So sorry it's been so long! Hope everyone is having a wonderful Thanksgiving! Enjoy :)

I do not own Big Time Rush!

Chapter 12

The boys ran through the lobby, whooping and cheering, looking happier than ever.

"Hey, boys," I smiled, putting down my book.

"Hey, Ser-bear," James grinned.

"Why are you all so smiley?" I asked, giving James a quick hug.

"We're going back to Minnesota!" they all screamed.

"You're what?" Lizzy, Scarlet, Sydney, and I screamed in shock.

Each of the boys took their girlfriends off individually. James looked a bit nervous. So while I waited for him to talk, I looked at my friends. They each hugged their boyfriends and they all had huge grins on their faces.

"James? Are you ok?" I asked quietly. He looked at me and held my hands in his.

"Come with me," he said.

"What?"

"Come with us to Minnesota," James begged.

"I-I don't know," I said quietly.

"Please? Sydney, Scarlet, and Lizzy are all coming!"

"They are not. Since when?"

"Since just now." I looked at my friends, who shrugged.

"Please? I have to bring someone home with me and you're the only one I want."

"James, I don't know. Back to Minnesota?"

"I promise I won't let anything happen to you. Please come back with me."

I bit my lip. "Oh, alright," I smiled.

"Yes!" James cheered, picking me up and spinning me.

"When do we leave?" Scarlet asked.

"Two days," Kendall shrugged.

"How long are we there?" Sydney asked.

"Two weeks."

"We need to pack!" all the girls shrieked.

My three friends quickly gave their boyfriends a kiss and said good-bye before racing to the elevator.

"What's the rush? Come hang out with me!" James said, grabbing my hand so I couldn't run.

"James, I'm going to be spending the next two weeks with you! I need to go pack!"

"Serenity," James whined.

I hesitated before planting a quick kiss on his cheek and yanked my wrist out of his grip.

"Text me!" I called before sprinting to the elevator where my friends were impatiently waiting for me.

Two days later; in the girls' apartment

"Ok, James. You can quit whining now; bathroom's yours," Logan sighed.

"Go, pretty boy," I laughed.

"No, it's ok. I was already in there," he smiled. We stared at him in awe.

"But we don't have to leave for another ten minutes," Kendall said slowly.

"I told you: it's fine," James stated.

"Since when do you turn down a chance to look in the mirror?" I asked.

"Since I found something more beautiful to look at," he said, gathering me up in his arms.

"You're sweet," I smiled.

"Meet you downstairs?" he whispered.

"Yeah," I answered quietly. With a smile on his face, he let go of me, heading out the door.

"I don't know what you did to him," Kendall started.

"But I kind of like it," Carlos finished, a childish grin spreading across his face.

"Shut up, guys," I blushed. "Let's just go downstairs."

I hated to admit it, but I was so nervous to go back to Minnesota. I wasn't supposed to go back. Arielle said so. Yet here we were, on a plane headed back. I missed my orphanage kids though. But then again, also in Minnesota was my family. The family I don't remember. My mom, my dad, and my three older brothers. But on top of that, Cooper was in Minnesota. And he was still determined to find me.

Nervous was the queen of all understatements.

James must've noticed that I was scared. He didn't let go of my hand from the moment we stepped into the airport.

"You'll be fine," James said, giving my hand a squeeze. "I promise I won't let anything happen to you."

I sighed. "I know. It's just.. being back. It scares me."

"How are you doing, Hon?" Lizzy asked me.

"Ok," I said nervously. "So what's the first thing you guys want to do there?"

"Well…."

Two weeks later…

"Girls, I knew coming back here would be a bad idea," I sighed.

"Why?" Lizzy asked.

"Cuz I don't want to leave."

I looked at my now packed suitcase, wanting so desperately to open it and pull all my stuff out.

"As much as I love L.A., I miss it here too," Lizzy agreed. Sydney and Scarlet nodded.

"And as much as I loved having you home, you girls are crazy," Ari smiled, walking into our room.

