Hey There!

Hello Quogan Loyalist! DarcyBeDippy85 here with my first Thursday update as promised. Still getting back into the swing of things but still loving every minute of it. I'm so thrilled to share what happened on this chapter. So I won't dilly-dally, let's get started.

I would like to thank the new people following me or this story. As well as the people who favorited this story or me as an author. That is high praise and I really appreciate it.

Also, special THANKS to my first reviewer since my return, (Pyche315 - I hardly know where to begin! My goodness, you were one of my readers back when I started this story. Not only are you still here, but you're calling it a "favorite?" That just made my life! That is amazing! Then you were planning to read it again, gearing up for the new thing Paramount is doing. Even when it was an incomplete 11-chapter thing for six or seven years? Then you see me posting after all this time... That really is nuts, the timing. I also wanted to say thank you so much for saying that this story "added depth while staying true to these characters." You don't know how much that meant to me. It has been a long and crazy road getting here again, I have been having so much fun, but your feedback helped me so much this week. As I'm trying to kick off a more regular and weekly thing. I'm so glad we're both here! Hope you're still reading and enjoying, hope the new series is GREAT, and hope you have an AWESOME day!)

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 sick amusement. Most will be returned unharmed.

Enjoy!

"The Collective Trials of a Quinnventor… And Logan"

Chapter 19 - The Thing I Couldn't Say!

(Logan's Perspective)

My goal today had been to prove Quinn wrong.

Never an easy thing to do, but she seemed to think that if we mention going on a date. A real date where we dress up for each other and go someplace nice. A place where we can be alone. It never happens and we're jinxed to be ripped apart. That we won't get much time together after that.

I aimed to prove her wrong… but all I seem to be doing (no surprise) is proving her right.

Not only did I HATE that she was right about this.

Everything I was trying to pull off after Dad's second night of smooshing. Was all falling through! EVERYTHING!

I had Dad and Chauncy helping me, and it was STILL a no-go! It was seeming more and more like after the party tonight. Quinn and I would be running back to the cabin, packing up, and not even getting to sleep long before we're gonna be forced to head back to PCA. If we're gonna make it back in time to attend classes on Monday. It's basically gonna take traveling a lot on Sunday to get back in time. And adjusting to different time zones too, never fun.

The way they're talking (my Dad and Chauncy), we're gonna be lucky if we can sleep at all in between. We may have to sleep when we get back to school, but that means separate dorms and not our cozy spot on the couch together. That was already sounding harder to handle.

So it was looking like yet again, I can not get out on a date with this girl!

So when Quinn and I had been eating lunch and setting up for our video chat with Chase. My Dad had called me with a new plan. Since hearing me panic and freak out so much this morning. And wanting to make me feel better and less powerless. He started shifting gears and getting me to think of better plans I could work out once we were back home. He was even helping me try to find ways I could even make our little meet-ups on campus a little more romantic. Because my Dad is way better at those things than I am. He also has way too many aces up his sleeve, how else would I have so many step-moms and almost-moms?

He'd called me with a short list of ideas, that I could try and made me jot it down. As he was saying this out loud during his lunch break. He was getting all sorts of other suggestions from the cast and crew surrounding him too. I didn't think I would ever get him to hang up. And I was so worried Quinn would hear what we were arguing about. And realize it wasn't ANYTHING to do with Dad's work.

So I wasn't shocked that Quinn had already started the video chat. I was relieved, still hoping she hadn't overheard anything. I was surprised to hear a little girl's voice asking her all of these highly scientific questions though. These were questions my grandpa would ask if I ever let Quinn sit with him. Formula equations and success ratios, one world-class genius to another. How was this little squirt making me feel so dumb right now?

I just listened for a minute and couldn't help but notice how impressed Quinn sounded. What started out an innocent, give them a minute gesture. Got Interesting when Chase and Liam had come on the scene though. Because suddenly, Quinn was getting more questions, and these were all about me. I'd listened to what Quinn had been going through when Mark had dumped her. In her own words and her descriptions, her tone made me jump up to try and check on her.

