As soon as he heard the classroom door open, Logan got that really bad feeling. The one where you knew you weren't gonna like what happened next.
He'd been sitting in his usual spot near the back of the room, head resting on his ams while he waited for the idiot contingent in Heinrich's algebra class to solve a minimally challenging quadratic equation. A task Logan had completed long ago.
Not that he was the only one. He knew that Veronica Mars was done, too, because she'd already had a book out by the time he put his pencil down and opted for the 20-minute power nap.
But then there was almost nothing Veronica wasn't good at.
Logan carefully swiveled his head until he was facing the doorway. Yep. There was Veronica's new buddy, the skinny dude who worked in the principal's office. He'd been with her at the beach the day Logan had had that little altercation with Navarro.
Wendell? Walter? No, wait! Wallace. That was it.
Wallace gave Veronica a brief nod, then handed a note to Mr. Heinrich before heading back out the door. The teacher only glanced at the paper, but somehow Logan wasn't even a little surprised when his next words were, "Mr. Echolls, your presence is required at the office."
He got up quickly, hoping that a speedy response might work in his favor. So quickly, in fact, that he had to backtrack a bit so he could grab his quiz paper and drop it on Heinrich's desk on the way out. No point in letting all that work go to waste.
The teacher sighed as he noted Logan's solution. "If only you could apply your facility with mathematics to the rest of your life, Mr. Echolls."
Logan wasn't sure why, but as he made his way to the door he briefly locked eyes with Veronica. She looked at him squarely, her expression unfathomable. The one thing he was sure of was that Veronica wasn't behind this summons to the office, because he and Veronica had drifted into a kind of unspoken truce after Lilly's memorial, and he doubted like hell she'd break it.
No, this wasn't on Veronica, but Logan was pretty sure he knew where he could lay the blame.
Of course, there was always a chance he might be wrong, and it was better to know what you were up against. So Logan hurried down the hallway.
"Hey, Wallace! Wait up!"
Wallace's head turned fractionally, he but kept right on walking. "Oh, wow! The king of the 09ers remembers my name. Am I supposed to be pumped?"
It was just enough to give Logan, with his longer stride, the chance to catch up.
"I just wanna know what this is about. Do you have any idea?"
"Hey, you're the one who made some asshole move. Whatever it was, you oughta know."
"I didn't do anything."
"Right. You're such a saint, Echolls. God knows what you would have tried to do to Veronica at the beach if that biker dude hadn't come along."
"Hey!" Logan was pissed now, and he grabbed Wallace's arm to stop him. "I'd never hurt Veronica."
"Yeah?" Wallace said, wrenching his arm away. "You coulda fooled me."
"And what's more," Logan said with a confidence he wasn't sure he should feel. "Veronica knows that."
"Shut the fuck up! I'm not talking about Veronica with you."
Logan sighed. He supposed he really couldn't blame the kid. He and Veronica had their own weird dynamic that he wouldn't expect anyone else to understand. A lot of the time Logan wasn't sure he understood it himself.
"So...you don't know what's up at the office then."
"For the last time, no! But your dad's in there. I mean, It's not like I didn't know who the guy was when I saw him."
Shit! All this hurrying for nothing. It was already too late and the irony was that this time he really hadn't made one of his jackass moves
This was all on fucking Casablancas's head. He was the one who should be in the hot seat.
Dick had slammed into him so hard by the lockers that morning that Logan had lost his balance and run right into some little freshman girl who couldn't have been even as tall as Veronica. She'd gone down in a heap, surrounded by her books, backpack, lunch, and what looked to Logan like it might actually have been a trumpet case.
Dick had laughed and said Hey, dude, she's not dying, let's go, but Logan had tried to help her pick up her stuff. Even muttered sorry. But she'd taken one look at him and started blubbering and screaming, "Leave me alone!"
Jesus! Since when had he become so scary that little girls cried at the sight of him?
Talk about no good deed going unpunished! If he'd left with Dick he wouldn't have still been there trying to quiet her screaming and gather her belongings when the Vice Principal put in an appearance. Before Logan could say a single word, Clemmons had taken one look and drawn his own conclusions.
"We'll be talking about this later, Mr. Echolls."
"But, I didn't do anything..."
"Get to class now."
This, he supposed, was later, and it was all so fucking unfair! He hadn't even been given a chance to defend himself. Fucking Clemmons had already called his father, and now the only question was exactly what kind of wringer Aaron was going to put him through, and what kind of hoops he'd have to jump through in order to avoid...worse
They were seated when he knocked, was told to enter, and invited to sit. His father was wearing that phony grin he'd perfected, while Clemmons had produced a smile that was just this side of fawning.
"Hello, son," Aaron said mildly, but Logan saw that cold look in his eyes and wasn't fooled.
"Dad, Mr. Clemmons, I can explain about this morning..."
Clemmons held up his hand. "You're very lucky that the young lady was not seriously injured, Logan. I know you're probably going to say it was an accident, but you've been warned about horseplay in the halls."
