AN: I'm back! I'm so sorry I was away for so long. I had my personal life to deal with and a bad case of writer's block. But I'm back with a long chapter that sets up something exciting for Kendall and Elle. This chapter takes place the morning after chapter 30 and follows the tour's first day in BTR's hometown. I hope this chapter is enough to entertain you and to forgive me for my break lol. If it makes you feel better I have the next chapter started. Thank you for your feedback and patience. I also saw there are a few new people following this story. I appreciate it!

Please enjoy and review!

There was a very real possibility of me dying from a hangover when I finally opened my eyes. My head throbbed and my mouth tasted like bourbon but it was worth it because I was well rested. But I realized I wasn't well rested from the alcohol when he stirred next to me.

"Morning."

It took a few tries but when I was finally upright I knew where I was right away. I was in Kendall's bunk and literally tangled up in him. My body was pressed up against him and his arm was still around me. We couldn't get any closer if we tried this caught my hungover brain off guard and I freed myself from his grasp.

"Please, please, tell me we didn't sleep together." I moaned as I rubbed my hand across my forehead. "Because a walk of shame is the last thing I need right now."

"I said I didn't want to take advantage of you when you showed up drunk." Kendall was trying to fight a laugh. "You insisted you wanted to sleep next to me and not with me and then climbed into my bed."

Hearing this jogged my memory and my stomach turned at the thought of all the alcohol I drank. I gave a small chuckled and leaned back on the pillows.

"That sounds like something I'd say." I winced at the throbbing behind my eyes. "My head is killing me."

"Do you want an aspirin?"

"Please."

Kendall rolled his eyes as he climbed out of bed. "I'll get them for you. Unlike you, I'm a much better host."

I said something similar to him after he had woken up in my bed. I tried not to dwell on the fact that we could still have banter and that his jokes still amused me. I downed the pills and half a bottle of water.

"Are you feeling okay? You were pretty drunk last night."

"Well, my head hurts. But at least there won't be another tape of me out there." I opened one eye to see Kendall looking pale and uncomfortable. "Been there done that."

"I would never do that."

"It was a joke. I'm allowed to joke about it. Thank you for letting me sleep here, I vaguely remember being hysterical."

His nervous expression gave way to a slight smile. "Anytime and I would say you were a little more than hysterical."

"It won't happen again, I get my sleeping pills soon. I'll be out of your hair and your, uh, bed."

"I don't mind it's nice to sleep next to someone. But I'm glad you get them soon, I'm worried about you."

I squinted at my phone and saw that it was nearly ten in the morning. "Trust me I am too. That's the most sleep I've had in weeks. Do you think the guys are up?"

"Probably? Are you leaving?" His question came out quick and he flushed. "I just mean, do you want coffee?"

"Yeah and I should get back before Liz thinks I got kidnapped."

Kendall held out his arm and helped me climb down. I slipped my shoes back on my feet before standing up, he stared down at me and I bit my lip. I felt a little shy and embarrassed. Showing up drunk and climbing into his bed was out of character for me. I hugged him for a brief moment and his chin rested on my head.

"Thanks for letting me stay here."

His lips brushed against my hair. "No worries."

With that, I was following him out into the kitchen. Apparently, you could do a walk of shame even if you hadn't fucked because our friends looked confused.

"Elle, what are you doing here?" James' eyes went from my face to Kendall's. "You okay?"

"I couldn't sleep," I answered, not giving any more explanation than that. "How are you guys?"

The mood was awkward but then Carlos did what he did best and filled the silence.

"We're home, so I'm great. We're about twenty minutes from our hometown and there's this place we always go to. They have the best breakfast."

"I finally get to see the famous hometown that was dumb enough to give you guys a day?"

"Don't hate on BTR Day. You're just upset you don't have one."

"You caught me."

Logan and James went back to the video they were watching and Carlos pushed past me to change. It was nice to be back on the bus with the guys even if it was just for the morning. Kendall was nursing a cup of coffee and his hip was pressed to mine as we leaned against the counter.

"You want to get breakfast with us? It's the first thing we do when we get home."

"Sure, why not."

It was obvious this tradition wasn't a secret one, because when we reached the small restaurant outside of town, a few fans were waiting for the guys. They were always nice to their fans but it was sweet the way they lingered with the ones from their city. I signed a few autographs while they chatted and a girl pointed to my chest.

"Nice hoodie."

I looked down and realized I was wearing the green Wilds hoodie. "What can I say? Minnesota is pretty great."

After that, I slipped inside and hoped no one looked into the fact that I came off the bus with the guys. The last thing I needed was the press asking more questions about me and Kendall. He joined me before our friends did and he seemed on edge.

"You okay?"

"Even in Minnesota, they aren't a big fan of mine." He picked up a menu. "I guess I thought coming home would be different."

I didn't say anything at first but the way his mouth pulled into a frown was sad. I didn't forgive him for what he had done but that didn't mean I wasn't worried. The press may have eased off of me but they were still hard on Kendall. Fans still booed him onstage and sent him tweets saying he should do everyone a favor. Between that and all the drinking and smoking, I had grown concerned about him. I didn't like him but that didn't mean I wanted something bad to happen to him.

