Author's Note: So much fluff in this story, but it was actually really fun to write and a complete turn around from "Over Him!" Thanks again for your reviews! Hoping to get over this writer's block so I can properly finish this story!
The sudden descent makes Carlos' stomach do flips. He's never been a fan of flying, but the descent is the part he hates the most. There are pilots out there who can make the descent smooth, but most of the trips he's been on the pilot seems to be dozing off and lowers the plane too fast only to pull it back to level too quickly. It doesn't help that the past three hours have been painful. He couldn't get any sleep and the one person who could calm him down isn't by his side and there was no way to contact him.
Carlos looks at his watch: twenty minutes. Twenty minutes until he is scheduled to have his feet on solid ground and can call his Logie-pie. As difficult as it is to be apart from Logan, Carlos has started to see this as a blessing because as soon as he can show Kendall that the world won't end tomorrow, he can enlist him to help with the plan and actually get everything ready without trying to be too sneaky about it.
"Mama!" Carlos yells as he engulfs her in the biggest hug ever. While Carlos was looking for flights last night, Logan called Mrs. Garcia and Mrs. Knight to let them know what was up.
"Mijo! I'm so happy you're here!"
They pull apart and Mrs. Garcia studies her son. She notices a glow about him but also sees a hint of worry and sadness in his face.
She wraps one arm over his shoulders and reaches for his carry-on. Carlos playfully slaps her hand away and takes hold of the luggage. She smiles and starts leading them toward baggage claim.
"How was your flight?"
"It was good… I guess."
"Come on, sweetie! It's me you're talking to. You can't hide anything."
Carlos chuckles. "Mother's intuition, huh?"
"You bet! Now what's bothering you?"
They make it to the baggage carousel and find a spot to stand and wait.
"I miss Logan, Mom, and I'm scared. I'm scared that this time apart is going to be like those two years after high school."
Mrs. Garcia gives her son a sympathetic look. "Oh, honey. Everything will be fine! You and Logan know you love each other, right?" Carlos nods. "Well, that's the major difference from then and now. Plus, I know how much Logan loves you, and this time he's not going to let you go without a fight."
Carlos' shoulders relax and a smile spreads across his face. "Thanks, mom. You always know what to say."
"Anytime! That's what moms do."
The buzzer on the carousel goes off signaling the start of the parade of luggage. Conveniently for them, Carlos' luggage is one of the first out. Carlos grabs it and they make their way to the car.
"So, we heading home first?"
"Not quite. I'm taking you to see Kendall."
Hey, babe. I'm in Minnesota. In the car with mom heading over to Kendall's.
Logan stares at his phone. He was hoping for a phone call and was slightly disappointed when he got a text instead, but at least he knew Carlos made it safely.
Good to hear. Call me the first chance you get. I miss your voice.
Miss you more! Love you!
Logan sighs. Not sure of what else to do, he dives back into the sea of mechanisms.
The door swings open and Mrs. Knight immediately pulls her friend into a hug. "Sylvia, it's so good to see you!"
"Likewise, Jen," she responds as she returns the hug.
Mrs. Knight then turns her attention to Carlos. "Come here and give me a hug."
"Good to see you, Mrs. Knight!" Carlos says in the embrace. "How are you?"
"Just fine!" It dawns on her that they are still standing on the doorstep. "Where are my manners? Please, come in!" She pulls the door open wider and steps aside to allow them to pass.
Mrs. Knight closes the door behind them and invites them to take a seat in the living room.
"Umm… would it be ok if I try to talk to Kendall now?"
"Be my guest, I think you'll have better luck than me. He's upstairs."
Carlos smiles his thanks and heads upstairs. On the landing, he realizes that he forgot to find out the most important piece of information, which room is Kendall's. When Kendall got called up to the Wild he moved out, so Carlos has never been here. He takes a moment to logically think this through and eventually settles on trying the door on his right.
Knock! Knock!
Carlos hears movement and within a few seconds the door opens.
"Katie!"
The young girl isn't looking when she opens the door. Her focus is on a very important text she's sending. Hearing her name called in an ecstatic way made her jump about a foot.
Regaining her composure, she looks at the source of the voice and her eyes widen. "Oh my gosh. CARLOS!" she exclaims as she throws her arms around his neck.
Carlos picks her up and spins her around. As he sets her down she asks, "What are you doing here?"
"Your brother," he shrugs.
"Yeah, he's been a mess."
Carlos leads her out of her room and they sit in the hallway backs against the wall.
"So what are you doing here? Isn't this Kendall's place?"
She shrugs. "Like I said, he's been a mess. Mom wanted to be around him, just in case and apparently I'm not old enough to stay home by myself."
