Title: Five Things Mac Believes
Author: beijing
Pairing/Character: Mac, Veronica/Logan, Dick (Allusions to Mac/Cassidy, Mac/Bronson, Mac/Max and Mac/Dick if you really, really try.)
Word Count: 1363
Rating: PG-13
Summary: She doesn't believe in love, not anymore.
Spoilers: 3x20: The Bitch is Back
Warnings: So it's been over 3 years since the last time I wrote anything. And I feel like this doesn't suck. But there's a chance I'm kidding myself.
Disclaimer: I am in no way associated with the owners, creators, or producers of Veronica Mars. No copyright infringement is intended. Also, you don't want to sue an art student. You'll get nothing.

Five Things Mac Believes

Title: Impressions
Author: dreamer_marie
Pairing/Character: Logan, Keith
Word Count: 2500
Rating: PG-13
Summary: Two missing scenes from episode 2.22 "Not Pictured."
Spoilers: All of season 1 and 2.
Warnings: Did you know that more people are killed by coconuts each year than by sharks?
Disclaimer: I am in no way associated with the owners, creators, or producers of Veronica Mars. No copyright infringement is intended.
Author's note: This fic was written for challenge number 5 (DVD Extras) of Round 3 of vmfic_gameon. Many thanks to the lovely love_is_epic for beta reading.

Deep into the night, Logan awoke, either from the nightmare or because his legs were numb, he wasn't sure.

Title: The Show Must Go On
Author: nekoshininigami
Pairing/Character: Veronica Mars/Logan Echolls
Word Count: 1,899
Rating: PG
Summary: They dust themselves off and try to move on. Because the world doesn't stop, even if you believe in your heart of hearts that it should.
Spoilers: Through 2x22.
Warnings: Logan has a naughty vocabulary....like any teenage boy.
Disclaimer: I am in no way associated with the owners, creators, or producers of Veronica Mars. No copyright infringement is intended.
Notes: So, I wrote this fic a long time ago. A long time ago. I wasn't an active member of the VMars fandom then -- I'm still not, really -- but I thought I would post this here, hopefully to get a little feedback on it. Hope you enjoy it! :) Cross-posted to my writing journal at be_more_chill.



Mac's name, somehow, helped them manage to tear their eyes away from the place where Cassidy "Beaver" Casablancas had last stood. They make their way to the stairs and then the elevator, Veronica clinging to him tightly and staring unblinkingly at the numbers above the elevator doors. Logan can tell that he's holding her up, but he's also holding on because he has the feeling that every muscle in his body would buckle if he let go.

Through some lucky chance, or by the grace of God, or something, Mac is unharmed. Scared maybe, and definitely confused, but physically unscathed. Logan marvels as Veronica pulls herself together enough to comfort her friend. They find Mac some clothes and Logan offers to drive her home, but Mac is shaking her head and protesting that she needs to drive her own car home. Veronica tries to fight it, but the sass and contrariness is all but drained from her now. Mac will drive herself home and try to come to terms with things on her own.

The noise of the Neptune Grand's bustling lobby seems muted and dim to his ears after the deafening silence of their last minutes on the roof. With Veronica's arms still clinging around his middle, Logan awkwardly maneuvers the two of them out into the stifling air outside. The waiting valet takes the claim ticket from him, and as Logan waits for the X-Terra to appear, he scans the street in front of him.

"The ambulance and police will all be on the other side of the building." Veronica's tiny voice causes him to jump, and he looks down at her without words. Her demeanor hasn't changed: she's still staring blankly ahead and her whole body is limp against him. "That's where he jumped." She falls silent again and Logan feels his insides squirm.

The valet pulls up then, popping out of the driver's side with all the eagerness of someone awaiting a tip. Logan doesn't look, just pulls a bill out from the middle of his wallet and hands it to the guy. "Thanks," he mutters as he ushers Veronica to the passenger door.

"Hey, uh...sir? You gave me a--"

"Keep it," Logan calls over his shoulder as he buckles Veronica's seatbelt for her. The valet yells something else then, probably words of gratitude, but Logan doesn't hear him as he moves around the front of his car to climb behind the wheel. There's no talking, no noise except for the sounds of traffic around them as Logan cruises down the familiar route to the Mars' apartment.



The minute he gets her through the door is when the shaking starts. Small, trembling shoulders against his chest turn into something that Logan thinks can be categorized as convulsions. All thoughts fly out of his head as Logan bends his knees and sweeps her up into his arms. Her body vibrates almost violently against him as he moves over to sit on the couch. Tears that she does not acknowledge trickle down her cheeks and he holds her as tightly as he dares until at last, her eyes close and sleep takes her.

With painfully slow movements, Logan rises to his feet, carries her into her bedroom, removes her shoes and tucks her into bed. Back-Up follows, wagging his tail hesitantly. Logan reaches down and pats his head, which must be a sort of signal for the pit bull to curl up at the foot of Veronica's bed.

"Good boy," Logan whispers hoarsely and removes himself to the living room, where he sits on the couch for hours. The sky is just starting to turn pink when the exhaustion finally overwhelms him and Logan falls asleep sitting up. Not ten minutes later, Keith Mars creeps in the front door and does a double take at the teenage boy passed out on his living room couch. He shakes his head and tip-toes into his own bedroom without waking either Logan or his daughter. Whatever it is that brings Logan Echolls to his apartment is a story that can wait until he gets a few hours of sleep.


The smile on Cassidy's face is sad as he meets Logan’s eyes. "That's what I thought," he says softly and backs up over the edge.

"NO!" Logan yelps, jerking himself awake. There's a crick in his neck that's killing him and the sunshine pours in under the gap of the window shades. Logan shakes Cassidy out of his head, trying to forget the face of the boy he watched grow up. His muscles ache and protest as he gets up from the couch. As quietly as he can manage, Logan creeps down the hall and peeks his head into Veronica's bedroom. She hasn't moved from the position he laid her down in and Back-Up snores softly at her feet. Logan turns and leaves the room, pulling the door half-closed behind him. A loud grumble from his stomach alerts him to the fact that he hasn't eaten anything since the Graduation Day gourmet breakfast that he'd ordered from room service just yesterday morning. He moves quickly into the kitchen, opening up the refrigerator and rummaging through the Mars' humble amount of groceries. Among the endless number of carryout boxes and Tupperware containers of leftovers, he unearths some turkey bacon (no doubt Veronica's attempt to make her dad eat healthier) and a carton of eggs. Logan isn't sure if Veronica will be hungry when she wakes up, but it couldn't hurt to have food made so he can try and convince her to eat anyway.

After a long search for a frying pan, Logan's busily frying the bacon when he hears footsteps in the hallway.

"Dad??!" Veronica's voice comes from the vicinity of the bathroom, and Logan feels his heart plummet out of his chest. She turns the corner, eyes alight with hope, then stops dead in her tracks when she sees him standing over the stove.

"Veronica..." Logan begins as the understanding sinks into her features. "I'm sorry." He hates saying this, because it's what everyone says and it's trite and it means nothing, but he doesn't know what else he can offer. "I'm so, so sorry..." She nearly falls into him then, curling herself into his chest and his arms go around her helplessly.

"Veronica??" Keith’s voice suddenly bites through the gloomy silence and the color drains from Veronica's face. Logan feels his jaw drop open as Keith fucking Mars appears in the kitchen--alive, well and looking thoroughly confused.

In the chaos of hugs and Veronica's slightly hysterical yelling that follows, Logan decides that his best course of action is to leave the two of them alone. He moves the frying pan to the other side of the stove so it won't burn and silently sneaks out the front door. As he descends the stairs and climbs into the X-Terra, he can't stop the thought from entering his head that Veronica got her father back from the dead while he never even got the chance to see his mother again. Life's unfair, Echolls. Why don't you fucking get over it? He turns out of the apartment complex and onto the road that would take him back to the Neptune Grand. The light at the intersection in front of him turns red and Logan decides that he's had enough of the quiet.

He turns on the radio and learns that his father is dead.



The Mars stand in the tiny kitchen of their apartment, Keith holding his daughter closely as she mumbles over and over again into his chest how she had thought he was dead. The phone rings, but Veronica refuses to let go and so neither of them move. The answering machine clicks on, and Logan's voice comes over the speaker.

"Veronica...Mr. Mars...it's, uh, Logan. I just thought you guys should know that, uh, my father... My father was shot and killed last night. Um, in his hotel room. They won't let me into the Grand right now, so...I'll be around, I guess." There is a prolonged silence, then a click. Veronica pulls back and she and her father gape at each other in astonishment.



Veronica easily navigates her way to Dog Beach, sure that the Le Baron knows its own way down the familiar streets. As she pulls into the parking lot, the bright yellow glare of Logan’s truck greets her eyes like a beacon. She parks beside it and hops out, starting off over the pavement until it gives way to sand and she sees Logan sitting where the tide licks at his bare feet. She deposits herself next to him, close enough that their shoulders brush in a comfortable way. He turns his head and looks at her, a strange sort of smile playing across his face.

"You already said you couldn't get into the Grand, you couldn't go home, Duncan's gone and I was pretty sure that you wouldn't be headed over to Dick's house," she offers as a means of explanation, and he laughs.

"It's always business with you," he quips, and she smiles at the memory. Her lips tug down into a frown as he falls quiet again, staring out across the surf.

"Logan," she begins hesitantly, knowing that he had filled this role for her only the night before. He turns his head again at the sadness and regret in her voice.

"Don’t worry, Sandy," he said and pats her head like he would a dog. "The sun'll come out tomorrow." She raises an eyebrow at him and he shrugs. "I've always wanted to play Little Orphan Annie...now I've got my chance."

"How's Trina?" she asks. He lifts and lowers one shoulder.

"I haven't been able to get through to her. Her phone's busy every time I try."

"Oh."

The silence settles over them again, awkward and easy at the same time -- silence always did suit them best. The sound of the waves is soothing and familiar, the sun warm on their backs. Veronica peeks at Logan out of the corner of her eye, watching him watch the ocean. His face is an eerie mask of calm, which worries her more than anything else.

"Logan," she tries again. He barks out a laugh and doesn't look at her when he speaks.

"He deserved it, Veronica. You know it, and I know it, and there's not a thing in the world that's gonna convince us otherwise. So don't worry about me."

"I'm still sorry," she mumbles and hates herself for saying it. She hears him sigh, sees his shoulders hunch then straighten again in an instant. The tide's coming in and they'll have to move soon if they don't want to be carried out to sea. Maybe that is what we want, Veronica thinks as the water laps at their ankles. She watches the water recede and advance with a certain level of fascination, stares as it washes over the same half-buried shell over and over.

"I'm still in love with you, Veronica Mars," he says suddenly, and the waves crash in her ears.

"Logan," she says, and he braces himself for the rejection that he knows will follow. But it was resignation and not revulsion in her voice, he realizes as her tiny fingers laces through his in the sand. And maybe, Logan thinks, maybe that's enough to go on.

Title: V's All That 1/?
Author: tinyblonde1
Characters: Logan, Veronica, eventual LoVe, the usual suspects.
Rating: PG-13
Word Count: 1,872
Spoilers: It's all fair game.
Disclaimer: Not mine. Never was, never will be. 
Summary: A bet is a bet.

A/N: Take what you know about Veronica Mars and throw it out the window. I have taken bits and pieces from various seasons that suit my purpose. So needless to say the timeline is all over the place for certain events where canon is concerned. But this isn’t canon, this is my abomination. Enjoy!

Type your cut

Okay, so I’m a loser who watched "She’s All That" the other day for the first time in yearssss and thought that it would be a cute basis for a Veronica Mars fic. This is the first part. It is completely AU. I mean it is seriously out of any sort of chronological sequence and written mostly for my amusement as a fluff piece. So read it with that in mind! I may or may not continue with it depending on the response I get. I have a bit more written, but I’m also in the process of re-writing another VM fic, and trying to write the ending to yet another VM fic so I may focus more on those if no one is interested in this one. But for now the idea popped into my head and I’ve been having fun with it, so here’s the result! I hope you enjoy J

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Logan sat perched in his usual seat, at his usual table in the quad surrounded by a gaggle of his usual friends. It was a habit of his to sit there and watch the goings on of Neptune High. With a critical eye he scanned his environment, and monitored his Kingdom. He paid no attention to the delivery boy who showed up with his take out, with a flick of his wrist he tossed a twenty at the guy and muttered ‘keep the change’ never taking his eyes off his surroundings. It had been a week since he had dumped Caitlin Ford, cheating piece of trash that she was, and it was expected that as Neptune High’s King he would soon be selecting a new Queen. But he had no interest in any of the girls that ran in his social circle, which left him with few options. He was considering his choices, such as they were, when his scanning was interrupted by a certain blonde.

"Dude," Dick exclaimed, "It’s been like forever since your last conquest. It’s time to get over Skanky McSlums-a-lot and choose a new mare... Then ride the fuck outta her." Dick said illustrating his point by thrusting his hips and air spanking the invisible female in front of him.

Logan chuckled at his friends antics. "Dick the fact that I haven’t fucked someone new has nothing to do with Caitlin. I’m just tired of banging the same old blondes. I’m tired of these status whores. I could hook up with Shamu and she’d be the most popular girl at school tomorrow, despite smelling like kelp and eating fish by the ton."

"Get over yourself, dude." Dick laughed.

Duncan Kane who had been sitting quietly nearby couldn’t help but interject, "Logan, I think all that hair gel you use is going to your brain. You’re starting to believe your own hype."

"I’m with Duncan; you are not all that and a bag of chips." Dick added.

Surprised, Logan looked at his friends. "Please, if I dated the most unpopular girl in school, she’d be crowned prom queen by year’s end. Ladies hear the name ‘Echolls’ and line up to drop panty. All I have to do is smile at a girl and it puts Madison and Co. in a tizzy."

"Care to test out that theory?" Duncan teased.

"Yes! Oh yeah! I smell a bet coming on." Dick said with a mischievous glint in his eye.