"I'm sorry."

"It's nothing I don't deserve. Don't apologize I'm the one who fucked up."

"Yes but I don't want you to get hurt."

He scoffed at this and shook his head. "Sure you don't."

"Hey, I'm serious. I'm still pissed, what you did was awful, but I don't want you to get hurt."

He was quiet as my words sank in. Eventually, he smiled and gave a small nod. "Fine."

The bell on the door jingled as our friends came sweeping in. They were laughing and their faces were bright.

"The best part about being home is that everyone's so nice. That girl bought me cookies." Carlos was holding a large container. "The sweet taste of Mary's bakery."

"You get your own day plus cookies. Minnesota is one giant slap in the face at this point." I slumped further down into the booth. "I'm going to make some calls after this."

Carlos held out the tin. "Will this help? They're double chocolate chip."

"I don't want your sympathy cookies, I want my own."

James pointed to the menu. "Ignore those, get the hotdish. It's a Minnesota staple. It's this tater tot, vegetable thing."

I raised an eyebrow. "You don't eat carbs."

"Listen, I'm back in the homeland. And it's an acceptable meal in the winter, before hockey games and when I'm visiting."

When I gave his friends a confused look, Logan seconded this. "He's a different person when we visit. I watched him eat a burger at 7 am on the last tour, he said he didn't know when he'd be back and it was a necessity."

"James Diamond, Mr. Organic and Mr. I-Workout-Twice-A-Day, eats this stuff?"

He pounded his fist on the table. "It's a burger with cheese in the middle, another classic."

"That's disgusting."

"Just because you grew up in the desert eating sand doesn't mean I did."

Kendall scoffed and turned the page of my menu. "You can't go wrong with the pancakes."

I leaned across the table and squinted at James. "Oh look, normal breakfast food."

Today was going to be laid back. The first show wasn't until tomorrow so we had all day to ourselves, the guys all seemed stoked to be back home. Our meal had been interrupted three times by fans wanting to take pictures and they were more than happy to oblige. Kendall even got into two of them which brightened his mood. As breakfast wrapped up the conversation turned to their families. It was sweet to see the way they all got excited about the idea of seeing them.

"I was on the phone with my dad last night, apparently my grandma has been making food since yesterday." Carlos was animated as he spoke. "It's going to be a feast at the Garcia house and my cousins are in town for the concert tomorrow. I still don't think they believe I can sing."

"Dude, it's been almost six years."

"You tell them that."

Logan turned to me. "Every time I come home, my mom insists on holding me hostage for the day. So I'll be spending my day answering a hundred questions about what I've been up to."

"He means she wants to know who he's been sleeping with." Carlos clarified with a laugh. "I swear she tries to set him up with a 'normal' girl every time he's home. I mean can you blame her? Camille was a lot."

"You're 23 and your mom sets you up with girls? That's adorable, she does realize you flirt almost as much as James?"

James looked up from the burger he had settled on. "Keyword: Almost. He wishes he had the game that I do. In fact, I'll probably spend the day finding someone to get in trouble with. Unless you want to join me, Elle?"

Everyone at the table laughed, but next to me, Kendall stiffened. "You're not going to see your family?"

"I am. Whenever I come home my mom and I have a day at her spa, a little refresher. And then my dad and I hit the gym. The beauty of having divorced parents who want to be the favorite is that I get treated like a king."

"Because you're not already conceited." I teased. "It's cute you all have certain things when you come home. I don't have any little traditions because, well, I hate Phoenix. And Liz is basically my family, but when I get back to LA, I want actual food. I'm tired of eating out."

By the time we walked out of the restaurant, it was almost noon. The heavy rain had caused the fans to leave. Logan held the door open for me.

"Agreed, that's another good thing about being home for a few days. Do you want to ride over to the venue with us? You can meet our families, they're meeting us there."

The thought of meeting my friends' parents was daunting. After all, they had probably seen the drama surrounding me, Jett, and Kendall. They had known Kendall since he was a kid and it would be awkward if they were on his side.

"No, no," I said quickly. "Spend time with them, I don't want to impose."

"If you say so. My mom will probably want you to tell her who I've been seeing."

We all shared a quick hug. "Have fun. I'm sure I'll see you later."

With that, we went to our separate buses. Liz had texted me saying she was at the venue making sure things were in order for tomorrow. I was in the middle of replying to her when the sound of a clearing throat made me jump.

"Sorry."

I turned to see Kendall holding out my pillow and a fresh bottle of bourbon.

"Aren't you going to the venue?"

"Oh, James decided to get an order of hotdish to go at the last minute." He rolled his eyes at this. "I thought you'd want the pillow back. And we had a bottle of this on the bus. I thought you'd want to replace the one you downed before Liz saw it was gone."

I reached out and took it from him. "You know me so well. She'd probably have a fit if she knew I was hammered last night."

"So, what do you think of Minnesota?"

I was unlocking the safe and made a noncommittal noise. "The breakfast was pretty good and you guys seem happy to be home. It's honestly just another stop to me so far. Are you excited to see your mom?"

He made the same noise I did. "I haven't seen her since the whole New York thing. I'm definitely going to get a lecture."

