Hey There,

Welcome PCA stingrays, DarcyBeDippy85, here! With my (can you believe it?) THIRD Quogan story. This one will be covering the summer vacation happening between their Junior and Senior years. If you've read my other story "The Collective Trials of a Quinnventor… And Logan," Then you are set, you know the drill by now, but even if you haven't. I think everything should be just fine. Just know that this will be picking up from where Quogan's relationship is no longer a secret anymore, everyone knows, but is still adjusting to the idea somewhat. Chase and Zoey are both back from England and have just started dating each other. Lola's dating Vince, Michael's dating Lisa, Mark is TRYING to date Stacey Dillsen now. And James has just started dating an OC named Lydia Reynolds and this is the summer that follows ALL of these revelations. I explain as I go, and I start off with a recap so… On we go!

Oh! And, I realized both my other tales posted here have started from Logan's Perspective for the WHOLE first chapter… so this one's starting with a happy to the point of sunniness, Quinn. YAY! Changing it up! I'm really meticulous about letting you know when the perspectives change. So, hopefully I don't lose anyone.

If you're unfamiliar with my writing style… it can go for long. But that is only because I stride to make it as immersive as I can. AND I include EVERYONE! So if you're a fan of any or ALL of the gang's shenanigans separately or the ENSAMBLE… this could be the story for you. But enough of my yakky yak! Kick back and let the madness begin.

Standard disclaimers apply - I don't own Zoey 101, Zoey 102, Nickeloden, MTV, or any of the other trademarked things mentioned beyond this point. I am merely borrowing all of these things for my own premises and plots. Most will be returned unharmed.

Enjoy!

"How We Spent Our Summer Vacay!"

Chapter One - The Early Starter

(Quinn's Perspective)

I think I should start this one, because out of all of my friends and classmates at PCA. My summer vacation is the one that got kicked off the earliest. And it wasn't planned that way at all. It's just the hand I was dealt, honestly. But I'm getting ahead of myself. Let me paraphrase… no, it's too much. Let me try to sum this all up the best that I can.

Yes, this was the summer happening between my Junior and Senior years at Pacific Coast Academy. Yes, this is the same school year that Zoey went to London for a little while. Then Chase went to London to be with Zoey. The SAME moment that Zoey came back to PCA. They tried to date via video chat, for one date. When that didn't work out, they decided to try again when they were in the same physical location again. Chase stayed in London for a nearly full semester after that. Zoey dated James Garrett for a little while. Just long enough for him to get tight with EVERYONE in our group. They broke up right before Prom, and both showed up at prom with different people. Chase made it back JUST in time for Prom, got together with Zoey and now they're dating. Chase is finishing out the tail end of his Junior year with all of his friends… here at PCA with only a few weeks left of Junior year.

See! That's a lot… and we haven't even cracked into the rest of us yet! That's just covering three of my good friends!

Since the break up, James has stayed tight with Zoey. As well as the rest of us, he says he loves her the right way now. Like he loves his friends… He's started dating another friend of mine. I gained through tutoring named Lydia Reynolds. She's another person who spends most of her time in the theater department with the drama club… Lola is still warming up to her more prominent role in our group. Because historically, Lydia has stolen a role or two from Lola… and Lola holds grudges.

Michael's still dating Lisa, they're still going strong. Still adorable and love each other very much. I should know, they've said it like a 146 times this week alone. And I'm only with both of them a small portion of the day. They've even planned to spend the majority of their summer vacation together. Because their homes are near one another on the East Coast.

Lola's still the self-proclaimed star of our grade level in drama class. She started dating Vince Blake and he's not our enemy anymore. He's done a complete 360 and he's turning into a better person. A little more every day, and I don't think having such an awesome girlfriend, and huge support group who LOVES him hurts that. Even if Lola's Love is probably the most helpful. He's also become best friends with James. Those guys friendship is wonderful too.

As much as things have changed for ALL of my friends this year. Even after reviewing all of the above. I STILL maintain that NO one has undergone more change this year than me… except for maybe one other person… Nope, getting ahead of myself again.

At the beginning of this past year, I was still the dweebiest friend in my group. Even though I'm probably the most inventive too… nearly all of my friends are popular people. I was known more for my inventions, successful or not, and impressive intellect than I was nearly anything else. But I was also known as the girl who loves Mark Del Figgalo.

