AN: Hello, Rushers! I'm back with a new update. Thanks for sticking around. This chapter continues to follow Elle and BTR in Minnesota. The album release is getting closer and so are Kendall and Elle. I hope you enjoy this update and let me know what you think! Thank you.

PS: I recommend you check out Everything Has Changed by Heffron Drive! You'll see. :)

Despite what he had claimed last night, Kendall definitely could cook. I had woken up alone in bed and very confused for a moment, but the sounds of him in the kitchen lured me downstairs. His hair stuck up at odd angles and he was just in pajama pants. It felt like I had woken up in some alternate universe where there was no Big Time Rush and we were a normal couple.

"Morning." He greeted through a yawn as he stirred a large bowl. "How's it going?"

I waved and stretched my arms over my head. "I had no idea where I was when I woke up."

"Same. I actually thought I had dreamt up the band and being on tour and was still in high school this morning."

I joined him at the stove and peeked into the bowl. "Waffles?"

"I was thinking pancakes?"

"There's no way this relationship ever would have worked if you think pancakes are better."

Kendall put down the batter and rummaged around the cabinets beneath him. "The things I do for you."

"I consider myself lucky."

He got back on his feet and plugged in the waffle iron he had found. "You should."

We were quiet as the waffles cooked and I drummed my fingers against the side of my mug. Once again, I found myself waking up with Kendall. It had happened more than I would have liked it too. He reached past me to open a cabinet. I was wedged between him and the counter and he held my gaze for a moment. He wasn't subtle when his eyes dropped to my mouth. I ducked under his arm and cleared my throat, breaking the tension.

"Y-Your mom gets home tonight, you excited?"

He blinked a few times and let out a breath. "I haven't seen her in a few months, so yeah. But I'm sure she'll chew me out for the whole bet and pictures thing."

"I can't say I have much sympathy."

"I never said you had too." He was matter of fact about this. "I don't necessarily deserve it."

"She's your mom, she's probably just worried."

"She'll go on and on about how she raised me to treat women with respect. Which is true and I'm not proud of what I did, but I feel bad enough. Especially knowing what I do now."

"Well, if it helps, tell her you made me waffles."

He snorted. "If I had known waffles would have fixed things I would have made them ages ago."

I grinned as I reached up to grab a plate. "You can make them the rest of tour."

"Consider it done."

After insisting I help clean up because I wasn't a bad guest, Kendall and I headed out for the venue. I was surprised when he opened the door and three paparazzi were camped out on the sidewalk. Inwardly, I groaned, the last thing I needed was the world thinking I was back together with him. Kendall simply pushed through them and led me to the car. The questions were impossible to ignore.

"Elle, are you back together with Kendall?"

"Have you forgiven him?"

"Are you dating?"

I could see that his jaw was tensed as he opened my door. I pulled my hood over my head and covered my face as he backed out of the driveway. Once we were on the road he turned to me and frowned.

"I'm sorry about that. There's never been press outside our houses when we're home."

In the side mirror, I could see their cameras were still flashing. "Occupational hazard."

When we got to the venue the press was there too. Normally, I traveled by myself without security if I was going somewhere casual. It hadn't even occurred to me that I'd need it in a small town like this. I was grateful to see them keeping the press at bay. We walked into the lounge area and the guys all greeted us.

"Bro, are they at your house?" Carlos was incredulous as he held out his phone. "That's fucked up."

Kendall was still scowling. "Yeah. I don't know how they figured out she was there."

"I shared that stupid picture of you guys and you posted something on your story. The fans matched the damn wallpaper."

"That's dedication."

"No, it's distracting." Gustavo was loud as he joined us. "The album comes out tomorrow, we don't have time for this. It's a full schedule today."

Kelly was handing out copies of the itinerary. "He's right you guys, you have interviews in two hours, soundcheck and a meet and greet. Elle, Liz is waiting for you in makeup. Guys, Griffin is waiting on a conference call."

I split up from the guys and made my way to my dressing room. Liz was typing away on her phone and did a double take when she saw me.

"Are you okay? I saw the video from Kendall's."

"Already?" I asked as I clicked on the kettle. "I'm fine, it happens all the time."

"I have a Google alert for your name, I see everything."

"Big Brother, much?"

"Concerned manager. How was last night?"

I knew well enough to know what she was really asking. "We didn't sleep together. We had too much wine and I wasn't going to let him drive me home high."

"Thank god to both of those things. I don't think I can handle him being lovesick or having to get paramedics and an entire hospital to sign a non-disclosure."

"It wasn't that serious, but the concern is touching."

Liz wasn't having any of my laid back attitude. "You ended up with stitches that night. I watched that doctor do twenty of them."

"It was twenty altogether. I ended up with three, not three thousand." I rolled my eyes and brushed the tiny scar that was hidden in my hairline. "He's the one who got seventeen."

"Serves him right. But seriously, are you okay? I was worried all last night."

"It was fine, he made me dinner, we watched a show and went to bed." I climbed into the makeup chair. "I actually slept through the night."

She shook her head. "Well, your prescription is able to be picked up before we head out to the next stop. As far as today goes, keep it positive and supportive for Big Time Rush. Gustavo wants to focus on the music and not the personal."

I gave a thumbs up as the makeup artist got to work. "Nothing personal, got it."

My plan to stay away from the personal details was dashed when I walked into the lounge. Carlos and James' family were here and my stomach twisted. I had really hoped to avoid meeting them. I was sure they were as nice as their sons but I didn't relish in the fact that they had probably seen me naked. But if they had, they didn't show it.

