xp_logs | Ali and Angelo have an unofficial counselling session...

Angelo sat alone in the kitchen, eating some Ben and Jerry's he'd found in Jamie's not-so-secret hiding place. While he wasn't actively avoiding Paige, he wasn't actively seeking her out, either, at least until things were going well between her and Jono, and he figured she wouldn't have any reason to go to the kitchen.

Wandering inside, reading a book, Alison headed for the fridge a bit blindly, pulling out a plastic container and setting it on the counter a bit blindly, then opening a cup board to pull out a pan. The contents of the container made it into the pan with somewhat miraculous success, as did the pan to oven. Turning the heat on, Alison leaned on the counter to keep reading - then blinked and looked up at Angelo. "Hey there."

Angelo glanced up at the person speaking, registered Alison, and half-smiled. "Hey."

Giving the carton of ice cream a sidelong look, Alison raised an eyebrow. "You been going through all of that on your own?"

Angelo looked down at the carton in some surprise, having not realised how much he'd actually eaten. "Er... yeah. Hadn't noticed..."

Wow. Talk about drowning your sorrows the good old fashioned way... she thought sympathetically. "Mmm. I see," she pauses, then set her book down, still leaning on the counter. "You doing ok?"

Angelo, unwilling to tell anyone who didn't already know what had happened, to limit the risk of it getting back to Jono, answered, "I'm fine." But he didn't meet her eyes, looking anywhere but at her.

"Uh huh," she answered, the tone neutral enough, though she did raise an eyebrow in doubt at his response. Suuuuure. She peeked over her shoulder, and decided blunt would have to do it. "Going to see Paige, soon. Bringing her some soup down," she turned once more, smiling at him gently. "We... talked a bit, yesterday."

Angelo did look up at her then, but was still unwilling to give too much away until he knew for sure what she was saying. "Yeah?"

"Mmm," she nodded, taking note of his reactions to her words. "She'd probably have my head on a pike if she knew I was telling you about this but... I thought you might need someone to talk to, who isn't - involved as closely." She opened her hands, palms upwards. "If you'd rather I just went away and never mentioned it again though, s'more than fair."

Angelo sighed. "No... I'd like to talk to someone. Just don't want too many people knowing, but since you know already..."

"I won't talk to anyone about this, Angelo," she promised calmly, "unless you indicate otherwise at one point." She moved from behind the counter after turning the oven to a low simmer, and sat in a chair opposite him at the table.

"Thanks", Angelo said, and then tried to find a way to start. "I... I don't know what's going on anymore. I thought I knew what I should do, but now..."

"Now things aren't so simple anymore?" she finished for him, softly.

"Yeah. I mean, Paige... she loves Jono. And he needs her... She's so good, she wouldn't ever hurt him. She's so good. And what am I? Just a screwed-up runaway with a bad past and blood on my hands." His next words were muttered in Spanish, almost too low to hear. "It's no wonder she doesn't love me. I'm lucky to be her friend."

Alison bit down on her first reply, firmly, understanding his last words and also having no doubt he thought she wouldn't. Not for me to tell him, not that. Only Paige. "There's more to people than their past, Angelo," she pointed out gently. "If nothing else, that's what a lot of people here are all about... including you." And Paige would be very upset with you if she heard you talking like that about yourself.

He was back to refusing to meet her eyes now, out of shame or something else, even he didn't really know. "I know. And I do want to make amends. But that doesn't mean I'd be good for her... or that I deserve her..."

"Angelo, sweetie," she sighed. "Take it one step at a time, maybe? If being Paige's friend makes you want to be a better person, that can only be a good thing, and nothing could make her happier. But at the same time... I think Paige would very much want to be the judge of that. Regardless of how your friendship evolves." She reached out, tapping the knuckle still holding the spoon of ice cream lightly. "Don't cut her out of a process that should involve her, ok? That's all I'd ask... nothing more. Nothing less."

Angelo looked troubled. "But I don't know what's going on. I thought she was just a friend... but then what happened, happened... and I don't know anymore. I... I want her to be happy, and I thought Jono could give her that, but..."

"You're not going to like this one," Alison smiled ruefully. "But maybe everyone, including you, just needs a little time to work things out. There's no easy answer to this sort of stuff, and it won't get resolved overnight... but I do think Paige would be devastated if she lost your friendship."

His head snapped up and he stared at her, shocked. "I'd never drop Paige as a friend! Not if I had any say in it. I couldn't do that..."

Alison smiled at his reaction, and this time reached out to tug his hand between hers calmly. "Then maybe just concentrate on that, for a little while," she suggested. And give Paige a chance to figure out what she needs to make her happy. "And if it ever gets too much or you just need someone to talk to about it, I'll listen."

"Thank you", Angelo said sincerely.

"You're welcome," she answered gravely, before sliding a look at his carton of ice cream. "It's melting."

Angelo looked down at it, then pushed it across the table. "I think I've eaten enough. Want some?"

"Sure," she chuckled, glancing back at the soup still slowly simmering, and suspecting Paige wouldn't mind if she were fifteen minutes late or so, considering.