As Wicked As A Bee

Fic: Champagne for My Real Friends

2009-10-23T23:59:07Z

Title: Champagne for My Real Friends
Author: invida
Characters: Veronica, Logan
Rating: PG
Spoilers: Wrath of Con flashbacks
Timeline: pre-series, fill-in-the-blanks scene during the flashbacks
Disclaimer: I know the law, and the law would win.
Summary: more truth

Notes: a little fic for afrocurl who asked for pre-series L/V.

Veronica flopped down beside Logan who was lying on the beach still holding the champagne bottle he'd wrestled from Duncan. Veronica's stiff skirt made it impossible for her to sit gracefully, but she didn't really care. The champagne was still buzzing through her, and decorum was out the window. Unfortunately, her annoyance didn't join it.

"Are they still at it?" Logan asked through his arm, which was draped over his face.

She turned back towards the limo where Duncan was trying to get his cell phone back from Lilly. "Yep," she replied through a sigh. She grabbed the champagne bottle. Realizing she must have dropped her glass, she took a swig. Decorum be damned.

Logan sat up. "All right!" Logan applauded, impressed with her boldness. "Chug it, Mars!"

"How is it that my boyfriend, who's raised by the same parents as the infamously debauched Lilly Kane and is friends with you -- just as depraved -- practically his entire life, still wants to check in with his mummy dearest?" she asked with a sneer, and took another drink.

Logan narrowed his eyes at her. "And how is it that you've been friends with my girlfriend since forever and I've never seen this side of you?"

Veronica wiped her mouth with the back of her hand. "'Cause normally I'm so genteel and refined?"

"Mental note: Bring champagne when going out with Veronica Mars."

Veronica stuck her tongue out at him and he laughed easily. "So, Truth or Dare, Veronica?"

Veronica looked confused. "Wait, didn't you go last?"

He swiped the champagne bottle from her and took a swig himself. "Yeah, but I thought of it before you. And technically, it's Lilly's turn, but she's preoccupied."

She looked back to see the siblings still arguing. She rolled her eyes. "Fine. Truth."

"What did you think of me when I moved here?"

Veronica thought for a moment. "Honestly?"

"That's kind of the point of 'truth'."

"I was disappointed."

Logan let her response sink in. "Oh."

Veronica was quick to amend herself. "I mean, you were moving to dinky Neptune from L.A. And you were already friends with Duncan. That was kind of intimidating. I was sure you were going to be some big self-involved Hollywood brat. But Lilly said that if you were cute, we were going to be hanging out a lot 'cause -- well you know how she is about status."

He looked unimpressed. "If that was supposed to be a save, it really sucked."

"What I'm trying to say is that I was bummed that you were kinda cute, which meant things were gonna change. You may have noticed I'm not great with change."

"Yeah. So did I turn out to be a big egotistical Hollywood brat?"

Veronica laughed. "Well, yeah!" Logan gave her a playful shove and she swatted him in the arm in return. Then her voice became serious. "Truthfully though, you're not at all what I expected and I can't imagine what it would be like if you weren't my friend."

Logan was taken aback by her sincerity and could think of nothing to say in return. The moment was about to turn awkward when he began to smirk impishly.

"So you think I'm cute, huh?"

Veronica blushed. "Kinda. The operative word was kinda. Besides, you think I'm hot."

Logan shook his head. "Thought. Past tense."

"Oh please. And what about those naughty fantasies you've been having about me lately?"

Logan's eyes widened. "Lilly told you that?!"

Veronica stood up, dusted herself off, and looked down at him with a satisfied smile. "Nope. You just did."

Logan watched her run off giggling as she rejoined Lilly and Duncan. "Mental note: Always bring champagne when playing with Veronica Mars."

Dreamwidth

2009-05-19T23:16:13Z

I have one Dreamwidth invite code if anyone wants one.

Awww

2009-01-29T23:41:42Z

Thank you to the very kind person who nominated my WIP, Damn, Damn the Circumstance for a UFO award! Totally made my day! I've never been nominated for anything before. Wee!

invida @ 2009-01-27T23:24:00

2009-01-28T04:36:41Z

Hello. Yes. I know. It's been forever since I've updated. My sincere apologies. I have lots of excuses. Some boring. Some surreal. But they are all still merely excuses. I'm hoping real life will slow down soon and I can get back into some writing. Sorry to have to ask you to be a bit more patient with me.

I may try this tool to keep me motivated. In the meantime, feel free to throw me some ideas, suggestions, or encouragement!

ray of sunshine

2008-09-21T04:09:43Z

invida is blah.

I've met prosthetic legs with more get-up-and-go than you. Could you be less melancholy and go out and do something?

wanna know your lj's moodring color? enter your user name and hit the button. (discussion thread)

think of the possibilities...

2008-09-19T00:55:24Z

Your challenge is to write crossover fanfiction combining Days of our Lives and Garfield.
The story should use losing one's virginity as a plot device!

Generated by the Terrible Crossover Fanfiction Idea Generator

FIC: Damn, Damn the Circumstance (15/?)

2008-07-29T18:04:29Z

Title: Damn, Damn the Circumstance (15/?)
Author: invida
Characters: Veronica, Logan, Ensemble
Word Count: 6300
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.

Acknowledgements: Thanks to aud_woman_in and afrocurl for all the help!

Previous Parts

"Loooooooh-gan! Yoooo-hoo!" A girl's voice was calling to him. It seemed like it was miles away. But it wasn't the girl Logan wanted to hear, so he ignored it.

He was lost in a daydream, away from the charade that he'd agreed to take part in. His mind had taken him back to Veronica's bedroom, the night his car was blown up. It was his favourite place to drift off to now when things got boring or stupid. The warm comfort of being cared for and about. He'd try to remember every detail, each soft caress and whispered sweetness she used to try to calm him and lull him to sleep. And despite his wish to roll her under him and show her what would really take the edge off, her gentle touch worked and he'd slept better than he had in years. His second last thought before he'd succumbed to unconsciousness was that he was falling way too fast for this girl and his last thought was that he didn't care.

Of course, he tended to embellish this memory and his imagination would omit the fear, arguments, and tension and fill in the details of what would have happened if he'd stayed awake. It made him thankful for the cushion on his lap at this moment.

In the present time, he could hear giggling. Then fingers snapped and Duncan shouted, "Logan! Yo!"

A pretzel sailed by Logan's nose, and finally caught his attention. He looked up to see Duncan, Meg and Pam sniggering at him.

Logan picked up the wayward pretzel and whipped it back at Duncan. "What the fuck, D?"

Duncan caught it, tossed it in the air, and caught it again with his teeth. "Watch the language, man! My mom's home," he said, while munching.

Logan snorted. "Like I'm scared of Celeste."

"Well, I am. So cut it out."

"Do you always space out like that, Logan?" Pam asked intently. "The credits have been rolling for a while now."

"Nah. That's usually Duncan's thing. Right DK?" Logan smirked at Duncan who glared back. "Besides," he continued with a shrug, "a movie's not done till you find out who the gaffer was."

"Really?" Pam asked eagerly. She picked up the remote and reversed the credits then concentrated on the TV until she announced, "Stone Rancor!"

Logan tried not to roll his eyes too noticeably. He would have used a fake name too if he had to be associated with the piece of crap they had just sat through.

"What does a gaffer do anyway?"

Logan shrugged. "Gaffs, probably."

Undaunted, Pam asked, "Does your dad know a lot of gaffers?"

Logan shrugged again with a vexed sigh. Of course. They always wanted to know about Aaron, didn't they? Why was he always surprised when they inevitably asked? Girls were really all the same. And the ones that weren't...well, there was only ever one who never asked. He didn't know if it was because Veronica sensed that he didn't like talking about his dad or if it was because she just didn't care. Or maybe Lilly provided her with all the details. After all, Lilly was not immune to his parents' celebrity, especially Aaron's. Lilly had money but no star power, and that fascinated her and irritated Logan. Maybe that was the other reason Lilly delighted in it.

But whatever kept Veronica from delving into the gossip and celebrity worship, he had always been grateful for it. The loss of that kind of friend was the one and only regret he felt when he declared her his enemy.

The girls had moved on and were now discussing the upcoming auditions for the school musical next semester.

"Oh you're totally going to get the lead, Meg," Pam gushed. "I mean, who's your competition? Kimmy? Puh-lease. She's got no originality, which is apparent from her latest haircut and when they see you there's going to be no question. You were born to play Sarah Brown."

She turned to Logan, trying to draw him back into the conversation. "You know, Logan, your parents would be perfect in a musical like Guys and Dolls, or better yet, Chicago. It would be such a career boost."

Logan laughed raucously at the thought. "Aaron thinks live theatre, especially musicals, are for pussies who aren't man enough to admit their careers are over."

Both Pam's and Meg's faces fell, oblivious to the fact that Logan's comments were about what an asshole his father was rather than making fun of them. No girl could ever believe that Aaron Echolls could be anything other than the debonair, sophisticated superstar that his agent and publicist presented to the world.

Duncan glared at him again, clearly telling him to make this right. Chastised, Logan mumbled, "My mom likes musicals though. She prefers the classics. Especially the ones with a lot of dancing."

Pam smiled at Logan's attempts, evidently believing the effort was being made for her benefit. "Your mom was so graceful when she was on screen."

Good thing you can't see her today, Logan thought, remembering her stumbling through the house, searching for the maid to refresh her bourbon.

Pam turned to Meg again. "And that's another reason you'll get the lead, Meg. You've got grace. Kimmy is just a pale shadow of you."

Meg frowned. "I thought Kimmy was your best friend."

Pam shrugged indifferently. "She's fine. But you know, just because we're friends doesn't mean I don't see her flaws."

Logan shook his head. "So good of you to flaunt them to everybody else at her expense."

Pam huffed. Logan's apathy towards her was starting to take its toll. "Oh, I'm sorry. I didn't realize you liked Kimmy so much. Is she more your pace after Veronica Mars?"

"Pam!" Meg shouted, mortified.

"What?" Pam asked imperviously. "Everybody knows she's a skank. I mean, even if she didn't whore around behind Duncan's back or give it up to every guy at Shelley's party, she did throw herself at her dead best friend's boyfriend. It takes special kind of trash to do that. I'm just so glad both Duncan and Logan came to their senses and saw her for the lying filthy bitch she is. You've had your rebound, Logan, as distasteful as it was. Now you're free for a real relationship with someone more at your level."

Logan was disappointed that his wish for laser eyes was once again denied because by now, the hole he was attempting to bore through Pam's head would have made it through the other side. "Wow. You know, Duncan, I think you picked the wrong date. This one here would be Celeste's dream come true for you. She even kinda looks like her, you know, with that constant look of constip--"

Duncan stood up and clapped his hands together, gracelessly attempting to change the subject. "Hey! How about we calm down and play a board game? I'll go find one. Anyone want to help me?"

Pam stood, ignoring Logan pointedly as she followed Duncan out of the room. "Have you got Mad Gab?"

Logan waited until they were out of earshot before he threw his head back and exhaled loudly. "Thank fucking god." Maybe he could get back to his daydream now.

When he sat back up to rearrange his cushion, he found Meg shooting daggers in his direction. He'd forgotten she was still there. "What?" he asked impatiently.

"Nothing."

"How passive aggressive of you! Is that how they teach you to solve your problems in Sunday School?"

Meg scowled resentfully.

Logan circled his finger at her. "You know, a bird's gonna shit on that lip if you keep pouting like that. So either tell me why you're acting like I just excommunicated your puppy or make yourself useful and get us some beverages."

Meg crossed her arms and arched a brow. "Let's just say that I'm not impressed. Okay?"

"Ah good." Logan gave her an exaggerated thumbs-up. "Just what I wanted today: another blonde girl disappointed in me."

Meg was exasperated. "Why are you even here? Are you planning to string Pam along like you did with Veronica?"

"First, I'm here for the same reason you are: Duncan asked me. Second, you don't know anything about Veronica and me, so don't get all sanctimonious. And third, you really wouldn't be so concerned about Pam if you knew what she's been saying behind your back."

Meg ignored his taunts. "I just thought that maybe you'd be a little more upset about breaking up with Veronica because she's been the one person who finally seemed to have a good influence on you. But clearly, you're just like every other guy out there and you're just waiting for the next girl to come along."

"And how long ago did Cole dump you again? Hmmm?" Logan looked at his watch sardonically. "At least I waited a week."

"Not that I have to defend myself to you, but I tried to get out of this by saying I wasn't allowed to go on dates alone with guys my parents didn't know. It's not my fault Pam jumped in and suggested we all go together."

"So not a fan of Nancy Regan, huh? And I guess it doesn't hurt to stick it to Cole either."

"You didn't say no either. I mean, what difference does it make? It's just hanging out. There's no commitment. And Duncan seems like a nice guy."

Logan pointed at her. "Seems is the operative word there."

"Isn't he your best friend?"

"And I've told you before that no guys are friends when it comes to a pretty girl." He leered at her.

"You're repulsive."

Logan sighed wistfully. "So I guess that means you won't be getting me a drink." He got up and went to the kitchen. Antagonizing Meg hadn't been his intention but if it made her believe that he and Veronica were really over, then it was worth it.

Logan opened the fridge door wide and practically stepped inside. His fingers drummed the top of the door as he hunched over and let the cool air and aromas of catered leftovers hit him. It amused him to know that there was somewhere in this house that was possibly colder than Celeste.

"Duncan, sweetheart?"

Speak of the frigid devil, Logan thought.

"This is me reminding you to take your meds if you haven't already today. We don't want another incident, do we? I'm leaving them on the counter," Celeste said through the door.

It took Logan a moment to realize that Celeste was speaking to him. She wasn't paying enough attention and had mistaken him for her son. Meds? What could Duncan possibly be on?

Logan grunted in reply and that seemed to satisfy Celeste. She walked out of the kitchen calling to the maid. "Sofia! I asked you twice already to sort through the mail! It's still sitting in that unsightly pile in the kitchen."

Logan waited until he could no longer hear her berating poor Sofia before he pulled out some orange juice and closed the fridge. A collection of pill vials was lined up on the counter. It sure explained a lot of Duncan's recent bizarre behaviour, but just what the hell was wrong with him? He read the names and recognized a number of them from his mother's colourful array of pills, but Trileptal was new. As Sofia shuffled into the kitchen, Logan pocketed the Trileptal.

Logan was about to take a swig from the juice container when Sofia gave him a dirty look. He rolled his eyes, but dutifully stepped over to the cupboards and got himself a glass. "You should've just been grateful that I was trying to spare you from having more to clean."

Sofia ignored him, got a wastepaper basket and began dividing up the mail. As Logan poured, he watched her toss junk mail into the garbage. Suddenly, brightly coloured flyers were replaced with official-looking business envelopes. Suspicious, Logan rounded the counter and pulled one of the envelopes out of the trash.

"What the hell do you think you're doing?!" Logan yelled, slamming his glass down on the counter. Juice splattered across the cabinet doors and landed in sprinkles on the rest of the mail.

Sofia replied irritably, "I sort mail! Like Miss Celeste ask!" She turned to grab a dishtowel to wipe up the mess.

"How can you throw these away?" Logan pulled more envelopes from the garbage and shoved them into the maid's face.

Sofia pushed him away. "Not me! Miss Celeste say to!"

"What's going on in here?" Duncan asked, running into the room with Meg and Pam following behind him.

Logan stalked up to him, holding up the mail he'd grabbed. "This is what you people do? You just throw her stuff away like she didn't exist?"

"What the hell are you talking about?"

Logan threw the small pile at Duncan, who managed to catch one. He read the address and looked up at Logan with a mixture of pity and embarrassment. "This is mail for Lilly."

"Yeah. Lilly. Remember her? Your sister? My girlfriend?"

"She was your ex. Remember?" Duncan chastised. "So what are we supposed to do with it, Logan? She's gone. It's not like she can read it."

"Fuck you, Duncan, and your fucking family! None of you ever knew how to treat her when she was alive, why the fuck should anyone expect you to know how to treat her when she's dead."

Logan scooped up all of Lilly's mail from where they'd landed on the floor and snatched the one from Duncan's hands as well. "And fuck this stupid farce of a date! You think you can get back what we had? Hate to break it to you, but you're a fucking lunatic if you think you can replace Lilly and Veronica with these second-rate copies."

He wouldn't allow the fury in Duncan's eyes or Meg's hurt expression guilt him into an apology. It was Pam's comments that enraged him as he grabbed his jacket. "Well, no wonder he couldn't make it with that manipulative whore, Veronica Mars. He's still totally hung up on Lilly."

He pushed angrily past a stunned Celeste as she came to investigate what the yelling was about. "I'll see myself out, thanks."

----------

Logan pulled into his usual spot in the driveway. The drive home had done little to calm him. He just needed to make it to his room undetected and then he could sort out this mess. He picked up Lilly's mail and tried to stuff it into his jacket until he remembered what else was in his inside pocket -- Veronica's paternity results.

God damn it. He'd been avoiding those. He'd hounded her to get the test done so they could all break free from this suspended animation of what if. But when she'd given him the means and the permission to find out, he'd chickened out. One way or the other, it would change things. If Jake was her father, he didn't know how she'd deal with that and how it might devastate her relationship with the one adult in her life that hadn't let her down. If Jake wasn't, then it meant Duncan wasn't her brother and he'd be free -- they'd both be free -- to resume their sweet romance that was ended so abruptly. He didn't know how he'd deal with that.

He bundled all the envelopes up into a tidy pile and zipped them into his jacket. He'd deal with that in his room too, he guessed. He hopped out of his SUV, but almost got back in when he heard a voice that grated on his very last nerve.

"Hey there, Little Brother," Trina called, walking towards her own car. Logan hadn't noticed it in the driveway, too lost in his own thoughts.

"Home already from your Kill Bill knock-off?"

"It's not a knock-off. It's an homage." Trina replied, affronted.

"More like fromage. So were you killed off or did the funding fall through already?"

"You know it's an indie film."

"Yeah, that's what they call any piece of crap that can't get financing. Come running to Daddy for an advance on the allowance?"

"You really shouldn't be razzing me about my sense of entitlement when you're standing next to your brand new SUV, Logan."

"Good point. I'll go inside then and do it there."

As he attempted to walk around her, Trina grabbed his arm, stopping him. "Actually, I don't think you want to go in there." All the humour had left her voice. "The parents are having a tiff," she explained quietly. "I think Mom's in one of her moods. And Dad asked me to leave. You know it can't be good if he doesn't want me to stay." Trust Trina to rub it in whenever she could who Daddy's favourite was.

"Is Mom okay? Does she need --"

"No, I don't think it's too serious. Just the usual. You know?" Trina squeezed his arm.

He nodded. The usual was becoming all too usual. Trina patted him in the most sisterly way she could muster, which she was pretty rusty at. After all, she hadn't tried to look out for him in years. It was awkward.

Fortunately, the moment ended when his cell phone rang. He gave Trina a little wave and then answered as he headed back to his car.

"What are you doing right now?" he asked without a greeting.

"Does that mean your date's done now?" Veronica asked with amusement.

"It is if you can be at the Albacore Club within the hour. Slip five."

----------

When Veronica finally arrived, Logan was almost twitchy. He'd been staring at Lilly's grainy photocopied picture. She'd been smiling. At least she'd had a good day that day. But that was little compensation for the new knowledge he'd obtained from the rest of the page.

He heard Veronica calling for him and popped out on deck to greet her. "Hello, Slim." He jumped down from the boat onto the dock next to Veronica, giving her a hand to help her on board.

"Slim?" she asked, giving him a quick peck before following him into the cabin. He hadn't let go of her hand once she'd given it to him.

"That's what Bogart called Bacall in To Have And Have Not. Did you know that Bogey had a yacht? He loved to sail around Catalina Island." He was babbling, trying to cover up his agitation.

"So what? Am I supposed to call you Steve now?"

"Maybe just whistle. You know how to whistle, don't you, Slim? You just put your lips together and...blow."

Veronica rolled her eyes. "Well, I asked for that, I guess. But I'm pretty sure that was Bacall's line."

Logan gave her an impressed look. "And how do you know so much about Bogart movies?"

Veronica shrugged. "Dad's big on his films." She took in the state of the galley. "What the hell happened in here?"

Logan looked at the table from Veronica's point of view. Ripped envelopes, fashion magazines, and scattered papers. He had to admit, it looked weird.

"How about I explain after I show you this?" He passed her the slip of paper he'd been studying. His hand was shaking.

Veronica's eyes widened in disbelief as she read it over. "This is -- this is Lilly -- she got a ticket the day she -- but this is after --" she stammered.

"Way after."

"Logan. Do you know what this means? Where did you get this?"