"Elle, get over here." Carlos waved me over. "These are my parents and brother."

I shook hands with a woman who introduced herself as Sylvia and his dad Erik. His brother Javi was an older and taller version of Carlos. It was easy to see where Carlos got his friendly nature from because his mom started fussing over me as if I was one of her own kids.

"Carlos has told me all about you. He says you can't sleep at night, I use this lavender spray and helps me go right to bed." She was rooting around her purse. "I brought you some, just a quick spray on your pillow and you'll be out."

I was touched and took the small bottle. "You have no idea how much I need this. Thank you."

James' mom was easy to spot, I had some of her skincare line. James was nervous to introduce me and after hearing stories about her all tour, I couldn't blame him. She narrowed her eyes and gave me a once over.

"You must me Elle, James has been going on about you all summer. Brooke Diamond of Brooke Diamond Cosmetics."

I shook her hand. "It's nice to meet you. I actually have most of your skincare line in travel sizes."

She had the same impressed face James would make. "You do look particularly radiant. And I like the fact that you don't shy away from scandal, I'm on the west coast now. Maybe we could discuss a brand deal."

"Mom, not now." James chided under his breath.

"Liz handles all that stuff but I'm sure she'd want to discuss it." This was good enough for her because she made a beeline towards Liz. I turned to James and let out a breath. "Did I pass?"

"She complimented you twice, that's more than any girl I've dated." The smile fell off his face. "Speaking of dating girls, here comes my dad and his child bride of a wife."

James' dad was easy to spot, he was a total silver fox and had his arm around a small redhead. James hugged his dad and the woman he was with. She appeared to be only a few years older than I was.

"Elle, this is my dad and Bridget."

It was clear to see where James got his charisma and looks. His dad gazed at me with the same hazel eyes and smirk. "Noah, pleasure's mine. I gotta say, I love the music."

"I have all your albums." Bridget gushed and shook my hand. "Hi, I can't believe Jamie gets to tour with you."

"I can't believe I get to tour with Jamie," I said in the same high pitched voice and he groaned. "It's nice to meet you."

His dad shifted uneasily. "We're gonna go get coffee before your mom sees us. We're still on for the gym though, right?"

James and his dad pounded fists. "I have some interviews first, but yeah."

"Nice to meet you, Elle." His dad gave me another once over and grinned. "See you around."

They left quickly after that and James pinched the bridge of his nose. "Sorry. My dad's a flirt and my mom is career driven."

"It's cute, you're very much your parents' kid. Is he really married to her though?"

"His old secretary, I swear she was 23 when I was 15. And she calls me Jamie."

I pinched his cheek. "For what it's worth I think Jamie is a pretty cute nickname."

"Yeah, yeah. I'll start calling you Ellie if you keep it up."

The horror of this was enough to make me jokingly shove him before walking away. I went to grab my tea and passed Kendall who was on his phone.

"You okay? Where's your mom?"

"Their flight gets in at 2, so I have a while to prepare myself." He nodded to James' dad. "I see you met Mr. Diamond."

I sat down next to him. "So I did, he was definitely staring at my chest."

"I saw."

His face was tense and I laughed. "Are you jealous?"

He scoffed at this. "No. I don't want you to become James' next stepmom."

"God no, then I would have made out with my stepson. That's disgusting."

"Not to mention another person to be jealous of."

"So you admit you're jealous?" I teased, raising an eyebrow.

Kendall stood from the couch and rolled his eyes. "Let's just say my eyes are green for more than one reason."

With that, he wandered over to James, but not before flashing me a smile. It sent a familiar thrill through me and I couldn't help but return it. Maybe being just friends wasn't so bad after all.

Logan called me over as he walked in the room. "These are my parents, Joanna and Steven. Guys, this is Elle."

"Hi, nice to meet you guys." I smiled and shook their hands. "How are you?"

"So much better now that Logan's home. I keep trying to get him to move back home but I can't seem to convince him." Joanna explained as she fixed her son's hair. "But I guess he's busy in California chasing after girls."

"A young man has to have his secrets, let him live." His dad stepped between them. "Nice to meet you too. I've heard a lot about you"

I shifted uneasily, I wondered what they really thought about the girl who had made out with their son and his friends. But he seemed genuine enough so I just turned to Logan. "I think it'd be nice if you moved home. So far, Minnesota is growing on me."

"Don't encourage her." Logan rubbed his forehead. "And I bet it is."

"See, Elle seems like a smart, young girl. You should find someone like her instead of those crazy actresses. I'm not getting any younger and I want grandkids."

Logan coughed on a mouthful of water. "I'm 22, there's plenty of time for that."

Steven shook his head and turned to me. "So, Logan tells me you're from Arizona? That must be completely different from here."

"Well, it's a lot hotter and there's a lot more sand. I appreciate how green it is here and the fact that it gets cold. I think I've seen snow maybe six times in my life."

The three of them laughed at this. "Really?"

I shrugged. "Yep, I've always wanted to though. My birthday's in December and you always see people ice skating in Christmas movies, I think it'd be nice."

Across the room, Kendall was talking to James' stepmom but looking at me. He pulled a face and I laughed a little. Logan's mom was going on about just how cold it got during the winter and touched my arm.

"If you ever want to see a real white Christmas you'd be more than welcome to join us. We'd love to have you."

"Thank you, that's really sweet."

His parents spotted Carlos' mom and dad across the room and excused themselves, leaving just me and Logan.