And then he dumped me completely outta the blue. Shortly after ruining Valentine's Day for me, after a little over two YEARS of dating. I've blocked most of that out now, because it made me think so little of myself for a while.

On top of making me question everything from my worldview to my self-worth. I was heartbroken, shocked, and it gets worse. Not only did Mark dump me for another girl. But I found out after we were done. That he'd never been exclusive with me, serious about me, not even for a minute… He'd never even liked me that way, not really. He'd just strung me along while I was useful to him. As terrible as all of that sounds, believe it or not. We've made peace with everything that happened and we're able to be friends again.

Now… And while Mark is single right now… He doesn't hope to be for long. He's hoping he can convince Stacey Dillsen to date him… He's pretty much confessed to me that he's got feelings for her… the real thing too! I know! I would have never guessed that match either…

But unfortunately for Mark… who seems genuine this time from what I can tell. I told Stacey all about what he did to me when it first happened. She was one of the many people who had let me vent about him back then. So now that his focus is on her…Stacey's not buying it. She's too wise and convinced Mark has no clue WHAT he feels. And she's not leading him into another botched relationship that he can just throw away when he's done. (Like he did with me) She's FINALLY showing Mark that you can't throw people away… and it seems to be working.

But… even more shocking then ALL of these other revelations… Was the day that the person who is now my boyfriend. Had made his move… Have you noticed one of my friends hasn't been mentioned yet? Have you pinpointed which one yet?

If you guessed Logan Reese, then you are correct. He was the friend who has been there for me the most when I had been feeling lower than low. Throughout everything that happened after Mark hurt me. And to be perfectly honest, a lot of that wasn't just done from a friend's standpoint… We were so embarrassed and surprised by how much we liked each other after that…I fell fast and HARD for him. We kept this relationship and all of it's progress between us secret. Only a choice few knew what was really happening (Logan's father, Chauncy and Chase, who found out by accident while he was in London).

Before I knew it, even though Mark had hurt me and I was scared of getting hurt again. I fell in complete LOVE with Logan. But it still took me ages for me to tell him that. Or him to tell me that even though we've realized we fell for one another right around the same time. (Now that we CAN talk about it)

We confessed to each other at our Junior Prom… and took our relationship public after that… which was just a few weeks ago from right now. After that our gang had to help with an end-of-the-year play, and that distracted everyone for another week… but then, everyone seemed to realize that our end-of-the-year exams were looming extremely close and basically ALL of my friends needed to pass them.

I was exempt, free, and clear but I'd planned on taking them anyway. Because I like being challenged… Even if these tests are never all that difficult for me. ALL of my friends were required to take them and it was gonna count as a quarter of their overall grade. Which means not passing could mean not graduating altogether with our friends… NIGHTMARE!

So all of my friends buckled down and I was helping them all when I wasn't tutoring other peers. I tried to tutor Logan too… But… it's very hard to remember he's got such a pressing test to pass. When he's giving me that look and we've both exhausted ourselves in all of our other sessions studying… Sometimes by lunchtime. He's so burnt out, that he doesn't even want to look at another book. And I'm so sick of repeating myself I can barely eat.

So when we are together… he just wanted to hold me lately. And I've never been so happy to do nothing at all but let him… not with any other soul in my life.

I feel like I'm still pinching myself to see if this is all really happening. That he's really my boyfriend, that I really am his girlfriend, and we actually love each other so much. That we're both this happy after so many years of seemingly barely standing each other.

The last normal night at PCA (wish I'd known that at the time), I'd met up with Logan for some stargazing. I'd brought my telescope and all the necessities to make it entertaining. Like a star map I'd fashioned myself, along with dinner from Sushi Rox. Telling Logan where to meet me. I was utilizing one of our old hiding spots we used to meet in before we were public. One that gave us a rare view of the night sky. But when Logan turned up he'd distracted me for the longest time. Before I could even get around to the stargazing portion of the date.

He's really good that, even though we don't have to hide so much anymore.

When we weren't making out or pointing out awesome views through the telescope to one another. Or talking about stuff, everything. Logan had another idea for this date. That he'd wanted to show me. So he turned on the lanterns we'd installed months ago that hung over our heads in this outdoor spot. He'd brought out a fireproof vault that his father had given him to store pictures in. Because Malcolm Reese may be successful and Hollywood famous… but he believes things as important as photos need physical copies in case anything ever happens to his hard drives. He even insists on the fire proof casings because of a fire robbing him of his own baby pictures before the age of two.