Horseplay! More like a horse's ass. Casablancas was going to be paying heavily for this.
"I'm sure Logan didn't mean to hurt anyone. He's been taught never to hurt other people, isn't that right, son?"
"Right, Dad." By now, Logan knew his lines by heart. He'd even learned not to choke on the irony.
"I'm sure that's true, uh, Mr. Echolls..."
"Aaron...please."
"...Aaron." Clemmons's expression became almost fatuous, then swung back immediately to school disciplinarian. "Still, this is the third strike for Logan this term, and I'm afraid that automatically calls for a 3-day suspension. That's why I asked you to come down here."
A suspension? Fuck! Logan knew Aaron would be doubly pissed at something like that on his record. Something that might keep Logan out of the type of college that the son of Aaron Echolls would be expected to attend.
"Yes, I imagine that's the usual punishment," Aaron said genially, "but perhaps I might persuade you to let Logan off with something... lighter. Maybe we can work something out."
Logan almost choked when he saw his father make a move toward his inside pocket, as if going for his checkbook. Fuck! Even he knew that Clemmons wasn't someone who could be bought.
But before the hand reached its destination, before the monetary inducement could be offered, a crafty look came over the Vice Principal's face.
Clemmons cleared his throat.
"Well, as a matter of fact, perhaps there is something that Logan can help me out with. Something that would, uh, improve his standing with the school and show that he's a contributing member of the student body."
"And... what's that?" Aaron looked bewildered, but he couldn't have been any more mystified than Logan himself.
"The thing is that... we haven't been able to garner much interest in our Christmas variety show this year. Last year's was, I'm sorry to say, a bomb, and the district superintendent considers that a failure and a black eye."
Logan and his father both spoke at once.
"Are you asking me..."
"I'm no performer..."
"Oh, no, this is strictly an amateur show...uh...Aaron. And I don't seem to recall Logan ever performing. No, I had... something else in mind."
The others looked at him questioningly.
"Our most successful show ever... indeed, our biggest draw... was two years ago when the, er, unfortunate Lilly Kane sang a song called, I believe, Santa Baby."
In an instant, Logan was vaulted back two years. To a Lilly dressed in the skimpiest red and white velvet dress that school policy could be bent to accommodate, while she sang the sultry Christmas tune in the most suggestive way imaginable. Celeste Kane had hated it, but Jake had told her it was all in fun, and Duncan had simply shrugged it off.
Logan himself had been both mesmerized and repelled as the audience hooted and catcalled her performance to a stunning triumph.
Aaron Echolls cleared his throat. "Uh, as you say, Van, Lilly is no longer with us, so I don't see..."
"No, but Veronica Mars is. And that routine was originally supposed to be a duet..."
"What?" Logan had never heard anything about a duet and couldn't imagine the Veronica of two years ago ever performing in that way. On the other hand, he could easily imagine Lilly being quite happy with the solo spotlight.
"Yes, well, Veronica dropped out early, although both costumes had been made. I was a bit disappointed, because while Lilly had talent, I personally thought that Veronica had the stronger voice. But Lilly did a fine job, and really, uh, pulled it off."
"She did, indeed," Logan heard his father mutter, before he himself asked the really important question.
"But what does this have to do with me, Mr. Clemmons?"
"I thought you might persuade Miss Mars to perform the song in this year's show."
Logan almost choked. "You thought that I could persuade Veronica..."
His father's hand dropped onto his shoulder and the sudden hard squeeze held a clear message. Shut the fuck up.
"I'm sure you can talk her into it, son. I know you've drifted apart a bit, but you and Veronica used to be such good friends."
Aaron's hand never left Logan's shoulder as he quickly nailed down the deal with Clemmons.
"So if Logan gets Veronica to perform the song in the show next month, the suspension is lifted and the slate is wiped clean."
"Oh, well, the slate..."
Aaron rose, yanking Logan up by his shoulder, while he held out his other hand to Clemmons.
"We accept," Aaron said decisively. "And Logan appreciates this opportunity to redress his behavioral issues in a constructive way. Isn't that right, son?"
Feeling more like a marionette than ever, Logan nodded. "Uh, my thanks, Mr. Clemmons."
Clemmons could do little other than shake the hand of the great Aaron Echolls, and within seconds Logan and his father had left the office.
Logan allowed himself a brief moment of amusement at his father outfoxing the Vice Principal before he remembered that he'd done it by boxing Logan into the task of persuading Veronica Mars, who despised him, into doing something she would absolutely loathe.
"Dad," he said, desperate, as soon as they reached the empty outer office, "there's no way Veronica's ever going to agree to do that."
"Well, you'd better find a way, Logan," his father bit out the words. "I just saved your ass in there and I'm not letting you throw that away. Besides, I shook hands with the man and I won't have you making a liar out of me."
Logan knew he could have protested, but what the hell good would that do except piss him off even more? Besides, the pain in his shoulder was getting excruciating and the last thing he wanted was to prolong his father's presence at the school.
