Veronica lies in her bed and stares vacantly at the ceiling. So that's it.

Are you breaking up with me?

The end of what was shortly known as Veronica and Logan. Logan and Veronica. God, after all of that, this is the end.

After all that was thrown at them, it's what's in his control that's going to ruin them. There you go with the 'going to,' Veronica. It already has. The only harm that's going to happen is to him. She and Logan are already buried six feet under. Logan on his own is about to jump into his own grave.

Someone's gonna get killed, Logan.

She knows it's the right thing to do. Of course it is. Logan's going to get himself killed at the rate and direction he's moving. It seems selfish to leave him now but she can't just be pulverized by his own self-inflicted antics.

I'm pretty sure there's a part of you that's having fun with all of this.

Fun? Fun?! '

She was there for him, there for his entire case, there to have lunch with him every day in summer school, ready to help him pick himself up and get back to normal, but he's throwing himself in the vicious cycle, ringing her along with him.

My mom is dead! My girlfriend is dead! My dad is a murderer! And the only person I still care about is dumping me. You think I'm having fun?

If it weren't for her dad storming in half a second after that broken lamp, maybe that comment would've sunk in a lot quicker. The only person he cares about is leaving him. Strong 'ol Veronica Mars getting knocked down by the strength of words? No tasers or gadgets could've come in handy then. The swamps of interrogations with Lamb didn't leave her with any useful snarky remarks. Shucks.

But now she has to answer all of the things Logan told her to herself instead, and with a lot more thinking time.

She didn't even tell him she loved him yet (yet?), and the conversation ended with telling her she's the only person he cares about. Does that mean he loves her or is the bar just that low and he's that isolated? Who knows?

Maybe both.

And now he has no one. Dick is hardly the person to shape up Logan's life when he contributes just as many bad ideas, and who knows what'll happen between him and Duncan after Aaron. She remembers being with Logan at the Neptune Grand when Trina dismissed Logan's abuse as crying big bad wolf. Trina will likely make things worse rather than better. That is, if she's even present.

Logan's all alone in that big house with pictures of his father on every wall. It's terrible to think that Logan alone may be better than Logan with the people who tore him down.

And cue the sobbing. The silent sobbing that hurts her chest and sucks in her gut.

/

Her dad leaves for work and she stays in bed. She's not usually the type to fall into demobilizing heartbreak, but here she is. Logan is far away, but now she's more worried than ever.

She shouldn't be but she is.

Her dad gives her a pitying look that almost seems comical, then actually says something comical, and Veronica says she's just exhausted and she'll be fine.

She's always fine. So many messed up things in her life and she always manages to be fine.

/

Veronica pauses P. I. work in the summer and gets a job at Java the Hut. It's not exactly the most mentally stimulating job, but after the craziness, her dad said it's best to find some type of normalcy.

Who calls that normalcy when she has to smile at all times, look dapper, and pretend that she cares about each and every customer that walks through?

It's her eighteenth birthday and she's wiping a table when Duncan walks through. She looks over at him in confusion. He slides her a fortune cookie in that silent, mysterious Duncan kind of way.

She cracks open her cookie and sighs shortly when she reads, "True Love Stories Never Have Endings." She knows it's terrible that Logan's the one that pops into her head when she reads it, but it's the truth. She still cares for Duncan, and sure there are parts in her heart that pull towards him, but Logan is the one at the center.

Oh, Logan. Wherefore art thou?

She looks at Duncan and while he has that meaningful look in his eyes and a slight quiver in his lips, her face remains sad and pleading. "Duncan. I can't."

His eyes darken and his lips plain out, but she holds her hands up, quick to explain that it's not just her but it's him too. "You belong with Meg. She's the one you love. I-"

"And you love Logan," Duncan finishes with a dull pain in his voice as he stuffs his hands in his pockets. Veronica wasn't going to mention him but hey, if the shoe fits, right?

"I just don't want to start things that shouldn't be started," Veronica replies, lines crossing her forehead as she forces as much pleading into her eyes. "Logan's going through so much."

"What about me?" Duncan blurts, his eyes darkening. "My best friend's dad killed my sister! Your ex-boyfriend's dad."

"Duncan, lower your voice," Veronica whispers as she senses eyes on them from around the cafe. She sighs. "I know it's hard on everyone but Logan doesn't have anyone. He has nothing. It's not a good idea."