"Your parents are cute. I don't know why you ended up so dorky."

"I prefer the term geeky thank you very much. I'm sorry she implied she wants you to give her grandchildren."

"I can't say I blame her. I'm pretty outstanding."

"And humble too."

"Always." I clapped him on the shoulder. "Now, I have to go rescue Liz from James' mom."

Shortly after meeting all the parents, Gustavo had herded us into wardrobe and into the interview room. I was seated between James and Carlos as we sat through one after the other. They were all pretty standard, the guys were promoting their album which came out tomorrow at midnight.

"I think excited is an understatement." James was animated as he responded to a question. "This is our fifth album."

"For sure, we've worked hard on our new sound and we're anxious for the fans to hear it." Logan cut in and gestured to the room. "This is how everything started for all of us here in Minnesota so it feels full circle to release the newest record here."

Carlos laughed at this and pointed to me. "Well, she's kind of a tag along but she's funny so we keep her around."

The interviewer pointed to me. "How are you liking Minnesota?"

I smiled and tried not to roll my eyes at the fact that I had answered this question in the past four interviews. "It's definitely really nice. I've never spent so much time in one place on tour. It's nice not to have to sleep on a moving bus."

I regretted phrasing my answer this way because she instantly shifted her gaze to Kendall. "Speaking of sleeping. Your fans are stalkers and seemed to piece together that you stayed the night at Kendall's. Are you two back together?"

Kendall shook his at this and let me speak. "My fans are dedicated, not stalkers." I tried to keep my tone light, "And no, we're not together. Who knows, maybe I'll stay the night at Logan's house tonight. Your mom seemed to like me, right?"

"I'm going to get a phone call after this interview because she'll think you're serious." He teased and attempted to steer the conversation away from this. "What kind of tourmates would we be if we made Elle sleep in a hotel?"

Kendall had been quiet throughout most of the interviews today but finally spoke. "We're just friends and our album is more important."

"For sure, I would have let Elle crash at my house but I don't think she was ready to meet all of my family." Carlos put his arm around my shoulders. "You did miss out on some great food though."

"Next time." I was thankful for the save.

The interviewer seemed to at a loss for words after being shut down and directed away from the gossip. She shuffled her notecards and started asking James about tonight's show. I finally let out a breath I had been holding. When I caught Kendall's eye he looked apologetic but also relieved. It was clear we weren't dating and wanted to avoid bringing any more drama to the tour. That had been our last interview for the day and I was grateful. Answering the same questions over and over again was draining. Liz still hadn't agreed to me simply handing out a list of prewritten answers after all these years. And Gustavo was wary of a press conference because they could get out of hand. Either way, I was glad to be done for the day. I hadn't appreciated how she called my fans stalkers. Sure, matching the wallpaper in two pictures was a little strange but it showed how dedicated they were.

Soundcheck, much like the interviews, meant being on autopilot. But it was touching to watch the guys be so excited about playing their hometown venue. James told me how he sat in the nosebleed seats watching bands as a kid and knew he wanted to do that. And soon enough it was time. Fans had filled the venue after standing in the rain for hours, They were genuinely the most excited crowd I had seen all summer and that was really saying something. Their excitement grew as I reached the end of my set.

"Minnesota! Your love is my drug, thank you for having me." I was dripping with sweat and waved to the crowds. "Now get ready for your hometown favorites, Big Time Rush!"

When I came offstage the guys were all dressed and ready. This was an unusual sight, normally they were scrambling to get dressed. They must have been eager to get out there. Logan was peeking around to see the fans.

"I swear, I never get nervous before shows. But there's something about being back home that gets me."

Carlos and James had joined him. "Remember in 9th grade how your mom bought us tickets for Green Day?"

"Hell yeah," James pointed to the right side of the venue. "We sat right there and it was the best night of my life. It still wild that we get to perform here."

"Aww, maybe you losers do deserve your own day." I pretended to wipe away a tear. "But seriously, I'm proud of you."

It wasn't long before the crowd was chanting Big Time Rush and the lights had lowered. I watched as they all ran onstage to a deafening amount of screams.

"It's good to be home! What's up, Minnesota?"

I lingered for a while but eventually had to change so I could join them onstage. Their set went well, the fans had organized a project and spelled out 'Welcome Home' in the arena. Their smiles were brighter than the stage lights and it warmed my heart to see them be treated like this, they deserved it. Even Kendall, who had been treated just like his friends had been. As their set ended, their families gathered backstage. I took this as a chance to sneak out so they could privately celebrate.

I slipped out the back door to smoke. The rain had let up leaving puddles in the parking lot, it was cooler than the stuffy backstage area and I savored the feeling of nicotine in my lungs. I couldn't help but smile. While I wasn't one for praise, even though I joked about wanting my own day, it was nice to see my friends get the credit they deserved. I was making a mental list of ways to show them how proud I was when the door opened. I jumped at the sudden sound.

"Oh, hey." I turned and saw Kendall coming out, cigarettes in hand. "My bad. I can go, it's just hot inside."

"No, you just scared me. Uh, good show."

He smiled mostly to himself. "They didn't boo."

I shook my head. "No, they didn't. I'm happy for you."

He was patting himself for a lighter. "Really?"

I tossed him mine and nodded. "You did a bad thing, you're not a bad person. If everyone was judged based off of one mistake, there'd be no good people in the world."

Kendall seemed embarrassed and looked at his shoes as he smoked. "Thanks, that means a lot."

