Chapter 5: you make me, Scream and Shout

"Logan life isn't fair, but the hand it dealt you, well that's wrong. And you get that, but instead of trying to change the situation you stay. Why?"

"Why else Lorne, for the girl. Well several girls actually." He smiled, but it wasn't a smug sort of smile, not in the least.

"Lilly, my girlfriend, I love her, you know? she's my flower, and I know she's not totally faithful, but somehow that doesn't matter so much to me. And Mom, I can't leave her with "daddy dearest". No way."

"Logan, I know how you feel, that you need to be there for everyone, to be needed, but one of these days you're going to get hurt, and they can't protect you." Angel said turning serious, and sober.

"And you can?" Logan shot up off the stool and paced nervously. "He's my father, he's a bastard but I have to deal with him. Not you, besides you're some guy-" Logan was cut-off by Angel at that point.

"A P.I., a guy who can help you. It's what I do." Angel pulled his card out of a unseen pocket. Logan scoffed as he did so.

"This is ridiculous, of all the gin joints, in all the world." Logan was getting a sickening grin to cover his shock and embarrassment. "So is this what you do? Sulk and brood in random night clubs and wait until you befriend some poor little rich boy? That's pathetic, your pathetic."

Angel was not the least bit perturbed. "Not really, and I don't think you are either." Logan rolled his eyes and scoffed again as he leaned against the bar ready for another angry tirade and pace.
"Logan it's not your fault." Lorne said looking him dead in the eyes.

"I never said it was." Logan looked away he suddenly felt exposed.

"Doesn't mean I didn't see it when you sang. I saw that and the anger you have for everyone, the love you want to share but don't know how, I know you're in pain-"

"Lorne, you've been ok up to this point, don't get all after school special on me now." Logan went for another sip of his veronica. He grimaced as it went down burning his pain and sparking his anger. "Besides all this crap you're trying to tell me,have you looked t yourself, you're some wannabe, with a fetish for costumes; you dress like a Vegas Performer stuck in a B horror flick. Why should I listen to anything you or mr. Magnum P.I. have to say!?" he was screaming by the end, gripping his glass so hard it looked as if it would break.

"Because, everything isn't how it seems, because being a victim really sucks and because I can see what's coming down the pike here honey bun and let me tell you if life was hard before, you're going to need a whole new liqour cabinet for what comes next." Lorne said

Logan breathed deeply looking from one face to another. "I can't leave Neptune, I can't call my father out on the shit he's been pulling my whole life." Logan roared. Logan started again this time much quieter. " And you're telling me my life is going to get worse." Lorne gave an affirmative look. "So what the hell can I do about it?"

"Well you could try building a case against your father, or get emancipated." Angel said

"And I can make that stick? You know who my father is right?" Logan looked at Angel as if he was some sort of alien. Echolls, Aaron Echolls"
Logan breathed deeply looking from one face to another "I have to stay; I won't leave mom, and I can't take dad on. Besides it's not always bad." Logan cooled down let his shoulders sag a bit. I barely see him during the school year anyway."

"Logan, that's not the point, people are going to get hurt and not just you." Lorne said earnestly.
"Well when that happens I'll call." Logan said looking away, in search of something, possibly his keys.

"Will you?" Angel said seriously, even though Logan's statement was sarcastic it was a way in, if he played this right.

"What?" logan turned back

"When things turn to shit you call me, ok?" Angel looked at Logan carefully, afraid of spooking him. "I can't tell you what to do, I can't make you do anything at all. But I would hope that you'd call me and let me do what I can. Which is something."

"Ok." Logan said quietly he didn't what the odd couple thought they could do but if he said yes; he could leave and it would be all sorts of good.

"Really?" Lorne asked, it was a hopeful sort of asking, kind of unsure.

"yes, really. You guys have made some sort of twisted impression on me. I'll call you if I need you. Until then I think I can handle everything on my own." Logan said his trusty smile brightening.

Angel again gave him the card, with Caritas's number on the back.

"Thanks, really." Logan said, filing this night in the back of his mind, and trying not to be his callous and snarky self as he said good-bye to two people who actually gave a damn.

Epilouge to follow