Title: Damn, Damn the Circumstance (11/?)
Author: invida
Characters:  Logan, Veronica, Ensemble
Word Count: 5894
Rating: R
Spoilers: knowledge up to 2x22
Timeline: goes AU from the Pomroy party, and a few liberties are taken with the timing of certain events. See Author's Notes for more details.
Disclaimer: I know the law, and the law would win.
Summary: if Logan hadn't left with the easy freshman that night.

Acknowledgement: Thanks to the always awesome aud_woman_in and to afrocurl for letting me bounce some ideas and offering some very helpful suggestions.

Previous Parts


There were definitely worse ways to start a Monday morning, especially a Monday morning after what was on average a pretty craptacular Christmas break. Of all the ways he could have predicted how Veronica would react to his manhandling her in the school parking lot -- pushing him off her, kneeing him in his special place, hell, even no reaction -- this was not what he expected.

The little gasp she gave just before his lips touched hers was the cutest, most innocent thing he'd heard from her since she admitted she'd never been skinny-dipping. And then he was lost. He couldn't even tell if it had been a second or a minute before a catcall from an onlooker brought him back. And it must have done the same for Veronica because he could feel her withdraw. Her hands moved away from his chest where she'd initially tried to push him back.

Here we go, he thought, and he prepared to be clocked good and hard across the face. And somehow, no matter how intense her assault on him was going to be, he anticipated that the hurt was going to be much worse from Veronica than anything he'd received from a schoolyard thug or his father.

Instead, it was his turn to gasp when he felt her hands travel lightly up his forearms, coming to rest in the crook of his arms and he felt her mouth open, deepening the kiss.

Yep. Definitely worse ways to start a Monday morning, he thought again, enjoying the feel of Veronica tucking herself neatly into his arms, and pressing back against him in all the right places.

New Year's Eve, she'd tasted like a recipe for a vile new drink -- a blend of whiskeys, that wasabi dipping sauce from Celeste Kane's buffet table, and adrenaline. Today, she tasted like Froot Loops and innocence. But innocent or not, Veronica Mars had unquestionably learned a thing or two about kissing a boy.

It was almost a cold shower when he remembered which boy would have taught her those lessons, but fortunately, she was pulling away for real this time. Breathlessly she looked up at him with a grin. To the untrained eye, Veronica looked almost pleased, but Logan could see the fury in her eyes. "You'd better have a really damn good explanation for this, Logan," she hissed through the tightness of her smile. "Sweetie," she added loud enough for their audience to hear.

Right. He had a reason for this. "Yeah, babe," he said for the benefit of the others. His fingertips danced across her cheekbone, before tucking an errant strand of hair behind her ear. He leaned in and whispered, "Where's your taser?"

---------

The previous Saturday, Logan had two missions when he walked into Casey Gant's house for the last blowout of the Christmas break: 1. Get fucked up, and 2. Get fucked, or the closest approximation he could muster while in said state of fuckeduppedness.

Beer in hand, he already had a healthy buzz going from his pre-party preparations as he went to find Dick to see what kind of stash of pharmaceuticals and herbal remedies were going around, when he spotted Duncan in a quiet corner staring at him. Just as their eyes met, Duncan turned his back to Logan.

Indignation propelled Logan towards Duncan. Sure, they hadn't seen much of each other over the break, but in his state of mind, Logan couldn't figure out what the hell had crawled so far up Duncan's ass that it warranted an outright snub.

As he neared, Duncan turned again, and Logan stopped dead in his tracks as Duncan smiled down at a blonde girl he was with.

Logan's thoughts tumbled around his muddled brain. He wouldn't. She wouldn't. They couldn't. Besides, they weren't even talking. They were mad at each other.

They were mad at him, too, he reminded himself.

He stared harder this time, trying to piece it together. There was something not right about her. It didn't match the girl he knew. Not now. No, wait. The hair -- it wasn't short enough. Mercifully, she turned to point something out to Duncan and she revealed herself: Shelley. Logan involuntarily sighed with relief while chastising himself for it. He recommenced his approach.

"Hey man," he said once he was right behind Duncan.

Duncan turned, smile gone. "Hey." Then he turned back to Shelley and giggled until she looked up over Duncan's shoulder and gave Logan a small wave.

