Chapter 4

Logan woke the next morning to find Kendall was no longer beside him. He sat up and checked his watch. 6.04a.m. He got up and made his way to the hallway where he heard the faint sounds of the shower running. Deciding to leave Kendall to his thoughts he returned to bed. His mind returned to the tense events of the night before.

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"Granddad" Logan heard Kendall's voice and instantly froze at the name. No! Kendall didn't need him here, not now. Katie too looked visibly shocked. In her chair she attempted to push herself into the room but was too physically weak to do so. Logan stepped behind her and pushed not wanting to leave Kendall alone with that man any longer.

When they entered the living room both Kendall and his Grandfather were still, both just looking at each other, neither speaking. Logan noticed how Donald's eyes flickered to him when he entered but it was quick that Logan wasn't even sure it had happened. All four of them stood in silence for a second before Kendall spoke again.

"What are you doing here?"

His Grandfather's expression remained firm "Child Protective Services called me. They told me about your mother" Kendall nodded, his guard immediately up, arms folded across his chest.

"Still doesn't explain what you're doing here" He pushed. Now his Grandfather's firm stance slipped ever so slightly and he bowed his head.

"I came to pay my respects Kendall" He said not looking at Kendall now but Katie "How are you Princess?" It had always been the only time Kendall ever heard him come of out Military mode was when he spoke to Katie. She had always been his little Princess. She looked at her brother almost afraid of hurting his feelings by talking to her Grandfather. In truth, the only reason she was angry with him was because of what he did to Kendall but she could never say she hated her Grandfather, not like she knew Kendall and her mother did.

In truth she was somewhat glad to see him. He had always given her the sense of protection and with what she had been through recently she suddenly needed that protection. She had missed him. Her mother knew that. Both she and Kendall had visited him when they could up until the fight. Despite the nickname he generally treated her like a grownup, showed her things from his Military past, a career Kendall had never really been interested in. When he left after the fight it was easy to be angry with him because he hurt her brother for something he couldn't control about himself but now that he was in front of her Katie couldn't deny she was happy he was here.

She looked him in the eye and nodded to his question "I'm okay" before she could finish Kendall cut across her.

"Well now that you've paid your respects and can see we are perfectly fine, you can leave" He stepped back, arm extended to the door. When he made no move to leave Kendall repeated himself.

"What about the funeral?" Donald asked. "You don't know how to organise one, the money behind it?"

"You're right I don't" Kendall nodded. At the mention of the word funeral Katie couldn't hold her tears and wiped them away hastily. Kendall's resolve broke and he decided it was best for her to not hear this conversation. "I'm going to bring Katie upstairs. She needs her rest" He turned to Logan "Could you help?" he nodded. Kendall lifted Katie to her room, Logan following with her chair and bags. Both noticed that Donald had not moved from his place in the living room and Kendall knew better than to ignore him. He wouldn't give up and military training had given him excellent patience.

Once Katie was in her room, Logan excused himself. Kendall helped her into bed and covered her with the blanket.

"I need to go and talk to Granddad about...stuff but can I ask you a favor?" She nodded. "Keep Logan up here please. I don't need him and Granddad in the same room right now" She nodded, understanding.

"Please don't fight with him Kendall" she whispered. Kendall gave her a confused look.

"Logan?"

"No, Granddad"He seemed to be in shock from her response but she pushed "Whether you like it or not, he's the only family we have now" Deciding not to push the argument with his sister about the lack of use he truly believed his Grandfather could have in their lives he nodded and left the room. Logan was sat on the floor outside the door to Katie's room. Kendall extended a hand and pulled Logan up from the ground.

"Everything okay?" he asked. Kendall nodded.

"Yeah but I need to go and deal with him so can you stay with Katie?" Kendall asked "She's a bit upset and I don't want her on her own just now" Logan nodded.

"Will you be okay on your own?" Logan was evidently worried at Donald's presence in the house and Kendall knew he had good reason to be.

"Yeah I'll be fine, I've promised Katie no fighting so I'm just going to find out what he wants and then send him out the door and out of our lives for good"

"Okay but if you need me just call me" He then slipped into Katie's bedroom. Kendall gathered his thoughts before heading downstairs into the living room. He passed his grandfather and led the way into the Kitchen.

"Do you want something to drink?" He decided playing nice was the best option now.

"No, I'm fine"

"How long have you been here?" Kendall asked.

"I got the first plane out this morning, I've been here for the last hour or so" he placed his jacket over the back of one of the dining chairs. "I know you don't believe me but I am sorry about what happened to your mother"

"Healthy skepticism I guess considering you haven't spoken to us in 3 years that you suddenly care now" Kendall threw back. He took a small amount of pride in the way his grandfather tensed at the mention of the events of three years ago.

"That is not why I came back" he said trying not to raise that topic "I came to pay my respects to your mother and to help where I can. For my son it is the least I can do" The mention of his father in the current climate of his mothers passing made Kendall falter in his resolve ever so slightly. He had of course been putting off the big questions about his and Katie's future but he wasn't about to let this man back into his life or his head now for any reason.

"Well we don't need your help so I guess you came all this way for nothing. You can leave now" he kept his voice and tone even. He told Katie they wouldn't fight and he wouldn't but he said nothing about being hostile.

"And how do you plan to organise a funeral? You just admitted to me you have no clue where to start or what to do"

"You're right I don't. I don't know how to plan a funeral considering I was 11 when Dad died. And now Mom! No, I don't know what I'm doing but I have people around me who loved Mom and Katie and me, for me, you do and they are going to help me. So thank you for the offer but we don't need you so if you don't mind, I want you to go!"