I'd peeked out as if on cue, when she'd mentioned I had rolled by on my Jet-X. She never even noticed, and I got the people on the screen to ignore me. Shushing them and winking at them to let her go on. I hadn't stood there the whole time. But I'd heard everything she'd said.

Before Chase clued her in and I joined the conversation. After I had made her change color at least three times, she was blushing so bad. (I was loving EVERY minute of that) Her phone rang and she had to run off and catch up on what was happening with her parents overseas.

Quinn had said "Bye!" In case this conversation took as long as mine with my Dad had. She'd gone back in her room and shut the door. I could off and on hear her talking in the distance, even if I couldn't make out anything she was saying.

But this also left me alone (on my end), so I could talk to Chase. Which was good and bad, because I'd already had a pretty big day of confessing things to my Dad. And I had just heard Quinn say the nicest things I've ever heard anyone say about me. Besides I was decent at most sports and helpful to any of my Dad's sets when I visit. Usually, I'm the only one to say better things about me to build me up. Sort of give myself a pep talk, you know.

But hearing what my girlfriend had said… I don't know. I was kinda nuts. I'd really wanted to kiss her before she'd left. But I didn't want to gross out our London audience. So I'd clamped myself in my seat and focused on Chase.

First, he was asking me about any stories he could tell about Quinn to Lucy. (Her favorite stories were all about Quinn) so I may have reminded him of a couple off the top of my head that hadn't been told yet. While Lucy was on the line, I told her about the time Quinn had helped me with me fix my basketball shot. Not forgetting all of her torture… All to get even with me for calling her a spazz.

Lucy had even pointedly told me that I'd deserved it. Even the walking through campus in drag!

After storytime, Chase had been the first to ask, "So how much of that earlier conversation did you hear?"

"I tuned in before you two came back," I let Chase know, before saying. "But I did not expect any of that, Quinn just said."

"You do realize that's eavesdropping, right?" Chase asked me. "Even if you didn't mean to."

"Yeah, I know that," I told him, before explaining. "I know it's spying, but I've just been so worried about her. ALL day! I was glad helping Dad didn't make her feel bad again."

Little Lucy asked, "How would helping your father hurt Quinn? What does he do?"

"He's an executive producer mostly in Hollywood," Chase said before I could. Even talking about the show he'd been a part of and the sets he'd gotten to visit with me before. When they got back to me. Chase asked, "Was that what Quinn had been talking about earlier? She had to help someone who had been through almost the same thing Mark had done to her?"

"Pretty much," I explained, "Can you blame me for flipping out?"

"No, I probably would have been losing it too, worried about her. But it sounds like she helped more than whoever this person was. She seems to have summoned some inner strength long forgotten. That's good, but I'm glad you were looking out for her like you are." Chase rambled.

"Yeah, me too." I ended up shrugging.

Before Lucy asked me, "So…?"

"So… what?" I asked her back.

"So… What's your story? I've heard lots of stories about you both and you've been very mean to… well, everybody before. Why are you suddenly playing knight in shining armor when not too long ago? You were the guy everyone needed to look out for? Like a villain or something?"

Chase corrected, "Logan's never been an outright villain, really. He's just had times where he was pure evil, there's a difference." Thanks, a lot, pal.

Lucy insisted, "Still! Quinn is too precious to be hurt again. Mark was an idiot, your words Logan. But can you swear that you'll never hurt her like that?"

What is in that IV bag attached to her? Pure venom? I didn't know they even made little girls that strong-willed and feisty. But here was this little rag doll, calling me out and asking me to promise not to hurt Quinn. I gotta admit, I see why she's got her brother and Chase wrapped around her little finger.

I told her, "Trust me, that's the last thing I ever want to do, Lucy."

"Then promise." The little dynamo insisted.

So I did, I promised her that her hero was safe.

Then Chase asked, "So… Quinn was entered into the Kiss Auction by the Sci-club and you won a kiss from her in front of everyone? How can everyone still be in the dark after that?"