We puffed away in silence and for a brief moment, it felt like the good old days. I could still remember the first time we smoked pressed against the wall of Rocque Records. He handed me my lighter and pointed towards the doors.

"You were good as always." He scratched at his scruff. "Not that I'm surprised."

"Thank you. What are the guys up to?"

"They probably left already. Family stuff."

"Speaking of, your mom is here right?"

Kendall grimaced at this, he had left after our soundcheck to get them from the airport. "And Katie. They think I'm showering, my mom would give me another earful if she saw me smoking."

I laughed at this. "What a rebel. I can only imagine what it was like for her to chase after you and the guys."

"I owe her a vacation or something." He stubbed out his cigarette. "I better shower."

"Your mom and Liz can go together. We'll send them to the Bahamas." I walked past him as he held the door open. "And yeah, you smell like an ashtray. Go shower."

Kendall rolled his eyes but took off for his dressing room. Liz was nowhere to be found but Kendall's sister spotted me right away.

"Elle, hey."

I waved and swallowed hard. "Katie, how are you?"

"Regretting leaving LA to come to wet ass Minnesota."

My laugh was soft and I tried to read her face. I wasn't sure if she would be too thrilled with the girl who caused so much drama for her brother. But she didn't seem too bothered as she complimented me on my set and my album. We talked a little bit about the business side of things and she was just as well versed as Liz was. She was in the middle of talking about how I could increase my sales in Europe when she was cut off.

"Have you seen your brother? He's been gone a-" She paused and blinked hard. "Oh, hello."

The knot in my stomach was back and I bit my lip. "Hi."

"You must be Elle, I'm Jen." She shook my hand and I wasn't sure what to make of her tone. "How are you?"

"I'm okay. It's nice to meet you." I was tripping over my words. "Sorry, I'll just, I should go."

Jen turned to Katie. "Do you want to go find your brother?"

"Finally, I didn't fly across the country to stand backstage." She waved to me. "Nice seeing you again, seriously though, let me talk to Liz some time."

I returned the goodbye and shifted my weight. "Nice meeting you, Mrs. Knight."

"Wait." She held up her hand to stop me. She cleared her throat like she was unsure of how to continue. "I just wanted to introduce myself and apologize for my son's behavior."

"Oh, uh-"

This was unexpected. I had expected some kind of berating for ruining her son's image but instead, she looked embarrassed and reached out to touch my arm in a way that reminded me of Liz.

"Are you okay? I know that's probably a stupid question but I've been worried about you. Kendall never should have treated you like that and definitely never should have put his hands on you. I raised him better than that and I'm sorry." She lowered her voice a bit. "You're so strong and so brave. And I know it's weird to say but I'm proud of you and I was pulling for you."

This woman had reduced me to tears and I sniffed a little. "Thank you, uh, I'm sorry that he got tangled up in my mess."

"Don't be, it was his fault. You seem really close to his friends and I'm glad you're okay."

I ducked my head. "Thank you. He's a good guy other than what happened. You should be proud of him."

"I don't know about that, he can be a dick sometimes." Katie scoffed as she rejoined us. "He's getting dressed."

The serious mood seemed to have disappeared and I decided to excuse myself. "It was nice meeting you Mrs. Knight, and nice seeing you, Katie. I should get to my hotel."

"Do you have plans?" Katie questioned as I started off to my dressing room. "I mean, the show's over and the other guys are gone."

"Just to order takeout and go back to the hotel."

His mom shook her head. "Do you want to stay for dinner?"

This was a sweet, albeit, surprising invitation. "No, no, I don't want to intrude. You should spend some family time together."

"No way. I'm making pot roast and you could use some real food."

"Uh, sure. Only if it's okay with Kendall."

"If what's okay with me?"

I turned and saw Kendall heading towards us I had to do a double take. He had shaved away the thick and unkempt beard he had grown while I had been away. He had changed out of his black hoodie and into a reasonable looking shirt and he had styled his hair instead of letting it limply hang in his face.

"Mom invited Elle to dinner."

"Did you say yes?"

I nodded and wrung my hands together. "Is that okay?"

"Sure, great." His lips twitched as he tried to fight a smile. "It's totally okay."

"Well, I'll go get my stuff." I jerked my thumb over my shoulder. "Thanks, Mrs. Knight."

I hurried towards my dressing room wondering what the hell I just agreed to. His mom was super nice and here I was about to eat dinner at his house. I changed into normal clothes and grabbed my purse and phone. Liz was waiting when I came out of the bathroom, she noticed my clothes weren't the sweats I usually put on.

"Where are you going?"

I wasn't sure why my hands were shaking as I brushed my hair. "Uh, Kendall's. His mom invited me to dinner."

Liz pulled her eyebrows together and looked up from her phone. "What? Am I being punked?"

"No." My laugh was breathless. "She apologized for Kendall being a dick and invited me to eat dinner."

"So, you're meeting his mom, going to dinner at his house and he shaved his depression beard for you?" She rolled her eyes and crossed her arms. "That sounds like part of some scheme to get you to like him."

"I don't think he shaved for me. And I'm not going to like him again. I told you and him that I'm done with that."

She watched with a suspicious eye as I put on a little lipstick. "I don't know. You stayed over, he cooked for you, you met his mom and you're having dinner. If you come back tomorrow with a ring on your finger I'm fighting him in the parking lot."

I chuckled at this and checked my reflection once more. "Goodnight, Liz."

Kendall was waiting where I left him and pressed his lips together. "You look nice."

"Thank you. Where's your mom?"

"They headed back to the house. Ready to go?"

