Hey There,

Welcome back Quogan-ites! Yay! I did it! I did have one more post in me for this mini-arc! So that's seven new chapters total in one week's time! So from here on out, my posts will be more weekly, and on Thursdays again. Just like when this whole crazy thing started! Yay! This one will be picking right up where the last chapter left off only this one will be coming from Quinn's Point of view! Thank you for sticking with me throughout all of this week, and this experience. Let's get going!

Standard Disclaimers Apply - I do not own Zoey 101, Nickelodeon, MTV, or any of the other trademarked things mentioned. I am merely borrowing all of these things for my own twisted ideals. Most will be returned unharmed.

Enjoy!

"The Collective Trials of a Quinnventor… And Logan"

Chapter 18 - A Warrior's Meeting

((Quinn's Perspective))

When Logan and I had been dancing alone together last night… during the last dance he'd asked me a question. One that was still stuck in my mind as today had started.

The query was, "Why haven't we done this more often?" Or "Why hadn't we been out on that kind of date yet?"

I let him know, "Every time we try to even talk about it something always happens or stops us."

And as if this needed to be better illustrated to him, today is turning out to be one of those days. Where just because we mentioned it, we're getting absolutely no chance of seeing each other. And I'm left to wonder if we'll ever get to have a night like that one. Where we get to dress up and dance. But we don't have teams of people ripping us across the room from one another. All kinds of other people want to dance with us in between and…

I don't know… Am I crazy to want that?

A night out with my boyfriend where he's all mine and I'm all his?

Even when I know how risky it is to be with my secret boyfriend where we can totally get caught? By someone from school? Or paparazzi photographers can snap pictures of us that can get back to school? Back to our friends and totally bust us?

I wish I had plenty of time to think about that today. Instead of the task, I was handed this morning. While Logan and everybody else got to go about their normal day and jobs here. I was carried off on another errand this morning. One that was a more delicate subject, that had the potential to really put me in a full-on downward spiral if I wasn't extremely cautious.

One of the models (yes, the same one's who had been taking shots at me in the ladies changing area last night). Had broken up epically with her boyfriend during the party last night. She was trying to focus on her acting debut and instead, she had to catch her guy cheating with one of the maids who works at the resort. She had thrown her drink at him and slapped him HARD before throwing him into a fountain. In front of EVERYBODY.

I only know that, because it's all anyone was talking about on the set today. I don't know how I missed all of it, but the rest of the staff wasn't surprised when this diva didn't show up for any of her jobs this morning. Contrary to Logan's insistence on there being all of these other girls here. I was singled out as the best option to be grabbed and made to go talk some sense into this bully. A heifer who probably didn't want anything to do with anybody right now. Least of all me.

But it would seem that this model wasn't the only person to wrongly judge a book by it's cover.

I was camped outside of her cabin door, long enough for my teeth to be chattering. Asking to be let in and heard out… but the reason I know I'm at risk. Is because not only did this "screen-ready-Scarlett" let me into her cabin. But because her current place at the bottom of a tub of ice cream. Was scary similar to past events for me, and where my future could be heading even beyond my current resting place.

It turns out that not only was "Stella Spectra's" real name "Peony," (and that's what I got to call her) but she was in a two-year-long relationship with her first love. A humorless manager who had been mixing business with pleasure, her words. Before she'd ended up in this rebounding one with one of the guys she'd thought was her friend. This guy had even been a jerk to her at first, sound familiar? They'd hidden their dating from the press but it had all come out when they were caught making out at a premiere. The photos of the kisses (and some hickeys from the kisses) were too involved for anyone to doubt it anymore. But just like her longer-running relationship. This one was ending because of cheating, and poor Peony felt like she was the subject of a vicious cycle.

Can you see why I would start to get very uncomfortable quickly? Even listening to this story?

