Chapter 10 Embrace me…

The next day, the doctor suddenly has decided Carlos is allowed visitors. She does have a small list of people who are allowed to enter his room and has made sure not too many people go in at once. She wants to make sure the boy is not agitated in any way.

The minute the guys hear the good news, they spring up from their chairs, pushing each other to the floor to get to his room first. But they are quickly stopped when someone clears heir throat behind them.

They look back and smile sheepishly. Katie stands tapping her foot impatiently with a scowl on her face and her arms crossed.

"You said I could go first." She reminds them.

"Katie…" Kendal begins.

"You promised, guys. I want to see him, too." Her look softens and she looks down at the floor. Kendall sighs and walks closer to her. He puts a hand under her chin and pulls it up.

"I'm sorry, Katie. We were just so excited and he's just started recognizing us.." He stops midsentence when Katie pulls her head up and gives him the biggest puppy dog eyes he has ever seen with quivering lip included.

"Oh my god… Carlos really taught her well." James whispers to Logan, who nods in agreement. They both let their minds wander to their young friend, who might never show that same look himself again.

Katie keeps up the look and Kendall has to cover his eyes.

"Alright, alright.. Just stop looking at me like that." Kendall uncovers his eyes to see Katie smiling triumphantly. He smirks and shakes his head. "You were planning that all along, weren't you?"

Katie just shrugs. Kendall pulls her into a hug, surprising Katie who pushes him away quickly.

"You're acting weird. I'm going to see Carlos." She trudges past the guys, who again look hesitant.

"Wait!" Kendall calls out. Katie sighs and turns around with her arms crossed in annoyance.

"What?"

"Maybe we should come with you. I mean, we don't know how he'll react to you." Kendall nervously offers.

Katie sighs again and looks as the three guys plead with their eyes.

"Ok, fine. But can we go now?" The guys are pleased and quickly follow her. She shakes her head at them and takes one look back at her mom, who watches with concerned, but slightly amused eyes.

When they get to Carlos' room, it's clear to notice the guys can't wait with the way they're fidgeting. James already moves forward, when Logan stops him. He looks confused.

"Katie gets to go first, remember?" James' face falls a little, but he gives Katie a small smile.

Katie seems nervous and she shares a look with Kendall. He quickly nods and shares a knowing look with the other guys.

"Can you just wait out here for a minute? I'll go with her." They just nod and stand back as Kendall puts his arm around his teenage sister and together they step over the threshold.

Katie tries not to gasp when she sees Carlos. Her once so fun-loving (and kind of her favorite) brother looks like nothing she has ever seen before. He looks thin and fragile, like he could break any second now. His eyes show so much sadness. He shouldn't look like that. He should be running around, annoying everyone with all his energy. Pranking Bitters together with her, not laying here, staring off into space.

It makes her angry and upset. How could anyone hurt Carlos like that?

She must be showing her emotions, because Kendall nudges her slightly and concern is etched on his face when she looks at him. She just shakes her head.

"I'm fine." Kendall looks unsure, but he looks away anyway and aims his eyes back to Carlos.

"Carlos?" She softly calls out as she hesitantly heads for his bed. He doesn't look up and doesn't seem to acknowledge her or Kendall. She walks closer, slowly, and when she stands next to him, she carefully holds out her hand and goes to put it on his arm.

Just before she touches him, he turns towards her. In a somewhat flinch, she pulls back her hand and she looks into his sad brown eyes as they look into her own brown orbs. She tries to read into his look, but so many emotions read back at her and they are gone as fast as they came.

"Hi." She softly tells him as she keeps looking into his eyes. His eyes seem to search hers, trying to find out who she is. "It's me, Carlos; Katie." She tells him with a small smile.

He continues to look at her when his eyes seem to widen in recognition. She smiles wider when she sees the recognition. But she also notices he doesn't know how to react. So, she does the first thing that comes to mind and envelops him into a big hug.

Kendall's eyes widen. "Katie, don't…" He starts, as he watches Carlos' reaction to it. At first, his eyes widen in shock. He stiffens at once, not knowing how to react.

But then, slowly, Kendall can see how he seems to let go. His arms move upwards and Kendall's heart leaps into his throat. He gets ready to rush forward, when the arms slowly move towards Katie and hug her back.

Even Katie is in shock when she feels his arms wrap around her carefully and then tighter as he hugs her back. She can't help but let tears fall as she lets go of all the worry she felt when he was missing. She'll never admit it out loud, but she really does love all the guys and she missed him so much.