"Right, Dad," he said, breathing shallowly. "I got it."
The hand was removed then, and Logan couldn't help a gasp as Aaron gave the muscle a final little twist. His father finally left then, nearly bumping into a returning Wallace on his way out.
Wallace narrowed his eyes at Logan, then shifted them questioningly towards Aaron's retreating back.
"You still here?"
"Just going," Logan said, moving past him, and every step felt more and more like he was walking towards his doom.
Because there was no way in hell he was ever going to be able to get Veronica on board with this. He'd been ordered to achieve the impossible, and when it didn't happen he knew there'd be hell to pay.
But then a couple of weeks later, like a fucking miracle, opportunity dropped right into his lap. And the impossible suddenly became a gold-plated cinch.
XXXXXXXXXX
Logan had been so pissed when he found out that Duncan told Veronica about the the missing cash from the poker game. The whole situation was frustrating enough without having someone else stick their nose into it.
Especially when that someone was Veronica Mars.
Logan had been angry with her for so long, and it was only recently, after Lilly's memorial service, that he'd begun to think that maybe he'd been wrong. That maybe the traitorous bitch version of her that he'd been carrying around in his head for all that time wasn't the real Veronica after all.
Of course, she wasn't anything like the old version of herself, either. The sweet young thing who'd been thrilled to be dating the 'Prince of Neptune' seemed to be gone forever. In her place stood someone who was a force to be reckoned with, and this Veronica was someone Logan had no idea how to deal with.
So lately, it had been easier to just continue sniping away at her half-heartedly, pretending an anger he no longer felt. Easier still to stay away from her altogether.
But then suddenly, everything and everyone seemed to be conspiring to toss Veronica right into the middle of his life. First Clemmons and his stupid request, and now...this.
So, yeah, Logan was pissed when she poked her nose into the theft.
Until he wasn't.
Because Veronica actually solved the case, found Navarro's money, and ended up pretty much saving his ass.
Logan could hardly fucking believe it.
Later, when he anted up her buy-in to the poker game, it was easy to tell himself he was only doing it because that had been their deal. That way, he could pretend that Veronica's reappearance in his life wasn't the most exhilarating thing that had happened to him in a long time. That he wasn't fascinated by the tough, scrappy Veronica who really could solve crimes and who handled a deck of cards like a pro.
He could even pretend that he really didn't want her to stay so that maybe he could get to know her all over again. Or figure out a way they could be friends again.
The other card players went bust early on, and soon the game came down to a tug-of-war between Veronica and himself. The advantage constantly moved back and forth, but they were so evenly matched that Logan began to think they might have to call a halt and pick up the play the following night. Not that he'd mind a repeat. Logan couldn't remember the last time he'd enjoyed himself so much.
He was about to suggest this to Veronica when it suddenly occurred to him that he might be able to use the poker game for a different purpose, to solve an altogether different problem.
He carefully eyed their piles of chips, calculating that his was just slightly larger. Perfect. All he needed now was the right hand, and that came a few deals later.
Logan knew her hand must be a humdinger, because Veronica had shown herself to have a damn good poker face. But suddenly all the little tells he'd picked up on over the past few hours were in full evidence. When she glanced surreptitiously at her watch, he knew exactly what she was thinking. It had been a long night and she wanted to get the hell home.
With the cash.
So he wasn't surprised when she suddenly pushed the rest of her chips into the middle of the table. "Betting it all, Logan. You calling?"
Logan glanced down at the collection of trash in his hand and eyed her carefully. "I'll see you," he said finally, matching her bet, "and raise you another fifty," he added, flipping one of his last two remaining chips into the pot.
Veronica's eyes narrowed as she considered his raise. "I'm good for it. I can...write you a check."
He shrugged. "Table stakes only. Those are the rules."
"What the hell is this?" Veronica began to sputter. "You win by cheating?"
"Now, now," he smirked. "Don't get your knickers in a twist. I think I might have...a solution."
Logan twisted the remaining chip gracefully between his fingers.
"I might be willing to stake your call, but... I'm gonna need something from you in return."
Veronica's face drained white, then became red with anger.
"If you think I'm gonna... with you... just to win a poker game...!"
"Jesus, Veronica!" he practically bellowed. "I know we haven't exactly seen eye to eye lately, but I can't believe you think I'd ask you to do that!"
"Then what! And sex is not on the table, this one or any other, with... with you or anyone else."
"This is nothing like that. The thing I need you to do is... simple." He shrugged. "Maybe even fun."
"Yeah, I'll bet. Come on, Logan, spit it out. Time's a wastin'."
"Happily," Logan nodded, smiling genially. "I need you to sing Santa Baby at the school Christmas show next week."
"What?" Veronica blinked rapidly, surprise in every feature. "Clemmons already asked me and I told him no. Why the hell do you care about that?"
"You don't need to know that," he said, continuing to twirl the chip. "But if you want this chip, you need to agree to do it."