I stood up from replacing the bourbon. "Speaking of, where is she? You didn't mention her inside."

A sheepish expression worked its way onto his face. "I told her we got in tomorrow, I'm not ready to face her yet."

I blinked a few times at this. From what I heard from the guys, his mom had given him an earful shortly after I left New York. He obviously deserved it but I'd dread seeing her too if I were him. I danced around the subject and folded my arms over my chest.

"You're not going to hang with the guys and their parents?"

Kendall was put off by my question and wrung his hands. "I could but after everything that happened they aren't my biggest fans. What about you? Where's Liz?"

"At the venue making sure everything is set up for tomorrow. Knowing her, she'll probably wind up on a conference call. So, it's also just me today."

"We could hang out." The words slipped out easily and they seemed to surprise him because he backtracked. "Uh, sorry, that's not me asking for a second chance or anything. I know you don't want that. But I mean if we're both alone today I could show you around."

His offer came out rushed and nervous, something about it put me at ease. Maybe it was the fact that he knew I wasn't going to give him a second chance or maybe I was just bored, but I found myself nodding.

"Let's do it."

A smile pulled at his mouth. "Really?"

"I can't check into my hotel for a few hours anyway. And if I sit at the venue Liz will probably rope me into an interview or something."

"It'll be fun. Besides your lack of interest in Minnesota is offensive and needs to be fixed."

It was my turn to smile. "Just because I don't want a burger with cheese in the middle for breakfast doesn't mean I need convinced."

"Too late, you already said yes. And I'll have you know there's more to offer than James' junk food."

I shrugged as I leaned against the counter. "If you say so."

Kendall was determined as he headed towards the bus' exit. "We have four days, you'll come around."

Liz was normally a level headed person. But when I informed her of my plans for the day, I may as well have been speaking a different language.

"I'm sorry, what?"

"Kendall's going to show me around his hometown."

"Yes, I heard you. But why?"

I shrugged. "I have nothing better to do and the guys are with their parents."

"You couldn't take a nap, write a song, do an interview? You really can't think of anything better to do than hang out with him?"

My fingers drummed against my chin as I pretended to think about it. "I could stay in my bunk and wallow until I can check into my hotel or I could make Kendall buy me lunch. I'll choose to make Kendall feel guilty any day of the week."

Liz's eyebrow was raised and she threw her hands up in defeat, before tossing a set of rental keys. "Alright, but if you need me to fake some sort of emergency just call. It's nearly one, you can check in at three. In case you need an escape plan."

Kendall and Liz crossed paths in the doorway, I could have sworn she attempted to elbow him on her way out. He just smiled as he strolled into the room, both hands shoved into his pockets.

"I don't want to start anything, but I think Liz just tried to jab me in the ribs." He jerked his thumb behind him. "I mean, it serves me right. But that's new for Liz."

"She's just... protective." I defended weakly. "She thinks it's weird we're hanging out."

This caused his smile to falter a bit. "Oh. Well, we don't have to. It was probably a bad-"

"I want to." I interrupted without missing a beat. "I wouldn't mind actually getting to see a place for once."

"Really? If it's all the same to you, could we head out now? The guys' parents are here and I'd rather slip out then deal with them looking at me like a monster."

The keys jingled in my hand as I held them up. "Should I trust you to drive?"

"You're the one who drank an entire bottle of bourbon last night." He retorted. "Give me the keys. I know my way around, you don't."

I wheeled my suitcase behind me as we walked out of the venue. The rain hadn't let up and by the time I had loaded my bag into the trunk of the car, my hair was wet.

"So far, Minnesota and I aren't getting along."

Kendall huffed at this as we drove. "If it makes you feel better, I got a sunburn in Arizona during the last tour."

"Only slightly." I peered out the window as we sped down the highway. "At least it's pretty here."

Everything was a lush green color. Pine trees dotted the sides of the road instead of the cactuses I grew up with. It was a nice change of pace, traveling mostly alone instead of on a huge bus. Living on a bus made tour feel less like a road trip and more like being in a hotel on wheels. Kendall fiddled with the radio and I cringed at the sound of my own voice.

"Anything can happen on a night like this."

The duet played for a moment and I could feel heat prickle up the back of my neck. This one song held endless memories for the both of us, writing it, filming the video, and flirting onstage while singing it. Out of the corner of my eye, I saw Kendall gripping the steering wheel. The song ended and the DJ took over.

"That was Night Like This by Elle Harper and Kendall Knight. It's officially Big Time Rush Week as our hometown band makes their annual stop here. Both shows are sold out despite all the scandal surrounding the tour. It was just a few weeks ago that Elle Harper's private photos were-"

My hand shot out to turn off the radio. Kendall gave me an uneasy look and I wondered if I was the only one who wanted to tuck and roll out of the car. Neither of us said anything as we got off the highway. He was visibly excited as we made our way into town. We passed a few blocks of houses before getting into the downtown area. A banner that read, "Welcome Home" hung across the main street.

"You get a banner too? This whole thing is a scam."

"It's a small town, there's not much to be excited about." Kendall had slowed down and pointed out my window. "That's the high school we all went to. The ice rink is next to it."

