AN: This is in loving memory to the wonderful Andy Hallett. His songs, smiles and quick wit are in out hearts. Keep it rockin' Andy.

Lorne's Forshadowing

Angel sat in his throne, frowning his big caveman brow over the sheets of paper in front of him.

"It's alright, big guy. Sound out the big words," I smirked, sitting down on the seat opposite his big ass desk.

"Spike, if you don't shut up, you'll soon be trying to sound out an apology through broken teeth."

"Well we can't have that now, Angel! Then you won't be able to hear my superb singing voice and find out if I'm a little screwed up. Lorne'll need to hear me after he's heard your screechin' anyway."

Holding his head in his hands, Angel sighed, "I totally forgot. Gettin' read today."

"Much easier that reading. Although...the singin' parts hard for you, ain't it, Pavarotti?"

"Spike!"

I got up, doing what I aimed to achieve, "I'll be there. Want to hear the torture."

I sat down in beside Lorne, who looked like he was in desperate need for a huge bottle of tequila. The woman who was up singing just now, kept her eyes on the floor, tapping her hand on her thigh in a pitiful attempt to keep in time with the song playing in her head.

"Ok. That's alright, Snicker-doodle. You're in the clear."

Relieved, the woman smiled a little, a scurried out.

"God I don't know how you put up with this..."

"To be honest, neither do I. It's like someone's put a hole in my head, stitched it back up, and then done it all over again."

"Lawyers - can't be good, can't sing either."

"But, I gotta look at the good of it all. None of them were bad - you know...intent wise. Well...not evil-bad anyway. And - once I'm done with Angel, Wes and Lil' Harmonica, the rest of you guys ain't so bad."

"Me? I'm flattered."

"And Gunn. Sugarplum was earlier. She's got an ok set of pipes. After a little fine tuning...she won't be so bad."

I rolled my eyes a little, "Get's a little annoyin' hearing 'I'm Walking on Sunshine' over and over though."

"Well it's a change from hearing a whole bunch of lawyers, then you singing 'My Way.'"

"You were just complimentin' me, now it's all about the bad."

"I didn't say it was bad. Merely saying that of course repetition gets annoying. And on the subject of Sugarplum, I think I know a little secret."

I frowned. A secret on Maddy? Does she have a boyfriend? Is she moving away?

"Yeah? What's this, then?"

"I heard a certain someone sitting on my left has a little crush on the musical maestro."

What? I told nobody!

"Who's you hear this from then?"

"My own eyes. I saw that look before Maddy went off to the Apple."

Oh. The "look".

I sighed. Talking to Lorne about stuff seemed like something everyone else did - he was their little living diary. He sees things in people they never even knew they had, and keeps secret some of the stuff they wish they didn't. He's like...the bartender or cab driver of the group. Like a psychologist, but without the pay, gratitude or patronising or judging looks.

"Yeah. Maybe. No, " seeing Lorne raise his eyebrow, I growled, "I don't know, alright? I'm messed up! I think I'm bloody dead down in Sunnyhell after fallin' in love with someone I should be killin', and who shoulda been killin' me. Then I come to another form of hell on earth as a ghost and I'm gettin' sent to real hell for God only knows what reason. I become corporeal again, try to become human, learn it was a scam, and start to think I'm fallin' for some bloody...girl! And to top it all off, some crazy slayer cut off my bloody arms, and a God King thinks I'm her 'pet'!"

"Well...we should get you on Leno sometime. Or at least 'The Late Late Show'. All of this in one year? Talk about your awkward positions. At least you have something good to look forward to next year, though."

"What?"

Getting up, Lorne strutted over to his bar, mixing himself up a seabreeze.

"You'll find out. Just remember to enjoy it."

"Ain't you gonna read me?"

Lorne laughed, his back still towards me, "You may not know it, but I kinda already did."