Duncan gave an exaggerated put-upon sigh and turned back to Logan. Logan pretended not to notice and asked, "When did you get back from Napa, D?"

"Yesterday," Duncan answered perfunctorily. Shelley looked around uncomfortably.

Logan merely nodded. "You should've called. We could've hung out."

"I just got home. My parents wanted to see me. Besides, I didn't think you could take time out of your busy schedule," Duncan snapped sarcastically. "Where is Veronica, anyway?"

Logan rolled his eyes. "You really don't want to go there tonight, dude."

"No? I know you took her to my parents' party. Did you think I wouldn't hear about that? What the hell were you thinking?"

"I got dragged to your parents' snorefest by my parents, okay? We were just having some fun with them."

"Fun?!" Duncan cried incredulously.

"Yeah. Fun." Logan was on a roll. "Remember what that was like? You should've seen the looks on your parents' faces when they saw her. Lilly, your sister, would've loved it. Veronica sure did."

"Don't you -- you son of a --" Duncan rounded on him.

"Duncan!" Shelley grabbed a hold of his arm trying to pull him back. Duncan shook off Shelley's hands, but her touch seemed to make him relax, and he looked at her apologetically.

Unfortunately, Logan couldn't resist. "You know, man, it's usually considered bad form to talk about your ex in front of the girl you're interested in."

Shelley blushed but Duncan didn't seem to notice her though as he spat out, "So is horning in on your best friend's ex!"

"How many times are we gonna have this argument, Duncan?"

"Shelley saw you kissing at Dick's party!" Duncan roared at him.

Surprisingly, that was the last straw for Shelley. She pushed past both Duncan and Logan saying, "Leave me out of this." Then she turned back and glared at Duncan. "In fact, leave me alone altogether from now on."

Logan took in Duncan's shocked expression at Shelley's departure and slapped him in the arm. "Good going, dude."

Duncan sighed angrily. "Another thing I have to thank you for."

"Huh. It must be 'Let's Blame Logan' week. I guess I missed the banners across Main Street. So you think you could give me a chance to explain? Think you could find it in your big ol' compassionate, generous heart to do that? Huh, best buddy?"

"Right. And if I didn't say I knew about you kissing Veronica, would you still explain it to me?"

"No," Logan admitted, "because there'd be no point. We were both drunk, it was New Year's, it was midnight, and nothing happened afterwards."

"Really? Then why'd she go home with you? Why'd she spend the night at your house?"

Logan's jaw dropped. "Who told you that?"

"Beaver."

Fuck. Apparently, Beaver had no idea when to admit he was beat. If he thought going to Duncan was going to keep Logan under his thumb, he had another thing coming.

When Logan didn't respond, Duncan asked, "So you're not denying it?"

"No. Yes. I mean -- fuck, it wasn't like that. Nothing happened! She was drunk! You know what her dad's like. I wasn't going to let her go home like that. I mean, what do you think went on? Dude, my parents were home."

"How reassuring. Just like all those nights when you snuck Lilly in?"

"Nothing happened!"

"Yeah, you keep saying that nothing happened but what you haven't said is that it meant nothing."

"How about you really figure out what you're pissed about, Dunc? 'Cause I really don't think it's semantics. Good luck with Shelley," Logan said, backing away from a confused Duncan. It wasn't often that Logan walked away from a fight, let alone a petty argument. But he meant what he said about Shelley. Maybe she'd make Duncan forget about Veronica and any claims he thought he still had on her.

God damn it. He came here to forget about Veronica and her damned stubbornness. And forget her he would, he thought, spotting Dick in the next room. He had his arm around Madison who was holding her shirt to show her midriff. She was standing so that her butt jutted out. Caitlin was behind her bent over. From his viewpoint, it looked like she was about to kiss Madison's ass.

"It's awesome," Caitlin declared, straightening up.

"So it's not all an act? Her farts really do smell like roses then?" Logan asked as he came up behind them. Caitlin glared at him. So he really wouldn't be able to go to that well again any time soon, he thought.

"I was looking at her new henna tattoo, asshole."

Logan looked down at the reddened butterfly that spanned Madison's lower back. "Nice tramp stamp. Too bad it's temporary. But when in Rome, huh, Maddie?" Dick laughed and it earned him an elbow in his gut.

