A/N Thanks for all of the reviews you guys! You're so awesome!

Kendall couldn't sleep for long. He kept hearing Katie's agonized screams in his sleep, shredding his heart apart. No matter how exhausted he felt, there was no way he could fall asleep, so he was forced to stay awake in the dark, dingy, cold room. He kept his friends and sister close by, feeding James and Katie small sips of water through the night and trying to keep their fevers lowered, but there wasn't much he could actually do.

Katie was delirious all night, completely out of it. She vomited two more times, and Kendall felt a tiny bit thankful that at least she wasn't awake for all of it. Maybe she wouldn't even remember…. Maybe, once Kendall got her out of there, he could tell her it was all just a horrible nightmare, and that it never really happened…

He was always able to fix her up after a nightmare with a sweet song and a cuddle. But this was real. How could that little girl ever be the same again?

Kendall threw his head back against the stone wall a bit roughly, tears stinging at his eyes. Would he ever get his friends out of this room? Would they ever be allowed to leave? And if they did, was anything outside of this room any less terrifying, or was it much, much worse?

James suddenly moaned in his sleep, and Kendall scooted towards him, running his trembling fingers through his stringy brown hair.

"Hey buddy, it's me, you're okay," Kendall soothed to his feverish friend. Carefully, as to not wake him up, Kendall peeled back James' sleeve and peered at his wound. It was looking worse by the minute. He needed help, now.

What Kendall assumed was the night (he couldn't tell as there were no windows and he was stripped of any devices to tell the time) seemed to stretch on forever. He dozed off here and there but almost immediately jolted awake each time, thinking one of his friends were in danger.

But finally, one by one, his friends began to wake up. Carlos was first to wake up, rubbing his tummy. As soon as he saw Kendall, he crawled over to him and placed his head in his lap. Kendall patted him soothingly, as if he were a baby.

"I'm so hungry, Kendall. It hurts," Carlos said. The small amount of bread they had been given was long gone. He felt like he was starving.

"We'll get some soon, bud," Kendall said. Carlos looked up at Kendall innocently.

"Kendall? Why do you sound so weird?"

"What do you mean?" Kendall asked.

"You sound like you've been crying all night or something is all."

Kendall swallowed hard. He had been crying, and thinking up ways to escape, and thinking about how stupid he was to get the people he loved most in a mess like this, but he would never tell Carlos that.

"No, I'm ok, Carlos. I just-"

"You were awake all night, weren't you? Because of James, you're worried he's getting worse. I can tell," Carlos said.

Kendall nodded solemnly. He wished he could lie to Carlos and tell him James was fine.

"Will he be okay?"

"I don't know, Carlos," Kendall said hoarsely. "He has an infection. And I think he's pretty freaked out, too."

Carlos blinked and sighed. "And Katie…?"

"She's getting better. Her fever, it's gone down. She hasn't thrown up in hours. But she's still out like a light. I'm scared she won't wake up this time, Carlos." Kendall bowed his head and squeezed the bridge of his nose with his thumb and forefinger. He felt a strong yet small hand grip his shoulder and squeeze it tightly, silently reassuring him. He looked up to see Carlos staring at him with big, innocent, sad eyes.

"Don't say that, she'll wake soon," Carlos told him.

As if on cue, Katie suddenly opened her eyes. She awoke with a gasp and her eyes immediately darted around the room, figuring she was alone in the room she had been prisoned in.

"Kendall, look!" Carlos said, sitting up and pointing at his sister with disbelief.

"Katie!" Kendall said, grabbing her tiny body and bringing it close. She leaned against his chest for a moment in shock, listening to his heartbeat. It was so real, so calming. She had her brother back.

And then the pain registered, along with the panic.

"Oh God, Kendall!" She cried out.

"Ssh, ssh baby I got you!" Kendall soothed, rocking her and stroking her hair and placing soft kisses to her bruised skin. "It's okay, he won't hurt you anymore. You're safe now."

Katie was crying and trembling in his arms, clinging to his neck like her life depended on it. She was so happy to see him, yet so terrified at the same time. Her entire body hurt.

"Kendall what's happening? Where are we? Where's mom?"

Kendall took a steadying breath and pulled Katie back slightly to look into her sweet, doe-like eyes, which were filled with so much unimaginable agony. It was inhumane, it was sickening. It literally made Kendall sick, because that was his baby sister who he swore to protect, lying broken in his arms.

"I…There's no easy way to explain this, Katie. W-we were kidnapped… By David. I don't know where we are, because we were blindfolded for hours and hours, maybe even days, I don't know. I haven't seen mom in a long time but I'm sure she's okay. You were poisoned, Katie. That's why you probably don't feel so good. But it's going to be okay, because you're with me now and I'm not letting anything else happen to you. I am so sorry, Katie…"

Kendall watched Katie's eyes tear up as he explained what had happened. So many questions were unanswered. He had no idea why this was happening to them, and what was going to become of them.

"Let it out, baby sister," Kendall cooed when Katie began to sob, holding onto his thick, quivering muscles. It hurt to see her cry, but he encouraged her to cry it out. He rubbed her back in circular motions like he used to when she would cry as a baby and toddler. He knew she'd be okay, though. Katie was a tough cookie. She just needed some comfort first.

"Katie, you have… No idea how good it feels to have you in my arms again. I was so worried about you, baby sister. And those bastards, they'll pay for what they've done to you, okay? I won't let them get away with this."

A/N Ok I meant for this chapter to be longer but it just didn't happen. I'm trying to plan something epic to happen soon and it's coming together slowly lol.

Anyway, so a few days ago I decided to post a story that has been on my mind for months now, called Small River. Now, I know it's a slash fiction BUT it's not just mindless, slapped together smut thing. It's got a really deep message, and it takes place in the 1960's, so it's super fun, endearing, and cute and it will also be very tragic. I don't want to give too much away, but that's a time when gay bashing was a big thing and some really horrible stuff went on in that time, plus Kendall's character is very abused and very adorable. I think if you gave it a chance, you would really fall in love with the characters (tried to stay as true as possible to the characters with small minor changes, except Logan plays a badass) and there's just so much going on in the story and so much I have planned for it. It will warm your heart and also break it. It's an emotional roller coaster. It's my first slash ever and I normally don't even read slash but as a writer I like to challenge myself. So, if you have the time it would mean soooo much to me if you read Small River and let me know if you care for it. I think once I get the story going and it's a few chaps in, you will really love it! So yeah. I won't know to continue it if I don't get feedback! Ok I guess I am done. I'm talkative tonight.

Um I went to this place called Bounce U tonight and went down this giant bouncy slide and screamed like a baby. Ok now I am done! Heehee. Please review!