A/N: Just when I thought it couldn't get better, there's a Dustin at my work too. He's a cashier like me. The Big Time Rush boys are friends with Dustin Belt in real life. Why must I be taunted so? Oh, and there's this place called Carlitos next to the movie theatre I went to today. I swear I'm not even looking for these things!

Disclaimer: This is only for entertainment purposes.

In the Beginning

Dustin showed up to class with tears in his eyes. This didn't seem to bother Kendall or James too much, but Logan was concerned. Even Carlos was a little worried. The two of them approached a sobbing Dustin.

"What's wrong?" Carlos asked, genuinely concerned.

"Yeah. Why are you crying?" Logan questioned.

Dustin was too much of an emotional wreck to say anything, so he decided to let his actions speak for themselves. He walked up to Logan, and threw his arms around him in an embrace. Carlos, Kendall, and James were on edge as they kept a careful eye on Dustin, ready to intervene at a moment's notice.

"Dustin, c'mon! What's wrong? You're startin' to scare me," Logan commented.

Dustin pulled back from Logan, his eyes sparkling with tears. He sniffled, wiping his nose on his sleeve.

"Today's my last day of school. I'm movin' to Seattle," Dustin answered, before completely losing it again.

Logan pulled Dustin to him this time, wrapping his arms around him. He was starting to lose it as well. Tears sprang to his eyes. Logan didn't know where Seattle was, but he knew that it wasn't anywhere in Minnesota.

"But you can't leave! You and I are friends!" Logan exclaimed, clutching tightly to Dustin.

Ever since his foster parents told him he would be moving, Dustin had been dreading this day. A part of him thought that maybe if Logan hated him, it would be easier for him to leave Logan behind. At least that's why Dustin kept telling himself he punched Logan the other day.

After several seconds, Logan pulled back from Dustin. He had one hand firmly on Dustin's shoulder. He used the back of his other hand to wipe the tears from his eyes. Logan didn't know what to make of this all. He had never had anyone leave him before.

"I'm gonna make this your best last day ever! I'll do whatever you wanna do," Logan said, giving Dustin a small smile.

"Yeah, me too!" Carlos chimed in.

Dustin gave Carlos a surprised look. He thought Carlos hated him. Dustin just figured that Carlos was only being nice to him because after today, he wouldn't have to put up with him anymore. Dustin kind of wished that Carlos didn't tag along. He kind of wanted to spend his last day of school with Logan and only Logan.

Carlos was being nice to Dustin because today was his last day. There was more to it than that though. Carlos wanted to spend time with Logan because he hadn't been able to, having just finished his sentence being grounded. He was willing to put up with Dustin if it meant spending time with Logan. What really shocked Carlos though was that he actually wanted to be nice to Dustin because if roles were reversed, he would want people to play with him on his last day of school.

XXXXX

Kendall and James were seething with anger as they watched Dustin interact with Carlos and Logan. Their fists were clenched as they hung at their sides. They gritted their teeth together. They were staring at Dustin so intensely that it was almost like they were trying to stare a hole through him.

"I bet he's just fakin' it!" Kendall commented. "He's probably not even really sad!"

"Who does he think he is? Carlitos and Logie are our friends! Why can't he get his own?" James remarked.

Kendall turned to look at James. It seemed as though the two of them had a mutual understanding. The two of them shared a common enemy in Dustin. It was very weird for Kendall. In a way, he and James were actually kind of sort of bonding over this.

"What about me? Am I your friend?" Kendall asked.

But all good things must come to an end. James shrugged his shoulders.

"You're okay, I guess," James answered honestly.

Kendall gasped, appalled.

"I'm okay? Just okay? Fine! Be that way! You know what, James? You're not even okay to me! You're…you're…whatever's worse than okay!" Kendall hollered at James.

James waggled his fingers, clearly unimpressed.

"Ooh! You told me!" James remarked sarcastically.

"Go…go…jump off a tree!" Kendall exclaimed.

"Ladies first!"

"What did you call me?"

"What, did your mommy forget to clean your ears?"

Kendall shoved James, who in turn shoved Kendall. The next thing they knew, they were having a shoving contest. James was fully prepared to add insult to injury though.

"I'm…I'm…Kendall, and when I'm mad…mad…I talk…talk…like this!" James said mockingly.

"Knock it off!" Kendall whined, shoving James extra hard.

Ms. O'Haire made a beeline for the feuding boys. She gave an annoyed groan. Why did these two insist on making her job so difficult?

"No shoving in the classroom!" Ms. O'Haire reprimanded.

XXXXX

"Tag! You're it!" Carlos said happily, tapping Dustin on the shoulder before scrambling off, laughing.

As soon as Carlos realized that Dustin wasn't chasing him, he went back over to Dustin, concern on his face. Logan had never left Dustin's side in the first place.

"Do you not wanna play tag? Cuz we can do sumthin' else if you wanna," Carlos said.

Dustin shrugged his shoulders.

"I'm sorry you guys, but I don't really feel much like playin' anything," Dustin replied.

Logan draped an arm over Dustin's shoulder, pulling him close to him. Dustin didn't know how exactly to respond to this. He didn't understand Logan at all. Why wasn't he afraid of him? Why had he forgiven him for all the bullying he had done to him?

"Do you wanna talk 'bout it?" Logan asked.