Logan Echolls had never been one to back down from a challenge and this would be no exception. "What sort of terms do you guys have in mind?"

Duncan and Dick consulted one another for a moment before Dick laid out the conditions. "We pick the girl. You then have until the end of finals to turn her into prom queen. No outside help, just you hanging out with this girl, dating, whatever."

Without hesitation Logan stuck out his hand in agreement, shaking with both Duncan and Dick. "You’re on."

Duncan and Dick smirked at one another.

"So," Logan said casually, "who’s the lucky lady?"

The three teens scoured the quad assessing possible candidates.

"How about her?" Duncan said pointing across the quad to a short average girl with frizzy hair.

Logan looked at his potential conquest. "Short, kind of frizzy, but a decent rack. Common in the looks department, but nothing a makeover and the right lighting couldn’t fix."

Dick shook his head ‘no’. "Too easy. We’ve gotta give the boy a challenge. This is the great Logan Echolls we’re talking about here. How about her?" They all turned to look at an awkward geeky girl with long, greasy stringy hair sitting on a bench picking at a scab.

"Dick, we don’t want to be too mean either. Let’s face it there’s not a lot that poses a problem for Logan where women are concerned." Duncan concluded.

The boys were about to call it a day and resume the search tomorrow when a girl emerged from the cafeteria doors that caused other students to dive out of her way. Duncan and Dick looked at one another. She was perfect. They excused themselves for a moment to consult in private.

"Dude, now there is a challenge." Dick said giddy with excitement.

Duncan was a little more hesitant. "I don’t know. I mean she is my ex after all. I don’t want her to get hurt."

"Don’t you get it, dude? That’s why she’s perfect. He’d never pull it off. The whole point of this isn’t for him to be successful. She’ll tear off his balls and staple them to his ankles like pom-pom socks. It’ll send him running back to the comfort of 09er girls and get over his mopey ‘woe is me, nobody likes me for me’ bullshit."

Considering Dick’s point Duncan concluded that he was probably right, and if nothing else it would knock Logan down a peg or two where his ego was concerned. So they were in agreement. They returned to the table where Logan was waiting, trying to act as casual as possible.

"So have you picked a winner?" Logan asked going for nonchalant.

Duncan and Dick smiled. "Yep, her." Dick said pointing to a table at the edge of the quad currently occupied by three people.

Logan looked amazed. "The one with blue hair? I’m surprised; she’s got a lot of potential."

"Oh, no." Duncan interjected. "Her." He said pointing to the one other female at the table, a tiny attractive blonde.

Logan paled slightly. "Veronica Mars? You can’t be serious..."

"Does it look like we’re joking?" Duncan replied seriously. Dick just smiled like the Cheshire cat.

"Come on guys! Fat, I can handle, weird boobs, bad personality, maybe some sort of fungus. Anything else I can work with. But psycho and inaccessible is another story."

Duncan just laughed. "Hey, man, if I were you, I wouldn't be wasting my time 'cause by my calculations you only have a few weeks until the prom. And if-- if Veronica Mars is gonna be queen, I'd say you pretty much have your work cut out for you."

Dick was practically rolling on the floor with laughter at the prospect of Logan trying to first win over Veronica, and then convince everyone else to crown her prom queen. Losing the bet was seeming like more and more of an appealing option as Logan also considered the mission at hand.

Despite the enormity of his task Logan was no push over. "While I am surprised by your choice of female, it’s going to be pretty awesome to make you two eat shit when I pull this off. So I think I had better get started." And with that Logan jumped up from his spot and left Duncan and Dick staring after him as he headed towards the table where Veronica was seated.

"Hey, Veronica. You got a second?" Logan called out.

Wallace, who had been sitting at the lunch table with Veronica and Mac leaned over and whispered, "Here comes the obligatory psychotic jackass."

"What's up, Walter?" Logan asked as he reached their table.

 

"He knows my name." Wallace cooed in jest.

 

Veronica rolled her eyes. "That's not your name. That's not his name." She snapped at Logan.

 

"Oh, sorry. So, Veronica, listen... I was wondering if maybe you'd wanna..." Logan was cut off by Veronica getting up.

"Come on Mac, Wallace, let's go, guys." She began gathering her things and started to walk away.

 

"...embarrass me horribly in front of all these people, like this isn’t painful enough." Logan smirked. "Veronica?!"

 

A loud bell sounded, signalling the end of lunch. "Come on. I’ve got to get to Journalism and you two have computer lab. Let's go." Veronica muttered as she disappeared into the school.

Once in the safety of the building Wallace and Mac turned to look at Veronica. "What was that?" Wallace was the first to ask.

Veronica shrugged her shoulders. "I assure you I have NO idea." Needless to say she was more than a little confused by Logan’s sudden turn about. He never said more than two words to her without hurling insults, or snarking at her and now here he was trying to talk to her like a human being. It was more than just a little off-putting.

All throughout Journalism class Veronica tried to concentrate, but thoughts of Logan kept popping up in her mind unbidden. It didn’t help matters that he was also in that class and seemed to be trying to bore a hole through her with his unwavering gaze. As soon as the bell rang Veronica leaped up from her seat and headed to her next class before Logan could attempt to make conversation again. Once in the safety of her English class Veronica pretended to bury herself in a copy of ‘Wuthering Heights’ all the while trying to figure out what Logan was up to.

Veronica’s rapid exit from Journalism did not go unnoticed by Logan, but he knew her well enough to know that she always bolted when things got complicated and even he could admit that the situation he found himself in was intricate, to say the least, given their history. He was trying to figure out his next move, the best way to approach Veronica without spooking her, when he saw a familiar streak of blue hair. Quickly weaving through the throng of students he approached the girl he heard Veronica call ‘Mac’.

"Hey, Mac, right?" He called out to the girl.

She turned to face him with a critical expression across her features. "What do you want?"

No one really talked to him like that, Logan was surprised. "I need to talk to Veronica..."

"And what? You thought I’d give you some in with her?" Mac snapped.

"Look, I know you’re her friend, and it’s just... I’ve been thinking... I want to apologize to her, you know for the way things have gotten." Logan was struggling to come up with an excuse to appease Veronica’s friend into helping him.

"Why don’t you just go find some rebound skank and leave her alone?" Mac asked flatly.

Logan was getting irritated with the girl. "We used to be friends, you know? People make mistakes, and I’m just trying to own up to mine. It started off small, a dig here, a wise crack there, and somehow we got to this point where it’s world war three between us. I just think it’s time to end that shit. It takes way too much time and effort..."

Mac visibly softened. "Logan, I realize it may be a difficult concept, for a bitch magnet such as yourself to grasp, but did it ever occur to you to make a little effort?

-

He looked at her as if she were speaking another language. "What do you mean?"

"I mean find out where she hangs out. Find out what she likes. Take an actual interest in her." Mac stated before walking away.

It was simple advice and Logan was surprised he hadn’t thought of it himself. But he also never thought he’d be in a position where he’d have to win over Veronica Mars. It was time to launch operation Mars Landing.

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Feedback. Pweeeeease!!!
 
contents here.

Title: Natural Born Killer
Author: glasheen25
Characters/Pairing: Logan/Veronica
Word Count: 2883
Rating: R
Spoilers: none
Warnings: some for violence and language
Summary: Estranged from Logan, Veronica is working a particularly violent series of murders for the FBI. Post-series three.


Her spoon clattering dejectedly into her bowl, Veronica sighed wearily as she flicked half-heartedly through the paltry choice of channels, the television showing the usual scourge of reality television shows, where reality was used in the very loosest sense of the word. Spoons and bowls had become quite a prominent fixture in Veronica’s life, her eating habits generally revolving around bowls of cereal or ice-cream, Rocky Road topped with whipped cream being her current choice of poison.

Swinging her legs up onto the faded grey sofa, Veronica rested her head comfortingly against the nest of pillows she had dragged out from her bed earlier that evening. The scene was pathetic, she knew and a far cry from the entire days she and Logan would spend in bed together, indulging in all the ridiculously expensive room service and pay-per-view television that Logan’s L.A. penthouse had to offer. That, of course, was before things soured and Logan had slipped into his old ways, frequenting the bars of Neptune with Dick and Casey. Angry and incensed, Veronica had walked out, shoving as much as she pack into a lone suitcase and leaving without affording so much as a backward glance behind her. If living with Liane Mars had taught her anything, it was that a leopard rarely changed it’s spots, or her penchant for vodka in her mother’s case.

Subconsciously at least, Veronica must have believed that the separation was merely a temporary glitch because she was certain that she would never have chosen to move into this apartment had she known her stay there was going to last more than a couple of weeks. The apartment was a depressing space, all bland white walls and boxy cheaply finished rooms. Apart from the still unpacked boxes and untidy scattering of clothes the apartment was completely devoid of any sense of human life, the space appearing almost identical to how it had looked when she had been shown around the place by the overeager estate agent almost six months ago.

Sneaking a glance over at the answering machine, Veronica felt inexplicably sad seeing there was no pleading, desperate voice mail from Logan, begging for her to come back. There hadn’t been one in weeks. Though Veronica had swore to her father, that she was over Logan, that she didn’t want to talk to him, that she never wanted to see him again, the red flashing light on the answering machine was her one, last connection to her ex-boyfriend and without it she felt lost. Not that she’d ever admit that to anyone, least of all to Logan himself.

The buzz of her cell-phone vibrating on the coffee-table amongst left over takeout cartons and abandoned cups of coffee startled her and reaching for the offending phone, Veronica’s heart sank on recognizing the number.

“Agent Mars,” she answered reluctantly, stretching resignedly and pulling herself up from the sofa as though preempting the likely reason for the likely reason for the phone call. Four o’ clock in the morning and most people were asleep, snuggled up warmly in their beds but not Veronica. Her job as FBI agent offered no such sanctity to such frivolousnesses as a full night’s sleep.

“There’s been two murders over at UCLA,” her partner, John Burke muttered distractedly into the phone and Veronica could hear the wails of his newborn daughter rising in the background. “The crime scene technicians are finishing up at the scene now, so we’re cleared to go in.” he informed her before calling out the address of the Alpha Gamma Beta sorority house where the supposed murders had taken place.

“I’ll meet you there,” Veronica replied wearily, stifling a yawn with the back of her hand.

Dragging a brush through her sleep tangled lengths of blonde hair, Veronica gathered it into a neat ponytail before rummaging unenthusiastically through the staple black jacket and trousers combination that composed her work uniform.

Ponytails and trouser suits. It was hardly attractive. Then neither, Veronica supposed, brushing some bronzer over her cheek and staring blankly into the small cracked mirror, were the ravaged, bloodied bodies that her job as FBI agent put her in contact with everyday.

Grabbing her keys, Veronica made for the door. Dead college students always made for interesting news and Veronica was certain the crime scene would already be swamped by local media by the time she got there. Slamming the door shut behind her, Veronica sighed. It was going to be a long night.

--

It was still early morning when Veronica arrived on the scene, a faint tinge of blue just coloring the inky-black sky. Drawn by the ominous flashing blue and red of the police cars, the first of the onlookers were gathering. Glancing at the teens, Veronica could see the look of sick horror on their faces, their eyes widened with a sort of morbid fascination as speculation mounted as what exactly had happened in the house. Gathered in a quieter, more pensive clique, was a group of pajama attired girls, all shivering slightly in their thin robes.

The other sorority members, Veronica noted curiously, hoping but not relying on the fact that one of the girls might have some useful information on the killer. By all accounts, the two girls had been dead for hours and the incident had only been reported in the past hour or so. They were probably asleep, Veronica concluded reluctantly, before immediately reconsidering, remembering her own college days. If college students were renowned for anything, it was not their dedication to their studies but rather their ability to party nonstop for days. One of these girls might know something, or could have heard something, she determined, eyeing the girls cooly. Their red-rimmed eyes spoke of their upset and grief of the loss of their friends but Veronica was aware of the cunning actions of people when it came to concealing a crime. Teary eyes and quivering lips were easy to fake and Veronica was determined to quiz each and every girl individually and if there was a liar in their midst, she would hunt her out and reveal her for the murdering bitch that she was.

Traipsing through the damp grass, the muddy green already trampled by a hundred police boots, Veronica wandered over to the Alpha Gamma Beta sorority house, the grey and white expanse of clapboard painting a picturesque scene, undoubtably belying the horror of what lay inside.

“Blondie, you sure you want to go in there?”

Eyeing the balding police officer cooly, Veronica resisted the urge to kick the man in the balls, however satisfying the action would be. While being blonde and petite would be considered advantageous in most careers, Veronica had found the direct opposite to be true in the FBI. Police officers and even her own colleagues could be dismissive or even downright rude, perceiving some sort of deficit in her ability to do her job by the mere fact she had blonde hair and had a relatively attractive face.

“Yes, I do want to go in there and it’s Agent Mars to you, Officer,” she snapped back, eyeing the police officer icily before walking on past without affording him a second glance.

“What the hell?” Veronica sighed, wincing as she strode purposefully through the chaotic mess of a bedroom that had been so suddenly and inexplicably transformed into a crime scene. In her two years working as an FBI agent, Veronica had thought she had seen it all before but seeing the shocking scene in front of her, she decided she would have to rethink that theory.

“Amy Philips and Karen Jones,” Agent Burke informed her so matter-of-factly, he could have been listing off what he had eaten for his dinner and not naming two teenage girls who had just been bludgeoned to death. “Sophomores at UCLA. Both law students and. promising futures ahead of the girls by all accounts.”

The two bodies lay sprawled out grotesquely on the twin beds, their faces reduced to a mess of blood and tissue, the injuries obviously as a result of some blunt force trauma to the head. The bright pink walls were now sprayed with a splatter of red, the blood trailing in vast tracks onto the once cream carpet.

“With this much of a mess, I can’t believe that nobody heard anything. Didn’t they scream?” she mused, peering intently at her partner to gauge his reaction.

