Hey everyone I'm sorta a new fan to Veronica mars and this is my first ever Veronica Mars fanfic, so I'm a little nervous that I'm not going to do the show and it's characters justice. I'm counting on all of you out there reading this to let me know how I'm doing and help me fix any problems you find, I'm always up to new ideas and peoples opinions, you all probably know the show better than me. I just want to say thank you to everyone who is giving this show a chance, that is really cool and I hope I don't disappoint anyone!

Disclaimer: I don't own Veronica Mars or it's characters.

"I want my laptop!" Duncan Kane barks charging towards the pack of PCHers and grabbing hold of Weevil's collar. Veronica, standing ten feet away at her locker, winces and watches as Weevil's lackeys grab Duncan's arms and throw him up against the lockers.

"And I told you I want my money." Weevil says pretending to wipe grime off his shirt.

"I've told you I don't have your money." Duncan say trying to get free, but his efforts are futile.

Punching Duncan in the gut, Weevil smirks. "You seem so sincere, but I just don't believe you." When Duncan begins to struggle more, Weevil clenches his fist for another hit.

"Uh uh ah!" Veronica says running in front of Duncan with her eyes squeezed shut, when nothing happens she opens her eyes and sees Weevil giving her his usual annoyed look. "How bout you let pretty boy here go and not give Clemmons a reason to suspend you."

Weevil looks at Veronica for a minute and then over her shoulder. "Ok boys, let him go."

"Ah see I knew you'd see it my way." Veronica says smiling brightly, watching them walk away. Sighing she turns around facing Duncan and his harassed, yet boyish, stare. "Picking fights with the PCHers, not the smartest thing you've ever done." When the silence lingers Veronica sighs again. "Right…Later."

"Wait Veronica!" Duncan says catching up to her. "Thanks for…well stepping in there."

"Yea well," Veronica says looking away, a little embarrassed. "I didn't do it just for you." When Duncan gives her a confused look she sighs. "Like I told Weevil, beating you up will only get him in trouble that he doesn't need." Done with the conversation Veronica turns to leave, but stops suddenly causing Duncan to run into her. "Why would Weevil take your laptop anyways?"

Sighing Duncan walks towards his locker motioning for Veronica to follow him. "Friday night we had a poker game at Logan's house, 1,000 dollar buy in. I show up and Weevil is already there and ready to play."

"Long story short Duncan." Veronica sighs looking down the hallway noticing Logan and Dick entering the school. "I really don't want to deal with the swine you call friends."

Laughing Duncan shakes his head, "Ok. Weevil ends up winning and when it comes time for him to collect his money…it's gone."

"Gone? How can it just be gone?"

"I don't know." Duncan say shaking his head and looking over Veronica's head and nods to Logan and Dick. "All I know is when Logan went for the money it was gone and Weevil was pissed."

"Duncan." Logan says walking towards his best friend trying, but failing, to ignore Veronica. "Well if it isn't Veronica Mars! Seriously Veronica how many times does DK here have to tell you no before you take the hint?" Laughing at his own joke Logan waits for her to respond with some witty remark.

"Hmm…" Veronica says pretending to give it some deep thought. "Well you see Logan…" But before Veronica can continue Duncan intervenes.

"Hey listen man, I was just telling Veronica about the poker game Friday night and the missing money."

"And why would you want to get her involved?" Logan says lowering his voice.

"She helped me out, saved my face from Weevil's fists." Sighing he rubs his forehead when Logan gives him a 'so what' look. "Weevil took my laptop and I got in his face about it this morning, almost got my face rearranged."

"Why would he want your laptop?" Logan asks and instead of Duncan answering, his attention is drawn to the petite blonde.

"Because one of you two or another of your jackass friends took his money and unlike you guys Weevil can't just pull out mummy and daddy's gold card for more."

"Listen we didn't take that money." Logan says stepping forward and catching a whiff of Veronica's perfume, causing him to lose his train of thought. Shaking his head he looks down at a annoyed Veronica.

"I don't care Logan. I just stopped Weevil from pulverizing Duncan. This is none of my business and I'd like to keep it that way." Rolling her eyes Veronica tries to get the look Logan has been giving her out of her head, it wasn't the normal 'I can't stand looking at you' look she had been used to. It was different, seemed more heated, but not hateful. Shaking off the feeling in her stomach, Veronica heads to her first class.

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Sitting down at her and Wallace's table at lunch Veronica opens her laptop and doesn't look up when she hears Wallace sit down. "Hey Wallace, I'm going to need you to do me a favor." When Wallace doesn't make his usual comment Veronica looks up and is surprised to see Duncan sitting across from her. "Uh Duncan!" Veronica says closing her laptop. "What are you doing here? Your table is over there. You see the group of people there making asses of themselves…yea they're your friends."