"At the Kanes'. They were just throwing all this away, Veronica. All of Lilly's mail. Like she didn't matter any more."

"And you just took it? They let you?"

"Not exactly." He could see the reprimand in Veronica's eyes. "What would you have done if you'd seen them tossing her stuff out?"

"Freaked." She agreed grimly. "Then I would've called you." She sat down dejectedly.

Logan sat across from her and took her hand. She was staring at the traffic ticket as he had done only minutes ago.

"Two hours later, Veronica. This means we have proof that the official time of death was wrong."

"It means we have proof that the Kanes are covering something up."

"How do you figure?"

Veronica wouldn't meet his eyes. She opened up her bag and pulled out two envelopes and passed them to him. She motioned for him to open them when he looked at her questioningly. He opened the first one addressed to someone named Cliff McCormack. Inside was a stack of papers.

"Go to the photos." Veronica instructed.

Logan flipped through the pages of reports until he came to a Post-It slapped on the front of a picture saying "Crime Scene Photos". He pulled the Post-It off and found various pictures of rooms in the Kane estate.

"Lilly's bedroom." Veronica ordered next.

Logan found the correct photo and stared at it. "What am I looking for?"

"What was found on Abel Koontz's boat?"

"Lilly's bag and shoes -- Oh shit. These shoes?" Logan pointed at the sneakers in the picture.

Veronica nodded. "It means he somehow got the shoes after she died. Or they were planted."

"But why?"

"Either he was set up or he's a patsy. He confessed, so I guess he's got some kind of deal with the Kanes."

"What kind of deal can he get? Admitting to murder means he's on death row."

"I think the bigger question is, who are they all covering for?"

Logan couldn't get his head around it. The Kanes actually conspiring to cover for Lilly's murderer was just too much. Even with their disregard for Lilly, he just couldn't picture them being so utterly heartless to allow her killer to go free, unless -- unless it was one of them. This was what Veronica was trying to get at. Not one of them had an alibi now.

The thought was too disturbing so he busied himself with the other envelope. This one was addressed to Veronica's mother. Out fell more photos. He turned them all over, surprised to find that they were all of Veronica during various aspects of her day - in the quad at school, walking to her dad's office, standing outside her apartment with a laundry basket. The last photo was of her sitting with Logan on a pool lounge. It was from New Year's Eve because he was putting his suit jacket around her shoulders. But what really chilled him were the markings on each photo all around Veronica -- gunsight crosshairs.

"Where did these come from?"

"They were waiting on the doorstep the day after my mom left. I guess it was supposed to be a message."

"You guess?! Whoever sent these was watching you. Threatening you!"

"That's not the only message. One of the photos was on the Kane Estate. That's the message. That they'll be the ones that come after me. I'm betting it was Wiedman --"

"How can you be so casual about this? Why didn't you show me these before?" he asked in disbelief. "Did you at least show your dad?"

"My mom split. They probably know that by now and think they at least achieved some kind of goal with that and have backed off. So what would be the point in telling my dad now?"

He slammed his fist down on the table making Veronica jump. "Maybe because your dad has the right to know that someone's threatening his daughter? Maybe because I fucking care about you and wanna know if you're in danger? God, Veronica! If something happened to you too -- now -- I can't --"

Unable to finish that thought with her gaping at him, he stood up and began pacing, and wondered how he'd ever be calm again. When he finally stopped, leaning against the galley counter, trying to regain some composure, he was surprised to feel her arms wrap around his middle from behind, and feel her press against his back.

"I'm sorry. I didn't think -- I didn't know -- I'm sorry."

She didn't know he cared that much or she just didn't believe it. She still didn't trust him. He wondered if he could ever make her. He put his hands over hers and clutched them to his chest. "We have to tell someone about this, Veronica. It's too dangerous now. If anyone finds out we're investigating Lilly's murder and we have all this proof, they're going to threaten you again. Or worse."

"But what about your alibi?"

She loosened her grip on him as he turned around to face her, but she still held on to him. He smoothed her hair back. "Ironically, Lilly's ticket clears me. By six that night, I was home and surprising my mom by getting back so early and annoying the housekeeper by unexpectedly having to make another dinner."

Veronica exhaled with relief until Logan said, "We should tell your dad."

She tensed again, but nodded and said, "Okay, but not just yet. Let's just get through this week. Get through exams and then we'll tell him and ask him what to do. Please."

"Fine. But after exams are done, no excuses."

"None. I promise. I'm sick of lying to him anyway."

He was sick of all the lies too. All he wanted was for something passing for normal now. He wrapped his arms around her back and held her tightly.

"So how was the rest of your date?"

He started giggling and soon they were both laughing uncontrollably.

----------

When Logan returned home, he noted that neither Trina's and Aaron's cars were in the driveway. He knew better than to hope that his parents' argument was over. But he was feeling far too good now to give a crap about their latest drama. Making out with Veronica and eliciting promises to study with her the next day, not to mention the -- ahem -- self-directed study session he had after she left had him practically skipping into the house.

As he walked through the threshold into the living room, he heard a scream, "You SON OF A BITCH!" He ducked just in time to miss a crystal vase flying straight at his head. It hit the doorframe and shattered when it landed on the floor. Clearly, this fight had not been about just the usual. He righted himself and stared at his furious, dishevelled mother. Thick streaks of mascara ran from her red, puffy eyes down her cheeks.

Lynn gasped when she realized her mistake. "Oh Logan, honey! I'm so sorry." She ran over to him and hugged him tightly. "I thought you were --"

"Pater?" Logan supplied. Lynn dropped her arms and hung her head. He continued with a chastising sigh. "I don't know why you stay with him." God, the woman had so many reasons to leave the bastard. His body was covered in reasons.

Lynn sniffled and picked up her drink from a side table. "I stayed for you, Logan. So that you'd have a better life."

Logan stood agape at his mother. He finally shook his head sadly. "Gee, Mom, you really shouldn't have." He walked out of the room, leaving his mother crying into her tumbler.

----------

The next morning, Logan had his books together and was down the stairs, ready to get the hell out of there. Whether his parents continued to fight or not, he still had exams to study for.

Unfortunately, he wasn't up early enough because Aaron was already in the kitchen on the phone.

"You have to stop them from airing the story, Harvey…. Well, why can't Barry get an injunction?... I don't fucking care that it's Sunday! ...Yes, I understand that they think this heads-up is a courtesy…And remember how long it took for Rob Lowe's career to bounce back from that? ...Then you know that I don't appreciate the comparison!"

Ah, bad press, the bane of his father's existence, when it wasn't Logan himself. And it was best he get out of the house before his father remembered that.

Too late. Logan was almost at the door when he caught his father's eye. Aaron put his hand over the receiver and asked, "Where are you off to, son?"

"Studying with Veronica," Logan emphasized to irritate his father. "We've got exams this week."

"Ah good. Good. When will you be back?"

"Depends. You and Mom gonna be fighting?"

Aaron winced. "It's just a disagreement. But since you're studying, you may want to stay out a little longer."

Logan saluted his father, but as he turned to leave, he heard Aaron say, "By the way, I'm due back on set, so I'll be leaving this afternoon. If I don't see you, good luck."

Logan was taken aback, but nodded and left.

----------

Veronica was not at her desk when Logan walked into Mars Investigation. She and her father were going to catch up on filing before she started studying. Logan could hear her animated voice coming from Keith's office over a radio playing in the background. He closed the door quietly so he wouldn't interrupt them, then sat silently on the couch to wait for Veronica. Then the plan was to go back to his dad's boat for some private study time. Just what they'd be studying would be Veronica's call, but he intended to influence that decision as best he could.

He heard her say, "I'm just going to finish this one --"

Keith interrupted. "You've got exams, right? That takes priority over this. Your GPA is not slipping over my lousy filing system."

Veronica insisted. "But if I take care of this --"

Keith wouldn't hear of it. "Go on! You've done enough today, so go get studying!"

"Okay. Okay. My -- uh -- study buddy will be here soon anyway." Logan's ears pricked up at this.

"A buddy, hmmm? I haven't heard you talking about any new friends lately. Do I even want to know who this buddy might be?"

"Probably not." Veronica replied chirpily.

Keith sighed. "Veronica, you're spending an awful lot of time with Logan Echolls. Is there something you want to tell me?"

Veronica's voice squeaked when she asked, "Remember when you said that it was okay to like him that way?" He could just imagine her cute little nose wrinkling as she made finger quotes.

"Yeaaaah, I do. Back when I thought there wasn't even a remote possibility of that actually happening. Ah, those were the days."

"I guess you should have been more specific."

"Actually, I was thinking I should have been more strict. Do I really have to tell you this, Veronica? He's not exactly a father's dream for his only daughter."

"God, Dad! We're just dating, sorta."

"And that 'sorta' is exactly my problem."

"Wait. Let me guess, 'he's only after one thing'."

"Well, now that you mention it…"

"Did you ever think that maybe I'm the one who's only after one thing?"

"The next words outta your mouth better be 'his money', or so help me --"

"'Or so help me'… does that actually mean something or is that just one of those things you learn to say as an adult in a scary tone that's supposed to make children tremble?"

"It means I want you to be careful. I admit, Logan is a charming boy, but he's volatile. Look, it's not that I don't like him --"

Logan couldn't help barking out a laugh at that. Both Keith and Veronica stopped talking and popped their heads out from behind the office door. Logan waved innocently.

Veronica smiled openly at him and he suddenly didn't care what Keith thought of him. He stood as she strode over to embrace him, her arms stretched wide. Before she reached Logan, Keith cleared his throat loudly and pointedly. Veronica turned and rolled her eyes at her father, sighed with annoyance and stuck her hand out for Logan to shake instead. Once he did, Veronica looked back at Keith with a tilt of her head and asked, "Happy?"

"Getting there," Keith said, "I'll be better after Logan and I have a chat."

"Dad!" Keith ignored his daughter and motioned for Logan to come with him.

Logan gave Veronica a reassuring smirk and a shrug before he walked into the office and Keith closed the door behind them. Keith sat in his chair then pointed to the chair in front of the desk for Logan. Logan dutifully sat down and clasped his hands on his lap.

"Logan."

"Mr. Mars."

"I take it you know what I want to talk to you about."

Logan leaned forward conspiratorially. "Yes. And I'm glad because someone had to tell you that pleated slacks are just not flattering on your body shape."

Keith stared back impassively. "I appreciate the advice. But in light of the last time you and I talked, you might want to can the attitude and try again."

The last time they'd talked, was over the phone on New Year's Eve when Logan tried to explain to Keith why his drunken daughter didn't want to go home. Logan sat back and looked contrite. "You probably want to have the 'Concerned Dad' speech."

Keith nodded. "Considering your reputation, I'm sure you've heard this sort of thing before."

"No, actually. Lilly's parents were always more about lecturing her about being a bad influence. So this will be a refreshing first for me. But I'm sure you've given this sort of speech before."

Keith shook his head. "No, not really. I wasn't too worried about Duncan."

"And now?"

Keith thought about it for a second and admitted, "I probably wouldn't let him sit down."

Progress, Logan thought, until Keith started talking again. "But Duncan isn't here. You are. And you might think I'm just some old fart who's just doing the Concerned Dad speech because that's what dads of daughters do, but I'll tell you something, Logan, I'm not naïve and I remember everything. So I know exactly why Veronica doesn't have many friends any more. But she's decided, mostly because she's a better person than me, to give you another chance. So if you think you're going to pull a fast one, kid, it had better be so damn fast that it gets you out of this town before I find you. Because I will find you. Got that?"

Before Lilly died, Keith was an imposing figure in the town and in his friendship with Veronica. Of all their parents, the four of them knew that they had to be careful of Veronica's dad. Whenever they were going to do something questionable, it always came down to how Keith was going to react. After Keith was thrown out of office, Logan thought of him as a joke, and would never admit that he was still pretty scared of him. But here, sitting under Keith's unflinching, disapproving stare, Logan gulped audibly and nodded.

Keith grinned widely. "Okay then. Talk done. Get studying!"

Logan stumbled out of Keith's office and almost tripped over Veronica who had been trying to listen through the door.

"You okay?" she asked.

"Yeah. You know what though? Let's just study here."

"Great idea!" Keith yelled from his office.

Veronica rolled her eyes at her father's meddling, but cleared off the coffee table in the waiting area. As Logan set up his text and notebook, Keith turned up the radio in his office and closed the door, muffling the noise on either side. He guessed that was supposed to be a sign of trust, but Logan didn't take much comfort from it.

Veronica plopped her books down and Logan noticed the sophomore course schedule on top. "I thought you had all your classes sorted out for next term already."

Veronica shrugged. "My guidance counsellor says I have to make some changes. Apparently I'm too isolated and intimidating. She wants me getting more involved with school crap like I used to be. She actually suggested I re-join the pep squad."

"Huh. Ms James sure has a sinister streak. How about something less ruthless? Take 'Intro to Journalism' with me. Then you can work on the school paper."

"Ooh. Tempting," Veronica said sarcastically. "Reports on the latest 09er fashion trends, gossip columns on Neptune's elite, jock stats that only jocks care about, meaningless polls that show student apathy is at an all time high. Yeah, that's all right up my alley."

Logan listed off reasons on his fingers. "It'll look good on college applications, there's lots of out-of-class time, you'll probably get to do all the photos because you already kick ass with your camera. Oh, and did I mention that I am in the class?"

"You did," Veronica said, smiling. "And we're supposed to be broken up, remember? But I'm guessing you've already got a cunning plan for us to get inadvertently partnered up so we can take advantage of that out-of-class time. I'll think about it." She picked up her text book and cracked it open. "But none of that's gonna happen if we don't pass chemistry first.

Once he and Veronica started studying, he was surprised by how much he actually knew and soon he was quizzing her as much as she was him. They were well into the rules for chemical nomenclature when Keith opened his door quickly.

"Logan, do you have your cell phone on?" Keith asked with concern.

"Yeah, why?" Logan frowned, pulling his phone from his pocket.

"And the ringer's on? You haven't missed any calls?" Keith asked, walking over to the coat rack and grabbing his jacket off the peg. Logan shook his head.

"Dad, what's wrong?"

"There was a news report on the radio about an incident at your house, Logan. I think you'd better get to the hospital."

Polaris22 (cont'd)

2008-07-17T01:23:23Z

I remembered some other things from Jason Dohring's Q&A session at Polaris:
1. I was sitting in a very sparsely populated section of the room, one row behind his wife, Lauren, during the Q&A and there were a lot of adorable looks back and forth between them, which kept drawing my eye toward her (that and the stage crew kept coming over to talk to her). I felt kind of awkward taking as many photos as I did of her husband (not to mention the fact that I'm about 10 years older than the two of them), so I put my camera away and just enjoyed the talk, which is why I don't have more photos.

2. When asked what his dream role would be, he says his answer changes based on which actor he's currently obsessed with. So right now, he'd like to play Ben Kingsley's son. He'd even shave his head for the role. (I love Ben Kingsley, so I was pleased to hear that.)

3. When asked what he likes to do in his free time, he said right away, spend time with Lauren, which illicted Awwwws from the audience. Also he hangs out with his brothers and really likes to play games. He only mentioned charades though (which I found weird because I don't know anybody who actually *likes* charades but perhaps that's because I'm old and so are all my friends).

4. I believe the first questions were asked by a dude who wanted to know something about VM and wrapped up by asking if Jason could get him a date with Kristen, to which he replied, "Absolutely."

5. Some other fuzzy photos, which are not in the Photobucket album:

"

Anyway, that's all I can remember for now.

And in other news, I am writing. Not fast. Not what I should be writing. But I am writing. Yay for me.

Polaris22

2008-07-14T14:12:52Z

I was at Polaris22 this weekend (formerly known as Toronto Trek). It was nice to finally go to a Con that I didn't have to fly to. Went to lots of writing panels, not that I think they will help me write anything any faster. But I made an effort.

Of course, you're probably not interested in any of the writers I met and followed about (Kelley Armstrong and Tanya Huff, if you are). You're probably more interested in this guy:

When asked who would win a verbal sparring match, Josef or Logan, his answer was: "Josef, but Logan wouldn't care."

When asked what question would he really liked to be asked at one of these cons, his answer was: "I dunno. 'Where'd you get those shoes?'"

And apparently, he got his shoes at "some department store".

Who does he keep in touch with from VM? Well, obviously Ryan and Francis, but he also texts Kristen all the time for advice.

And for any Dead Like Me/Ellen Muth fans:

She demonstrated her flexibility at one point by suddenly lying down on stage and twisting herself about to show us how she, and subsequently George, sleeps. Also, she defended Mandy Patinkin, who is notorious for being difficult to work with. She said that she always knew that he cared about her and that she learned a lot from him.

If you can believe it, I think of the two, Muth got the more inane and diehard fan questions. I think she was kinda scared of this one guy (I know I was) who kept insisting his philosophy behind Dead Like Me was what was really going on. But she handled it really well.

Anyway, the rest of the photos can be found here. I apologize in advance for the quality of the photos. They would raise the lights when the actors would walk on stage and then immediately dim them when they'd sit down, making for some awful lighting conditions.

Fuzzy Proof

2008-06-19T15:59:40Z

of where I was this past weekend:

For the rest of the photos go here. Enjoy!

icon time!

2008-05-12T23:54:50Z

Teasers for 30 Rock and VM:

30 Rock:

VM:

X-Files Fic: Importuning Life for Life (1/1)

2008-05-08T18:11:44Z

TITLE: Importuning Life for Life
AUTHOR: Circe Invidiosa (aka invida)
RATING: R for swears
CATEGORY: MSR/UST
WORD COUNT: 2546
SPOILERS: post-Elegy
SITE: http://circe.invidiosa.com/fanfic
ARCHIVE: yours for the asking
DISCLAIMER: I know the law, and the law would win.

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS: Mucho thanks to clulla for the beta, to Helen Quilley and aud_woman_in for the encouragement and idea bouncing, and to bcfan for telling me to get my damn butt in gear and finish this already.

SUMMARY: He'd said enough out loud and made it real.

Mulder leaned against the ramp’s railing. He gripped it tightly, knowing that if he let go, he would slide down the wall. His conversation with Scully had gone horribly wrong. The last thing he wanted to do was make her run away from him, but he was still angry. Her deception still stung. If she had told him what she had seen, the apparitions, he could have helped her through it. They could have understood it together. And even if he wasn't really sure of that, at least he could have done something instead of obliviously carrying on with the case and pulling her back into it.

Even as he cursed her stubbornness, he grudgingly regretted his words to her. Not only did he know that they must have hurt her, but he'd broken their unspoken rule and talked about it. He'd even dared to say how he felt. He'd said enough out loud and made it real. His anger made him weak enough to tell her what he was afraid of. And all that accomplished was to let her know that he believed it was hopeless. He believed she was going to die.

If he could have smashed the back of his head through the cinder block wall at that moment he would have. He closed his eyes and tried to will the feelings of guilt and anger away.

He heard the door at the bottom of the ramp open and then the sound of heels clicking in a familiar gait. He wondered, with anticipation and dread, if she had thought of a retort and was coming back to finish the argument.

He heard her speak to someone. "Excuse me. Would it be possible for you to call me a cab?"

He dashed down the ramp to find her at the front security desk.

"Scully? What are you still doing here? I thought you were going home."

She turned and looked surprised to see him still there, maybe even a little frightened. "I -- I was...I mean, I am. I just need to call a cab."

"What's wrong with your car?"

"Nothing. It's just -- It's late. I've had a really long day. I'd just rather not face the drive home," she explained, kneading her forehead as she spoke. She pinched the bridge of her nose, inhaling deeply before she looked up at him again.

There were dark rings under Scully's eyes. She had been ready for bed when he called on her earlier in the evening and he felt like an idiot when she opened the door, looking cozy and warm, knowing that he'd be taking her back out into the cold, dreary night to chase more death. And yet, selfishly, he still asked her to go.

His hand brushed her shoulder, nudging her back towards the door. "C'mon, I'll drive you home. We'll pick up your car in the morning."

The argument was already in her eyes when Scully looked up at him. But she surprised him by looking back down and nodding. She turned and was back out the door before he could say anything else. He followed, watching as she momentarily glanced at her car then quickly turned away. He directed her with a nod towards his car and she made her way ahead of him, eyes cast downward again.

He could feel her annoyance with him as he came up to the passenger side and opened her door for her. The tension was practically pulsing from her and she confirmed his suspicions by slamming her door a little too hard.

She was already buckled in with her hands clasped tightly over her lap. She held herself like that even after he started the car and pulled out onto the rain slicked street. The cold drizzle had stopped, but the pressure had not let up, another downpour imminent. He hoped he would have Scully home before that. Seeing her have to trudge up the stairs to her apartment in the rain would have been another blow to his ego that he didn't think he could bear tonight.