It was too close for comfort, even if I knew that just because this had happened to this girl. This gorgeous supermodel laying facedown on the carpet of her luxury suite in a huge cabin. Crying herself sick, wearing lacy sleepwear like she was posing for a lingerie photo shoot. That doesn't mean it will happen to me… But can you blame me for feeling pretty hopeless? When it can happen to her, what kind of shot do the rest of us average girls have?

I don't look anything like that when I lay on the floor. Especially after that much ice cream, crying, and uncooked cookie dough.

If it happened to her, it can happen to anyone. And it already happened to me once before.

So we ended up doing the same things I did when Mark first broke up with me. We blared Abba music and sang our little hearts out till all the ice cream was gone. And when the last song on my playlist played, Peony stood up and could face her day.

Looks like I'm not the only Abba fan of the North Pole.

She thanked me from the bottom of her heart for listening to her. For letting her vent and not calling her names. She apologized for ever saying a mean thing about me and claimed she would never forget my kindness. For showing her the healing magic of Abba's music once again. As well as you can always find friends in the most unexpected places when you let your true self show.

After that "Peony" became "Stella Spectra" again, and put in her best performances yet. No one was going to ruin her big break for her. She was gonna show the world she could act, and I had a new seat expecting me at the event happening tonight. Because this diva wanted me at her table. I was gonna have to explain this to the pyro-crew and Logan… but I still couldn't help but look forward to it.

When Peony reported back to the set, I tagged along and kept asking if I could help with anything else. But for some reason, everyone was grinning and smirking as they wouldn't give me anything new to do. So I just ended up following my usual crew and helping wherever I could.

It wasn't till I reported to the Executive Booth that Chauncy clued me in. Apparently, when Logan had caught wind of my assignment for the day. He flipped out on the higher-ups for sending me. Even almost punched out the director's son and Mr. Reese when he'd blocked it. Claiming quote, "He'd had to watch me get hurt by an even bigger idiot than that guy Stella slapped. And he did not want to see me hurting again just because I'd saved their asses."

When I heard this, I didn't know quite what to think. Even though Mr- I mean, Malcolm and all of his people were swearing. Logan had only done it out of caring, that his heart had been in the right place. But I wasn't as sure of that.

Blame it on the day I've had. Talking so much with somebody else who knew what it felt like to get cheated on. Call it bitterness or me still recovering from my own battle scars and heartbreak. Call it what you will, but I knew that I wouldn't know how I felt about it till I saw Logan again. So I asked for ANY assignment that could allow me to talk to him before the lunch hour kicked off. Which wasn't even very long from now.

The moment a technical problem came up for Logan's set. I was sent right away and I tried to keep an open mind.

The moment I set foot on his set, he yelled, "CUT!"

The director's assistant (yes, the same one Logan didn't trust) got on his case about. "You can't call 'cut.' Only I can do that."

Logan batted off his complaints and claimed, "The scene wasn't working anyway, they need this five minutes too." Logan didn't care, he just walked away and immediately over to me. He didn't just run over and ask me, "If I was I okay," either. He hugged me and apologized for whatever my day had been like. And didn't return to his job or seat till he knew I was okay. Truly okay and not just saying that to make anyone feel better either.

Peony found me, looped her arm through mine and told me. "You're right Quinn, your situation isn't like mine this time."

But I'd known that the moment I saw his face.

Peony and me had been comparing notes, on all of the terrible people in our lives. The ones that made us feel worthless and small. Pathetic and pitiful, like we weren't worthy of love or even kindness. The ugliest we'd ever felt, the dirtiest we'd ever felt, and the lowest we'd ever gone. After going down those toxic lists…

We started to count up those other people in our lives. The ones that made us excited to be alive, the ones that made every day an adventure. Who made us feel safe and loved, and Logan… Was every part of this list now and none of the toxic ones anymore (He'd been there before too, I haven't forgotten) But since that day on the bench when I was still dressed like a temptress, and Logan had shown me a completely different side of himself… his true self, I believe. And he was… all of it… Everything… And of course, I love him.

He's not a rebound, he was the real deal. Even Peony had sought me out to tell me that.