Logan didn't think that was a bad idea at all. But for some reason, he hadn't brought his box that withheld this photographic retelling of our junior year like I'd thought. For some reason he'd wanted me to look at his stored photos from past years. Stating back when girls were first allowed to attend PCA… so ever since I've been going here.

At first I was only humoring him and reminiscing, with no idea where he was going with this. But then I seemed to notice a pattern… At first I thought I was just crazy. But the more I sifted through this collection. I realized… there's a lot of me in there… like way more than I would have ever expected. And he had them all memorized, so he knew I was looking at a picture of me before I even did sometimes… Some of them we were in groups, but some of them had just been of me too…

Before long I was asking, "Did you put a bunch aside that were of me after we got together or something?" I know how my boyfriend LOVES photographs… especially if he's in them. So him starting a project like that wouldn't be so surprising.

But he surprised me even more when he admitted, "Nope! That's my regular collection, no stacking the deck."

I had to ask this person, who I really do love so much… "What is this then? What are you trying to say?"

He pulled me closer to him and shrugged, "I don't know… I've been thinking a lot lately and I think I've realized that… I think I've had these feelings for you a lot longer than even I thought I had… you know?"

"You think?" I asked amazed. Because I still had trouble believing he really liked me that much. Even after he was yelling he loved me across our Prom dance floor. I was still very shocked.

But he went on smiling at me warmly, "Yeah. I mean when this all first happened. When Mark broke up with you, and I found you all upset. And I talked to you…"

"And kissed me too." I added.

"Yeah, I couldn't believe that had all happened."

"Neither did I." I had to agree as I'd leaned on his shoulder. And his grip on me tightened wonderfully.

"I remember Chase and Michael looking through them for a class project years ago and asking me, 'Why did I have so many pictures of Myself, embarassing ones of them and ones of Quinn for no reason.' And I just thought they were being as crazy as always… I ignored it. But now… I think I loved you before I even knew it."

I had to admit out loud, "That's so sweet."

But he'd pulled my face closer by my chin and started kissing me again. When we broke apart again I had to remind him, "And if that's true, you had a funny way of showing those feelings before now."

"I know." He said, letting out a deep breath, like he was expecting it. But he was still too glad

"I never would have guessed it." I ended up admitting myself.

"Me either, not till it was happening… and even then we both took forever to come clean about it. Even to each other."

I know I had at least once say, "Now the school year's almost done, and summer vacation will be starting-"

"Don't even talk about that now." He'd pleaded going down one side of my neck. I went speechless as he added. "It's gonna be hard enough… letting you go on the last day…"

I finally found my voice and asked, "You're not looking forward to it?"

"I'm looking forward to classes ending," he explained with a shrug of his shoulders before pressing his forehead to mine. "But I HATE how lonely and too quiet home always is compared to here. Our main house in Beverly Hills… You have to drive a golf cart to get from the bedrooms to the rest of the house they're so far apart."

I couldn't even imagine that, Logan went on. "It always takes ages for me to adjust to it, being alone all the time. As hard as it always is saying bye to my roommates and friends…" He took a deep breath and said… "Letting go of you, after this year, feels like it could break me."

I had to admit as my hands smoothed down his arms. Admitting, "Me too. But shouldn't we talk about it sometime? You know, before state lines are separating us?"

And he'd agreed, "Yes, we should talk about it before then… But I don't wanna ruin the time we've got left thinking about it tonight. We've only got a little more time before curfew and… I don't want that to be such a downer after such a great night."

And I had to agree, "Me either."

But I really wish we'd talked more that night. While things were still so relaxed and normal between us.

The very next day… things got a bit dramatic for my friends.

I wish I could remember more, but when I woke up in the hospital. I couldn't remember a thing at all. Besides these memories from last night. The fact that I was in County Hospital and not PCA's infirmary was red flag number one. The second was that my Uncle Irvine was sleeping in the chair next to me. I wasn't supposed to see him till summer kicked off. When I would be staying mostly staying with him most of the day on his farm (my house is next door). What was he doing here? What had happened to me and why did it hurt to move?

When my Uncle woke up he explained that there had been a fire at my school. The second floor of my school's Science building had caught fire after some minor explosions. That is still under investigation."