"Are you cold?" he asked, attempting to start a conversation with something neutral but still showing his concern. His hand was already on the heater knob.

Scully didn't answer right away. She stared down at her hands, glassy-eyed. Without looking at him, she turned her head slowly towards Mulder, realizing he must have something. He almost repeated his question when finally she robotically shook her head.

So much for conversation, he thought resentfully, pressing down on the gas pedal. He raced through a yellow light in the vain hope that Scully would pipe up with annoyance at his recklessness, but either she didn't notice, or she, too, did not want to prolong the awkward car ride.

The glare from the streetlights onto the puddles made it difficult to navigate the roads to her dwelling that he knew so well. He could no longer make out the lines that defined the lanes, and half the drive to her home, he wasn't sure he was in the right lane or if he'd drifted over into oncoming traffic, if there had been any that late. But again, Scully took no notice of his careless driving.

How ironic would it be, he mused, if a traffic accident were to take them both out before Scully's cancer or whatever ridiculous misfortune fate held for him.

Mulder pulled up in front of Scully's apartment and turned the car off. It was a few seconds before Scully realized that they'd stopped. He almost wondered if she'd fallen asleep, until she looked about her, saw where they were and said, "You don't have to see me to the door, Mulder. I can manage."

"That's all you have to say to me, Scully?"

Scully frowned at him, genuinely bewildered at Mulder's clear irritation. "I was trying to spare you. Is there something in particular you were waiting for, Mulder?"

"I dunno, Scully, maybe you wanna tell me what's really going on here? This catatonia you've been in since you walked back into the psych centre is more than just fatigue."

She looked back down at her hands again. "Nothing. Nothing's going on. Just thinking."

"About?" Mulder waited for her to reply, but all she did was shrug and his frustration gripped at his chest. "C'mon, Scully! I know when you're holding something back. I thought you understood what I meant about being honest with me."

She whipped her head around and glared at him. "And I thought you understood that I can't just believe whatever you believe! I need time to process these types of --" She struggle for the right word before blurting out, " -- things. I need to be able to sort them out and appreciate them for what they are. Why don't you ever understand that?"

"If you'd told me to begin with --"

She threw her hands up. "You'd what, Mulder?" She pointed at him accusatorily before he could reply. "When you didn't know what I'd seen, you told me what you thought the apparitions were for Harold -- a death harbinger. What would you have told me if you knew I'd seen them too? But you didn't know, so you didn't sugarcoat it. Do you think that's what I would have wanted you to do?"

It was Mulder's turn to avoid Scully's gaze, knowing she was right. The steering wheel was fascinating now, especially the places where his hands had rubbed away the texture in the vinyl. He rubbed at the spots with both hands, relishing their smoothness, silently wishing he'd never started this argument.

"You want me to be honest with you," Scully went on, "Well, I intended to be when I was ready to deal with what I thought I saw and what I understood it to mean. I expect the same from you."

He snorted. "You expect honesty? Okay, then let's face the facts here, Scully. You're dying." He horrified himself with those words, but he told himself that he didn't want to take it back. It was time.

He looked over at her to see the effect of his words on her but she just took a deep breath and returned his gaze impassively. "Is that something you've really come to terms with, Mulder?" she asked, grimly.

"What do you want from me?"

"What do you want from me, Mulder? I told you. The doctor says I'm --"

"Do not say that next word, Scully! Just don't fucking say it! I'd rather have the silent treatment from you for the rest of the night than hear that damn word come out of your mouth."

She sounded hurt when she spoke. "It's the truth, Mulder. What do you want me to say?"

"The truth?! The truth is, Scully, that you are not okay. I let you tell me you're fine --" he spat the word out with distaste, "when I can see what this is doing to you. I try to keep my distance every time you have a nosebleed so you don't think I'm smothering you. I try not to ask too many questions about your doctors' appointments or your treatments so you don't feel like I'm prying. The truth is that I'm tired of pretending I --"

"I never asked you to."

"You didn't have to."

Scully's eyes widened momentarily with shock, then she turned and looked out the window, avoiding his livid gaze. Mulder felt remorse again for arguing with her and wondered why he hadn't stopped this, but also wondered why this accusation was the one that broke her.

Surprisingly, Scully made no move to leave the car. Usually, she'd already be fleeing up the stairs and locking herself in her apartment. But he understood, as she obviously did, that after tonight, after this fight, there was no running away.

"Will you do something for me, Scully?" Mulder asked. He wanted to sound compassionate and conciliatory, but his voice was hoarse from yelling and he croaked out his words.

"What do you mean?" she asked, wiping her nose. His heart nearly broke as she surreptitiously checked for blood.

"You said you came here tonight because I asked you. Will you do something for me now?"

She didn't answer, still looking out the window, but she made a slight shrug.

"Scully, for once," he paused, glancing away, unable to watch her as he made his request, "just for tonight, just pretend that you need me. Indulge me. Let me take care of you. Would -- would that be so bad?"

"Yes. It would," she said after a long, thoughtful pause. Her voice was so small, betraying the utter devastation in which her words had left him. Yet she still hadn't made any move to get out of the car.

He'd just tried to make it right and she just could not let go of her self-righteous stubbornness, not even for a second. Well, fuck her damn cancer. God, his vindictive side wanted her to leave now. He couldn't say which urge he was fighting more -- trying to persuade her all over again or yelling at her to get the fuck out.

She spoke up before he could decide. Her tone was gentle but sad. "Mulder, you said that we're afraid of the same thing. But we're not. We're really not, Mulder. I'm not afraid to die. I've faced death and I'm sure of what will happen when I have to face it again. I'm afraid of -- for you. So I can't...I can't be what you need tonight because it wouldn't just be tonight. You know that." She turned her body to face him and he could see her teary eyes. "And there just isn't enough time."

He instinctively started to shake his head, even though he had no idea how to respond. He could never have predicted this reaction from her even if they'd had a thousand years together and not just a few more moments.

She stopped him. "I know I'm dying, Mulder. If you think I haven't come to terms with that, then you've forgotten who I am. What I haven't come to terms with is where this will leave you when I'm gone, and everything I won't be able to do or be for you."

Mulder wasn't often rendered dumbstruck, but everything he'd ever wanted to say to her came rushing into his head, and suddenly none of it was coherent. All of it was sensation and anxiety and if he opened his mouth, he knew all that would come out was a heartfelt garbled noise, which Scully wouldn't appreciate.

Mulder didn't know how much time had passed, but it occurred to him that she was waiting for him to respond. When he focused on her again, Scully was nodding bleakly like she understood what he couldn't say and was out of the car in a dark rush of overcoat, billowing out beneath her and sweeping up the steps into the building.

Time was lost to Mulder again as he sat and debated about what he should do. He'd made his mind up to just go home and sleep on it, and had even started his car when he stole a final glance up at Scully's apartment. The blinds moved, and he was sure he'd seen her hand pulling them away from the pane. She was watching him. She was waiting to see what he'd do.

He turned the car off again, and contemplated her words as he tried to decide what it was that she really wanted. And when he imagined them all over again, the words were coming out of his mouth. I'm afraid for you. I haven't come to terms with everything I won't be able to do or be for you.

He strained to see if she was still watching. The rain had begun now and was falling in big globs across the windshield, obscuring his view of her window. It didn't matter. He had his cell in his hand and was already dialling her number before he was out of the car. He took the steps up to her building two at a time. She answered with a sigh by the time he was through the front doors.

"Mulder, it's late. I don't want to fight any more. Just go home --"

"Scully, just listen. You're wrong --"

"Perfect response to me saying I don't want another argument. Good night, Mulder."

Her apartment was just down the hall, but it seemed to be getting further away even as he neared. "Can you just this once stop being stubborn and concede that I might be right? That I might know -- Scully, it will be enough. You are enough."

He thought he heard her breath hitch. He was outside her door now. "Do you hear me, Scully?" His next question was to ask if he was enough for her, but it died on his lips as the knob twisted sharply and the door fell ajar into her darkened apartment. He heard her slippered feet shuffle back, waiting to see what he would do.

He pushed his way in and closed the door behind him.

-x-x-x-

Author's Note: Title comes from the Dorothy Parker poem, A Dream Lies Dead.

icons!

2008-02-19T21:22:04Z

Some new icons for VM, Serenity, and X-Files...

Teaser:

Veronica Mars:



Serenity:



X-Files:



All my XF icons can be found here.

FIC: Damn, Damn the Circumstance (14/?)

2008-02-10T15:33:30Z

Title: Damn, Damn the Circumstance (14/?)
Author: invida
Characters: Veronica, Logan, Ensemble
Word Count: 6220
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.

Acknowledgements: Thanks to aud_woman_in and afrocurl for all the help!

Previous Parts

"God, I've missed you," Veronica blurted out breathlessly between kisses.

Logan drew back, eying her with surprise. It was almost enough for her to take her declaration back or to make some smart ass remark to cover her vulnerability. But there was no returning to denial through arm punches and snarky comments to hide what she was feeling, no matter how turbulent or confusing. Two threats on his life in two days had seen to the end of that. Faced with very real fear of losing him brought out her possessiveness. And though their circumstances were inopportune, she'd lost enough people in the last few months; being coy and resigned was something she didn't feel she had time for anymore despite the nagging voice in her head that tried to remind her about Logan's past misdeeds. But that didn't mean she was going to tell him any of that. So she merely shrugged helplessly when he continued to study her.

He shyly and sweetly grinned back at her, and it was almost enough for her to not regret saying anything. He tucked her hair behind her ear, then let his fingers dance down her neck and along her collarbone, causing her to shiver under his touch. She wasn't sure what it was that could turn such an adorable, coy smile into that devilishly smug smirk. All she knew was it warranted closer inspection.

"Yeah, this pretending to be broken up thing? Not my idea," Logan whispered despite being in an empty classroom.

She gaped at him in mock protest and the lull gave Logan the opportunity to hoist her up on top of a desk. He insinuated himself between her knees as she urgently tugged him by the shirt collar into another kiss.

"But if it makes you this frisky," he murmured against her mouth, "I won't complain."

She felt herself blush even more. "Well, what did you expect? I haven't seen you in days except at school where we can't --" She gasped, feeling his lips kneading the skin just below her ear, his hands warm and travelling up her thighs, "--do this. And then you ditched me last night-"

He pulled back, wounded at her dig. "I told you --"

"I know, I know. I got your text and watched the news. And the blow-by-blow e-mail you sent later was particularly droll." Veronica leaned forward, bringing him back to her with another kiss. "But watching you on TV, in the background at a press conference, looking all petulant and miserable really doesn't do it for me. I'd much rather you were petulant and miserable in my presence."

"Tough. In your presence, I'm so cheerful, I'm practically giddy." Logan held his hands up and wiggled his fingers daintily.

"Really? You were pretty miserable looking just a few minutes ago in the quad."

"You were watching me?" Logan gasped teasingly. "Where people could've seen you? What happened to 'someone's always watching'?"

"Shut up." She smacked his chest lightly. "At least I wasn't being obvious about it, unlike some people. I'm surprised everyone around you didn't notice."

"Some of them did --"

"Did Duncan?" she asked impulsively. When Logan's face dropped, she added reassuringly, "I just meant that I saw you getting kinda agitated with him when he sat down. I don't want you setting him off and getting hurt again."

His features relaxed. He cupped her face and planted a kiss on her forehead. "Don't worry that pretty little head of yours. Now that I know he's certifiable, I can handle him."

"So he really doesn't remember?"

Logan shrugged. "If it's an act, he hasn't slipped yet."

She shook her head. "That's so weird. I mean, what the hell is wrong with him? He freaks out, attacks you, passes out and then can't remember any of it?"

"No, what's weird is that it wasn't the first time he's done that," he said in her ear as he resumed his assault on her neck.

"He attacked you before that?" Veronica asked incredulously, trying to get a bearing on her thoughts while he was doing that to her neck. It was unbelievable to her that anyone could get the upper hand on Logan once, never mind twice.

"Not me. Jake."

"Wait. He attacked his dad, too? Why didn't you tell me?" she asked, pushing him back.

"It was before. I was pissed with you then." He glanced down momentarily as he added, "Lilly had just broken up with me."

Surprised, she held her hands up to stop him as he tried to move in again. "That long ago?"

He sighed in frustration, finally realizing the moment was gone and backed up. "Yeah. You know, when you guys broke up."

She hopped down from the desk and got in front of him before he could turn away. "Hey, I'm just trying to figure out what all this means."

She held out her hand to him apologetically. He reluctantly took it. She was getting tired of having to defend herself whenever he'd get sullen at the mention of Duncan. It wasn't like she still loved Duncan that way any more obviously. She couldn't. But Duncan was a huge part of the intrigue that was their lives now. They couldn't help talking about him. Besides, she would never get bent out of shape if he started talking about Lilly. Of course, when she really thought about it, Logan almost never talked to her about Lilly anymore.

Logan was looking down at their entwined hands. "Well, what it means for the time being is that he still doesn't know that you know about Jake and your mom, or Shelley's party. And he and I are best buds again. In fact, we're such good pals, he wants me to go on a double date with him Saturday," he said nonchalantly.

Stunned, Veronica yanked his hand hard to get his attention. "Excuse me? Who with?"

"Meg for him and Pam for me."

Veronica frowned. "Meg? Didn't she just break up with Cole? Like, yesterday?"

Logan returned her frown. "Umm...The correct response there should have been insane jealousy over your boyfriend."

"Excuse me? Did you need another demonstration of the violent reaction I had before I heard who your potential date was? Or was I supposed to rip your arm out of your socket like a wookiee?"

He closed his eyes and sighed. "God. There is nothing hotter than angry nerd talk. Nothing."

She rolled her eyes. "Am I really supposed to be jealous of a girl who is -- how did you once so colourfully put it -- such a sycophantic uptight bitch, she probably uses sanitation wipes on every 09er ass before she kisses? If you want me in a possessive hissy fit, at least start with someone I know you can stand."

"So if I get set up with a better girl, promise to be jealous then?"

"Just try and stop me from clawing her eyes out. So are you going to complete Duncan's happy foursome?"

Logan shrugged. "I dunno. Like you said, I do hate Pam."

"But if you do go, it solidifies our cover."

"But if I don't, I can spend more time with you this weekend."

"My dad's around this weekend."

He slapped his hand to his chest sarcastically. "I'm shocked that you immediately thought my intentions were lascivious. We'll be studying, of course. We do have a chemistry final next week."

"Uh huh. I knew you were just with me for my brains."

"Yes, big sexy brains. Mmm, you know, hot zombie talk might just win out over hot nerd talk." He kissed the tip of her nose. "So what do I do if Pam tries to sully my virtue?"

"You have virtue left to sully?" she quipped. "You'll handle it. I'm sure you've had to let down plenty of horrible girls in your time." She glanced at the clock in the room. "C'mon. Lunch is almost over, we're gonna get caught in here." She started walking towards the door.

Logan tugged her back. "Let's skip."

She shook her head. "We can't. When neither of us show up to classes this afternoon, that'll be just as bad as us getting caught in here."

"C'mon, Veronica. It's the last week of classes. No one's showing up. And no one'll miss us. And you know chemistry like this –" he took her hand and kissed the back of it gently. "And like you said, we haven't seen each other in days. Besides, I got something I wanna show you."

"What is it?" she asked excitedly. When he did nothing but shrug, she sighed. "Damn you, appealing to my curiosity. Okay. I've got something I want to show you, too."

His eyebrows rose hopefully as he looked her up and down. She smacked his arm. "Mind out of the gutter, mister, or you're going to be tremendously disappointed." She peeked out the door, making sure no one in the hall would notice them. "I'll go first. See you at Dog Beach in twenty?"

He nodded and she pecked him on the cheek before she ducked out the door and made her way down the hall. She didn't dare look back and risk drawing attention to the classroom she just left in case Logan was leaving.

Fortunately, a diversion in the form of Mac stepping out of the Vice Principal's office appeared.

"I hope you got a good right cross in," Veronica said, getting Mac's attention.

Mac pulled her down the hall away from the office. "What the hell happened to you?"

"I stopped, dropped, and rolled? Wait. That's fire. Not fights. I always get those two mixed up. They begin with the same letters."

"Biggest fight of the school year breaks out because of you, then you disappear and your only answer is a joke?" Mac looked her up and down. "Ah."

"Ah, meaning what?" Veronica asked self consciously, wondering what she'd seen.

"Ah meaning a boy must be involved," Mac answered matter-of-factly.

Veronica shook her head. "I don't know what you're talking about."

"Sure. You just get all flushed, your hair gets mussed, and your lipstick smears for no reason."

Veronica's fingers involuntarily touched her lips, glaring at an amused Mac who continued to tease her. "And if I go back in the general direction from where you came, I won't find any boy stealthily sneaking out of any empty classrooms or broom closets." Mac turned and started for her locker. "And certainly not any particular boy. Especially not any particular boy that you had a virtual staring contest with at lunch before bedlam broke out." She opened up her locker and started rummaging.

Veronica tried to look blasé. "You are imagining things. Letting yourself get swept away by gossip and far-fetched slander. And here I thought you were above all the rumours around this stupid school."

"If I believed any of the rumours I would have said boys, as well as teachers, janitorial staff and the vending machine delivery guy. I said boy. One boy. One dreamy boy who just happens to --"

Veronica pointed at Mac. "Finish that and I'll rescind my offer to do a more thorough investigation of your parents," she said sternly.

Mac snorted and waved her off. "Idle threat. If there's one thing I've learned it's that you like this kinda thing too much."

Veronica sighed. "True dat. You're absolutely sure you want to do this?"

"You saw the test results, Veronica. I'm not their kid. Neither one of them is my real parent. Which, while that explains a lot, still leaves me wondering where the hell I came from. Do you know what that's like?"

In a manner of speaking, Veronica thought, but just gave Mac a sympathetic arm squeeze.

"Hey Veronica."

She spun around to find Cassidy Casablancas at the next bank of lockers. He ambled up to her awkwardly. "Sorry about Dick."

She smiled politely, but coolly, trying to quell the anxiety that surged through her at the sight of him coming towards her. "You say that like you could control him."

He shrugged meekly. "He's not always so bad."

"Well, you'll excuse me if I don't share your opinion."

"But I guess you share my opinion about Logan though, right?" he said quietly as he walked by her, giving a nod to Mac.

Veronica turned back to Mac, who looked puzzled at the exchange she'd just witnessed. "Well, that wasn't the least bit creepifying."

"Dick Casablancas's little brother." Veronica said, shrugging, more for her sake than Mac's.

Mac grimaced. "Huh. Too bad. Before that, I thought he was kinda cute."

"Let that be a warning to ya. Hey, was Clemmons looking for me?"

Mac shrugged. "He didn't care what the fight was about and he seemed satisfied with my explanation."

"You continue to rock, my friend. I'm bailing for the day." She jerked her thumb towards the exit, as she started to back away.

"Right. Well, if you happen to run into any of my history classmates in your truancy --"

"Hey! Zip it!" Veronica sternly cautioned with a finger to her grinning lips, then waved at Mac before blending in with the crowds of kids on their way to classes, while she made her way out the doors to the parking lot.

----------

"So what do you think?" Logan asked, arms spread, as Veronica got out of her car at the deserted beach.

She shoved her hands in her coat pockets for warmth and stood back, taking in the brand spanking new vehicle he stood by. "It's yellow."

Logan's arms dropped dejectedly. "That's it?"

"It's big and yellow?" she tried hopefully as she neared him.

"You don't like it," he said, sighing.

"I didn't say that. I just meant it's -- I don't know -- flashy? I mean, the SUV itself is okay. Very appropriate for the rugged terrain of Neptune." She nudged him with her shoulder.

"Shut up," he replied, his eyes betraying his amusement. She nudged him again with a grin and this time he caught her before she could pull back and held her against him.

"Why yellow?"

"You mean you don't know that Aaron Echolls' least favourite colour is yellow? I'm sure he mentioned it on Inside the Actor's Studio. Isn't that one of the questions? It just gives me a little thrill knowing that whenever my dad goes anywhere near our driveway, something this big and this yellow will be right there for him to see."

Veronica shook her head, laughing with him, trying to hide the worry that knotted in her gut every time Logan mentioned his father. Despite trying to hide any sign of pity or fear for him that she knew he'd despise, all she could picture was Aaron looming over Logan with his hand raised.

She changed the subject. "So I can see that you like it. Why's it so important that I like it?"

"Because you're the girl I want to impress."