"Well, I love it," Caitlin said snidely.

"You would."

"Fuck you, Logan."

"Don't even bother trying, Caitlin," Madison said indifferently. "He's Veronica Mars's lapdog now."

Dick smirked. "Speaking of bitch, where is your little joy buzzer? And by the way, dude, you both owe me for making me miss the rest of my own killer party."

Logan stepped up to him. "And you owe me a new suit jacket. We're fucking even."

"You were gonna have to get a new one anyway. Nothing gets the smell of trash out."

"If you really think resorting to insulting a girl who's not even here is gonna get to me, Dick, then obviously the shock therapy Veronica gave you was all for naught."

Dick sneered. "Hey, I've still got burn marks from that skank!"

"Chicks dig scars, man. Just don't tell them an itty-bitty blonde gave 'em to you. So where's your little turd of a brother?"

Dick shrugged. "With his fairy ass junior high buddies doing something queer, I'm sure."

"Tell him to call me."

"Tell him your fucking self."

"Hey, how 'bout we forget our silly spats and enjoy our evening? With the emphasis on joy. So who's got the joy tonight?"

"You're gonna have to sweet talk Sean. And believe me, he's gonna be less forgiving about New Year's Eve than I am."

"Your graciousness knows no bounds." Logan bowed and walked away.

Turned out money still talked with Sean, but he was being a complete fuckwad and all Logan got was one hit of something for the night. It would be enough and he knew he was getting to a good place when he realized he'd just spent an indeterminate amount of time staring at a fireplace while trying to remember what it was Sean gave him. Something beginning with V. Good things began with V, he mused. Yeah. Even if they were short and bitchy and --

A hand tugged him around. He squinted at the girl, trying to get a grasp on where he'd seen her before.

"Logan. I need to talk to you."

"Wait! Don't tell me!" He snapped his fingers repeatedly. Or at least he tried to. "Ssssssss--Sandy? No! Cindy! How are ya? Where ya been?"

"Around." She grabbed his arm and pulled him into the powder room. She turned on the light and spun around to face him.

"How very forward of you. I like --" Logan tried to put his arms around her waist but was met with her swatting hands.

"Stop it! I just wanna talk to you!"

"I can talk at the same time," he said, giggling, still trying to grab at her.

"No!" She pushed him back and he hit the sink. "Just listen. Veronica Mars --"

He threw up his hands in frustration. "Fuck! Why does everyone want to talk about her tonight?!"

"Because she's been looking for me! How does she even know my name? You said she didn't remember! You said you'd take care of it! And now that sleaze who was on top of her keeps following me!"

"Beaver said something to you?!" Logan asked, stunned.

"No. He's just -- He's always around."

"Of course he's always around. He lives in the same town. We go to the same school --"

"No. I mean, I see him like everywhere." She shivered.

Logan shook his head, not really understanding what her problem was. "Don't worry about it. He's got nothing now. He's all talk now."

"What the hell are you talking about?"

"All I'm saying is that you just don't have to worry. I'll talk to him an' he'll leave you alone. And I'll talk to Veronica too, but I know she doesn't know anything. 'Kay? She'd've said something by now." He sounded like he was trying to convince himself more than Cindy.

"Okay. Yeah," Cindy agreed quietly, as her hand reached for the doorknob.

He reached forward and put his hand over hers. "Hey, you gotta go like right now? Sure you don't wanna take advantage of being in such close quarters with me?"

She rolled her eyes. "Yeah. Pretty sure. Look where it got me last time." She opened the door and left him there.

Well, fuck her. There'd always be another girl. He must have left the powder room at some point because the next thing he knew another girl was pulling him outside to a quiet part of the Gant backyard. Score. He knew he'd just have to be patient.

"Meggie!" he exclaimed when he recognized her.

"Logan," she greeted him when she stopped, clearly unimpressed with the nickname he'd bestowed on her.

"Did you finally dump that loser you call a boyfriend at last?" he asked, trying to look over her shoulder.

She looked at him skeptically. "I thought you and Cole were friends."

"No one's friends when it comes to a gorgeous babe."

Meg was unmoved by his line. "Cole's here somewhere."

"But you're here...with me --" he tried to sling an arm around her shoulders, but she twisted herself out of his grasp. "What's that say?"

