Thanks for the reviews and alerts. You've made me write so much, I ended up splitting this chapter in two. Re chapter 1: The GTO song was recorded by Ronny and the Daytonas, Jan and Dean, and The Beach Boys. Do I need to tell you who the credit for ""Friday" goes to? Speaking of credit, I do not own BTR, nor do I pretend to. Warnings this chapter? Teens behaving like dweebs.

"OK, so where are we going?"

"West on Sunset."

"I meant, where are we intending to arrive? Are we kidnapping a llama for Jett? A Laker girl for Carlos? Vidal Sassoon for James? "

"Dude," Kendall admonished. "Chillax. We're just riding." He flung his arms in the air, letting the oncoming rush of air push them back. "No destination. No deadlines. Everyone's good."

Logan risked a quick look at his passenger. Kendall had laid his head over the back of the white vinyl seat with an expression that could only be described as blissed out. And Logan started to have one of his Understanding Kendall moments. Everyone's good. In Kendallspeak, that didn't mean he was fine with everyone. It meant everyone was actually fine, right now. Everyone his sixteen-year-old self looked out for. They were at the pool or sleeping in, not needing him at that moment to provide answers or ideas or protection. And that, Logan realized, was the urgency of the morning. Even if he loved them all fiercely, even if he was a natural leader, Kendall wanted out and away, just for an hour.

"So, there's no diabolical plan?"

"Logie, there is no plan at all beyond this. Just a series of turns to make for a spectacular, brain-free drive. You're gonna need to turn right when you get to Beverly Drive."

"So we are going somewhere."

"You're gonna drive Mulholland."

"And you know this route because?"

"Leno posted it online. He says it's like a racetrack hidden in the city."

"Racetrack," Logan repeated blankly. He knew he shouldn't have relaxed. Kendall's idea of no trouble was sacrificing his best friend to a dragstrip. "Good."

"And we're on it at 7:30 AM on a Saturday, Logie. So it will be empty. Trust me. Meanwhile, enjoy the view. Enjoy driving this awesome car. Enjoy how you look driving this awesome car."

Logan adjusted his sunglasses because that was a sweet picture. He was driving the band's awesome care of awesomeness down a famous road lined with royal palms. Of course, the lack of traffic that made the drive appealing also cut into the number of people who could see just how cool Logan Mitchell looked at this moment. "Think anyone will recognize us?"

"I'm hoping for no."

"It would be cool if someone from Minnesota recognized us."

"That I agree with." Kendall bumped Logan's outstretched fist.

Logan grinned. "The hockey heads, driving around LA in a classic convertible. It's insane," he admitted. "It's completely insane. But I think I love it."

"Yeah," Kendall grinned back at him. "OK, right onto Coldwater Canyon Road."

They spun past the green lawns of Beverly Hills and started to climb. And maybe it was the early sun and the smooth pavement and the wheel under his hands and the distance from the apartment that relaxed Logan enough to ask the question that nagged at him.

"So Kendall," and he almost sucked his words back in as Kendall looked at him sharply. "Uh, if we're not doing anything evil or, you know, frowned upon by society, why did we not tell your mom we were taking the car out?"

Kendall looked away and studied the roadside scenery, making Logan berate himself for ruining the morning. But when his buddy turned back to face him, he was surprisingly forthcoming.

"I don't want her to worry," he said simply, but with that particular voice and particular face that reminded Logan how much older his younger friend was. Reminded him of why, back home, Kendall had always held a job, why he'd missed nights hanging out because he'd been watching Katie while his mom worked. It was the reason Kendall wanted a hockey scholarship, and frankly it was the reason the other three of them always looked for him to lead. Because Kendall didn't want anyone to worry, and did his best to make everything ok. For everyone. Which, in Logan's eyes, wasn't really always fair.

"Bro, she's a mom. The sun rises, they worry."

"Yea, well she'd worry more if her first news of the morning was that we were out driving around. On parent radar, a car boosts the worry factor times ten. "

"More than Carlos jumping off the balcony?"

"More than James not combing his hair."

"Ooh. Red flag. But come on, I'm the trustworthy one. Doesn't she trust me to drive?"

"Loag, out of all of us, I'm sure she will only ever trust you to drive. But it doesn't matter. The worry factor is built in, and it automatically rises with the introduction of motor vehicles." He shrugged. "She didn't need that this morning."

"OK." Logan wasn't sure he'd do it that way, but he understood Kendall's approach, as much as he understood anything Kendall. Apparently his brain wanted to understand more, because words started slipping out of his mouth without his permission. "How's your worry factor?"

"My worry factor?" Kendall frowned. "Logan, you're our worrier, remember?"

Logan felt a little petulant. "You guys always say that like it's a bad thing. But I'm not the one who wanted the morning drive to nowhere. I'm not Mister 'Get the dogs together, keep the dogs together, outmaneuver Gustavo and Griffin, keep Jett away from Jo, worry about your mom, worry about Katie.' "

"Oh-ho. That's good coming from Mister Doogie Howser Jr, Mister 'I need new friends before I have a nervous breakdown', Mister 'Gustavo doesn't like me', Mister 'Is Camille my girlfriend this week or next?'

"Hey!"

"Hey, yourself. I am declaring this a worry-free zone, OK? The hockey heads," he swept his arms around grandly, "are on Mulholland Drive. Check out the valley."

Logan shook his head, knowing Kendall had closed the door. He didn't think his worries stacked up anywhere near those of his friend, and he guiltily offered thanks for his intact family, even if they were half a continent away.

As for this moment, he had to bring the mood in the car back to an appropriately juvenile level.

"Ohhh." Logan tapped the instrument panel. "Oh no, no, no."

"What?"

"Intruder alert. Readings are off the chart." He threw Kendall the king of all of worry stares. Kendall, in return, rolled his eyes.

"Logan…"

"Sensors are reporting… oh, it's definitely a worry. Most likely a high-altitude hill variety. "

Kendall graced the sky with an exasperated grin before he caved, straightening his face. "They're the worst kind. Can you pinpoint it?" He busily punched all the radio buttons.

Logan twisted the radio knob. "I'm getting something… Aah! Don't move."

"What is it?"

"Don't you hear it… that ticking sound?"

"I thought it was my stomach rumbling."

"Close enough. Look down. Don't jostle it, man! Now very, very gently lift it…"

Kendall gingerly picked the blue metal first aid kit off the car floor and held it to his ear. He widened his eyes, gave Logan a horrified look, and the two screamed in unison.

"BOMB!"

Kendall tossed the kit into the back seat and laughed, punching Logan's arm. "We are such dweebs."

"Laugh now," Logan intoned, "but it only proves, nothing good comes of teenagers in cars."

A new voice joined the conversation.

"Then thank goodness I'm not a teenager."