Disclaimer: I'd like to point out that I do not and I never will own Big Time Rush, Kendall Schmidt, Logan Henderson, Carlos Pena, Jr., and James Maslow.

Sometimes A Hug Isn't Enough

Chapter 2

Mikkal

Summary: Logan's got a secret he's never, ever going to tell. Can the guys get him to open up before it's too late? Pre-Series and Series, no slash. Not completely the usual "Logan's got a secret" story.

Sunday came and went with nothing exciting happening (much to Kendall's dismay), Monday seemed to appear out of nowhere and smack him right in the face with a 12 by 6 wooden plank. It hurt.

"Kendall!" Carlos called, super excited about something. "Principal Nicolas wants to see us, all of us."

"Since when is that a good thing?" Kendall asked James, who shrugged and ran his hand through his perfect hair.

James smirked. "Since we're not getting in trouble for something," he said. "We need to show someone around the school. Us, being the trouble makers that we are, know the school the best. Possibly even better than Nicolas."

"Hey Kendall. What did you say that Logan kid looked like?"

Kendall raised an eyebrow and recounted the conversation they had yesterday about his semi-strange neighbor (the one were that same car was the only one there all Sunday and it was there this morning too). "Why?"

Carlos pointed his finger. "'Cause I think that's him."

He looked over and, sure enough, Logan was heading to the main office, a ratty book bag thrown over his shoulders. Kendall exchanged grins with James and gestured them both to come with him. He ran up to Logan, sliding to a stop next to the slender teen.

"Logan!"

He jumped a foot in the air, hand going to the back of his neck (a strange reaction). Logan did a double take and gave him a small smile. "Hi Kendall," he said softly.

Kendall smiled back but didn't do his customary "arm over shoulder" thing, Logan seemed a bit too jumpy for that. "Hey. This is James and Carlos, the guys I was telling you about."

Logan smiled at them too and nodded his head slightly in greeting. "Hi, nice to finally meet you. Kendall doesn't shut up about you."

"Aw," James teased. He pulled the slightly shorter teen (only slightly) under his arm and ruffled his hair. "Does Kendall like us or something?"

He shoved him off and turned back to Logan, the feeling he had since Friday rising up again. He wanted to be friends with him, wanted to make him part of the group. The four of them could be something big together.

"You getting your classes?" James asked before his friend could, smirking at the disgruntled pout he got from that. "If you are, we'll come with you! We're suppose to be in the office anyway."

Logan nodded and smirked, the first mischievous look on his face Kendall's ever seen. "What did you guys do?"

"What?" Carlos exclaimed, scandalized expression on his face. He put a hand over his heart in mock hurt. "What makes you say that?"

He hummed, putting a thoughtful finger on his chin as he pondered. "Well, you guys seem like the type to be troublemakers. Let's see, did you...fill the vending machine with only fruit smackers again? Cover the front windows with black out paper? Or did you rig the PA system to play Madonna 24/7?"

"Hey!" James protested. "We never did that last one!" A light dawned and he gasped. "How'd you find out about the other ones?"

Kendall laughed and raised his hand. "Guilty."

Luckily, he was saved from getting full-on body tackled by James when the four of them entered the main office and Logan got immediately wrapped up in a little meeting in the principal's office.

Carlos plopped down into one of the waiting chairs and let out a dramatic gush of breath. "Why'd you tell him that stuff?"

He shrugged. "I don't know," he admitted. "I just felt like I should. I feel like we can be something big with him in our group. Don't you think?"

James nodded. "Yeah, it's kinda creepy." He shrugged. "Well, as our unofficial leader you've already decided. We'll see how it goes, okay?"

"Okay!" Carlos agreed.

"Good." Kendall shoved his hands in his pockets and leaned against a secretary's desk. "I know who we're going to show around the school. Logan's the only new kid here."

James' face lit up. "Great! We can get to know him better, how lucky is that?"

"Very, very lucky."

Two months later found Carlos trying to catch Logan's eye over Jurassic Park the book (they made a book?)...trying and failing. He folded his hands together and prepared himself for begging.

"Pleeeeasssse Logie?"

Chocolate brown eyes glared at him as he lowered the book. "Carlos," he said through clenched teeth. "My name will never, ever be Logie. And no."

"Aw!" Carlos whined and sat back in his seat fully. "Why not? You never go to the movies with us."

He sighed and held up two fingers. "One, I can't afford it. And two, I've got work every single night but Sunday, it's been like that since I moved here."

