OMG. So sorry guys! My little sister accidentally spilled water on my computer. It broke. But I just got a new one, and I got on here right away. Also, thanks for all the fabulous birthday wishes! My birthday was great. My mom got me a gigantic chocolate chip cookie with icing all over it instead of a cake. If you ask me, it was better than a cake! I got a lot of new clothes and games for my Wii. Best of all, I took off a day of school on Monday! I would also like to mention something funny that happened. The user Inkling13 ironically posted a happy birthday comment on exactly 5:17 AM! How funny is that? Also... IT'S SUMMER VACATION! It's finally here! Who else is overwhelmed with joy? I know I am!

Disclaimer: I do not own Kickin' It.

The next day, Kim jumped out of bed at 6:00 in the morning. She was determined to get out before her father wakes up. It was another rainy day so by the time she got to the police department, she was soaked. The police offered her some towels and then took her in to see Adam. Just as she remembered, he was the same old grumpy guy. But he was the only thing keeping Kim's dad out of jail, so she needed to get him to talk to her.

"Good morning, Adam." She said, politely.

"Look kid, I don't have time to waste. Just cut to the chase already!"

"Fine. I know you know that I'm here because I want my dad punished. So can you please just tell me what you know and get this over with?"

"I gave your father my word that my lips were sealed. I can't just make an exception for his daughter."

"Please! All I need is for you to talk!"

"Even if I do, what's next? You're going to confront him? He'll just deny it. It's your word against his."

"No, it's our word against his. I'll testify against him and you'll be the witness."

"And let your father beat me up when he gets here? Ha! In your dreams!"

"I'll convince the cops to give you time off from jail and keep him away from you while you're still here."

"And how are you going to do that?"

"I'm Kim Crawford. I know how to turn on 'the charm'." Kim said, being cocky. "Do we have a deal?"

Adam thought about it for a minute. Kim could tell by that look on his face that he did want to get out of jail.

"Well... Fine. We have a deal. But I'm not your little puppet, alright! As soon as this goes South, I'm out!" He warned her.

Meanwhile...

"Jack!" Grace shouted.

She made Jack jump and drop his books on the floor.

"Thanks a lot, Grace. What is it?" He asked.

"Sorry. I just wanted you to fill me in on what's going on with Chloe."

"You're really not going to let this go, are you?"

"Nope. I love romance! So, tell me about her, besides the fact that she's home-schooled."

"Well... She'd kill me for saying this, but... She got bullied when she was in school and that's why she's home schooled now. She thought the bullying would stop, but it hasn't. They torment her whenever they see her, and make fun of her online."

"Awww... Poor thing! I am 100% against bullying. I just don't see the point of making someone's life hell."

Jack almost choked on his bottle of water.

"What?" Grace asked.

"Oh, nothing. It's just that... You and Kim seem to enjoy making each other's lives hell."

"That's different."

"How?!"

"Because she deserves it! Not someone as nice as Chloe!"

"You don't even know her!"

"Not officially! But by what you told me, I know she's a sweet and innocent girl."

"All I told you was that she's bullied and home schooled."

"Oh shut up! Just let me have this!"

Jack grinned, rolled his eyes, and picked up his books. The rest of the school day went by slowly for Jack without Kim there, while nobody else noticed she was absent. Jack still didn't understand why everyone treated Kim so coldly, when really, she's a cool person.

At lunch, he sat at The Group's table, but he wasn't really there. He kept on worrying about Kim talking to that Adam guy. He didn't want to see her get hurt, physically or emotionally.

He waited for her after school, by the skatepark. He knew she had to walk by there to get to her house from the Police Department. After about 20 minutes, he saw her walking by. He ran over to her.

"Hey." He yelled, running to her.

Kim turned and saw him.

"Oh. Hey, Jack." She said, a little sad.

Jack knew right away that something happened.

"What's wrong? How'd it go with Adam?"

Kim looked around and then grabbed Jack's hand. She dragged him all they way in front of her house.

"Wait in the tree outside my window." She said.

"Ok."

Kim opened the door and walked inside. She saw her father glance at her from his bedroom. Before he could say anything, she quickly walked upstairs to her bedroom, locked the door, and opened the window. Jack climbed inside and shut the window.

"So what's going on?" He asked again.

"Adam talked to me, today. He said I was right. He and my father killed my mom on purpose."

"Oh. I'm sorry, Kim. I know that must be hard to hear."

"But that's not all." Kim's voice struggled to say. "The only reason Adam agreed to do this was because my father threatened to kill his little sister if he didn't."

"What?"

"I know. Guess we know what he was going to use that gun for."

Kim started to tear up. Jack didn't know what to say so he just pulled her into a hug.

"It's going to be ok, Kim. We won't let him get away with this."

Kim couldn't explain what she felt at that moment. She just knew it wasn't normal. She didn't feel sad, angry, or depressed. She felt... Safe.

Safe. That was a word she never felt in a long time. Not since she was a little girl in her mother's arms. But what she didn't understand was how she felt safe with Jack. That something so simple as a hug from him, could make her feel so good. She did remember what her mom called it, though. A word that made her stomach crawl with disgust.

Love.