Veronica's eyes narrowed. "You know, I could say I'd do it now, take the chip, and then just blow the whole thing off later."
Logan couldn't help his wry smile. He knew she hadn't changed that much.
"Yeah," he agreed, "you could. But you won't."
Veronica sighed as she grabbed the chip, and two seconds later she'd laid down her hand: full house, aces over kings. Two minutes after that, she'd collected her winnings, and was on her way out the door.
"I'd love to know what this is all about," she said, her expression curious as she stood in the doorway. "But you can tell Clemmons I'm in."
XXXXXXXXXX
The Vice Principal was apparently a man on a mission. Logan had stopped in before school to give Clemmons the word, and by third period there were posters and flyers all over the school announcing the new featured performer for the Christmas variety show.
Not only was Veronica's name printed so boldly it could be seen from ten feet away, but her picture was prominently displayed in the skimpy Santa Baby costume. Logan knew it had to be an old picture, probably taken the year she was supposed to sing the duet with Lilly Kane. Because while feature by feature it was the same face, that girl in the poster seemed to have little in common with the Veronica he'd spent so many hours with the night before.
Logan hadn't yet seen Veronica that day and he was shocked by the anticipation he felt when he walked into algebra class. She was already there, book out as usual so as not to waste the few precious minutes before the start of class.
She looked exactly the same as she had the day before. What was different was his reaction to her.
His heart began to thump heavily, and he was sure she must have heard it, because when he glanced her way, she looked up uncertainly. And when Logan gave her a hesitant smile, Veronica returned it.
It was a small smile, nothing at all like the friendly grins they used to exchange. But it was so long since she'd sent a real smile his way that he'd forgotten how it lit up her face. Indeed, Logan had forgotten how extraordinarily beautiful she was.
By the time he took his usual seat at the back, his head was spinning. He told himself that he'd hoped only for an end to their stupid war, or maybe even a chance at renewed friendship. That he'd never expected to react to her in such a... physical way.
But he knew that for the lie it was.
It had started at Lilly's memorial and taken a giant leap at last night's poker game, but his reconnection with Veronica Mars was now a full-on fascination.
Fuck! He hasn't felt this way about... anyone... in years.
Logan took his seat, totally focused on not giving himself away. It helped a lot that Veronica never looked his way again.
Still, by the time he was heading to the courtyard for lunch, Logan was beginning to feel pretty good about... everything.
Both Navarro and his father were off his case, at least for the moment. And his war with Veronica looked to be a thing of the past. They might even become friends again, as long as he could get control of this stupid...
He refused to call it a crush. Logan Echolls did not get crushes. Other people got crushes on him. Still, he was pretty damn sure she wouldn't welcome that kind of attention from him, so better to keep it to a friendly...
He was so caught up in his self-congratulations that it wasn't until he stepped into the courtyard and heard the booming voice that he realized he might have forgotten about one small thing.
"Hey, Logan, dude! Did you see that Horny Ronnie is gonna be shaking her tatas at us at the variety show? I never go to shit like that, but I'm not missing that one! We're all going, right, guys?"
Logan looked on with dawning horror as a half-dozen of his acolytes expressed their intention of not only going themselves to heckle her performance but recruiting everyone they knew to do the same.
"Shit, yeah!" Chester agreed. "I'm gonna make sure the swim team gets the word so they can relive their good times."
"What the hell are you talking about?" Logan was aghast. "You know damn well Veronica never did anything with the swim team. That was just some stupid rumor you started yourself!"
"Why're you gettin' all bent outta shape, Logan?" Dick looked confused. "We been talkin' shit about Ronnie and the swim team for... hell, I don't know... like forever! And you never had anything to say about it before."
Once again, Logan felt his heart begin to speed up. This time, not in a good way.
"That's because I thought you assholes knew it was all bullshit. That she'd never do that."
"Hey, I don't know why you gotta crap all over our fun today." Dick was starting to get mad. "Why don't you just calm down and have a slice. It's your favorite. Pepperoni."
And suddenly Logan was appalled. Making up shit about Veronica's slutty ways was something they considered fun, and it had been going on for months. And even though he'd always known that not a single damn word was true, he'd never tried to stop it, or slow it down, or in any way refute it. He'd just enjoyed her embarrassment and discomfort along with everyone else.
Logan tossed the pizza down, his appetite gone.
From then on, things got progressively worse.
Alterations began to show up on the posters, body enhancements that not only did Veronica not possess but that were pretty much anatomically impossible. And then word got around among the 09er girls that Veronica Mars had placed herself right in their crosshairs. Every day, a few more of them made plans to attend the show.
Logan stewed about it for days, but he always came to the same conclusion. If Veronica didn't perform in the show, his deal with Clemmons would be off, and he'd be in a world of trouble with Aaron. It'd be a fucking shitstorm.
When he appealed to Clemmons, all the man did was remove the offensive posters and tell Logan he was worrying about nothing. Veronica remained on the program.