Duncan's jaw clenches and he nods a few times before turning around and walking off, not having anything to say, not to her, not to himself, and not to anyone.

Veronica lowers her head and clenches her serving tray, pressing her lips in.

/

Logan sits by Dick at the Casablancas' poolside. Dick's not exactly the most sensitive of situations, but it's either have company or rot away at home with warm whiskey. Duncan hasn't called him all summer, and of course Veronica hasn't, so it comes down to Dick.

He tips down his sunglasses and eyes Dick's stepmom as she walks by the pool in a black string bikini, obviously intending to make a show of it.

He wouldn't stare so openly if not for the fact that A) she's clearly trying to be stared at, B) she's only Dick's step-mom and they don't seem to have that motherly bond, and C) Dick's staring too. Dick doesn't get offended by anything anyway.

It's revitalizing to remember the good 'ol days when you looked at a hot girl and didn't feel like she was tearing your heart out. The only organ responding to Mrs. Casablancas is... well...

"Yowza," Logan says in that Logan sort of way as he clicks his teeth.

Dick's just as entranced as he slides down his sunglasses just the slightest bit to get an unadulterated look.

/

Veronica has a dream about Logan, even though work that day was tough and it's exhausting to even shift in her sleep.

She's on Logan's sofa and he's leaning a temple on his fist as he stares at her with that daring but playful way of his. He looks around at the room and then back to her with a more meaningful look. "You know, you make this house feel a lot more comfortable to be in."

"Aww, enough to earn me an entire drawer in your bedroom?" she replies with mock gratitude as she presses a palm to her chest.

Logan pinches her chin softly before dropping his hand. "I really mean it. You're the only one I care about. You know, after mom died, dad got sent to prison, and Trina went God knows where, it's a little hard to breathe in here."

Just as Veronica's expression shifts to vulnerability, Logan chuckles and leans over her, pressing her back down onto the couch. He kisses her lips quickly and just as she begins to kiss back, he moves down to her neck. "So you think Mr. Mars will be mad if I send his daughter home a little late today?"

As she's about to wrap her arm around his shoulders and reunite her fingertips with the back of his neck, her eyes open, she's in her bed, and it's 7:30 am.

She sighs heavily and stares up at her ceiling. The weight on her body isn't Logan's, it's one that lingers for the rest of the day.

/

Logan swings his keyring around his finger as he walks through the Casablancas' living room.

Kendall squints as she walks through. "Make yourself at home, why don't you?"

"You certainly have," Logan counters with a comical smile. "It's almost as though you're actually a part of the family, and not just the absentminded trophy wife."

Kendall smiles sarcastically and Logan looks around. "Dick and Beaver out to play?"

Kendall pauses in front of the door, her body language changing as she leans on one hip and shows Logan a profile view of her face. "Let's see if we can find them."

Just as her fingers find the knot on her robe, Logan's phone rings and he turns around to pull it out of his pocket. Kendall rolls her eyes, her arms dropping to her sides. She walks off somewhere, and Logan hardly cares to pay attention.

He stares down at his phone, his eyes frozen on the caller ID. Even though he has no plans to answer it, he can't bring himself to shove it back in his pocket until it finishes ringing.

/

Veronica sighs as she shoves her phone back in her pocket. It was worth a shot. Nothing wrong with calling your ex-boyfriend whom you're still in love with, to make sure that he is okay, right?

She doesn't leave a voicemail because what do you even say? She's never been the type to confess anything over voicemail, and she won't start now.

She clears her throat and walks past a customer who's barking at the vacant counter. "What does it take to get some coffee around here?!"

"Apparently a Veronica Mars," she says with a plastered smile as she reaches over and fills a mug with the pitcher of coffee nearby. "Here you go, sir."

The guy presses a grumpy line of a- is that supposed to be a smile or a frown? before trudging back to his seat.

Apparently some people can't pull off rudeness with the same charm that Logan Echolls can.

Jeez, Veronica. When did you get so boy crazy? Get your head out of the gutter.

/

Veronica's at the mall looking for some part she needs for her laptop when she notices Beaver step in and cluelessly look around the store. She raises an eyebrow and steps away. "Hey, Beaver. Lost?"

