A/N: Well hello there my faithful readers? I'm back!

I'll warn you now, this chapter's full of emotion but it centers mostly around the mother-son relationship of Kendall and Mrs. Knight as well as the other characters and their moms.

That said, it's not very interesting but it IS very emotive.

Thank you to all my wonderful reviewers AND those who favd and/or alerted this story.

You guys are awesome.

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You guys ROCK!s.

BTW, Happy "End of the World"everyone! Lol. Could it be any sunnier? At least here where I live, lol, I'll bet many of you are enjoying snow-lucky you guy.

Anyways, here's next chapter,

Enjoy!

Cheers,

Franshes

Ch.16: Bittersweet Homecoming

The boys slowly got out of the plane, already shivering.

The cool air, so much colder than in L.A was already beginning to affect the four teens that, over the past year, had gotten so used to the warmth and sunshine of California.

They rounded up their luggage, along with Katie and Mama Knight (Gustavo and Kelly were coming in another flight) and headed out the airport.

"There they are! It's them! It's them!" they heard a voice say.

They turned to see an excited Sylvia Garcia running up to them.

"Mom!" Carlos said excitedly upon seeing his mother "Oh God, I missed you so much!"

And the two embraced tenderly.

"Logie-bear!" Joanna Mitchell rushed to her son and, much to her son's discomfort, began showering him in kisses and hugs while ruffling his hair.

"Mom! Mom! Okay mom, I get it, I love you too, I missed you too, now please, we're making a scene…" Logan said, trying to disentangle himself from his mother's embrace while his boyfriend continued hugging with his own mom.

"Hey James," Brooke Diamond greeted her son with a curt nod.

"Mom," James said opening his eyes hesitantly "Do I get a hug?"

Brooke grinned.

"Oh, of course you do, sweetheart! Come here! I missed you so much!" she said, embracing him.

"I missed you too mom," James said.

"Guys?" Kendall said "I suggest we continue the reunions outside, if we want to avoid the reporters which are starting to arrive right now…"

That was all he needed to say before everyone hurried out of the place, not wishing to be ambushed by reporters.

The rest of the day was both stressful and happy for the four teens because, while they were glad to be back with their families, they had to constantly remind themselves that they couldn't openly act like the couples they were, both because of the paparazzi that were constantly surrounding them, and because of their unsuspecting families.

The hardest part for the teens was at nighttime.

Because they were back in Minnesota with their parents, each teen was expected to go sleep in their own house.

"It's going to be hard falling asleep without you with me," James whispered softly in Kendall's ear.

"It's going to be alright," Kendall reassured his boyfriend while feeling really lonely himself at the prospect of sleeping on his own.

"I'll be so cold at night," James whined.

"James," Kendall breathed out "Your mom's waiting to take you home and if you're not with her soon she'll start wondering what's going on, do you want her to find out about us?"

"No," James said.

"Then…?" Kendall asked

James sighed.

"Alright," he said "Good bye Kendall," and he hugged his boyfriend hard and long before heading out of the Knight's apartment where his mom was waiting. Logan and Carlos had already gotten into the cars with their families and they were all waving at them.

Kendall waved back half-heartedly and sighed as he watched his three best friends leave; this was going to be really hard.

As if sensing her son's distress, Mama Knight placed a comforting hand in Kendall's shoulder.

"It's going to be alright," she said "It's just for a month, and you'll see them every day, it won't be so bad, you'll see…"

"I know mom," Kendall said with a sigh "It's just- they're like my brothers…"

"I know what you mean," she said "I've grown to love those boys like my own sons by now, it's also hard for me to see them go but we'll see them tomorrow, right now, it's time to go to bed…"

Kendall looked at his mom before nodding, taking her hand like he always did when he was a little boy and felt scared over something.

Mama Knight smiled at the childish gesture and wrapped her arms around her son. She knew how hard this was for him, particularly having James gone now that they were together and so suddenly after their one-month anniversary. She guided him to his old bedroom and tucked him in like when he was small before turning out the light and staying with him until he fell asleep, caressing his hair.

Then, she went and checked on Katie, who was sound asleep.

Mama Knight smiled sadly. If her husband was still alive he'd be thrilled to see how Kendall and Katie were turning out to be. Sometimes she just missed him so much. She could understand why Kendall panicked every time he and James were separated from one another. She'd felt the same panic every time her husband went away…and then that terrible car crash had separated them forever, leaving her to care for a three year old Katie and a seven year old Kendall by herself.

She made her way to her bedroom and glanced at the photograph she kept of her husband and her on their wedding day by her bedside table.

"Oh Karl," she whispered while caressing the photo, her husband's face smiling up at her, "It's been so hard, raising them, with you gone, but God has given me the strength…I hope you're happy, and that you're watching over us from up there,"

She fell asleep, still thinking about her husband, and she dreamed about him, that he was having a picnic with her on a bright sunny meadow full of flowers, telling her what a great job she'd done raising their two wonderful children, and how much he loved her…

That's why, when her son woke her up a couple hours later with puffy red eyes, crying from a nightmare because he wasn't used to sleeping on his own anymore, because he missed James so much, she let him cuddle into bed with her, like he'd done as a small boy and when tough Katie joined them in Kendall's same state an hour later, she let her daughter snuggle in with them, and Jennifer Knight fell asleep holding her two greatest treasures close to her...

A/N: Hey I DID warn you it wasn't that interesting, did I? Nevermind, things heat right back up again next chapter which will be the beginning of some major drama, I expect.

That said, even though it WAS a boring chapter I DO beg you to please, PLEASE, leave a review and let me know what you thought of it!

Reviews are the nutrients that keep the little writer inside my head alive!

BTW: Isn't it awesome how we survived the "End of the World"? Lol.

REVIEW! REVIEW! REVIEW!

Offer still stands, if I get enough reviews I'll update before next Friday ;)

Cheers,

Franshes