I know, that I should be more worried about him cheating too. But for some reason… I just wasn't. I somehow knew that he wouldn't hurt me like that. Even knowing it had happened to Peony, who didn't have a friend like Logan in her life to pick her up. Like he'd picked me up, dusted me off, and not only told me I was important... but he'd said everything I'd needed to hear that day... and nearly every day since.

I know exactly why he was concerned and even panicked. But it's greatly because of him that I not only had the strength to help Peony today. But he was so much of how I'm so okay with everything that happened during that time of my life. How I'm so okay today even.

And just like that, a plan started to happen in my mind.

So right before the lunch hour buzzer-bell thing sounded off, I went back to the Executive Booth and asked Mr. Reese if I could enlist some help with a little surprise I wanted to plan for Logan. Just to say thanks for everything he'd done for me. Starting on that bench on PCA's campus to today, when he was so worked up and worried for me.

Mr. Reese-Oh, I mean Malcolm… still getting used to that. Handed me off to Chauncy. Assuring me he could arrange anything I needed. So I got to work with him planning out exactly what I wanted to do and setting it all up for after the party tonight. It turned out to be way easier than I had been expecting and the Reese Family butler was all too happy to help work out the finer details. Well, actually he said he was 'thrilled' about it but there was so much sarcasm dripping into his tone. I doubt there was any true joy linked to the task.

Just as we'd had it all figured out, the buzzer sounded and Logan came to pick me up. His Dad cleared us, done for the day and thanked us both for all of our help. He reminded us not to be late for the party tonight. But we would have from now to party time all to ourselves. Logan rolled his eyes when his Dad had warned that there would still be plenty of people around checking up on us during that time. "So no funny business."

But again, I thought it was so sweet, even if Logan was too annoyed to appreciate it. When I'd climbed on the back of Logan's seat and wrapped my arms around him he'd made a point of taking both of my hands before he drove us back to the cabin. He'd given them both a squeeze before we took off. It's not in the big gestures that he shined so much with me, it was also in all of these tiny little things. He scattered when no one was looking. Like that! He just knew I'd needed it, and maybe he had too.

So we headed back to the cabin for lunch, just like yesterday. Only today we both didn't have to go back to the set. We could just have fun here till it was time for the party. And I was wondering what could we do in that time when I received a text from Chase reminding me. We were supposed to be video chatting in an hour. Since he'd seen all those e-mails and texts about where we were. He was checking in to see if that was still okay.

I showed Logan the text when we were climbing off of the mobile. Handing it off to the same guys who came to take it yesterday. For refueling and other stuff. Logan said, "Great! We can set that up after we eat. We're actually closer to him, right now on the map, than we are to school."

"I know, that's gonna feel strange," I admitted as Logan helped me up the stairs (They were icing over). I don't know how he wasn't sliding around as much. But he seemed much more solid and grounded holding on to me. I bet his boots have some hidden features he's not telling me about. His were for skiing and mine were from Walmart, I think.

When we got inside the plan was to split up and warm up, meeting back to eat lunch afterward. But over the past couple of days, a pattern has immerged. One where the moment we're behind closed doors and alone. There's another step in that warm-up process that involved a make-up for all of that time we'd been apart. It had never been more important than it was today. So as soon as the door closed behind us, I knew it was coming. But what still blows me away, even as I'm writing this. Is that the first thing Logan did was hug me, and didn't let go right away, he'd just held me. Asking me again, "Was I really all right."

I let him know, that I really was. That I'd made a new friend, and everything was okay.

Then and only then, did he kiss me. And I somehow knew I wasn't the only one who had needed that. I couldn't tell you how long we stood there by the door. Just catching up like we hadn't been able to before this break. But it was a good while before we split up as planned and came back to the couches to eat. We had this huge place we were staying in and more often than not. That's exactly where we were, the same couches and fireplace. A platter of cheeses and meats for making sandwiches was on the menu today with another platter of fruits and vegetables. I had no idea how hungry I was till I'd noticed nearly both platters had been completely cleaned between the two of us.