I warned him, "Don't get me started. I don't know who I'm more mad at. Our stupid friends or myself for being the dumb one."

Liam admitted, "I respect your courage, that was gutsy bidding on her. It had to be nerve-wracking."

I let him know, "You have no idea. And even though I went up there and lost complete control in front of everyone for a blink. All they kept saying was that I was a great actor and I had a rep as a heartthrob to keep up. They really thought that was all it was."

Chase had to point out, "I mean, you can act very well. Remember that week you had Zoey convinced that she might like you? That was because of your acting ability."

"Yeah! But that was also YEARS ago, hasn't she gotten any wiser?" I asked and Chase did not like me throwing off on Zoey's intelligence. Even if she is giving him the Heisman trophy treatment lately.

"Watch it Logan, Zoey is wiser, it's not her fault she misread you." Chase defended, even though Zoey isn't treating him very nicely right now either. "She hasn't gotten to be in on this transformation you've been experiencing, the way I have. I know a lot of that has to do with Quinn, cut our friends some slack. If they knew you guys were together. Things would be very different."

"Yeah, right." I'd told him (or really them, Liam and Lucy were both still there and listening. They were just letting Chase do most of the talking.) "I don't think they would believe us even if we told them now. And who would want to? After seeing what Lola and Vince had to go through?"

Chase reminded, "Vince had a lot of apologizing to do to all of us. He was a nemesis, you have always been a friend, Logan. It's not the same thing. Are you planning to keep this thing a secret forever?"

I had to tell him, "No, I don't think I can."

Chase agreed, "I don't see how you could either. I know I've asked this before, but do you think there's any chance you could possibly even a little bit love Quinn?"

He had to ask me straight out, didn't he? I didn't even say anything, I couldn't. Because it didn't matter what came out of my mouth it would have meant YES! No matter what I did. And All three people on the screen could see it on my face already.

Chase said, "OH! MY! GOD!"

Lucy clapped happily, "YAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAY!"

Liam was the coolest about it saying, "Alright! Well! That's progress, isn't it?"

I shared, "I haven't even told Quinn yet, but part of my freak out on my Dad today was saying… you know, that out loud the first time and I'm still recovering from that. I don't think I can go a second time, and it's not even her who gets to hear it."

Chase again says, "Oh my GOD! Logan! This is HUGE! Just COLLASSAL! There's no way this can stay secret! You gotta tell the others, and Quinn before that?"

Liam asked, "Do you have any doubt about her feeling the same?"

Before I could even answer, both Chase and Lucy were claiming, "NO-WAY!"

Chase said, "You saw her right? She SO loves him too!"

Lucy added, "They were so cute together, no way that's not mutual."

I had to ask Lucy, "How do you talk so grown up for such a little person?"

She sassed back, "I was born that way."

Liam backed her up, "She's not kidding, her first word was 'interesting.' There was a lot of 'Little Bear' on our telly back then."

I had to ask Lucy, "If you thought Quinn and me were so cute? Why did you give me such a hard time and not Quinn?"

She bit back, "Did you miss the part where I told you that she was my favorite?"

"No." That was made clear.

Lucy went on, "I'm protective, you sound like you are too. I needed to know you weren't gonna hurt her, by being your old self. You have to admit, it's a legitimate worry to have. In the face of your past, but you promised and I'm swayed to believe you."

Then some nurses were coming into to check Lucy's vitals, so Chase had to sign off. Lucy and Liam both said bye and Chase stepped out in the hall with his laptop to sign off with me on his own. He told me, "Look! I know you've got a lot going on. I know that you're frustrated and angry, but when this all started you guys weren't going to ever tell anyone… I only know because I found out by accident. You can't miss how freaking HUGE this is. That you WANT them to know now. I'm happy for you both and when I do get back. Which isn't an 'if' it's a 'when!' When I get back to PCA, I promise you I will help in any way that I can. It won't be very much longer now, I'll keep you posted on that. But it may be just you, I haven't been having the best of luck keeping in touch with the others."

