A/N—Hey all. Not a lot to say about this chapter, so I'll stop talking now. But I do hope everyone's well and hanging in there. :) Thanks for reading.

They didn't sleep all that much during the night, but when they did, it was deep. There was no restlessness, no nightmares or dreams that left them yearning for something neither could name. They woke up in each others' arms each time, both feeling an inexplicable but profound sense of relief, before settling into slumber again.

Except, of course, for the three times they opted for sex instead of sleep. Their appetites were insatiable, as if making up for lost time, and when Kendall eventually opened his eyes to see bright sunlight peeking through the curtains of his hotel room the following morning, his body was sore—but so very satisfied.

His usual routine was to reach for his phone upon waking. This time he reached for Don, who stirred just enough to eagerly burrow into the embrace. His body went limp again once cuddled up to Kendall's. Kendall smiled and kissed Don's forehead. He could have this every morning. He'd have to leave his family and Logan, and of course Carlos, but...

As much as he loved them all, there was no contest. Kendall thought it strange that there wasn't any fear running through him as far as Don was concerned—no worries that Don had been bluffing or would change his mind upon waking. Kendall had felt the same desperation in Don every time they touched or looked at each other through the night. He had no doubts or worries that moving here would be a mistake. He loved the place, he loved this man, and he loved the promise of what their future together could be like. This was where he belonged.

As for the proposal, that had probably just been pillow talk, but it didn't have to stay that way. He'd meant what he said—every fiber of his being wanted to say yes. He wasn't going to let Don get away again. He'd move here, they'd build a life together, and as soon as he felt the time was right, he'd ask Don to be his husband. Possibly within the first week.

Kendall laughed at himself for thoughts like that. Logan would most certainly yell at him and call him insane. But Logan had never felt this; he'd never been in love. He couldn't know how addicting it was to be in the presence of someone who made you feel so alive. The need to make it last overpowered all common sense.

"I love you," he whispered now. "I don't know how, or why it happened so fast, but I'm not letting you go. You're mine."

Feigning sleep, his face buried in the crook of Kendall's neck, Don smiled. The words were a mirror to everything in his own heart. His past didn't matter—it was his future, one with Kendall, that made up for all that he had lost.

The buzzing of Kendall's phone brought them back to consciousness around eleven. He groaned, wanting to ignore it because his body was so stiff from heavy sleep, and when it stopped the incessant vibrating, he sighed in relief.

Until it started up again twenty seconds later.

"You should answer that," Don mumbled, making no move to let him actually get out of bed.

"I'm on vacation. I don't want to talk to anybody."

"Not even me?" Don smirked. He rolled over so that he was covering Kendall's body, pleased to feel it respond eagerly.

"We don't need words," Kendall grinned. He kissed Don, an innocent peck at first, then something deeper when Don started to grind over him. "Oh my god, you're definitely my soulmate. No one's ever made me want sex this early in the morning."

"I don't think it's early, gorgeous." Reluctantly, Don sat up to part the curtains above the bed. "Nope, it's heading toward noon. I have to be at work in a few hours."

"What? Work? You can't call in sick?" Kendall dragged him back down to trap him to the bed, holding his hands hostage above his head. "I'm on vacation, spend it with me."

"Fuck, I wish I could. I was just on vacation myself last week, though. I can't do that to my boss." Kendall groaned and Don chuckled. "Sorry. I'm off tomorrow, if that helps."

"It does. It so does. Can I hang out at the bar tonight just to be with you?"

"You could if I was working it, but I think I'm on dining area. I'm sure Nick wouldn't mind your company, though," he teased.

"Ugh, stop it, that guy is so annoying." Kendall nuzzled Don's neck, then nibbled at the sensitive skin until Don was squirming under him.

"Keep that up and I'm going to come," Don whispered. "Something about you has me on edge twenty-four/seven."

