Here's chapter four. Not much to say about this except that I love itty bitty Kendall and itty bitty Loga-Hortense. They're one of my favorite things to write. Oh, and I guess, um welcome to every head canon I've ever had about pre-BTR Kendall and Logan. Just about every one. They're not all in this chapter, obviously, but yeah.

Enjoy!

o*o*o*o*o
Nothing is so painful to the human mind
as a great and sudden change.
–Mary Shelley
o*o*o*o*o

9 Years Old

There's nothing quite like Christmas time, if you ask Kendall Knight. It's the one time of year that everything seems brighter. His mother even seems happier during the holidays. Logically, Kendall knows that his mother misses his father, who had died nearly two years ago, and he knows that she must miss even more than he does. And he can still sometimes see the sadness in his mother's eyes, but never at Christmas time. As soon as Sherwood turns into it's own little version of Tinsel Town, his mother is all smiles and laughter.

Kendall loves the holiday even more because of this.

They're, they being himself, his mother, and his three-year-old baby-sister, are currently decorating the Christmas tree. Or, rather, he and his mother are decorating the tree and Katie is handing them all of her favorite ornaments.

"This one!" She cries, holding up a ballerina ornament to her mother. It has her name of it and the words First Christmas written underneath. Kendall has one just like that's already on the tree, except his is a teddy bear.

Jennifer Knight smiles and takes the ballerina from her daughter. "Where should we put it?" She asks Kendall.

The blonde studies the tree, trying to find the best place. Finally, he points to the empty spot next to his teddy bear ornament. "There. That's the perfect place."

Jennifer studies the tree too before grinning and moving towards it. She hangs up the ornament and they all step back to admire it. "You're right, Kendall. That was the perfect place for it."

He beams at the praise. Katie begins to sing Twelve Days of Christmas, except she doesn't know her numbers yet so the fifth day of Christmas and its five golden rings, comes first. Kendall laughs, breathlessly and he and Jennifer join her. The days and the gifts are out of order and mixed around, because Katie doesn't know the whole song, but it's the best thing Kendall's heard all day and he wouldn't trade it for anything in the world.

The smile slips off of his face suddenly though and he moves quickly towards the front door, listening to the tug in his chest that's telling him that something has gone horribly wrong. He throws open the door and is only half surprised to find Hortense standing on his porch, shivering and crying. Well the fact that it's Hortense is what doesn't surprise him. The tug that led him to the door in the first place is a sensation that the blonde has come to identify with his smaller friend.

The crying does surprise and worry him though. As does the fact that Hortense is wearing neither a jacket nor shoes.

"Hortense!" He cries, pulling his smaller friend into the house and wrapping his arms instinctively around the shivering boy. "What happened?"

Jennifer comes into the hallway just in time to hear Hortense's answer. "My dad!" He cries, too upset to even return the hug.

"What happened to your dad, sweetie?" Jennifer pulls Kendall away from his friend, kneels down so that she's level with young boy, and gently helps him out of his soaking wet socks.

"He's gone!" The young boy, now barefoot, bursts into a fresh set of tears and moves immediately to Kendall, who wraps an arm around the smaller boy, leading him to the couch.

Jennifer wraps a blanket around both her son and his best friend. Kendall pulls the other boy closer, relaxing only slightly as Hortense snuggles up against him, soaking in his body heat. He stops shivering, but has yet to stop crying. Kendall fights off his own tears. Ever since he'd meet the small boy, he'd been insanely in tune with his emotions. When Hortense was sad, Kendall cried. When Hortense smiled, Kendall was filled with an immense sense of joy. He couldn't explain it, but that's how it had always been.

Jennifer sits on Hortense's other side, rubbing his back soothingly. "Where did he go?" She asks after the brunette has calmed down enough to speak.

Hortense sniffles and turns watery brown eyes towards her. "I don't know." He whispers finally. "Mom and I-we went out Christmas shopping and when we got home he-all of his stuff-it was just gone!"

The auburn haired woman put a hand over her mouth. "Oh Hortense, honey." She pulls him into a hug. "Is you're mom still at home?" He nods against her chest. "Okay." She pulls away and stands up. "You stay here with Kendall and Katie. I'm going to make sure your mom is okay."

He nods and she moves to the hallway, quickly donning her boot and winter jacket. She turns to Katie before leaving. "Behave." She says sternly to the three-year-old. Katie nods solemnly, seeming to understand how serious the situation is. "Kendall," the blonde turns to look at his mother. "Take care of Hortense okay." She leans over and the top of all three children's heads.

"I will." He says seriously and then his mother is out the door and on her way to the house that's across the street and six houses to the right.

"Kendall?"

The blonde turns to face his friend. "Yeah?"

Hortense huddles on the couch, pulling the blanket even more tightly around him. "I don't think we should be friends anymore."

Kendall's breath catches in his throat at the other boy's words. "What?" He squeaks out, too distressed to be bothered by how high pitched his voice had gone.

Hortense looks up at his friend and Kendall nearly cries at the pain that's reflected in those chocolate brown eyes. He looks lost and like he's lost all hope of every being happy again. "It's just," he tightens the blanket around him even more, "I know you're just going to want to leave me eventually too. Everyone will. And I just-I don't want to hurt like this again!"

The blonde is immediately back on the couch, wrapping his arms around his best friend and pulling him so close to him that he's almost in his lap. "I'm never going to want to leave. Not ever." Kendall informs him, trying to sound as stern as he can. He can't explain his urgency. He just knows the he has to make Hortense understand that he isn't going anywhere. "You're the very best friend I've ever had. And I'm never giving you up."

The brunette looks up, looking hopefully at the slightly taller boy. "Never?"

"I promise." Kendall says, making a cross over his heart. "You're stuck with me forever."

Hortense gives him a small, watery smile before throwing his arms around the blonde boy's next. "Thank you." He whispers, letting a few more tears slip down his cheeks.

"Now lets do something to take your mind off of everything." Kendall says. "Want to help me and Katie finish decorating the tree?"

The brunette nods, smiling and even managing to laugh a little as Katie eagerly scrambles to the box of ornaments she's been going through earlier.

-0-

Two hours later and the three children are sitting on the couch, sipping hot chocolate and admiring the way the finished and lit tree makes the room sparkle and glow. Hortense takes a sip of his drink, grimacing just a bit as it burns his tongue. "You know," he admits quietly, starring into his drink, "I feel bad leaving my mom like that."

Kendall blows on Katie's cup and hands it to the small girl before answering. "It must have been hard," he says finally, nodding like he understands, "to be there and your dad's stuff is just gone."

Hortense turns to Kendall, who takes a moment to admire the way the lights on the tree are reflected in his best friend's eyes. "It's not even that." The smaller boy admits after a moment of silence. "My whole chest, my heart, just hurt. And the only thing I could think about was that I had to get here. To you."

The blonde throws an arm around the other boy, pulling him closer. "I'm always going to be here, Hortense. Whenever you need me. You don't even need to ignore the feeling that you might need me."

The brunette snuggles closer to his friend, taking another sip of his drink. "I won't. I promise."

Well I hope you guys liked this. Drop me a review and let me know what you thought. They really keep me motivated!