"Hey, Veronica," Beaver says in that timid, awkward slouch of his. "It's Cassidy, you know. My name is Cassidy."

"Sorry," Veronica says, giving a painful, apologetic smile. "Cassidy. Maids usually buy the hardware for you, huh? Anything I can help you with? I live and breathe this place."

Beav- Cassidy looks around and shrugs. "I was just looking around. You know, getting out of the house. When you hang out with Dick and Logan everyday, it gets tiring after a while."

Veronica presses a vacant smile on her face, grateful that Dick's taking care of Logan (probably not the best term for it but she knows what she means) and Logan's finally gotten himself out of the house. She looks back at Cassidy. "How is Logan?"

"Logan doesn't exactly confide in me about his problems, so he doesn't ever look not okay," Cassidy says with a shrug and a slight smile that seems hesitant and awkward. "I don't think he confides in Dick much, either. I don't know. He seems fine to me."

Veronica nods with a dim sort of smile. "That's good."

"Uh... yea," Beaver replies as he scratches his head, not knowing how to carry the conversation from there.

/

Wallace pesters Veronica all day about going to an 09er party and she consistently tells him no, no she is not going to a party full of people who hate her. She leaves out the part about how the only recent 09er parties she went to was for Logan, and even those didn't end well. The ones before that... well lets just unearth one sob story at a time.

"Oh, come on, Veronica!" Wallace begs, pulling her arm. "You're my only friend."

"You're going to have to try harder than that, powerhouse of the basketball team," Veronica replies, momentarily looking up from her laptop to give him a look. "That excuse doesn't work anymore."

Wallace rolls his eyes and licks his lips, searching his brain for a better excuse. "You're my only best friend. We can have fun together. Especially after your breakup with-"

"Parties don't cheer me up," Veronica rushes out defensively, "hanging around people who hate me doesn't cheer me up. Possibly seeing Logan and Logan's friends won't cheer me up. You know what does?"

Wallace stays silent and Veronica continues with a sweet smile. "Staying home and watching reruns of my favorite detective shows."

Wallace's eyebrows shoot up. "You really have hit an all-time low."

"Trust me, it's not the worst thing to have happened to me," Veronica says. "I'm the powerhouse of my own team."

"Please," Wallace pleads. "For me. You know how long it's been since I've seen you. I've only been in town for like a few days, and summer's almost over."

Veronica shuts her laptop and gives him a pointed look. "Damn those puppy eyes, Wallace Fennel."

Wallace smiles and sits up.

/

Veronica and Wallace walk up to Dick Casablancas' house and Veronica smiles sarcastically. "Oh, Dick. We meet again."

"Look, if Logan gives you trouble, I'll be right here," Wallace says in that supportive Wallace tone of his, making sure Veronica sees the sincerity in his eyes.

"Oh, I'm not worried about the trouble Logan will give me," Veronica replies with a sigh, mostly speaking to herself. "I'm worried about the trouble I'm going to give Logan."

Wallace swallows and nods hesitantly, trying to put the pep back in his expression. "Well all right then. You ready for Wallace Fennel and Veronica Mars back in action?"

Veronica smiles sarcastically, hooking her arm across her chest in fake pep. "Boy, am I excited!"

/

"Well look who it is! Ronnie!" Dick greets right before he leans back and takes a large gulp from his solo cup.

"Dick," Veronica says with a tight smile. "You haven't changed one bit!"

"Oh, that's not true. I've been upgraded to Logan's best friend!" Dick says in a matter of fact tone with an empty-headed chortle as he sighs contentedly. "Speaking of which... Awkward."

He looks over his shoulder and looks at Logan across the room, who's leaning against the wall, smiling with some random blonde.

Veronica's sarcastic smile immediately dims. She's happy to see him smiling and okay, but just seeing him makes her sad. Seeing him with a girl... well, there just aren't words for that, are there?

Logan feels Dick's eyes and glances twice in their direction, once when he notices Dick, another when he notices Veronica. His slight smile plains when he sees her looking at him, her eyes only revealing God knows what. He looks down at his cup then back at her.

The thing about Logan's eyes is when they're happy, they make you happy. When they're playful, they make you want to say something sarcastic. And when they're sad... well they don't make her sad. They just magnify what's already there.

