Kendall entered 2J, hanging up his coat by the door.
"Logan!" He shouted through the apartment. "I'm hitting the rink, do you wanna...?" He stopped as a strange noise hit his ears. It was very soft, but still hearable. At first he couldn't identify it, but then it became very clear. Someone was sniffling... someone small. Overcoming with worry, he immediately started for her mother and sister's bedroom.
"Katie?" He knocked on their door. "Katie? Is everything okay?" Upon hearing no answer, he tried to open the door, but it was locked. Now seriously worried, he knocked again, more firmly this time. "Katie? Can you open the door?"
The sniffling suddenly stopped, and sounds of tiny, fast footsteps came through the door.
"One second!" Katie's voice sounded a bit raspy before the doorknob turned, and she opened the door just a bit.
"Yeah?" Came the soft answer.
"Katie?" Kendall asked again, trying to get a glance at his little sister, trying to push the door further open but she held it firmly. "Are you okay?"
"Yeah." Her voice was anything but convincing, quivering a little bit as she gave another sniffle. Kendall wasn't about to be fooled.
"Can you open the door fully, please?" He asked, gently but firmly, without pressing on the door this time.
"Why?" Katie's voice as still a bit hoarse.
"So I can take a proper look at you." He answered. "I just wanna see if you're okay."
"I told you before, Kendall, I'm okay." Now she sounded a bit angry, but he refused to drop the topic.
"Fine. If you're okay, then open the door, so I can take a look at you. Come on... open the door."
A few more sniffles, then Katie opened the door fully, looking at the ground. Sighing deeply, Kendall kneeled down and looked at his little sister. He reached out and gently tilted her chin upwards, forcing her to look at him. Her eyes were filled with tears, making his heart ache.
"Aw, Katie..." Before he could finish, Katie threw her arms around his neck and sobbed into his shoulder, holding onto him tightly. "Aw, baby sister..." He picked her up and carried her into her room before closing the door behind them, making sure nobody else came through the door. "What happened, hmm? What happened?"
Katie just kept crying harder as Kendall sat down with his little sister on his lap, rubbing her back in a circular motion.
"They... they..." Katie stammered, sobbing loudly. "They don't want me around!"
"Hey, hey!" Kendall soothed, kissing and stroking her hair. "Who? Who doesn't want you around?"
Katie gulped and sniffled a bit before answering.
"Nobody!" She almost yelled, her tiny shoulders shaking with every sob.
"Oh come on, baby sister..." Kendall rubbed her back gently, desperate to calm her down. "That's not true..."
"Yes it is!" She hiccupped, burying her face deeper into her brother's shoulder. Kendall held her tight. "Nobody wants me around..."
"Come on, Katie..." Kendall whispered, his hands still at work stroking her hair. "Come on, Kates..."
"It's true." Katie's voice became a bit firmer and she pulled away from him, looking into his eyes. "I don't have any friends, Kendall. Jamie doesn't want to hang out with me anymore, Tyler's always hiding and there's nobody else here my age!" She gave another sniffle, and he pushed a few hairs out of her face. "I don't know what to do..."
"Aw, Katie." That's all Kendall could say before Katie started to sob again, pulling her close and whispering comforting words into her ear. "It's okay, baby sister. Calm down, it's okay. It's okay."
Jamie, as far as Kendall knew was Katie's best friend, although he did realize she wasn't coming over as much. And well, it was always a game of hide and seek with Tyler, even if it wasn't his fault.
"What's the deal with Jamie, huh?" He asked softly, holding the small body close to him. "Did you guys have a fight?"
Kendall could feel his little sister shake her head, then she pulled away again.
"She... she has a boyfriend now and doesn't have time for me..." Her crying started to weaken but she was still shaken up a bit. "I just feel so lonely..."
"Aw, baby sister, I'm so sorry." He hugged her again, a bit tighter this time, his heart breaking for her, but he also became a bit angry. Katie was eleven years old, how come her friends are already having boyfriends? You can't hurt kids, he reminded himself. You can't hurt Jamie. Nor her boyfriend. "What can I do, Kates?" He asked rubbing her arms gently. "Is there anything I can do?"
He could feel her shake her head again. Kendall sighed. He gently pushed Katie away and wiped her tears, giving her a few kisses on the cheek.
"Come on, is there anything you feel like doing?" She shook her head again, hear breathing slowly becoming normal. "No? There has to be something. Do you wanna watch a movie?" Another shake of the head. He thought a bit. "Do you wanna... go out?" Another shake of the head. "Do you wanna... prank Bitters?" Katie shook her head at that too, and Kendall now knew she was seriously feeling down. She would never pass on a chance to annoy Bitters. "Come on, baby sister, let me do something for you. How can I help, huh?" He asked her gently, squeezing her tiny hands. "How can I help?"
"I don't..." Katie shook her head again, giving a final sniffle. "I don't know." She whispered.
Kendall thought a bit, then smiled when an idea came to his mind.
"But I do!" He exclaimed happily, making Katie let out a small shriek as he scooped her up and started for the door. "I know how to help!"