“They didn’t get a chance to,” Burke murmured quietly, his expression solemn as he wandered over to the body of one of the girls, her remains now splayed upon a tangle of blood sodden sheets. “Their skulls were bashed in with a heavy, blunt object and the girls were dead before they ever got a chance to wake up.”

“Have we any ID on the weapon?” Veronica cut in curiously, her eyes drawn to the elaborate collage of photographs pinned onto the wall, the pictures glistening with a fine sheen of blood. Their skin glowing with the hint of a summer tan and their orthodontic perfected smile beaming happily for the camera, the girls were captured at significant high school events such as senior prom and cheerleader rallies and though she hated herself for even thinking it, Veronica knew these would have been the kind of girls she would have loved to have hated at high school. There was a certain 09’er quality about them, she mused thoughtfully, an almost arrogance in their way they posed, that brought Madison Sinclaire immediately to mind.

“The lab are working on it,” the FBI agent responded absently, picking his way carefully through the crime scene as though sensing there was something they were missing. “Though they are working on the assumption that it was a hammer of some sort based on the series of indentations on the victims’ heads.”

Moving in to get a closer look, Veronica took a step back repulsed by the sheer quantity of bright red pooled under the victim’s head. The fact that the girl had blonde hair was hardly recognizable, her hair stained almost brown by the clumps of dried blood matted into her head. Swallowing heavily, Veronica forced herself to refocus her efforts on the investigation of the crime scene, when a glint of something shiny caught her eye.

“I wonder why CSI didn’t process this bracelet Karen is wearing,” she mused audibly, bending carefully over the girl’s limp wrist, to gain a closer view of the delicate piece of jewelry.

“Bracelet? What bracelet?” Agent Burke demanded impatiently, abandoning his photographing of some of the blood splatter patterns of the wall to investigate Veronica’s claims. “CSI didn’t find anything on the bodies other than the pajamas they were wearing and a stomach piercing on Karen Jones.”

“This,” Veronica replied, indicating the thin bracelet to the FBI agent with a pointed finger. On closer inspection, it was easy to see how the piece of jewelry had been overlooked. So congealed with blood, only the tiniest glint of silver distinguished the bracelet as being a separate entity to the sticky, bloody mess that now constituted the gruesome remains of Amy Philip’s body.

“Fuck, you’re right,” Burke murmured, intently photographing the position of the bracelet before removing it with gloved hands and bagging the piece of jewelry for evidence. “I can’t believe the guys missed this.”

“It’s probably nothing,” Veronica shrugged, though inwardly she was cautiously hopeful. Girls like Amy Philips didn’t wear the cheap, gaudy offerings of Claire’s Accessories that the bracelet discovered on her arm clearly was. Girls like Amy Philips, (or Madison Sinclaire), she considered snidely, wore expensive pieces from the likes of Tiffany’s and Bulgari.

Her partner didn’t reply, just pulled off his latex gloves with an audible snap. “I think we’re finished up here, for now. How about we get home and grab a few hours sleep while we can?” Burke suggested wearily and Veronica guessed by the expression on his face that he was thinking of spending a few hours with his wife and his daughter. Veronica had no such loving family unit to return home to, but the thought of her bed and catching a few hours sleep was comforting enough to make up for that fact.

“Sure,” Veronica agreed, heading eagerly for the door, already anticipating the few precious hours that would be spent hopefully, unconscious.

--

Dragging her fingers through her shower dampened lengths of hair, Veronica struggled to repress a yawn as she sat back in her seat, waiting for Mac to show. She was early, having overestimated the extent of the Friday evening traffic and the almost suffocating heat of the bar she had agreed to meet her friend in, was seriously impacting on her ability to keep her eyes open. Plans to catch-up on lost sleep had been thwarted by some unavoidable paperwork and an untimely phone call from her father. Consequently, Veronica was exhausted, certain that the only thing keeping her from falling asleep right there and then at the table, was the innumerable cups of strong coffee she had consumed at the office before flying out the door to meet Mac.

“Hey, Veronica,”

Seeing Mac throw herself into the chair opposite her, Veronica smiled at her friend in welcome, relishing the laid back attitude of the girl. Hair that could be shot through with pink one week, could be tinged with blue the next or even be reinstated to it’s natural brown color the following week if an important meeting demanded it. Recruited by a top software computer company for her reputed hacking skills, Mac operated under a relatively flexible work schedule, which unlike Veronica’s, at least afforded her the luxury of a full nights sleep.

“Well, what’s the big news?” Veronica pressed her friend curiously, her blue eyes widening expectantly as she leaned forward in her chair. Not one for dramatics, Mac never made a big deal out anything, not when she’d landed her dream job at Apple and certainly not when she’d started dating her current boyfriend, Brian Matthews, Veronica only learning about the relationship when a photograph of the happy couple was tagged on facebook. So when Mac had called her at work, saying she needed to talk to her immediately, Veronica had been understandably suspicious.

“Brian proposed and I said yes,” she thrilled in a tone so uncharacteristic of Mac, who was normally so calm and reserved.

“That’s brilliant news, Mac,” Veronica replied happily, grasping hold of her friend’s left hand to catch a glance at the ring. “As long as you don’t expect me to be a bridesmaid or Maid of Honor or any of those jobs that would require me to wear purple or pink,” she added wryly, aiming a pointed look at Mac before politely inspecting the generous ring.

“Nah, that’s what cousins are for, so don’t worry,” she reassured Veronica brightly, her smile momentarily widening as she caught sight of her engagement ring before withdrawing her hand from Veronica and placing it discreetly under the table. “Anyway, what’s the news with you, Veronica? I feel like, I haven’t seen you in ages.”

“That’s because you haven’t,” Veronica scolded her jokingly, knowing the long hours she put in at the FBI were as much to blame as Mac’s infatuation with Brian for the recent distance that had set in between the two girls. “And anyway, don’t think we’re going to be talking about me, when you’ve just gotten engaged. I expect details, Mac, you know, potential wedding plans, potential wedding dress ideas, that kind of thing,” she pressed her friend expectantly, knowing by the look on Mac’s face that she was sounding like some crazy sort of bridezilla. “I mean, have you set a date?” she finished lamely, inwardly cursing her late night addiction to reruns of ‘Whose Wedding is it anyway?’.

“Probably sometime next June,” she replied lightly, a teasing grin crossing her face as she gazed thoughtfully at Veronica. “You know, I’ll have to rethink the whole bridesmaids situation. You sound like you’d make a great bridesmaid with all those questions. How does lilac taffeta grab you?”

“You do that and you die,” Veronica joked, glowering at her friend with carefully narrowed eyes before the sound of her cell phone ringing incessantly in her bag, forced her to put a momentary halt to their conversation.

“Mars,” she spoke resignedly into the phone, rolling her eyes in apology to Mac.

It was Burke. “Veronica, you need to get in here, now. You won’t fucking believe this but Amy Philips, one of the victims from this morning, is Congressman Philips’ daughter.”

“You’re joking,” Veronica sounded in shock, running her fingers distractedly through the choppy lengths of blonde hair.

“I wish I was,” Burke sighed deeply and Veronica could almost visualize the exhaustion on his face. “It’s all over the media; there isn’t a television station that haven’t picked this up as their lead story.”

“I’ll see you in ten,” Veronica agreed resignedly, making plans with Mac to meet for congratulatory drinks before rushing out the door.

Title: Beneath the Waves in Silence I Fall
Rating: PG-13
Summary: Written for vm_redux once more. This was supposed to be from the prompt ‘Logan jumps’ but I went a slightly different way.
Spoilers: 1x22
Characters: Veronica, Logan, Weevil, Lamb, Duncan, Madison, Aaron, mentions Lilly and Lynn
Word Count: 718
Warnings: As the summary implies: Major Character Death



A/N: For the record: I don’t hate Logan. That clear? Good. This one’s for Joe and Louis. Title comes from Oleander’s “Halo”. And if anyone wonders how I can write these fics so “easily” or why I have so many - CC inspires me.

~~

Hmm, half the future senior class cheering and cracking every joke in the book and the other half looking like they were invited to Logan’s funeral. Someone cue “Leader of the Pack,” Veronica thought to herself as she headed towards the Java Hut.

So many would stop and stare as Veronica walked by, just waiting for her to fall apart. Apparently they all wanted a front row seat to her misery. Wasn’t going to happen, she decided. She had shed her tears for her friend already. Alone.

It had only been days since Logan’s supposed suicide. Veronica knew he never would have jumped. Weevil had been there, he had told her what had happened. He told her how drunk Logan was, how he had practically been dancing along the railing of the bridge, how Logan had asked him what he could do to him. Then it happened. Logan lost his footing. And he slipped. Straight down into the same body of water his mother had reportedly jumped into.

Funny thing about that bridge. It seems to have a thing against the Echolls family. Guess Lamb’s just lucky Aaron never went up there.

She almost had to smile at that thought. Aaron being alive was actually a help. At least for the prosecution. And Veronica couldn’t deny that for the first time, likely ever, she actually felt a little sorry for Lamb. First he’d had to even partially admit that her father had been right about Abel not having killed Lilly, then how Logan had been a suspect with only scraps of evidence, from there it was that Aaron would be in jail once he was out of the hospital and just when Lamb thought he had a chance of taking a breath they had gotten the call about Logan’s so-called suicide.

An anonymous tip, the news said. Nothing anonymous about it for Veronica. It had been Weevil, she knew it. But just like with Lynn they had found his car abandoned on the bridge and no sign of Logan.

Veronica had managed one full day of thinking he had just taken off to avoid the scrutiny of his father’s brand new murder rap. Then she turned on the TV. There Lamb was, looking about as good as she felt, telling the press they had found Logan’s body. Washed up on one of the beaches he used to go to to surf.

The irony.

She had barely managed to make it into his wake, the crush of people was phenomenal Especially when Logan wasn’t exactly a favorite person among most of the Neptune High student body. His funeral was a different story, however. Veronica was almost surprised to see just who was there. Part of her had expected more people, but then Logan wasn’t known for having real friends and after half of the things she had heard from their classmates she was kind of thankful for the small group.

Dick was there with his brother, Connor was there too. Even Casey. She could see the tears in Duncan’s eyes even from the far end of the second row. Trina could have won an Oscar for her performance as the strong older sister. She didn’t crack once. Veronica was even forced to put her hatred of Madison Sinclair on hold for a moment when she saw how hard she was crying.

Of course then Veronica had to wonder just why Madison was so upset but quickly decided Logan’s funeral certainly wasn’t the place to get into that.

Eulogies were given, memories were shared, food was eaten at the reception back at the Neptune Grand (the Echolls estate was still a crime scene thanks to Aaron’s interest in videography) and at the end of the day everyone went back to their separate corners, back into their own little worlds. Life was going on.

They say people live for as long as you remember them. If that’s true then Lilly and Logan will live as long as I do, Veronica thought with a slight smile as she climbed back into her car, ready to head home. She knew her friends would rather her celebrate their lives and live her own to the fullest rather than mourn them and dwell on their passing.

She intended to make them proud.

The End

Title: Boy Who Blocked His Own Shot [3/9]
Author: FromtheBrain
Characters: Logan, Veronica, LoVe (eventually), the regular cast will appear.
Characters (in this chapter): Veronica, Duncan, Keith, Lamb
Rating: PG - may go higher in subsequent chapters
Word Count: 1,923
Spoilers: Season 1 & 2.
Disclaimer: I don’t own them. But it would be better if I did
Summary: AU from Ahoy Mateys. What if Logan took Veronica's advice and left Neptune.

Title: Boy Who Blocked His Own Shot [2/9]
Author: FromtheBrain
Characters (in this chapter): Logan, Cassidy
Rating: PG - may go higher in subsequent chapters
Word Count: 1,532
Spoilers: Season 1 & 2.
Disclaimer: I don’t own them. But it would be better if I did
Summary: AU from Ahoy Mateys. What if Logan took Veronica's advice and left Neptune.

Chapter 2

Title: Two Week Stay-cation -+- Chapter Six of Eight
Author: cloud_forest
Pairing/Characters: Logan/Veronica
Word Count: 6,907
Rating: PG-13
Summary: Set pre-series. Keith and Lianne are on vacation, and have left Veronica with the Echolls. She’s been there for about a week and a half now, and some definite sparkage has occurred between her and Logan. Here, we find him unable to sleep because he’s being plagued by thoughts of a certain blonde girl...
Spoilers: None
Disclaimer: All this here? Technically not mine 'cause of some jackass named Rob Thomas. Did I say jackass? I meant genius who would never EVER sue some little fanfic writer.


( Sleepless long nights / That is what my youth was for / Oh teenage hopes arrive at your door )

Title: Hang the DJ
Rating: PG-13
Summary: Written for vm_redux once more. What if Lamb had gone to shut down Shelly’s party and found Veronica passed out in the bedroom?
Spoilers: 1x21
Characters: Veronica, Lamb
Word Count: 825
A/N: Huge thanks to love_is_epic for the prompt, my original idea for this was way darker (and longer).

~~

Fifth call in the last hour. Noise complaint. It was two in the morning and the neighbors apparently wanted to get some sleep.

Lamb did too but fewer seemed to care about his wants. With a sigh he grabbed his jacket and a few deputies and headed out to the offending 09’er party.

The ensuing groans from the guests as he walked up the drive were music to Don’s ears. He didn’t want to be there anymore than they wanted him there. Shutting down their party and ruining their night of debauchery would be the highlight of his.

“Alright! Pack it up! Party’s over!” he called out as he walked through the house.

Sacks turned off the stereo when he found it, watching the other deputies as they waved out more of the kids.

Lamb kept walking through the house, he knew more kids to throw out would be out back. Of course he didn’t expect any of the bedroom doors to be open. Nor did he expect what he saw when he peered into one of them.

“Check the others, I’ll take care of this one,” he stated to another deputy as he strode into the bedroom, thumbs firmly tucked into his gun belt. “Alright, Mars, come on, time to go.”

When she didn’t stir he walked closer. She was alone, lying on the bed, still dressed, just sleeping. “Veronica, it’s time to go, come on,” he tried again.