"Good, we're even on that." Kendall bit down harder, wanting to leave a mark if for no other reason than to show Nick there was no chance—he'd made his choice.

"Fuck, Kendall. How are you so—" He gasped when Kendall's mouth clamped down and sucked. "Jesus, don't ever leave me."

Kendall had no intention of leaving, at least not more time than it took to pack up his life in Minnesota. "Come for me," he commanded. "Show me it's not just me feeling this."

As if it was nothing more than a switch needing to be flipped, Don followed orders with a needy whine. His body bucked under Kendall before freezing in place while ecstasy ran through him and out onto his stomach. "Not just you," he gasped. "Stay with me while you're here. Forget the hotel, I want you in my home. I want you in my world."

"Are you sure?" Kendall asked, surprised. "I don't want to intrude."

"It's either that or I have to keep leaving to get ready for work. Wouldn't it be nicer if you could watch me do that from the comfort of my own bed?"

Kendall hummed at the vision, his body quaking. "You really want me to stay there?"

"I do," Don nodded. He kissed Kendall softly and whispered, "And never leave. You have a place to stay if you decide to move here."

The decision was already made; having Don on the same page cemented it. "Let's get breakfast and then I'll check out of this place. Move my stuff to yours."

Don smiled. If Kendall hadn't been sure before, that would have changed his mind. He'd follow that smile anywhere.

Logan checked his phone for the third time and frowned; it was after noon in Sandy Hill and Kendall still hadn't called back. Logan imagined he'd spent the night with Don, but Don would have to work soon. Why weren't they awake yet?

He could always call Don instead, but if they were sitting together somewhere and noted that the same person was calling both, it might lead to questions he wasn't ready to answer just yet.

They're fine. They had an amazing night of wild sex and they're just sleeping in.

Speaking of sleeping in, Logan smiled when he passed through the living room and spied Carlos snoring away on his sofa. It was a sight he could get used to. They'd come back from bowling (something Carlos could actually beat Logan at) and watched a movie together. By that time it was almost 3 A.M., and Logan did something he hadn't done more than twice in all the years he'd worked for the CIA. He called in sick for the following morning.

Part of Logan wished he'd waited to take his vacation this week, because with Kendall gone, he had Carlos all to himself. But he couldn't regret his time with Don, either; they'd needed that.

Looking back at the prone form of Carlos snuggled under a blanket, it seemed weird to Logan that he'd wanted to move only two days before. So much had changed in forty-eight hours. He couldn't imagine leaving Carlos now, especially when the guy was alone.

He's not alone. He has family. He has Tommy. He's also got Katie and Jennifer, who still consider him family. You're not the only one who cares about him, Logan.

But none of those people loved Carlos, not the way he did. And it didn't matter that Carlos wanted nothing more than friendship; he was so clingy that they spent just as much time together as they would if they were dating.

Logan hummed as he dug out ingredients to make pumpkin pancakes for Carlos. He had no idea if Carlos liked pumpkin, but they were his favorite and he rarely treated himself to them. He'd slept in himself, something he didn't even do on his days off, and woke up wanting to make a big breakfast for Carlos. Maybe he'd do banana pancakes as well, since he knew Carlos liked bananas.

That brought back a memory of sitting in Carlos' car while being teased about the way he ate them.

"Yeah, that's it, deep throat that fucker."

His face flushed the way it had that night, and who knew there'd come a day when the thought of doing that to Carlos actually turned him on? Life was funny that way.

While mixing batter for the pancakes, Logan went over the story he'd come up with regarding Kendall and Don again. Katie was right—eventually they'd figure out he was the best friend of both and have questions. It could happen as soon as today. So he'd laid in bed upon waking and figured out an explanation that Kendall wasn't going to like because it meant Logan had lied about his reasons and whereabouts for his trips to the east coast, but it was the only way. He'd call Katie later to run it by her. He thought it would work, though, once Kendall got past his anger.