So he tried to convince himself that maybe he was making too much of it. Still, when he saw the dress rehearsal notice tacked up on the board outside the auditorium, he decided a little reconnaissance couldn't hurt. He didn't want to be seen, of course, so he got there early and found a secluded spot in the wings. As long as he steered clear of the stage manager, Logan figured he'd be good.
Veronica was closing the show, so he knew he'd have a long wait. As Logan watched from his hiding place, as act followed mediocre act, he began to understand why Clemmons had wanted Veronica in the first place.
A couple of hours later, when she finally took to the stage, he gasped in both delight and dismay.
Veronica was wearing the familiar short red velvet dress with the white fur trim, a costume he was certain must have originally been Lilly's choice. But somehow it seemed even skimpier and more risqué than it had on the poster. The low neckline revealed a wealth of cleavage even on tiny Veronica, and Logan suspected she might have, er... filled out a bit in the last couple of years.
So the costume by itself was bad enough.
But when she began to sing, every eye in the place was suddenly riveted on her, including his own.
Santa baby, slip a sable under the tree for me
Been an awful good girl
Santa baby, and hurry down the chimney tonight
Lilly's singing voice had been a light soprano, but Veronica's was lower and richer. She sang the song playfully, sexily, exactly as it was meant to be sung. As though she were channeling Eartha Kitt herself.
As he watched her, Logan found he could hardly breathe, and that was the moment he stopped trying to convince himself that he wasn't totally and completely into Veronica Mars.
It was also the moment he knew it was going to be a fucking disaster.
This Veronica Mars, the one in the hot costume, singing the sexy song in her sultry voice, was the very embodiment of the slut that the 09ers had been calling her for more than a year. Lilly could get away with it because Lilly had been one of them. And because she hadn't given a damn.
But Veronica Mars? Fuck! For her, things were going to be worse than ever.
She finished the song to the enthusiastic applause of her castmates. It was too damn bad, he thought, that the theater kids weren't prestigious enough to protect her from everyone else.
As Logan made his way out of the auditorium, he wracked his brains trying to figure out what the hell to do next.
XXXXXXXXXX
He only knew where she lived because Dick had pointed out the apartment complex months ago.
"Look at this shithole, dude! Sunset Cliffs. What the hell kind of stupid name is that?"
Logan had no idea how Dick had discovered the place, but at the time he'd only shrugged and agreed that Veronica deserved her comedown in the world.
Christ! What an asshole he'd been.
He found her car finally, and after that it took only a few minutes to locate the right apartment. Logan hoped with everything in him that her father wasn't home, because he was pretty sure that Logan Echolls was the last person in the world that Mr. Mars would want to see at his door.
He'd rehearsed it in his head on the way over, exactly how he would lay it all out for her. Instead, as soon as she opened the door, the words just tumbled out.
"You can't do it, Veronica. You can't sing that song in the show,"
"Logan! What are you doing here? And what do you mean I can't sing it? You're the one who blackmailed me into it."
"Yeah, but that was before..."
Veronica sighed, "I think you'd better come in and explain yourself."
When the door shut behind him, Logan started over, and this time he really wanted to be clear and logical. But his emotions kept getting in the way, and he couldn't seem to find the right words.
"I was there tonight at the school. When you had the dress rehearsal. I... saw your performance."
She frowned. "And you thought it was that bad?"
"Bad! Are you fucking kidding me! It was great! Too great. You just can't sing it... like that... in front of the whole school. Look, I know I'm the last person you'd expect to get a heads up from, but a lot of the kids are planning to go to the show. A bunch of the guys... some of the girls, too. Madison Sinclair. Shelly Pomroy. And they aren't going to...uh... cheer you on. They'll never stop harassing you about it."
"Logan, most of those people have never been my fans, not even... a long time ago. Why should this be any different?"
"Because you in that dress, singing that song, it'll just give them too much ammunition." he said earnestly. "It was like..."
He stopped suddenly, and he could feel himself flushing. How could he tell her that her performance was the variety-show equivalent of sex on a stick? Without actually saying those words.
Logan was at a loss.
Veronica's eyes widened with surprise when she saw that the smooth-talking Logan Echolls was very nearly tongue-tied.
"I think it'll be okay, Logan. I really do. And anyway... I've promised." Her voice was soft, soothing, as though she could tell he was upset.
"Well, you can just unpromise! Please, Veronica."
Veronica stared at him, and when her eyes narrowed he could see her mind working as she tried to solve the puzzle.
"Why did you want me to do this in the first place? I've been trying to figure it out but nothing made sense. I know it had to have something to do with Clemmons, because it was his idea. But how did he get you..."
She stopped suddenly, as though a piece had suddenly clicked into place.
"Does this have something to do with... your dad?" Her tentative question rang alarm bells in Logan's head.
"Why the hell would you ask me that!"
But he knew his response had been too quick, too strident.
"Because Wallace said he saw you coming out of Clemmons's office a couple of weeks ago and he said you looked... odd."
"Yeah, well I'm sure your friend Wallace always thinks I look odd. He's not exactly my biggest fan."