That time Veronica did hear him and a soft moan escaped her as she turned over at the sound of his voice. She was so tired, could barely even move but she knew she knew that voice.

“Veronica, party’s over,” he sighed. He wanted to get in, shut the party down and get out. Now he had a mostly passed out Veronica to deal with.

“Sheriff,” she smiled sleepily up at him.

“Yeah, party’s over. Time to get you home.”

Rolling over onto her back, she kept her eyes on him. “Join me. It’s a big, soft bed,” she smiled.

“Not a chance,” he scoffed. Images of Keith and his shotgun entered his mind. He shook them away and turned his attention back to the blonde girl who was shifting to kneel on the bed and reach for him. “Mars -”

“I said join me,” Veronica grinned sweetly as she took his hands in hers and tugged him towards her.

Lamb took a few steps towards her even as he rolled his eyes. He needed to get her out of there but at least he could tell the crowd had thinned out. He knew he had deputies for a reason.

“You’re trashed, Mars.”

“I’ve missed you,” she replied as she closed the gap between them and twined her fingers through his short, dark strands and fastened her lips to his.

Lamb didn’t wait. He was nearly ten years her senior, the county sheriff, she was underage and clearly wasted. Those were the thoughts he knew he needed to cling to and did so as he gently pushed her away.

“I’m taking you home,” he stated. Without waiting for her reply, he lifted her off the bed and set her feet on the floor. Clearly she would need help walking but he could manage that. He refused to carry her given how she would be sure to use that to her advantage but still he was getting her out of there. She could sleep it off in her own bed and with any luck she would never remember tonight and he could pretend that kiss hadn’t happened himself. She wanted to kiss him again in two years? Fine. Until then he was keeping his body free of bullet holes.

“Mmmmm,” she practically purred as she climbed into her bed with minimal help twenty minutes later.

If ever Lamb had been thankful for Keith being out of town it was then. His drunken daughter and him being her safe ride home? Yeah. Not a conversation he wanted at 3 A.M.

“Different bed, still soft and room for two, You could still join me,” Veronica smiled. He was still there, she wanted him to stay.

“Not happening. Goodnight, Veronica.”

“You’re just gonna leave me like this,” she pouted.

Yes. Yes he was. He wanted to live. “I have work and you need to sleep.” With that he headed out and back to his car. He knew he hated 09’er parties for a reason.

They got in the way of his sleep, forced him to work late and had now resulted in him having a drunken, sixteen-year-old Veronica Mars hanging off of him, kissing him, trying to talk him into sleeping with her and telling him that she had wanted him since his days as her father’s deputy (it had been a long drive from Shelly’s).

Great. Now he needed a drink.

The End

Title: You Found Me
Author: isdon_isgood9
Characters/Pairings: LoVe, Duncan, Mac, Weevil, Wallace and Keith.
Word Count: 7,665 (I’m sorry but it just wouldn’t stop.)
Rating: NC-17 (There is a sex scene)
Spoilers/Warnings: I’ve left it open to interpretation when it comes to season 3 cause I haven’t seen it so there is no direct reference to it but if you wish to think that season 3 happened that’s up to you. Also there is a sex scene.
Disclaimer: I, sadly, do not own Veronica Mars.
Prompt/Recipient: This is written for love_is_epicwho really wanted a fic written around The Fray’s song You Found Me because she believes it’s perfect for them, which it is.
A/N: This story has a lot of first for me as an author. It’s the first time I’ve written a song fic, it’s the first time I’ve ever written smut, it’s the first time I’ve made up a case of my own, it’s the first time I’ve ever thought a case I’ve come up with may actually fail and it’s the first time I’ve ever had someone beta my piece. So you will find the lyrics of the song in italics, they are part of the dialogue and settings, which means a few words have been changed to make sure they fit in. A big thank you to metchick01for the wonderful beta and putting up with my pretty bad punctuation. I hope you enjoy!
Summary: Years and years and years and years later you found me...




“This is it. It’s perfect.” Veronica said turning to Wallace.

“Are you sure?” Wallace asked wanting to make sure that the day to come would be his step sister’s happiest day ever.

“Yes, this is where Lilly wanted to be married. So it has to bring us some kind of luck.” Veronica said, “It seems like a part of her is here when we get married.”

“So the church at the corner of First and Amistad it is. It’s good you picked the location so fast seeing as you’re getting married in a two weeks time. I still can’t believe rich boy convinced you to do it that quickly.” Wallace said with a little laugh.

“Well after everything that has happened in the last few weeks can you really blame him?” Veronica asked.

------------------

7 weeks ago

Veronica woke up Monday morning to a loud knocking on. Rolling over she looked at the clock on her bedside table and saw it was only 7 in the morning. Groaning she stood up and grabbed her robe before heading to the door. Opening it just enough so she could see who was standing on the other side she quickly shut the door. Opening again she realized that she wasn’t dreaming and Duncan Kane really was standing on the other side.

“Surprise!,” Duncan cried opening his arms looking for a hug.

“You can’t be here.” Veronica said shaking her head.

“Sure I can. I’m surprising the love of my life.” Duncan replied

“No.” Veronica said shaking her head.

“No what?” Duncan said confused.

“Duncan you shouldn’t be surprising me at seven in the morning and no you aren’t the love of my life.” Veronica said.

“Are you dating someone?” Duncan asked.

“No but that’s not the point.” Veronica protested, “It’s 7 in the morning and we haven’t seen each other in 10 years Duncan. This conversation couldn’t wait till a decent hour, like 7 at night.”

“Fine let’s go have dinner tonight.” Duncan said, “We can pick up were we left off.”

“I’m busy tonight Duncan. I’m having dinner with my dad and his wife.” Veronica said with a sigh.

“Well tomorrow night then.”

“Go away Duncan.” Veronica said before closing the door in his face. Sighing she decided to get ready for the day early.

------------------

Veronica knocked on the door to her father’s apartment at 7 that night. She was a little worried about Duncan. When she had gotten home she had found his number posted to her door with a note saying 'call me'. Another one of her father’s guests noticed she was lost in thought so he decided to try and sneak up on her.

“Hey Bobcat,” Logan whispered in her ear.

“What will it take to get you to stop calling me that?” Veronica asked as her father answered the door.

“A million dollars,” Logan said as the pair started to move inside.

“Hi dad,” she said hugging him quickly.

“Hey honey,” he said returning his daughter’s hug, “Logan.” He greeted the young man with shaking his hand.

“Mr. Mars.”

“Everyone else is already here.” Keith said leading them into the small dining room.

“Why we meet here is beyond me.” Wallace said as he and Mac stood cramped in a corner. Veronica and Logan just shook their heads at them.

“So where have you been hiding?” Logan asked.

“Who says I’m hiding?” Veronica questioned

“Please I know your hiding.” Logan replied with his trademark smirk.

“Fine I’m hiding.” she said before shrugging, “Just in my office.”

“What are you hiding from?”

“Can I ask you something? In private,” Veronica said.

“Ask anything,” he said before following her to the tiny hallway which housed the way to the 2 bedrooms.

“What would you say if Duncan showed up?”

“I don’t know but it’s not like he’s going to.” Logan replied confused, “I thought you’d gotten past the phase where you ask me really weird questions so what’s going on.”

“Duncan showed up at my door this morning.”

“Oh. Congrats!”

“What’s that suppose to mean?”

“Congrats. It’s usually what someone says when they’re happy for something that’s happened in someone else life.”

“And your happy Duncan’s back?”

“No I was thinking I should be congratulating you on your new found relationship.”

“Careful Logan, you’ll sound like a jealous ex.”

“What?! You’re not back together with the love of your life?”

“Why does every keep assuming that Duncan’s the love of my life? Why does it always have to be him? What if is someone else?” Veronica cried, “And just so you know I was telling you because I thought you might like to see him... But I sent him away and I don’t really want to see him anytime soon.” She continued before turning to leaving

“Wait!” Logan said turning and grabbing her arm, “Who’s the love of your life then, 'cause as far as I know the only guys you see on a regular basis anymore are me, your dad, Wallace and Weevil.”

“Who do you think Logan?” Veronica breathed.

“I don’t know that’s why I asked.”

Veronica drew in a shuddered breath before saying anything, “It’s you, idiot.” She whispered before pulling back her arm and heading for the door, leaving a stunned Logan alone in the hallway.

------------------------

Veronica sat at her desk searching the missing persons' rewards page trying to see who they should track down next at Mars Investigations when there was a knock on the door.

“Come in.” Veronica called, hoping it would be her dad bringing her coffee as he headed to the Sheriff’s office for his day of work. Her father had finally been elected Sheriff after his third time of running for the position. Of course he made sure that he dropped everything when his wife or daughter needed something. Veronica was happy her father was in the job he loved so much and it meant she got to take over Mars Investigations on the promise that she would hire someone else to catch the bail jumpers for her. That was a promise she was more than willing to keep.

The door opened and a man in uniform stepped, “I hear you can find people.”

“Yes I can find people. Is there anyone in particular you want found?”

“Yes. This guy,” He replied placing a file on her desk.

“You're a cop... can’t you find him?”

“I’m too close to this according to my work colleges and I can’t lose my job. I have three kids to think about. This man kidnapped and killed my wife when he realized how close I was to catching him... That’s why I can’t find him.”

“If the cops are handling it than why do you need my help?”

“They are running out of leads to follow. They’re going to close the case next week. I need this man brought to justice.”

“Ok.” she said with a small nod. “I’ll see what I can do.”

“Thank you.”

“Now tell me everything you know.” Veronica said, while pulling out a note pad and pen.

“He’s name is Joseph Renwick. He’s a thirty seven year old white male. He’s wanted in several states, mainly for drug dealing.”

“You said he murdered your wife but he’s a drug dealer. They usually don’t do that.”

“That’s because most drug dealers are doing the drugs they're selling but Mr. Renwick is clever. He sells drugs without actually doing them.”

“So other than murder and drug dealing, is he known for any other criminal activities?”

“He kidnapped my wife before murdering her. Held her for a week, I never looked any further into the file than that. I’d prefer to remember my wife as she was, not what happened to her. The file of her case is there, though.”

“Ok anything else I should know that isn’t in the files?” Veronica asked.

“No, everything we know is in there. Thank you for this Miss Mars.”

“That’s ok Mr.-”

“Mr. Darby.” The man said standing and shaking Veronica’s hand.

-----------------------

6 weeks ago

Veronica was sitting at her desk with her head craned back so she could stare at the ceiling while waiting for the search she had just performed to finish running. She had been trying to find the drug dealer all week and was still having no luck. Of course it didn’t help matters, when her conversation with Logan was going through her mind twenty-four/seven. It wasn’t that she minded Logan knowing how she summed up their relationship. The problem was, since she had said it, did that mean something more was going to happen? She and Logan had finally found a good place. It was almost like the relationship they had before Lilly had died and she liked it that way. It's not that she didn’t want more, but she didn’t want to screw everything up again by running straight into another physical relationship with Logan. She knew without dealing with all the emotional issues that had lead them to failure in the past, history would repeat it's self. Veronica was dragged from her thoughts when the search she was running on the computer made its finishing noise. As she looked down at it she noticed Logan standing in the doorway.

“How long have you been standing there?” Veronica asked brushing her hair out of her eyes.

“Not that long.” Logan said, “Maybe five minutes.”

“You should have said something.”

“Why? You’re so beautiful when you’re staring off into the distance.” he replied as he took the seat across from her. “So what are you doing?”

“Working, Logan. Some of us need to do that so we can have money.”

“Really?!, I never would have guessed.” Logan replied sarcastically, “I meant what cases you’re working on at the moment.”

“Well there’s the bailer jumper worth a couple of thousand and a drug dealer that a cop from LA wants me to find for him.”

“No ex-boyfriends wanted of kidnapping showing up out of the blue again?”

“No. Duncan hasn’t visited me again but I’m sure he’s spending his days by the telephone waiting for it to ring.”

“But it never does right. Sometimes all you need to do is call. ” Logan said quietly.

“Why do I have the feeling we’re not talking about Duncan anymore?”

“Maybe it’s because we’re not, well I’m not.” Logan whispered, “If I had called about last week would we have ended up in an argument?”

“Depends on whether or not you said something to make me want to argue with you.”

“What if I said I wanted us to go on a date?”

“Logan,” she sighed. “We finally got to a really good place with our relationship, do you really want to go add something physical to it?”

“Veronica, sex would be nice but for the moment I just want the emotional side back. The side that says things like 'I’m the love of your life' and other sentimental gushy stuff you know warms my girlie heart.”

“Logan.” Veronica sighed.

“I’m not asking for much... Just one date.”

“I don’t know, Logan. Don’t you think it’s all, too much too fast? Like, we’re doing it just because Duncan is back?”

“No! I don’t think that at all. But why do you have to wait? Why do we have to wait until a time our lives aren’t dictated by a Kane?” Logan cried before lowering his voice to whisper, “If you had said that to me when Duncan wasn’t back I’d still be having this reaction. One date won’t kill you Veronica.”

Veronica took a deep breath before continuing, “One date. That’s it. If we screw this up there will be no do over's, ok?”

“Ok.” Logan replied as his face broke out into a giddy grin, “I will pick you up tonight at 7:00.”

-----------------------------

The doorbell to Veronica’s house rang at 7 pm precisely. Veronica was so excited she could have sworn that she bounced over to the door to answer it. She wasn’t sure how she had gone from being overly cautious about this date to being excited about it but she was sure that had to mean something good. At least that is what she had hoped until she opened the door to be greeted by Duncan.

“What do you want Duncan?” Veronica asked praying Logan didn’t show up while Duncan was here.

“I wanted to talk. Maybe we could go get dinner.” Duncan suggested, “You’re already dressed for it.”

“I have plans Duncan.”

“So cancel them they can’t be that important.” Duncan replied. Unknown to the pair Logan had arrived and had caught the tail end of their conversation.

“Actually they kinda are Duncan. So you need to leave.”