The brick building was much older than the steel and glass ice rink. The school looked like something from a movie. It made me nostalgic for something I never really knew. "You know, I only spent one year in high school? A normal one, I mean?"

"Really? It was the end of my sophomore year when Gustavo made us a band."

I was careful about how much I revealed. "I did online school on tour. I feel like I missed out."

"Crowded hallways, gross lunch, and homework aren't much to miss. I finished at the Palm Woods school, famous school is much better."

I swatted him on the shoulder. "I meant prom and football games."

At a red light, Kendall took the chance to push me back. "You take that back, hockey is the only sport that matters."

"Excuse me for being from the desert, Kendick. I guess award shows are kind of like prom. You get to dress up and stuff. Did you go to prom?"

"Not at home. James did though, he dated a senior as a freshman and as a sophomore. We had a prom at the Palm Woods. It wasn't great for what it's worth, Jo-" He cleared his throat and shook his head. "Sorry, uh, long story short, prom is boring."

For both our sakes I decided to change the subject. "So this is where you grew up?"

"Good old Shakopee. That diner is where we'd go after hockey games. That's the library where Logan'd do our homework. Well, not mine but Carlos'." He sounded wistful as we made our way down the street. "And this is where I used to work."

He made a left into a grocery store parking lot. "This definitely isn't Whole Foods."

"Hey, don't hate on Sherwood." He called over his shoulder as he climbed out of the car. "This parking lot has been very good to me."

He opened my car door for me and I pulled my hood over my head. "The first thing you do when you come home is go grocery shopping?"

"Breakfast comes first obviously. But yeah, I want to eat something later that's not from a drive-through or restaurant for once."

"Or from room service." I followed behind him as he pushed the cart. "You used to work here?"

"Until Gustavo came to the parking lot and told us he was making me and the guys a band." He pulled a few things from the shelves. "James used to work here too, but he got fired pretty quick."

The store was small and it was hard to picture James bagging groceries, it was too normal. "What'd he get fired for?"

We turned the corner and were in the back of the store. Kendall pointed to a door marked for employees only and rubbed the back of his neck. He was slightly embarrassed as he spoke. He avoided my eye as he tossed items into his cart.

"We used to bring girls into the dairy cooler and makeout when we worked late."

I laughed loud enough to turn a few heads. "That is the lamest thing I've ever heard."

Kendall half-heartedly agreed with me. "Listen, it'd be ten at night, just us and a few other kids. James' girlfriend of the week would come to visit and they'd make out. It was a good idea at the time. I couldn't have girls over and it was boring. No one buys groceries at night so I'd go in the back and entertain myself."

"So you'd make out next to the yogurt? How romantic. Just for that, you have to buy me a bottle of wine."

He pretended to be annoyed. "I'll have you know that the risk of getting caught was hot. I was subtle but James turned it into a revolving door."

"Hey, Knight!"

A voice made us both turn and I saw a stocky man coming towards us. Kendall brightened instantly and they gave each other a fist bump.

"Coach, how's the team this year?"

"Good, good. Gotta break in the freshmen though, apparently two practices a day is too much for them."

Kendall rolled his eyes. "Bullshit. Morning practice is for lifting and afternoon practice is for drills."

"I miss having you as a captain, you knew how to get the guys motivated. Are you sure I can't pull you away from Hollywood to come back and help me coach?"

"I'm young enough to still play for the Wild." Kendall threw a fake punch at the man and scoffed. "Hell no, I'm not gonna coach."

The older man threw his hands up. "Fine, fine. It was good seeing you."

They hugged. "Anytime, Coach."

"Take care of yourself and knock it off with your bullshit."

Kendall ducked his head. "I'll try."

We were alone in the aisle once more Kendall was quiet as he filled his cart with olive oil and pasta. I pulled a bottle of wine from the shelf and placed it in the basket.

"You were serious?"

"I would make you buy me ice cream but who knows what kid humped next to it," I said in disgust as I trailed behind him. "So, that was your hockey coach, I'm guessing."

"Coach Carter, every time I come home he tries to get me to come back."

He seemed to have gotten everything on his list because he got in line. "Were you any good?"

"Was I good?" He puffed out his check and an exaggerated smirk bloomed on his face. "Two-time team MVP, I was captain my second year, we won the State Championship twice. And before BTR took off I was getting scouted by the University of Minnesota. Was I any good? I could still probably get drafted for the NHL if I tried."

I leaned against the checkout as he loaded the food onto the belt. "You're also humble, practically a saint."

"You did call me Saint Kendall once or twice."

His laugh was infectious and I tried not to roll my eyes. "I take it back."

He didn't hear me because he was talking to the cashier. "How's your mom, is she doing okay?"

"A lot better, I'll let her know you said hi."

He was putting his wallet away and nodded. "Seriously, don't be a stranger. You know my mom comes home all the time. If you need anything, let her know."

"I will. Thanks, Kendall."

"See ya, Sara."