I had to ask him, "Was the explosion my fault? Be honest, I can take it."

He told me, "No Q," he always calls me 'Q.' He went on to say, "This wasn't your fault at all, the lab next to yours was the source of most of the destruction. You were in one of the rooms effected by the blasts. Since your parents are still working in India right now. I came to make sure you were alright. And I'm glad I did, you were found trapped and passed out in your private lab, and the people that saved you said it looked like the blast had thrown you backward through a wall. You were kinda hanging from the wall by your protective wear. Your lab coat saved you from getting burned too much. But the way you hit that wall messed up your insides and the doctors had to operate on some internal bleeding they spotted. Most of it will heal on it's own, they were just worried about some of it."

That explained why it felt hard to move, I'd been thrown by a powerful shockwave and put through my labs wall. No wonder I felt bad.

The fire had been big enough to cause a LOT of structural damage to the building that now HAS to be fixed over the summer break. But it had been small scale enough of an explosion that luckily didn't kill anyone. But hurt many teachers and young aspiring science enthusiasts… myself included.

I still don't remember anything at all. Besides going to my lab and closing my door, getting to work on my latest paten then waking up in the hospital. Since all the windows were dark now… I asked my Uncle, "Is this night time of the same day? Or have I been asleep for more than just a few hours?" Then I held my breath till he answered.

"Q, driving from home… if this was the same day. I couldn't have gotten here this soon. You've been asleep since yesterday afternoon. You slept all night and all day today. After all you've been through I can't blame you."

"What about my friends?" I asked him trying not to panic. Trying not to cry, because I knew if I let myself get too upset they tranquilize me and I still needed too many answers. But a nurse was coming to put me out anyway. I'd already gotten too upset too quickly. The last thing my Uncle asked me before the sedative took effect was.

"Your friends were the ones who called me. Zo and Lo, your roommates, they knew your folks were still out of the country. The hospital wants to move you back to your school's infirmary. Do you want to go there or do you wanna stay here till we go home?"

I did just answer him, "I wanna go back-" but then everything went black and I kept wiping at my eyes… The tears just kept running. Ever since I realized I'd been asleep for more than a day.

The next time I woke up, I was exactly where I'd wanted to be. Back at the infirmary at PCA. Zoey and Lola were both right there, holding my hands, and I started to really cry happy tears with them. And we all hugged, it hurt, but I was too happy to see them.

I asked them, the explosion, my uncle… had that all really happened. And they confirmed, "Yes. That had all really happened. But they also explained a few other things I didn't know.

Like my uncle, I had asked them, "Are we sure I didn't cause this whole thing? I can take it if I did."

And they'd both laughed. Zoey answered, "Yes! We're sure, you didn't cause this one Quinn. I'm so glad you've packed most of your inventions away already. Prepping for summer vacation, because most of them were safe in our dorm room, and you only lost whatever you'd been working on in your lab at the time."

While I was realizing what projects I'd just lost. What patens wouldn't be perfected, what papers had been burned. And how many weeks of trial and error I'd just lost… Lola ran off to tell the boys who had JUST managed to get Logan to go with them to eat something. Cell phone in hand she disappeared for a while.

I told Zoey to "Level with me here. How bad is it?"

"What do you mean?" She asked me.

While I explained, "What else is everyone not telling me? Was the explosion somehow my fault?"

"No," my friend assured, but Zoey's smile was worrying me even more when she told me. "Oh! All that stuff can wait. What is important is you're awake and everything really will fine now."

But I insisted, "Zoooeeeeeeeeey! What? What's got you wearing your fake calm smile? Don't sugar coat things here. Give it to me straight… before Logan comes back here, preferably."

So finally Zoey admitted, "It wasn't firefighters who saved you from the fire… Not exactly anyway."

Of all of the things I had been anticipating… this wasn't it. So I asked, "Okay… then who did save me?"

She took a breath and started with. "Try to remember back before the blast. What do you recall, exactly?"

And I told her, "Not much I pretty much blacked out." When Zoey patiently waited for more info and didn't continue. I explained, "I remember walking to my lab, closing door, gearing up, and just when I get neck deep in my patens… everything just goes black?"

She said, "You remember walking to the lab… had you been walking alone?"

And now that she mentioned it. I hadn't, I said outloud. "No I wasn't… Logan walked me to my lab. He'd been down stairs borrowing some notes from Vince for another class."

