Title: And So It Goes
Author: SLynn
Rating: T
Pairings: Logan/Camille and Kendall/Jo
Spoilers: None
Disclaimer: Does anyone actually read this? If so, these characters and settings are not mine. I'm only borrowing.

Summary: Katie has a plan, but it's Kelly that ends up needing one.

Chapter 8

"I'm done," James said, slamming his text book shut with such force that the other three guys at the table jumped.

They'd been back at the apartment for a little more than an hour and were each trying to work their way through as much of their homework as they could, as fast as possible, so that the could still enjoy the evening.

"You're already finished?" Kendall asked, eyebrow raised and not buying it at all.

"What'd you get for number twenty-three?" Carlos asked in a rush.

"I didn't say I'd finished it," James explained. "I said I'm done. As in, I'm done wasting my time."

Logan clicked his tongue disapprovingly, but kept his eyes on his notebook and his comments to himself.

"So you don't have the answer to number twenty-three?" Carlos repeated.

"Ask Logan," James said as he went into the kitchen to grab another soda. "I'm sure he's dying to tell you. He knows everything."

Carlos turned his eyes to Logan, hopeful. Sighing, Logan motioned for Carlos to hand over his paper, scanned it quickly and circled a few mistakes, before giving it back.

"You've inversed your equation," Logan said. "Flip it back and you should be able to get it."

"Thanks."

"Told you," James smirked, propping his feet up on the table as he opened his drink.

"Get your feet down," Logan snapped. "It's disrespectful."

"And gross," Katie added, dropping her own books on the table as she joined them. "We eat here."

"Fine," James said, throwing up his hands in mock surrender as he put his feet back on the floor.

Katie caught Logan's eyes as if to say 'do you believe him' and, unable to help it, Logan laughed, which only served to further worsen James' mood.

"What are you doing, anyway?" he asked, suddenly back on his feet and walking around the table to look over Logan's shoulder. "I know you finished your homework back at the studio."

"I did," Logan said without looking up.

"So what's all that?" James asked, pointing to the notebook.

"Nothing," Logan said, too quick to be convincing, as he slapped his hand down over the item in question.

"You've been writing in that thing all day," Kendall added, his own interest piqued.

"It's nothing," Logan insisted, turning at exactly the wrong time to face Kendall, giving James the perfect opportunity to snatch the notebook right off the table.

"Then I can take a look," he said triumphantly, holding it up over his head.

"Give it back," Logan said, jumping to his feet so quickly that his chair toppled over behind him.

"Whatever it is," James said with a laugh as he backed around to the other side of the table, "it must be good."

"This isn't funny," Logan said, moving towards James.

"Guys," Carlos said, his eyes fixed firmly on his work, as if determined to ignore what was happening. "Don't start."

"I'm serious, James," Logan said, still advancing.

"Guys," James drawled. "He's serious."

"James," Logan said warningly.

"So, what is it then?" James said, moving faster now around the table, opening the notebook and pretending to read from it. "Are you writing a book? Songs? I know, love poems."

"I mean it," Logan said, blushing in spite of himself. "Give it back to me now, or... or..."

"Or what?"

"Kendall?" Carlos called out, his voice laced with worry.

"Enough already," Kendall yelled. He hasn't wanted to get involved, but it seemed as if he had to. "James, give it back. Logan, just... sit down."

"I was only joking," James offered, having lost his bitter edge, as he tossed the notebook back to Logan.

"Can you pick on someone else for awhile?" Logan spat at him, accompanied by the dirtiest look he knew. "It's old already."

"It'll never get old," James said with a chuckle.

Logan sat down, fuming on the inside. Chancing a look at Kendall, all he got for his efforts was a subtle shake of the head, which Logan knew meant that it was up to him to drop it. But, he couldn't. He was having a bad enough week as it was, the last thing he needed was James piling on. And James always picked on him. He never bothered Kendall, because none of them did. That's just how it was. And Carlos was the baby of the group, so it was up to Logan to take all the abuse, and it wasn't fair.

And, he'd regret it, later he would really regret it, but before he could think twice, Logan spoke up, lashing out at the only person who never gave anyone grief.

"Well," Logan said, gathering up his things and shoving them violently into his bag, "if you do want something new to talk about, why don't you talk about Carlos and why he's falling all over himself for Kelly lately. I'm sure that'll give you a laugh or two."