Veronica searched his eyes, waiting for a punchline. When none came, she gave him a shy, contented smile. She still didn't expect him to be so sweet. She knew he could be, she'd just never seen it directed at her. She decided she could get used to this, while ignoring the insistent voice in her head that continued to remind her of how suddenly Logan could turn on her -- had turned on her -- and all his recent transgressions with her.

He's changed, she reasoned, we both have. "Well then. I guess I like it." She reached up and laced her fingers behind his neck, rocking up to kiss him.

"So it's your turn for show and tell. Think you'll have better luck?"

"Oh, probably. You've wanted this for a while now."

"Well, well, well. Veronica Mars!" His hands around her waist yanked her against him.

She let go of him and smacked him in the arm. "I told you, it's not like that!" She reached into her messenger bag and pulled out an envelope and passed it to Logan.

Logan frowned as he scanned the envelope. "GenetiFind Labs? Addressed to Erica Cartman?"

"You didn't think I'd use my real name, did you? Cute, huh? His mom's a Liane, too."

"You got the test done? But how? You left Jake's brush --"

"I happen to live with the other candidate." Keith barely questioned her when she asked for a blood sample for extra credit in health class. It worried her that her lies to him were becoming more frequent. And it worried her even more how much more frequent they might become having the test results now.

"So this is it. This'll say whether your dad is your dad. But you haven't opened it." He held the envelope out to her to take back.

She pushed his hand back to him. "I want you to."

Logan blinked in confusion. "Me? Veronica, this is --"

She held her hand up to stop him. "I'm still not ready. I thought I was until this showed up. God, I even put a rush on it, thinking I wouldn't change my mind. And here I am scared of what a piece of paper says." She laughed, shaking her head. "Everything you said is true though. And I know it's important, not just to me. So I want you to hold on to this until I am ready. You can, you know, look if you want -- later, of course, when I'm not around."

Logan stared dumbfounded at the envelope. "Look, Logan, I know this is weird. It's not every day that your girlfriend who hasn't even had a first date with you asks you to hold on to her paternity tests. But regardless of the last few months, you've been my friend since forever and you're the one person in my whole life that could look at that paper and you wouldn't treat me any differently knowing the results. Do you understand?"

There was that shy sweet grin again, the one that made Veronica wonder how she never saw it before. "Yeah, I think I do," he said. He tucked the envelope into his inside pocket before he looped an arm around her waist and drew her to him, kissing her.

Looking up at him hopefully, she asked, "So do I win show and tell?"

"What kind of kindergarten class were you in? Nobody wins show and tell. Besides, you haven't seen the nice big wide backseat yet."

"But you're impressed, right?"

"This wasn't supposed to be a competition, you know. And most girls would find it romantic that a boy was trying to impress them."

"Most girls haven't heard you belch the alphabet."

"We were thirteen and excuse the fuck out of me for thinking everybody would be impressed by that."

"I was -- then. But you know, I'm a simple girl with simple needs. And there's something else you've got that would impress me more."

"Oh yeah?" he said, raising his eyebrows hopefully.

"Yep. It's so simple and free, too. I'm surprised you haven't thought of it yet," she said, feigning innocence.

"Veronica --" There was warning in his voice as he pulled her arms from him.

"Just tell me the truth, Logan."

"We've been over this, Veronica." He pressed his splayed fingers to his temples in frustration.

Veronica crossed her arms. "Yes. If by 'over this' you mean you've told me nothing and asked me to trust you." She didn't mention how he pleaded with her that night his car was blown up. And she agreed then, or at least didn't refuse because she was too worried about him being in shock and possibly having a concussion.

"Fuck." Logan spat out, stalking towards the beach. "I told you what happened the morning I came back from Mexico and what happened the rest of that day. You said you believed me."

Veronica followed. "I do believe you. And I'm going to find that note you left Lilly, and I'm going to find someone who saw you."

Logan was shaking his head, but she continued, "What I want you to tell me is why Beaver is blackmailing you and why he wanted to break us up and why he's trying to make sure we stay apart."

Logan spun around, stopping abruptly. "What do you mean?"

"He came up to me at school just before I left to meet you here."

Concern replaced anger in his voice. "Did he threaten you?"

Veronica shook her head. "He just apologized for Dick and reminded me about what he said about you in Mexico."

Logan grabbed her arm, and pulled her to him. "I'm sorry. I know --"

He was cut off by the roar of an approaching motorcycle.

"If it ain't the little lovebirds sneakin' around," Weevil said sarcastically after taking off his helmet. He strode over to where they stood.

Logan smirked. "Cheep, cheep."

"Seeings how our little deal just got me suspended, I wouldn't be jokin' around so cavalier like."

Veronica grimaced. "Sorry about that."

"You got nothin' to be sorry about, V. Casablancas had it comin'. In that respect, it was worth it. You," Weevil pointed at Logan, "on the other hand -- you got something to say to me? You say it to me. Not Felix. Not Hector. Got that?"

Logan shrugged. "What can I say? You all look alike."

Veronica rolled her eyes at Logan's insolence, hoping Weevil wouldn't take him seriously. Weevil didn't seem to notice. "You're not gettin' out of this, you know. I've held up my end. No one comes near her. Now you hold up your end."

"Look, man. Can we talk about this later?" Logan asked, pointedly nodding his head towards Veronica.

"No, man, we talk about this now. The bum fight goes on."

"Bum fight?" Veronica turned to Logan. "What's he talking about?"

"Nothing. Let's go somewhere else." Logan moved to block her view of Weevil and tried to push her back towards their cars.

Weevil called after them. "You mean, your precious rich boy here didn't tell you about arranging homeless boxing matches? And here I thought you were gonna be the ring girl. Oh whoops! Was it gonna be a surprise? My bad."

Veronica stopped dead and looked up at Logan for an answer. He looked away guiltily.

"Thanks a lot, Weevs," Logan said, saluting him.

Weevil grinned. "Don't mention it, bro. Like I said, show goes on."

"Fine. It goes on, but it goes on without me. Okay?"

Weevil marched into Logan's space. "No, not okay!" he spat. "You're the one who started and organized the whole damn thing. I'm takin' the bets, but you're the one who's bringin' in the 09er dollars. They won't deal wit' me without you. So it goes on wit' you 'cause otherwise I get nothin' out of this arrangement. Less even when I got the Sheriff on my fuckin' ass about your inability to keep your vehicle. Now who gave him that idea?"

Logan didn't back down. "It's my fault your reputation precedes you? I didn't tell Lamb a fucking thing other than my car was stolen. I can't help it if he jumps to the easiest and most probable conclusions."

"Enough!" Veronica said, stepping between them. She turned to Weevil. "Logan didn't say anything to Lamb. He didn't imply anything about the PCH Club. I was there. And you know Lamb doesn't have anything on you, otherwise he'd have taken you in by now."

"He doesn't have to take any of us in. After Rich Daddy Echolls' latest performance, Lamb's assigned one of his clowns to tail us whenever we ain't in school. And even though I don't have any faith in Neptune's finest, it still tends to severely limit business."

Logan snorted. "Wow. The hubcap trade is that lucrative these days?"

Veronica frowned, lost in thought for a moment as the boys volleyed insults back and forth. When she turned her attention back to them, they were shouting again, fingers pointing in each other's face. She separated them again, asking Weevil, "Where were you the night Logan's SUV was taken?"

"Are you accusin' me --"

Veronica waved him off. "I'm asking you for your alibi because I'm about to offer you a deal of my own."

"And what do you think you can do for me, baby? 'Cause your secret boyfriend here probably won't wanna watch any of the ideas I got in mind." Weevil leered at her.

Veronica's arm shot out, halting Logan before he launched himself at Weevil. Veronica continued to stare at Weevil indifferently. "Stop. You're gonna make me fall in love with you. Where were you?"

Weevil shrugged. "I may have been doing some business that night with a mechanic at one of the garages in the more stuck-up parts of town who like to get parts for luxury cars at a discount. So you can see why I'm not anticipatin' much of an alibi."

Logan chuckled. "Oh my God, the hubcaps thing really wasn't a joke to you."

"And maybe I'll find out how much yours are worth on that dope new ride daddy gave you!"

Veronica, clearly exasperated asked, "Are we through with the sweet talkin' here, boys? Okay, Weevil, I'll get you an alibi and get Lamb off your case, and in return Logan finds you a new 09er manager for the bum fights and he can bow out honourably." She levelled Logan with a disdainful glare as she emphasized, then turned back to Weevil and asked, "Deal?"

Weevil took a moment to gauge her sincerity before he answered with amusement, "Deal."

"Good. Give me the name of the garage and the mechanic and I'll take care of the rest." Veronica dug out a pen and notebook from her bag and handed them to Weevil.

"This'll be somethin' if you pull this off, V," he said as he wrote.

"Yep. And impressing the leader of a biker gang is every girl's dream come true," she said, taking back the pen and notebook. "Give me a couple of days."

Weevil nodded to her, then trudged back to his bike, leaving her alone again with Logan. She waited until she could no longer hear the rumble of Weevil's bike before she even looked at Logan again.

"Shouldn't be too hard for you to find someone depraved enough to replace you, should it?" she asked, crossing her arms. She found it surprising that the walls she had built for situations like this weren't going up as easily as they used to. But then she hadn't felt let down like this in a long time.

"Veronica. Just listen, okay?" His hands were up, already surrendering. "I was trying to get out of it -- God. Does that fucking count for anything?"

Veronica swallowed. She wanted desperately to give him an out. "It does if you were getting out for the right reasons."

"Are you the right reason?" he asked, his voice cracking earnestly.

It might not have been exactly what she wanted to hear, but it was damn near close, and she felt her willpower waver. Until that nagging voice insisted that this was the problem -- that she still can't resolve the cute, charming guy standing before her trying to win her over with the cruel boy who would humiliate her on a daily basis, and exploit the homeless.

Logan was still looking at her expectantly, but she shook her head, backing away from him. "I -- I can't deal with this right now, Logan. I've got work to do." She ran to her car and saw him in the rearview mirror watching as she drove away.

----------

After a background check, Veronica figured this little showdown would go fairly smoothly. But it didn't stop her from bringing Backup along for the ride.

"Didn't think I'd ever be coming back here," she muttered. She swallowed thickly, steeling her nerve before she pulled Backup out of the car and walked through the open bay door of Symbolic Motor Car Company.

"Excuse me?" she called out.

From around a toolbox, a bald man in overalls appeared, wiping his hands on a rag. "Can I help you?"

Recognizing him, Veronica approached and asked, "Curly Moran, right?"

"Yeah," he said, squinting at her. "You're a friend of the Echolls kid, right? The one with the LeBaron. If you're here about your car again, I can't help you. We only service luxury cars. I was just doing a favour for the Echollses."

"And it was much appreciated. She's still purring, rest assured. I'm actually here to talk to you about Weevil Navarro."

Curly frowned. "Sorry. Don't know the name."

Veronica wrinkled her nose in doubt. "Well, here's the thing. He says you do. And he says that the night the Echolls kid's SUV was stolen, you're his alibi."

Curly shook his head with annoyance. "Maybe that's true. And maybe it isn't. But I don't have to say nothing one way or the other. And I don't plan to. So you can be on your way now, girl." He waved her off.

Veronica didn't move, even though every instinct was telling her to get out of there. "You know, I get it. A guy who had a career like yours reduced to working on cars of the people he helped make famous. I can see why you'd be making a buck any way you can. And a guy who had a rap sheet like yours --"

"And you just answered your own question about why I'm not gonna stick my neck out for that greasy little turd. How's it gonna look to everybody if they know I'm associating with the local biker gang? Even a twat like Lamb will eventually put two and two together."

She stood ramrod straight, trying to look more confident than she was feeling. "Yes, but how much worse is it going to look when he finds out you've also been supplying minors with incendiary devices? And how's it going to look when one of those devices was used to blow up Logan Echolls' SUV when they eventually find its remains?"

"What are you talking about?" Curly's frown deepened.

"Oh, I think you know exactly what I'm talking about. Logan's SUV was blown up, Curly, and you're a former stunt coordinator with a specialty in explosives. You had two kids in here putting together detonators at that workbench." She pointed to a table in the corner with his name on it. "So putting two and two together -- why, that makes you complicit."

He genuinely looked surprised at her accusations, but recovered quickly to snarl at her. "You can't prove any of that!"

A low growl emanated from Backup, making his displeasure known at a raised voice at his mistress. Curly wisely backed off a step.

Veronica innocently continued. "Do you really think in this time of heightened homeland security that authorities won't figure out where the parts for the bomb that blew up a movie star's son's car came from?"

Curly eyed her irately. "What do you want?"

"Simple. An alibi for Weevil the night that Logan's car was taken. I mean, you won't be lying. He was with you."

"And just what am I supposed to say we were doing?"

Veronica shrugged. "Tea party? Bald dude support group? Be creative." She tugged Backup's leash, and on her way back out the bay door, said, "Ten o'clock, tomorrow morning at the Sheriff's Department. Or I'll have a story of my own for that twat Lamb."

Once outside, she took a couple of deep breaths, trying to come down. But she wasn't even given a moment of relief when she was surprised by another voice. "What are you doing here?"

"God, Logan, you scared the crap out of me." She clutched her chest. "Are you following me?"

Logan frowned. "You left me high and dry yesterday and ignore my calls and you think I'm gonna follow you around today? I'm here to set up detailing on my car." There was a definite edge to his voice. He knelt down to pat Backup. Veronica was surprised to find herself jealous of the attention he was giving the dog. But she assumed that was the point.

"You're mad? Two words, Logan: Bum fights."

Logan straightened up. "And I told you and that tattooed chihuahua, I'm out. Sean's taking it over. Guy gets chauffeured to school every day and he can never resist making a buck no matter how. So you can quit throwing that in my face."

"But it was your stupid idea, Logan."

Logan shoved his hands in his pockets. "That was before, when I didn't give a shit what anybody thought of me. When you being disappointed in me was the last thing I cared about."

"And now?"

Suddenly, his shoes were very interesting to him. "Now, I can't take the way you're looking at me."

A breath hitched in her chest, and she glanced away uncomfortably. "I'm -- I'm just trying to figure this out Logan."

"Christ, Veronica, do you think that maybe we could figure it out together?"

She turned back to him, finding him watching her expectantly. The intensity, apprehension, and need she saw there shook her and she couldn't help saying, "Yeah."

She let him pull her into an embrace, silently begging him not to make her regret her capitulation. Behind her, tires squealed and the distraction gave her a reason to pull away. They both looked out towards the road, but the car was already gone.

Veronica said, "I've gotta go. Call me and we'll do something this weekend."

Logan grimaced. "Uh, yeah. Any time except Saturday afternoon. Duncan wouldn't give up about the double date thing."

Veronica glumly replied, "Right. It's okay. I said you should go. Just don't fall in love with Pam. And call me after, okay?" She pecked him on the cheek and started to go.

Logan grabbed her arm. "Hey, hang on. You didn't tell me what you were doing here."

"Taking care of Weevil's alibi."

"You did this alone? I thought you were going to bring Weevil with you or me when you stopped being mad at me."

Veronica waved him off. "I handled it. I had Backup." She gestured to her dog and grinned at him winningly.

Logan's mouth was set in a grim line. "Cute."

"That's me." She shrugged sweetly with a tilt of her head as she walked away.

----------

"'Bout time," Veronica muttered as Curly Moran came through the doors of the Sheriff's Department. "Some of us have exams to study for, you know."

Curly rolled his eyes. "You've got some weird pastimes, girl. Let's just get this over with."

They went up to the reception desk. Veronica dinged the bell and waited as Deputy Sacks ambled over. "Hey Veronica."

"Deputy. I've got a gentleman who'd like to make a statement in regards to Eli Navarro's whereabouts the night Logan Echolls' SUV was stolen."

"Uh...okay." Sacks looked around confused. "You're gonna have to wait a bit though. Sheriff's gonna want to handle this one himself and he's in with someone right now."

As if on cue, Cliff McCormack walked out of Lamb's office still talking "Sheriff, regardless of my client's notorious crime, he has rights and not allowing him access to proper medical attention is a violation --"

"Had to be sure he wasn't faking. You know, maybe trying to make an escape attempt." Lamb shrugged.

One of Cliff's eyebrows rose skeptically. "Doubled over and vomiting blood wasn't enough of a sign that he wasn't faking? Just get him a doctor, or I'm sure the media won't hesitate to run with the story about how the Sheriff mistreats inmates in his custody."

Lamb gave Cliff a thumbs up, then made a face at him as soon as his back was turned.

Meanwhile, Veronica's mind was whirring with the possibilities, and she had to confirm her suspicions. Veronica turned to Curly and said, "Hang on. I've gotta talk to that guy."

She ran to catch Cliff in the hallway, calling after him.

"Veronica! Lovely portfolio of the ADA schtupping her gardener. Really helped me out with that harassment case. I had the one that showed her birthmark shaped like Michigan blown up to poster size. It's in my office," he said proudly.

"I don't remember any birthmark."

"Well, let's just say it wasn't on her face." Cliff smirked.

Veronica winced briefly. "Right. Awesome. Anyway, Cliff, back there with Lamb, you were talking about your sick client --"

"Ah yes. Heard that did you? Pretty good bluff, huh? I can't actually take any story to the media or he'll fire me. He doesn't want it getting out that he's sick. Guess it would ruin the crazy tough guy image he's trying to cultivate." Cliff rolled his eyes.

"Who is it?"

"Can't tell ya, kiddo. Attorney-client yadda yadda yadda. Or something like that. Law school was so long ago," he said with a wistful sigh. "But it shouldn't be too hard for a junior detective to guess who it could be. Besides, I don't have that many clients facing a murder charge."

Nope. Just one: Lilly's alleged killer, Abel Koontz.

Part 15

FIC: Damn, Damn the Circumstance (13/?)

2007-11-06T01:56:14Z

Title: Damn, Damn the Circumstance (13/?)
Author: invida
Characters: Logan, Veronica, Ensemble
Word Count: 5060
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.

Acknowledgements: Thanks to afrocurl, aud_woman_in, and Rain for all the help.

Previous Parts

"So hey, how 'bout them Sharks?" The voice was coming from behind Logan's open locker door. Logan looked down and saw familiar sneakers.

"You have got to be fucking kidding me," Logan muttered as he slammed his locker shut and faced a sheepish Duncan. Logan tried not to look surprised at the bandage Duncan sported across the bridge of his nose and the bruises that were fading around his eyes. Guess I landed that kick after all, he thought.

It was the first time Logan had seen Duncan since he'd tried to choke the life out of Logan. Duncan hadn't been back to school since. The official excuse was he was sick with bronchitis. Logan's suspicion was that Duncan had finally gone completely mental and the Kanes had him locked away until he was fit to rejoin society. He'd heard that Duncan was back in school today, but Logan avoided their usual haunts during class breaks and skipped the classes they had together. It was the last week before finals that semester and it wasn't like Logan was a stellar student -- no one would be surprised by his absence.

"Yeah, dude. Not a baseball fan. My -- ahem -- friends know that." Logan slung his knapsack over his shoulder, and while walking away said, "Now if you don't mind, Donut, I have to go meet some of them."

Duncan caught up to him. "C'mon man --"

"Oh, so we're buds again, are we, DK?" Logan asked irritably as he pushed through the school doors.

"I thought --"

Logan turned around suddenly. Duncan almost ran into him not expecting him to stop so quickly. "Riiiight. You thought that maybe if you came up to me all sweet and innocent, I'd forget all about what happened. How hard do you think I knocked my fucking head when --"

"Language, Mr Echolls!" Both boys turned to see Vice Principal Clemmons coming through the doors with his briefcase in hand. "The school day might be over, but you seem to forget that we are still on school property."

Logan looked around with exaggeration. "That would explain the lack of sailor suits and longshoremen."

Clemmons ignored the comment. "Yes, well, Logan, if you could tell your mother to please give me a call--"

Logan dropped the bravado and attempted to look contrite. "Is that really necessary? I swear, sir, it won't happen again."

"Swearing is the problem, Mr Echolls, but I'm willing to overlook this little indiscretion this time. Your mother was scheduled to make an appearance at a luncheon fundraiser today for the Lilly Kane Memorial we're planning for the next school year and she didn't make it." Clemmons cleared his throat and glanced guiltily away at the mention of Lilly's name in front of Duncan. People still had no idea how to deal with Duncan with respect to his sister -- his closest friends included.

"My mom's been really under the weather lately, sir. I'm sure it was an oversight," Logan stammered caught off-guard by having to defend his mother.

"Ah, well, as long as she's okay then."

As okay as can be when you were confronted with proof that your renowned and beloved actor husband was a philandering asshole who couldn't even keep it in his pants in his own household and you drowned your sorrows in bourbon and painkillers daily and your son had to check and make sure you're still breathing every couple of hours. Yep. Okay.