"We'll be able to come home for good soon… right?" Scarlet asked.

"I can't make any promises, dear," Ari sighed.

"I'm not leaving," I stated.

"What?" my friends all turned to look at me, confused.

"You heard me. I'm not leaving. I'm staying right here."

"But Serenity! We have to go back!" Scarlet exclaimed

"Why?"

"Because Cooper's in Minnesota. So you need to be in L.A."

"He's not in Minnesota," I said quietly.

"Excuse me?" Ari asked.

"He's not in Minnesota. He's in California."

"How would you know?" Lizzy asked.

"Because.." I trailed off. "Never mind."

"No 'never mind's! Tell us!" Sydney shrieked.

"I got a note," I whispered.

"Saying?" Ari pressed.

I reached into my suitcase, and pulled out the carefully folded piece of paper sitting right on top.

"You kept it?!" Lizzy exclaimed.

Ignoring her comment, I opened the note. "It said 'Thought you could escape me again, Ugly Duckling? You're pathetic. I found you. I'll always find you."

"How does he keep finding you.." Ari asked quietly.

"Who knows," I answered.

Moments of uncomfortable silence passed. Throughout those moments, the only thing I was capable of thinking about was Cooper. Him finding me, finishing what he started. Him killing me…

The doorbell broke the silence. The ringing threw me back into reality, making me jump in the process.

"Spaz," Lizzy joked.

"You're surprised?" I laughed.

We went downstairs and opened the door, where our four favorite boys stood. They wore big winter coats and excited smiles on their faces.

"Hey girls," Kendall said, coming inside and giving Scarlet a quick kiss on the cheek.

"Ready to go back?" Carlos asked, nearly bouncing off the walls.

"Ser, are you ready to go?" James asked, noticing my distance from the others.

"Can we talk?" I asked.

"We're talking right now."

"I mean alone," I said, taking his hand and pulling him into another room.

"Is everything ok?"

"Yes.. Well.. no," I sighed.

"You are coming back right?"

"That's the thing, James," I whispered. "No, I'm not."

"What? Why?"

"I-I can't go back."

"Why not?" James asked frantically.

"It's not.. safe there any more."

"How is L.A. not safe any more? Wasn't the whole purpose of you going there because it was safe?"

"It was. But things change. He found me in L.A. and it's not safe for me there any more. I need to stay here. He can't find me. Not again."

"We'll protect you, Serenity. He can't hurt you and he won't find you."

"He already found me, James! And do you know what he will do to me if he actually catches me?"

"Kill you?" James gulped.

"Only if I'm really lucky."

"But if you stay, what's going to happen to us?"

"Nothing. Nothing is going to happen to us, James. Promise me."

"I promise. Do you?"

"I pinky swear," I smiled.

"I'll see you soon right?"

"Of course. You should go. You guys have a plane to catch."

James reached out for me, in one last long embrace. I hesitated, before wrapping my arms around his torso.

"Bye Sere," he whispered, kissing the top of my head.

"Bye Jamie," I answered, before letting go. I watched as he and all of my friends got in the cars and left.

I sighed and sat down at the table, burying my face in my hands. I wanted to go with them so bad. It almost hurt that I couldn't.

Seconds later, my phone went off.

"Hello?" I answered.

"I miss you already," James's voice sounded from the end.

I laughed lightly. "I miss you too."

"How much longer?" Carlos's voice whined in the background.

"Tell Carlos the flight to L.A. will go by faster than he thinks," I said.

"That's not what he meant," James answered. "He meant how much longer until you come back to L.A."

I sighed. "I-I wish I could tell you."

"It's been all of two minutes and already our group doesn't feel complete," Logan sighed in the back.

"Ok, I have to go," I said quickly, my voice cracking. "Before I start crying."

"Bye, Serenity," James answered, "I lo-" but he cut himself off.

"What?"

"I'll, uh, call you when we land," he answered quickly.

"Alright. I'll talk to you soon. Bye, Jamie."

"Bye."

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