Zoey nodded, explaining. "So when they were leaving together and talking. They heard the blast, saw the smoke and heard the alarms. And Logan saw the fire had shattered the window in your lab. So he and Vince waited to make sure you came out. When they were sure you hadn't come out either side of the building. They stole firemen jackets from one of the fire engine that showed up… they were the ones who got you out."

"LOGAN! AND! VINCE!" I freaked out. "DO - THEY - KNOW - HOW -RECKLESS? HOW - DANGEROUS - THAT - WAS?"

Zoey said through her smiling teeth. "Calm down before you pop a stitch, Quinn. Unless you wanna go night night again. With another sedative."

I lowered my voice but I was still reeling, "They could have died! WHAT were they thinking? Neither of them have the training for such a dangerous job! What the HECK?"

Zoey said, "I know, believe me and I've said as much, to both boys. But Quinn… you didn't see Logan that day… He was… I've never seen him so freaked, so panicked and… when you didn't wake up, and they wouldn't let any of us leave campus to be with you. Because of final exams… He's just been…"

"What?" I asked, knowing that if our roles were reversed… I would have done the EXACT same thing. I would have run in there in stolen fire gear and gotten to him no matter what too.

Zoey leveled with me, "Quinn I've never seen him cry… before."

Oh no! My hand flew to my heart and I clutched my aching heart.

Zoey went on, "But when you were finally out, when the firefighters realized that Vince and Logan were just kids. When the paramedics were finally working on you. And all of the rest of us got to the Science building… Cause we just knew you were there…" Zoey sniffled and took my other hand. "He'd been so strong and level-headed keeping it together. Till they took you from him. Vince said after that, he just fell completely apart, he couldn't keep it together anymore."

"Oh my God." I did say, and Zoey said. "I know we've all given you both a hard time about being together. No one more than Lola. But when we saw him like that, sitting on the ground outside of the science building. Lola and I both hugged him and cried with him."

Just thinking about that made me cry and I was so glad Zoey was telling me this before Logan was here again. Lola came back announcing, "The gangs are heading back now. But since they'd gone off campus with Quinn's Uncle Irvine. They'll still be a few… oh! Are you telling her about the fire, Zo? Is that wise? She just woke up? Didn't the docs say she can't get too upset or shaken up?"

I told her, pathetically, "I'm fine."

"You don't sound fine," Lola said sitting next to me on the bed and taking my other hand.

Zoey sniffled, "I was telling her about Logan… after he came out carrying her and they took her away from him."

Lola panicked, "You didn't just lead with that? Did you?"

I (Quinn) said, "No, she did a good job explaining."

Zoey went on, "When Lola and me were hugging Logan. Lola said something to him that you should probably know too."

Lola turned to Zoey and asked, "I did? I can't really remember we were all wrecks out there. Basically all of us were crying. Even the boys! I'd never seen Vince cry before. And I thought I'd seen everything when it comes to that man."

Zoey reminded her, "You knnnnnnow, the thing you said… the thing."

Lola asked, "The 'thing' about Vince wanting to be a firefighter now? For real? After this? Because I'm still not one hundred percent okay with ANY of that, Zo. You know that!"

"No!" Zoey sassed, "The other thing you said to Logan, you Loca!"

"Oooooooooooh, that thing." Lola said finally grasping whatever Zoey wanted her to tell me.

But nothing could have prepared me for what Lola told me. "I told Logan that I was sorry I'd given him so much crap about you two being together. I'd really never seen either of you happier and I shouldn't have been such a… well, I've been a bitch, to you both, and I was sorry… and I'm sorry to you too, Quinn-"

I tried to stop her but she stopped me saying, "No! I need to say this. You bring out the best in each other and… if Logan had been the one in the building… I have no doubt, it would have been us sneaking the fire gear and getting him out. No one's more protective of you Quinn than Logan is and vice versa… I want you to know, I'm glad you've got each other too."

I hugged her, I had to. That was exactly what I have been wishing to hear from her this whole time. Since she'd taken the news of us even possibly being together so horribly. She'd just said it all, everything I'd been wishing she would say and I was so happy…

But then Lisa and Stacey came busting in to hug me and both had brought me flowers. Pink and white tulips. They said, "Everyone's trying to beat Logan here, cause we all want a chance to say hi." Stacey started.