Carlos was still a problem. He would undoubtedly recognize Don as James when they eventually met and there was no getting around that without giving Carlos serum to make him forget James. Logan didn't want to do that; he'd made an oath to never use it again and to make sure no one besides himself and Katie knew it had been a success. Even if there weren't any side effects, there could be. Kendall and James were proof of that. He refused to put anyone else through that again.

By the time he'd cracked half a dozen eggs into a bowl, Logan knew there wasn't any way around it—he was going to have to tell Carlos the truth. It might even help Carlos feel better about the break-up with Kendall, once he understood the history between Kendall and James. Of course, it would also probably cause Carlos to hate him—not just for the manipulation and lies, but for what he'd done to Kendall.

The thought of that stole Logan's breath away. He and Carlos were finally at a place now that was good. He didn't want to lose that.

But maybe he deserved to. After everything he'd put Kendall through, maybe it was only right that he lose something special to him. It killed him to think about, but if he had to sacrifice Carlos, he'd do it.

The biggest risk with that would be if Carlos was so angry that he told Kendall the truth. Would he? Logan could see it. In the end, though, he thought Carlos cared enough for Kendall that he'd put Kendall's happiness first. Once Carlos saw how happy Kendall was with Don/James, and understood that to tell Kendall of the time with James he could never get back would only devastate him, Carlos would want to save him from that.

It was a risk Logan would probably have to take, long before he was ready to face it.

I'm going to lose Carlos, aren't I? Right when things were getting good.

As if to confirm that, Kendall called just then. Logan answered the call before it could wake up Carlos. "Hey, I was worried about you. Everything okay?"

"Logan...everything is perfect. For the first time, I feel like my life is on track and I know what I want and where I'm going and...it's here."

None of that surprised him. "In Sandy Hill?"

"Yeah, and with Don. I have so much to tell you."

"So you spent the night with him?"

"Yes, and I checked out of my hotel. He just left for work but I'm staying at his place until I leave. And you know what's crazy? We have so much in common! Our last names, my middle name, even his apartment looks like mine! It's like all of this was meant to be, Logan! I know you don't believe in fate, but it's real. Me finding him, that was fate." Kendall paused. "I don't hear you arguing."

"I uh...I'm done arguing about that sort of thing. I'm not sure what's real anymore."

"Dude, you have to open your mind to new possibilities or you'll never really live. You don't want to be alone forever, do you?"

Logan peeked out of the kitchen to spy Carlos shifting in his sleep. "No," he said sincerely. "I don't."

"Then accept what fate throws in your face. Embrace it. I know you're gonna think I'm insane, but...Logan..."

"Yes?"

"I made up my mind and no amount of screaming at me that I've lost it is going to change it. I'm moving here. There's a high school that needs a hockey coach and I have a meeting later today with the principal. I love my team, you know I do, but Don...I can't leave him. I want to be here with him. Mom and Katie aren't gonna understand, and I know you'll tell me I'm making a mistake to pick up my life and move across the country for a guy I just met last night, but—"

"Kendall."

"Logan, no, hear me out! I have to do this, okay? Nothing has ever felt as right as him. I feel horrible saying that because Carlos tried so hard, and I wanted him to work out, but what I have with Don, it's everything I've been looking for and—"

"Kendall. Let me talk."

Kendall sighed. "Why? So you can yell at me?"

"So I can say that I'm happy for you. And while I wouldn't make such a huge decision that fast, you need to follow your heart. If Sandy Hill is where it takes you, I give you my blessing."

Kendall didn't reply right away. Then, hesitantly, "Are you...you're serious? You mean that?"

"I do. I just want you to be happy."

"I am. He makes me happy. Like...in ways I couldn't even imagine. I knew he was special, you know? From thirty seconds in a bathroom, I knew he was special. I never forgot him."

Oh, but you did. Numerous times. "I know. There's a reason for that, right?"

"Exactly! Because he's my soulmate. He's...Logan, he's everything. So you really don't think I'm crazy?"