"Yeah. Hate to disappoint you, but he knows I came over to talk to you, so get over yourself."

"You sayin' you don't like me, Megalicious?"

Rolling her eyes, she said, "Oh God. I actually like 'Meggie' better than something. Look, I just want to talk to you, okay?"

"I could change your mind."

Meg narrowed her eyes at him. "Extremely doubtful. Just how wasted are you?"

Logan sighed. "Nowhere near where I wanna be."

"Are you going to remember this tomorrow?"

"Why Meg Manning, you little minx! Trying to take advantage of me in my drunken state?"

"I think we already established I'm not. I meant are you going to remember this conversation?"

"Is that what the kids are calling it these days?" He asked grinning. She glared back. "Fine. Whaddya wanna talk about?"

"Veronica."

"Well, of course! Who the fuck doesn't? But I'm gonna need about four more of these --" he held up a glass he couldn't even remember holding, "before we go on and they'd better be doubles."

"I'm trying to be serious here," she snapped.

"So'm I! She's not fucking here! Why is everyone trying to ruin my night by wasting time on her?"

"That's what I'm trying to ask you about. Do you even like her?"

Logan snorted. "Don't tell me you're jealous."

"If she's really with you, then most definitely not."

"Then what's it matter to you if I do or not?"

"It doesn't. Except that I had higher hopes for Veronica. But think about it, Logan. You're sending mixed signals."

He eyed her suspiciously for a moment before he answered, "Veronica knows exactly what's going on."

"Okay, even if you think she does, I'm talking about everybody else."

Logan sneered. "Everybody else can fuck themselves."

"Don't you get it? They see you with her, but not really. You don't let anyone say anything to her or about her when she's around, but when she's not, you don't care. And sometimes you even laugh, too. If she's not in the immediate vicinity, you hit on anyone that's even remotely girl-shaped --"

"Are you actually going somewhere with this? Because I could be getting a lot drunker right now."

"I'm trying to warn you! They're going to see how far they can push you. They're going to test where your limits are with her. And I'm worried it's going to get out of hand."

"They're your friends, too. Are you really ratting them out?"

"Have you ever noticed that I'm about the only person in the whole sacred 09er circle that doesn't turn my back on her when she walks by? That I still say hi to Veronica every time I see her? Look, I know they're planning something. I've heard a few people talking about it. I just don't want to see anyone get hurt."

Logan clasped his hands to his cheeks mockingly. "Well, doesn't that make you a saint? You know, it's not like you've ever gone out of your way to actually stop any of your so-called friends from tearing her down or pulling shit on her."

Meg pointed at herself. "I never claimed I was perfect or even all that good. So, yeah. I'm a chicken. I'm a follower. But you aren't." She was pointing at him now.

"And what do you propose I do, Saint Meg?"

"Quit jerking everybody around. Just state your intentions, one way or another."

"'State my intentions'?" Logan laughed. "What is this, Victorian England? Are you gonna negotiate her dowry now too?"

"I'm just saying, if they know where you stand with Veronica, they'll eventually get behind you and stand there too." She spread out her hands with a flourish. "So saith Logan Echolls, then so shall it be."

She then turned and began walking away from him, leaving him alone to think about what she'd said. Logan called out to her retreating form. "Hey Meg!" She turned. "Do you know how hot you are when you get all biblical?"

She stuck out her tongue at him before she went back into the house.

He let out a frustrated breath. If Meg was right, he'd have to do some digging tonight to find out what was going on. And he began to wish he'd listened more carefully when Veronica told him how to get information out of a mark.

-----------

"So this was your great plan?" Veronica asked incredulously.

They were sitting in her car now. She opened up the glove compartment, making sure the door hit Logan's knee with a thud and took out her taser.

"Hey, you weren't exactly fending me off there, Peaches."

"I -- I thought you were still mad about -- that you might -- I didn't know --" Veronica stammered, trying to explain. She blushed. And Logan smirked. Completely the wrong thing to do because now she was furious. She threw the taser hard at his lap.

"Ow!" An inch more accurate and he would have been yelling two octaves higher.

"Explain how putting on a display for the entire school is supposed to make things better and why you need my taser or get the fuck out of my car!"

Still amused, he buried the stun gun at the bottom of his knapsack. "Someone said that Sean was probably going to tell Clemmons that you're bringing a weapon to school so that he'd at least confiscate it if he didn't suspend you."