Lisa finished, "And we ALL know he's not gonna let you go once he gets here."

Mark appeared next, and he brought me a rock. Of course, he did. A friendship rock that was supposed to help with meditation… so it wasn't just a rock… this time.

The next ones to come in and hug me were James and Lydia. She'd brought me a few new succulents to care for. Knowing I'd been woeful when my favorite had died because I left it at home last fall… and no one had been there to water them… do you know how hard they are to kill? How little water they need? Anyway, I LOVED that! And they'd been so cheerful, chatting with me. It was just the lift I needed after the heavy stories Zoey and Lola had shared.

Michael and Chase were next, hugging me, and each being so careful. Like I was made of glass. They'd brought me a stuffed toy of a beluga whale… It was the cutest thing. So SMILEY. How did they know I find them so adorable?

Vince ran in just ahead of my Uncle Irvine and Logan. He'd said, "I stalled for all the time I could. It's so good to see you looking so bright, Quinn."

I had to say, "Thanks for helping save me, that was crazy dangerous-"

"It was, but you know how unstoppable Reese is when he's that motivated. It was either help him, or watch him go at it alone. And you two may have helped me figure out what I want to do with my life. So it's win-win, in the end. Glad you're getting better now."

That was when my baby finally came through the door, yellow tulips in hand and something takeout he snuck for me in the other hand. My eyes teared at him on sight and Logan finally rushed at me and hugged me so well. Even if I could tell he was being so careful too, and after talking to Zoey and Lola. I can't blame him. I didn't even know how much I'd needed that hug in particular, till I was in it. Not really. And I can't remember what I was trying to say to him (probably thanks for saving my life or something), all I do know is cut off when he kissed me in front of ALL of our friends AND my uncle. I know I should be more used to that by now… but it's just still too new. Him doing things like that where so many other eyes are.

I did get to ask him, "Do you have any idea how dangerous it was running into that building?"

He'd said, "Probably not... I'm gonna guess, it's bad."

"Bad? It's Mad! It's completely CRAZY!" I freaked.

And everyone shushed me reminding me not to get too upset. Or the lights'll go out again on me.

And just like everyone had been predicting. Once Logan's arms had locked around me, he never broke that contact with me for the rest of that time. Chase and Vince even had to take the things he'd been holding in his hands away from him. He was so unrelenting of his grip on me. My uncle blew me a kiss from the doorway and said. "Alright kids, let's give these two some privacy. My niece needs quiet and to rest. We're leaving for home tomorrow and something tells me 'City' (my Uncle's nickname for Logan, he always gives everyone nicknames… whether they want them or not) needs this time to straighten a few things out."

All my friends were telling me good night, as they left. And when they were all gone… Irvine told me. "They're gonna help me load up the stuff you've already got packed tonight. The girls'll help you pack up the rest up tomorrow and we'll head out sometime tomorrow afternoon… okay?"

Tomorrow… instead of a couple of weeks from now. My summer starts tomorrow and I have to say goodbye to everyone… TOMORROW! I'm not remotely ready to do that… but somehow I told my uncle, "Okay." Even as I felt like my insides weren't letting the words come out so easily.

And he said, "Y'all get some rest."

Then he was gone, so I turned back to my boyfriend who was still holding on to me. Not moving an inch and asked him, "Y'all?"

Logan replied in his trademark 'too cool, for school' delivery. "He knows I'm staying here with you tonight."

"All night? My uncle knows that and you're still alive?" I asked surprised.

He'd kidded, "Shocking I know," then he shrugged off, "It's not the first time, he knows I've visited you in Seattle before. I even slept over at his farm that one time too. I cleared it with him, your parents in India, the nurse, and even got my dad's permission. He sent those by the way." Logan said nonchalantly. But he'd pointed at the HUGE fruit basket… LOADED with apples and bananas. Too much and SOOOOO Sweet! Then he complained, "I think Zoey and Chase ate all the grapes though."

"Of course, they did." I rolled my eyes.

But there was something in Logan's tone and 'too cool'ness that felt off. We've been more than friends since February (the 24th we die hards know this!) It's now early June, and I feel like I've gotten to know him so much better in these months since then. All of that experience reading him, was warning that there was something he wasn't telling me… or something he was keeping from me.