"Leave Carlos out of this," James said automatically, without bothering to decipher what it was Logan was actually saying. As sure as Kendall would always stick up for Logan, it followed that James would always stick up for Carlos.

By the time that Logan had already stormed off, slamming the bedroom door for good measure, Katie and Kendall were both staring at Carlos with their mouths open. Carlos looked momentarily stunned, but soon began to pack his own school bag full of books, and muttering something about the patio, was out of the apartment just as the full meaning of Logan's taunt dawned on James.

"Wait," James called out, but it was too late.

"Why'd you have to start that?" Kendall asked angrily, wheeling on James.

"I was joking," James said. "It's not my fault he has no sense of humor. Besides, he's the one that crossed the line. Logan should have just kept his stupid mouth shut. Carlos didn't do anything to him."

"If you'd have kept your stupid hands to yourself none of this would have happened," Katie countered.

"No one here is talking to you," James shot back at her.

"Don't talk to my sister like that," Kendall said defensively. "And, she has a point. You're always pushing him for a reaction, and well, you got one."

"He took a cheap shot," James said, getting to his feet, his face going red with anger. "And you know it. Worse, you're defending him."

"I'm not," Kendall said, quick to his feet. "It was... it was low. He shouldn't have said it, no matter... That's not our business, whatever it is."

James stood there for a minute, waiting for more. When he realized that's all Kendall had to say, he rolled his eyes and let out a huff of air.

"I'm going to go talk to Carlos."

James retreated out of the apartment without waiting to see if Kendall would bother to come along. He didn't want him to. Right now James was sick of them both, Logan and Kendall.

It didn't take long to find Carlos, out by the pool, having taken over one of the cabanas with his school work spread out on a lounge chair that was acting as a table. James pulled up an empty chair next to him and waited.

"I still can't figure out number twenty-three," Carlos said, not looking up from the paper.

"The answers to the odd ones are in the back of the book."

"I know," Carlos shrugged, "but isn't that cheating?"

James watched as Carlos plowed through what remained of his homework, occasionally talking with the one or two kids who stopped by, but mostly doing what best friends do; just sitting by his side.

Carlos finally finished, pushed himself back into his chair and propped up his feet as his gaze swept the pool.

"Want to talk about it?" James asked.

"About what?"

James nodded and let it go.

"It's getting kind of late," James tried again. "Dinner is probably ready. We could go upstairs..."

"I'm not really hungry."

"Me either," James said.

"If you want to go, you can," Carlos said with a laugh. "I'm fine."

"No," James said. "I'm not going to just leave you here."

"I'm fine, really," Carlos said. "And, um... I think I'd like to be alone for a little while."

"Do you want me to punch him in his other eye?" James asked, completely serious.

"No," Carlos laughed, and began sounding more like his old self. "Don't do that. I know he didn't mean it. And, you know, it's not like what he said meant anything. Because it didn't."

"I know," James returned quickly, hoping to spare him further embarrassment.

"I don't know what he was trying to imply," Carlos rattled on, "but, whatever it was, it was ridiculous. Right?"

"Right."

"Just so you know," Carlos emphasized. "And if you wanted to tell Kendall and Katie that too."

"Don't worry about it," James assured him. "They know Logan is full of it."

Carlos nodded, his eyes darting back toward the building.

"Come on," James urged. "Let's go."

Carlos hesitated for a minute before finally getting to his feet and following James back upstairs in time for dinner.

Mrs. Knight seemed completely unaware of any further trouble having taken place. She talked pleasantly throughout the meal, asking each of them about their days, and chalking up any sullenness in the group to the general problems as of late.

Logan, already heartily ashamed of himself, kept trying to catch Carlos' eye and begin working on a reconciliation, but to no avail. Carlos avoided him entirely. The same could not be said of James, who spent the entire meal glaring at Logan menacingly, thinking that he might make good on his threat even without Carlos' approval. Kendall was entirely at a loss, feeling as if this time, pulling his friends back together might not be as easy as it usual.

Katie is what really saved them all from her mother's notice. She took it upon herself to be more animated and talkative than usual. She was afraid if her mom found out what had happened, she might change her mind and call Logan's parents after all, but she also felt really bad for Carlos. She knew how mortified she'd have felt if it was her in Carlos' position.

