Author's Note: I haven't updated this story in like a month… sorry… I keep writing new stories and I became enticed by my new one called "In Shades of Grey and Hues of Blue." How was that for a shameless plug? Anyway, here is your update.

Disclaimer: I don't own it and I never will. How will you survive?

Chapter 10

Vital Conversations

Logan

Logan stood, mostly concealed, behind the door of the Franklin newsroom. He had come there hoping to get some work done, but had instead stumbled upon a conversation, although bitter, he was enjoying tremendously. He knew he should feel that good, about the conversation at hand, but he knew it was only one of the many that the two he was watching would have in the near future. He had to stifle a laugh as Tristan sighed audibly in frustration as Rory sat at her desk ignoring him, completely engrossed in her work on the computer. Tristan reached over angrily and shut off her monitor. Her eyes shot up, giving him an evil glare.

"Tristan, I'm trying to work," she said, her eyes filled with annoyance. Tristan rolled his eyes.

"You are always working," he pointed out. Rory turned her monitor back on and started typing furiously, trying to ignore Tristan. Tristan sighed again and took her hand in his. He laced his fingers with hers, intertwining them. The sight made Logan's stomach curl. "Just come out with me," Tristan pleaded in a husky voice, barely audible above a whisper. Rory shook her head.

"I need to get this article done," she breathed. Logan saw Tristan clench his other hand at his side into a fist.

"Yeah, well your not too busy to hang out with Huntzberger," Tristan hissed through clenched teeth. Rory's face contorted in disgust and she wrenched her hand out of his grasp.

"Tristan," she said, her voice full of warning, "you are always at football, with your friends, or doing god knows what else. Do you really expect me to just sit around all day and wait for you?" Tristan ground his teeth together and shook his head sharply.

"No, I just don't like my girlfriend hanging around with some other guy!" Tristan complained, "I mean seriously Rory, how do you think this makes me look?" Rory sent Tristan another death glare.

"I think it looks like your girlfriend has a life and friends other than you," she replied with a hint of bite in her voice. Tristan shook his head.

"I'm just so sick of hearing about how the almighty 'Logan Huntzberger' is trying to steal my girl." Rory groaned in frustration.

"Tristan," she spat, "I told you, we are just friends." Tristan scoffed.

"You may be just friends with him, but he's just trying to get into your pants!" Rory clenched her fists together and her jaw tightened noticeably. Logan took this as his cue to intervene. He opened the door the rest of the way and entered the room that was full of tension. Tristan was leaning over Rory's desk angrily and Rory was staring back at him, frustrated with his words. They didn't even noticed when he entered the room, so Logan cleared his throat loudly. Their eyes flicked over to where he stood. Rory smiled in relief and Tristan tensed up. He glared at Logan like he was going to bite his head off.

"Am I interrupting something?" Logan asked. Rory shook her head slightly. Logan's smile widened and he and Rory shared some kind of secret conversation, letting her know that Logan was not going to let Tristan talk to her like that. Tristan watched the silent conversation-taking place in front of him and he detached himself from the desk. He gave the pair a nasty look before quickly exiting the room in a huff. Rory and Logan looked at the now shut door in silence. A minute later Rory turned towards Logan and smiled in appreciation.

"Thank you," she said sincerely. Logan nodded.

"It seemed like you needed a little help." Rory groaned.

"How much did you hear?" Logan shrugged.

"Enough," he said casually. Rory sighed.

"He just, doesn't trust me at all." She looked down at her desk, obviously pushing back tears. Logan's heart melted and he pulled up a seat next to him.

"He does trust you," Logan reassured her, feebly. Rory gave him a questioning look and she laughed. Logan laughed as well. He didn't think he sounded too convincing either. Logan reached up to Rory's eyes and wiped away her excess tears, an action that wasn't supposed to seem intimate, but unintentionally turned that way. Rory recoiled slightly and Logan quickly retracted his hand. Rory gave him a strained smile and got up from her chair.

"I should really go find Tristan," she mumbled, "to apologize." Logan sighed and slumped down in his chair as she quickly left the room, not even bothering to gather up her things. He had pushed a button that he hadn't pushed before and she did not react well to it. He got up and walked over to his desk to get some work done. His efforts were in vain though, because he couldn't get that moment out of his mind; his hand automatically running up her face to brush away her tears that her boyfriend had caused. He didn't want to be the comforting friend, he wanted to be the boyfriend. He picked up his pad and pencil and started chewing on the end of the eraser. His mind drifted back to the last time he had overheard an important conversation in a newsroom.