“But I have so much to tell you.”

“Too bad. It’s not my fault you didn’t keep in contact so I moved on.”

“Well last week you weren’t dating.”

“And the week before that you weren’t here messing up my life.” Veronica replied before finally noticing Logan over Duncan’s shoulder. Noticing her stiffen Logan placed a finger to his lips signaling she should not tell Duncan he was there.

“But I have things to give you.”

“What do you have unsent letters or are there messages that could have been left on an answering machine at some point? They don’t make a difference now Duncan. I don’t want to be with you.”

“Well they should.” Duncan protested.

“ You’ve got some kinda nerve .” Logan whispered finally revealing his presence to Duncan.

“And why’s that?” Duncan asked turning to see his best friend’s slightly mad face.

“After years and years and years and years you’re still trying to take all I want .” Logan replied bluntly.

“No I think it’s you who’s taken all that I want.” Duncan replied before he left abruptly. When the pair where alone Veronica turned to Logan.

“I was hoping it would be you when I opened the door.” Veronica whispered. “I was really disappointed when it wasn’t though. I should have guessed it wasn't you since you’re never on time.”

Logan laughed, “Yes that should have been a tip off. Do you still want to go out tonight?”

“Yes. Let’s not let that silly man get in between us again.” Veronica said while grabbing her bag and pulling the front door shut behind her

“What man?” Logan replied as he laced his hand with one of hers as they headed for his car.

----------------------------

“So was this a good date or a bad date?” Logan asked cautiously several hours later as they made their way back up to Veronica’s front door.

“Well I'll give you points for originality.”

“It was carnival!” Logan cried, “I won you a bear through a display of my ring tossing ability. That has to count for something.”

“I guess. Overall it was pretty good.”

“Pretty good as in 'we go stumbling towards your bedroom losing our clothes' or 'pretty good as in I kiss you goodbye and you call me in three days to tell me it’s not going to work'?”

“No stumbling to the bedroom but I’m pretty sure I’m not going to tell you this isn’t going to work.”

“Ok so what happens now?”

“Now you kiss me goodbye and hand me the bear. I’ll then go into the house with several backwards glances and watch you drive away through the window.”

“Ok and what happens tomorrow?”

“Tomorrow, I call you and we talk about one of the things that led us to failure before. I’ll even let you pick the topic.” Veronica replied.

“I can live with that.” Logan said with a nod before swooping down and placing his lips on Veronica’s causing her to moan. Hearing the moan almost made Logan want to push her straight back into the door frame and continue kissing her but instead he fought all those urges and pulled away. Holding the bear up for Veronica to take he used it as a buffer so that he could keep resisting his urges. As she took the bear she made sure to graze his fingers with hers before she stepped away and opening the door but not before she glanced back at him twice. Smiling Logan slowing began his retreat to the car throwing glances over his shoulder at Veronica who was watching him through the window. As he slowly drove out of the driveway he promised himself things would be different between them, this time.

-----------------------------

5 weeks ago

Veronica sat at her office smiling to herself waiting for the computer to finish yet another computer search to find the drug dealer that was still eluding her. Something wasn’t adding up but she wasn’t sure what yet. While she wasn’t paying attention Weevil walked into the office. Noticing his boss was staring off into space he shook his head before saying anything.

“V!” He called, “I got the guy.”

Veronica shook her head and brought the world back into focus, “That’s good Weevil. I hope you got the reward too.”

“That I did. Three thousand dollars right here.” He said pulling out a check and showing it to her.

“You did well! I’m still working on tracking down the drug dealer so you can run some back ground checks.” Veronica said as the phone on her desk started to ring and the smile she wore before was back on her face.

“Yeah, I’ll do the work and you can talk to rich boy.” Weevil said shaking his head in mock disappointment. Truthfully he was happy that Veronica had finally found someone who made her smile again but that didn’t mean he had to be happy it was Logan Echolls.

“Go do your work and close the door behind you.”

“I will if you finally put the boy out of his misery and tell him you love him.”

“Go away Weevil.” Veronica said hurtling a pen at him. Once he had closed the door she quickly picked up the phone, “Hey.”

“Hey yourself. You know answering the phone with a ‘hey’ isn’t very business like of you.”

“What would you prefer a ‘Hello this is Mars Investigations. How may I help you?’ Cause if you really see me doing that when I know it’s you then you clearly don’t know me at all and I may just have to rethink this whole dating thing.”

“Really?! Well I don’t believe you.” Logan said.

“Keep up that attitude and I won’t answer the door when you come to pick me up tonight.”

“You know you shouldn’t tease like that otherwise I might stand you up for date number three.”

“I doubt that”

“And why’s that?”

“Because you, more than anyone, know what happens on date number three.”

“You mean you’re going to put out because I thought you’d be more inclined to making me wait it out for a little longer.”

“Logan we’ve been dating one week and three days. How fast do except this to go?”

“As fast as you want it to go 'cause if you let me set the pace we may be getting married next week.”

“Funny. So what issue do you want to talk about today?”

“How about the one we’ve both been avoiding?”

“Logan, my dad really doesn’t care that you smashed a horrible lamp 10 years ago.”

“I wasn’t talking about Keith.” Logan sighed.

“I know but I was trying to make you laugh before we get all deep and meaningful about Donut.”

Logan laughed, “Since when do you call him Donut.”

“Since I’m not in love with him anymore,” Veronica replied with a small shrug she knew Logan couldn’t see.

“Not even a little bit?”

“Not even the tiniest bit. What about you?”

“What about me?”

“Are you still in love with Duncan?”

“I was never in love with Duncan.”

“Well that’s good to know.”

“Contrary to your beliefs Duncan and I did not have a forbidden gay relationship.”

“If you say so...” Veronica said as the computer made its finishing noise. Cradling the phone between her ear and shoulder she looked to see at what the search had come up with.

“I’m not protesting anymore because I know what you’ll say to that.”

“Am I that predictable?”

“Yes.”

“Logan can hang on a second I got to talk to Weevil.”

“You want to talk to Weevil instead of me?”

“Don’t be like that,” Veronica replied. “I think I may have found the drug dealer I’ve been looking for and I want him to go there and see if he can find him”

“I’m really glad you hired Weevil to do the heavy lifting.”

“So am I. Now I don’t have to cancel on you.”

“Ok well I have go do some work so how about I just talk to you tonight?” Logan asked.

“What?! Does your hair have to be just right for tonight?”

“Yeah that’s it” Logan replied, “I’ll see you tonight”

“See you tonight.”

------------------------------

“So are you having any doubts yet?” Logan asked as he walked Veronica up to her front door after their date.

“No. No doubts... Only happy, happy thoughts.”

“Well that’s good.”

“Of course, Luigi’s always helps with that.”

Logan chuckled, “Goodnight Veronica.” He whispered before swooping in and kissing her softly. As he was about to pull away she snaked her arms around his neck and ran her tongue across his lower lip. Opening his mouth to allow her to deepen the kiss he walked her backwards so that her back could rest on the doorframe. Circling his arms around her he ran his hands up and down her back until she pulled away.

“Logan,” Veronica breathed, “I love you.”

Logan’s face broke out into a silly grin as he laid a series of quick kisses on her lips. “I love you too,” he said before kissing her again.

“Come inside Logan.” Veronica breathed pulling away and putting her key in the door. Logan caught her hand just as she was opening the door.

“Are you sure? We don’t have to do anything you don’t want.”

“Logan, we are finally at a place where we are truly intimate with each other. So don’t you think it’s time we stop wasting time?”

“Yes but I have to be the good guy and make sure this is what you want. So is this what you want?”

“Yes.” Veronica breathed before grabbing his hand and pulling him inside with her. Once he had closed the door she pulled him straight into her arms and towards her bedroom. Veronica ran her hand under his shirt as he kissed his way down her neck before he changed sides and kissed his way back up. Pulling back from him she grabbed the hem of his shirt and with his help pulled it over his head. Veronica stared at his well sculpted chest before she stepped forward and began peppering his chest with light kisses, caresses of her tongue and tiny painless nips of her teeth. When she reached his nipples he pulled her face away from his chest so that he could lay another passionate kiss on her lips before finding the zipper to the dress she was wearing and allowing for it to fall to the ground.

“You know some people forget this kind of behavior.” Veronica replied as she stepped over her dress pulling Logan closer to their destination.

“How many times do I have to tell you Mars? We aren’t some people.” Logan whispered against her neck before moving further down her chest.

“Oh really, we’re not people? This is news to me.” Veronica replied as she arched into his hands that were playing with her breasts.

“Yes. That’s exactly what I mean.” Logan replied, “We are special people.” He continued finally pushing her onto her bed before joining her. Creeping up slowly he rested above Veronica on his elbows. Leaning down carefully he drew a nipple into his mouth sucking gently until she moaned. Running her fingers through his hair she held onto his head trying to keep it where it was.

“Well we special people had better stick to our own kind.” Veronica whispered lowering her hands to Logan’s belt.

“Yes we should.” Logan whispered lifting his head from her chest and pulling himself up to her face for another passionate kiss before removing the final barriers between them and quickly sliding home.

--------------------------------

Logan watched the blond sleeping in his arms contently. He was glad to finally have her back in his life this way and had spent several hours showing her how happy he was she was finally letting down all her barriers. Stroking her hair absently he couldn’t help but think of something someone had said to him weeks earlier.

“ In the end isn’t everyone supposed to end up alone ?” he whispered repeating the phrase he had heard as quietly as he possible could. He couldn’t help but think for once that might not be happening now. When his mom had died he felt so alone. Losing her so quickly after losing Lilly made him not want to get close to another person again especially if it meant the person had to know everything about him. Then Veronica had happened and she was now the only person alive who’s ever known who he was, who he wasn’t and he who wanted to. Back in the days of high school and college there had been no way to know how long she would stay next to him but now since she stopped running they had fighting chance.

And that was all he ever wanted.

-------------------------------

Veronica sat in her office trying to find the drug dealer. According to Weevil, he hadn’t been where she thought he might be when he showed up and the locals that lived near there had told him that he had moved on. Weevil left the business card anyway and asked them to call if he came back. Something really wasn’t adding up anymore and when she had done a search for Mr. Darby she had come up empty on that front. There were no Darby’s in LA let alone any cops with the last name. She had planned on ringing her dad when Wallace walked in for their weekly lunch date.

“You know you might want to wipe that happy grin off your face before dealing with bitter wives looking for a divorce.” Wallace said taking the seat across from her.

“Well it’s not my fault they’re so bitter.”

“I take it things are going well with you and Logan.”

“Yes they are. Really well actually,” Veronica replied as her smile got even wider.

“Well you better tell Mac about it, in detail.” Wallace said.

“I’ll meet you at the cafe ok? I have to let this search finish.” Veronica replied shaking her head.

“Ok but if your more than twenty minutes I’m starting without you, Supafly.”

“Of course step-brother, I wouldn’t expect anything less.” Veronica replied before Wallace left. Veronica sat in her quiet office waiting for the computer to ding. “I don’t understand,” she whispered to herself before picking up the phone to dial the number Mr Darby had left only to find it had been disconnected. Hanging up she sighed before checking to see how the computer was doing on her search for Mr Darby when the search she also had running for her drug dealer hit something. There was an apparently a connection between Mr Darby and Joseph Renwick that had been left out of everything she had been given and finally some of the pieces were falling into place. But before she could look any further into the findings she heard the door open she got up to answer it thinking it was Wallace, “Seriously Wallace, I’ll meet you at the cafe. I’m just trying to figure out who this guy is who hired me.”

“Not anymore.” The man said as he grabbed Veronica and pushed and a cloth soaked in chloroform to her mouth. Veronica struggled until her body gave away and she fell into a deep sleep.

-------------------------------

Wallace entered Mars Investigations with a sandwich and drink for Veronica seeing as se hadn’t joined him for lunch. He saw Weevil standing in the foyer surveying the scene.

“Why aren’t you going in? Are Veronica and Logan having monkey sex on her desk? Cause if they are I’m leaving now.” Wallace said shaking his head in disgust.

“No.” Weevil whispered, “I think something happened.”

“What makes you say that?”

“One of the chairs in the waiting room is over turned and the cloth over there smells of chloroform.”

“Have you called Mr. Mars?”

"Yeah the Sheriff is on his way.”

-------------------------------

4 week ago

Logan sat as calmly as he could in the visitor’s chair of Sheriff Mars’ office. He’s knee was bouncing out of control. He couldn’t get the thought out of his mind that he was losing someone else again. He hadn’t slept since he had been told of Veronica’s kidnapping. He tried to keep his cool but only he and Dick knew that his place was in total ruins from when Logan felt the need to take his anger out on something. Dick wasn’t too impressed when Logan had kicked in the television but Logan was just glad to take his anger out on inanimate objects rather than waiting for the first blooded male to walk up so he could pick a fight.

“Logan.” Keith said as he entered his office, “How are you holding up?”

“You know I really wish people would stop asking me that. It’s not going to change until you find her and she comes home, safe and sound to me.”

“And if she doesn’t come home?”

“It’s not weird for a guy to be a spinster, right?”

Keith chuckled hollowly, “You’re not going to be a spinster if I have anything to say about this, alright?”

“Can I help in any way? I just feel so useless sitting at home waiting.”

“I know the feeling.” Keith replied, “But I’m sorry there’s nothing you can do.”

“Ok let me know if there is.” Logan said before standing. Pausing in the doorway he turning back to say one last thing to Keith, “It's weird how Veronica never seems to be here when everything falls apart , isn’t it?”

“Well, usually you or I make sure she stays away.” Keith whispered to an empty doorway.

-------------------------------

Keith slaved away tirelessly, trying to locate his only child, stopping only when Alicia came to bring him food. His wife was nice enough to give him a distraction 3 times every day but when they weren’t eating Keith couldn’t concentrate on anything but Veronica. So Alicia spent the rest of her days helping her sons deal with Veronica’s disappearance. Keith scrounged every corner of Veronica’s office and every file she had on the drug dealer Joseph Renwick seemed to be nonexistent, as was the police officer who had given her the case. It led him, and Weevil, to believe that the man may have set Veronica up from the start. The only questions missing answers where, where was Veronica and why would this man taken her?