She was already shaking her head. "He was sure it had something to do with your dad."
Logan felt a surge of panic and he worked desperately to change the subject.
"I think we're getting a little off track here," he blustered. "This is about you, and the song, not about me."
She was quiet for a moment. Thoughtful.
"You know," she said finally. "I think it is about you. You wouldn't have gone to such extremes to get me to do this if it wasn't important. So I think... we need to stick to the plan."
"Veronica, please." He knew he was begging now. "I don't want them to do this to you."
She smiled then. A real smile, bright and friendly. And the first one that had been turned in his direction in a long, long time.
"I know," she said softly, reaching out to place a small hand in his forearm.
There were two layers of cloth between her hand and his arm but he still felt her touch in every pore.
"I can see you're worried, but I promised. And for some reason you don't want to tell me, you need me to... follow through. So I'll... figure it out."
Logan took a deep breath, allowing himself the briefest brush of fingers across the small hand that rested on his arm before he pulled away.
"Okay," he said, nodding shakily. "I hope you know what you're doing,"
As he walked back to his car, Logan felt an overwhelming frustration. Why did this have to happen now, just when he'd finally gotten to a good place with Veronica? He knew exactly how heavy his guilt would be if this silly stupid thing he'd coerced her into doing blew up in her face.
XXXXXXXXXX
The Christmas variety show was held on the last Friday night before Christmas, which was also the last school day before the break. Logan often had trouble staying on task under the best of circumstances, and that day he was a mess.
He'd thought about skipping school altogether, but he wanted to see if Veronica was okay, or if maybe even she'd changed her mind at the last minute.
He should have known better.
She looked up immediately when he walked into algebra, giving him a big smile along with a thumbs up. When he smiled back, the exchange was so obvious that it finally caught the attention of their classmates, and he saw the surprise on some of their faces He knew there'd be questions later, but Logan wasn't planning on providing any answers
He spent his lunch period in the library, a place where no self-respecting 09er would be caught dead. And when the dismissal bell rang, he was out the door and into the X-Terra before anyone could block his path.
Once home, he wore the rug out pacing his bedroom floor while he tried to determine his best course of action. Logan briefly considered skipping the show altogether, but he knew he'd never be able to stay away. The anxiety would crush him.
No, he was definitely going.
He was grateful that Aaron was still on location, though. Logan shuddered as he imagined his father suddenly deciding to attend the show himself, which would have seriously impeded his mobility. And he knew he needed to be ready for anything. If he had to throw a few punches or break some heads to make sure Veronica was safe, then so be it. Even if it ended up landing him in an even deeper pile of shit.
He got there early, parking near the back of the lot, and purchased his ticket. But he didn't enter the auditorium, and wasn't sure he wanted to. Wasn't sure if that would be the best place to keep an eye on things. And besides, he'd already seen every single act and he really didn't need a round two.
The place began to fill up fast, and he watched from the shadows as group after group of 09ers entered the auditorium. They weren't the only ones, of course. Or even the majority. There were plenty of parents and grandparents and even younger siblings. All there to cheer on their family member.
For a painful moment, Logan wondered what it would be like to have that kind of family. Instead of... his. But he shook the thought off quickly. He had other more important things to worry about tonight and he needed to focus on his game plan.
As soon as he figured one out.
When it eventually occurred to him that he wasn't there to watch the performances but to keep an eye on the audience, the rest was easy. He needed to be backstage, but not in the wings this time. Too many people there and only a limited view of the audience He'd move further back, behind something tall enough to hide him.
A few minutes later, Logan saw his chance. He moved swiftly down the side aisle and through one of the stage doors, ducking his head as he passed the crew, and finally found a secluded corner where he could slip behind a large backdrop.
Perfect! While he couldn't be seen, he had a very good view of the audience. Now all he had to do was wait.
Fifteen minutes later the show began.
From his vantage point Logan wasn't able to see any of the performers, but he could hear them all clearly. And judge the audience reaction. As act followed act, Logan thought that a few of them sounded like they might have improved overnight. In any case, they were all greeted with appreciative applause, if not wild enthusiasm.
After nearly two hours, just as he was starting to cramp up from standing motionless for way too long, he heard the emcee announce the final act of the night.
"And now our very own golden chanteuse...Miss Veronica Mars!"
Logan wanted to barf from the sheer cheesiness of the introduction, and he knew that Veronica must have hated it. But then his brain forgot everything else when he heard the first strains of her music.
She began to sing, and her voice was every bit as sultry, every bit as sexy, as it had been the night before.
Santa baby, slip a sable under the tree for me
Been an awful good girl
Santa baby, and hurry down the chimney tonight...
As he listened, he couldn't help picturing her in the revealing red and white velvet dress, the one he himself hadn't been able to stop ogling her in. But when he looked out at the audience, what he saw were blank looks on the faces of the 09ers and curious smiles from all the parents and grandparents in the audience.
Huh?