Then I was pulling out my laptop and setting it up for Chase's video chat. While I was setting up, Logan's dad called him about something and he went back into his room to handle whatever he'd needed to. So when Chase called, I was the only one sitting there.

But instead of Chase's bushy head, when the video chat began. I was greeted by a lovely little British girl with a bald head and a beautiful smile. Greeting me saying, "Hello there, you must be Quinn the Quinnventor. Sorry Chase is coming right back, he had to go help my brother."

"That's okay," I smiled, "You must be Lucy the brave warrior kicking cancer's butt."

"Yes, taught it a lesson I did. I'm in full remission and can't wait to go home now." She grinned with a few teeth missing. She was just adorable.

She explained, "The way Chase tells stories from PCA, it feels like a mythical place, and all of his friends are more like characters. But my favorite ones are always the ones about you. The girl scientist with all the mad Quinnventions. It's so lovely to put a face to the name and stories. I'm so glad you could call today. I know you've been busy."

I could just feel my heart swelling. "I'm glad too! It's lovely to meet you too."

Then I was getting all sorts of scientific questions, about Quinnventions. Like how my tiny little bot, how it blew up the sci-club's bigger bot. Because she wanted to build a way for her action figures to still battle each other. Even when she was too weak to hold on to them. She had ideas for how my zap watch could have an option where I could shoot out varying bolts and shots. When I explained that right now I only had an option for how intense I wanted each shot to be.

AND even a way of crossbreeding Tulips and Daisies (my favorite flower with her favorite) because her grandfather is a famous botanist in Kent. She even sketched out what they looked like and they were just gorgeous. This kid was even brighter and more driven than I'd been expecting… and I loved it! Talking to her.

Just when she was showing me some of her own blueprints and designs she'd been working on. That wasn't too shabby and I'm not just saying that for a twelve-year-old kid hung up by an IV drip. It was far better than anything my collages at school had produced. This kid had a gift!

That was when Liam popped up into view and apologized. "I'm so sorry Quinn for this unplanned hostile munchkin take over but I needed Chase's assistance with a very special surprise that you may wish to see."

Then he turned the webcam and told Chase to come on in. Then I was treated to watching Chase squeeze an enormous stuffed animal through the seemingly tiny doorway (but I bet it was average and the stuffed toy was just that HUGE). While Liam ran back to help, and between the two of them. They did manage to get the toy into the room. It was only when it's head was visible that I noticed the huge grey thing was an Elephant. It was probably close to the size of a real living one. And I couldn't help but giggle along with Lucy at the combined antics of Liam and Chase. The elephant was holding a single cloth daisy in its trunk that was offered to a giggling Lucy who hugged both boys and exclaimed. "Elephants are my favorite!"

When Chase's head came into view he called out to me, "QUINN! You're here!"

"I am! Even if only virtually." I waved back at him. "Sorry, I couldn't be more help."

"Oh no! You're helping more than you know just showing up!" Chase insisted. "Michael NEVER remembers these things, Lisa can only help so much. Lola's nearly as bad as Michael, I have more luck catching James or Vince these days. Not that it hasn't been awesome getting know them. Zoey's practically M.I.A. I never get to talk to her unless it's a drive-by. You and Logan are not only all I've got. But you're both the ones I've been the most excited to catch up with."

"Really? The most?" I questioned immediately seeing how dim his eyes had gotten when he'd mentioned Zoey.

He insisted, "YES! I heard Logan took you and just you with him to nearly Greenland. I've seen him the cold enough to know how hilarious that has to be."

"It has been pretty entertaining, I won't lie." I admitted while Liam and Lucy were smiling at me too. All three of them had cozied up for a chat. And I wondered if Chase had told them about the secret part of my and Logan's relationship or not. They all seemed so close.

As if to answer my question, Little Lucy asked. "Has it been all work at the North Pole for you Quinn? Or is Logan doing it right and sneaking in a bit of romance where he can?"