After the dishes had been dried and put away, Carlos had ducked into their room and was getting his street hockey gear together for a late evening game with James. Logan, seeing this as his chance to apologize, followed behind him. He wasn't certain, but fairly sure that James had tried to intercede, but Kendall had cut him off.

"Hey, Carlos," Logan said, as soon as he shut the door behind him, not surprised to see his friend's shoulders tense.

Logan took a deep breath and stepped closer.

"About what I said," Logan began again.

Without looking up from the bag he was rummaging through, Carlos let out a mirthless laugh, and shook his head as he said, "Don't talk to me."

"I'm... I'm just trying to say that I'm sorry."

"Save it," Carlos said, turning and pushing past Logan and out of the room without looking back.

"Ready?" Logan heard James ask from the other room.

Carlos' reply was drowned out by the sound of a knock at the door, and Logan, curious as to who it might be, came out of the room and into the living room, only to find James standing in the doorway with Camille.

James turned his head, looked right at Logan, and then shouted, "Hey, Logan! Camille is here to see you!"

This, of course, accomplished exactly what James hoped it would, and Mrs. Knight came immediately out of her room, gave Logan an almost pitying glance, before she ushered Camille out of the door with an, "I'm sorry."

"Thanks, James," Logan said, nodding curtly and taking a seat on the couch.

"Whatever," James returned. "Ready to go, Carlos?"

"Yeah," Carlos said, still refusing to look in Logan's direction.

They exited the apartment just as Mrs. Knight returned.

"I'm sorry, Logan," she said. "But, Camille's father doesn't want you seeing her and I have to respect that. She can't come over."

"I know."

Mrs. Knight smiled and went back into her room where she had been reading before.

"What am I supposed to do about Carlos?" Logan asked Kendall.

"I don't know."

"How am I supposed to apologize if he won't even talk to me?"

"Well, can you blame him?"

Logan was taken aback. He hadn't expected Kendall to be happy with him, Logan knew it was an awful thing that he'd done. And James reaction was a given. Logan even understood Carlos' reaction, even though it would make things more difficult to fix. But, Kendall sounded mad. Worse than mad, he sounded disappointed. Logan couldn't handle disappointing anyone else right now.

"Logan," Kendall said, stammering and uncharacteristically unsure of himself. "I don't know what to tell you except that you're going to have to figure this one out on your own. I can't help you."

Logan said nothing in return, just stared blankly at Kendall for a minute before nodding dumbly and casting about for something else to look at.

"I'm going downstairs," Kendall said after a long pause and was out of the apartment before Logan could say anything else.

Dropping his head back into his hands to think about what he'd done, Logan sat there for a long time before finally someone sat down beside him, drawing his thoughts back to the present.

"Do you want to talk about it?" Katie asked him, tentatively patting him on the shoulder in a way that he would have found amusing had he not been so depressed.

"What's to talk about?" Logan said, his attempted smile coming out as more of a grimace.

"Give them a few days," Katie said. "Carlos will forgive you and then James and Kendall will have to."

"Thanks, Katie."

"Any time," she said brightly.

They sat side by side for a few long minutes more, a study of opposites. Logan, pensive and brooding, and Katie, bouncing with happiness.

"Do you think you could do me a favor?" Logan asked.

"Sure."

"Great," Logan said, getting up and motioning for her to follow him into his shared bedroom.

Katie hung back in the doorway as Logan retrieved the notebook that had been the center of all the early controversy from under his pillow. He ripped out the first two pages, folded them carefully, and handed them out for Katie to take.

"Can you give this to Camille?"

The happy bubble that had been steadily building inside of Katie burst.

"I don't know if I should..."

"Katie, please," Logan begged. "You know I can't talk to her any other way, and no one else is talking to me right now, so I can't ask them. It's really important, and it will just be this one time, I swear it."

"My mom said you weren't supposed to see her any more."

"Which is why I really need you to give her this note."

"Logan..."

"Please."

"All right," she sighed. "But you owe me."

"You name it," he said, smiling for the first time all afternoon. "Anything. You've already got me for the rest of the week and probably several more weeks to come, so, whatever you want."

Katie smiled back at him and took the note.

"Thank you, again, Katie," Logan said as she headed out of the door in search of Camille. "You don't know what this means to me."

As soon as the door shut behind her, Katie cast one long look back at the apartment and muttered, "Yes, I do."