I said, "That's fair… you are keeping a secret for us, we can keep a secret for you."

He ballparked, "I'm trying to see if I can get back the week of prom. Just because I want to be there with everyone. But we'll see how things pan out between here and there."

"Cool!" I said another reason to look forward to prom.

Then Chase wished me safe travels home Sunday. As well as good luck telling Quinn "the thing I couldn't say, just now." He even said unhelpfully that he'd nearly died telling Zoey via video chat that he loved her. And she'd already known it. Chase told me, "I've got my fingers crossed for both of you. And I'll be there soon, even if I end up missing Prom."

So I signed off with him and closed Quinn's laptop. After that, I went to find Quinn who had gone quiet too. I found her sitting on her bed looking stressed out. I really hoped everything was okay with her parents.

Before I could ask, Quinn peeked at me from between her fingers. Asking, "How much of that conversation, did you hear?"

I asked, "The one with your Dad or the one with Chase and Company?"

"Either, I guess?" Quinn shrugged.

I confessed, "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?"

She still wouldn't uncover her face, so her voice was muffled by her hands. "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-"

In one fluid motion, I pulled her hands away from her face, pulled her closer to me till she was right with me. And said, "Look at me…" She still wouldn't look me in the eye. So I said, "Quinn, Look. At. Me."

And finally those brown eyes glanced at my eyes. Whatever she saw made her look away again, but also grin. So I told her, "What I did hear you say, was some of the nicest things-"

She scoffed and I had to insist, "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." She giggled and it sounded like music.

"Yeah, I think so." I skipped over just how protective that little warrior had been and focused on the easier topic of our friend. "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?"

She finally said "Okay." Still all red in the face. It made me want to kiss her that much more.

Before I ended up grabbing her, I talked instead. "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 hide in that janitor's closet when you sprayed us with that anti-skunk stuff-"

She started slapping at me, it didn't hurt, saying. "HOW COULD YOU SAY I DID THAT BECAUSE I WANTED A PEEK!"

I laughed and told her, "WHAT ELSE AM I SUPPOSED TO THINK?" I mean we are dating now, if I can get her out on an actual date. I must have passed that test.

She reminded me, that she hadn't even been around when I had been naked, walking through campus. Wrapped in trash bags, And I thought I cleverly pointed out, "Yeah! But you could have been planning to be and I just didn't know it."

If she had been red before, she was nearly purple now.

She grabbed one of the pillows behind her and hit me. Hard! I jumped and grabbed the other behind her and hit her just as hard.

And it was on! The Hunt!

It went from room to room and it was so much fun.

I couldn't tell you how long we were chasing each other and playing like that. But I finally caught her and we crashed to the floor together right by the fireplace. Stuffing and feathers everywhere. And both of us out of breath on the floor. Since I'd caught her before we went down, I was still holding on to her. I could feel her heart beating just as hard as mine.

When her eyes focused on me again, we'd FINALLY kissed. I'd been wanting to kiss her so badly for - it felt like ages. So this wasn't short, and wasn't so damn careful. I'd put everything I couldn't say into that kiss and she'd given it all back better than she'd gotten.

And even if she is right. That dating for us is really jinxed. I would gladly spend more days with her like this. And say to hell with dating, who needs it?

We stayed there on the floor for as long as we could. But the wood floors of the all-wooden cabin were too rough on us. So we moved back to the couch, and you know what we did?

Nothing! For a little while, we were just together... and it was the most fun I've had this whole trip.

I know I should have fought harder to have more plans. Done more together, but I enjoyed that quiet time so much more than anything else we could have done. I don't think I was the only one who felt that way either. We Snoodled, Snuggled, Spooned, and even snoozed a little.

Then a few hours before we would need to be heading back to the main resort. Quinn received a text from someone named Peony in her phone. All panicked about something happening to all of the models' and actresses' faces out there on set. Something that could potentially ruin all pictures and authorized press they would be doing at tonight's party. It was something that hadn't effect Peony, because of something Quinn had used on her face before her camera time.