"Maybe a little. But I can tell you're in love and that nothing I say is going to change that."

"Nope. Not a chance."

"So then, I give my blessing."

"Wow. I was so dreading this call, dude. I was afraid you'd fly out here and try to drag me back home." Taking in a deep, relieved breath, Kendall said, "That went so much better than I thought it would. I'm worried about Carlos, though."

"Carlos?"

"Yeah. How does that make him feel? I break up with him, take off, and then twenty-four hours later I'm moving in with another guy? One I'm probably going to marry? He'll never understand. It'll make him feel so unworthy and inadequate."

"Let me handle Carlos, okay? I'll tell him."

"What? No, it's my place. I owe him that."

"Kendall, he's here right now. Let me do that for you."

"He's...wait, I just realized. It's Monday. Are you at home?"

"Yep. Stayed up half the night with Carlos, so I called out."

"You called out? Of work? Why?"

"Because I knew I'd be too tired to make it in. He's sleeping on my couch and I'm currently making us breakfast."

"Dude...I really don't know how to thank you. You've been there for him through all of this shit I put him through and it means so much to me. I don't want to lose him. He probably won't want to be my friend once he finds out about Don, but I'm glad he has you to lean on. I can't believe how great you've been with him."

Logan refused to feel guilty for his ulterior motives. He couldn't help his feelings. "It hasn't been a hardship."

"Really? Because I know he gets on your nerves."

"Sometimes," Logan laughed. "He rubs off on you, though. You get used to it."

"I'm glad you finally gave him a chance. He really likes you, you know."

Logan smiled at the sleepy dark brown eyes that were now regarding him from the couch. "Yeah, I know." To Carlos, he said, "Morning, sunshine."

Carlos' mouth stretched into a huge yawn. "Aren't you late for work?"

"Not going in today. Breakfast will be ready in five minutes."

"Breakfast again?! Dude, you so spoil me!"

"Yes, I do. Go clean yourself up. There's a brand new comb in the bathroom drawer."

Carlos jumped up with an overabundance of energy and practically skipped toward the bathroom.

"You really do have a way with him," Kendall commented. "Did you guys go bowling last night?"

"We did." Logan returned to the kitchen to finish up the pancakes and eggs. "He kicked my ass. I thought I'd be good at it since it's a matter of physics and geometry, but I've learned that it has more to do with the angle of your wrist than anything else. Why didn't you ever take him?"

"Bowling bores me. Did you have fun?"

"I had a blast, Kendall. Maybe you're right about this whole opening myself up to new experiences thing, because I had a great time."

"Part of that is Carlos. He's just fun to be around."

Logan couldn't agree more. "So you're good? You're...what, living with Don now?"

"I'm just staying here for the rest of the week. Once I know for sure if I have this job, I'll start the process of moving for good. I'll have to come home and wrap everything up there, explain my insanity to Katie and Mom, quit my job at the school, but...yeah. Basically this is my new home. I still can't believe I found him and that he feels the same way about me. It's...Logan, it's crazy, right?"

"Not as crazy as you might think. Let me know how it goes with the interview. I don't know what all we have planned. Carlos is off today and I think he said something about dinner with his grandma, so I should be free tonight for a call."

"You know, that's something I regret. I never got to meet her. He always went over while I was at work."

"I don't think that was an accident. He likes to keep her to himself. He told me that once. So don't take it personally. Nobody meets Gran."

"I guess. Anyway, Don is at work for the night so I'll probably hang out at the restaurant for a while. And guess what? His boss is passing on the place to him."

"Wait, what? The restaurant?"

"Yep. He just found out last night. His boss is retiring and wants him to take over the whole operation. He said he's nervous but really excited, too. I'm excited for him."

Logan should've seen that coming; Derek really did value Don. They'd have to discuss this soon. "That's wonderful. Sounds like everything's just working out for you guys."

