying to kill each other on my campus?"

"He provoked me Miss" James grunted.

"You know Mr Diamond, when you're an adult you don't punch everyone who provokes you in life" Miss Collins said, looking at James over the rims of her glasses.

"I know, I'm sorry Miss, I just don't know what came over me" James said as he bowed his head.

"And now, Mr Knight" Miss Collins said, looking at me sternly. "As Coach Skinner said, you are not even a pupil at my school anymore; you filled for transfer to Marymount School in New York last March due to "personal issues" and that was the last I heard of you. Are you returning to my school after Thanksgiving break? Or was this just a personal visit where you were placed in the wrong place at the wrong time?"

I looked over at James to see him staring at me expectantly, but what answer would he want to hear? What answer did I want to say? Did I want to return to my life in Minnesota? Did James want me to return to my life in Minnesota?

"I-i'm not sure Miss, it depends on how I feel after being here for the break, and New York isn't exactly... working out for me."

"Well we would be happy to have you back Mr Knight, but not if you are going to find yourself in situations such as this one, do I make myself clear? "

"Yes Miss"

"Good. Now, I am going to speak to Coach Skinner and a few of the other boys down at the ice rink where they were told to stay, to get a better understanding of what has happened here. You are not to leave this room until I return, and I swear to God if you fight again I will have no hesitation in expelling you Mr Zevon and Mr Diamond and not re-admitting you into this school Mr Knight – do you understand?"

"Yes Miss" We chorused as she turned on her heel to leave the room.

The door had barely clicked shut before Dak turned on James, "Good going Diamond!" He exclaimed. "You could have killed me!"

"Oh please!" James spat, "Shut up and take it like a man."

"Oh James, you know I take it like a man"

The condescending tone of Daks voice was hard to miss, but I didn't really understand what he getting at exactly.

"I have no hesitation in getting expelled Dak" James growled.

"Oh I think you do. Can you imagine what your parents would say if you got expelled? What your father would say? Oh no no no James you're not leaving this school, especially not right before you graduate, and don't you think getting expelled might harm your chances of getting into Princeton? Yes, I think it would" Dak smirked.

Wow, I didn't know James had wanted to go to Princeton, just another thing I didn't know about him...

I could tell all James wanted to do was smash Dak in the face again but he knew Dak was right; he wouldn't be hitting anyone for the rest of the year.

"Please, just shut up until Miss Collins gets back"

"But, I never got to finish what I had to say back on the ice" He grinned; now turning to face me completely.

Even though I kind of wanted to punch him too I couldn't deny that I was actually generally intrigued in what he had to say. I had been killing myself for 6 months over why James had ended things, and if Dak had the answers... then yeah I really wanted to listen to what he had to say.

"Please, Dak, don't" James almost begged.

"Kendall, would you like to hear? Would you like to hear why James ended things the way he did? Because I know" Dak smirked.

I looked to James, only to see his hazel eyes boring into mine, almost begging me not to listen to what Dak had to say – but instead I nodded.

"Well it's a brilliant tale" He began, "Are you ready to hear it? Are you ready to hear what James did that caused your heart to shatter into a million pieces?"

I was ready; I just hoped I could handle it.

:O What's going to happen next!