Hey, guys! Here's a new update, for all of you patient people who have been waiting for one. Sorry about the huge gap here, our internet has been out due to all the storms from all the hurricane backlash and our internet provider has been slow as f*** getting it fixed. I'm hoping they'll stop being assholes soon and get it fixed so I can update more.

Anyway, here's chapter 3. The next one will move on to when Logan is attending McKinley again and...*insert dramatic pause*...SHELBY's character will be introduced! And for all of you out there who are like, "What? What's so important about Shelby?" Well, for starters, it's freaking Idina Menzel. She's like...OMG...what the hell is wrong with you? She's badass and I felt it was unfair when she was on Glee and they screwed over Rachel getting a mom. Let's be honest here, guys. What sixteen year old girl, going through breakups and crushes and periods and everything that IS high school...when would she NOT need a mom? It was awful and I always wanted there to be a little more to that story line plot so I'm including Shelby in this fanfiction.

Also, you will be introduced to a new face within the next few chapters, and I'm not sure if you all will hate me or whatever for bringing them in, but it's part of my plot so bear with me.

Let me know what you guys think. PLEASE REVIEW! Those are my beacons of light!

You're the best. Stay brave. ~BraveGirl

Ch:3

Logan

Seven o'clock had long come and gone, and while Q and my sister were busy chattering away with each other in the living room, I was visibly pouting at the kitchen counter, tossing a few pieces of popcorn into an empty glass across from me. She had chosen not to come, and it felt like I was reliving last year all over again. I felt like the girl who walked halfway across town to give her those train tickets only to be brushed off and ignored, like I was nothing. All I needed was a bottle of whiskey and I would officially look and feel the role of severely depressed girl who had, once again, gotten her hopes up only to have them trampled on later.

I let out a snort as I landed another piece of popcorn into the glass, now unamused by the childish game. "Pathetic."

"Who's pathetic?"

I jumped slightly at the sudden voice, turning to see my favorite blonde standing in the doorway of the kitchen. "I am. I actually thought she was going to come tonight. I actually thought I had gotten through to her enough for her to let me back in. But I should have seen this coming and I'm pathetic because I thought this time was different. I'm pathetic because I've spent the entire summer trying so hard to get her out of my head, and after one conversation with her, I'm right back where I started."

Out of the corner of my eye I watched as Quinn took empty seat next to me before grabbing a handful of popcorn. "You're not pathetic. You love her."

Rolling my eyes, I took a sip of my water in an attempt at commenting back on that. I certainly would admit that I had a crush on the girl, but did I love her? I had only ever loved one girl and when she was gone I assumed I would never feel that way about someone again.

"Oh, come on, don't say that you don't. You're so hopelessly head over hills for that you can't even mention her name around you without you getting all doe-eyed and spacing out."

I frowned, grabbing my own handful of popcorn before tossing it at my best friend, earning a loud laugh from the blonde that had even myself smiling, and I was suddenly thankful for having her on my side. It wasn't until you were at your lowest point that only the people who truly loved you would be able to put a smile on your face.

"Seriously, though, Logan. Santana is a…hard shell to crack. She puts on that bitchy exterior because she's insecure about herself, so she puts other people down and acts the way she does so she doesn't have to face herself. In fact, she's been running from herself for so long that I stopped trying to keep up a few years ago…and I shouldn't…I should have kept running with her. I was supposed to be her best friend, be there for her through everything and I turned my back on her when she needed me the most. Maybe it was too hard to try and be her friend after she dumped me when I got pregnant, but it's not an excuse. I should have been a better friend. Hell, I should have been a better person in general."

Reaching over, I grabbed the blonde's hand, sad, hazel eyes moving from an abandoned piece of popcorn to mine. "You're not a bad friend, Q. Yes, you've made mistakes, and so has she, but that doesn't make you a terrible person. You're not the same girl who got pregnant her Sophomore year, and you're certainly not the same girl who used to be horrible to Rachel. You've grown as a person and you've been a pretty damn good best friend over the past few months."

A comfortable silence fell between the two of us, my hand and hers still conjoined on the marble countertops, the only sound coming from the living room where my sister was presumably still watching whatever movie the two had picked out earlier. After a few seconds, I let out a sigh, turning my attention away from the glass full of popcorn to my best friend, giving her a small smile. "Listen, I never got the chance to say thank you…for coming to look for me last year when I didn't show up for class."

Her hazel eyes widened, probably because of the sudden change in subject, but it's taken me months to be able to even bring up the attack, and I was afraid I would lose this courage if I didn't say it now. "Logan, you don't have to-."