"Well, we'll see after today. Cross your fingers for me. I really want this job."

"You know, something tells me you'll get it. Everything else has lined up, right?"

"Yeah. It's like...well, it's fate. Say what you want, Logan, but it's fate."

Logan's gaze followed Carlos as he traipsed into the room and asked, "Is breakfast ready yet?" He'd combed his hair and possibly rinsed his face; now he stared at Logan in anticipation.

"Almost. Go pour us some juice." To Kendall, he said, "No longer arguing that. I need to go. He's demanding breakfast."

"Oh yeah, he loves his breakfast. Go feed him or suffer his wrath."

"Call me later. And really, I'm happy for you."

"Thanks. You were the one I was worried about most. I was afraid I'd lose you over this."

"Never, Kendall. I'm always here for you."

"I know. Take care of Carlos."

"I will," Logan smirked. "I'll keep an eye on him. Bye."

"Bye."

From the kitchen, Carlos called out, "You haven't even cooked this stuff yet! You promised me, five minutes!"

"Shut up and set the table!"

Carlos leaned out of the kitchen with a grin. "If I do, do I get an extra pancake? And why are there two bowls of batter? Did you make me two kinds?!"

It was so hard to not plant a kiss on Carlos' lips as he walked into the kitchen, especially knowing that by the end of the day, Carlos might not want anything to do with him. He decided to enjoy breakfast before worrying about the future, and allowed himself the indulgence of smacking Carlos' ass in passing. "Only if you behave and do as I say. Juice. Plates. Silverware. Get to it."

Carlos stared at him as if scandalized. "Did you just...? Dude, did you just spank me?"

"Yep. Keep standing there doing nothing and I'll do it again."

A minute later Logan turned away from the frying pan he'd poured pancake batter into. Carlos hadn't moved. "What are you doing?"

"Waiting to see if you actually will do it again," Carlos smirked. "No one's ever done that before and I think I like it."

Logan's eyes flashed. His nether regions stirred in the old pair of sweats he'd thrown on the night before, body wide awake now. "You think? You're not sure?"

"Nope."

"Huh. Then I didn't do it right." Surprising himself, Logan winked at Carlos before refocusing on breakfast. He could feel Carlos' shock at the flirtatious tone but didn't address it.

Let Carlos stew on that for a while.

Carlos dropped his fork onto his empty plate with a loud groan of satisfaction while sitting back in the chair. "Oh my god, bro, you outdid yourself today. Who knew pumpkin could make such great pancakes?"

"My mom," Logan smiled. "She taught me that one. Most of my recipes came from her, actually."

"I bet you miss her. Sucks that I never got to meet her and tell her myself how much I dig her food."

"She'd like you. She always told me I needed a friend who dragged me kicking and screaming out of my shell."

"I try, man. I really try. How come you eat half as much as me but take twice as long to do it?"

"Because I'm not a human vacuum like you and Kendall." He stopped himself from adding "and James," for obvious reasons. Instead he daintily cut a bite-sized triangle out of his pancake stack and tried to avoid the contemplative stare coming from across the table. It made him self-conscious. "What?" he finally asked.

"You're the only person I know who uses a knife to cut pancakes. Forks work just fine, you know."

Logan shrugged. "Knives are more precise."

"Right, because precision is what counts when eating." Carlos tried and failed to hide a smirk. "You're probably sick of me by now, huh? Ready for me to go home?"

Logan chewed his food slowly while trying not to show how inaccurate that was. "Depends on what you had in mind."

"I was gonna invite you to dinner with Gran. I think she'd like you now that you're not so stuffy all the time."

His mouth stopped moving. He forced the food down his throat with the help of coffee before asking, "You want me to meet Gran? Really?"

"Yeah. She promised me carne asada tonight. Even if you've had that before, you've never really had it until you taste hers. And she always makes her rice with it, which is freaking dope."