Dustin shook his head. He didn't want to talk about it because it would only make him cry, and he didn't want to cry in front of Carlos and Logan anymore. They both already probably thought he was a big crybaby.

"Well, what do you wanna do then? Whatever it is, I'll do it with you even if it's nothing at all," Logan said.

"I'm gonna miss you, Logie…so much!" Dustin commented, before burying his face in Logan's shoulder and crying.

Dustin's back was to Carlos, but Logan's wasn't; he had a clear view of Carlos. Logan saw how left out Carlos felt as he watched Dustin seek comfort from Logan. Carlos knew that Logan and Dustin shared a bond with each other because they went through a terrifying experience together. It was similar to how he and Logan shared a bond with each other having both been kidnapped by Dustin's father.

"I'll miss you too, Dustin. Try not to think of this as a goodbye though, 'kay? Think of it…as a see ya later," Logan said, hoping that one day he would in fact see Dustin again.

XXXXX

Carlos meandered his way over to Kendall and James just as they got out of time-out. Kendall and James got on either side of Carlos, not wanting to be next to each other. Kendall blamed James for getting a time-out and vice versa.

"So, what's his problem?" James asked, gesturing with his head over towards a still crying Dustin.

"Today's his last day. He's movin' to Sea…somewhere. I forget where," Carlos answered.

"About time!" Kendall remarked.

Carlos elbowed Kendall in the ribs, and glared at him.

"Kendall, that's not very nice!" Carlos exclaimed.

"Oh, c'mon, Carlitos! You don't like Dustin either!" Kendall countered.

Carlos looked over in Dustin's direction at well, but in his case, it wasn't Dustin he was looking at; it was Logan.

"Yeah, but Logan does," Carlos replied.

"I never will get that," Kendall commented. "Logie just must have a bad taste in friends."

"Hey!" James protested. "Was that supposed ta be some sorta crack at me?"

"Ha! You wish! Not everything's about you, James!" Kendall retorted.

It was a good thing that Carlos was in the middle because Kendall and James were this close to going at it again.

"Guys, cut it out!" Carlos urged. "I have a feeling that after today, Logie's really gonna need us; All of us."

XXXXX

"I'm scared, Logie. What if no one likes me at my new school like Kendall, James, and Carlos don't like me?" Dustin asked.

The two boys were sitting on a wooden park bench, side-by-side, knees touching. Dustin was resting his head on Logan's shoulder.

"That's just cuz they don't know you like I know you. They only see you as a bully; a tough guy. I've seen the real you. I like the real you," Logan answered.

Dustin didn't know what he did to deserve a friend like Logan. They really were the most unlikely of friends, especially considering how the first time they met, Dustin kicked Logan in the face with the blade of his skate.

Dustin playfully nudged Logan.

"You're the best!" he said brightly.

Logan blushed as he rubbed the back of his neck with one of his hands.

"I don't know 'bout that," Logan said modestly. "I think I just get you in a way that no one else does. I mean if anyone knows what it's like to lose all your family, it's me. I don't think your daddy was a bad guy. I really do think that deep down, he loved you. He was just a little lost. That's all."

Dustin turned to face Logan, sitting up straight all of a sudden. Logan saw something in Dustin's eyes that if he had to guess what it was, he would say it was hope.

"Do you really think so? Do you really think my daddy loved me?" Dustin asked.

"Course I do!" Logan answered without a moment's hesitation.

Dustin smiled a genuine smile. He certainly hoped that his daddy loved him. It's all a child could ever hope for. Every day was a constant struggle for Dustin because even though his father had beaten him, he was still Dustin's father, and Dustin missed him. He was all that Dustin had left after his mommy passed away, and now Dustin had no one. Well, that wasn't entirely true; Dustin had Logan, but soon he would be taken away from him too.

XXXXX

"Dustin, it's time to go. Say goodbye to Logan," Dustin's foster dad said when he came to pick Dustin up from school.

Dustin ran over to Logan, nearly knocking him over when he hugged him. It wasn't long before both boys were crying their little eyes out as they embraced each other one last time.

"Logie…" Dustin sobbed.

"I know, Dustin. I know," Logan said back.

It was a small wonder either boy was still standing. Both children were sobbing so violently. Their tiny shoulders heaved up and down as wave after wave of sobs coursed through their small frames. Neither boy could see past the myriad tears in their eyes, but somehow they knew that the other was still there…for now.

"I'm so sorry, Dustin, but we really need to be going," Dustin's foster dad said as he physically had to pry the two boys apart.

"No! Lemme go! Logan!" Dustin cried out, reaching out to Logan.

Logan grabbed hold of Dustin's hand, and he was holding on with all his might, but he could feel Dustin's fingers slowly but surely start to slip out of his hand. Then, just like that, he couldn't feel Dustin's fingers in his hand at all.

Logan had a horrible feeling of déjà vu. First he lost his parents. Then he lost his grandma. Now he was losing Dustin. What had he done wrong? Why did everyone keep leaving him?

Logan ran over to the window, tears still streaming from his little eyes. He placed the palm of his hand on the window. Dustin placed the palm of his hand on top of Logan's from the other side the window. Then, Logan was helpless to do anything but watch as Dustin's foster dad took Dustin away from him.

To Be Continued…