"Dude! All that work can't be healthy! You've gotta have fun once in a while."

Logan smiled. "I do have fun...when I hang out with you guys."

"But, that's always in school." Carlos pointed out, stealing one of Logan's fries. "You're our best friend and we wanna hang out with you outside of school."

The pale boy's ears turned red when Carlos said "best friend" and his hid his face behind the book before he could be teased about it. "I'm sorry Carlos, my hands are tied."

"It's cheap!" He tried for a last minute attempt. "The movie theater here is so cheap 'cause it's small! If you can't afford it then let us pay a little."

Logan snapped his book shut and slammed it on the lunch table, startling the younger boy. Carlos stared at him with wide eyes as he grabbed his things and stormed out of the room, face dark with contained fury.

What did he do?

When Carlos stumbled up to James locker at the end of school he still had that surprised and shocked look on his face. The brunette caught his shoulders and shook him slightly.

"Carlitos? What happened?" He asked almost frantically, he came in second when it came to over-protectiveness.

He shook his head. "I'm not sure," he answered, dazed.

"What are you talking about?" Kendall came up when James had asked his question.

Carlos told them what happened at lunch (seeings how James had first lunch, Kendall had third, and both Logan and Carlos had second they didn't know anything at all). He still couldn't figure out what he did. All he did was offer to help Logan hang out with him...right?"

"Oh Carlitos," Kendall sighed. He swung an arm around the little Latino and started walking out of the school, practically dragging his friend along. "That wasn't the best move."

"Why not?" He really, really, really wanted to know what he did wrong. "What did I do?"

"You damaged his pride," Kendall informed him gently. "Logan is the type of person who can't stand being weak or dependent. When you offered for us to help him pay for the movies you made it out that he couldn't care for himself."

"But, but," he sputtered. "I didn't mean to."

James patted his helmet covered head in sympathy. "We know, we know. Don't worry, it'll blow over. He'll be back to talking to you tomorrow. If there's anything I learned about Logan in the past two months is that he doesn't hold a grudge."

Kendall nodded in agreement.

The three of them parted ways at the bus ramp, he was heading down the street to his job at Sherwood's Grocery Store (just trying to help out his Mom, who was raising two kids on a waitress' salary) and the guys were heading to their bus. But they made plans to meet up later tonight for a movie at the theater.

He kicked a stone as he walked down the sidewalk. He really liked having Logan part of the group, he just wish he knew more about the teen. All Kendall really knew was that he's never seen Logan's parents, he was really smart (he was already ahead of them in class), he had a job and couldn't afford a lot of things, he was super independent, very jumpy and a little shy, and could sing and play hockey but couldn't afford the fees that came with Chorus and hockey.

But that wasn't much. Logan had the ability to tell them a whole bunch of stuff but it never actually give anything about himself.

Logan Mitchell was a mystery wrapped in a enigma and probably wrapped in a paradox too.

He had to push all of that in the back of his mind, though, because his boss handed him a cashier apron and pointed to the registers. Turns out Cassandra was sick today so Kendall got to cover for her, with a little bit of extra money thrown in for the last minute change.

Worked for him.

Five minutes into his shift and Kendall's eyes widened in shock as a carton of milk, a box of cinnamon LIFE cereal, a couple of oranges, and two frozen pizzas came down the belt. But the customer was what shocked him.

"Logan!"

The pale boy jumped and his hand went straight for the back of his neck (he's got to figure out what was up with that reaction), but he calm down when he realized who it was. "Kendall, I didn't know you worked here."

He shrugged. No big deal, everyone knew. He scanned the items as he talked. "I thought you had to work?"

Logan smiled softly. "I do, I just came to pick up a few things that I can't get after my shift." He rubbed the back of his neck, awkwardly instead of the protective move he does when he's...surprised (scared?). "Is... Is Carlos mad at me? For storming out?"

"Nah," he shook his head. "He was just confused. I bet if you act normal and apologize tomorrow he'll completely forget about it. Hell, you probably don't even need to apologize."

He chuckled. "I still will. Though, I bet you've learn I don't hold grudges...haven't you?"

Kendall stopped bagging Logan's things and held his thumb and pointed finger an inch a part. "Just a bit." He grinned cheekily, making Logan laugh. That dude didn't laugh nearly enough.

Logan paid and took his bags. "Thanks. See ya tomorrow."

"Bye."