"That's it? You couldn't just ask me to give it to you?"

He gave her a lascivious grin which earned him a punch in the arm. Sighing as though severely put out, Logan said, "Something else is up."

"And you know this because?"

"Rumours have been going around. A few people said that you'd be going down for what you did to Dick and Sean. And I was watching everybody when you pulled in -- you know what they're like when something's going on."

Veronica, for once, looked like she believed him. She bit her lip with worry. "You think it's gonna be that bad?"

He nodded. "Just stay close to me today, okay? Hopefully whatever they're going to do will be early and we can get this over with, but if not --"

"And that's why you kissed me?" It sounded more like a rationalization than a question.

To Logan, it sounded like a challenge. Mischievously and impulsively, he reached out and drew a finger gently down her cheek. "What are you more worried about, Veronica? What other people think or that I might actually like you?"

Rendering Veronica Mars speechless was a rare occurrence these days, and he decided he was going to take advantage of it as he closed the gap between them. Even in her astonishment, her eyes instinctively fluttered shut when his nose touched hers, boosting his confidence.

"This is such a bad idea," she whispered.

"Yeah, my worst ever," he replied, as his lips brushed hers.

But just then a hand pounded on the driver's side window. Veronica turned with a gasp, pulling away from him. They both looked out the window to find Caz Truman and two other jocks making kissy faces against the glass at them.

Veronica let her head fall back against her headrest in embarrassment while Logan sighed at the antics of his classmates. "Well, Sugar Plum, you ready?"

He got out of her car and walked around to the back, waiting for Veronica to join him. He held his hand out to her while she adjusted the strap of her bag. She closed her eyes, sighed and put her hand in his. "Showtime."

----------

It was too elaborate for Dick. And far too much effort for Sean. Obviously, they had help.

Logan led Veronica through the whispering hallways that stood agape as they passed until they got to her locker. She was the first to spot something wrong and pointed out to him that her padlock had been changed. And Logan noticed the wires running down from the vent above her locker.

It was then that Clemmons appeared and announced to Veronica that he was there to search her locker and book bag. Logan looked over to Dick and Sean to see how far they were going to let this go. When Clemmons reached for her locker door, it was Dick who yelled for him to stop.

The wires were snipped. The shock she would have received would have been enough to knock her out. Yeah. Far too elaborate for Dick.

----------

"Yo. Vato." Logan tapped Weevil's arm. It was lunch, and he'd found Weevil sitting on his bike in the parking lot with some of his gang.

Weevil looked down disdainfully at the spot where Logan had touched his jacket. "Careful there, Richie Rich, far better people than you are missing fingers for less than that."

"Anyone lost an entire hand yet? Because, I mean, how can they resist when you're so fucking charming?"

"Yeah? How'd you like me to tell you what Lilly couldn't resist?"

Logan shoved Weevil, but before he could do it again, two PCHers grabbed his arms and pulled him back. Weevil stepped up into Logan's face. "Shouldn't've done that, Hollywood."

"Hey, you're the one that started it, amigo. I came here all nice-like to ask you a favour."

Weevil snorted and started to turn.

Logan called out, "Look, man, it's for Veronica. You said you owed her."

Weevil turned back. He nodded to his cronies and they let go of Logan as Weevil said, "She wants a favour she can ask me herself. I'm always happy to talk to a pretty blonde."

Logan straightened and dusted off his sleeves in exaggeration with glares all around. "She can't know about it."

"Well, then that is a favour for you. And it'll cost you."

"What do you want?"

"I heard you maybe started up some hobo fights."

Logan shrugged. "Maybe. What's it to you?"

"I want a cut."

----------

"Who's your friend, Honey Bunches?"

Logan sat down across from Veronica and the girl with streaks in her hair, who were sitting close together discussing the contents of a package.

Veronica tried to cover up what they were looking at, but Logan had already seen the return label: GenetiFind Labs - DNA Testing Centers. What the fuck?

Veronica held a hand up, presenting the girl. "This is Mac."

He waved. "Hey. I'm Logan."

Mac nodded. "Yeah. I'm in your History class."

"Ah."

"And I've been in your classes since you moved here when we were twelve."