I held up my free hand, successfully causing the blonde's mouth to snap shut. "No, seriously. It's taken me this long to be able to even say this to you, so don't tell me I don't have to thank you or anything like that. Because I do have to thank you. If you hadn't come looking for me when you noticed I wasn't in gym, there's no telling how long I could have been there laying on that floor, and god knows if it had been any sooner…"

The comfortable silence from earlier was replaced with a tension-filled one, my unsaid thought settling between us. My life could have very well ended that day if wasn't for her and Santana.

"I could have died, but I didn't because of you and Santana…and you will never know how thankful I am that I became friends with you. Not just because of you finding me, but for everything afterwards. Between you visiting me and keeping an eye on Rachel…well…I'm just really glad that you were there and that you're my best friend, Q."

Her hazel eyes filled with tears suddenly, and before I could utter a syllable, the blonde had me wrapped up in her arms, whispering something about being thankful for my friendship as well and I realized that even though I would still be battling the Santana problem, at least I could play out senior year with the people I loved.

"Logan, I think you'll be happy to know that-…oh, I'm sorry for interrupting an apparent moment between you two. I'll say my news when you two are done hugging."

I laughed lightly, keeping a hold of one Quinn's hand as we pulled away from each other, turning to look at my sister standing in the doorway of the kitchen. "What's up, Rach?"

The dive pointed off somewhere behind her, a nervous smile resting on her face. "It seems our missing fourth-wheel has decided to show up and she's asked about your whereabouts, so she's patiently waiting in the living room for you to emerge. However, I feel as though you two should be given your privacy, seeing as this is probably a sore subject for the both of you, so Quinn, will you accompany me up to my room while they talk?"

After sharing a look with me, the blonde simply nodded, following my little sister up the stairs but not before glancing one last time over her shoulder, one that silently told me to keep in mind what she informed me about Santana earlier.

Taking a deep breath, I made my way into the living room, my eyebrow raising unconsciously as I noticed Santana staring at the stack of pictures my sister had brought out earlier. From my spot in the doorway, I could tell which picture she was staring at, the familiar warmth that came from staring at said picture filling my chest. "That's one of my favorites."

Amusingly, the always badass girl jumped at my voice, her eyes snapping up to meet mine as she placed the picture back down on the coffee table in front of her. "Have you always been this stalker like? Or was that just the one thing about you that I happened to forget?"

Raising an eyebrow, I took a seat on the couch next to her, picking up the picture she had been looking at. "Do you remember when we took this last year? We were on our way to Sectionals and Puck said some crude joke that caused Tina to pour her Coke all over him and somehow Quinn managed to take a picture right as you started laughing and, unfortunately, caught me staring at you."

The girl next to me shifted slightly before taking the picture out of my hand. "I like it. It's one of the few pictures Q has managed to take that I look good in. Can you make me a copy?"

Smirking, I gained custody of the picture again, setting it down on the coffee table in front of me. "I'll have Rachel make one later tonight. Are you staying or did you just come here to pilfer through my belongings?"

"That depends on what Q and Rach are up there doing right now. Five bucks says they're making out up there on Rachel's bed."

I snorted, standing up from the couch while holding one hand out towards the still smirking girl on the couch. "I'll raise you ten and say they're eavesdropping from the top of the stairs and they won't admit they're madly in love with each other until it's become painstakingly obvious."

Santana let out a cackle that had my smile growing, feeling like maybe things were finally returning to normal with my life. I'd be back at McKinley for senior year, with Rach, San, and Q and all the other gleeks. The attack was behind me, and I could smile again.

"You're so on, Mackenzie."

The instant I felt her hand land in mine, I pulled her up and into a hug, my arms wrapping around her waist. "I need you in my life, Santana. Please don't push me away again."

After a few seconds, I felt her return the hug, causing me to smile, because in that moment she didn't need to say anything. I knew without words that we would be fine, and maybe things wouldn't go back to their original way mainly because we didn't want them to, but because they couldn't. Too much had happened, but it wasn't going to stop us from making the most out of it. But out of everything the hug said, I knew the main thing stood out the farthest.

We would be okay.

The moment was interrupted when a rather loud booming sound came from the stairwell, and once we had broken the hug I happened to look up and see my sister sitting sideways on one of the steps, her look screaming that she had been caught doing something, and judging by the fact that Quinn was staring over the edge of the banister with the same look, I just won the bet.

With a chuckle, I turned towards the Latina who was standing next to me, her earlier smirk replaced with a scowl, probably because she realized she just lost. "You owe me ten bucks."

After a round of rushed Spanish with a few added words (I'm pretty sure Santana said something about taking the money from her fund to get Rach a new wardrobe), the girl was up the stairs, my sister's eyes widening before she let out a scream and disappeared around the corner of the banister, yelling her own thing about carrying a rape whistle while Quinn and I were busy trying to regain our breathing while laughing so loudly that the sound was deafening.

But this was my life, and I wouldn't change it even if I tried.