Keith followed every lead that landed on his desk personally. He went with every hunch but none of it seemed to be enough to find where Veronica was. He was sure everything tied back to the police officer but with only a last name written down Keith was at a lost. He decided that the only thing he could do was take another look at Mars Investigations. Sitting in Veronica’s chair Keith looked over paper work and his daughters notes trying to figure out what could have happened. Sighing, he started shifting through computer files, something small and insignificant caught his eye at the side bar of the computer. Clicking it he saw an old photo of a man and a woman in an old abandoned factory. Looking up the case file he found out that the shot was one he had taken in he’s early days as a PI when an wife was looking for confirmation that her husband was defiantly cheating. Keith remembered that he used to take all his old conquests to this factory and it gave him a hunch as to where Veronica could be.

----------------------------------

“So why are you doing this?” Veronica asked from her position in the chair. Her hands and feet were tied to arm rests and legs of the chair. She tried her hardest to not pull at the bounds after she discovered that only seemed to make the knots tighter.

“Why wouldn’t I take you? Your father destroyed everything for me!”

“How is that?”

“My wife would never have left me if your father hadn’t been snooping.”

“Your wife is alive?”

“No. It’s your father’s fault!”

“How is it my father’s fault?! He didn’t tell you to screw someone who wasn’t your wife.”

“I was good cop.” The man said placing both his hands on her arms and bringing his face as close to hers as he could. “I was good husband. Then she finds out about the affairs, thanks to your father, and I’m left with nothing.”

“How did your wife die?”

“She was dating a Joseph Renwick and when she found out about the drugs she tried to leave him. So he bashed her skull in with a glass ashtray.” Veronica gasped when she heard the murder weapon and tried to keep her disgust to herself, “Don’t worry I left something in your office so that everyone you love will find you when it’s just a little too late.”

---------------------------------

Keith walked back into the Sheriffs office with a new found determination. He found where Veronica could be and had only returned to the office to get as many of his officers as possible, a police car and Logan. When they were finally ready to move out it had only been ten minutes but it felt like a life time to Keith. The car ride to the abandoned factory was only forty-five minutes away but it felt like an eternity. He somehow managed to keep Logan in the car, even though he complained about not being four, and he got word back from Sacks and Leo that there was indeed people in the building and one could be Veronica and that was all he needed to mobilize his officers to get into the building. That was until they heard a gun shot and a minute saw a man with the features of the man who had taken her fleeing the building.

---------------------------------

Logan sat in the police car, waiting. It seemed to be al he did these days. Wait. He had to wait for Keith to fill him in. Then he had to wait in the car during the forty-five minute car ride. Now he’d been told to wait in the car, like a four year old who couldn’t be trusted, while Keith and his deputies went to see if they could spot Veronica. Logan waited and waited until he heard a gun shot coming from the building. Then he’s decided that he was done waiting.

---------------------------------

The deputies that Keith had brought tried to capture Logan as he ran towards the building but Keith called to them to help him take the kidnapper, so they left him alone. Logan kept running through the doorway into the building before he started to yell Veronica’s name. He saw a corridor to his left and ran straight through it still yelling for Veronica. Taking a sharp turn right and almost running into the dead end he finally heard a moan coming from a room in the centre of the new corridor. Heading to it, he found the door open and Veronica laying one the floor surrounded by blood.

He moved towards her cautiously he pulled his jacket off and applied it to the wound to the left side of her stomach.

“Logan,” Veronica whispered. “Am I still lost ?”

“No. I’ve got you.” Logan whispered as the blood began to surround his hands, through the jacket.

“ You found me. ”

“Well your dad did the hard work. I just came running when I heard the gun shot.”

“ Where were you? I was so lost. ”

“Well you should think of it this way. You could have been lost and I could have been a little late. ”

“But you weren’t and you found me .” Veronica whispered before shutting her eyes to rest.

-------------------------------

Logan paced the floor in the hospital waiting room hoping for some news. He needed to know Veronica was ok but he hadn’t been able to see her since the ambulance had taken her away from the factory they had found her in. He barely noticed as Mac, Weevil and Wallace entered and tried to help him. He was resistant when Dick entered and offered him support and a shoulder to lean on but he was down right anger when Duncan waltzed in there like he would have been invited.

“What are you doing here?” Weevil growled before Logan could even think to speak.

Duncan opened his mouth to answer but was cut off as the Doctor entered, “Miss Mars is awake. She has lost a lot of blood so I suggest you go in one at a time and don’t stay for too long.”

Logan sighed in relief before heading for her door. When he entered he was greeted with a smiling Veronica.

“How are you doing?”

“Isn’t that supposed to be my line?” Logan asked walking over to the chair next to her bed and taking hold of her hand.

“I guess. I just wanted to beat you to the punch.” Veronica whispered

“You were always a beat earlier.”

“Compared to the guy who was a beat behind? Like now, when you haven’t even kissed me hello.”

“I’m not sure you should be allowed kissing privileges yet.” Logan teased.

“I could have died in there today and you want to withhold kisses from me. Kisses, Logan, kisses.”

“Fine. It’s not like you’ll be getting anything else anytime soon.” Logan replied before standing up and kissing her lightly on the lips.

“Now was that so hard?” Veronica teased.

“For all you know it could have been.” Logan replied before picking up her hand again, “I have to ask you something.”

“No.”

“No, what?”

“No, he didn’t rape me.” Veronica whispered.

Logan moved from his chair to the edge of her bed before running a hand down her cheek and saying, “Thanks for telling me but that’s not what I wanted to ask.”

“Oh. Ok ask away.”

“Marry me Veronica?” Logan whispered, “I know this isn’t the ideal place to be asking and we’ve only been back together a few weeks but I could have lost you today and I know all I want to do is not let you go.”

“You know, your going to have to let me go. Right?” At Logan’s disappointed face she continued, “I’ll want to go to work and to visit my father without you around.”

“Even though, just to be clear, you’re saying no.”

Before Veronica could reply, Duncan came barging closely followed by Weevil and Wallace, “We tried to keep him out.” Weevil said with a shrug.

“It’s ok. We can finish our conversation later, right Logan?” Veronica replied with a forced smile which Logan noticed and it prompted him to nod.

“Good cause I need a few minutes alone with you.” Duncan said gesturing that everyone should leave. Once Veronica had nodded her ok Weevil and Wallace left, Logan however stayed where he was.

Veronica placed her face next to his ear and whispered, “I’ll be ok. Just don’t shut the door behind you,” before she pushed him off the bed and towards the door.

Duncan waited patiently for Logan to leave before he walked over to the bed and perched on the opposite side to the one Logan had just vacated. “Veronica you don’t know how worried I was about you.”

“What’s that suppose to mean?”

“I had every available resource looking to find you.”

“But you didn’t. Logan and my dad found me.”

“It doesn’t matter Veronica. The only thing that matters now is an answer to a very simple question. Will you do me the great honor of becoming my wife?” Duncan asked sliding off the bed and onto one knee. Veronica was shocked. Not only had she been kidnapped and shot today but two men she had dated or was dating asked her to marry him. She began to think maybe it was all a little too much to deal with for one day.

---------------------------

“Mac, not all of us can be bachelorettes for the rest of our lives.” Veronica replied with a giddy laugh as the hairdresser fiddled with her hair.

“I know but not all of us are lucky enough to finally get it right with the love of our lives.” Mac said.

“Yeah, I’m pretty lucky huh.”

“Totally.”

“Ok ladies that’s all.” The hairdresser said as Keith entered the room.

“You look stunning honey.” Keith said with tears in his eyes, “Now are you sure you want to do this?”

“Yes dad, I’m positive and you’ve already scared him so if I don’t marry him now it will be a waste of a very good scare.”

“It was a good scare, wasn’t it?”

“Yeah it was and I’m afraid you’re not going to be able to pull off another one like it again.”

“Ok as long as you’re sure?”

“Dad it was going to happen sooner or later. Shouldn’t you just be glad you kinda like this one and he was more than happy to have you walk me down the isle?”

“Yeah ok and on that note we should go and stand in our positions because they’re waiting for us.”

“Ok. Mac you ready?”

“As ready as I’ll ever be.” Mac replied with a smile.

“Then, let’s go get me married.” Veronica replied with a giddy grin.

---------------------------

“Why can’t I just go out there now?” Veronica whined.

“Because you’re best man isn’t here yet.” Mac replied.

“But I’m the one who is supposed to be fashionable late.” Veronica sighed. “He’s going to think I’m standing him up.” With that Veronica turned and opened the door that separated her from her soon to be husband. Having his back to the door she took the chance to ogle him while he wasn’t looking. He only turned around when Dick pointed at her staring at him. Logan shot her a smile that matched her own giddy smile. Taking a deep breath she watched as he tried to ask her what the hold up was when she was obviously ready. She mouthed 'Wallace' and left him and Dick in laughter when someone behind her said.

“Isn’t it bad luck to see the groom before you walk down the isle?”

“Probably but we’ll live with the bad luck.” Veronica said closing the door and hugging Wallace, “Are you ready to go now so I can marry the man I love or do you need some more time to fix your hair?”

“No, hair is fixed. Let’s get this party started.” Wallace said.

“Let’s!” Veronica said. Taking there positions Keith signaled to the band that they were ready and as the music swelled around the people in the church Mac and Wallace walked, arms linked, down to where Logan, Dick and, surprisingly, Weevil were waiting. As Mac and Wallace took their places on the steps of the alter they turned back as the crowd in the church stood for Veronica to enter. Every eye in the building was on her but Veronica’s eyes were only on the man she was about to marry and she couldn’t believe how lucky she was.

--------------------------

Logan held Veronica close and rested his chin on her head as they swayed to the song that Veronica had chosen to be there first dance song. He wasn’t sure of the title of the song but he found it kept him at ease when he thought about how his wife had picked the song. His wife. He would never get tired of that. Though he still couldn’t believe she had said yes when he was so sure she had been trying to find an easy way to say no to him. Although the bigger shock had come when Duncan had asked Veronica to marry him and she had promptly cut him down into as many pieces as she could with her words and sent him away telling him he should return to wherever it was he had been hiding for all these years and not return.

“Hey.” Veronica whispered, “Where is your head at?”

“I was just wondering what the name of this song was, Ronnie.”

“If you make a habit of calling me that I’m going to make a habit of not putting out.”

“Please you can’t resist the Echolls' charm honey.”

“I am an Echolls now.”

“Which just proves my point? So what is the name of this song?”

“More than anyone by Gavin DeGraw”

“Well it’s perfect.”

“Actually it’s the next song that is perfect for us.”

“Really?”

“Yep.”

“This song goes out from Veronica to Logan.” The DJ said as he started the next song. Logan laughed as he recognized the song.

“Well husband, you did find me so I though it made heaps of sense.”

“And here I was thinking that it had to do with the fact you know how much I love The Fray.” Logan replied with a laugh before pulling Veronica.

“I know you’ll always find me.” Veronica whispered into his shirt.

“Good cause I always will.”

“And I wouldn’t have it any other way.”

The End
 

Title: Bless This Mess (When All Is Said And Done)
Author: stainofmylove
Rating: PG13
Word Count: ~2295
Pairing/Characters: Veronica/Logan, Lilly, Duncan
Summary: The more things change, the more they kinda sorta stay the same.
Spoilers: season 1
Warnings: some language
A/N: For isdon_isgood9, who wanted something with LoVe inspired by “when all is said and done,” AUs where Lilly is alive, and the graduation dream from “Not Pictured.” Basically, this is a universe where Lilly didn’t have an affair with Aaron. Or at least didn’t try to steal sex tapes to expose said affair.

[[ Sure, she’s always curious. It’s kind of her nature. ]]

Title: Fun Size
Author: absfabulous1
Characters/Pairing: Logan/Veronica
Word Count: 5,300. This one really got away from me.
Rating: NC-17 for sex and language
Spoilers: I guess some vague spoilers for 3.05- President Evil, but this is set the following Halloween.
Summary: After going weeks without being alone with each other, Logan and Veronica spend some time together on Halloween night. Some smut ensues.
Author’s Notes: This was written for vmfic_gameon Round #2’s monthly challenge and because I had the urge to write a dirty L/V fic. Happy Halloween!



"Their agreement was simple and all about compromise- he had agreed to do something she liked- dressing up and passing out candy to trick-or-treaters, in exchange for something he liked. And he had a lot of ideas."

Title: Welcome to the Hellmouth
Author: celtic_flicka

Characters: Veronica, Logan, Mac, Max
Word Count: ~3,000
Rating: PG-13
Summary: Halloween in Neptune, with vampires, wizards, and slutty schoolgirls.
Spoilers: Takes place on the Halloween immediately following season 3. Also, minor spoilers for Buffy the Vampire Slayer and the Harry Potter series.
Disclaimer: If Rob Thomas lets me borrow them, they will be returned in their current pristine condition.

Notes: This was x-posted at the vm_redux_extras gift exchange, for serendipityxxi, who requested a Halloween-themed fic with Veronica/Logan or Veronica/Weevil that involved a case, and included the prompts ghosts, regret, and trick, and for Round #2, Halloween Challenge, at vmfic_gameon.

~*~*~ Happy Halloween! ~*~*~

 

 

Title: Boy Who Blocked His Own Shot [1/9]
Author: FromtheBrain
Pairings/Characters: Logan, Veronica
Rating: PG - may go higher in subsequent chapters
Word Count: 431
Spoilers: Season 1 & 2.
Disclaimer: I don’t own them. But it would be better if I did
Summary: AU from Ahoy Mateys. What if Logan took Veronica's advice and left Neptune.

A/N:

This is my first VM fic and of course I had to write LoVe. This is a season two AU, so there are going to be some changes to the timeline and what happened. It starts after episode 8, Ahoy Matey’s.