So… Lucy and Liam do know. And Chase is immediately saying. "I only told Luc about it when I ran out of good stories to tell her about her favorite of my friends. I usually used to tell her all kinds of tales of your experiments. Like the time you helped me build a go-kart to race against Logan's. Or the time you fought that ghost Logan pissed off. They don't quite carry the same impact when you don't know that's who you're dating now. Ya know? I usually told these stories during her chemotherapy sessions or the aftermath of those sessions. I hope you don't mind, she was sworn to secrecy. Liam too."

"No, I don't mind at all." Who would looking at those faces, especially when one of them is Chase. He really is the best! And they are in England, I did caution still. "But for now, we have to keep the rest of our friends in the dark."

"Really?" Chase asked surprised. "It didn't all come out when Logan kissed you at the Kiss Auction?"

"No… how did you know about that?" I wondered.

"Lisa… she was gushing how hot it was, the kiss you and Logan shared. I thought it was because she knew the truth behind it." Chase admitted.

"No, they're all still in the dark, they just thought Logan was acting and helping out a friend." I tried to explain.

Chase had to say, "He's good, but I would even know, that he isn't that good!"

"Please tell him that when he joins us, I think he's a little hurt by some of our friend's reactions," I hinted, keeping out that he'd told me as much. And Knowing Chase was the kind of friend I could count on to help cheer Logan up.

"You bet." Chase thumbs up.

Then Lucy went all starry-eyed when she was saying, "I think you guys' story has got to be interesting… But Chase always says it's not his to tell."

Chase defended, "That and I don't remember all of it."

Lucy outright asked, "How did it happen?"

Liam tried to rein in his little sister saying, "Luc. This is Chase's time with his friends-"

Lucy insisted, "When else am I gonna ask?" And I couldn't help but appreciate her back sass. She was just adorable, it was that might that helped her survive too. That was clear.

While Chase asked, "Wasn't Logan supposed to be here too?"

"He was, and he's still planning on it." I let him know. "But his Dad called and he's still on the phone with him. But he'll be here as soon as he can."

"In the meantime, do you mind re-sharing how you got together with Logan? For Lucy, while I go plug my ears?" Chase asked, with a face that said, 'just look at how this tiny girl owns us.'

"Sure," I agreed, and even though Chase said he wasn't gonna listen. He totally sat right there and heard the whole thing over again. "It all started when my boyfriend Mark dumped me, out of the blue. We'd been dating for two years and it was so easy for him to just throw me away. Then it came out that he'd pretty much been cheating on me the ENTIRE time we were together. That Brooke his new girlfriend was just the most recent case. After that, I sort of spiraled and I will only continue with this story if you swear to me, Lucy. That you will never be this stupid when you're a little older and someone's girlfriend-"

Liam demanded, "Much, much older say… thirty at least."

Chase said, "Thirty-five, at least!"

Lucy told both boys that they were, "Imbeciles!" and then that they were "Just so stupid!"

I told her, "If I was there I would make you pinky swear, that is how serious I am. You can't repeat my mistakes, okay?"

Liam offered his pinky up for me and made Lucy promise him instead. Then he said, "Pinky Promise achieved, please go on now, Quinn."

Then and only then did I continue, "Since I had seen how different Marks's new girlfriend was from me. I thought I could dress like her, act like her, and win him back. I found the sluttiest look I could piece together, I even stopped wearing glasses and tucked them in my bag. I mean, it is one of the dumbest things I've ever done. I really wish I had listened to my friends who all tried to stop me. But I dressed like her, tried to talk like her, kept crashing into things because I couldn't see, and tried to completely change myself into something I'm not."

"But why would you do that Quinn, you're lovely and probably the smartest girl in all of America. How could you try to change that about yourself?" She asked and this kid doesn't pull her punches.

I was honest with her, "I'm not the brightest or even the most inventive, I know that. But Lucy, as you grow you're gonna see more and more that love can make smart people act like idiots. Chase and your brother probably both know what I'm talking about."

