Dear Cosmopolitan
by Angel Monroe

Disclaimer: I gave my soul to God for the book I'm writing. I have nothing left to barter for Veronica Mars. In other words, unfortunately, I don't own it.

A/N: Sequel to Don't Look At Me Like That. Future AU. You all wanted longer; here it is. A few years down the line from our last look. LoVe, of course.

Dear Cosmopolitan: How can I tell my fugitive ex-boyfriend that I want to marry his best friend? And a follow-up—How can I explain to said best friend why my ex-boyfriend's opinion is so important?

Yeah, cause guys with movie star good looks and more money than Oprah love to pop the question and hear the words 'not yet.' He's not going to wait around forever…

After the dust had settled over little Lilly's kidnapping, Veronica had kept in touch with her once-upon-a-love through generic post cards and forty-second phone conversations. There was a separation there, a barrier both knew could never be bridged, but the love remained. Even long after any romantic feelings had died, the love of intimate friends still crossed international borders through telephone lines.

She hadn't told him about Logan—not when it all started, not when they were casual, and certainly not when they stopped being casual. It wasn't that she was ashamed of Logan. She loved him more even than she could say, but there was still a little voice deep inside that told her the conversation would turn out badly.

Back in high school, she'd heard that Duncan had gone catatonic when they broke up the first time. When he'd found out about Logan and her, he'd beaten his car door to a twisted mess with a shovel. Now, even so long later, she wasn't sure she wanted to know how he might react.

But she had to tell him. There was no if about it; she couldn't let him find out in the papers with the rest of the world. That would be Logan's 'birthday' party all over again.

So here she was, getting off a plane in Veracruz, about to meet the first love of her life for the first time in seven years.

What the hell was she thinking?

Bags in hands, she took a breath and walked through the terminal gates. And there he stood, his arm around a seven-year-old blond who broke her heart in all the right places. She was as beautiful as her namesake.

"Veronica Mars," Duncan laughed, his smile wider than she remembered. "You have no idea how good it is to see you."

There were tears in her eyes as she hugged him. "Yeah, I think I know."

Ten minutes later, they were sitting on the porch of his beach house making small talk while Lilly played in the sand.

"So how have you been?" Duncan asked, still watching the little girl. "It's been what? A year and a half since we talked last. What warrants the sudden visit?"

Wow. She knew it would come up sooner or later. Somehow she'd hoped it would be later.

"What's wrong, Veronica?" She jumped a little, realizing that she still hadn't answered, and suddenly he was staring at her.

And boy what a long story that is.

"I'm getting married," she blurted out, surprising herself. Okay, not so long a story.

For a moment, he just kept on staring, his face a mask of shock. In those three seconds, she thought maybe she would die, and the really shocking news was still yet to come. If he didn't say something soon, she doubted she'd be able to tell him who it was. But then he broke into a smile, a genuine smile that touched his whole face.

"You're getting ma—?" he stopped and stood, overwhelmed. "You, Veronica Mars, are getting married?" He pulled her into a hug tighter than the one at the airport, and if it wasn't so tight maybe she'd have started breathing again. "Congratulations."

"Thanks," she pulled back, laughing a little as the tension left her body. "I was kind of worried about how you'd react. I mean, it's been years, but…" She trailed off, suddenly unsure of her reasoning. It had been seven years.

"I know what you mean," he chuckled, looking down at his daughter. "You and I have always had this silent agreement that we'd love each other forever." He smiled his signature Duncan smile and looked back at her. "I don't think either of us actually expected it though. It's too hard to love someone who isn't there."

She chuckled again, feeling his words all too well. It had been by far the biggest problem between her and Logan. Which brought her to her second point.

"There's a little more," she sighed, stepping back to catch her breath.

Concerned, he nodded seriously. "Alright, shoot."

Blurting out had worked once; she figured the band-aid routine was her safest bet. "I'm marrying Logan." And then a moment later, "Echolls. Logan Echolls…is the man I'm marrying."

This time he just skipped straight to the laughter, and she didn't know what to do. "Wow, a guy does miss a few things in seven years. I didn't even know you guys were dating."

"For about five years now, off and on," she admitted guiltily, and his eyes widened in obvious surprise. "Again, I didn't know how to tell you. I mean, it wasn't even serious until the last year. I mean, I didn't realize how serious it was until…well, it's a long story."

He nodded, but his smile was still there. "Well, I'm happy for you both," he said softly, pulling her into a hug both intimate and poignant. It was like he was saying goodbye.

"Thanks." The tears in her eyes spilled over her cheeks as she let out a long breath. "I love him so much, and I just…I wanted to start off on the right foot."

"Then go call your fiancé," he said, wiping a tear from her cheek. "Tell him I said congratulations and that I wish he were here so I could tell him in person."

She nodded and started towards the house to get her cell, but she stopped just short of the door. "Hey, Duncan, I have an idea."