I followed him out of the venue and into the car. We passed Liz who subtly clenched her fists and glared at Kendall, I snorted at this and simply let Kendall open the door for me. She did make a valid point, it did seem very coupley for two people who weren't dating. Kendall seemed relaxed as we drove, he even sang along to the radio.

"You shaved." I pointed out. "And styled your hair."

He rubbed a hand over his jaw. "I figured I should clean myself up a bit. My mom would kill me if I looked this messy."

"It looks good."

He changed lanes and glanced over at me. "I'm glad you said yes to dinner."

"You are?"

He kept his eyes on the road but his cheeks were noticeably red. "I wanted you to meet my mom."

"Why?"

He shrugged and bit his lip. "I know I'm not getting a second chance or anything. But I want you to trust me again and see who I actually am. So I wanted you to meet my family and I cleaned up to make a good impression on you."

This confession caused my heart to tighten in my chest. I wasn't sure what to say so I touched his cheek. "Well, you clean up nicely."

His house was even homier with his mom and sister in it. The table had been set and it smelled a million times better than takeout ever could. Dinner was ready when we got there and Kendall sat across from me. He kept catching my eye over the table as Katie caught him up on her life. His mom asked that I called her Jen and was welcoming.

"So you're from New Mexico?"

"Arizona, Mom. Phoenix." Kendall corrected her.

"Yep, from Phoenix." I waved my hand. "But Arizona, New Mexico, they're all the same. Hot and boring."

Jennifer had put her fork down. "Maybe it's because it gets to below freezing here, but I wouldn't mind living there."

"We only come back for Christmas." Katie chimed in. "She hates the cold. I blame Kendall, he made her spend every weekend at an ice rink."

"So disrespectful, Kendall. But seriously I would have given anything to live somewhere cold as a kid. I'm going to crash your holiday this winter." I told his mom. "There's something about it being dry and sunny really ruins Christmas carols. Baby It's Cold Outside doesn't have the same appeal when you're sweating."

She laughed at this. "I will trade you any day. I'll leave the key under the doormat for you."

Across the table, Kendall watched us with a small smile as we finished dinner. The rain had picked up and a breeze blew through the windows. His mom had busied herself at the sink,

"Tea?" She asked coming back in. "There's milk, sugar, honey, and lemon."

Kendall spoke before I could. It was nonchalant. "Honey and cold water."

The way his mom looked from his face to mine made my cheeks go warm. "Honey and cold water, got it."

"Thank you, Mrs. Knight."

The kettle whistled and she went back to the kitchen and Katie snickered. "Do you know her blood type too, Kendall?"

"Shut up." He grumbled. "She drinks it every day."

After our tea, I insisted that I'd help Katie with the dishes. I thanked Jen for having for me and for the tea. Kendall was lugging the suitcases upstairs and she hugged me.

"It really was nice to meet you. Come over anytime, even back in LA."

"Thank you again, goodnight."

With that, I rolled up my sleeves and washed while Katie dried. We talked a little bit more about the business side of things and how she had applied to work at my record label.

"If it helps, I could put in a good word with Danielle." I handed her a wet plate. "But wouldn't you want to work at Rocque Records?"

She shrugged. "I could. But why work for a man when I could work for a badass woman?"

"Right on. But seriously, just let me know. Dani's all about female empowerment."

She glanced over her shoulder and leaned in. "So, my brother likes you."

"I know. I'm not stringing him along or anything. I just didn't want to be rude to your mom."

Katie shook her head. "String him along, I don't care. He needs knocked down a few pegs. He was a dick to you. I'm sorry my brother's a complete moron sometimes. I swear he took a hockey puck to the head or something."

This reminded me of when I first met her and she had been on my side right away. "That would explain a lot. But aren't you mad I dragged him into that whole mess? I tweeted about him and Jo."

"Like I said, a complete moron. It's not your fault he lied to everyone. He shouldn't have said those things to you or shared those pictures." She seemed thoroughly angered. "Besides, Jo was irritating. She was too nice."

I was quiet for a long minute. "Does he really like me?"

"It's so gross. He was hoping you'd come to dinner and he knows everything about you. He dated Jo for years and still had to ask what her coffee order was." She checked over her shoulder again. "I don't want to bring up old shit but he called me when everything happened. I had to talk him down. He was a mess, he was talking about going after you, he just kept asking how to fix things. Of course, I told him not to be a fucking pig. He has some lowkey anger management issues."

The thought of Kendall's behavior made my hands shake as I did the dishes. He had confessed that he was going to hurt himself if I hadn't made it. All I could do was listen as Katie kept talking.

"A prime example is when he went to James' audition. He was a dick and called Gustavo a turd. Security kicked him out and he got brought home by the cops with the guys." We both laughed at this. "But anyway, he likes you a lot. Before you even got together he would talk about you the entire time we were on the phone."

This made my face grow hot and I focused on the dishwater. "He talked about me?"

"Elle's new song is totally about me having a crush on her. I do not have a crush on her, who does she think she is?" She mocked his voice and I snorted. "He was a total girl about it. When you made out with the guys he was texting me about it. I thought it was gross because those losers are like my brothers, but Kendall was pouting. I see the way he looks at you though, it'd be cute if it wasn't him. When I went to find him he made choose a shirt for him to wear tonight."

"And he shaved." I mused. "He's been growing that beard for a while."

"This was definitely some scheme to impress you. My brother's a good guy other than the pictures. I know it sounds like I'm just saying that but it's true. Do you what you want though."