Background: Logan was cleared of all charges of killing Felix and he was never rearrested (2x06, his house is also not burnt down in this episode) or got the ankle bracelet. But all summer there were fights between the PCHer’s and the 09’er guys. Veronica Logan do spilt up and she is back with Duncan. There was no bus crash, Cassidy is not the bad guy (he didn’t rape Veronica), Meg is in a coma (but from a car accident). I hope that clears some stuff up.

Chapter 1

Title: Insisting on Love (Part 4/?)
Author: hiddeneloise
Pairings: Logan/Veronica
Word Count: 5,651
Rating: This part R. Eventually NC-17
Warning: Adult language.
Spoilers: Everything that aired.
Summary: Picks up a few weeks after the events of the last episode of the show. The roller-coaster that is Logan and Veronica. Sometimes you need to get off the ride and stop spinning in order to appreciate the high.
Disclaimer: I don’t own them. I just love them. Despite everything.
A/N: My excellent, patient … very patient beta, arabian, who is sticking with it despite the truly epic length of time it takes me to produce a chapter. Through years and continents, etc.
A/N2: I am out of benefit of a doubt, apologies, and forbearance. I don’t deserve any. But if you are still here, reading, and can find it in your heart to forgive me just a little, I am very grateful!

Part 1

Part 2a

Part 2b

Part 3

Part 4


I’ve looked at love from both sides now,
From give and take, and still somehow
It’s love’s illusions I recall,
I really don’t know love at all.

Joni Mitchell.
“Both Sides Now.”

****

“This is Logan with today’s inspirational greeting: It is absurd to divide people into good and bad. People are either charming or tedious. Oscar Wilde. Leave a message.”

It’s a habit by now. Veronica expects to laugh at each new greeting, and she knows that’s why he’s doing it. Whether they are snarky, heavy, or just funny, they are specifically geared toward her these days. It’s a habit, but she embraces it and laughs. It’s a comfort, because it signals a positive shift. A clue she needs desperately, given that she has a decision to make.

She waited for the reply for three days. Three days that weren’t uneventful, so she didn’t get a chance to dwell. But the nights were bad. Short bouts of sleep intermittent with compulsive e-mail checking did her no good. And when the reply finally arrived, it wasn’t exactly something she could hang on to as total comfort. Except, maybe, the very fact of it was reassuring.

***
From: EasyRiderLE@gmail.com
To: VMars@gmail.com
Subject: Re: Your Letter

Dear Veronica,

Good to hear from you. I mean, good to hear full sentences that don’t end in profanities. Your colorful phone messages are on my permanent playlist, btw. (And no, I am not discarding them, so don’t ask. They are my main source of entertainment right now. Well, the messages and Halo, but let’s not split hairs.).

Anyway, that’s quite a loaded letter you sent – and yes, I know I left you with the whopper of my own – it’ll take me some time to process it.

Truth is, I am not sure how I feel about a lot of things, but I don’t want to just be reactive. When I respond viscerally I tend to make things worse. We both do, but I think we are trying to learn something here, so this is me, trying.

What I said is true: I still love you. Reading that you still love me, too, is simultaneously exhilarating and painful. I was working very hard on that acceptance thing, and just as I started reaching some kind of peace, your e-mail came. And all my peace is in pieces. I don’t like feeling this way. Indecisive. That’s not me. But I also don’t like to think I could just slip back into the old routine, because the old routine clearly doesn’t work. Not for me and not for you.

First things first: I am not hiding, I promise. I am at 203 Adella Lane. Yes, once an 09ner, blah-blah. Laugh all you want, but there are some things a civilized human being cannot do without. Like a Jacuzzi. Or a mud room. Yes, I have a mud room. I have yet to see mud in Southern Cali, but just in case I ever do, I’m all set. Also, there’s a garden with a lot of grass. It makes me sneeze, but I stay there just the same. It all feels so … respectable. It’s disgusting. And kind of fun.

Before you yell at me for throwing money away, I didn’t buy the place. I’m renting, or, rather, subletting. And it’s a bargain considering the stellar privacy and peace it affords. Also, compared with what I was spending at the Grand, it really is a steal.

Anyway, it’s a house. I have a coffee maker. And a washer and drier, both of which I fully intend to learn how to hire a housekeeper to use. There’s even a plant of an undetermined origins. I doubt the previous resident of this place ever bought anything resembling greenery in his life, so it must’ve been a gift. It’s alive so far, but I don’t think it likes me. It’s been wilting slowly from the bottom up and every time I water it, it drips from the leaves. What’s that about?

Again, you would be proud of me for displaying some fiscal responsibility, though I am still not entirely clear on all the notes your accountant made about my assets. I am trying to sort out my inheritance, and there’s a lot of it, and it’s all over the place, and you’ve got to hand it to daddy dearest: He knew how to stash shit away. My head hurts just from processing the information.

So that’s what I do these days. I play Halo, I lie in my grass, and I read all these insanely complicated papers and curse my economics professor for not teaching us anything actually useful. Systems and structures are all fine and well, but there’s a gap somewhere between reality and those systems. I am kinda sorry I didn’t listen to Mr. Pope better, but I was a tad preoccupied that whole year.

And I read and reread your letter and listen to your messages.

I don’t know if I’m ready for a face-to-face, but I’m honestly not avoiding you. I think it’s fairly obvious, from the sheer length of our correspondence, that we’ve got stuff to sort, and putting it into writing, as opposed to shouting things at each other, is not a bad way to go about it.

I have to say, what you wrote about Duncan and your reasons for getting back with him mystifies me a little. While I believe that it was how you felt, I am still baffled as to why. I get the rosy glow of that first love, Veronica. I am well familiar with misty filters applied to first loves. But you wanting to get that back? I kind of thought you knew better. You say DK represented that wonderful, happy time of “before.” But what happy time exactly? Sure you felt happy then, but knowing what you knew after, you couldn’t have possibly still thought everything was just dandy in our glowing past, could you? What we had was an illusion, not a real fairytale. It may have looked like the four of us had the world of stars and unicorns, but DK was hiding debilitating disease and an enormous case of selective myopia. Lilly was trying to fill the gaping void inside with some of the unhealthiest shit she could find, and would have run over anyone who tried to stop her on that quest. Me? Hell, I had a girlfriend I didn’t know how to handle, a best friend so oblivious he made me want to scream sometimes, a catatonic mother, and a father who was beating the life out of me on the regular basis. And you? You were – no offense – completely deluded. Your happy parents lived a lie, your eternal friendships were shaky at best, and your stalwart prince charming was the kind to ditch you without a word. You may not have realized any of it then, but you were sure aware by the time you took Duncan back. Are you telling me this was the world you were trying to recreate by dating him again? What were you wishing back: the delusions or the pretense?

Look, I’m not doubting your word, I’m marveling at the power of myth. Because, fuck it, I know all about it. I took Lilly back again and again, and I wanted you back – and still do – even if I know all about the shakiness of the proposition. I just hope to God you wanting me back is not some kind of an attempt to recreate a happy memory you have of us from the beginning….

No. I’m sorry, that’s bitter and unkind. And I don’t really think that. I am just bitter and unkind when it comes to the subject of DK, and I will probably always feel that way. See, I’m trying to keep the spirit of complete honesty that we are fostering here. I admit I feel that way sometimes, and, since you told me about your less-than-stellar moments of jealousy, I think it’s only fair I show you mine.

What I am really afraid of, I guess, is that I don’t know if I can trust what you are feeling or thinking. Because you do have a tendency for nostalgia moves, and you do retreat when things show signs of getting tougher. I’m not blaming you for what you obviously cannot control, but I need to watch out for it, because, so far, the endgames tend to be devastating to me. And I don’t know if I can handle any more.

I mean it, I really don’t know. I don’t know where it leaves us, and I don’t know if analyzing our bad patterns does us any good or will ever prevent us from falling right back into them. And I don’t know if I’m even up for trying it out, if I’m completely honest.

I do know this: I want to be with you. I am afraid of it, and I’m impatient for it, and it drives me crazy. How’s this for honesty?

Sorry for the downer, but we can’t look away from this. That much I know for sure: If we pretend things are better when they aren’t, we’ll end up in the worse place then before.

Okay, moving on. So, that was some rundown of why you never trusted me. I am not being sarcastic, I’m grateful for the fact that you are finally admitting it, and that you took the time to examine why. Because I never felt the trust, even when you kept assuring me that you didn’t have doubts. And it’s a relief, because it means that you, at least to some extent, are trusting me now.

Thank you for saying I ruined you for all other men. For once, I love your penchant for the hyperbole, because it works out well for me. Your list of things you like about me? That was my favorite part of the letter. Go ahead and laugh and call me self-involved. But after wondering for so long, I am in no way embarrassed to be happy to learn that you did pay attention, that you care, and that it wasn’t just some one-sided delusion on my part.

One thing, though: I am certainly NOT Fettucini Alfredo. Blech! Nor am I Eggplant Parmesana. For starters, my mom’s nutritionist would have told you both things are calorie bombs. Alfredo is smothered in fat, and the eggplant is swimming in oil … and I’m going to stop right now, before you make fun of me for even knowing this. Bad enough you mock my in-no-way-gay encyclopedic knowledge of show-tunes!

Anyway, Piz isn’t the eggplant, either. If you are looking for a food analogy, the guy’s more of a milquetoast than anything else… Okay, fine, I can see you frowning all the way from here, so I’ll stop with the cheap shots.

But honestly, Veronica, those “bad boy/good guy” categories you are trying to shove both of us into? They are ridiculous and pointless and only work if you are 12 and watching an after-school special. I know you like to catalogue, but you are not that linear-minded. I, for one, refuse to conveniently slide into those definitions on my own behalf and on behalf of Piz.

Most people aren’t that basic. Barring a few truly evil ones – and you and I have both met our share of those – people, I find, are simultaneously bad and nice, mean-spirited and extraordinarily kind, generous and cold, remorseful and unrepentant. I cannot believe I’m giving you an Oprah lecture, but honestly, you grasping at food analogies to accommodate your vision of humanity is scaring me.

Look, you know I am not that bad. I have a past, but so what? And Piz might have a past one day, especially if he keeps hanging with you. And I certainly hope we all have a future. Which means there are tons of crap and tons of good things ahead of us. Do you really believe the world looks better sorted? It may appear safer, and it’s tempting to always know where you stand with everyone, but you cannot do that at the expense of reality. Oversimplify it enough in your mind and you risk getting nasty surprises or missing out on great ones.

Okay then. Enough of the pep talk. I hope you are well. I definitely want to continue this conversation, and you can write or call at any time. I want to see you soon, too. I’m scared shitless, but I’m willing to try again.

Btw, why aren’t you in D.C. yet? Isn’t it time for that internship? I thought you’d be gone by now. Or did you stay for your dad?

I’m not trying to pry, but it’s all over the news and kind of hard to not know about. I hope Keith is okay. And no joke, if it comes to that (though I hope it doesn’t and the whole thing blows over quickly) and I can help with paying for an army of lawyers that can get anyone out of anything, please let me. I know you don’t take anything from anyone, but this is too important to stand on principle.

Love,

Logan.

****

It’s embarrassing to Veronica just how many times she has reread that e-mail. Searching for hidden meaning, for hints of things unexpressed. There weren’t any. It was open, it was Logan. Well, it was Logan trying to be succinct, anyway. He was fairly open with his explanation, and she understood it. He didn’t try to hide his fear, which, for Logan, was an effort. She appreciated that.

Of course, being Logan, he couldn’t abstain from a few snarky digs. But Veronica wasn’t going to hold it against him. Whether she liked it or not, he had a point. She did tend to classify people in her mind and keep them under specific headings indefinitely. Thing was, most of the time she knew Logan wasn’t a “bad boy,” certainly not in any cliché sense implied by the term. She even said as much to her dad when they discussed the subject. But in crisis times it was easier to relate to him as if he were, because complexities meant Veronica had to examine her own behavior and her own reactions along with Logan’s, while all she wanted to do was to blame. As to Piz, she knew she accepted him a little too easily as a nice guy who would never hurt her, and let everything else follow that assumption.

As fate would have it, she ran into Piz on the semi-deserted campus the next day. She stopped by the library, to clarify her working hours. Piz was coming out of the building, finishing an errand of his own.

He gave her a weak smile that didn’t reach his eyes and would have walked past, but she stopped him. It has been bothering Veronica for weeks that their break up was implied rather than actual. Sure she knew and he knew it was over, and the dead phone silence and no eye contact at the airport was all the acknowledgement they both needed. But still, for a short period of time, they meant something to each other, and Veronica felt she owed him. For the scars she no doubt left, real and figurative. So, in the new spirit of contrition, she wanted to talk.

They settled into a coffee shop near campus. The one that students frequented during the school year, but which stood almost empty during summer time. She fiddled with her spoon, he fiddled with his. Neither knew how to begin the conversation. Veronica ventured first, “I owe you an apology. I should have never started this relationship. Please, don’t think that I didn’t like you, or didn’t want to feel something. It’s just that I wasn’t ready, and wasn’t thinking clearly. Or, I was thinking things that had nothing to do with how I felt about you. And I entered into this relationship for all the wrong reasons. I didn’t realize I was doing it at the time, but I was using you. And for that, and for every hurt I brought on you, I am very sorry.”

He looked resigned. She was sure she wasn’t telling him anything he didn’t already know. Which is why the question surprised her:

“Why?”

He was looking her in the eyes and she felt flustered and confused. Piz elaborated:

“I mean, I get what you’re saying, but why was it so wrong for you to start the relationship? I’m not stupid, Veronica. I knew I got you on the rebound. But I thought that the whole point of a rebound was to … well ... rebound! To get over whatever you needed to get over. To move on. And what I don’t get is why didn’t you?”

She saw a bit of anger in his eyes, but like most of his emotions, it was tepid and came off more like sadness.