Mouthy. Yeah, she's a good match for Veronica. "Well, that's why you so look familiar."

Mac gave an unimpressed chuckle. "And I have to get going now. Thanks, Veronica. I'll give you a shout if I need anything else." She turned back to Logan. "Nice to meet you."

When Mac was far enough away, Logan asked, "What was that about?"

"Just helping out a friend."

"With DNA testing?"

"You weren't supposed to see any of that. Why are you here?"

He stole a fry from her tray. "Keeping up appearances."

"But they've already pulled their prank."

"And they didn't get any payoff. And Dick got suspended. That's not going to make him happy." He took another fry.

Veronica slapped his hand and he dropped it back on her tray. She picked it up and pointed it at him as she spoke. "And what makes you think that pretending we're going out is going to stop them? All they're going to do is wait until you're not around."

"Guess I'll always have to be around then, huh?" He leaned forward, grabbed her hand, and bit the fry she was holding.

"Logan --" There was a warning in her voice.

"So what's with the DNA test?" he asked, changing the subject.

"I can't talk about it. It's for a client."

"I've already seen your client. So either she's looking for her baby daddy or she hates her parents." He gauged Veronica's reactions and decided it was the latter. "Why don't you do it?"

"What?" She looked stunned.

"Why don't you take a test? Find out for sure."

"I -- I don't know if I want to."

"Doesn't it make sense to find out? I mean, all you have to go on is what Duncan thinks and what your mom said to Jake. We don't even know who told Duncan. And your mom said she'd need a test done too."

Logan watched her involuntarily glance over to Duncan's table when he mentioned his name and then look back down again. He didn't have to turn to know that Duncan was probably glaring at them. But the blush creeping up Veronica's face made him apprehensive.

He hadn't really thought about it like that before. If she knew she was Keith Mars' daughter, would she and Duncan get back together? Obviously Duncan would want to. In fact, Logan found it a little creepy the way Duncan was just ignoring the whole issue as if it or Veronica would go away.

But would Veronica want to? Could she after everything that had happened?

Veronica shook her head, still not looking up. "I don't want to talk about this, Logan."

"Okay," he said with a shrug. He took another fry from her tray, hoping to pull her back into the more lively or even heated conversations that he'd become used to with her. "So is your dad still mad about New Year's Eve?"

She looked up at him suspiciously, "Why?"

"Just wanna know how much I'm going to have to suck up to him now that I'm going to be around more."

Her eyebrows rose. "Oh really?"

"Yep." He took another fry and chomped it with relish, smirking at her.

"You should remember that my dad has a licence to carry a concealed weapon and I have a pit bull. But besides that we don't have to act in front of my dad."

"Your dog already likes me. Your dad will too."

Veronica snorted. "Have you forgotten how many times he took you home in the back of his squad car?"

No, he had plenty of remembrances of being grimly escorted by Keith Mars back to his father for discipline. Some were even still visible. But Logan just shrugged. "Hey, you should come by tonight. I forgot to bring your dress from New Year's."

She'd started eating her fries again and replied distractedly, "Can't. My dad doesn't want me --" Veronica bit her lip, then amended herself. "I've gotta work tonight. Can you just bring it tomorrow?"

Logan frowned. "He doesn't want you to come over? He's that mad?"

"Something like that." She looked at her watch. "I've gotta go to my locker before Chemistry."

He got up with her and held his hand out to her again. Veronica grimaced, but took it. She wouldn't meet anyone's eye who passed them. They got to her locker and he leaned against the one next to hers while she busied herself. "You know, it would be more believable if you didn't act like this is such a chore."

"When did you become such a skilled actor? I thought you'd rather die than follow in your parents' footsteps."

"Maybe I'm not acting."

Her eyes snapped to his, trying to determine his sincerity. He wondered uncertainly what she might see. "Hilarious," she finally said, slamming her locker shut. She turned on her heel and stalked off.

When he caught up to her, he grabbed her hand tightly, but she didn't try to shake him off.

----------

Mr Wu was writing on the blackboard. Veronica leaned over to whisper in Logan's ear. "Hey, how's your mom?"

He looked over at her quizzically. "Okay. Why?"

"I saw her on Friday, near my dad's office. She looked kinda out of it. I was wondering if she'd -- if she was okay."