She sobs even more when he slowly begins to rub her back in a soothing way. This was really Carlos. This is what he always did. All the guys held their own place in her heart. But if she was really upset, she wouldn't go to Kendall. He might be her actual brother, but no one could make you feel loved more like Carlos.

Whenever anyone was upset, he would see it immediately and make them talk. Then, he would engulf them in a huge teddy bear hug and let them cry out on his shoulder. When they were done, he would make them smile or even laugh right away.

How she wishes that is what he will do this time, but she knows he won't. Which is why she doesn't want to let go this time. She just clings to him and wants to hang on forever.

"Katie?" Kendall softly calls out from right next to her. She doesn't look up. "Katie, you need to let go now. We want to see him too."

"No.." She sniffles and buries her head further into his shoulder.

"Come on, Katie. You can't hold him forever. He'll need to sleep sometime." She looks up at him reluctantly with puffy eyes and tearstained cheeks and pouts. He smiles at her. "Come on, baby sister."

She reluctantly lets go of Carlos and wipes her eyes, before getting up from his bed. She looks at him once more, but he is already looking down at his sheets. She lets her head fall and Kendall puts his arm around her shoulders once more.

"Come on, lets go back to mom." He softly tells her, kissing her on the head. They turn around and head for the door. In a second she turns back around and runs over to Carlos. She gives him one more tight hug, before letting go quickly and looking him in the eyes.

"I missed you, Carlos. I'm so glad you're okay." She softly tells him and he just stares at her. She searches and finds a certain look in his deep brown eyes. He missed her, too. She smiles and then rushes back towards Kendall, who is watching them from the doorway with awe.

They walk out into the hallway n each other's arms. "You okay?" He asks her as they are finally out the door.

"Yeah. I'm fine, now that I've seen him." Kendall nods. Just then, Logan and James walk up to them. Worry comes across their features immediately once they see Katie's tearstained cheeks.

"Are you okay?"

"What happened?" They ask simultaneously. Katie chuckles and looks at Kendall, who smiles back at her.

"I'm fine."

"She's more than fine. She went up to hug him." Their eyes widen when they listen to Kendall. "And get this; he hugged her back." Their eyes widen further and they look at Katie.

"Oh my god.." Logan starts.

"Yeah and then she started to cry and he rubbed her back." Kendall says in awe. His friends look equally stunned and excited to hear this.

"aww.." James starts, but he grunts when Katie punches him in the gut.

"I missed him, alright?" She puts on an annoyed face, but all three of her brothers can see the small smile shining through.

"Group hug!" Kendall says with a smile. Katie groans, but soon finds herself in the middle of a group hug with her three other brothers. She feels annoyed, but decides to let it go, keeping up the hope that soon, there won't be a person missing from their embrace.

So many different feelings are mashed up into his head. He just doesn't know what to do or how to act. Life seemed to be so much easier in that little place in his head. He doesn't have to deal with pity or people crying and he doesn't have to think of everything that… happened.

These people… He knows them. He remembers them from somewhere a long time ago. Back when life was easy. When he wasn't so messed up. When he was happy. That time seems so long ago. He pushed it all away, far away into the back of his mind.

He used to hope. Hope that they would find him, rescue him. It's what kept him going. But they never did. He was about to give up when they came to take him out. But he didn't know those people.

And when others came to see him, he didn't recognize them at first. They were a threat. They all were. Trust no one. He learned that a while ago. But now, everything seemed so different.

His head is starting to hurt. What is he supposed to do? He wants to get away from here, he has since the beginning. But these people, his friends or family, he should say. They would be so upset. The old him wouldn't do that, would he? Why is it so hard to remember? He wants to be himself again… but who was that? So many things to dig up from his mind…

He closes his eyes and decides to shut his mind down again. Tomorrow is another day. He has time, for now. He is safe, for now….

And with that, his friends find Carlos staring off into space again. They hoped for a similar reaction as to what Katie got. But unfortunately, they receive none. No reaction whatsoever, But they don't give up. They stay by his side until the nurse tells them they have to leave.

They'll never give up. He's their brother. They'll help him find himself again. No matter what it takes…

Okay, I really liked that Katie/Carlos fluff :P I hope you liked it too and the tiny bit inside of Carlos' thought at the end as well.

Thank you for all the great reviews and alerts and favorites, I'm really grateful

I'll try to update again soon, but I'm a little distracted for some reason lately. Anyway, anyone else looking forward to the new BTR episode Big Time Single? Previews are already hilarious (and just between us, loving Carlos' butt :P It sticks out when he's lying down, I couldn't help but notice ;))

On to my other stories now, so until next time!

Love, Baxxie