But I didn't push it and I didn't outright demand answers. I just waited and let him talk when he was ready. But that first part of the night. All he wanted to do was hold on to me and rest in a comfortable silence.

The next thing he did say was, "I've been so scared, so terrified… since I heard that blast. And I knew it wasn't a pyrotechnical one."

"I can imagine." I had to say. When he went quiet again and kept staring at our joined hands. I spoke a bit more trying to help him relax. So he could say more. His whole body felt like overworked rubberbands and rock-hard knots everywhere. He's been a mess, my poor baby.

I reasoned. "When I first heard what you and Vince did. I panicked because I knew how dangerous it sounded and that both of you could have been hurt. If not killed, running into that building… but then I put myself in your place… and I knew I would have done the exact same thing if it had been you trapped and I knew it, like you did."

He's kissed me again and said, "I don't know how I'm gonna let you go tomorrow… It's gonna hurt like hell… And the worst thing is that you wanted to talk about it. The night before, and I shut that dow-"

"Shh." I hissed before making him look at me and listen. I told him, "We can't change the past… but what we can do is we can talk about it now. Okay?"

I framed his face in both of my hands and listened to him take a deep breath. Then he complained, "I miss you already and you're still here. How am I gonna pass any of my exams feeling like this."

"You will, I know you will… You've worked too hard and too long to fail now." Then I teased because I can, "Besides, if your work is anything like you end of our Collective Trials… No way anyone would fail you."

"Are you just sayin that-" He tried to ask, but I was already answering him.

"No! Really! You've got this, I know it… you just gotta prove it now to your teachers." I may have unfairly pressed myself closer to him.

Till he took an even bigger breath and finally said, "Okay." But then he'd pulled me even closer to him and growled. "You know, it's gonna be a little harder for you to get me to agree with you so much, when we have to be apart."

I have no idea where this came form but I answered him confidently, "No, it won't."

"No…" He ended up agreeing, "... You're probably still gonna get away with murder, even then."

I had to tease, "Would I do something that violent?"

"In the right case, yes!" He reminded me. And we'd both laughed before he brought it back and got all serious on me again.

Asking, "Seriously, we've gotten so tight. I spend my every spare minute with you. Or planning the next time I get to be with you… How am I gonna make it through these last weeks of school. WHile you're not here and all of our friends are paired off like freaking Love Boat."

"You know that show?" I asked surprised at the reference.

He'd shrugged, "Of course, my Dad was in the crew of a few episodes."

"As Producer?" I asked still interested.

"No, these were the early days and he was SUPER young. He was behind the scenes though." Then he seemed to catch himself and say. "That's not the point! My point is, how am I gonna handle missing you like crazy. When ALL of our friends are all dating each other? I'm gonna be the odd man out till Summer dismissal!"

I promised, "I'll call you or write you every day."

He haggled, "Why not make that 'or' an 'and?'"

I rolled my eyes but said, "Fine, I promise I'll call and write you every day-"

"For the weeks I'm still here and ANY time we have to be apart during the summer." He added highhanded as ever.

"O-KAY! FINE!" I tried to make it sound like I was complaining. But I buried it deep down that I was kinda loving these promises. Even if I was already expecting Logan to probably never write back. Then I thought of a stipulation of my own and nailed him down neatly. "But you gotta promise me to not read any of my new letters till your completely done with your studying for the day… or whatever fun things your family has planned for you this summer.."

He said, snappy fast, "Deal." Before he kissed me right on the mouth too well… I forgot everything for a minute there.

When we stopped and I could hear him chuckling as I came back around. I said, "Hey! I wasn't ready for that."

He said, in that warmly melty completely UNFAIR sexy tone. "Sorry not sorry, we both promised each other something and the best way to seal a promise is a kiss. Everybody knows that." Then he just as injusticely started kissing down a side of my neck… And I forgot to breathe for a second… or maybe I just got breathless… who knows.

He shot me a merciless smile, way too proud of himself and his obvious effect on me. Before he switched to the other side dipping me backwards slowly against the hospital-style bed. And I heard myself agreeing, "Maybe so." How was he able to do any of that and not hurt me, I don't know.

When he'd chuckled against that side of my neck. I shook my head and straightened up, telling him. "But you should still tell me these things. Before you do them."

"We only get one more night before we have to let go." he complained holding me so tightly.

