A/N: This is basically a companion piece to Ghost In the Halls. Logan's story of how he came to be that way. It starts out right after the season finale.

Chapter 1: A Stay In Shangri La

Morning after the season finale

Logan woke up in the hospital to find his life was even more fucked up than he'd previously thought. Last night, when Weevil and his crew had found him teetering on the bridge railing, he had been sure his life couldn't get any worse. He wished for the naivety of that moment back. He should've known better than to think it was as bad as it could get. His life was nothing but one big fucking Greek tragedy. Yeah, the tell-all book about his life was going to fly off the shelves. The press couldn't make this shit up if they tried.

He lay in the hospital bed almost wishing he had followed his mother off that bridge but he knew even when he climbed up there he wouldn't be able to take the easy out. Never let it be said that Logan Echolls ever took the easy road in life. Although, if he'd known the hell he would wake up to, he might have prayed a little harder for Weevil and his crew to finish what they'd started or he might have at least tried to remain unconscious a little while longer.

He considered it a damned shame that the bikers had been interrupted before they were able to inflict some permanent damage. As it was, they had left him with three broken ribs, 86 stitches, a dislocated shoulder, one eye swollen shut, a concussion and more bruises than he cared to count. The passerby that had happened upon the scene and called 911 was convinced Logan was near death as he'd knelt on the ground gagging and spitting up blood. If he'd been able to talk, he would have assured the Good Samaritan that his heart was in a lot worse shape than his body.

The hours after he'd woken in the hospital had been a flurry of activity. When he came around, the nurse had immediately summoned the doctors to come explain his injuries and the previous night's events. He remembered thinking that he must be in a coma or suffered brain damage because he surely couldn't be hearing the doctors correctly. He was forced to accept the truth when the Sheriff had come by to get a statement about his beating and question him about his father. He could have told everyone years ago that Aaron was a psychotic asshole but even he hadn't dreamed that his father was that crazy. The Sheriff seemed to take sadistic pleasure in telling Logan all about Lilly and Aaron's affair and the content of the videotapes.

After he told the Sheriff that he didn't know who had attacked him and knew even less about his father's activities, he was left alone for the first time in hours. He knew the Sheriff didn't believe him about either statement but he was too tired to worry about it. Every time the thought of Lilly and Aaron together entered his mind, he could feel the bile rise in his throat.

Shortly after he was left alone, the nurse came back in to check on him and give him more meds. "How are you feeling? Is there someone I can call to come sit with you?"

That statement delivered in such a caring voice was like a smack right between the eyes. "I'm tired and I'm sore. And no, there's no one to call. I'm alone now."

"I know your parents can't come but surely your sister or a friend could come. What about Veronica?"

Logan's head snapped back so fast to look at the nurse that he thought it was going to fall right off his shoulders. He had to remember not to make sudden movements. "What do you know about Veronica? Why would I want her here," he asked the nurse disbelievingly?

"I'm sorry I thought maybe she was a friend. You kept calling for a Veronica when you were unconscious so I thought she must be someone special."

He contemplated the nurse's words for a few moments before answering slowly, "Veronica is…she's…nobody special. Like I said, there's no one to call."

Sensing she was treading on a sensitive area, the nurse quickly finished administering his medication. "Well, if you need anything, just press the button. If there's anything I can do to help, just let me know. I'm Nurse Parker."

As the nurse approach the door, Logan quickly called out to stop her. "Actually, there is something you can do for me. I'd like you to make sure no visitors are allowed. Especially, if a Ms. Mars stops by, I want her let nowhere near my room. You need to watch for her, she's a crafty little thing that will try to sneak past you if you're not careful."

"How will I know it's Ms. Mars if she tries to sneak past?"

"She's a tiny little blonde thing with the tenacity of a pit bull. Believe me, you can't miss her." Feeling the ache in his heart grow as he thought about Veronica, Logan shut his eyes and let the medicine take him away from reality.

After three days in the lovely Shangri La that is Neptune Memorial Hospital, Logan took his Vicodin prescription, checked himself out and headed for home. After the cab dropped him off two blocks away, he snuck onto the property over the back wall. Bumping his dislocated shoulder as he landed, he let out a string of curses. Ok, so sneaking over the wall was probably not one of his brighter ideas but if it allowed him to at least temporarily avoid the vultures out front, it was worth the pain. Nothing like a good scandal to bring out the paparazzi and assorted other crazies.

Stumbling in the back door, Logan was greeted by an almost eerie silence. He assumed the staff had probably all ran to begin lining up television interviews and start their tell-all novels the minute the news about Aaron had broke. In the kitchen, Logan poured himself a glass of Scotch and tried to figure out how he was supposed to open the prescription bottle with only one good arm. Damn child-proof caps anyway. After prying the cap off with his teeth, he washed down the pill with the Scotch. He left the medication open on the counter, grabbed the bottle of Scotch and headed for his room and hopefully oblivion.