Logan quietly replied, "I'll make sure her assistant gets back to you."

Clemmons nodded and made his exit quickly, clearly uncomfortable with talking with the boys about personal matters and money.

Logan began to walk out to the parking lot, ignoring Duncan. Duncan, not taking the hint, caught up to him again.

"Hey, I just wanted to say that I -- well, I heard about you and, um, Veronica."

"Yeah? What didja hear?"

"That you're not, uh, 'together' any more."

Logan stopped and turned. "And?"

Duncan shrugged. "And I'm, you know, sorry."

"Now exactly what, D, are you sorry about?"

All Duncan could do was shrug again. Logan nodded. "Yeah, that's what I thought. Save your apologies for someone who thinks they're worth the breath you waste on them, dude."

Duncan caught Logan's arm and pulled him back before he could walk away again. "That's not fair."

Logan snorted, shaking Duncan's hand off. "Fair? You're gonna talk to me about fair?"

"No. That's not -- I --" he stammered before shaking his head, asking, "What do you want from me? She was my girlfriend, man."

"Funny how you bring that up only when it's convenient for you. Any other time, you don't wanna talk about her, you won't even look at her, as though it's her fault. But don't forget, Duncan, I know what else she could be."

Duncan's eyes narrowed. "Now you're just being a jackass."

Logan laughed mirthlessly. "I never claimed I wasn't, dude. You're the choirboy, remember? I also never claimed anything when it came to Veronica. I told you what was going on and you still went apeshit."

"Look, I know I over-reacted, and I know I haven't exactly been chummy with you since we last talked at Casey's --"

Logan blinked in confusion. "Since Casey's?"

"Yeah. Casey Gant's party before school started? It was only a couple of weeks ago. You came up to me and Shelley--"

"Okay. Right. Sure," Logan stammered, trying to get a footing on the conversation again. Duncan really didn't look like he was pulling a fast one on him, though. Duncan never did have much of a poker face. "I remember that. And you're saying we haven't talked since then?"

"Uh, yeah. Now who's got memory loss? Your social calendar's been that busy?"

"Where have you been the last week, DK?" Logan asked incredulously, still not sure if Duncan was trying to pull some act. Did Duncan really not remember trying to kill his best friend?

Duncan looked away. "Home. Sick."

"Right. Should've known." Logan tapped his fingers to his forehead. "After all, that's been the MO all this year. So what happened to your face?"

Duncan frowned, clearly embarrassed by the question. "I got hit at soccer practice."

"You smacked your schnoz up like that kicking a ball around? You playing full-contact soccer now?"

Duncan shook his head in annoyance. "If you ever actually watched a game instead of using at as an excuse to get ripped in the stands then you'd know that there's a lot of contact. I jumped up to head the ball at the same time as another guy, banged into him, fell down, and he landed on me, feet first. At least, that's what my parents tell me. I kinda blacked out after it happened and they took me home."

Logan watched him suspiciously. He'd had obviously rehearsed this speech. It was as though Duncan had decided their last meeting hadn't happened. He'd obliterated it from his memory, apparently with his parents help, and now he was starting fresh. Maybe it wasn't a bad idea, Logan thought, thinking of all the things he wished hadn't happened.

"Well, the bandage is definitely an improvement. Plus it adds some bad boy mystery and that'll drive chicks wild, even if you do look like you," he said with a smirk. He decided to let the line of questioning go. No sense in pushing Duncan back into the frenzied confrontation they'd had last time.

Duncan rolled his eyes. "Yeah, yeah. Funny. Hey, so are you actually gonna listen to me now? I just wanted to talk to you, you know. I thought that we could maybe hang out again, iron things out and let things get back to normal."

"Normal?! What the fuck is normal?" Then Logan snapped his fingers. "Oh, wait, I get it. You mean now that I'm not hanging around Veronica all the time. What do you think I'm going to do now, dude? You think I'm gonna go back to slashing her tires and putting her down in front of everybody?"

Duncan tried to glance away during Logan's tirade, but Logan pointed in his face, forcing Duncan to look at him. "Lemme make this perfectly clear before you answer that. I might not be hanging around Veronica any more, but I don't hate her. And none of that crap is gonna happen again. Got that?"

Duncan swallowed and nodded.

"Good." Logan pointed to his watch. "I gotta go, man."

He turned back towards the parking lot, but was prevented by a silver Audi zipping by them. From the driver's side window, Dick yelled, "School bus for you, asshole! This train's sailed! WOO!" The rest of the passengers in the car squealed with laughter as Dick peeled out of the school lot.

"Fucking fantastic!" Logan shouted, not caring if any school staff were within earshot. He flung his knapsack on the ground in frustration. Apparently, Dick wasn't as over what happened New Year's Eve as he let on.

"Thanks a whole bunch, Duncan. You just made me miss my fucking ride."

"Hey, man, take it easy." Duncan picked up Logan's knapsack and passed it back to him. "I'll drive you home."

He snatched his bag back from Duncan. "Yeah, well, you'd better."

"I heard about your SUV," Duncan said, leading Logan to his vehicle.

Logan opened the passenger door and got in. "Wow. You've got quite a grapevine for someone who hasn't been around lately. Well, remember what they say, believe half of what you see, son, and none of what you hear."

"So you weren't carjacked by Mexican bikers?"

"Oh, I was carjacked," Logan said quickly. Technically, he wasn't lying. His car was taken from him by force. He just omitted the fact that it was the force of an explosion. "But it wasn't by those douchebags," he added, remembering with a shudder the coldness in Beaver's eyes.

It made him a little more than nervous that they'd agreed to meet on this deserted cliff side lookout off the PCH. Hills obscured the view from the roadside and the ocean didn't provide much of a witness if something were to happen here.

"Okay. I'm here." Logan said getting out of his SUV and walked towards the solitary figure by the cliff. "What do you want, Beaver?"

Beaver crossed his arms. "I've told you not to call me that."

Logan tapped his finger to his lips mockingly. "And that matters why, again? Lilly's killer was caught. Remember? I don't have to listen to you or your demands any more."

Beaver shook his head with a laugh. "You think I can't still get to you? You're sadly mistaken."

"Are you're talking about your little stunt with Veronica this afternoon? Telling her about what happened in Mexico? Yeah. It didn't work. All you did was make her more suspicious of you. So if you want me to stay quiet about Shelley's party, you're going about it in all the wrong ways, shithead, and you've only got yourself to blame." Logan started to walk away.

"I'm warning you --"

Logan turned back with a roar. "No! I'm warning you! Stay the fuck away from Veronica!"

"No! You stay away from her! I've told you over and over! And you just don't listen!" Beaver screamed.

"Too fucking bad! I am with Veronica now and I'm not backing out because you're a batshit crazy pervert and you can't deal with what you almost did." Logan couldn't help but savour victory as he watched Beaver shaking with rage. "Or is that the problem? You didn't go through with it and you don't want it to get around that you're exactly the snivelling little prude Dick says you are. Is that it?"

Beaver didn't answer, just stood there glaring at Logan.

"Well, Beav, lemme get this absolutely crystal clear for you, I'm not going to stop seeing Veronica. And there's nothing you can say or do that's gonna change that." Logan turned and walked back towards his SUV.

"You think so, huh?" Beaver shouted. Logan glanced back at Beaver to see him holding up what looked like a remote control and pressing a button before he was thrown to the ground by the impact.

"How do you know?"

"Huh?" Logan couldn't remember what he and Duncan had been talking about. "How do I know what?"

Duncan asked, starting his SUV. "I mean, the news reports say that you didn't see them, but Sheriff Lamb said the PCHers were his prime suspects."

Logan had been mortified by how the local press and the Sheriff had latched on to the cover story he and Veronica came up with for how he'd lost his vehicle. He'd hoped that it would just be another statistic, but he should have known better than to think a crime against Aaron Echolls' son would go unnoticed by the media. After that, Lamb had to assure all the 09 residents that he was on the case and the town was safe and took every opportunity to keep the case in the papers.

"Look, I just know, okay? I've been around Weevil enough to know it wasn't him or any of his goons."

"Wait. You've been hanging around the leader of the PCH Gang?"

Logan shrugged. "Not exactly. We just have mutual interests."

Duncan shook his head with skepticism. "Huh. I was going to say that you wouldn't be a good influence on Veronica, but it looks like it's the other way around."

"Hilarious. Three months I can't get you to talk about Veronica and now that I don't want to, you can't shut up about her," Logan muttered.

"It was just a joke."

"And it bombed. Move on to your next bit, Kinison."

"Tough crowd. Okay. There is something I wanna talk to you about." Duncan pulled out of the parking lot. "Did you hear about Meg and Cole?"

"What, she finally came to her senses and realized she can pledge not to do it with someone a lot better?

"Just the opposite. Cole dumped her right in the middle of the quad at lunch today."

Logan laughed at the news. "He's such an asshat."

"It gets better. He dumped her because of you."

"Me?!" Logan pointed to himself. "What the fuck did I do?"

"Apparently, you hit on her at Casey's party."

"So what? I hit on everybody at Casey's party. I hit on the god-damned fireplace. Do you know how shit-faced I was that night?"

"Yeah, but she didn't tell Cole about it. So when everyone started gossiping about you at lunch and she mentioned that you got all touchy-feely with her, Cole flipped out and accused her of hiding all sorts of stuff about you and any guy she's ever even made eye contact with."

Logan snorted. "Meg?! Meg 'Abstinence' Manning? What the hell is Cole's problem? He dates the most virginal girl in school and that's still not good enough?"

Duncan nodded in agreement, then slowly asked, "Sooooo is she good enough for you?"

Logan's head shot up. "What the hell is that supposed to mean?"

"I mean, you were hitting on her, you admitted it. Have you got a thing for her?" Duncan held his finger up, bouncing it along to emphasize each of his points.

Logan eyed him warily and asked, "I think the real question here, Dunc, is do you?"

Duncan turned beet red, realizing that Logan was seeing right through his interrogation tactics. "Maybe," he admitted.

"Well, well, well," Logan mocked. "Duncan and Meh-hegg sittin' in a tree-yee, K-I-S-S-I-N-G --"

"Shut up!" Duncan grumbled through clenched teeth, trying to smack ineffectively at Logan while keeping his eyes on the road.

Logan laughed, sliding out of Duncan's reach and continued, "First comes LOVE! Then comes marriage! Then comes bay-beeee--"

"Stop being such a fucking ass!" Duncan yelled.

Logan couldn't help giggling, even though he was pretty sure the vein in Duncan's forehead was just about ready to burst. "So what do you want from me, man? My permission?"

"Unlike you, I just wanted to make sure I wasn't stepping on any toes," Duncan said snidely.

The grin vanished from Logan's face. "Fuck you, dude."

Duncan shrugged indifferently. "Just calling it like I see it, man."

"So much for letting things go back to normal, huh?" Logan grabbed the door lever. "Pull over and let me out."

Duncan grabbed Logan's arm tightly. "No, wait. I'm -- I'm sorry. I'm trying. I'll try harder. We're almost at your house, anyway."

Logan paused, his hand still on the handle. Duncan really did look contrite. He dropped his hand. "Fine." Logan shook off Duncan's hand and gestured towards the road. "Let's go."

Once Duncan resumed driving, Logan ventured back to their previous subject. "So you're sure you want to ask Meg out?"

Duncan nodded slowly. "Yeah, she's cute and sweet. And I -- I need to start moving on. You know what I mean?"

Logan turned away and stared out the passenger side window and said under his breath, "Better than you can imagine, man."

----------

"So I'll call you later then?" Duncan asked as he wound his way up the twisting driveway and came to a stop at the house.

Logan hopped out. "Yeah, sure," he said before shutting the door.

He turned towards the house and found Mrs Navarro sweeping the front entrance. He was about to make a spiteful comment as he passed her about missing a spot when she looked up and said softly, "Your father is home."

She quickly turned back to her sweeping before Logan could say anything in response, but the anxiety and guilt were still there even as her eyes darted away from his. Sickening anger and shame swelled in his chest. It took all his willpower not to go over and snap her broom handle in half.

Logan simply nodded and entered the house with a little more care than before. He couldn't imagine why Aaron was home already. His father wasn't scheduled to have a break in filming for another week, and there were never any guarantees that Aaron would actually come home during that time. At least he now knew why his mother wasn't at the luncheon today, not that he would be able to explain it to Clemmons if asked again.

Logan tried to balance his indifference with his apprehension. He made some noise, but not too much noise, counting the steps until he made it to his room undetected. He was almost through the living room when he heard the familiar call.

"Hello, son. How was school?"

"Mandatory," Logan replied with a dejected sigh, chastising himself for thinking he might be able to avoid a confrontation. He turned to find his father sitting in an arm chair, holding a family photo. Aaron placed the photo down on a side table and beckoned for Logan to come over to him.

Logan unceremoniously dropped his backpack and practically bounced over to his father. "Yes, Pa?" Logan asked cheerfully, rocking on the balls of his feet as he stood with clasped hands in front of Aaron.

"Let's not play this game today, Logan," Aaron cautioned.

Logan flopped down on the couch next to Aaron's chair. "Fine. So what brings you home from the frontier so soon? Thought you had another week before there was a break."

"You'd be surprised how willing a studio is to release you early when you have a family crisis that is splashed all over the news."

The realization that Aaron's return was about him hitched in Logan's chest. This was attention he didn't need right now. "Dad, it wasn't my fault --"

"Be that as it may, Logan, how do you think I felt when I had reporter after reporter shove a microphone in my face, asking if I was going to be with my family in their time of need, and I had no idea what they were talking about."

Logan should have known that it was all about appearances. It wasn't like Aaron normally took an interest in Logan's day beyond asking how he was. Not unless he did something that drew some notice.

Logan surmised that his mother hadn't told his father about his incident. He wondered just how much Lynn been in communication with Aaron after everything she'd learned from Veronica's dad.

"Where is Mom?"

"Indisposed," Aaron said disdainfully.

Obviously Logan was going to get no help from Lynn on this one. He was going to have to smooth this over himself. "Dad, I didn't know that you didn't know what happened. I mean, don't you usually have people to keep you informed, like Harvey --" The bile rose in Logan's throat. Only Aaron would have an agent keep him up-to-date with his own family.

Aaron reached over and put his hand on Logan's shoulder. "I'm not blaming you, Logan --"

For once, Logan thought, finishing Aaron's sentence as his father paused and removed his hand from his son, seemingly finishing the sentence in his head as well.

"I came home because I found out my son was the victim of a crime. That's not unreasonable, is it?"

Logan shrugged. "I'm fine."

"That's beside the point."

It usually was. "And what is the point?"

"That my family was attacked. An attack on my family is an attack on me."

"Really? No one took your car."

"And who paid for that car?"

"Touché. So what? You coming back early is gonna make them give it back?"

"My coming back will light a fire under our illustrious Sheriff to make him realize that he can't allow this to happen to us. Now tell me what happened."

"Why? You're going to lead your own investigation?"

"I want to know what I'm talking about at the press conference tomorrow."

Logan clapped with sarcastic glee. "That's a great idea! A bigger media circus! Because we're not being hounded enough just for the misfortune of being related to you!"

Aaron leaned forward menacingly. "Keep smarting off, Logan, and you'll know what misfortune means."

Touché again. Logan crossed his arms and sat back sullenly. "Fine. I was going to see Veronica. I was forced off the road --"

"Veronica?" Aaron frowned. "You're still seeing her?"

Logan rolled his eyes. "You have a problem with Veronica now? You sure as hell didn't when she was here for New Year's Eve."

"Veronica's a lovely girl. I'm just not sure she's -- ahem -- right for you."

"Meaning?"

"Meaning, the part of town she lives in, what her father does, her mother's reputation --" Aaron was counting on his fingers.

Logan laughed derisively. "This from Aaron 'Humble Beginnings' Echolls."

Aaron sighed. "Logan, do you think I say these things as a joke?"

"You must be because they're hysterical."

"I'm simply pointing out that by continuing this relationship, you're inviting danger into our lives."

"I'm inviting danger?! I'm not the one who gets bizarre gifts and threatening letters from crazed fans!"

Aaron shook his head. "That's a drawback of this business. A business that also affords you luxuries like the car that was stolen from you when you were on your way to the less savoury areas of Neptune."

Logan could have let it go. He could have told his father what Duncan and everyone else in town already thought, that his concern was unfounded because he was no longer seeing Veronica. But he wasn't about to give him that kind of satisfaction. Besides, if Logan had his way, this was a temporary situation.

"You know, this sudden father-knows-best attitude you've assumed might work if you actually knew something about me."

Aaron's fists clenched in warning. "Logan, I really think you ought to change your tone with me --"

But Logan continued undaunted, "If you'd been paying any attention, you would know that Veronica has been one of my friends since we moved here. And lately she's been the only bright spot I've had since Lilly died."

At Logan's declaration, Aaron blinked, then slumped back in his chair, "You -- You're right, son." He waved for Logan to leave. "Okay. Go on. Go. We'll talk about the press conference later."

Aaron picked up the photograph again. Logan got up slowly, watching his father with confusion. Aaron still hadn't moved when Logan glanced back one more time before picking up his bag and leaving the room.

----------

"Do you have like X-ray vision or something?" Casey nudged Logan.

"What do you mean, man?" Logan asked, turning as his trance was broken.

"You're staring over there like you can see right through her." Casey pointed towards Veronica sitting at her usual table with Mac. "I'm assuming it's at your ex and not Felicity's roommate there. Veronica is your ex, right?"

Logan swatted Casey's hand. "Don't fucking point!"

"Why not?"

A pizza box dropped in front of them as Duncan sat down. "Ah," Casey said meaningfully at Logan.

Duncan, oblivious to his friends' conversation, asked Logan, "What are you doing Saturday? I need a favour."

"Uh, studying?" Logan answered snippily. "Exams are next week."

Duncan scoffed. "Oh please. Like you care."

"And you don't have exams?"

Duncan shrugged. "I've already got a guaranteed A in three classes. C'mon. You gotta do this for me."

"Do what?" Logan asked, opening the pizza box.

"Double date with Meg and Pam."

Logan stared at Duncan. "No."

"But you told me I should --"

"I said, yes, you should ask Meg out. I'm saying no to a double date. Ask someone else." Logan jerked his thumb at Casey.

Casey held his hands up. "Don't look at me, man. I'm still with Darcy. In fact, I should go find her now."

"Real subtle, dude!" Logan yelled as Casey got up and gave him a thumbs up before scurrying off to find his girlfriend.

"It's gotta be you. Meg'll only go out in a group and Pam's all hot for you now since she saw you on TV with your dad. Said you looked all tortured and sensitive. Girls." Duncan said with a laugh and an eye roll. "So are you in?" Duncan asked hopefully.

Before Logan could answer, giggles from all around became louder and the boys looked around to find their source. Logan found himself staring at Veronica's table once again as Dick swung a leg over the bench and sat down beside her.

"Well, if it isn't Little Miss Stun Gun!" Dick took a fry off Veronica's lunch tray and she made no move to stop him. "Not so tough without your weaponry and rich boyfriends, huh?"

Veronica watched him coolly. "You really shouldn't underestimate me, Dick."

Dick ignored her and continued, pointing his stolen fry at Mac. "So what's this then, Ronnie? Logan wises up and dumps your slutty ass and you thought you'd try to see if butchy girls found you just as skanky? Good thing you picked a loser who'd have to have low standards."

Duncan turned back to his pizza determined to ignore the situation unfolding behind him. Logan began to breathe heavily and clenched his fists ready to stand up.

"What are you doing?"

Logan's eyes flickered to Duncan who stared at him quizzically. He glared at Duncan, mystified at how he could let this happen. She could be his sister for fucksake and Duncan was just letting them have their way with her. The irony that Logan was allowing it to happen to her as well was not lost on him as he ignored Duncan and turned back to the ugly scene in the middle of the quad.

Veronica continued to stare at Dick impassively.

Dick leered. "So I finally managed to shut you up and I didn't even have to unzip my --"

A gloved hand clapped onto Dick's shoulder and roughly turned him around. "Looks like someone's gonna have to wash your mouth out with some industrial soap, son."

'Bout fucking time, Logan thought as he watched Weevil manhandle Dick. He relaxed his hands, but was still tense and ready for a fight in case things went wrong -- more wrong.

Dick laughed. "Yeah? Which of your cleaning jobs did you steal it from? Or was it on the truck that you stowed away on when you crossed the border?"

Weevil grinned back. "Say whatever you want to me, bro. Leave the girl alone."

