I wasn't going to update today but when I got a review from vampireblood345 saying they were going to hold me at gunpoint unless I did, I jumped on the computer right away! Lol. That review made my day! And just to let you guys know, the reason I leave cliff hangers is because I want to keep the story interesting and to leave people dying for the next update. Guess it's working! :)

Disclaimer: I do not own Kickin' It.

"Jack? What are you doing here?" Kim asked.

"Just heading home. What are you doing here in the middle of the woods?"

"I was just running. I must have fallen asleep."

"Did you know the cops are looking for you?"

Kim's eyes widened.

"The cops? Why are they looking for me?"

"Everyone thinks you're missing." Jack explained.

"Who said I was missing?"

"I don't know."

Just then, another helicopter flew by with the search light on. Kim got up, took Jack by the arm, and hid under the bushes and trees. When the helicopter passed, Jack came out looking confused.

"Why are you hiding from everyone?" He asked her.

"I'm not hiding!" She denied. "I just want to know exactly what's going on before anyone finds me. I need to know who said I was missing."

"Why does it even matter?"

"Because!"

"Because is a word, not a reason." Jack said, smiling.

Kim gave him a death glare

Darn his clever word play!

"Because if my dad said I was missing, then I don't want to be found." She said.

"Why not?"

"Must you know everything!" She snapped.

"Relax! Just asking!"

There was an awkward silence. Jack knew he couldn't just leave her like this. If he was going to try and be her friend, he needed to help her out.

"How about you stay at my house tonight?" He asked.

"That's ok, I'm fine out here." She said.

"I'm not leaving you out here in the cold all night, by yourself." He argued.

There was another awkward silence.

"At least let me stay here with you." Jack said.

"You would be willing to stay out here all night with me?" She asked.

Instead of answering her, he just took off a book bag carrying his karate things and laid down. He stared at the stars for a few minutes. Then he turned to see Kim next to him, sleeping.

"Night, Kim." He whispered.

He closed his eyes and fell asleep, too.

The next morning...

Kim opened her eyes. She saw the shadow of the trees in the orange sky. She felt something wrapped around her. It was a wool blanket. Something moved next to her. When she turned around, she saw Jack's shaggy brown hair. Kim sat up and moved from under the blanket. Jack was sound asleep. She walked over to the lake and looked at her reflection. Her hair was a mess again so she combed her hair with her fingers. Then she cupped her hands, filled them with water, and cleaned up her dirty face.

"Kim?" Jack said.

Kim turned around to see Jack sitting up, looking at her.

"Hey. Good morning." She said, awkwardly.

"Good morning."

"Where did that blanket come from?" She asked him.

"Oh. You were shivering when you were sleeping, so I went back to my house and got a blanket." He said.

"Oh. Well... Thanks, I guess."

Jack sat next to Kim by the lake.

"Are you going back home?" He asked.

"Not yet. I need you to do something for me first."

"What is it?"

"I need you to go to my house and tell my father how sorry you are about me going missing. Then I need you to tell me exactly what he says."

"Ok, but why?"

"I just need to know what he says. Thanks."

"No problem."

Jack went with Kim to his house to freshen up. His mom was at work, so the house was empty. Kim stayed there while Jack walked over to Kim's block. He rang Kim's doorbell and her father answered a minute later.

"Hello Mr. Crawford." Jack said. "My name is Jack, I go to school with Kim. I just wanted to tell you I'm sorry that she went missing."

"Hello, Jack. Thanks for stopping by. I'm deeply worried about her. She disappears sometimes, but never for this long." David said.

"Well, I better get going. Good luck with Kim!"

"Thanks, Jack."

Jack ran back to his house to tell Kim what he had said. He didn't really see what the big deal was, but it seemed to be important to her. Once he got there, he found Kim sitting on his bed and told her everything.

"He said he was 'deeply worried' about me?" Kim asked, using air quotes.

"Yup." Jack replied.

"That no good liar! How dare he?" Kim snapped. "I am not going home! I would rather sleep on the cold hard ground than to go home!"

"Why? What's so bad about what he said?"

"He doesn't care about me! He -"

Kim stopped herself before she gave anything away.

I can't tell Jack about how my own father abuses me. How could he handle that?

"Kim?" Jack asked.

Kim took a deep breath.

"Alright. If I tell you something, do you promise not to tell anyone else?" She asked.

"Of course."

Kim remembered the bruise on her stomach. Before she could talk herself out of it, Kim lifted her shirt and showed Jack her stomach. He saw a huge black and blue bruise.

"My father... He's not the guy everyone thinks he is..." Kim started.

Before she could finish, she started to tear up. Jack understood what she was trying to say. He couldn't believe it. How could a father do something like that? He pulled Kim into a hug and Kim cried her eyes out. It was the first time she felt safe. Like she had a guardian there to help her get through anything. And that guardian, was Jack.