Dick looks back at her and she immediately recovers, looking back at him. "Well, Ronnie," he says, touching her arm with his cup, "everything happens for a reason, right?" He says it a tone as though he's delivering a punchline, not sympathy. That's Dick, for you.

"They sure do, Dick," Veronica quips with a large smile before turning around and heading in the opposite direction.

/

"Hello, old pal," Logan mumbles to himself as he kisses the bottle of vodka and smiles comically. "The curves on you, darling. Oh, they bring a man to his knees!"

Dick laughs and pats him on the back. "Much better than flat 'ol Ronnie, huh."

Logan lets his arm fall to his side as he looks at Dick, his expression serious. "Hey, don't you talk about her like that, all right?"

"Relax," Dick says, holding his hands up in defense with a stupid grin. "It's just a joke."

"The purpose of a party is to have fun, Dick," Logan says.

(I'm pretty sure there's a part of you that's having fun with all of this.

Fun? Fun?!)

Logan brings a palm over his forehead and rewords his thoughts. "Why is she even here, anyway?" he mumbles.

"I don't know, she just showed up," Dick says with a shrug, some of his drink sloshing on the floor. "It's a party, Logan. That's what happens. People show up!"

Logan nods and takes a large gulp from the bottle. Fun.

/

Veronica presses her forehead against the wall and sighs. Logan is happy. Logan is surrounded by friends. Oh, and look. Here you are all alone.

"Hey, Veronica. You okay?"

She turns around and sees Bea- Cassidy, his hands rigidly shoved in his pockets as he looks at her.

She swallows and gives a tight smile. "Hey, Cassidy. I just love walls, you know. So solid and strong. Perfect to lean on!"

"Right," Cassidy replies as his eyes hover on the air around her before looking at her when he words his reply. "Anyway, I guess I'll see you around."

Veronica nods and Cassidy walks off with a slight smile. She doesn't know the purpose of that, but maybe he just likes hearing someone say his name - his actual name. Who knows what goes on in his head to make him look so awkward and nervous all the time?

She turns around and heads straight for the back door, realizing the air's too tight in this damn house to retain a single helpful thought.

She stops in front of the pool and looks down at the glowing lights beneath the water. She remembers Duncan leaning his arms on the side of the pool at the Kane house and wonders if Dick's right and he's not Logan's best friend anymore. Just another person who's left Logan's life. Another important person in Logan's life gone.

She shakes her head and looks up, spotting a body sprawled out on the poolside bed, a bottle of vodka cradled in its arms. She squints, barely able to recognize who it is in the darkness, wondering if her mind's playing tricks on her. "Logan?"

"You've found me," Logan says comically, spreading his arms with a thin smile. "Veronica Mars, private investigator, nothing gets past you."

Veronica walks over to Logan and sighs, her eyebrows stuck in a furrow as she notices how sloppy and hammered he is. "Christ, Logan."

"You know, I thought those words would be reserved for a more intimate and wild moment, but you can't get everything you ask for, right?" Logan replies, wriggling his eyebrows as he sits up on the chair and grins. Focusing on his eyes, you can't help but see behind his smile.

"Logan, I-" Veronica begins, and Logan's expression slowly plains in anticipation for her next words.

When she shakes her head and looks down, Logan holds up a finger and staggers to his feet. "Right. Not a safe distance away, right? What do you suggest? Ten feet? Twenty? Man, I ought to move out of the '09 zip-code if you continue your visits to this neck of the woods."

Veronica looks up and she gives him a pleading look, subtle but obvious when you know how good she is with keeping her emotions away from her expressions. "Logan, stop-"

"Stop what?" Logan snaps, opening his arms, one raising and finding his hair. "I'm not your boyfriend anymore, Veronica," he says, dropping his arms. "You can't just expect me to treat you like a princess."

She sighs, taking in his expression. So maybe Logan isn't happy, or maybe Logan just isn't happy around her. Both seem likely. She shakes her head and her temper hits a ceiling. "You know what, Logan? I was there for you. I held your hand and I helped you through all of it. And now-"

"Not fun is it?" Logan replies as he steps forward with a cold smile. "It's not fun losing a person, is it, Veronica? Now try losing everyone you love and see how much fun you think I have."

As he turns around and walks off, his fist clenched around the bottle of vodka, Veronica buries her face in her hands and sighs. The thing about going to parties with all of the people who hate you in one place is that you're not allowed to cry or show that you have been.