In Vancouver, Logan was just about to head on-set when his cell phone rang. Glancing at the display, he smiled affectionately. It read, simply, love of my life. It had made her laugh the first time she'd seen it.

"Hey," he answered, his voice soft as if he were talking to a dangerous animal. He hadn't spoken to her in four days, since he'd proposed and she'd run out on him. She'd stammered out a quick, "give me a little time," and then never even stopped to hear his reply.

"Hey," she said, and he could hear a smile in her voice. "How do you feel about a little trip?"

He laughed, holding up a finger to stay the director's conversation. "So I guess you're not mad at me?"

"I was never mad at you, Logan. I just needed a couple days to take care of something." She was being evasive. He could hear the lilt of avoidance in her tone. "But seriously, how soon can you get a couple weeks off?"

"That's the pushy girl I love. But you're in luck; shooting wraps in a couple days. After that I'm free for anything. What are you thinking? Paris? Cancun? It's beautiful up here this time of year, so you could come visit me. What did you have in mind?"

There was a pause, and he shifted uncomfortably. It wasn't like her to be so spontaneous. That was usually his part to play.

"Hmm," he could still hear the smile in her voice, and that was a good sign. "I was thinking a wedding in Mexico."

It took him a second to understand, and then he couldn't keep the smile off his face. "Oh, okay. Whose wedding would that be?"

"Ours," she stated simply. "I'm down here visiting a mutual friend. Seems like a really good place to get hitched." He knew exactly who she was talking about. "He says congratulations, by the way."

"Wait, you're…" he trailed off, lowering his voice conspiratorially. "Is it safe? Is he? I mean, what if someone gets suspicious and traces the plane tickets or something? It's not like kidnapping has a statute of limitations."

"Hey, I'm just down here on a vacation," she replied smoothly. "And you're just coming down because there's this beautiful beach house with a gazebo that would be just perfect for a ceremony." He couldn't stop laughing, giggling even. She was finally saying yes, and he hadn't seen his friend in far too long. "We even have a flower girl."

That, too, made him stop and think. Duncan had a daughter. "Is she beautiful?"

"She's Lilly." The simple statement brought tears to his eyes.

"Three days," he sighed simply, his throat suddenly dry. "I'll be there in three days. Call me tomorrow with the when and where."

"Will do. I love you."

He wiped his eyes, suddenly overwhelmed. "I love you so much, baby. I'll talk to you soon."

He closed his cell and collapsed against a nearby wall. This was going to be one hell of a trip.

One week later, they stood in the gazebo on the beach behind Duncan's house. Duncan stood next to Logan, Keith next to Veronica, and Lilly had propped herself up on one of the railings to try to get a better view. The sun was beginning to set behind them, and Logan watched the technicolors of the fading light play across her bare shoulders. She had a tiger lily in her curled hair, and the cool breeze played with the train of her dress.

She was beautiful.

And in less than two minutes, she would be his wife.

He took a moment to reflect, trying to figure out exactly when he'd fallen in love with her. It was a clichéd question and a complicated one. In their vast history, he had fallen in love with her so many times. First when they were young and love seemed to be something that came and went easily. Again when they were barely adults, thrown together by circumstance and half-forgotten emotion. Somewhere between hellos and goodbyes and too many regrets to count, it had grown so big and so thick that it filled the room, filled the world, filled him in. And now there he stood, in front of a minister, ready to give her forever. Wow, what a mind trip.

"Logan," the man in front of him started, and he took his eyes from Veronica for a moment to look at him, "do you take this woman to be your lawfully wedded wife, to have and to hold from this day forward, for richer or poorer, in sickness and in health, forsaking all others as long as you both shall live?"

It all came down to this….

"I do."

She smiled up at him, eyes shining as the minister asked again and she gave her answer. And that was it. She was his. Till death do us part.

In place of a reception, Keith had made lasagna and champagne flowed freely. They sat around Duncan's kitchen table and recreated the friendships of the past. Feeling a little on the outside, Keith volunteered to put Lilly to bed, and Veronica promised him a Daddy/daughter day before he left for Neptune.

Alone, the three friends took a bottle of champagne and three glasses down to the beach.

Veronica looked at them, the only two men she'd ever loved (besides her father). The moon was rising quickly, its reflection rippling on the waves and washing over her husband's tanned face. It reminded her of the last night they'd all been together as friends.

She stopped and the men on either side of her stopped short too. Smiling, she raised her glass. "I've never…" both boys began laughing and raised theirs too, "…been so happy in my life."

The three looked at each other. Clinking their glasses together, they downed their champagne and continued along on the beach.

A/N: Seriously, if I'd known what an amazing return I would get from prettily begging for reviews, I would have done it long ago. Don't Look At Me Like That has gotten more reviews than any of my VM fics, including the eight-chapter, three-thousand-hit Epic. Seriously, guys, I love you. So tell me what you think of this one. I think I might write a prequel to Don't Look At Me Like That and make this a trilogy, but I'm not sure yet. Don't hold me to it. Anyway, thanks.