She had been more honest than I thought she'd be. "Thanks."

"I'm going to bed." She tossed the dish towel onto the counter. "I'll bully Kendall into putting these away."

"You'll bully me into what?"

Katie pointed to the dish rack. "Put those away. Night, Elle."

I waved and we watched as she went upstairs. Kendall shook his head at my pruney fingers. "You didn't have to do the dishes."

"Your mom invited me over, it'd be rude if I didn't. I was surprised she did."

He was putting things back where they belonged and raised an eyebrow. "Why?"

"I don't know. If some girl made people hate my son, I wouldn't invite her over."

"My mom likes you, and trust me she's on your side."

"Well, I think she's sweet. And Katie."

"Don't encourage them. I'm already outnumbered."

I pouted and wiped away a fake tear. "Poor you."

He reached around me to put the last stack of plates away. "I know, it's a tragedy."

I was between him and the sink and his hand brushed against my hip. "It was nice having dinner with them."

"It was nice seeing you with my family. They liked you."

His eyes were warm and his other hand held onto my arm. My breathing had picked up and my throat was tight as he glanced at my lips. His family definitely weren't the only ones who liked me.

"Everyone likes me." I teased and rocked on the balls of my feet. "I can't help it."

He gave a short laugh and shook his head. "That's true. Do you want to stay the night?"

"Is your mom okay with you having girls in your bed?"

"Just because I grew up here doesn't mean I'm a kid."

Our faces were inches apart and I could feel his breath on my cheek. "Fine, but as long as you sleep next to me, not with me."

"I think I can manage."

When I came out of the shower back to his room, he was scribbling in a notebook. I cleared my throat and he blinked rapidly.

"So, it occurred to me midshower that Liz moved my stuff to the hotel." I looked down at the towel I was wrapped in. "Sorry."

He shook his head and made a point to stare only at my face. "No, uh, one second."

After rooting around in his dresser, he tossed me a teeshirt and shorts. I gestured for him to turn around and pulled on the clothes. The shirt was a faded reddish orange and Shakopee High School Varsity Hockey was written across the front. It hung down to my thighs and off one shoulder. When he turned around, Kendall smirked.

"See something you like?"

He crossed the room and nodded to the shirt. "It's just weird. Seeing Elle Harper in my old hockey shirt in my high school bedroom."

"The dream of high school boys everywhere." I climbed into bed as he hit the lights. "For what it's worth, I never would have thought I'd be in some hockeyhead's bedroom in the middle of a soldout tour."

Kendall laid down next to me, his arm around my waist and his forehead pressed to mine. "The universe is funny that way, you know, bringing people together."

Even in the darkness of his room, I could still make out the stupid smile he wore. For the first time in weeks, he was his old self and I couldn't help but smile back. And just like that, I fell asleep, pressed against Kendall and breathing in the smell of his soap. I savored the way he clung to my body. If we could just stay like this, maybe things would end up okay.

The next morning was a frenzied rush. We had overslept and hurried to leave the house. There was no time for waffles and banter. I barely had time to pull my hair into a semblance of order and tug on my jeans. Thankfully, the press had been banned from the neighborhood so we didn't have to fight our way to the car. But at the venue, they swarmed outside and snapped away. Inside, the guys were already dressed and getting their hair done. They were obviously curious and this only piqued when they saw me.

"Los, get a load of this." James pointed at me. "That's a throwback isn't it?"

Carlos grinned and got Logan's attention. "I feel like Coach Carter is going to make us do drills."

Logan seemed surprised and I huffed. "What are you talking about?"

"Your shirt." Carlos snickered. "Did you stay at Kendall's or did we secretly play on the same hockey team?"

I glanced down and realized I was still in his old shirt. "I was the best player on the team. You're just jealous and blocked out the memory."

"If you say so. I think you stayed at Kendall's."

I tried to distract myself and made tea. "I had dinner with his mom and Katie. Nothing happened?"

"You had dinner with his mom? That doesn't seem like nothing."

"Whatever. You guys are nosey" I scowled and headed to my dressing room. "I'll see you, idiots, later."

The questions didn't end there though, Liz picked up my left hand as soon as I walked in. She squinted at me and then held up her phone. There was a picture of me from just a few minutes ago. I was wearing Kendall's shirt and he held the door open for me.

"Fucking google alerts," I muttered.

KendelleUpdates: Elle and Kendall just got to the venue for day 2. It looks like she's wearing his old high school shirt. I think she slept over again!

I shook my head and scrolled this account had been keeping tabs on me and Kendall. They had tweeted last night.

KendelleUpdates: So, Liz is at the hotel but Elle isn't? Is she meeting Kendall's mom and sister?

"My fans are dedicated not stalkers." Liz mimicked as she took her phone back. "I don't see a ring but you're late."

I was sitting in the makeup chair. "Nothing happened. We overslept."

"You had dinner with his mom and sister. You're wearing his shirt. Now, I don't care who you date I just don't want you to get hurt."

"I like him, I do. But I don't see him that way anymore. I can't." I tugged at the collar. "Everyone thinks we're going to get back together but we're not. We can be friends you know."

Liz didn't seem to believe me but dropped it. "BTR's album is out at midnight so it's a limited press day for you. Gustavo wants the attention on them. At noon you have an interview with them. But..."

She rattled off my schedule but it went in one ear and out the other. My eyes were glued to my phone. I was looking at that fan account. Someone had snuck a picture of us at the grocery store. I was browsing the shelf for the wine I had forced Kendall to buy me. He was biting his thumbnail and had this soft smile on his face that made my stomach swoop.