It was actually very sweet to see Kendall back home and with the people who had known him his whole life. He seemed more at ease than he been in the few months I had known him. Everyone smiled at him as we walked out of the store and through the parking lot. He greeted people by name. I had loaded the shopping bags into the car because he was busy talking to an older woman. I climbed into the passenger seat and watched as he listened intensely before hugging the woman. They shared a smile and Kendall waved goodbye.

"Sorry, that was my old neighbor. She used to babysit me and Katie when we were kids."

"You just know everyone, don't you? You're practically skipping."

"I don't know." He started the car and shrugged. "It's just nice to be home. No one seems to hate me as much as I thought they would."

As he started the car, I took a moment to look him over. He hadn't been drinking as heavily but his skin was still a bit sallow. He was still scruffy and he had bags under his eyes. Most notably, he still looked guilty. I was quiet for a moment and considered my words.

"Listen, what you did was shitty and wrong. But even I don't hate you."

This came as a surprise to him because he blinked hard. "You don't?"

"I did. But I don't anymore. It's still wrong, it still hurts, but I don't hate you."

He smiled to himself and let out a long breath. "It means a lot to hear you say that."

"Well, I mean it. So don't listen to any of those tweets okay? Now, where are we going?"

The change of subject caught him off-guard. "Uh, I was thinking my house? I have to put this stuff in the fridge."

"Your house?"

He was anxious as he glanced over. He drummed his fingers against the wheel. "I mean, we don't have to stay. I'm sorry-"

"I don't care, it's fine. But you still have a house here?"

"Actually, that's Carlos' house." He made a sharp left and then a right down a long street. "That's Logan's and this one coming up on the right is mine. James' mom lives out in the suburbs and his dad lives in Minneapolis."

The neighborhood was clean and quiet. Trees lined the streets and it seemed like a perfectly average place to grow up. I could almost picture the guys getting into trouble and staying out until the streetlights came on.

"I get the guys having houses because their parents are here, but your mom and sister live in LA?"

Kendall pulled into the short driveway and popped open the trunk. "Katie's at college and we're on tour a lot. So my mom comes back here for awhile. It's kind of nice actually. You really get to come home, not just to a hotel. Do you not have a place in Phoenix?"

I helped him carry in the shopping bags and dropped them on the table. "With my annoying aunt or the foster homes, I lived in? Hell, no."

"My bad." He busied himself with putting things away. "Logan's mom looks after the house when no one's here."

The kitchen was small and homey. It seemed like someone had just popped out and would be back at any moment. Magnets were on the fridge, mail sat piled on the counter and the houseplants were nice and green. Whenever I left for tour, my place was always locked up and untouched for months. This felt like someone still lived here. It was very fitting, I could see the guys hanging out in the living room or at the dining table.

"Very Midwest, it's cute."

"Midwest, my mom would love to hear that," Kendall mused as he shut the last cabinet. "You want the tour?"

I linked my arm through his. "Lead the way."

"First things first. This living room is where Big Time Rush kind of began. We were watching TV and saw that Gustavo was holding auditions in the city, James freaked the fuck out. So we called all of our moms for a ride." He laughed at the next part. "We ended up getting a neighbor to let Logan drive her car with his learner's permit. We just barely made it and Kelly gave us all an audition number."

"And then what happened?"

"Logan tried beatboxing, Carlos was disgusting, and James' voice cracked. Gustavo was a dick about it and you know me, short-tempered and shit, I climbed onto the table and half-assed Girl to my Heart. Long story short, we got brought home by the cops. For some unknown reason, he liked it and showed up at my house."

I shook my head. "No way."

Kendall pointed to the armchair in the corner. "Ask the guys, he sat right there. He said he wanted to make me a singer. I told him no because I wanted to play hockey. But then James was pissed and I convinced Gustavo to make us a band."

"And the rest is history?"

"Something like that." He nodded towards the stairs. "Come on, the Kendall Knight Childhood Tour continues this way."

I raised an eyebrow. "This isn't some ruse to get me into your bed is it?"

"Would that work?" He questioned hopefully. When I scowled, he held up his hands. "I'm kidding. You didn't believe I was good at hockey, come on."

Against my better judgment, I followed him up the narrow stairs. He opened a door and flicked on the light. The walls were dark blue and littered with hockey posters. A bookshelf lined one wall and a guitar leaned against his desk. A large bed was in the middle and on the other wall was a trophy case.

"This is my room."

I looked around and nodded approvingly. "It's very you, in a younger way."

Kendall gestured to the trophies. "See, I told you I was good."

"MVP, State Championship, Junior Hockey League, Peewee Hockey blah, blah, blah, first place." I read off from the plaques and teasingly shrugged. "Fine, I guess you were okay. It's hitting a puck with a stick, it can't be that hard."

"Fuck off, I bet you can't even skate."

"Yeah well, you should teach-" A framed pictured crammed behind an award caught my eye. "Oh, no way. Is this you?"

Kendall lunged for the photo but I dodged him in time. He was at least 13, his skin was acne-covered and he had braces. He looked impossibly scrawny in his hockey uniform and his eyebrows were even more unruly than they were now. Kendall grumbled and his face was red.

"I was an ugly kid."

"You should see yourself now." I countered and then winced. "Ugh, my eyes."