Dick snorted. "Wow, Ronnie. You're really taking the 'Whore of Neptune High' title seriously. Got yourself a pimp and everything!" He turned to Mac again who was blushing furiously, ducking her head in the vain hope of not being noticed again. "So what are you? Assistant Ho? Hey, cholo, you might wanna get your bitches a better wardrobe. This one dresses like a dude."

"You were warned, Beach Boy." As Weevil hauled Dick up out of his seat, two factions of boys swarmed in around Veronica's table taking their places behind Dick and Weevil, with everyone else circling around, on top of benches and tables, to see the violence about to be unleashed.

No one was interested in Veronica any more and Logan took his opportunity to catch her wrist as she struggled out of the crowd and pull her away.

----------

"Are you insane?" Veronica asked, wrenching her arm out of his grasp after he'd pulled her into the empty classroom.

"No more than usual," Logan answered flippantly, letting her go without a fight.

"What the hell did you think you were doing?" she asked accusingly, rubbing her wrist.

"How about pulling you to safety?"

"Noble gesture. But I was fine. Besides, anyone could've have seen you!"

Logan shrugged guiltily. "No one was looking."

"Someone is always looking. Any PI worth his salt knows that." Veronica rolled her eyes as though she'd given him this lesson before.

"Well, is anyone looking now?" Logan waved his arms with a flourish to emphasize the emptiness of the room.

Veronica glanced around at each corner of the room and at the closed door. "Good point," she conceded. Then she launched herself at him, knocking him back into a desk and kissing him hard as he caught her. It didn't take him a second to regain his balance and kiss her back.

Part 14

Bow, peasants!

2007-08-28T22:48:02Z

My Peculiar Aristocratic Title is:
Lady Madame Invida the Recumbent of Melbury Bubblewick
Get your Peculiar Aristocratic Title

Flight of the Conchords icons

2007-08-20T05:17:28Z

1. You should be watching Flight of the Conchords.
2. Icons from my new favourite show!
3. I learned to make animated icons. Go me!

how I'll be suspended...

2007-08-08T21:41:20Z

Why shiny4love? Why?

Considering the fact that I've never even read any HP, I guess I fail already...sigh.

sigh

2007-08-01T03:43:03Z

Not that I'm being prodded or anything like that, but I feel like I should say something about the lack of updates with...well, with anything, but in particular, with regards to the WIP. Yeah, it's gonna be a while. Real Life sucks major ass rocks right now and is distracting me from what I'd rather be doing. I do intend to keep going though and I am thinking about the next part and I'm discussing it with a few fine folks out there, but it's not coming together any time soon. Sorry to anyone hoping for an update in the near future.

to the very kind anonymous person...

2007-07-03T17:30:12Z

Thank you very much for the generous gift! I'm blown away and feeling all warm and fuzzy inside now. Thanks again for totally making my day whoever you are!

FIC: Damn, Damn the Circumstance (12/?)

2007-06-23T15:00:09Z

Title: Damn, Damn the Circumstance (12/?)
Author: invida
Characters: Veronica, Logan, Ensemble
Word Count: 6066
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 aud_woman_in and to afrocurl for the helpful suggestions.

Previous Parts

This is Logan with today’s inspirational greeting: I no doubt deserved my enemies, but I don't believe I deserved my friends. Walt Whitman. Leave a message.

Veronica hung up before the beep. She'd already left a message letting him know that she was livid and prepared to give him absolute hell when she saw him. But the fact that she'd called two times before leaving that message and a few more times after did not mean that she was worried about him. That's what she told herself.

And this latest call - the seventh or eighth now, and, yes, losing track of how many times she'd called also meant nothing - was to let him know that she was storming over to the pool house where Mrs Navarro told her he'd ensconced himself after he got home that afternoon, and that he'd better be dressed. But again he didn't answer.

She steeled herself as she slid open the patio door of the dimly lit pool house, suddenly nervous about what state she was going to find him in, almost forgetting that she was the one who was angry. The room was a mess. She could tell, even in the faint light.

"Logan?"

She heard a sigh, and saw a movement on the other side of the bed. She walked over to him and found him sitting on the floor, propped up against the bed, his hand around the neck of a liquor bottle. Perfect.

He didn't look up at her. "I thought you weren't allowed to come over." His voice was raspy. "Wouldn't Daddy Mars have a conniption fit if he knew you were here?"

In her fury, she'd forgotten her father's warning, and in her concern for Logan, she'd forgotten to be mad. Ignoring his question, she crossed her arms, trying to recapture her earlier ire. "You wanna tell me why a Mexican biker gang has been following me around for the last few days?"

That earned her a glance. He gave a mirthless chuckle. "Of course..." he trailed off.

"And you wanna tell me why, when I stopped at the Sac 'N' Pac and a guy came up to me to ask for directions, they pinned him to the wall and threatened him? And maybe you wanna tell me why, when I asked what they were doing, they said I should talk to you?"

Logan peered up at her through bleary eyes. "Nope."

Frustrated, Veronica turned to snap on the overhead lights. Logan scrambled up and tried to stop her, but Veronica was quicker and Logan was drunker. When he stumbled, she caught him, and he sagged against her, nearly causing her to lose her own balance.

Veronica tried to help him stand upright, but Logan misinterpreted her intentions and wrapped his arms around her. When he nuzzled her ear, deeply inhaling, she froze. Over the last few days, other than hand-holding and the occasional peck on the cheek, he hadn't tried to anything as daring as the kiss he'd initiated in the parking lot on Monday morning. He didn't seem to notice her stiffen, and pulled her closer. A breath escaped him somewhere between a sigh and a shudder.

Realizing something was very wrong, Veronica softened. She brought her arms up around him and said, "Hey, it's okay."

The sound of her voice seemed to snap him back to reality and he pulled away from her, turned, picked up the bottle and sat on the bed, never meeting her eyes.

She stood in front of him, but he still wouldn't raise his head to meet her gaze, just looked intently at the bottle he held in his lap. She reached out, and with both hands, tilted his face up to look at her.

She gasped, taking in his bloodshot eyes, the tiny red spots that marked his skin, and the angry bruises that darkened his neck.

"You're fucking nosy, you know that?" he said hoarsely.

She ignored him. "Who did this? Was it your --?"

Logan wrenched away from her. "No. I told you, he's shooting on location. Won't be home for months if we're lucky."

Logan had indeed told her about Aaron being gone on another big budget stinker. She really should have remembered since Keith had let it slip when she was booking his travel arrangements to follow him around for a few days. "Then who?" she demanded.

"You knew where I was going today." He took a swig from the bottle.

She blinked. "Duncan did this?!" Logan just nodded and took another pull from the bottle.

When Logan had told her he was going to the Kanes' after school, he'd said that Duncan should know what was really going on. Veronica hadn't really understood why since Duncan had been avoiding them both. And when he couldn't avoid them, Duncan didn't even bother to hide his contempt. But Logan had an unconditional loyalty to Duncan that she had to admit she understood better than anyone. She had the same loyalty for Lilly, even after everything she'd learned.

She really did want to know how Duncan had taken it. Not that there was anything to really take since she and Logan were merely pretending albeit a little more vigorously than before. But Duncan just hadn't been making any sense to her. If he was really her brother - and that usually where her thought process with Duncan would stop. If she didn't stop it, then she'd have to think about what they were, what they almost were, and what they could never be. Regret, mortification, and nausea were an awful combination.

Veronica dropped down beside Logan, still shocked. "I can't believe this."

"Right. 'Cause there's just no way the angelic Duncan Kane could do something bad. And certainly not at the mere mention of your name. I must've wrapped my own hands around my throat and throttled myself."

"Shut up!" she snapped with more irritation than she'd intended. "I meant I can't get my head around this."

"What would you like to get your head around? The fact that Duncan tried to kill me? Or that Duncan's a complete fucking freak when it comes to you? And how fucked up is that? You could be his sister and he still acts like you're his untouchable treasure."

Veronica blushed deeply. "What did you say to him?"

"I tried to tell him that you knew about maybe being Jake's daughter and that you knew what he almost did at Shelley's party --"

"Why the hell would you tell him that?!" she yelled incredulously. "You said you were just going to talk to him about --"

"And what would be the point in not telling him you knew? Fuck! The way you two - Christ, I know, Veronica, that he was the one who started the whole 'ignoring you' thing. But you guys are gonna have to learn to deal with each other somehow. Especially when all of this crap is over and you and I are still together, 'cause I'm not choosing sides. Brother, sister, exes, I don't care. Just pick something and go with it."

Veronica's eyes widened at Logan's declaration. He must have realized how it had sounded because he began to stammer. "Together, like friends. We're friends. We're staying friends after all this is done. Right?"

"Yeah," she replied, with uncertainty. "Please, just tell me what happened," she added quickly, trying not to let the moment get too awkward.

Logan shrugged and took another sip from the bottle. "I was starting to explain to him about Shelley's party and he just attacked me. Knocked me over and I tried to fight back, but he already had his hands around my throat. I almost blacked out when Jake pulled him off me."

She'd known Logan and his fighting instinct well enough to know how hard it would be to get the upper hand with him, especially physically. And Duncan was not a fighter.

"This doesn't make any sense," she said quietly.

Logan barked out a laugh. "You know what doesn't make any sense? The way they treat you. Him and his whole fucking family. You might be Jake's daughter too and they all just cut you out and run your entire life into ground and let you live like you're worthless. And it kills me, you know, because I bought into it all. And I believed it. I wanted to."

"Logan --" she started with caution in her voice.

But he went on. "And you're his fucking sister! And he still says he loves you! And he doesn't get that he's not allowed to any more and that other people are allowed to like you, that you can't be a fucking nun just because he can't have what he wants."

"Please stop. You're going to say something --"

Logan jumped up, with wild gestures towards her. "I'm saying the things you should be saying, Veronica!"

She stood up. "You think that I don't think about all of this? That I just sit back and accept it all? It's on continuous playback in my head. But what am I supposed to do? Let it just cripple me? Roll up into a little ball in my closet because the Kanes don't like me? I'm getting my revenge, Logan, by living my life. Even if it's not as charmed as it used to be, it's still my life. Okay?"

"Yeah? Well, you could find out for sure who your father really is and give the rest of us a fucking break."

Veronica glared at him. "I'm so sorry my problems are such an inconvenience for you."

"You've got no idea, sweetheart," he said wryly, taking another drink.

"Maybe you should just stop worrying about my problems, then, and I'll stop worrying about yours and then we can be on our merry ways. Deal?"

"You know it's not that fucking simple."

"Sure it is. Watch me." She turned on her heel and started to walk away.

"You know, you're just as bad as Duncan!" Logan called to her before she reached the door.

"Worse even," he added when she froze, caught between wanting to know where he was going with this and knowing it was nowhere good. She turned back to him, arms crossed, waiting expectantly.

He didn't disappoint. "You can cry to me all you want that Duncan ignored you and pretended that you didn't exist, but what was he supposed to do? You tell me. He couldn't tell you, and he can't even find out for sure. You, on the other hand, now you know, and you can end of all of this guessing. And you won't. You don't even want to talk about it. You're ignoring the entire situation when you can do something about it!"

Veronica walked back towards him, eyes narrowing. "You have some god-damned nerve to say that to me. What was the first thing I thought when I saw those marks on your neck, huh? You tell me who's not doing something about their situation."

Logan stepped right into her space and towered over her. "Fuck you. Don't you fucking dare compare that to what you're doing." He pointed to himself. "My circumstances aren't hurting anybody. Do you ever stop to think about how many people you're hurting?"

"You are getting hurt, you fucking idiot!" She shoved him in the chest, trying to push him back as much as emphasize her point.

He grabbed her hands as she made contact and held them against his chest. "Careful, Veronica, I might think you actually care. And for future reference, Aaron Echolls never leaves a mark on his son that he'll let you see."

She twisted her hands out of his grasp. "You are such a jackass."

"And you're a stubborn bitch," he retorted. He didn't give her time for a glaring match though. He turned away and reached into the open air vent on the wall. "Here," he said, tossing something to her.

She caught it and held it up to inspect it. "What the hell is this?"

"Jake Kane's hairbrush. Don't say I never get you anything."

"Wow. You really shouldn't have. Seriously. What the hell am I supposed to do with this?"

"Aren't you supposed to be like the smartest girl in school or something? What do you think, Veronica? I mean, you just helped your friend get a DNA test done. And you don't even have to do the legwork to get a sample."

She gaped alternatively at him and the hairbrush. "Do you think you can just force me to do this?"

"I think somebody has to make you see that you have to. And why the hell aren't you? You've known for weeks --"

"Because I'm thinking of the one person who will get hurt if I do. My dad. I'm all he has. And he's all I've got. If I'm - if I'm not - how are we supposed to get past that after everything else?"

Logan closed his eyes, running a hand through his hair, and slightly swayed. "He loves you, Veronica, like to an irrational degree. He'll get over it."

"Well, he doesn't have to," she said, tossing the hairbrush on the bedside table.

Logan screamed, "For fuck's sake, Veronica! Do you not get it?! Duncan just tried to fucking kill me today! I've lost my best friend. And all because I can't stay away from you!"

He hurled the bottle and it hit the bookshelves, knocking over candles and figurines. It landed on the bed. A beat passed before Veronica's shock wore off. She jumped to the side of the bed to snatch up the bottle that was emptying its contents into the bedding. There was no way she was going to let him trash the pool house and get himself in even more trouble than being drunk on a school night. And there was no way she was going to let him drag her into that kind of trouble.

Logan lunged at the end bed to make a grab for it as well, but was slightly slower and still drunk. He half lay across the bed. She tried to stand back up, but his hands closed around hers where she held the bottle.

"Give it here!" He tried to tug it away from her.

"No!" She clutched the bottle, trying to pull it to her and hopefully make him back off.

Logan was having none of it and yanked the bottle towards him, pulling Veronica down to the bed. He climbed up on the bed, kneeling, trying to use his height to twist and pull the bottle away. As he began to pull, Veronica let go, sending Logan flying back onto the bed. She launched herself at him, grasping at him and the bottle, catching it between them as they rolled and struggled to wrench it from each other.

He managed to pry it from her grasp and held it over his head. She reached for it, but stopped when she thought she felt him trembling. She looked down at him to find his face red with attempts to suppress his laughter.

"What?" she asked impatiently when he began to laugh out loud.

"We're --" He couldn't get the words out while he was giggling, so he held up the bottle and pointed at his shirt. She sat back and saw the large wet blotch splashed across the front of his T-shirt as he propped himself up on his elbows.

He showed her the bottle again. "It's empty now. We've been rolling around on the bed, wrestling over an empty bottle," he said between giggles. When he could breathe again, he pointed to her torso and said, "We match."

She glanced down at herself to find a similar splotch spreading across her shirt. She hastily peeled off her jacket and the top layer of T-shirt before it could soak through to the tank top underneath, silently thanking God her father was out of town and would miss her coming home smelling like a distillery.

Veronica realized that Logan had stopped laughing and was now watching her intently. She also suddenly became aware of how compromising her position was - on a bed, straddling Logan Echolls, starting to undress.

She should move, she thought, get off him, get off this bed, and let the awkwardness pass so that she could walk out and remain angry. But it was so hard to do while he watched her with bloodshot wonder. When did he start looking at her like that?

She wondered if this was the reason that Lilly kept taking Logan back - looking at her like he'd kill the next person who dared to interrupt them. It was when he swallowed and her eyes followed his adam's apple up and down that she realized that she must be staring at him with as much intensity. He pressed his lips together as though he were putting some serious thought to saying something coherent.

He began, "You know --"

No, no, no, were her only articulate, panicked thoughts. He was going to say something - something ridiculous, something humiliating. He was going to ruin this. Cutting him off, she leaned forward, and took him by surprise by pressing a kiss to his mouth.

If he'd been staring at her with wonder before, he was fixated on her with complete awe now. "Veronica," he said softly, "nobody's here. We don't have to pretend."

Well, now she'd done it. There had been a lot of things she'd avoided thinking about in the last few days - Duncan, the Kanes, her mom - but at the top of that list were thoughts about Logan and just how much she'd become used to his near constant presence and how much that confused the hell out of her. And now she'd gone and forced the issue and had to face up to all of those thoughts right here in front of him.

She knew there was really no reason for Logan to be around her all the time. Dick had made it apparent, now that he was back at school, that he was more concerned with getting laid than getting even. And everyone else had gone back to simply ignoring her when she was in the vicinity and making up ridiculous gossip when she wasn't. But Logan had been insistent that he wasn't going to give anyone any opportunities. She knew she could have argued with him. Instead, she continued with their act during the school day. Now she was realizing that maybe he wasn't as indifferent to her as she'd forced herself to believe, especially when she reflected on his outburst about defying Duncan to be with her.

She felt him nudge her leg, trying to coax her off him. Obviously, he'd misinterpreted her hesitation and thought she was just trying to find a way to let him down easily. And even though she reasoned that was probably what she ought to do, she bit her lip, closed her eyes, and began, "Maybe --" She surprised herself by how sure her voice sounded. "Maybe I'm not pretending," she continued, parroting back what he'd said to her earlier in the week when he teased her about his intentions.

When she opened her eyes again, Logan was already closing the distance between them, his hands on her back, pressing her to him as he rose to sit up. His hands moved up, fingers tangling in her hair, pulling her closer as his mouth closed over hers.

Even drunk, Logan managed to be a good kisser, she mused, recalling their Monday morning encounter. She pushed him back down on the bed, and he let her, bringing her down with him with a pull on her hips. She gasped against his mouth as his fingers tentatively grazing the exposed skin between her tank top and the waistband of her jeans. He grinned up at her, and he more confidently explored further under her shirt, skimming the underside of her bra. She continued to kiss him, encouraging him, but from the corner of her eye, she could see a blue light flashing on the bookcases where Logan had flung the whiskey bottle. What the hell was that?

"Wait, Lo --" The rest of her words were swallowed by another kiss, as he surprised her by rolling them over. He pressed her down into the mattress, letting her know just how quickly things could get out of hand. She pushed him up, trying to get her thoughts back on track. "No, really."

He lifted himself off, and flopped onto his back beside her, sighing. "This totally makes you a tease, you know."

"Like anyone would believe that I'm not putting out for you and then some." She slapped his hands as he tried to sneak them back under her tank top. "Seriously, stop. There's something - Look, the bookshelves. They've moved."

Logan stretched, hanging his head over the bed to look where she was pointing. "Holy shit," he uttered in confusion. One of the bookshelves had shifted over about a half foot, and the blinking light Veronica had noticed earlier was coming from behind.

Veronica got up from the bed and went over to the shelves. She grabbed each shelf and pushed, and they slid apart easily. A cabinet with two monitors was revealed behind the shelves and some recording equipment. Veronica pressed the power button on.

"Oh my God," she blurted out when the monitors lit up showing Logan on the bed watching her with widening eyes.

"What the fuck--?" Logan leapt up. "What the hell is this?"

"You tell me!" She gave him a shove.

"I don't know!" He rubbed the spot where her hands connected with his chest. "I've never seen this before. I didn't even know this was here!"

Veronica went to the bed and looked up. She spotted the camera lens in the ceiling fan. "You're telling me you didn't know there were cameras there --" She pointed to the fan, "and there." She pointed towards the cabinets behind the bed.

"No and no! What the hell is going on, Veronica?"

She knew Logan was telling the truth. If this had been a ploy, he'd have admitted it by now and humiliated her completely.

"My mother," Logan said, "she's been coming down here and --" He trailed off deep in thought as he turned to press the play button on the device. Veronica couldn't see the monitors with Logan standing right in front of them. The sound of static filled the room, then very loud moaning and panting and cries of "yes", "right there", "don't stop".

Logan backed up until he dropped down on the bed in shock. As he stepped back, Veronica was able to see what he'd been watching. On the screens were images of his father rolling around on the bed with a woman who was obviously not his mother.

Veronica got up and stopped the recorder from playing and sat back down with him.

"Well, now I know why we really fired the new housekeeper," he muttered, still staring at the blank monitors.

"Logan --" She really didn't know what to say, so she put her hand over his and squeezed.

He turned to Veronica. "You knew, didn't you?"

"What? No. I --" She shook her head. "How could I --"

He snatched his hand back from hers. "Your dad didn't want you in the pool house. He knew about this. How did he know?"

She was caught. She had to tell him now. "It was for a case. He searched the entire house. This must've been what he found. Your mom - she hired my dad," she blurted out.

It took a moment for it all to sink in. "And you didn't tell me?" he asked incredulously.

"I couldn't. My dad wouldn't let me. I wasn't supposed to even know --"

"But you did, and you still didn't tell me."