"Dope, eh?" Reminded of James and his fondness for the word "bomb", Logan chuckled. "How can I say no to that?"

"Yeah? You'll come?! I figured since you called out of work, you'd be feeling guilty and rush in the second I left. Why did you stay home anyway? You could've kicked me out this morning."

"Because someone kept me up half the night watching a horrible movie about zombies."

"Oh come on, you loved it! You even said there should be a sequel!"

"Yes, because they left the story unfinished. I hate that. Finish a story or don't write it at all."

Carlos grinned as Logan plopped another carefully-cut piece into his mouth. "It kills you to admit you liked it, doesn't it? That you have a fun side?" Logan said nothing. "Sure, pretend like I'm wrong, but you know I'm right. And that's what I want Gran to see—the fun side of you. If anyone can drag it out of you, she can."

"Don't make me change my mind, Carlos. I'm actually looking forward to meeting the one person who can put up with you."

"Oh wow, okay. Be a dick." Carlos crossed his arms over his chest, miffed—but only for a second. "You know, I'd be offended if I didn't know you so well. You wouldn't tease me if you didn't like me. And you sure as hell wouldn't go to all this trouble over breakfast. I think you're just as lonely without Kendall as I am."

Logan met Carlos' eyes across the table. That wasn't technically a lie, but it was about so much more than that. And now that the idea had had time to settle, he was dreading Kendall's move; he'd already lost James, and now he would lose Kendall as well. It helped some to know that they'd be happy together, but it wasn't the same as having them both near. Appetite evaporated, he laid down his silverware and averted his gaze. "You're finished over there?"

"Yeah. You don't want the rest?"

"No, do you?"

"Nah." Logan's mood seemed to have floated over to Carlos. The joy was gone from his voice when he asked, "Was that Kendall who called earlier?"

Logan braced himself. Here was the talk he didn't want to have. "Yes."

"How is he? I know he was upset when he flew out, no matter what Katie said."

"He wasn't upset, Carlos, he was just...he had a lot of thinking to do."

Carlos nodded. "Because of me."

"No, not because of you. He still feels horrible about hurting you in the process of trying to find what he needs. He loves you, I hope you know that."

"I do. I know he cares about me. He stayed with me so long because of that. He wanted it to work."

"He really did."

"And he tried, it just wasn't enough. What we had was so great, at least for a while. But something changed. I still don't know what. It was like...overnight. Like he was suddenly lost."

Logan bit his lip, wondering how to start the conversation that could send Carlos away forever. Panic gripped him so that he couldn't speak.

"Did he find what he was looking for?" Carlos suddenly asked. "Was it worth it? All of this, was it worth it?"

Carlos had given him the perfect segue. Logan inhaled deeply, holding the breath before letting it out to begin. "Yes. He found what was missing. And Carlos...we need to talk. The things I'm going to tell you...they won't make sense. It's going to sound like I'm making up a crazy story. But I need you to understand that everything I did was to keep Kendall safe. Nothing mattered more than that. It was all done out of love."

Confusion had replaced the sadness in Carlos' eyes. "What the hell are you talking about?"

"Kendall...he was in love. Before he met you. There was someone very special in his life, and he had to lose that person."

"No, he said he hadn't really dated anyone for a long time. I was the first in like—"

"Six years?"

"Yeah. That's what he said. He lied to me?"

"No, as far as he knew, it wasn't a lie. But the truth is that he had a boyfriend for five years. A guy named James. He just...couldn't remember."

Carlos struggled to understand. "Okay, now you're really not making any sense."

"I know. I need you to swear to me that you won't repeat anything I'm about to say. I'll tell you everything, just keep this in mind: We did it to save him. And...what you and I have, this friendship? It's real. I liked you from the start. The person you met that night at the bar...even though I was there to find Kendall a boyfriend, I really did enjoy talking with you. Everything we've been through since...it's real."

Suspicion clouded the dark gaze that normally held warmth and affection. "Start talking."