Come on, Veronica. You've been through worse.

/

Logan sits back against the headboards of his bed and punches the buttons on his controller, his eyes narrowed.

Even though he now has the entire house to himself, he still stays confined in his bedroom as though his dad is in the kitchen, ready to whip out his belt at the drop of one of Logan's sarcastic remarks.

As though he'll grab something from the fridge and see his mom seconds from reaching into her purse for her prescription sleeping pills.

As though Trina's hanging on daddy's arms to prove Logan was just crying big bad wolf all those times.

He jams his thumbs on the controller buttons and slams it on the carpet when the 'Game Over' banner flashes on the screen.

/

Veronica sits in her chair at the office and stares at the door.

"You know, honey, staring might just scare the clients away."

She looks at her dad as he walks into his office and sits down with a sigh. She opens her mouth and it takes a few moments for her voice to catch up. "Hey, dad?"

"Yup?" Keith replies as he sorts through the mess of files on his desk. She's allowed to play receptionist and visit him at work during lunch, but as for cases... not exactly.

"Do you think I was wrong for ending things with Logan?" she replies, her eyes taking another moment to catch up to him. She doesn't usually, or at all, ask her dad for boy advice, but this is important and she doesn't know what else to do. She hates herself for asking him, too, but... well...

"Well, kiddo, are you asking me for an unbiased opinion because I don't think I can give you one," Keith replies, looking up from his work and giving her a pointed look. "I think you did a lot for Logan, and that's probably why he took it so hard. He cared a lot about you. Do I like that he broke my lamp and yelled at my daughter the way he did? Absolutely not. Would I pull out my gun if I saw him come near you? Absolutely."

Veronica smiles softly as she looks away. "I love you, dad."

"Yeah, me, too, kiddo."

/

Decisions. Decisions. Decisions.

After her shift at Java the Hut, Veronica drives over to the Echolls house and gets out. The sun's just set. She told her dad she was working a night shift at the cafe, so this allows her some time to talk to Logan.

What is she going to say? She doesn't know. What she does know is that she can't wait and let him continue on after seeing him last night. While she's right, Logan's also right. He has it hard. One problem is enough to crush one person, and with the amount of problems he's dealing with, she should be more understanding of the ways he deals with them. Great, now tell him that, Veronica.

She spots Logan's SUV in the driveway and takes a deep breath. Come on, Mars. Don't wuss out.

She steps up to the door and rings the doorbell several times. When did Veronica Mars ever get scared to talk to Logan Echolls? Pre-Logan Veronica would be ashamed of herself. A little advice for the nerves Pre-Logan Veronica?

Nothing? Okay.

The door opens and Logan's eyes study her, his expression other than that completely blank. He looks terrible, his eyes bagged and his hair not a charming mess like usual, but just a plain mess. He brings a palm over his mouth and drops his arm. "What are you doing here, Veronica?"

"I don't know," Veronica replies as her eyes flick down before back on him. "I don't know what to say, Logan. All I know is I don't like this. I don't like you hating me, Logan. I don't like seeing you like this."

Logan pushes his tongue to his cheek and raises his eyebrows with a sigh. "Yeah, well sorry I have so much shit to deal with that I don't have time to look pretty for you to feel better about yourself. It was an ugly break up, you know?"

Veronice presses her lips in and her eyes soften. It's so hard to say all of this, and she doesn't know how to say it without misinterpreting it, but Logan needs to hear it.

"You need to meet me halfway," she says. "I don't want this to be how things end up between us. I don't want to be another problem for you, but-"

"So you buy the string and I guess I'll braid the friendship bracelets?" Logan replies, pressing a palm to his chest. He chuckles airily. "Let me reiterate this for you clearly. You cannot expect me to play nice when you dumped and left me at the toughest time of my life. Ever."

Veronica sighs, hoping her eyes can convey what words can't. "I'm not asking to be friends, but I need you to try when I help."

Logan's expression changes, but it's still dark and cold. He leans in slightly, wondering if what she means to say is what he's assuming. "Then what else is there to be?"

Veronica's hands hesitantly settle on his chest before moving up to his neck, her thumbs settling on his jaw. His eyes look into hers and she hopes her sincerity can shave away the pain in his eyes.