Santa baby, an auto space convertible too, light blue
I'll wait up for you, dear
Santa baby, and hurry down the chimney tonight
Out in the audience, smiles had turned to laughter, and Logan tried to think of anything even remotely funny about the sexy Santa Baby as performed by the beautiful and equally sexy Veronica Mars.
Think of all the fun I've missed
Think of all the fellas that I haven't kissed
Next year I could be also good
If you'll check off my Christmas list
As she moved into the bridge, the laughter reached fever pitch, and members of the audience turned to one anther, rubbing tears from their eyes. But Logan was pretty sure they weren't laughing at Veronica. That she was producing exactly the effect she wanted.
Santa honey, I want a yacht and really that's not a lot
Been an angel all year
Santa baby, and hurry down the chimney tonight
As the laughter continued, everyone clearly enjoying the performance - except maybe the 09ers who seemed by turns baffled and disappointed - he could stand it no longer. Logan carefully slipped out from behind the backdrop and made his way forward to the wings. Where his view of the audience was sharply reduced, but where he could clearly see everything that was happening on stage.
And there was Veronica, prancing about the stage, and singing the suggestive Christmas song just as he'd expected.
But everything else was different.
Gone was the red and white velvet dress, in its place a flannel robe covered in huge red poinsettias. It was the ugliest thing he'd ever seen. On Veronica's head was a matching flannel hat, and her feet were encased in slippers that would have looked like two wooly sheep if they hadn't been bright red. To finish it off, a pair of gold-rimmed granny glasses were perched on the end of her nose.
And she had props! A big sign that said "Mrs. Claus's House" was pinned to the curtain behind her and there was a small Christmas tree in the corner, from which she continually grabbed and ripped open her "gifts."
A Barbie-doll sized fur coat.
A blue convertible toy car.
A small toy boat.
A giant Hershey's kiss!
And all the time she kept singing the damn song in the sexiest, breathiest, most amazing voice he'd ever heard.
Santa cutie, there's one thing I really do need, the deed
To a platinum mine
Santa cutie, and hurry down the chimney tonight
Santa baby, and fill my stocking with a duplex and checks
Sign your 'x' on the line
Santa baby, and hurry down the chimney tonight
The grin never left his face as he watched her grab a giant stocking from behind the tree and pull out a huge piece of paper with a big "X" on it. She waved it in front of her face like it was a thin veil and she was a mysterious harem girl.
Veronica had always been good at this kind of stuff. How the hell had he not remembered?
Come and trim my Christmas tree
With some decorations bought at Tiffany
I really do believe in you
Let's see if you believe in me
Santa baby, forgot to mention one little thing, a ring
I don't mean on the phone
Santa baby, and hurry down the chimney tonight
Hurry down the chimney tonight
Hurry, tonight
When the song climaxed and she pulled out a giant plastic ring, complete with sparkling "jewel," Logan was stunned. He'd presented her with that ring himself, straight out of one of those claw machines on the Santa Monica Pier. They'd gone there with Lilly and Duncan on one of those bright, beautiful, never-to-be-forgotten days before innocence ended and life became one continuous round of painful events.
He could hardly believe she still had it. That she'd have wanted to keep anything that reminded her of him.
She was done now, the sultry voice quieted, but the crowd was yelling for More! So after a quick consult with the music guy, she sang the final verse again, holding that damn ring to her breast the entire time. It did something to Logan.
They stood for her then, applauding her wildly as she smiled and bowed. A triumph that was pure Veronica Mars.
And then it was over. The lights came up and people began to leave.
"Hey, what the hell are you doing in here?" the voice was startled.
Looked like the stage manager had discovered him after all.
Logan shrugged. "Just leaving," he said, slipping past the guy and making his way out the door and back to his car. Where he sat, desperately uncertain, as the rest of the audience retrieved their cars and the lot emptied.
Eventually he started the car, speeding out of the lot and onto the street. But instead of turning right at the first traffic light, heading for the posh 09er section, Logan took a left, back toward the public beaches and the Sunset Cliffs apartments.
He'd figured there was an excellent chance he could still get there before Veronica, and he'd been right, because when Logan pulled into the complex, her car was nowhere to be seen. She could, he supposed, be out partying with the cast, but he'd bet the contents of his wallet that she'd been up late the night before. That she was tired. That all she'd want to do was to go home and get some sleep.
That was okay. He wasn't planning on taking up much of her time.
Not fifteen minutes later, he watched her pull her car into the same spot he'd found it in the night before. He stepped out of his car, leaning quietly against it, and as soon as she opened her own door, Logan called out to her as softly as possible. It was late, and she was alone, and the last thing he wanted was to scare her.
"Veronica." It was very nearly a hiss in the silence that surrounded them.
She turned in his direction, trying to find him in the dark, with only a distant street lamp and the faint glow of the winter moon to guide her. Logan detached himself from his car and began to walk towards her.
"Logan?" He could hear the surprise in her greeting as she recognized him. "Have you been waiting here all night? You really didn't have to worry. As you can see I'm perfectly okay ..."