"I know, I miss you already too… it's not gonna be easy, these first few weeks of break." I said stroking the back of his head and feeling him go limp against the side of me. He's so afraid of hurting me.

When he leaned up on his arms to look at me. He said, "Can we promise each other one more thing? While you're still here?"

"Sure." I said without a worry.

But then Logan said, "Can we promise to spend any time that we have to be alone, together instead? If one of us can make that happen?"

I sensed ulterior motives right off the bat. "Why do I feel like I should hesitate?"

He said, "You don't have to, or anything. But you know how lonely these longer breaks can get for me. I've even come to spend time with you before now because I couldn't bear the loneliness and you were my closest friend at the time… but that wasn't true either… I'd really wanted to see you then too."

"I feel like you may be buttering me up, a little." I tried to stay strong. But you weren't looking into those puppy dog eyes. I had to say, "It could be working too."

He wrapped his arms back around my waist and smoldered, "As long as it's working for ya." Then kissed me again, and I felt my toes curling in my socks.

He altered his last statement as he snuggled me down into a spot way too comfortable to quit. Saying, "Then let me just promise you that any time we can be together, this summer. Or any summer while we're together. I will do everything I can to make that work… okay?"

I had to speak my mind. "That hardly seems fair to you. Shouldn't I get to surprise you sometimes too? If I can?"

"I mean, yeah! Sure! I'd love that, and I love you." He said excitedly.

"I love you too." I had to say before anything else… it's reflex now. If he says it, I gotta say it back. Then I explained a little better. "But I don't like you only promising this. It feels like it's leaving way too much pressure on you. And I always want us to be equal, and share the things we can, like partners should."

"I don't mind, really." He said, so used to shouldering most of the work and planning during such times. "I just don't want to spend this WHOLE summer cooped up in a huge mansion miserable. When I could be with you or our gang… actually ENJOYING this break."

"Yeaaaaaah," I said sarcastically. "All the photos from your other summers looked like hell."

He tried to hide his laugh and said, "You know I didn't mean our family vacays. You know I meant all the TERRIBLE times between. When I'm alone most of the time and in the way even more of it."

So I affirmed, "Okay. So the between times and lonely times. If we can be together, we'll make it happen. But do you really think we'll be able to get the gang all together?" I know how spread across the map we all are.

Logan smirked at me and said, "No sweat! You do know how Zoey and Chase are gonna be working in Hawaii this summer, right?"

"Yeah, they've only been talking about it nonstop since they got together." I'd laughed.

Logan said, "What if I told you that my Dad had already been planning a trip to the islands to film something? AND I got him to agree to let ALL of us join him when he goes."

"What?" I flipped out. A trip to Hawaii? I haven't been there since I was very little. I had been too teeny for my lei and grass skirt back then. But a chance to go there with ALL of our friends… that just seems too good to be true!

But my boyfriend said, "Keep that week open, okay? But don't tell Zoey or Chase. I'm trying to keep it a surprise. And my Dad's even talking about using Zoey's uncle's hotel for the shoot."

I couldn't believe it. Between the fact that my summer was starting tomorrow AND I could possibly be going to Hawaii sometime this summer… with all my friends and this guy? I feel like you could have knocked me over with a feather…

I did have to say too, when we weren't planning out some of these between times together. I had to thank him "for saving my life." Because I know he and Vince had definitely done that.

Logan told me, "No sweat, like you said you would have done the same for me." And he'd waved it off.

But Vince had let slip, while he was here. That when he and Logan left my lab with me during the rescue. The ceiling had fallen in the moment they left, so if they hadn't come for me when they did, if they hadn't gotten me out when they did... I could have not made it out in time. And I wondered honestly, just what else was this summer gonna surprise us with? And I prayed that this would be the worst and only trip to the ER for ANY of us this break. Before the both of us feel asleep watching black and white reruns. I tried to remember all the details, of us getting to be together. Like the way Logan still holds on to me when he's asleep and how he breathes when he's asleep... So Cute! I tried to lock them down in my memory, for when he's not just across campus anymore.

What is the rest of this break gonna be like?

That's all folks!

Well for this chapter anyways! I hope this starter has been a fun read, even if it did get heavy in some places. Hope to have chapter 2 up by next Thursday! That's the goal! Please review if you can, I would LOVE to hear from you. Hope this is reaching you all with plenty of warm sunshine. Take Care and Much Love!

~DarcyBeDippy85!