He shoved me and took the picture. "Very funny. I bet you had an awkward phase."

"Nope. I was always breathtaking."

"More like taking up all the air in the room." He looked at his watch. "It's a little after two. What do you want to do?"

I sat on the edge of his bed. "What do you normally do when you're home?"

"To get the authentic Kendall Knight experience, I would usually smoke and catch up on the TV I missed on tour."

"Is it even legal here?"

Kendall gave a nonchalant shrug. "Carlos' dad is a cop and we smoked at his house." He rooted through a dresser drawer until he found it. "I'm cool with skipping it though."

"I did force you to buy me wine. I don't care."

"Perfect. Let's go back down." He led the way down the stairs but turned to grin at me. "I promise I won't make a move."

We ended up in his living room with a bottle of wine and worked our way through a few episodes of a true crime doc. We started on opposite ends of the couch. But about an hour in we moved closer. Kendall smoked from a joint and let his arm fall over my shoulder as my head rested on his chest. It was familiar and he clearly felt at home. At one point I texted Liz letting her know I was okay. The afternoon slipped by but I could barely focus on the TV because I kept looking at the pictures that lined the walls. Kendall and his sister throughout the years, his mom, and the guys. There weren't any of his dad, but I knew better than to ask. Kendall had clearly gotten through his awkward phase by the time he was in high school. A picture of him and the guys as teens made me smile. They were all cute and looked normal in their hockey uniforms. It was weird to think that the universe had aligned itself in a way that led to us being friends. If they hadn't gone to those auditions or if I hadn't sent out my own demos, I would have never met a group of hockey players from Minnesota.

I took a picture of it and posted it to my story with the caption, 'Look at these babies'. When his phone buzzed with the notification, Kendall's lips curled up at the corners. The afternoon passed by as we binged watched our way through the series. Every so often we'd stop to argue different theories but mostly we stayed on the couch with our bodies close. It was cozy and a good way to relax.

"Did we really just watch five hours worth of TV?" Kendall asked as he stretched his arms over his head a while later. "I'm sorry, this must have been boring."

"It was kind of nice. I haven't been somewhere homey in a while, it's refreshing to be somewhere that isn't a hotel or bus."

He pushed himself off the couch. "You probably missed your check in."

"Liz took care of it. But I probably should get going." I went to the door and grabbed my shoes. "I have an exciting night of room service ahead of me."

Kendall debated with himself for a minute and scratched his jaw. "I mean, I was going to make dinner. You could stay?"

"You want to make dinner?" My hip jutted out and I cocked my head. "What's the catch?"

He was already making his way into the kitchen. "No strings attached. Cooking for one person is a hassle and what kind of host would I be if I let you eat room service? I've stayed at that hotel before and I have food poising just thinking about it."

The idea of eating dinner with Kendall was strange to me. During our sham of a relationship, we had been on one date. On the other hand, he knew he wasn't getting a second chance and he hadn't tried anything all afternoon. He kept his promise and didn't make a move once. His hand had stayed on my waist and didn't wander. After thinking it over I decided something homecooked would be a nice change.

"So are you staying?" He was washing his hands. "It's just pasta but I promise it's going to be better than anything you order."

"Anything beats room service. Can I help?"

Kendall waved off my question. "I invited you to stay you don't have to help."

I sat at the kitchen table and watched as he put a pot of water on the stove. "If you say so."

It had been years since I had been in a normal house. I had spent the better part of five years on a bus, in a hotel or in my apartment. Kendall's house felt more like home than any of the foster families I had lived with. We were both quiet as water boiled and rain continued to hit the windows. I scrolled through my phone and saw a few texts from the guys. They were all surprised at the fact that I was at Kendall's. My notifications were no different. Kendall had posted a picture at one point and captioned it 'Home'. The fans had put two and two together and were having a meltdown.

EverythingisElle: Y'all the wallpaper is the same. Is she at his house?!

"There's wine in the fridge if you want it. Could you pour me one?"

"Always." I was all too happy to open the bottle and I poured two glasses. "I love Liz but ever since LA, she's been down my throat."

"I know I had a lot to do with LA but she has a point." He turned from the stove and reached for the other glass. "Thanks."

His fingers brushed against mine as he took it and I jerked my hand back. As we sat at the table and made our plates it struck me just how coupley this was. It felt very domestic to be having dinner with Kendall at his house. I wondered if this is what things would be like if we had never been famous. The sound of his voice pulled me from my thoughts.

"Sorry what?"

He laughed and pointed to my plate. "Is it okay?"

"You can cook, you play hockey and you sing. What can't you do?"

"This is the extent of my cooking skills. I might be able to make breakfast on a good day." He finished off his wine and refilled both glasses. "It's nice not eating alone."

His grin was genuine and the two of us were leaning across the table. "It is. Are you excited about tomorrow?"

"Performing at home is always cool. The crowd seems more energetic and the album comes out this week. Life is good."

I offered to help him clean up the kitchen and we polished off the rest of the wine and pasta. Kendall smoked the rest of his joint as he put the dishes away. My cheeks were warm and I had a nice buzz in my veins, I saw the keys on the counter and shook my head.