"If you're done criticizing my friends, who used to be yours too I might add, I would like to ask you for some help." Duncan says amused watching as Veronica shakes her head vehemently. "Look I know you said you didn't want to get involved, but I was wondering if you could possibly talk to Weevil, see if you could get my laptop back for me."

"Two questions" Veronica says leaning forward on her table. "First, what makes you think Weevil would give me the laptop. And second, why would I take my time to help you, when you and your jackass friends have gone out of your way the past year in making my life a living hell."

"I've never taken part in the pranks against you." Duncan says defensively.

"No, but you didn't try and stop it either."

Sighing Duncan stands and sits down next Veronica. "I can't make up for the last year, but I'm sorry. I really am sorry."

Looking deep into Duncan's eyes Veronica can see the boy she once dated, and possibly loved, staring back at her. "Ok, I'll try and get it back, but what makes you think Weevil will give me the laptop? Especially without his money."

"I don't know, but you'll figure it out." Smiling Duncan gets up and leaves Veronica alone at her table. Sighing she stuffs her laptop in her bag and goes on hunt for Weevil.

Finding him in the auto shop department Veronica signals for him to come talk to her.

"You do know you're bad for my reputation." Weevil says joining Veronica.

"Who me? I thought I was the biggest bad ass this schools ever seen."

"More like the biggest pain in the ass this schools ever seen."

"Haha." Veronica says crossing her arms over her chest. "Ok look…Duncan really wants his laptop back and you and I both know of all the guys at that game he is probably the least likely to take that money."

"You're wrong there, I don't know that."

"Fine, but I know that. Come on Weevil, I know Duncan. He wouldn't steal that money, he doesn't need to."

"None of them need to steal that money V. That's what's ironic about this whole thing. I'm the most likely suspect of the five of us there and yet it's one of those punk ass rich boys who stole it."

"Weevil…" Veronica says looking off into space. "You're a genius!"

"Finally she sees the light!" Weevil says smiling.

"Listen Weevil, how bout we make a deal. I'll find out who took your money if you give Duncan back his laptop."

"How bout you find out who took my money and then I'll give Duncan back his laptop."

Giving Weevil her best hard stare, Veronica lets the minutes pass and he doesn't back down. "Huh! Fine I'll figure out who took your money, but you have to behave yourself. That means no more stealing 09er property and no more hallway brawls. Deal?"

Rolling his eyes Weevil shrugs his shoulders. "Deal, but I wasn't the one who charged into school this morning looking for a fight."

"Yea ok. Tell me what happened that night, from the beginning."

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Parking the Le Baron in the Echoll's drive way Veronica takes a deep breath before exiting the car. Mrs. Navarro knew and liked Veronica and had let her in the gate with no questions. Knocking on the door she is greeted by an exuberant Mrs. Navarro, after a good five minutes assuring the old women her dad and her were well ,Veronica was told Logan was in the pool house and she should go right on back. Stopping outside the pool house Veronica stares at the door, shaking her head she turns to leave; Duncan's laptop is not worth it.

"Never took you as a runner." Logan says from the doorway. Mrs. Navarro had phoned him letting him know that Veronica was there to see him. He had spent the last 10 minutes pacing and staring out the window waiting for the little blonde to appear. He watched as she psyched herself up to knock and he watched her turn away to leave. He didn't know what bugged him more: that she obviously didn't want to talk to him or that he was upset she didn't want to talk to him. Either way when she started to walk away Logan's only thought was to stop her.

"I'm not running." Veronica says taking her time turning around. "I just…forgot that I have somewhere to be."

Sighing Logan leans against the door jam. "Why are you here Veronica?"

"Duncan asked me to help him get his laptop back from Weevil and the only way I'm going to be able to do that is figure out who took Weevil's money."

"I already told you I had nothing to do with the money being taken."

"I'm not saying you did." Veronica says stepping towards Logan. "I just need to ask you some questions and take a look around the pool house."

"Well then, if this is all for DK…by all means snoop away." Logan says not bothering to move from the doorway.

"It's not snooping." Veronica says squeezing between the door jam and Logan, ignoring the shiver of awareness running up her spine when she brushes against him. "I'm just trying to do Duncan a favor."

"Relax Nancy Drew." Logan says holding his hands in the air. "Just do your thing." He says clearing a spot on the pool table for him to sit.

Shaking her head Veronica looks around the pool house and her eyes go wide in shock. "God Logan, did Weevil do all of this searching for that money." Turning where she stood, Veronica doesn't see anything that was left untouched. "He said he didn't have time to look as thoroughly as he wanted. How is this not thorough?"

"Ah, well Weevil didn't do this." Logan says standing and walking towards the liquor cabinet. "This mess you see here is my handy work." Logan says peering over his shoulder while pouring himself a drink.

"But why would you…" Before she could even finish the sentence Veronica knows the answer. "Because…you didn't take the money." Sighing Veronica sits next to Logan and watches as he gulps down the shot he had just poured himself.