Liam admitted, "I ended up falling off of the girl next door's roof and breaking my arm once. Just because I thought I loved her."

Lucy turned to him and questioned, "Once?"

"Alright, it was more than once, Luc! Happy?" He admitted and she nodded that she was.

But she still pointed out, "And that girl will never love you, she's too in love with her mirror. Not your type at all."

I teased, "Chase, no wonder this guy's your friend. Falling off of a roof sounds like something that would happen to you."

Chase laughed, "I know, right? He's like my quieter British copy."

Liam bit back, "Why can't you be my louder American copy?" Before Liam added, "And love was what brought Chase here, across the pond. We all know that story, even if like my sad story...it didn't turn out the way you planned."

Chase said, "I believe everything happens for a reason. Even if we don't always get to know what the reason is."

To that I (Quinn) had to admit, "I'm starting to believe that too." Before I got back on track with my story. "But I did love Mark back then, I really did. It was just a completely one-sided love. He'd never felt even slightly the same for me and the realization of all of that WASTED time. It was crushing, heartbreaking and miserable. I ran off on my own and didn't want to talk to anyone, see anyone. I ended up crying all alone on a bench, until Logan rolled by on his Jet-X and stopped."

Chase helped out, "You had to be amazed he even noticed."

"I was," I admitted. "But no matter how I told him to just go on or leave me alone. He wouldn't, he just sat there and waited for me to talk about it just saying, 'Come on, talk to me.' Till eventually, I did. I told him the whole mess I'd just been through. He waited till it was all out to tell me that he thought Mark was an idiot."

Lucy bristled up, "I do too!" Which made me laugh and even both boys on each side of her were smiling.

I tried to keep going, "I told Logan begrudgingly, that 'I knew he'd always hated Mark.' But he corrected me, that 'he didn't hate him, but he thought he was an idiot for dumping me.' Before he told me I was 'smart, pretty and kinda fun.' Coming from Logan at the time, I knew that was high praise. So I'd thanked him and thought that had to be it. But then he asked me, 'Why was I dressed like I was.' And when I told him I had been trying to copy Brooke he told me simply, 'Don't.' He got my glasses out of my bag and personally put them back on my face. When I pushed them up on my nose to a more comfortable place I smiled at him and he smiled back and said, 'There's Quinn.' But then the weirdest thing took place."

Lucy was on the edge of her seat, as I went on. "The smile dropped off of his face the same time I felt my smile fall away too. The next thing I know we were kissing. In broad daylight on campus!"

Chase asked, "And nobody saw this? None of our friends were around?"

"Oh! They were around, in fact, the thing that broke us up was Michael and Zoey riding by on a horse," I said which gave Chase the bigger reaction this time. That had both Lucy and Liam laughing in the background when he stood up with the webcam.

He repeated, "On a horse? A HORSE? Like an actual animal horse? How? Where did that come from?" Chase asked.

Then I had to explain about Michael's crazy friendship with the horse who had escaped his holding pin on a local farm. How it had wandered on campus and just followed Michael everywhere he went for a week. Even how he still goes to visit this horse often to ride him, brush him, feed him and talk about life. Because that's Michael, there's just no other way to put that.

Liam and Lucy were both shaking their heads, as Chase summed up. "Never a dull moment around that place."

But when I could talk about Logan again I told Lucy, (the person who really wanted to know what was going on). "Logan didn't have to do any of the things he did that day. He didn't need to do a lot of things he's done since. But because of him and my friends, I was able to bounce back pretty quickly. Even though my heart was broken. Today I was helping somebody talk through a scary similar breakup and reliving all of that over again was tough-"

Chase realized, "And then we asked you to do it again. Sorry Quinn-"

I stopped him right there and said, "No, no. It's okay, it really is, I was glad to help someone today, kinda like Logan helped me then. How he's always helping me ever since and I'm a little relieved to speak with someone about it besides Logan. Because we're both sort of in this thing together and that can be scary too. But more than anything else today. I realized I probably wouldn't have recovered nearly as well if it weren't for him and all of his care. Even today he flipped out on some of his dad's workers when he heard where I was, and what I was up to. Because he was protecting me and didn't want to see me hurt again."