"Logan, it wasn't like that. I wanted to tell you, but I didn't even know anything other than the fact that your mom hired him. He wouldn't tell me anything else and he wouldn't let me do any of the paperwork--"

He stood, shaking his head. "You people are unbelievable. So what was it? You were so satisfied with the job you did on the Kanes that you just had to ruin another family from the 09 zip code?"

Veronica stood up too. "Your mom was the one who hired my dad. The ruining had already been done by that point. It was business, Logan."

He pointed at her with a flourish. "Ah. Well, good to know where we stand finally. I'll be sure to remember that when I'm sent off to boarding school while my parents rip each other to shreds over every last asset they can think of. At least Veronica managed to keep her business ethics."

"Okay. I should have said something, but how was I supposed to do that? Can you at least see why --?"

"No! I don't fucking see why! I thought --" Logan turned away from her before continuing, "I thought you were starting to trust me. That we were trusting each other. I thought maybe you might even like me. You know, for real. What a sucker I was, huh?"

He sniffled and it almost broke her heart until he turned back to her with a look of cold disdain. "So what was the deal here? Spending all this time with me, making out with me -" He pointed to the bed. "Just gathering more dirt for your dad?"

She scowled at him, knowing that he was just stabbing blindly because he'd been hurt, but unable to stop her own hurt feelings. "I'm not even going to dignify that."

"You've got no right to be self-righteous here, Veronica! All this time, you were hiding this huge fucking thing about my family from me!"

"And you don't get to be all sanctimonious about hiding things, okay? Because I know you're hiding a god-damn shitload from me. All right? But you already knew how tenuous your parents' relationship was. You knew it was a matter of time. How can you stand there and defend your family with everything that goes on in your own house?"

"You think I'm defending my father? I will fucking kill him for what he's done to my mom. But I'm the one who's supposed to be mad here. You think you can turn this around and make it all my fault?"

"I didn't say that! But you're just as much in the wrong as I am and don't even pretend you don't know what I'm talking about! Or should I point out how much more in the dark I am than you are?" She held up her hand and started counting on her fingers. "Your alibi, your blackmailer, the PCHers, Shelley's party --"

Logan threw his hands up in frustration. "You ever think that I have really awesome reasons and that maybe you are just better off not knowing? You don't even know how much protection you need!"

Veronica glared at him. "Who the hell are you to make that decision for me?"

"I'm the only friend you've got!"

"Some friend! God, you're not even going to try denying it, are you?"

"What would be the point? You're just gonna do your pathetic little detective thing and snoop around behind my back until you find out everything anyway. By the way, have you found Cindy yet?"

She gaped at him and he nodded. "Yeah, that's right. I know."

Veronica couldn't look at him any more. She picked up her things and walked out the door without a glance back. It wasn't until she shut her car door that she thought she heard him yelling, "Veronica, wait!" But she just started her car and drove away, making good on her promise not to let him see her cry again.

----------

"Hey," Veronica said timidly as she approached Logan in the school parking.

"Hey," he replied, closing his door. They stood before one another. He'd had the good sense to wear a turtleneck to cover his bruises. All she needed was to be accused of giving him hickeys. He shoved his hands in his pockets and she fiddled with the strap of her bag.

This was just a bad idea. If she'd had her way, she would have just stayed away from him and dodged him if he came near her until she'd be forced to sit with him in Chemistry. But by three that morning, she still wasn't asleep, still torturing herself with thoughts of how bad things had become in just a few hours when her phone rang.

Logan was already talking when she answered. "Just listen, okay? We both said a lot of stuff tonight. And I'm pissed and you're pissed. But we've gotta talk because this isn't ending here, not like this. So please just don't avoid me tomorrow. All right?"

Her breath hitched in her chest. He'd said please. "Yeah okay." The call disconnected and within five minutes she fell asleep.

Now they stood avoiding each other's line of sight and she wondered why she'd felt any relief at all from his phone call when she could have predicted this awkwardness. This is getting ridiculous, she thought. Veronica took a step closer. "So, are you still mad?"

Logan raised his head to look at her and nodded. "Yeah. You?"

Veronica nodded glumly. "Yeah."

She heard him sigh like he was about to say something he knew she wasn't going to want to hear. She took another step closer to distract him. There were only a few inches between them now.

"How mad?"

He frowned. "What do you mean?"

"Like, are you too mad for me to do this?" She reached out and took his hand in hers, tangling their fingers together loosely so that he could release hers easily if he wanted to.

He glanced down at their entwined hands. He looked a little surprised, but also a little amused. "I guess not."

"What about this?" She stood on her tiptoes and kissed his cheek, pressing against him. Instinctively, his other hand came to rest at her waist, before she lost her balance.

She dropped her heels back to the ground and looked up at him expectantly. Now he couldn't hide his cocky smirk. "Gosh, I dunno. You might have to try that again."

"Are you sure I should? I wouldn't want you to think I was just using you to get more dirt on you." Veronica said with some apprehension. She couldn't let it lie, she had to test their limits and know where neutral ground was.

Logan narrowed his eyes at her slightly, but didn't let go of her. "Only one way to find out."

She rocked up on her toes again to kiss his other cheek when he turned his face and caught her lips with his own, wrapping his arms around her.

They came up for air again when a passerby whistled. "Get a room!" someone else called out from the a crowd of kids getting off the school bus.

Logan held her close, resting his forehead against hers. "What are we doing here, Veronica?"

"Well, I am trying to apologize. You, I suspect, are trying to cop a feel."

He chuckled. "You know me so well."

She smiled back. "Yeah, I'm beginning to think I do." He smoothed her hair back and kissed her forehead.

"Hey," he started, as he was pulling away. "We still have to talk, right?"

"Yeah, I know. Sit with me at lunch, and we'll see how far we get." She held out her hand to him and he grasped it tightly as they started walking towards the school.

"What about tonight? Are you working?"

"I don't have to. Why? What did you have in mind?"

"We could talk some more. Maybe get dinner and talk some more. Can't talk during a movie, but maybe a walk on the beach afterwards and, you know, talk some more."

"Huh. Except for all the talking, that sounds like a date. Like a date for real."

"Well, I guess we'll see how our talk goes."

"I think it had better go well because I like your plan."

"Yeah, me too. Maybe with less talking though."

They had walked all the way to her homeroom and stood behind the door so that the view of them was obstructed. She leaned into him to kiss his cheek again. At the same time, she felt him surreptitiously grab a handful of her ass and squeeze.

She yelped and smacked his chest. "What was that for?"

"Just proving you right about copping that feel." Her mouth fell open in mock indignation and Logan let go of her, backing down the hallway with a goofy grin on his face.

----------

Veronica was at her locker grabbing her lunch when she heard a sheepish voice call her name. She closed her locker and turned around to find Dick's little brother. "Hey, Cassidy, right?"

"Yeah," he replied. "Can I talk to you?"

Veronica shrugged and started walking towards the quad. "Sure, but I'm having lunch with --"

"Logan, right? Well, it's about him." Cassidy stopped walking, and opened the door to an empty classroom.

"Um, okay." Veronica stepped into the room. "So what's this about?" she asked when the door closed behind them.

"There's something that you should know. It's for your own good."

She pointed to herself. "Full and undivided attention here."

"Logan's not who you think he is, you know." Cassidy stepped in closer and softly added, "It's about the day Lilly died."

----------

Veronica dropped her lunch bag beside Logan's box of pizza.

"It's kinda cute that you still bring a lunch when all week you've ended up eating more than half of whatever I've ordered." He looked up and his face fell when he saw Cassidy pass their table, glaring back at Logan.

When he was far enough away, Veronica whispered to Logan, "Cassidy and I just had an interesting chat. I think know who your blackmailer is now. So you ready to have that talk?"

----------

Veronica had been sitting on the couch watching the minutes tick off the clock on the microwave. She was getting dangerously close to being stood up when she finally heard from Logan.

She answered her phone curtly without greeting. "You know this is not a good way to start off this evening, considering the talk we had this afternoon."

"Veronica, just listen --" He sounded scared.

"Logan? What happened?" Immediately thoughts of Aaron Echolls standing menacingly over his son popped in her head even though her father was still following the actor around in another city.

"I need you to come get me."

"Where are you?"

"I - I don't know."

"Okay. It doesn't matter." She ran to her room and rummaged around her desk. "Just don't turn your cell off, okay? I'm gonna trace your phone. Tell me what happened."

"He - He blew it up."

"Blew what up? Logan? Who?"

"Just get here, Veronica."

An hour later she found him walking along the side of the road. He got in her car and she took in his dishevelled appearance. His face was dirty. There were scrapes on his palms, and scrapes on his knees where his cargo pants had new holes. He offered her no explanations, and just asked her to get them home.

It was a few minutes down the road before he said, "You look nice. I'm sorry about tonight."

"Don't worry about that right now. What the hell happened to you?"

Logan started to babble almost incoherently. "He said he just wanted to talk and work it out. So I met him but he was lying. He told me nothing mattered because he can still fuck me up and that he can always get to me and then he blew it up. There was a bomb - it must have been there the whole time. My car, Veronica, he blew up my fucking car!"

Veronica had already pulled over again when Logan began to sob. She pulled him into her arms, trying to calm him down, but she couldn't decide who was shaking more.

Part 13

FIC: Damn, Damn the Circumstance (11/?)

2007-04-29T03:13:06Z

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

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2007-04-21T18:45:56Z

Find my entire collection of XF icons here.

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2007-04-02T16:55:28Z

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FIC: Damn, Damn the Circumstance (10/?)

2007-03-19T01:48:09Z

Title: Damn, Damn the Circumstance (10/?)
Author: invida
Characters: Veronica, Logan, Ensemble
Word Count: 6940
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 aud_woman_in and Rain for listening to me bitch about writing this part and offering some helpful suggestions here and there.

Previous Parts

"Veronica?" Keith bellowed through her closed bedroom door. His voice permeated the music blaring through her earphones. "Phone!"

Veronica still lay on her bed, but turned her head when Keith popped his head in the door cautiously. "It's Logan."

Sighing, she yanked her ear buds out. "You answered it? I thought we weren't answering the phone for the next week." Every news outlet in California wanted a comment on the arrest of Lilly Kane's killer from the disgraced former sheriff and none of them had taken 'no comment' for an answer.

Keith shrugged. "It's been a while since it rang. I forgot. So you gonna take it?" She nodded with a sigh and he disappeared from her doorway.

She picked up the cordless lying beside her on the bed. She took a deep breath before pressing the call button. There was no point in putting this off any longer.

"Got it," she yelled out to her dad. After waiting for his hang-up click, she spoke, "Hello?"

"The hell, Veronica?" She rolled her eyes at his lack of greeting. "You said you'd call me to tell me how it went with your dad."

"Yeah. I know. I --"

"And I've been trying to reach you on your cell all day. Did you get my messages?"

"Yeah. I was gonna call. I just -- Look, Logan, it's been a really long day --"

"What happened? Was your dad pissed? Are you grounded? Obviously, he didn't take away your phone privileges --"

"No. No, I'm not grounded." She almost wished she had been. Then it would have given this day some semblance of normality.

"Okay. Then we've gotta talk. Can I see you?"

She winced, caught between hoping he'd ask and wishing he hadn't. "Maybe. Tomorrow?"

"Yeah, tomorrow's good too. But how about right now?"

"Now?" She sat up. "Where are you?"

"In the conservatory with a candlestick. I'm outside in your parking lot."

"What? Logan!" She strained to look out her window even though she couldn't see the parking lot from there.

"Well, if you'd been answering your fucking phone you'd know that I was on my way over here! Just come outside."

"Just hang on! I've gotta put some clothes on and --"

"Damn! I knew I should have started this conversation by asking what you were wearing."

"Such a charmer." She let out a frustrated sigh before adding, "I still have to get by my dad --"

"I thought you said you weren't grounded."

"Just 'cause I'm not grounded doesn't mean he's not still mad about last night. I shouldn't push my luck. I'll be out as soon as I can."

"Fine. I'll be waiting."

She hung up, and rummaged through her closet, trying to find sweats and a hoodie to pull over her shorts and T-shirt, while she contemplated what to tell her father. There hadn't been much talk between them since she got home that morning, allowing all the news of the day to soak in until dinner time.

"Do you want to talk about it?" Keith had finally asked as they sat across from each other at the kitchen island where they ate dinner.

Veronica looked up at her father. "Not really. You?"

"Not really," Keith admitted glumly.

Veronica looked back down and stabbed at her lasagna, moving the bits she'd hacked off around the plate in a circular motion.

"We probably should though, dontcha think?" Keith asked with a sigh. "You know, make it look like I'm a good dad and that we talked about it like we have 'open lines of communication' all those parenting books have been telling me about over the years." He made finger quotes to emphasize his point.

Veronica's expression softened and she looked back up at him, tilting her head. "You are a good dad."

"Well, when we talk about it, then I'll be a great dad."

Veronica couldn't help smiling at Keith. "Okay," she said softly.

"Is there anything you want to ask me, honey?"

Want to ask? No. Need to ask? Yeah. Eventually. But where to even start? The arrest was sure to be a sore point for Keith. Was her dad wrong to go after Jake Kane? Definitely not after all she'd learned in the last few weeks. But why had he never thought of this Abel Koontz as a suspect?

And she'd already reasoned that Keith didn't know about the possible paternity issue with Jake Kane. There's no way in hell he'd let her date Duncan if that was the case. He wouldn't be as irresponsible as Lianne.

Veronica bit into her lip and inhaled deeply to tamp down the nausea that threatened to overtake her any time she thought of Duncan now. She wondered if these feelings would ever subside and she could just think of him as a boy she used to know. There was no way she could try to reminisce and think of him as her bittersweet first love now. And she wasn't sure she'd ever be ready to think of him as her brother. That would imply forgiveness that she wasn't willing to bestow. Not anymore.

But just because Keith didn't suspect Veronica might not be his daughter didn't mean that he didn't know about Lianne and Jake having an affair at some point. Still, there was no easy way to ask your dad if knows about your mom's infidelity. And there were other issues they needed to deal with first.

"Are you going to bring Mom home?"

"Veronica, I told you," Keith said with a cautionary voice, "Your mom needs some time. The last few months, all the changes, they've been stressful and --"

"What did you fight about before she left then?" She wondered if Logan's drunken admissions to Keith would come up and she could feel her anger bubbling again.

"Your mom had already made up her mind to leave before I even got a chance to talk to her."

"And you just let her?" Veronica asked incredulously.

"Sweetheart, we all just need to cool down and take --"

Veronica didn't want to hear it. "But you know where she went, right? We can go and talk --"

Keith shook his head. "She didn't tell me where she was going."

She hated how desperate she must have sounded. Like a lost little girl in a mall. But she couldn't stop herself. "We can find her! That's what we do! And then --"

"Veronica, she's not a bail jumper. I'm not forcing your mother to come back if she doesn't want to. She knows where we are. When she's ready, we'll all talk and make our compromises then."

She sighed with frustration and resumed stabbing her lasagna. "How can you be so calm about this?"

"Because, I've got you to consider and you need me to be calm. And maybe because I need time too. And frankly, Veronica, I'm tired."

She didn't even need to ask why. Veronica glanced up at her father who was staring down at his own dinner rather intently. She took in the slump of his shoulders, the circles under his eyes. If she really thought about it, she was tired too.

Keith looked up at her and asked, "So, my turn? You wanna tell me what happened last night?"

Veronica looked back down at her plate guiltily. "Can you be more specific?"

"Like, oh, I don't know, maybe --" Keith twirled his fork around in the air, "what made you think getting drunk with Logan Echolls was a good idea?"

She squinted at him uncomfortably. "Can we just chalk it up to me being a typical, dumb teenager having a whimsical, youthful indiscretion?"

"Funny thing, sweetie, we both know you're anything but typical, and, for once, Logan sounded like he was telling the truth."

So there was a consolation in all of this -- Logan had scored some inadvertent, albeit tenuous points with Keith. And by doing so, put her in the most awkward position she thought she'd ever been in with her dad. She'd make sure to thank Logan later. Perhaps with a nice swift kick to the shin.

"What did Logan say was the reason?"

"That you saw your mom at the party and you got upset. Did she do or say something?"

There was really no getting out of telling Keith something, so she said, "I just saw her go and talk to Mr Kane for a while in his office, then she was escorted out by security. I was embarrassed and confused, so I took a drink and Logan thought he was cheering me up by drinking with me. And then it sorta got out of hand."

Understatement, thy name is Veronica, she thought. She'd just lied to her father, leaving out the graphic details of what she'd heard and seen -- the longing looks between former lovers, the voices breaking over threats to each other. She saw two proud people unable to let go of the past but unwilling to give up anything they already had for each other. It distorted everything she thought she knew about her mother. It killed her appetite completely.

Not to mention the fact that she'd just defended Logan Echolls to her dad as well.

"And nothing else happened between you and Logan, right?"

She hoped she rolled her eyes soon enough to be convincing to her dad, ignoring the very insistent memory of Logan's fingertips tentatively grazing her cheek just before she pulled away from the sloppy, drunken kiss she'd initiated the night before. Or the feeling of his hand under her jaw, as his thumb lightly swept across her chin when he tried to calm her down that morning. And she most certainly was refusing to think about the darkening chaos in his eyes during either of those incidents. Thinking about any of that would make her less angry at him for her predicament and more confused.

She said nothing but continued to give her father an indignant look in answer to his question.

Keith held his hands up. "Okay, okay. I know. You're not stupid. So how about next time you're upset, you and your friend go drown your sorrows in a milkshake at the malt shop?"

Veronica looked at him skeptically and laughed. "In my poodle skirt and saddle shoes? C'mon, even you're not that old, Dad."

"Doesn't mean I don't long for the good ol' days."

Like that statement wasn't laden with at least a hundred different meanings, Veronica thought.

"Look," Keith continued, "this is not one of my prouder moments as a father -- watching my baby girl nurse her first hangover. I know last night was bad, but things are gonna be rough for the next while with just you and me. The bottom line is I don't want calls like that again, Veronica. Got it?"

Veronica nodded with embarrassment. "I'm sorry, Dad."

Keith got up, went around to her side of the island and circled his arm around her shoulders, pulling her back into his chest. He kissed the top of her head and said, "It's okay. Just don't let it happen again. You know nothing gets solved with drinking. And if anything ever happened to you --"

"Dad --" Veronica clenched her eyes shut as Keith's voice broke on the last words and gripped his arm around her tightly.

Keith ruffled her hair. "Go on, kiddo. You didn't eat much so go lie down and get some rest. I'll clean up, and we'll talk some more later, 'kay?"

They hadn't had that chance for more talk yet. And there were still plenty of questions Veronica needed to ask. But it would have to wait until she could get rid of Logan. She didn't know which she was dreading more.

She walked out to the kitchen and grabbed the leash off the hook. Backup perked up from his spot on the couch, trying to gauge Veronica's sincerity. His tail thwacked against Keith who was intently reading a magazine.

"I'm gonna take Backup for a walk and get some fresh air." At the word 'walk', Backup sat up straight, giving his best impression of a good dog.

Keith didn't take his eyes off the page he appeared to be reading. "Is that Logan Echolls' SUV out there?"

Veronica peered out through the blinds on the door. "Huh. Looks like it."

Keith dropped the magazine in his lap. "You know, you're not doing much to keep up this pretence of 'nothing going on' between you two." Again with the finger quotes.

Veronica merely shrugged. "Well, you can turn a blind eye and pretend I'm a normal teenage girl sneaking out to meet a boy, or you could just trust me that I'm taking my dog out for a walk and my friend just happens to be out there, wanting to make sure I'm okay." It was still hard for her to drag that word out of herself to describe anyone, let alone Logan.

"Either of those scenarios has me letting you go out there with that boy."

"And my trusty pit bull." She held up the leash and shook it. Backup took that as his cue and leapt off the couch, landing with a flop on the floor and scrabbling over to her. He sat in front of her, practically shaking with excitement as she hooked the leash to his collar.

Veronica and Backup faced Keith expectantly. "You're not going to disappoint such a good doggie, are you?"

Keith waved his hand. "Go. No longer than an hour. Got that? The Rose Parade is re-running and we've got work tomorrow."

Veronica opened the door and blew her father a kiss before Backup yanked her through the doorway.

----------

"Wow. Twice in one week on this side of town. What's the draw? So enchanted by how we did Christmas you just had to see New Year's too?" Veronica snapped as Logan got out of his SUV. She wasn't going to make this easy for him.

He crouched down to let Backup sniff him before giving the dog a rub behind the ears. "You know why I'm here. We've gotta talk. About the arrest."

Veronica rolled her eyes and gave a tug on Backup's leash pulling him away from Logan. She walked down to the path that led to the small stretch of beach by her apartment building as Logan fell into step with her.