Now that he thought about it, his mother had stayed in bed a lot over the weekend and when she did make an appearance outside her bedroom, it was to go down to the pool house and she wasn't without a tumbler. He hadn't thought to ask what had happened because he just thought it was one of his mother's typical meltdowns over practically nothing. And Veronica had seen his mother in these moods before, if she was concerned about it this time --

"Yeah. She's fine."

Veronica frowned, but nodded and went back to copying the assignment Wu had just given. Logan knew she was hiding something. He wondered if maybe someday they could compare notes and see who would win when they stacked up how much they were keeping from one another.

----------

"Dude, we've gotta talk," Logan said, breezing into Duncan's bedroom with a mere tap on the doorframe.

"Who let you in?" Duncan shot up from his desk where he'd been doing his homework.

Logan jerked his thumb towards the door. "Your dad. He thinks you're lonely, by the way. I hope I don't have to tell you how gay that sounds."

"Fuck you. I don't want to talk so you can go." Duncan gave Logan a dismissive wave.

Logan took a step closer. "No, you've gotta hear me out, man. You need to know this. You've gotta know what's going on." Logan was going to tell him at the party on the weekend, but their argument had taken precedence. Duncan was his best friend, even still, and he deserved to know.

"What? What is so damn important?" Duncan asked impatiently.

Logan sat down on the bed and took a deep breath before blurting out, "Veronica knows, man."

"Veronica knows what?" Duncan narrowed his eyes at Logan.

"Everything."

Duncan blinked and shook his head. "Everything. Everything as in?"

"As in why you broke up with her. As in what happened at Shelley's party last month --"

"YOU TOLD HER?!"

Logan held up a hand, trying to quieten him. "No, I didn't -- Not everything. She found out most of it on her own."

Duncan was breathing raggedly now. "How could she find out about the party on her own? You were the only other person in that room and I sure as hell didn't tell her!"

"Look, Dunc, other things happened that night that you don't know about --"

"You FUCKER!" Duncan lunged at Logan. Too surprised by Duncan's misunderstanding, Logan didn't move out of the way fast enough and toppled over the other side of the bed with Duncan falling on top of him.

What Duncan forgot was that when Logan fought, he fought dirty, especially when he was attacked. He kicked out hard at Duncan, not caring where his foot landed. But if Duncan felt it at all, it didn't register. His eyes were glassy as his hands closed over Logan's throat. Logan flailed as his breath left him, and his arm hit the bedside table. He grabbed onto the table leg and pulled out, toppling the table, making a lot of noise more than doing any damage to Duncan as the lamp fell onto his shoulder. Logan's vision started to weaken when he suddenly heard shouting. Then the hands around his throat were gone and he could breathe again. Logan sat up, gasping, and found Jake restraining his son as he struggled against his hold. Celeste was beside them shouting hysterically. Then suddenly Duncan went limp in Jake's grasp.

Jake pulled Duncan over to the bed and dropped him on top, leaving Celeste to arrange him. Jake turned to Logan. "You okay?" he asked, pulling him up.

"Yeah," Logan hoarsely replied, still rubbing at his neck.

"What happened?" Jake asked, ushering Logan out of the room.

"We were arguing -- he attacked me."

Jake took Logan into the master bedroom and led him to the bathroom. "Okay, just clean yourself up here." Jake looked contrite at Logan's confusion and tried to explain. "Look, Logan, Duncan's, uh, been having some emotional problems since Lilly died and sometimes anything can set him off. I'm sorry for what happened, but you can't be here when Duncan wakes up, all right?"

"Yeah, sure. I'm sorry, too."

"I'm going to go check on him now, so when you're done here, you can see yourself out, right?"

Logan nodded and Jake patted him on the shoulder sympathetically before walking back out.

Logan looked in the mirror at the marks on his neck. 'Emotional problems' was an understatement. What the hell were these people doing to Duncan? Did Jake really expect Logan to believe that line that it was Lilly's death? Did Jake forget that Logan was there the night that Duncan attacked him the same way? It had always been about Veronica with Duncan. Lilly dying simply exacerbated Duncan's behaviour.

Logan looked around the counter at the double vanity and determined which side was Jake's. He pulled out a hairbrush from the drawer and slipped it in his jacket pocket before he walked out the door.

Part 12