Chase spoke up again, as he settled back down with Liam and Lucy explaining. "I mean, we tease Logan all the time about how arrogant, snide, and evil he can be. He can be all of that too. But Quinn, I find it so easy to believe what you just said about him too. But having said that added my own insult to injury… I feel like I need to warn you that you may never fit his head through a door frame again."

"Don't you mean if he heard any of this, it may never fit again?" I asked. It was a minor adjustment to his thoughts.

Then Chase, revealed, "He's been peeking out behind you for some time now and heard quite a bit of that." Liam and Lucy both laughed at my reaction. Teamed with how cool Chase had sprung that on me. And probably whatever was awaiting me behind my back.

Slowly I turned and there he was leaning on the door frame behind me. I'd forgotten the doorway to his room had been right behind me, and I had even kept noticing everyone's eyes looking at something behind me. I had just never put it together what that could be about.

I waved at him and said, "Hey." Lamely.

He waved back and said, "Hi." Before he asked, "What on Earth had you retelling that story again, you didn't get it all out of your system earlier today? I know Chase couldn't have asked for it."

"He didn't," I clarified and Logan came around the couch to steal the seat beside me as I explained. "I just met Lucy, Liam's sister, she was asking questions about how we started dating because Chase couldn't remember the details like he could for the rest of his stories about us. All his friends back at PCA."

"In my defense," Chase insisted, "I wasn't there when it happened, I couldn't go off of my own memories like I could for other moments."

Logan greeted everybody now that he could, while also thanking them for not blowing his cover. While he'd listened to whatever I'd said, and I tried not to blush too hard when I kept remembering things he was bound to have heard.

Then I got to watch him totally charm little Lucy, who even told him. "My favorite stories are always about Quinn. It's been so nice actually talking to her and meeting her this way. I want to be a scientist when I grow up too. Hearing her stories makes it feel more like it's something I can do."

Logan told her, "The way you have already done so much, you can do anything. Just like Quinn, but like her you can't give up and you've gotta keep on trying. No matter how tough or difficult things get. You would not believe how much she's been helping out on this trip alone."

Chase reasoned, "I don't doubt it, she's always amazed us all."

Liam pointed out, "Even when things happen a little differently than planned, so I hear."

"Like the time she made that coconut-smelling stuff that put us all to sleep so we almost slept through the beach trip." Logan reminded, getting a reaction out of all three people on the other side. Chase has been telling stories, that was an old one.

Logan went on, "Or the time Michael and me both got sprayed by a skunk and she helped us reverse the stink with a spray of her own. And that spray-made clothes dissolve right off of us later on."

"Dissolve?" Liam asked. Apparently, Chase hadn't told that one yet.

Lucy laughed, "So all of yours and Michael's clothes were just gone? Poof?"

Logan confirmed, "Poof! Gone, as we were walking through campus, we had to duck out in a janitor's closet and cover-up in trash bags to get back to our dorm room...I mean, it's clear now that you just wanted a peek at me." He'd said to me and my mouth fell open. "But you must have wanted to look bad, to put poor Michael through that too."

I smacked at his arm and flipped out, "You KNOW that's not what HAPPENED."

"I don't know, the evidence seems pretty stacked in my favor." He said, but you didn't see the smug little smirk he was sporting. He was having way too much fun and I know I had to be blushing. My whole face felt hot.

Before I could further defend myself. My phone began to ring and it was my Dad. So I had to excuse myself and answer it, to see if my parents were at least together again. Even if on the other side of the globe. I excused myself and said bye in case I didn't make it back in time. Leaving Logan with a chance to talk to Chase too. Which probably was better for my guy. Giving him a chance to talk with our friend when I'm not there.