"I don't think I can drive. Does Minnesota have Uber?"

Kendall scoffed. "I can drive you to your hotel. You should sleep."

"You've been smoking, Jett almost killed us once when he drove high. Hard pass." I rubbed my forehead, thinking of the accident. "It's not like it matters, I don't get my sleeping pills for a few more days."

He bit his thumbnail and he avoided my eye. "You could sleep here. I could sleep on the couch."

"That's rude. You didn't come home to sleep on the couch."

It occured to me that he was buzzed too because he kept laughing. "Just sleep with me. Next to me, whatever."

"Are you sure?"

He put his hand on my shoulder. "You're not the only one who can't sleep. Last night was fine, right?"

The clock on the wall told me that it was only nine but I was still feeling drained. "I'll stay if it's okay with you."

"Elle, it's fine. I promise. I'll go grab your stuff."

Once he vanished out the front door I took the chance to send Liz a quick text.

Staying at Kendall's for the night. Don't worry, I'm fine.

Her reply was instant. Is he holding you hostage? I can come get you.

It's fine, nothing's going to happen. I'll see you tomorrow.

Once we were upstairs, I got ready for bed and when Kendall came back from brushing his teeth he did a double take. His expression was soft and he chuckled to himself.

"What?"

"I don't know." He leaned against the door. "I'm home but you're here. It's like being home twice. You make me happy and so does being home."

This made my face go warm. "Shut up. I will say that it's been fun."

"Admit it, you missed me." He laid down next to me. "You're happy you're here."

"It's been fun because I got you to cook and I got to see your awkward pictures." I went over to the shelf and held it up. "This almost makes all the bullshit worth it. You really were a geeky kid, weren't you?"

"So fucking rude, Len." He threw a pillow at me. "Maybe I was geeky, but we'd have a cute kid."

This was enough to make me drop the picture but I caught it at the last moment. "Are you drunk or high?"

"Both. But it's true." He was laying on top of the covers and his hands were under his head. "Although you could probably have kids with anyone and they'd be cute."

"Of course, they'd be cute. I'm stunning." I rolled my eyes and joined him. "But I'm glad I'm not having one."

He turned and propped himself up on his elbow. "Me too. I remember when I thought you were, I almost threw up. I said I'd be there or whatever but I was shitting myself."

I remembered that night on the bus well. I had enjoyed making him feel guilty but it must have had an effect on him. Even now his voice was shaking. "I thought you were just saying that to say it."

"I think I heard it in a movie once. All I knew was that you were having my baby and I had shoved you and that you hated me. But then I pictured us being parents and even though I was pissed, I knew I wanted to be there." He stroked his thumb over the back of my hand. "I didn't have a dad or anything but I knew I couldn't be a dick and walk away."

"Such a gentleman." I deadpanned. "No offense, but the best moment of those two weeks when I was gone was when the test was negative."

He laughed at me. "None taken. I could have cried when you said you weren't. I would have done the right thing though."

I squinted a bit, trying to picture us being parents. "I don't know about all of that."

"Seriously, if you wanted it I would have been there. I would have been there for anything you wanted." Kendall shrugged. "I will say, I think two people should be in love before they have a kid though."

All this baby talk was making me uncomfortable. "You're not wrong. I met so many kids in foster care whose parents definitely didn't want them."

He frowned at this and his hand brushed over my stomach. "Well, I would definitely want to have kids someday."

I waited for his hand to slip under my shirt or down my leg. But he just let it rest where it was. It was weird talking about all this stuff. Jett and I had never talked about the future. He'd joke that I'd make a great first wife but that was it. The closest we got to discussing having a family was the one time we thought about getting a dog. It hadn't worked out because he decided his beauty sleep was too important to be ruined by barking.

"I wouldn't have minded having a kid with you one day. If things had worked out I mean."

This made me roll my eyes and scoff. "Yeah, sure."

"What? A little Elle or Kendall would have been cool. A killer singing voice and a hockey prodigy?" He had a wide smile and a distant expression. "It could have been awesome."

The more he talked, the more my eyebrows raised. "You've thought about this a lot."

A red flush crept into his face. "Only a little. Mostly after, you told me you weren't. I was still freaking out even though I knew it was fine. And it's hard to not think about everything that could have been after you fuck up a relationship."

I decided not to tell him that all I pictured was a sign that read "It's a bet!" instead "It's a boy" "It's a girl". But I knew what he meant, when I had been home I thought about what could have been. Going to Europe, meeting his family, telling him I loved him. And it felt stupid in hindsight, but I had pictured us moving in together. But I didn't say any of this.

"I know what you mean." My voice was tight.

His fingers looped through mine. "I saw it. Marriage, a dog, kids."

"So old fashioned." I nudged him.

He agreed with this and his voice was warm. "I'm from the Midwest. I think the best way to show someone you love them is to get married and have a family."

I wrinkled my nose. "I don't want kids."

"Ever?" He sat up a bit and seemed embarrassed. "Really?"

I threw my hands up and searched for the right words. "Nope. My parents were a shitshow, it seems too easy to mess a kid up, and I was pregnant for all of nine weeks and I hated every single second of it."