"No, I've only been here a few minutes." He lowered his voice still more as he reached her side. "I was at the auditorium earlier. Saw the show."
"You were there?" Her face lit up with what looked like pleasure. "I didn't see you. Why didn't you say something?"
He shrugged. "Too many people around, and... I'm saying something now."
"So what'd you think of my act?" she smirked.
He laughed. "I thought it was brilliant. Where'd you ever come up with idea? And get all that shit together so fast?"
Her lips twisted into a small smile. "I dunno. Seemed like it might work. But thank god for Walmart, the store that never closes. Where else could I have found such an ugly-ass bathrobe in the middle of the night?"
They both grinned and Logan thought how great it was to be laughing in the moonlight with Veronica Mars. Almost like old times. Or maybe even a little bit better.
They were silent for a moment, and then he took a deep breath and finally asked the one question he really wanted an answer to.
"But you didn't need to buy everything, did you? So... how come you still had that stupid plastic ring?"
Even in the faint light he could see Veronica flush. Her eyes shifted away for a bit, and then she gave a little shrug.
"You didn't hate me when you gave it to me. So I guess I kept it as a reminder... you know... that maybe someday..."
As her voice trailed off, Logan sighed tiredly. Christ, he had a lot to answer for.
"I don't hate you now," he said, his voice low. "I'm pretty sure I never did."
Veronica eyed him, but made no response, and finally he added softly, "I'm sorry."
"For what?" she asked, holding his gaze.
He huffed ruefully. "For sins too numerous to mention, I think. We'd be here all night. But... right now I guess I'm apologizing for coercing you into doing the show in the first place. Putting you in that position."
Veronica shrugged. "That's an apology I don't need. It actually turned out to be kind of fun. I especially enjoyed confusing all the 09ers. Thinking about all the money they spent on tickets to benefit the music program."
"Yeah," Logan grinned. "I don't think the Neptune High music program is right at the top of any of their Christmas lists."
"Probably not. See? All's well that ends well."
"Yeah, maybe so, but it could have have turned really ugly. If not tonight, then later. I never even considered that you might be putting a target on your back." Not until it was too late.
"But it didn't," she reminded him. "And that's because you came through for me, Logan."
"Veronica..."
"No. Logan. You were the one who came here last night and gave me the heads up. So I could figure a way out. And considering how things have been between us, and how much, for some reason you refuse to tell me, you really needed me to do this..."
He could hear the exasperation in her voice.
"I know you didn't have to do that," she finished. "So... thanks."
Logan shook his head. "I don't think I'm really the one who needs to be thanked."
Her eyes twinkled. "I insist."
And before he could react, or anticipate her intentions, she'd risen on her toes, whispered, "So, thank you," in his ear, and kissed his cheek.
Veronica's hot breath, followed by the soft brush of her lips, stunned him and thrilled him and left him in shock.
And made him bold. Or stupid. Maybe both.
He reached down and cupped her cheek, gazing at her in awe.
"Would it sound really crazy if I said that I wanted to kiss you so bad that I can hardly stand it?"
"No," she said softly, leaning up again as he bent down to meet her. "Not crazy at all."
Logan felt the first touch of her lips all the way down to his toes.
He'd kissed a lot of girls, but he couldn't remember ever before feeling this exact sensation. Like he never wanted to let go because it was right and perfect and just the way it ought to be. Like something had led him to this point and Veronica was the exact person who was supposed to be there with him.
They pulled apart and came back together again and again, twisting their bodies against each other, extending the kiss, unable to stop. Logan felt like he was under some kind of spell, helpless against the tide of feelings that were swamping him. And yet he also knew if they didn't stop soon he was sure to do something stupid and ruin it all.
It was the yawn that finally did it. They'd pulled back, breathless, and Veronica yawned hugely.
"You know, that's not the usual reaction I get when I kiss a girl," he laughed.
"No, I imagine it isn't," she smiled. And yawned again.
"I think you need to go to bed," he said, grabbing her hand, moving them both across the lot towards her door.
Veronica pulled out her key, hesitating for just an instant before she inserted it into the lock.
Logan took it as a sign.
"Can I see you during the break?" he asked quickly, desperate to maintain the connection, to continue on with whatever it was that was happening between them. "I've really missed you, Veronica. We can just, um, hang out if you want, or... uh... I could take you out."
"Okay," she said, yawning again, making him smile.
"Okay to which?"
"Surprise me," she grinned, shifting suddenly into the playful Veronica that Logan knew well but hadn't seen in more than a year.
"Merry Christmas, Veronica." He kissed her quickly, sweetly, turning back toward his car with a last smile.
"You, too!" she called after him just before she shut her door. "I hope Santa's good to you."
Logan laughed as he closed the car door and started the ignition.
Santa had already been good to him. He'd given Logan something he hadn't even known he wanted. And a hell of a lot more than he could have hoped for, or probably deserved.
Santa Baby, I really do believe in you.