I won't go into my parents' current drama, trying to leave Thailand was proving difficult. My Dad had tried to warn Mom and she just wouldn't listen. So I'll skip that and just suffice it to say that at least they're are both safe and planning to meet up again when Mom finally is able to leave. Last time she ended up nearly going to prison, and my dad actually did for a few days. That's why he wasn't going back. My Dad was really just calling to vent and not be called names, for making sense. The conversation took so long that Logan came and knocked on my door after ending the video chat.

Clearly, he was checking up on me.

But after all of the weirdness of today, added with the weirdness I'd just been dragged through with Dad. All of the things he was bound to have heard when he was standing behind me, and I didn't know it. AND... WHAT he'd said about my skunk-stink formula's SIDE EFFECTS! GRR! I didn't know what to say! I just said he could come in and hid my face behind my hands. Peeking out at him from behind my fingers.

He said, "Mind if I come in?"

I said, "No," and he sat at the foot of my bed while I sat the other way at the top (against the pillows). It was a twin bed so we weren't far apart.

I finally asked, "How much of that conversation, did you hear?"

He clarified, "The one with your Dad or the one with Chase and Company?"

"Either, I guess?" I confirmed.

Logan specified, "I didn't hear any of your Dad's but what I did hear you tell Chase, Lucy, and Liam... Why would that embarrass you?"

I had to be honest. "Because I didn't know you could hear me! And I'm trying to remember all I said. But I'm too flustered to even remember it all now. I don't know if any of it was too much or insulting. Or what you could think-"

He pulled my hands away from my face and then pulled me to him in one smooth motion. And he told me, "Look at me... Quinn, Look. At. Me."

I did as he asked and his expression was soft, as he said. "What I did hear you say, was some of the nicest things-no seriously the NICEST things... anyone has ever said about me. And on top of that, I was just made to swear to Lucy that I better not mess this up with you. Or I'm gonna have to deal with her. I think that little cancer survivor is a true warrior... and I think you may have more than a fan. I think you're her hero."

"You're kidding." I couldn't believe that.

But Logan insisted, "Yeah, I think so. Chase was asking if I remembered any more stories I could tell about you. Because he was running out. I did give him a few off the top of my head that he'd forgotten. And may have told one new one, while I had Luc on the line. But I don't think this will be the only time we talk to them. I also don't want you to feel like you need to worry about a single thing I heard. Okay?"

I did say, "Okay." Even if I could still feel my face burning. If I kept this up I'd never be able to be seen in the red dress I'd picked out for tonight. I'd be red all over.

He said, "We've just got this little bit of time left before we need to head to the lounge. We'll be there till late and we pretty much need to get back here and pack before we leave. So let's not waste this teeny bit of time that's all ours. With you hiding out in here... even if I did bring up how Michael and I both had to hid in that janitor's closet when you sprayed us with that anti-skunk stuff-"

And I was back hitting him (playfully) as I complained, "HOW COULD YOU SAY I DID THAT BECAUSE I WANTED A PEEK!"

He laughed like crazy and insisted, "WHAT ELSE AM I SUPPOSED TO THINK?"

I grabbed one of my pillows and hit him hard. He grabbed the other and got me right back, that was it.

It was on!

And we were chasing each other all over the cabin, weaponizing any pillow we found and laughing all over the place. Until he finally caught me and we crashed to the floor together right by the couches. Stuffing everywhere all around us and three burst pillows later. We lay there on the floor together catching our breaths, the moment our eyes met again. I kissed him or he kissed me, I don't know. All I know is I never wanted it to end and I never wanted to forget it.

That's all for this chapter!

But don't worry lovely readers, I will be back Thursday with more misadventures and the actual episode coverage is happening soon too from this AWESOME pairing! So excited to share all of the craziness still in store. Please write in if you can, I would love to hear from you. Hope you're having an amazing day! Take Care and Much Love!

~DarcyBeDippy85!