"Yeah, that's right. He uh, you were-" He winced and covered his eyes. "I'm sorry."

"Don't worry about it. If anything it just cemented the idea for me." Just thinking about it was making my hands shake. "I'm sure it's exciting if you want that. But it's like the flu but worse. I was always sick, I was dizzy, I could barely perform. Did you know it can make your gums bleed? It's all gross and just kept reminding me of what he did. And I was fat."

This made him shake his head. "I'm sure you weren't fat."

"Well, I felt like it. I had an appointment scheduled but it took care of itself." I sniffed a little and he looked concerned. "Which was fine, that's not why I'm crying. They said I didn't do anything wrong and that it happens. I had no intentions of letting it go any further but it hurt and just proved how much he fucked me up. It was like the universe just wanted me to see how broken I was."

His hand rested on my arm and he held my chin. "I'm sorry that happened to you. You're strong as hell though. You're not broken."

"Thanks." I took the tissue he held out. "Let's just say my one experience with being pregnant was enough to turn me off. I don't want anyone or anything to be able to change my body like that."

He wiped at my eyes. "What about a nice dog?"

This lightened the mood and once he saw that I was laughing he joined in. "I've never had one but sure. It would be cute and a lot less annoying. I can buy them little outfits."

He buried his face in a pillow. "No, you're one of those people."

"One of what people?"

"A small dog person, the best dogs are big ones."

I elbowed him. "You leave my future small dog alone."

"Did he know?" The question came out without thinking and he backpedaled. "Shit. I'm sorry, don't answer that."

I wasn't even sad, just irritated. "He knew. Some magazine got a picture of me leaving the hospital after, I was still showing a little. He wasn't concerned about me of course, just his image. He practically kicked my door down to tell me to get rid of it. In true Jett fashion, he made it about himself and bashed my head into the wall."

Kendall tensed and looked ill. "He did that when he thought you were-?"

"Isn't he sweet?"

"Why didn't you ever press charges? I mean between the video and him being an asshole they'd have to believe you."

I picked at my fingernails and shifted my weight. "People see what they want to see. So when the video came out as a sex tape, that's what they saw it as. Besides, no one believes the girl. He said I was too drunk, his lawyer will say I shouldn't have worn that outfit. I didn't go to the hospital or report it. And there was never any DNA."

He had a sour look on his face and he shook his head. "Because he put you in the tub and-" He was shaking. "I want to kill him.

"It is what is. But I hate that he's free to roam the planet and cause havoc." I rubbed my fists into my eyes. "And if I said anything about the tape it would have looked liked I was deflecting. It's not even what really happened, it's edited."

Kendall's voice was quiet and his eyes were full of worry. "You mean there's more?"

"He made it look like we were just hooking up. There are a good five minutes before it starts where I was telling him to stop." I shuddered thinking about it. "He put it out after I told him I was going to the police."

The label had actually bought the full video from Jett and sued the gossip site that originally posted the short version. That didn't mean that it wasn't still out there or on Jett's phone.

"Well. I think that you're incredibly strong and still the best person I've ever met. Even after all the stuff that's happened to you, you manage to be kind and thoughtful and sweet. I'm sorry he did that to you and I'm sorry for what I did." His gaze was intense and I had to look away. "I believe you and I wish there was something I could do."

"Letting me cry in your bed and making me dinner is nice." I tucked myself under the covers and glanced up at him. "Are you sure this is okay? I'm sorry I got all heavy."

He rubbed circles into my back. "Don't be, if you need to talk I'll listen."

"Right now, I kind of just want to sleep. I promise I'll be out of your hair once my prescription comes in. It's either tomorrow or the day after."

For the first time in a few minutes, his face wasn't pulled into a frown. A smile twitched at the corner of his mouth as he went to the light switch. The room was mostly dark and I felt the bed sink next to me.

"You could never be in my hair. You know that."

"I appreciate that. I feel like I keep showing up drunk in your bed. Given my history, it's probably not the smartest idea." I cringed at my words. "Sorry, bad joke."

"He won't get away with this." His fingers pushed the hair from my face and his thumb rested on my cheek. "I know I haven't been a stand-up guy lately but I'd never do that to you."

My buzz had worn off leaving me tired and with the start of a headache. I nestled my body closer to Kendall's and his arm went to my waist. "I know, I feel safe around you."

"Good." His lips pressed against my hair for a brief moment. "I just want you to be happy, Elle. I'd do anything to make you happy."

His words were sweet and I reached down to squeeze his hand. Laying with him was familiar and comforting even though I was in a different bed, in a different state. It felt like coming home after a long trip. He'd do anything to make me happy, but right now all I needed was this. All I needed was him.

AN: Kendall and Elle have three more days in Minnesota and seem to be enjoying each other's company. They both saw a future with each other before what happened in New York. I know this was a bit of a filler but I wanted them to just spend time with each other. The next chapter features the two shows in the state. Plus Kendall makes a few bold moves in proving himself to Elle. What was your favorite part of this chapter? Mine was the wake up scene and where they talk about Jett.

Again, thank you for waiting this long! The next chapter will be up soon. Until then, stay tuned and maybe drop a nice review?

Thanks!