Donald dropped his head. He gathered his jacket and pulled a piece of paper from his pocket. "Okay, but I would like to attend the service. This is my number and the room number of the hotel I'm staying in. Just let me know" Kendall was taken aback by how easy it was to make him leave but he didn't complain. He had no intention of letting him know about any service but he nodded and followed the man to the door. Neither said goodbye and soon Kendall was shutting the door behind him. He locked it and leaned against it for a moment before making his way back into the living room.

After 20 minutes of time to himself he looked up to find Logan watching him from the doorway. The brunette walked to the seat beside him and sat, placing a hand on Kendall's shoulder. Kendall relaxed back into Logan's waiting arms and allowed himself to close his eyes and forget about everything. Thankfully Logan didn't push for answers or ask any questions. He simple stroked Kendall's hair while he rested before deciding to wake him so they could go to bed. Kendall was glad his mind didn't fight the sleep and he allowed himself to just dream.

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Logan had heard most of the conversation between Kendall and his Grandfather. Katie had fallen asleep pretty soon after he had gone into her and he had sat on the staircase and listened, wanting to be closer should something happen between the pair. Thankfully Kendall and Donald had both kept their composure and he had left with incident. But Logan knew he would be back. Kendall had slept through the night relatively peacefully as far as Logan knew. He usually would wake if Kendall was having a fitful dream.

Kendall returned to the room after his shower surprised to find Logan awake at the early hour.

"Did I wake you?"

"More like your absence woke me" Logan smiled. Kendall nodded, returning to bed.

"Sorry I could still feel the hospital on me" Logan nodded.

"How are you feeling...after last night" Logan answered after a silence he decided not to push it. "You know what never mind"

"No, no Logan. Honestly I don't know how I feel seeing him. I think with everything going on right now I don't need the added drama of letting him get back into my life or my head so I guess...I just don't want him here" Logan nodded.

"That's your choice Kendall. If you don't want him at the service, you can that and he won't be allowed there" Kendall nodded. Deciding to get a few more hours sleep he turned into Logan and closed his eyes willing himself back into unconsciousness. Logan didn't protest but he couldn't go back to sleep. He instead inspected Kendall's half empty room. All of its old belongings were still in Kendall's car parked in the drive way and it brought up too many doubts he had about his and Kendall's new life in their own apartment. He tried desperately to try and think of a way for this to work but he knew deep in his heart that Kendall had already made up his mind about what he was going to do next. So he decided that for now, he would keep lying to himself. Because it hurt less than admitting the truth.

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Kendall found himself in a situation mirroring Logan's when he woke to find his boyfriend gone. The smell of breakfast made him walk towards the kitchen before he heard Katie.

"Kendall can you help me downstairs?" He entered her room to find her sitting on the edge of her bed her chair just out of arms reach. She gave him a smile smile as he lifted her from the bed down to the dining room table before heading back up to get her chair. When he came back, he noticed Logan's wasn't in the kitchen either. Instead he found a note saying he had gone home to change and would be back later. Oh and he had made breakfast.

Kendall served Katie her food before joining her. Neither spoke while eating. Kendall could sense there was something on Katie's mind or something she wasn't saying to him. Clearing away the plates he turned on her.

"Okay, what's wrong? I can feel that something's not right" When she shrugged he retook his seat beside her. "Katie?" He hand came up from under the table and the card with their Grandfather's details was in her hand. "Why have you got that?"

"Was on the table when you brought me down earlier" she was now playing with the card with her fingers. "What did he say last night?"

"That he wanted to go to Mom's service and to help where he can" Kendall answered honestly.

"What did you say?"

"That we didn't need his help" Kendall said, this time slightly more defiant in his tone. "What's going on Katie?"

She bowed her head and refused to look at him as she spoke"Would it be such a bed thing if he did come?" Kendall was taken aback by his sisters worlds. She sensed his anger and continued "I just mean what harm could it do to let him go to the service?"

"Katie..."Kendall really tried not to raise his voice or the tone of it "You know why I can't have him there" now if Kendall was taken aback before then he was now as Katie lifted her head, pain and anger flooding her features, tears running from her eyes.

"And what if I want him there! Have you thought about if maybe I wanted a say? She was my mother too!" Her anger seemed to wear out and she rested her head in her hands. Kendall couldn't speak. He didn't have to as Katie kept talking. "I know he hurt you and I know that he has done some stupid things but he is all we have left Kendall. He wouldn't have come if he didn't care about us. Have you thought about trying to make things right with him"

"I never had a problem with him Katie. You know why he stopped talking to us. I can't help who I am or who I love and that was something he could never understand. I didn't have a choice in this" Katie looked at her brother now as his voice seemed to break at his last words. She was suddenly so angry with herself for what she had said. Of course he never chose this. All the fighting, the ridicule from not only his grandfather but others in their small town and it had almost broken him. She reached out her hand to his and took it. He gripped it tightly.

"I'm sorry I didn't mean that. I'm just scared about what's going to happen to us. What if that Debbie woman takes me away from you?" Kendall left his seat and kneeled infront of her.

"No one is going to take you away from me! Okay I won't let that happen" Katie nodded allowing gravity to let her fall into her brothers shoulder. "Like you said, we are all we have left okay I am not going to let them take you away"

"You promise?"

"I promise!" and he meant it!

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