"Well, you're not," Carlos jokes. Katie gives him the evil eye and he raises his hands in surrender. "Okay, okay… sorry. I just can't believe how much you've grown."
"Since when did you become all sappy and sentimental?"
It's Carlos' turn to give the evil eye, although not as effective as Katie's. Carlos is about to respond when the door across the hall opens.
"Katie! Why are you out… in… the… hall-" Kendall stops, eyes wide, when he realizes that the second voice is not a video game or whatever but one of his best friends. Katie and Carlos stare up at him expectantly, but Kendall is frozen.
"Hey, Kendall!" Carlos says cheerily.
"Ca… Ca… Carlos?"
Katie gets up and smacks Kendall on the back of the head. "Of course it's Carlos, idiot!"
Kendall rubs the back of his head and refocuses his attention on Carlos. "What are you doing here? I thought you weren't coming until next week."
Carlos smiles, gets up and gives his friend a hug. "Something came up."
Kendall's eyes narrow thinking the worst. "I swear, if Logan did anything to hurt you…"
Carlos chuckles, "Nothing to worry about there. We're still going strong."
Kendall is still confused. Carlos looks him up and down and then it dawns on Kendall. "You're here because of this. Aren't you?" he asks as he points to the cast on his leg.
"Yep, we need to talk," Carlos states in his serious voice.
Kendall hangs his head, "Oh, alright…"
They make their way into Kendall's room. Carlos turns around to say thanks to Katie, but she had quietly retreated back into her room. He smiles and shuts the door behind him.
Meanwhile, downstairs Jen and Sylvia could faintly hear the conversation and when Kendall's door closes, Jen says, "Looks like things will be back to normal soon."
Logan is awoken by a knock on the door. He glances at the clock: 1am. Any sleepiness disappears and replaced by fear. He grabs the closest thing that resembles a weapon and slowly makes his way toward the door. Halfway there, he spots Carlos' helmet. He grabs it and puts it on. He reaches the door and looks through the peephole, but can't see anything.
He curses himself for not turning on the porch light, but that gives him a brilliant idea. He shifts over to the side of the door, places the hand with the weapon on the light switch and the other on the door lock. He takes a deep breath and flips the switch, momentarily blinding the figure behind the door. In a quick instant the door is unlocked and flung open. Logan is about to pounce when he freezes, realizing who the figure is.
James is standing in the doorway, rubbing his eyes, trying to get them to adjust. When his surroundings come into focus, he does everything he can not to burst into laughter. There's Logan standing in front of him, Carlos' helmet askew, holding a pencil held like a spear.
"Really, Logan? A pencil?"
"Hey, I thought you were a burglar or something." Logan defends.
"So what if I was?" James asks, picking up his bags and squeezing past Logan into the apartment. "What were you going to do, force me to do your math homework?"
James chuckles and goes about making himself at home. Logan's still at the door, staring at James, mouth agape, dumbfounded.
"Don't look so surprised. I told you I was coming."
Logan snaps out of his trance enough to shake his head and shut the door. James is confused.
"Didn't you get my text or voice message."
Logan cocks his head in confusion and rushes over to the dining table to find his phone. He hastily turns it on and sees four missed calls and ten text messages. He scrolls through the missed calls, one from James the other three from Carlos. Same with the text messages, one from James the rest from Carlos.
"Huh? Guess breaking these double bonds weren't as energetic as I'd hoped." Logan jokes with a nervous chuckle.
James' eyes narrow, "I have no idea what you just said, but sure."
Logan makes his way to the couch across from James. "So, as much as I'm glad that you're here… what are you doing here?"
"You need a friend," James responds matter-of-factly.
"Ooookkkkaaaayyy…"
James sighs and sees that he's going to have to spell this out. "I had planned on going to see Kendall after we wrapped, which I thought was going to be tomorrow, that's why I didn't really say anything when we talked earlier. Once you told me that Carlos is already on his way, I made the mental note to change my flight to come here. It wasn't until after I got off the phone with you that they told me I would be done in a few hours and wouldn't be needed back until after my vacation. So I tried to find a flight that would get me here ASAP."
"Why?"
"Logan, I wasn't going to let you be alone for an entire week. We both know how that brain of yours can over analyze things. Leave you alone for a week and you would be a mess by the time Kendall and I see you."
"Ohhhhh…" Logan responds allowing it all to sink in. "Well, I'm glad you're here, but don't you ever do that to me again!"
"Okay, okay…" James puts his hands up in surrender. "But, really… what were you going to do with that pencil?"
Logan throws a pillow at him and they stay up for another two hours talking, laughing and catching up.