"So you finally believe I had nothing to do with the missing money. I don't know if I should be grateful that I'm no longer a suspect or hurt that it took you witnessing the mess I made of my pool house."

"Logan…It's not like I zeroed you out as the culprit, I just need to cover all the bases." Grabbing the bottle of Jack from Logan Veronica sets it on the counter. "And now that your name is cleared you're going to tell me everything that happened that night, including why you allowed Weevil there in the first place."

"The only reason Weevil was there was because he had the money to enter the game and I thought it would be easy money."

"See there you go thinking again." Veronica says shaking her head. "That never seems to work for you."

"Are you going to listen or are you going to interrupt me with what you think is witty banter."

"Alright." Veronica says making a zipping motion over her lips to signify she won't talk anymore.

"Isn't there supposed to be a key you use to lock those pink lips and vow to throw it away?" Logan says, rubbing a hand over his mouth to cover his smile.

"Don't expect miracles Logan." Veronica says, a small impish smile forming on her face.

"Like I was saying…" Logan starts but is interrupted by Veronica's phone ringing.

Pulling out her cell phone, Veronica recognizes the number as her dads. "Can you hold on a second." She says before answering her phone and turning her back towards Logan.

Logan watches as Veronica gets as far from him as she possibly can. Staring at her, his thoughts wander. He doesn't know when things had started to change between them, but he no longer looked at Veronica and saw a traitor. Instead of feeling anger or disdain, he felt an intense need to prove he wasn't the jackass he'd been acting like, hoping she'd start to think better of him. Stepping closer Logan can hear Veronica's side of the conversation. "Ok. Yea I'm at the Echoll's right now. No, Logan and I are not friends again." Veronica says, her voice dipping a lot lower, but still not quiet enough for Logan to not hear. Tuning out the rest of the conversation Logan goes and grabs the bottle of Jack Daniels, taking a big gulp he watches as Veronica stuffs the phone back in her pocket.

"Stop drinking Logan. You'll be no help if you're bumbling drunk." Veronica says reaching for the bottle, but Logan holds it out of her reach. "Logan will you put the bottle down." Veronica sighs crossing her arms over her chest.

"Fine." Logan says quickly guzzling the remains of the liquor left in the bottle before setting down on the counter behind him.

Rolling her eyes, Veronica grabs her bag that she had set down on the pool table. "I don't have time for this."

"Come on Veronica, you know me better than that. I've been drinking for years now, you know I don't get drunk that easily."

"I wasn't talking about your drinking." Veronica says shaking her head. The truth was she spending time with Logan wasn't the same. He rose different feelings in her than he had ever before. It wasn't the normal friendship feelings like when they were part of the fab four and it wasn't the usual annoyance. He stirred something in her that she didn't know if she wanted to name.

"Then what are you talking about?" Logan asks pushing aside another pile on the pool table so they both could sit.

"How am I supposed to help Duncan if you won't cooperate?" Veronica says tossing down her bag.

"Duncan doesn't need your help. His father is Jake Kane, he can get a new laptop faster than you could say Mars PI." Looking away Logan shakes his head and runs a hand through his hair. "I'm just saying it's not like Duncan wouldn't be able to replace the laptop."

"You're right." Veronica says leaning against the pool table. "But don't you want to get Weevil off your back? I've made a deal with him to let me handle getting his money back, but if I don't deliver who knows what he'll do."

"Why do you care, we aren't friends anyways." Logan says looking straight at Veronica.

Sighing Veronica turns and faces Logan straight on. "Well are we, Logan? I mean we haven't had a civil conversation in over a year. And it's not like I'm here to just hang out…I'm here because one of your friends stole 5,000 dollars and Weevil isn't going to let this go." Groaning Veronica turns away and looks out the window. "I honestly don't know why I'm helping you guys though, you all hate me and haven't had any qualms with showing it."

"We don't hate you." Logan says coming up behind Veronica. Smirking at the 'yeah right' look she sends over her shoulder. "Well I don't hate you."

Scoffing Veronica shakes her head "Yeah, like I'll believe that. You're the president of the I hate Veronica fan club."

Grabbing Veronica's arm Logan spins her around and for a moment just looks at her. Staring into each others eyes, neither notice when they inch towards each other, but when Logan leans towards Veronica she steps back surprised. "Ronnie…" Logan says, using his nickname he had for her what seems like a lifetime ago.

"I..I gotta go…my dad…" Veronica says turning around and leaving the pool house, forgetting that her bag was still on the pool table.

Holy crap! Veronica thinks to herself while climbing into the Le Baron. I almost kissed Logan Echolls. And pulling out of the gate Veronica drives a little faster than the limit suggests, but that's not what she's thinking about, she's thinking about the possible kiss and how good it could've been.