KendelleUpdates: He still looks at her like she's the whole world. #Ihavechestpains

I let out a long sigh and looked around the room. He passed by my door and I caught his eye, his entire face brightened and he gave a small wave. I couldn't help but return it. As much as I hated to admit it, it gave me chest pains too.

My day proved to be an easy one. I had a single interview to do with the guys, my soundcheck and then the show. I also had to do a little bit of social media promotion but that was easy. I was ushered into the same room as yesterday and sat at the end of the couch. Kendall sat at the other end. I wondered if Gustavo and Liz had done that on purpose.

"I'm Cece Nicholson from Pop Sound coming to you from Minnesota! There's a big-time excitement because Big Time Rush's fifth album Don't Stop comes out at midnight. I'm here with the guys and Elle Harper to get all the details. You have to be excited."

Logan looked at his watch. "11 hours, 47 minutes to go. Not that we're counting or anything."

Cece laughed at this. "Your fifth album. That must feel like quite the accomplishment."

"It's crazy to think that we've been doing this for that long. I think this album is by far the best, it's more mature, we had a big hand in writing it." James rubbed his hands against his legs. "I'm nervous and excited all at the same time for the fans to hear it."

She asked about their favorite songs, how many songs had the fans heard so far, and if people could expect a world tour.

"I'd be down for Europe and South America." Carlos agreed right away. "We haven't been there for almost a year."

"Maybe we could finally get to Asia again." James turned to me. "Could we rope you into coming with us?"

I smiled coyly. "Perhaps. I'm kind of loving Minnesota though."

"Speaking of Minnesota. How's it feel to be back home?"

"That's one of the best parts of this album release. We get to do it at home with our families around. James is throwing a party at his mom's place just like the good old days."

"Yeah, being home is always good. It reminds me of where I came from." Kendall was a little wistful. "I get back to my real self."

"It seems like you've seen a bit of the town since you've been here." Cece was speaking to me with a knowing look. "You posted a picture of the guys in their younger days."

I tried not to think of waking up in Kendall's bed, having dinner with his family, or seeing his old pictures. "Like I said, it's nice here. It's been cool seeing where these guys grew up. It's sweet."

The interview wrapped up shortly after that. I tweeted about how excited I was for the album to come out and reminded my fans to stream it at midnight. Just after soundcheck, I pulled the guys into a picture.

"I'm promoting you dorks, smile."

"Make sure you get my good side." James fixed his hair in my screen's reflection. "Okay, go for it."

I posted a picture of the five of us to my Instagram with the caption. "Just a few more hours until you can stream Don't Stop!."

That wasn't the last of my promotions. Just like they did for me, I pulled the guys onto the stage near the end of my set. The fans were loud as they walked out. Kendall and I hadn't been onstage together for weeks. He seemed shy as he hugged me after his friends.

"You know who these guys are, you know why I brought them out here. But in case you've been living under a rock, these are my friends Carlos, James, Kendall, and Logan. Their album Don't Stop comes out in just a few hours. What are you guys going to do?"

"Stream it!"

"That's right! Stream it, buy it, tweet about it! They've worked so hard and it's an amazing album." I turned to them. "I'm so proud of you guys."

We had a big group hug and they stayed on stage for my last song and sang with me. Singing with the four of them felt like the earlier part of tour before there had been any drama. The fans were living for it.

"I don't care what they all say the rush is worth the price I pay." I gave Kendall a private glance from my side of the stage. "I get so high when you're with me but crash and crave you when you leave. Is my love your drug?"

He ducked his head and I laughed as I danced with his friends. Confetti rained down on us and the song came to an end after the last chorus.

"Minnesota, your love is my drug! I'm Elle Harper, thank you for having me." I took a bow and waved. "Don't forget to stream Don't Stop!"

With a final blast of confetti, I ran offstage and wiped the sweat from my face. The guys thanked me for the shoutout and I shook my head.

"You're my best friends, anytime." I gestured to my sweaty body. "Break a leg, I'm going to get cleaned up for later."

Their show went well, they were clearly excited about the album. Kendall even stayed on stage when I came back out. We were all in good moods and by the time the show ended around 10 they were nearly bursting with impatient enthusiasm. James' mom was throwing a party at her large house out in the suburbs. James had headed over for a final check and the guys had gone to Carlos' to pregame and get ready. I was looking forward to the party despite Liz's nerves.

"Please be careful. Not to sound like your mom. I trust the guys but Kendall's been flirty." Liz reasoned from behind the door. "I just don't want him to get too bold because of the sleepovers and try anything."

"Or else you'd really have to fight him." I deadpanned as I came out of the bathroom. "I love you and your concern. But I'll be okay, you'll be there, Gustavo and Kelly and a hundred other people. He knows there's no second chance."

She sighed and tucked my hair behind my ears. "If you say so. But for what it's worth, I'm happy you're happy."

"Aww, Liz. You big softie." I elbowed her and hugged her. "Thank you. You better have fun tonight."

She tutted at this. "One of us has to be responsible. Besides, you know I prefer to save my fun for my post-tour vacation."

"How could I forget? I still have that drunk video you sent me from Greece."

"Alright, alright. I have a few phone calls to make. I'll let you know when we're leaving."

I sat at my mirror and styled my hair and did my makeup. I was in the middle of touching up my lipstick when there was a knock on my door. Kendall's reflection leaned against the door. He had changed and did his hair again.

"Hey. You busy?"