Logan walked down the halls of Harrow with a purpose. He was going to the newsroom to work on an article. He had turned over a new leaf since he had had his 'life changing' conversation with Cole a little over a month ago. Now, he was going to apply himself and actually do the thing he loved; write.

His hand glided over the brass doorknob to the door to the newsroom when he heard harsh voices arguing inside. He pressed his ear against the wooden door to be able to hear better.

"Charley, I just don't see what the big deal is!" he heard a voice, that he recognized as Mr. Cole's, cry flabbergasted.

"It's Head Master Richards," another voice reminded Cole. Logan assumed this was Head Master Richards. "And this kind of behavior just isn't acceptable at this institution." Logan heard Cole laugh loudly.

"Charley, I'm just trying to help the kid out and trust me, he needs it." Logan heard Head Master Richards suck on his teeth, obviously trying to restrain himself from saying something he would regret.

"You are having after hour sessions with students outside of the classroom," Richards pointed out.

"I've always operated like that Charley," Cole said flippantly, "for three years." Richards sighed.

"Mr. Cole, although this kind of behavior may have flown when my predecessor Head Master Armor was here, but as long as I am running this school, unsupervised after hour activities will not be allowed." Cole was silent, obviously trying to assess if Richards was actually being serious, Mr. Cole did not like to be bossed around. He liked to run by his own rules, but obviously Richards did not go by the same philosophy. "Just remember Cole, you're not their friend, you are their teacher."

Logan heard a chair creak, signaling that someone had gotten up from their chair. Logan silently hoped that it had been Cole getting up to punch that jerk of a Head Master in the face. He was disappointed when the door of the Newsroom flew open, revealing a short and stout man with a stern face. He nodded briefly at Logan and Logan entered the room sourly. He saw Cole sitting at a desk with is hands buried in his hand in frustration. Logan whistled in a low tone. Cole's head shot up quickly and he smiled at Logan.

"Boy, that Headmaster Richards has got in it for you," Logan said, goading Cole's reaction. He cheered in his head when Cole scowled.

"He's just angry because I originally got the headmaster job," Cole said bitterly. Logan raised his eyebrows.

"You?" he asked in disbelief. Cole nodded.

"Yes me, I was very close with Headmaster Armor. He was the Headmaster when I was at this school and he was the one who convinced the school board to give me this job." Logan nodded.

"So why did you turn it down?" Logan asked in curiosity. Cole sighed.

"I didn't want to be a Headmaster. I wanted to be a teacher, so they gave it to Richards after I turned it down. I had only worked here for two years and Richards had been working here for ten. I guess he just never got over the fact that I was chosen over him originally." Logan nodded, now understanding Richard's cold tone. After a minute of silence, Cole smiled. "Anyway, I have something to talk to you about." Logan raised his eyebrows.

"Oh, sounds important."

"Shut up you, I was wondering if you could do me a favor…"

"Depends what it is," Logan replied coyly. Cole rolled his eyes.

"You know Tyler…" Logan racked his brain for a face to place with the name. Suddenly the face of the editor of the paper popped into his mind.

"Yeah…"

"I was wondering if maybe…"

"Maybe…" Logan probed.

"If you could possibly take him under you wing." Logan sat back in his seat and gave Cole a puzzled look. That hadn't been what he was expecting.

"What?" Cole sighed.

"What I mean is, Tyler's a great kid… he's just not very social and he doesn't have a lot of friends. I was wondering if you could some how try to include him." Logan scratched his chin, trying to figure out how he could include Tyler. Some how he didn't see Tyler as the partying type, but if it was for Cole, he guessed he could try to get along with the little egg head. Logan smiled and nodded.

"I guess I could on one condition." Cole tilted his head to the side.

"What condition?" Logan smiled wryly.

"That you don't stop helping Colin after hours." Cole smiled brightly.

"I wouldn't dream of it."

Author's Note: Okay, I know. Short chapter, but the more reviews I get, the quicker I update… And let me tell you... the next three chapters are BIG! So press Herman and give me a review...