Peony was asking Quinn if she had any more of this stuff on-hand. Quinn texted back, "No but she could make some more if they needed it. She had everything she could need to create more with her."

I didn't see the answering text but it must have been dramatic. Because Quinn was building a fully functioning lab in our kitchenette. And I was trying to stay out of the way but also where I could watch her work. When did her lab times become such a turn-on?

Just when I thought I was getting off scot-free. Quinn came over and wrapped a heavy-duty apron around me, tying it off too. As she said. "No-no-no! Mister I-need-to-help-more! It's time for you to put those chemistry skills to good use. Are you gonna help me?"

It was so flirtatious the way she'd asked, I think I would have agreed to just about anything.

Thankfully what she was making was very easy and straightforward. So I didn't have any trouble, I helped and seemed smart. It turns out science is way more fun when I'm working beside Quinn. And when she can openly flirt, is a definite plus.

After this thing was cooked up it needed to cool and we needed to bundle up. Even if our trip wouldn't be so long today, we still had to be careful. So we split up and met up again just in time for a timer to go off. Warning Quinn to get whatever we'd been cooking up out of the fridge before it got too cold and didn't work as well. I still have no idea what it was for or did. I just know it had been really fun to make.

When we were climbing onto the snowmobile, I mentioned to Quinn. "I think this is gonna be one of the things I miss most when we get back to school?"

She teased, "I know you're talking about the snow-covered view."

"No, though not all of the view's bad." I teased right back looking at her.

She asked, "Then what do you mean?"

"These mobile rides." I specified, helping her with her helmet again. Knowing I'd miss that too.

"Really? Is that the thing you'll miss most?" She asked shooting me a look of shook. "Because I would have thought at least one other place had it beat."

"What place would that be?" It sounded like she had a better place in mind. Even if I did too, I wondered if our's were the same.

She admitted, "The couch in our cabin... you know, the place where we've been more than anywhere else when we weren't running all over sets?"

"Oh. I know." I smiled, "That's the thing I'll miss most too. But this is second."

"Really?" Quinn asked, "I thought you hated the cold." She said climbing on behind me and having no idea the battle I was fighting. As she got close and held onto me like that.

I ended up saying, "Let's just say having you with me this time. Gave me an advantage I didn't have before."

She has to know some of her effects on me, because she held on tighter and said, "Gee, I don't know what you mean."

I looked back at her smiling face peeking over my shoulder and said, "You know, exactly what I mean."

She guessed, "Bet you won't miss these helmets blocking you so much."

"No, I won't miss that," I admitted. "Even if I will miss our reason for wearing them."

Then she asked, "Think I'm ever gonna get a chance to drive?"

That had me curious, what would that be like? We should be early, compared to everyone coming from the sets. So we had time, and it was only fair. I was a little surprised she hadn't asked before now. So I said, "You know? Why not."

Then I stood up and switched with her. She slid up on the seat and clapped happily as I sat behind her. So it was my turn to hang onto her and I really wondered why we hadn't been riding this way all along. She didn't need my help at all, she knew what to do. When we got to the lounge, I asked her, "Why didn't you ever mention you knew how to do that?"

She waved off, "I didn't want to spoil your fun, you seemed to really enjoy driving. So I just kept it to myself, but since we'll be heading out of here so early this morning. I thought it could be my last chance and I took it."

I let her know, "I don't think I enjoyed the driving as much as the hanging on."

"Well, now you know the other reason I stayed quiet." She said, kissing my cheek as soon as our heads were both helmet-free. She said, "Thanks for letting me do that."

I caught the back of her head and said, "No, thank you." Before kissing her with all of the craziness that whole science class and ride combined had stirred up.

When she pulled away she rushed off saying. "Gotta go! Girls to save."