He leans in slightly and her lips find his quicker than his can find hers. To go from hearing his biting words to feeling his lips so soft and sincere is one thing about Logan Echolls you can't find in anyone else. It's why she thought about him when it was Duncan's fortune she read.

She sighs into the kiss and his arm wraps around her waist, pulling her in as he nudges the door closed.

/

Veronica looks up at the ceiling in a daze, her chest heaving up and down. After many sleepless nights of staring up at the ceiling, this is a much more generous upgrade. Logan puffs his cheeks and laughs airily. "Well... well... well. Now that's a side of Veronica Mars I've never seen."

It's funny how he can go from that to this, but... well she's known Logan for a long time, so this is a side of him she has seen.

Veronica nods, pulling his sheets to her chest. "It's a good thing we talked before you rendered me both speechless and breathless."

Logan grins and wriggles his eyebrows when she looks over at him. "Oh, the Logan Echolls foundation is always proud to give to those in need."

"Oh, yeah? Lets see how strong of a foundation you gave these legs to walk on," Veronica replies as she gets out of bed, her legs feeling like jello. Logan laces his hands behind his head and grins when she gives him a tight grin. "Very generous indeed," she quips.

"It's how I show affection, Mars," Logan replies as she pulls her shirt over her head and claws the ground for her jeans. "Logan love you long time."

Veronica chuckles airily as she steps into her jeans and buckles her belt. "As much as I'd love to stay and cuddle, my dad will track me down and put a bullet between your eyes if I don't get home soon."

"Oh, Veronica Mars, you can only have her in doses, never in full course meals," Logan says comically as he slips on his boxers and pushes himself up from his bed with that Logan sort of effortless grace.

"Logan Echolls, always in full course meals, never in doses," Veronica replies airily as she smells her jacket and sighs. "You don't happen to have women's perfume hanging around, do you?"

"I do, but it'd be terrifying having my girlfriend smell like my deceased mother," Logan replies as he comes up behind her and presses a kiss to the top of her head. "You smell marvelous. Like a million bucks!"

"Really? I always thought you were at least a billion," Veronica replies as she pulls her hair out of her collar and checks herself in his mirror.

"You'll have to wait after my dad gets the death penalty for that," Logan says, holding up a finger and tapping it on the end of Veronica's nose.

Veronica laughs airily before giving him a quick kiss. The truth is Logan will never forget all the bad, especially so much of it. He knows it, too. But when she's around, he's just Logan. Good 'ol Logan with more than enough wit to keep up with her, more smiling and less time alone.

"I know I'm beautiful, but I have to peel you off of me before Keith Mars sends his best watchdogs to tear me to bits," Logan replies, kissing his fingers to his lips and then pressing them to hers.

"My window will be open if you want to sneak in," Veronica quips as she puts her hand on the doorknob. "Just listen for the 'Oh, Logan, wherefore art thou?'"

Logan grins and as you'd imagine, he's fully loaded with his own sarcastic remarks despite the fact that he flunked his 10th grade English Shakespeare exam.

/

"Veronica, your boyfriend's here to see you."

Veronica looks over her shoulder and grins when she sees Logan standing by the door, shoulder leaning against the wall with his arms crossed over his chest. He smirks as she jogs up to him and gives him a quick kiss. "Oh, Logan Echolls, you really know how to make a girl's dream come true!"

"Well, you know. I'm a gift that just keeps on giving," Logan replies with a content grin, hand settling on her lower back. "It brings tears to my eyes knowing how loved I am."

Veronica gives him a playful squint as she looks over her shoulder and smiles apologetically to her co-worker. "You know, I'd totally owe you if you didn't tell the manager about this."

"Oh, take your lunch break! My lips are sealed!" her co-worker blurts, obviously entranced by the charm that is Logan Echolls. The boy's face is plastered on the news for being the son of a murderer and being a possible murderer himself, but the girls- they still fall for it.

Veronica grins a thanks before looking back at Logan, her hand slapping his face affectionately. "Oh the perks of having a handsome, charming boyfriend."

Logan pretends to flick his hair as he hooks an arm around her waist and pushes open the door. "I'm glowing from the affection. Please don't stop."

Fin.

Lol I noticed I put Duke instead of Dick in some parts. Awkward...