"No, just getting ready. I thought you'd be pregaming with Carlos and Logan?"

He shrugged. "I'm good. And knowing James' mom there's going to be good champagne. You look pretty."

A large smile pulled at my face and I played with a lipstick tube. "Thank you."

Kendall scratched the back of his neck. "Could you come with me for a minute?"

"Sure? Is everything okay?"

He nodded and I followed through the venue. I hadn't been in an arena so late after the show in a while. It was quiet and the lights flickered, it was eerie. I raised an eyebrow as we walked out onto the stage. The seats were empty and most of the equipment we brought was gone. He pointed to a set of stools and I sat down. I folded my arms and noticed how nervous he seemed.

"What is this?"

"I know you haven't been thrilled with my songs." He was quiet as he tuned his guitar and sat down across from me. "I know you haven't been thrilled with me."

I felt a bit guilty and tried to be diplomatic. "It's not that I don't like them. It was just a lot when you played them onstage or a live stream."

"Exactly. I want you to hear this one and not worry about what other people think." He let out a breath and looked up at me. "I've written so many songs about you. I don't know but I just need to play this one for you. Is that okay?"

"Of course."

He cleared his throat and started a soft melody. "Everything has changed since I met you. I thought I lost my mind but everything has changed since I met you."

His voice was quiet, shy almost, and I could see how his hands were shaking as he played. He sang about how nothing has been the same since he met me.

"Here and now, just hear me out. Through fear and doubt, I'll never let you down." He dropped his head. "Everything has changed since I kissed you. I never thought that love could be this true."

My throat was tight and I could still remember our first real kiss in Nashville. Kendall looked up from where he was playing and was blushing as he smiled at me.

"And when I thought that feeling couldn't last, you went and kissed me back. Everything has changed since I kissed you."

He repeated the chorus and his face was serious as he sang about never letting me down. My face was warm and my eyes had grown wet. I pressed my hand to my mouth as he held my gaze.

"Everything has changed since I met you. And I hope that I have changed your whole world too."

He played an interlude as I sniffed. Tears finally ran over as I thought about just how much things had changed since the beginning of this summer. As we stared at each other, I wondered if there was any way to get back to that nervous rush of happiness I had felt when he first kissed me.

"H-here and now, just hear me out. Through fear and doubt, I'll never let you down." His voice broke as he sang a bit louder. "I swear I'll never let you down."

The guitar slowed down and he gave me the softest smile. His eyes were full of regret and nostalgia. "Everything has changed since I met you. And I hope I have changed your whole world too."

The song ended and I had no shame about the way I was crying. Kendall put the guitar down and reached over to grab my hands. He was quiet for a moment and brushed his thumb over my knuckles. The air was charged with electricity. We were all alone in a room that had just contained thousands of people. We were in a sea of empty chairs and a massive stage. It was so public but they way he stared at me made me feel like we were the only two people left on earth.

"Being home has been n-nice but it's even better because I've got to spend it with you." His voice trembled and he was sheepish. "I know we're just friends and that song was-"

"I liked it." I sniffed. "I really did."

"Oh, good." He exhaled and his blush returned. "I r-remember the first time I kissed you. I don't know why I did it, you were so angry. But it felt right."

"I was so confused," I admitted. "I had stormed into your dressing room to yell but you kissed me."

He chuckled at the memory. "You were all fire and anger and then I kissed you and you just stared at me with those big eyes. I had been so jealous of my friends and I thought I screwed up. But then you kissed me back in that music store. It was our first kiss. You kissed me because you wanted to."

My ears and cheeks were on fire. "I r-remember, it felt natural."

"I knew I was fucked from that day in your hotel room. You had made me confess my feelings and I couldn't get you out of my head. I-I still can't." Kendall squeezed his eyes shut. "And I ruined it. I'm so fucking sorry, Eleanor. I know it doesn't fix anything but I am. You mean everything to me."

I didn't say anything to this but was aware our knees were touching now. He held my hands tightly in his and I blinked through my watery eyes.

"I know we're just friends. That's o-okay, really. I'll never deserve you, I never did. But I'm sorry." He pressed and moved to hold my face. "You've changed my whole life. I don't know how I lived before this. I will never let you down. I promise."

A choked cry came from my mouth and I wiped at my face. "It's a beautiful song."

"It's for you, they're all for you. I will never stop trying to make this up to you."

I slid off my stool and he stood up. His lips were pink and inviting and he stared down at me like I was the only person that ever existed. It would have been so easy to fall back into him. His hand came up and held my waist while the other held my face. He let out a shaky breath and leaned down. My heart was in my throat and I refused to blink. His lips were an inch from mine and all I wanted was to close the gap.

"Elle!" We jumped and turned to see Liz backstage. "The car's leaving."

The tension evaporated and his shoulders sagged. I shook my head, realizing what almost just happened. He was still gazing down at me and I couldn't help myself. I pushed up my toes and let my lips brushed against his cheek.

"I'll see you at the party, Kendall."

And then, I walked away, leaving him to reach up and touch where my lipstick had stained his cheek.

AN: So, Elle met Kendall's mom and her friends' parents. Kendall finally pulled himself together and is trying to make a good impression on Elle. And they almost kissed! My favorite part was the scene when Mrs. Knight apologizes for Kendall's actions and this last scene. What was your favorite part? The next update deals with the album release party, the next morning and the gang's last day in Minnesota. Who knows what will happen... I already have 4,000 words written for the next update so it won't take as long.

I hope you enjoyed, please review.

See you in a week or so!