I closed the seat on both of our helmets and followed right behind. Tonight as we entered the main lobby, Dad had finally got the 'paparazzi wall' set up. It's a place where all of the stolen and unauthorized photos are displayed to our guests and since they were stolen and caught. The photos can be claimed by our partygoers if they want them. I tried to get Quinn to look at it, but she was on a mission. So I planned to try and get her to look at it later. But Stella met her in the lobby and beat me to it. Dragging Quinn back to the wall and pointing out several pictures to Quinn.

I don't think Quinn even looked at a single one of herself. She just kept saying, "She HATED pictures of herself." And that, "she wasn't photogenic." My girlfriend? Not photogenic? Do her glasses still work? Has she broken them and not told anyone? What was that about?

I even heard her tell Stella that she wouldn't want any picture with her in it.

WHAT? THE-ACTUAL! HELL!?

Quinn finally got Stella to go back upstairs with her and help someone who was having a facial crisis.

After that, I may have gone a little nuts claiming all of the pictures of myself and Quinn since she'd said she didn't want them. Because I had a pretty thick stack of pictures in my hand that Chauncy had a box ready for me. The box was one of those indestructible and fire-retardant vaults. It was so big that the pictures only took up a little bit of it. Dad explained, "We got you a bigger one so you can add to it as much as you like while you finish out your junior year. We'll get you another for senior year. So... go to town."

Before I was heading into the men's changing area to get ready myself. I knew I wouldn't take too much time and Quinn was gonna need a little while. She'd said her dress was red, but Stella had texted me, that had changed. And said, "it was her doing. But she wasn't gonna apologize. Because when I saw her, I wouldn't need one."

But every minute up there, everything she did...

The end result was more than worth it. Stella came down the stairs first with some friends. And I could smell the stuff Quinn had been making on all of them. I still had no idea what it was. They all looked airbrushed as normal but Stella made a point of finding me and sitting near me. Just before Quinn appeared, she asked me, "If I was ready to have my socks rocked?"

I don't think I even got to answer her before Quinn was coming out of the ladies changing room door upstairs. And I couldn't move.

When I'd heard Quinn mention the models and actresses were gonna help her fit in at their table. I had been worried what that would mean, until just now. She still looked like Quinn, she was still gorgeous too. But there was something about all of her look where she was just-

Hell! I'm gonna say it! The SEXIEST thing I've EVER seen!

This side of her wasn't gonna have any problem sitting with Stella and owning it. But since the skirt of this dress didn't allow Quinn to move as freely as the dress last night had. She tripped on the last step and fell right to me. I managed to keep her up and ask her, "Was she alright?"

She said, "Yeah... I'm fine. Thanks for catching me, are you alright? That was fast thinking."

Yep, it really is Quinn.

I told her, "Never better. Didn't you say your dress tonight was gonna be red?"

"Yeah," She admitted as we stepped off to the side of the greeters, my dad was first again. When we were out of the way, she explained. "The girls picked out this one for me... is it okay? Cause I can still go back and change if-"

"No." I said a little firmer than I'd meant. "This is fantastic! Who knew blue could look so good?" And I revealed, "Stella may have texted me a picture with this shade of blue attached telling me 'If I wanted to match my date, match that.' But I wasn't expecting... God! You really look amazing!"

"Thanks," she smiled shyly. "So do you, of course."

That was when Dad came over and slung his arms around both of us saying. "The party is happening through those doors over there. Son, I need you to pick up your tongue, sling it over your shoulder and start heading that way, okay? Quinn! You have never looked better, have fun, but please don't forget we've all got work to do too."

Quinn took my arm and I don't remember anything else till she had let go. Except for the slapping sound of high-fives all around Stella's group behind us.

That's all folks!

Well, for this chapter anyway! The next one will be picking up from Quinn's perspective and I can't wait for you to see what's in store. Don't fret lovely readers, I will be back with another update next Thursday. Please write in and review if you can, I would love to hear from you. I hope these words are reaching you all very well, that you're having a great day! Take Care and Much Love!

~DarcyBeDippy85