“From what little I know of the guy, I don’t get it, Veronica. Sure he’s rich and popular – or notorious, whatever -- and yeah, he can throw a punch. But I know you are not that girl. The one who goes for the superficial stuff. And minus those things, what is there that you cannot possibly get over? Fine, he was your boyfriend in high school. And Wallace told me some stuff, like you’ve been friends and you lost some people. I get the nostalgia factor, but we all have that. We all have friends and exes. People move on. You broke up with him how many times? Clearly it’s not working. And you don’t strike me as a sentimental type who clings to the past. So, please, for my sanity’s sake, just explain to me what it is about Logan Echolls that is so damn un-leavable?”

It took her aback. The adamance in his voice. That he was this angry, however mildly he might express it. She was hoping it wouldn’t come to this, but she felt she owed him something. The truth. She owed him that.

“Piz, listen. First off, you and I didn’t work out not because of Logan. You are right: I didn’t get over him. But even if he were out of the equation completely, you and I would not have made it.” Veronica paused and then began with clear, steady voice, “When I was in 9th grade, my best friend was murdered.” And she continued with the rest of it. All of it. She kept her eyes fixed on the cup with the cooling liquid.

After she was done, she finally looked up. The expression on Piz’s face was pained. And aghast, though he was working hard to hide that. Not for the first time this month Veronica realized just how much she hid from the people close to her. Not even Wallace knew all of it. She wondered how aghast his face or Mac’s would have been if she were to tell them all the grizzly details of that night of Shelly’s party.

Here, she held the grizzly and only recounted the bare bones. The murder, the rape, the drunken mother, the burning fridge, the bus over the cliff, the rooftop.

Piz swallowed hard when, at the end of it, she asked him not to repeat this to anyone. His face told her that asking was unnecessary. He would never mention this. He wouldn’t even talk to her about it. He would probably avoid her from here on out, but now, she thought with a grim sort of satisfaction, it won’t be because she broke his heart. It will be because she made him supremely uncomfortable. She remembered how, months ago, when she talked to him about Parker and what happened to her, he was uncomfortable, as well.

It was a natural reaction, she got that. Involuntary and not a reflection on his character. Piz was a good guy. He felt all the right kind of anger and indignation on her behalf. But she realized that he wasn’t capable of handling the ugliness, the sordidness, the unfairness that life could be sometimes. Piz was a dreamer who believed in Karma and the general universal order. His heart was filled with concern and solicitation for the children of Africa and the plight of the downtrodden everywhere. He was someone who picked up a book, a cause, a goal of bringing something to the attention of the campus via his radio show. But it was Wallace who went to Kenya.

Piz, Veronica realized, would be flattened and lost in the face of the specific, personal, raw and painful happening to someone close to him. It occurred to her, and not for the first time, just how sheltered his life had been. Sure he had to work for the things he wanted. But they were luxury things, not necessities. She remembered his seemingly casual but tinged with pride mentions of things he had to earn and the deprivations he had to suffer. His summer lawn-mowing jobs in order to earn enough to buy that fancy guitar he wanted. His “off-brand” MP3 player (the off-brand being stressed as a badge of honor). His vinyl record collection.

None of these were a matter of survival. He never had to choose between, say, taking an unpaid summer internship at a hip radio station and having to take a mind-numbing, remedial, thankless job just to make enough to cover his living expenses. And sure he had to take out some student loans, not being particularly burdened by inherited wealth and not being fortunate enough to win a free ride. So his tuition was split 15 ways – much like most students’ – between parental contribution, work-study, federal grants, and loans. Loans he took out philosophically and cheerfully, filled with beautiful confidence (of someone who has never been truly, soul-crushingly poor) in being able to pay them back easily enough once he landed that cushy job in the lucrative world of broadcast radio.

No, Piz never had to truly struggle, Veronica thought. Or he wouldn’t be so cavalier about a career path he only vaguely imagined how to advance in. Hell, maybe he would succeed. Maybe he will have that socio-political mixed with rock-and-roll show one day. Maybe his much mentioned but never actually seen band “Black Licorice” will hit it big in the future. Oh, but Veronica had her doubts. From the silly name to the absence of so much as a demo tape, she had a shrewd suspicion the band was more of an image manifestation than any real aspiration. A part of what made Piz such a typically appealing college freshman: That fabric of limited means and grandiose ambitions that would be severely depleted by the senior year. When the reality of mounting loans and actual job opportunities would hit.

She could already see the effects of disillusionment on Piz. She politely asked about his internship and he was unable to hide the unmistakable sheen of disappointment coating his usually glossy enthusiasm. Veronica didn’t press for any details, but it wasn’t hard to imagine that, instead of preparing broadcasts, Piz was relegated to fetching coffee.

Yes, he was normal, typical. Which was his appeal to her in the first place. But Veronica wondered now. She wondered what made her once think that Piz possessed any dependable, necessary qualities simply because he hadn’t been born with a silver spoon in his mouth.

Sure he had to earn things he wanted. And it made earning them kind of fun, a game even. He never had to fight for survival, actual or emotional. He never had his very existence threatened, or worse, invalidated. He told her he wasn’t a fighter, and Veronica suspected it went beyond the purely physical. Had she ever seen him stand his ground? Defend his convictions? Did he have convictions? She tried to recall his broadcasts, Piz speaking on variety of social and political topics, and she remembered thinking at the time that he made a good host. He introduced his guests well, he could provide suitable lead-ins and flourishing summaries. All well-said, well-researched and with just the right hint of humor where appropriate. It all had a whiff of an oral presentation. In fact, it sounded exactly like a radio broadcast. Combine this paragraph and the next. And for the life of her, Veronica couldn’t recall a single interesting or original thought, an observation that struck her as particularly astute or compelling.

Piz was an average, decent college kid. Universally nice and friendly, because he generally wasn’t threatened or threatening. Enthusiastic, because he was allowed to indulge in his hobbies. Inoffensive, because it was natural for him. He strived to do the right things, because he was never truly tested.

In fact, the one real test came after the tape fiasco, and Veronica still felt the crushing disappointment of his refusal to stand up for her. His Karma speech left her cold. The sweet boy, the non-fighter, the down-to-earth honest worker, the under-indulged…. What was it Logan said about her trying to catalogue people and make them fit into labeled categories? She had to give it to him: That was exactly how she approached Piz all the time they were dating. Fitting him into a “nice guy” brand she has manufactured for herself. Logan would find this ironic: Here she was, telling him she didn’t want him to be Duncan, and yet, just a short time ago, she was casting someone else in the part. The part of a warm, complying sweetheart who hung onto her every word as he gazed adoringly while they walked side by side into the sunset, untouched by anything that could possibly taint the dream.

A good boy who loved her, wasn’t likely to cause her a moment's concern, and who used words like "indelicate" and thought her "surveilling" was just adorable. So she cuddled him, and brought him home and petted him like a human version of Backup. They read books and snuggled and watched TV with dad.

She cast Piz a little too well just for such a purpose. He was the answer to her anti-bad-boy prayer. And here he was, sitting across from her at a coffee shop, looking lost and disconcerted, longing to get away from the harsh realities of her life. What made her think he was someone to lean on? She didn’t even know him when she decided he was perfect for the part, Veronica realized with sudden clarity. What she wished him into amounted to a pale residual fantasy that she had hoped would take her mind away from the raw and the real that wasn’t hers anymore. In her mind, she made him into an abstraction of a “perfect boyfriend.” He wasn’t an anti-Logan. He was, at best, an “off-brand” version of Duncan Kane.

Veronica felt ill. She said her perfunctory goodbye, and hastily got up to leave. Piz didn’t suggest she stay.

***

To: EasyRiderLE@gmail.com
From: VMars@gmail.com.
Subject: RE: Re: Your letter.

“Dear Logan,

Thanks for the honest reply. I won’t go into details, but I find your bluntness particularly refreshing just now.

Anyway, you asked about dad. Thank you, btw, and believe me, if, God forbid, it comes to that, I won’t be standing on any principles. I lost that right with dad (details when I meet you in person), and, anyway, like you said, this really is too important.

Right now nothing is clear. No one knows anything. They came and took all the files from our office. Also, a lot of papers and tapes from the Sheriff’s department. They froze dad’s assets, such as they are. We are okay, though, because I’m over 18 and I have my own stash and I have the license now. We are dealing and waiting. That’s all that can be done now.

And dad is discussing eventualities and possible defense strategies with Cliff. One good thing that came out of this whole giant mess is that dad and Cliff are close again. There was this tension between them for a while there, when dad became the Sheriff again. But now… Cliff is in his fighting mode. You know the stance: Relaxed posture, don’t-really-care attitude, fierce determination underneath it. He keeps telling dad to get a “real” lawyer, that sticky political and ethical situations are not his area of expertise, but again, that’s typical Cliff. All the while saying this he is doing a great job circling the wagons and making sure no possible stone is unturned in getting together everything that can ostensibly help dad. Of course no one knows exactly what kind of help dad might need if or once he is formally charged (I cannot believe I’m even typing this.). But they are shooting for contingency plans for the worst case scenarios, trying to anticipate every eventuality. It’s like a Pentagon war room in our kitchen. Papers, charts, files, computer disks, junk food leftovers from late-night brainstorming sessions. Thing is, both dad and Cliff seem alive and energized. I am very glad for that, and sick as to the reason, and feeling guilty for so many things. If I pile any more guilt, I would have to join Catholic church. And won’t that be a fitting punishment?!

As to why am I not in DC? Well, frankly, it’s not because of dad. Sad but true: He would rather I were at that internship right now. He can barely look at me at times, and at others, he’d like the place to himself to concentrate on those defense strategies and not to have to worry about me into the bargain.

So, why am I still here? To put it simply: I was disinvited from the party. Or, more precisely, I was never completely invited. The internship was mine pending background check and a polygraph test, and I don’t need to tell you how well that went. Actually, I didn’t even get to the pre-polygraph/interview part. Just your basic background search pretty much did me in. These guys at the Bureau are so squeamish…”

Veronica stopped typing and fought the wave of disappointment washing over her. She was surprised it still hurt this much. She thought she banished that particular ambition ruthlessly away with other things that didn’t pan out. It’s been a while and yet, clearly, the bitterness didn’t dissipate but sat hidden under the surface, awaiting its turn to sting, once other, deeper hurts were either dealt with or put on hold.

Truth was, Veronica felt as if she had to reassess her entire future now, rethink her career and therein lay the confusion. Because, come to think of it, when did she decide on the law enforcement as a career? Wasn’t the dream to be a journalist? A photojournalist, at that?

This detour of ambition was fairly recent, and the one Veronica could and did blame on Landry and his inexplicable enthusiasm for her future. Yes, she knew a lot about criminology, and she had some practical skills. But knowing a lot about something and actually making a career out of it weren’t the same thing. For instance, being a pretty decent barista, having an off the charts filing mojo, possessing a possible income potential supplying Snickerdoodles to local pastry shops didn’t make Veronica eager to contemplate brewing coffee professionally, becoming an office manager, or opening a bakery.

The pride she felt at obtaining that PI license was incidental to the fact that it recognized the time and effort she had put into the business. As well as the opportunity it would be giving her to earn the money she has already been earning on a more legitimate basis. She was definitely not thinking of a lifetime of sifting through other people’s dirt. Either as a free agent or an agent of the government. And she was back to asking herself when exactly had the FBI become the dream?

As it happened, she could probably pinpoint the exact day. It was after Landry sat her down in the cafeteria and flattered her into it. And Veronica was flattered. She knew she deserved praise – at least for her class-work – but getting what she deserved, especially with such conviction and from such prominent quarters wasn’t something she experienced often.

Wanting something was all well and good, but it didn’t serve to count on it. A lesson Veronica used to think she’d learned before. Clearly, as the recent events had shown, she was due for a refresher.

She turned back to her computer:

“… I can joke about it, Logan. I can joke pretty much about anything. (Great accomplishment you and I both have mastered). But the truth is, am disappointed. So disappointed, in fact, I think I sleepwalk through the days now, because I just can’t face it that so many of my plans and dreams did not work out. And I don’t know what to do about it, how to regain focus, how to look forward to things.

I feel this air of failure hanging over me. I think people look at me, point and laugh, the way they used to in high school. “There goes that Veronica Mars. Didn’t get the internship. Dad under investigation. Useless to him, her friends, herself. Destined to shuffle petty domestic cases at a minor PI agency for the rest of her life. Loser.” I can hear the 09er-pitch laughter behind my back. I know how stupid this is, believe me. But I can’t help it. And the worst part is, I can’t even rile myself enough to get mad and snap out of it. Half the time I need energy to talk myself into going through the motions.

I’m sorry to dump all this on you, but you did want me to share things and talk to you. Be careful what you wish for. In more ways than one. Be careful you might actually get it and not know what to do with it. Or be careful you don’t get it and then drown in bitter disappointment. Maybe people like Dick have it right: Aim low, stay numb.

Anyway, thank you. For the reply, for the address, for trusting me still, for making me laugh, for having patience, for … well, everything. I will come and see you when you tell me you’re ready. I am not taking anything for granted.

Love,
Veronica.

P.S. Piz and I are definitely broken up.”

Veronica hit “send” resolutely, before she lost her nerve.

To be continued…

Title: Two Week Stay-cation -+- Chapter Five of --?--
Author: cloud_forest
Pairing/Characters: Logan/Veronica
Word Count: 4,603
Rating: NC-17
Warning: LIKE WHOA to the smut. Okay, maybe not 'like whoa', but teh smut does take up about half the chapter.
Summary: Set pre-series, at the end of the school year before Lilly dies. Keith and Lianne go on vacation, and decide to have Veronica stay at Logan's while they're gone. During her stay with the Echolls, Veronica and Logan start to... notice each other.
Spoilers: None
Disclaimer: Stupid copyright :P

Author's Note: For the record, posting this chapter makes the author in me very nervous. I hope you like it *shy smile*

( Did you ever see a dream walking? Well, I did / Did you ever hear a dream talking? Well, I did / Did you ever have a dream thrill you with 'Will you be mine?' / Oh it's so grand, and it's too, too divine )