"Ice skating, Kendall? Really?" Katie asked as Kendall tied her skates, now done with crying; she was just apathetic. They arrived at the rink a few minutes ago. "Kendall, I don't know how to ice skate. We've known that since I was little. That's your thing, not mine." Regardless, he let her brother finish her skates.
"But this time, it'll be different." Kendall beamed, pulling her to her feet, immediately cathcing her before she could collapse. "Just stay right where you are, that's it..." He waited until she was steady, then smiled down at her. "Today you're going to learn how to skate."
"Kendall, I know you're just trying to help but this is the dumbest idea ever." She complained, but had a feeling she had no choice, and she was right as Kendall started to slowly pull her into the rink's direction, trying to balance herself.
"Come on, baby sis, let's go!"
Once on the ice, Katie held onto Kendall for dear life; unlike her brother, she was never great at hockey or even ice skating. She had many other different talents, but not these.
"Now." Kendall sounded excited to teach her, turning to face her. "Just look at my feet. Watch what I do. Don't do it, just watch."
Katie watched. Kendall always made it look so easy. One foot after the other, gliding smoothly across the ice. Kendall made a circle then skated back to her, holding onto her hand.
"Come on, now let's do it together. Ready?" Katie nodded. "If you feel like you're falling, just bend your knees and squat, okay? Bend your knees and squat."
Surprising herself, Katie made it two feet before squatting, holding onto Kendall's hand tightly.
"Nice fall!" Said Kendall, smiling down at her. She scowled at him. "Really, nice fall! As long as you don't fall on your face, you're doing great. Now get up, that's it! Good job! You're doing great!"
Katie sighed, but had to admit she was feeling a little better. At least she wasn't thinking about her problem.
"Alright, let's try again." He held her hand and showed her again. Katie mimicked him and this time, she made it four feet before squatting. She couldn't believe herself, but refused to let it show.
"Good job, Kates! Get up, come on! Again!"
They tried again, again and again and with every try, Katie became better. Within half an hour, she could do half a circle without Kendall's help.
"I'm doing it!" She shrieked happily, giggling as she went. "Kendall, look, I'm doing it!"
"Katie, watch out!" She whipped her head back before hitting the fence hard, bouncing back and collapsing onto the ice. "Katie!" Kendall skated to her and kneeled down.
"Katie!"
To both of their surprise, Katie burst out laughing, and Kendall joined her before he knew it.
"You're crazy." He grabbed her hand and pulled her up, hugging her tight. "Alright, one more time, come on, baby sister! You've got this!"
Kendall leaned against the fence, watching her little sister glide across the ice smootly and fast, asif she'd been doing it her whole life. Her laughter became louder with every circle she made, and Kendall chuckled right along with her; now this was a much better sight then a crying, sad Katie.
"Alright, Kates, one last circle, okay? The rink's closing!" Katie suddenly stopped, looking at him disappointed.
"Aw!" She complained, but made the last circle anyway, then got off the ice. "I was having so much fun!"
"I could tell!" Kendall followed her, smiling down at her and placing a hand on her shoulder ad they walked back to return the skates. "We'll come again, alright? Whenever you want!"
"Really?" Katie's voice was full of hope, looking up at him asif he'd just promised her they'd go to Disneyland.
"Of course, baby sister." He laughed. "Whenever you want."
Once back at 2J, the siblings found a note on the fridge.
"Went to watch a movie! Be back late!" Signed by James, Logan and Carlos. Mrs. Knight was out tonight, so it would just be the two of them. Kendall looked down at his little sister, ruffling her hair.
"Now how about that movie, huh?"
Katie nodded eagerly, then ran towards the bathroom.
"You make the hot cocoa!"
After they both showered, they cuddled on the couch with a mug of hot cocoa in each of their hands. They watched Miranda, Katie's favorite sit-com and comfort show. Kendall dozed off every now and then, and each time Katie would pinch his side to wake him up again. Kendall was ticklish - and Katie was one of the very few people who knew that.
"Alright." Katie announced, once again pinching Kendall's side and he gave a chuckle before pushing her hand away, awake again. "It's over, grandpa. You can go to bed now."
"Who are you calling a grandpa, you little stinker?" He laughed before standing up and slunging her over his shoulder, Katie giggling like crazy.
"Put me down!" She pounded on his back, and he returned the favor by giving her butt a light slap. "Hey! Ow!" Katie giggled, even though it didn't hurt. Kendall carried her to his room and put her on his bed, turning off the lights.
"Good night." He said before laying her down and holding her close, burying his face into her hair, treating her like his own personal teddy bear.
"Big brother?" Said Katie, snuggling into Kendall.
"Hmm?" Came the sleepy reply.
"Thank you for today. I had a great time. Did you mean what you said? Can we really go to the rink anytime?"
"Of course, baby sister!" Kendall hugged her tighter, kissing her forehead. "It could be our thing! We could hang out more, how does that sound?"
"I'd love that." She smiled, placing a small kiss on Kendall's dimples. "I love you, big brother."
"Love you too, baby sister." He replied before falling fast asleep.
Katie smiled under the covers, nestling deeper into Kendall. She knew she would never be alone again.