"C'mon Logan! You're not playing the game. I mean, that's why you're here, right? With the arrest, we don't have to work together anymore, we don't have to pretend, and we can go back to our old routine -- well, your old routine. You remember! The insults, the rumours, the tire slashing, the locker vandalism. Too bad I don't have a house to TP anymore, but I still have a front step so I'll be expecting those flaming bags of dog shit any day now. Hey, thanks for the warning this time --"

"Veronica, just stop!" Logan halted and held up a hand in frustration. "That's not what this is about. You know that's not going to happen this time."

Veronica stopped and turned to face Logan as Backup plopped himself down beside her. "Do I?"

He looked at her in disbelief. "You think I can forget everything that happened in the last four weeks?"

"Well, you forgot four years of friendship like that," she said, snapping her fingers.

Backup whined, getting antsy about the tension Veronica was giving off and for having to sit still for so long after he'd been promised a walk, so when Logan just gaped at her in response, she turned, tugged the leash, and started walking again.

Logan caught up to her. "So are you pissed with me about something I might do or are you still pissed about stuff I thought we were already past?"

She stopped again suddenly, letting Backup yank the leash so that it bit into her flesh where it was wound around her hand. The pinch gave a welcome distraction to the tightening in her chest that threatened to turn into a sob. She wasn't going to cry in front of him again. She wasn't going to cry in front of anyone again.

She didn't need to think about it to know that she wasn't really angry with him, but couldn't stop the words from flying out of her mouth. "I can't tell you what a relief it is to me that you're past me nearly being raped. You know, I was so worried that you might be consumed by guilt that maybe it was because of the way that you'd been treating me that made one of your classy 09er friends think that I deserved it. But hey, you're over it, so --"

"How many times do I have to say I was wrong, Veronica?"

Until I believe it? Until the first thing I think isn't 'will you use this against me'? Till I can stop worrying what else there is that you're lying to me about? She glared at him for a moment, hating every question that popped into her head and exposed her vulnerability to herself. She turned, before he could see it for himself and walked down the stairs to the beach. She let Backup off the leash then sat down on the last step. Instead of taking off in search of new smells, Backup sat and snuffled at her hand, sensing she needed his comfort. She languidly stroked his head.

When Logan came up behind her, instead of answering him, she said, "My mom left." He was going to find out eventually anyway, she reasoned.

He dropped down beside her, shaking his head. "Left? Like gone? When?" he asked, mercifully allowing her to change the subject.

"Last night."

"Before you got home? She didn't even say good-bye?" he asked with disbelief. Veronica just nodded in reply.

He grimaced. "Because of what I said to your dad?"

She shook her head. "No, Dad said that she didn't even give him a chance to fight with her."

"Fuck. No wonder -- Veronica, I'm --"

"Don't. It hasn't sunk in yet, okay? I'm just telling you because -- God, I don't know why I'm telling you."

"It's okay." She felt his hand tentatively touch her shoulder. When she didn't shrug him off, he slung his arm around her shoulder and pulled her into his side. "It's okay," he repeated.

She shut her eyes and allowed herself the briefest moment to relish in the comfort he offered before she pulled away. "Just tell me what you wanted to talk about."

He stared down at her, and she was grateful for dimness of the lights on the steps. Finally he leaned back on the steps and turned his attention to the dark water before he said, "The arrest. Abel Koontz. What do you think?"

Veronica shrugged. "A disgruntled ex-employee of Kane Software. An anonymous tip. Lilly's stuff in his possession."

"I know what the paper said. I want to know what you think."

She snorted. "No, you don't! You want me to reassure you that he did it so you can get out from under your blackmailer."

"I want you to say it if that's what you think."

"Okay. You said you can't forget the last four weeks? Neither can I."

"Christ, Veronica! Would it be so bad to admit we were wrong? That your dad was wrong?"

"Where is this coming from? You were there, Logan! You saw how Jake reacted. You saw the police file."

"I saw your dad's file -- the man who was trying to pin it on Jake Kane. And Jake was emotional, yeah, but he'd just had a fight with Celeste. We can explain it all."

"No! You can't explain everything!" Veronica stood up angrily. "You can't explain why my mother is gone after having a fight with Jake Kane, after she said she was his alibi at the time of his own daughter's murder!"

"What?!" Logan stood up suddenly. Backup jumped up and began to growl.

Veronica bent down over her dog and spoke soothingly, "Chill, boy. It's okay." Backup sat down again, but his hackles were still raised. "My mother wanted to know why it was so bad if my dad started investigating again since she knew both Jake and Celeste didn't do it."

"You didn't tell me that last night." Logan tried to keep his voice even as he spoke.

"I had just found out that my mother really does believe I'm a Kane bastard. Excuse me if there was only so much I could process last night. And besides, I wanted to check the facts today," Veronica said as she clipped the leash to Backup's collar again, then tugged at him along as she started down the path along the small beach.

"And what do the facts say?" Logan asked, going along with them.

"Celeste and Jake were each other's alibis. Pretty convenient, huh? They claimed they were at the Neptune Grand together for over two hours. Well, turns out he was actually there with my mom." From the corner of her eye she could see Logan doing a doubletake. "Yeah, proud moment for me -- my mom and maybe-bio-dad are still gettin' it on after all these years. Anyway, Celeste barged in, they fought and they left after twenty minutes. Since the time of death was never established conclusively, either of them could have done it."

"Even your mom."

"Oh, aren't you clever!" she declared sarcastically.

Logan threw his hands up. "You're the one presenting the facts, Veronica! I'm just showing you what else the facts say."

"And the fact is you don't have an alibi either." she said, pointing at him. "Remember?"

"Well none of that matters now that someone's been caught, does it?"

She stopped and gaped at him incredulously. "Don't you get it? This is a cover-up!"

"Even if that's true, no one's going to believe us."

"Koontz's lawyer might. He'd probably be pretty damn interested to know what we know."

"And what do we even really know? We overheard some conversations that could have meant anything. We tell anyone that and we'll look like screwball conspiracy theorists!"

Logan's rising voice earned him another growl from Backup. Veronica yanked the dog's leash, sharply rebuking him before pulling him along the path again. She shouted back as she walked, "Well, what do you want from me, Logan? You know none of this adds up. You're the one who told me I had to find the real killer for justice for Lilly. I have to keep going now."

"Fine. Be a poor man's Nancy Drew. But the only reason you even started investigating was because I asked you to help me."

Veronica stopped under a light that flickered and hummed as she unhooked Backup again. "Wow. Homer Simpson was right," she said, producing a ball from her pocket, allowing the dog to sniff it excitedly before she threw it towards the inky black waves. Backup tore after it in hot pursuit. "Some people never change, or they quickly change and then quickly change back again. Not even twenty-four hours ago you told me your alibi didn't matter anymore. And here we are back to it being all about saving your ass from jail."

"I said it didn't matter because I wanted you to stop investigating, because I don't want you to get hurt!"

"You don't want me to get hurt," she repeated carefully, trying to sound doubtful, as though saying the words again might somehow shield herself from believing him. "Why? Because that's your specialty?"

She had to maintain her defences especially now with everything falling apart all around her. She couldn't afford to believe him, but the hitch in her breath made her wonder if she really wanted to.

He shoved one hand in his pocket and pulled the other roughly through his hair, blowing out a long sigh of frustration. "God, Veronica. Would it fucking kill you to just believe me?"

"It might," she blurted out distractedly as Backup returned and triumphantly dropped the ball by her foot.

"What's that supposed to mean?"

She sighed, tossing the ball back out to the darkened beach for the dog to find again. "It means that even if I wanted to believe you, I can't. You've lied to me over and --"

"Did you ever think that maybe I was lying for a reason?"

"Yeah, to keep your --"

"To protect you!"

Astonished, she tried to get a read on what he'd meant, but as if realizing he'd said too much, he turned back to watch the sea.

Frustrated, she went back into attack mode. "Well, Logan, you really suck at it because I keep getting blindsided by your protection. I might be Duncan's sister, body shots, the rumours, Duncan mauling me while I was passed out --" She shuddered as she listed off the atrocities she couldn't even remember.

He faced her again. "I told you, Duncan was --"

"Yeah, wasted. Drugged. Care to explain how that happened?"

"'Scuse me?" he asked, stunned.

"Just figured it would be another thing you know about that I don't," she said, shrugging nonchalantly. "I can't help feeling that there's more that you're keeping from me that's gonna knock me back on my ass when it comes out." He had no response to that.

Backup had returned again, but this time she pocketed the ball and hooked his leash back on. She started back towards the stairs, not watching or caring if Logan was following.

Logan finally spoke as they got to the top of the stairs. He got in front of her and turned around, walking backwards so that she had to look at him. "Listen to me, Veronica. Just listen, okay? I didn't come here to fight with you or to dredge up all this stuff. All I wanted was to ask if you'd just drop the investigation."

"And why would I do that? After everything that's happened, how can you ask me to stop now?" she asked, heading for the parking lot.

He turned around again, unable to meet her eyes now. "Because I thought, you know, maybe this was fate or something giving me another chance. That the last month and last night -- that maybe it meant something. That maybe we could -- I don't know -- move on from all of this without all that stuff hanging over our heads. That maybe you could just give me a chance."

What was he asking her? She couldn't just drop her guard now and let him trounce all over what was left. The problem was, and the issue that she'd be wrestling with all day was that she knew she'd already let him in again and she wasn't doing much of a job of trying to throw him back out.

They'd reached his SUV, when she finally asked. "And if I don't stop investigating?"

"Then just don't say anything until you've proven whatever it is you think you need to prove."

"So I'm just supposed to let an innocent man stay in jail?"

"How innocent can he be if they had enough on him to arrest him?"

"You're unbelievable."

"Hey, don't forget, Veronica, I'm innocent too," he said as he climbed into his vehicle and started it. "And you don't even know that guy or what his story is. You know me and I'm your friend."

"Are you?"

He closed his eyes, shaking his head grimly. With resignation he held his hand up towards her and said, "I guess that's up to you." He shut the door and pulled away.

----------

"Can I get some help here?" Veronica dinged the bell on the vacant reception desk.

"Well, look who it is, boys!" Sheriff Lamb popped his head out of his office at the sound of her voice. "If it isn't Little Veronica! You know your daddy doesn't work here anymore, right?"

No wonder Keith had been reluctant to send her on this errand down to the police station, she thought as Lamb strutted up to the desk where she stood waiting to be helped. But Keith had to prepare for his appointment that morning and he didn't have much of a choice.

Veronica rolled her eyes. "That's the best you can do, Deputy?"

"Well, interestingly enough, I've heard the best you can do since Duncan Kane dumped you is either that spoiled delinquent Logan Echolls or the entire Neptune High swim team after practice." The other deputies' snickers made Veronica wonder if they'd ever dared talked about her like this when her father was their boss and his back was turned.

"Wow. It's surprising you arrest anyone at all when your only source seems to be the local high school's overactive rumour mill." A couple of 'ooohs' from the peanut gallery made Veronica's grin broader.

"Hey, sweets, at least I got an arrest." Lamb jerked a thumb towards himself.

"Awww. And you worked really hard for it too," Veronica said mockingly with an exaggerated pout. "An anonymous tip. Lucky break after all those gruelling months of sitting on your ass, huh? Oh, unless you count all those press conferences where you batted your pretty eyelashes for the cameras just to say there were no new leads."

"Are you actually here for a reason, Mars?"

"You mean busting your chops isn't enough of one?"

"This is a place of business." Lamb was already turning away. "If you don't have any, I suggest you --"

"Cliff McCormack," Veronica snapped. "Is he here?"

"He's with his client," Lamb said with a sneer. "But if he does his job right, he'll be out any second now." Lamb pointed to one of the chairs in the waiting area.

She sat down and pulled a magazine down from the rack beside her. She flipped a few pages before a door opened and a loud voice announced, "Sheriff, we're done in here."

Veronica watched as the tall, dark-haired man in a cheap suit left the interrogation room and threw down the yellow pad of paper on the reception desk. Lamb motioned for his deputies to go to the interrogation room, then walked back to the desk and asked, "Signed?"

"Sheriff, some credit please? We've both been at this long enough now."

They all paused as the door to the interrogation room opened and the deputies led a man clad in an orange jumpsuit whose face everyone would recognize before the end of the week: Abel Koontz. Veronica was so mesmerized at the sight of him, she didn't hear Lamb talking again.

"Yeah, well, you should also know by now that this isn't your office. Ask to meet your less reputable clients somewhere else." Lamb pointed at Veronica. She made a face at him before Cliff McCormack turned to her.

Veronica stood and held out her hand, which Cliff shook. "Mr McCormack? Veronica. I work for Keith Mars. He put this together this morning and asked me to bring this down to you right away." She pulled a large manila envelope from her messenger bag.

"Thanks, kid, but I won't be needing it. My client just confessed so there's no point in trying to find a loophole. No big murder trial of the century for this public defender. And, might I add, phew."

"Oh," she said, putting the envelope back in her bag, all the while, her mind whirring at what could be in it and at the events that had just transpired in front of her.

She began to walk away, when Cliff called out to her, "Veronica, right? Tell Mr Mars the pictures he took for that neck brace scam did the trick. The suit was dropped against my client."

Veronica gave Cliff a thumbs up. "Awesome."

"Interesting point," he said, coming up behind her as she went through the door. "I went to that store where those photos were taken and noticed that the only place they possibly could have been taken from was the women's change room."

"Wow. That is interesting," Veronica said, trying to sound indifferent.

"Yeah. Great work. I'll be sure to use his services again."

"Very subtle, Mr McCormack," Veronica said with a perplexed grin, walking away from him towards her car.

"It's Cliff. And I don't get these kinds of cases because of my delicacy, Veronica. I get them because I'm affordable and I get the job done. Much like you and your dad. Cute photo of you on his desk, by the way," he said with a smirk, walking to his own car.

Veronica smiled back and nodded in understanding, then got in her car. She waited until Cliff had left the parking lot before she pulled the envelope back out and debated opening it.

----------

Veronica was still preoccupied by the envelope in her bag as she rounded the corner in the narrow, dimly lit hallway to Mars Investigations and nearly crashed right into Lynn Echolls, who was trying to open a prescription bottle. Even after Veronica apologized, Lynn barely registered recognition and hastily left.

"Care to tell me what that was about?" Veronica asked her father as she stepped through the door. He'd been standing in the doorway watching Lynn leave and saw the whole incident.

"Just something she didn't want to hear. Everything go okay down at the station?" Keith asked walking towards his office.

"Yep," she said, and sat down at her desk. She expected Keith to at least tell her something about what happened during his appointment. When he didn't elaborate, Veronica asked, "You're still not going to tell me about the Echolls' case?"

"Nope," he said with a mischievous grin, leaning against the doorframe to his office.

"You know I do have access to all the files and I have to do the billing so I'm going to come across what's going on eventually."

"I'm taking care of this one myself, Veronica -- billing and all."

"Well, can you at least tell me about the Echolls' pool house?"

Keith narrowed his eyes at his daughter. "What do you know about their pool house?"

"Other than the fact that I've been in it before, all I know is that you told Logan I wasn't to go in there. So you've already alerted both of us to the fact that there's something wrong with it. You might as well spill."

Keith shrugged. "Can't. Not until Lynn decides on what she wants to do and who she wants to tell. In the meantime, forget I said anything. But if you're going to see Logan again, I'd prefer you didn't go to their house, 'kay?"

"Yeah, well, we'll see if that even happens again," she said offhandedly with a dismissive wave.

Keith frowned. "You two have a fight?"

"Not really. We were both just stressed out about the arrest. You know how much Lilly meant to him too."

Keith stiffened. "Is he acting up again? You don't have to put up with --"

Veronica put her hands up. "Dad! Relax! He's not. But I can handle it if he does. It was just -- Dad? Why wasn't Abel Koontz on your suspect list?"

Keith rubbed his forehead slowly. If he'd anticipated this question from her, he obviously hadn't been looking forward to answering it. "He was. Just not very high up."

"So you had dealings with him before then?"

Keith nodded. "I asked Jake who his enemies were. Koontz was one of them. I interviewed him. He had an unsubstantiated alibi, but besides that, he just didn't fit the crime. That guy is a computer geek. He wanted revenge for Jake cheating him out of a patent or so he believed. But Koontz was more likely to unleash a computer virus on the company than kill the man's family. It was about the business."

"What do you mean 'or so he believed'?"

"Koontz was an employee of Kane Software when he developed the technology. According to employment law and patent law that technology belongs to the company. Would've been nice if they did reward him, but the company was under no obligation to compensate him. So long story short, Jake Kane might have been a bastard to him, but he didn't do anything illegal except not naming Koontz on the patent. Even if he had, all the rights go to Kane Software anyway."

"Says in the paper that Koontz has an arrest for domestic violence."

"Yeah. I remember that. It was a one-time thing between him and his wife that got out of hand, Veronica. Heat of the moment. I saw a lot of that when I was on the force. You could tell he'd never do it again. He regretted it and went to counselling and tried to reconcile with her but she refused."

"Heat of the moment is all it takes sometimes," Veronica muttered.

"Well, I'll guess we'll find out at the trial."

"Yeah. Probably not. When I was down there, Koontz had just signed a confession."

Veronica waited for Keith to ask her about the envelope, but he was visibly shaken by her news. "Huh," was all he said, and he went into his office and shut the door.

----------

In the early afternoon, Keith emerged from his office and told Veronica to go and enjoy what was left of her Christmas break.

How exactly was she supposed to do that when the friends she had were tenuous at best and she'd probably alienated the one person who seemed to actually want to be her friend? She had two choices: go home and curl up on the sofa with man's best friend, and some ice cream, and turn on some daytime TV and sulk like a normal girl; or go home, lock herself in her room, and open the envelope from her father meant for Abel Koontz's lawyer. The decision didn't stop her from remembering her argument with Logan the previous evening and wondering what she could have done differently. She was so lost in thought almost stepped on a package at her front door as she fumbled for her keys.

She picked it up. There was no return address and no postage on this envelope. The only markings were 'Lianne Mars' in block letters. Her mom had only been gone a day and a half. It wasn't like it would be on the six o'clock news that a wife and mother had left her family, especially not in this neighbourhood.

Veronica looked around the apartment complex, but there was nothing out of the ordinary going on and she couldn't see if anyone was watching. She quickly entered the apartment and went straight to her room with Backup following with great joy and interest.

She sat down at her desk and pulled out the envelope meant for Cliff and put it beside the package meant for her mother. She went through a mental checklist of all the good reasons there were for her to open up both packets that weren't hers to open, then pulled out her pocket-knife and with a sure hand, sliced through them both.

----------

Dread barely began to describe how Veronica felt driving into the parking lot of Neptune High on Monday morning, after the embarrassment of New Year's Eve, after her argument with Logan. She wondered what kind of retaliation the 09ers might have in store for her. Or worse yet, what Logan might be planning. And even if he didn't have anything planned yet, he probably would once he found out she was still investigating.

About the only thing she was looking forward to was sitting with Mac at lunch. Sitting with an actual almost friend, someone who actually wanted to be there and not just because all the other seats were taken. And actually talking too, even if it was about business. That prospect just about eliminated the feelings of dread. Just about.

She took a deep breath and let it out slowly, steeling herself. She took two more breaths before she finally started giving herself a pep talk. "C'mon Veronica, let's go. No point putting this off. They're not going to go away. But neither are you."

One more deep breath and she opened her car door and hauled herself up. She reached back in to grab her bag when she heard his voice. "There you are, Buttercup!"

She spun around in surprise, and found Logan leaning against her car, wearing an arrogant smirk that was widening into a grin. Thrown off, she shut her door on her bag, and the strap hung absurdly out of her car. She yanked on it futilely, then looked at it stupidly for a moment, trying to figure out what she needed to do to get away from him quickly. Finally realizing she had to open her door again, she pulled the handle up, but Logan was already beside her, his hand pushing the door closed again, his other hand on her arm, turning her until she faced him. He leaned into her, pressing her back into her car.

Sheer panic seized her and she held up both her hands, attempting to push him back, but he was already too close. His face was mere inches away from hers and her heart was thudding so loudly, she almost missed him whispering, "Just go with it, Veronica. Trust me, okay?"

But she couldn't help gasping before Logan's mouth closed over hers.

Part 11

How will you be suspended from LJ? by Anonymous LJ User
Username
Years on LJ
Snape
Hours left until your suspension	25
Your crime	Failing to establish literary merit in your Harry/Draco/Ron/Seamus/Hagrid/Dobby/Bart Simpson circle jerk fic.
Who reported you	shiny4love
Your fate	You discover fresh air, real life, and true love.