A/N: Just a cute, fluffy, oneshot, futurefic.
Veronica's feet were throbbing, her back hurt, she had heartburn already, and she was exhausted. She checked the clock on her phone and groaned aloud when she saw she had only been in the store ten minutes.
She wobbled to the produce section, intent on grabbing some fresh fruit to improve her diet. At only seven months pregnant her rather large baby bump was already taking its toll on her small frame.
Two more months of this… she thought wryly wondering how she would do it. She grabbed for some bananas when one slid off the produce table and bounced on the floor. She groaned, knowing she should pick it up, but wondering if anyone would notice if she didn't.
She got as far as the tomatoes before turning back to rescue the fallen banana. Pregnancy has made her a sap, she decided on the way towards the floor.
Picking something up at ground level hasn't been an easy task for her since month six. The doctor reassured them often that it was only one baby, not twins, but with Veronica's small frame she insisted it felt like an entire preschool class was residing in her stomach.
She had the banana firmly in her grasp and was starting to straighten herself out when she felt someone come up behind her and heard a nasally voice call out.
"Veronica Mars?" the voice sneered.
Sighing loudly, Veronica stood up with some difficulty, keeping her back to the intrusion of her grocery shopping. She simply turned her head slightly acknowledging the unwelcome visitor.
"Madison," she said coldly. "Don't you hire people to shop for you?"
"Well, well… Veronica Mars. Knocked up and alone, who would have guessed?" Madison said rudely.
"Actually, Madison Sinclair," Veronica said sneering at her. "I'm pregnant and engaged, not knocked up and alone." Veronica held up her left hand in show of her stunning engagement ring, for once thankful her fiancée didn't let her talk him out of the monstrosity.
The smaller blonde narrowed her eyes at her enemy, daring her to say another word. Madison turned on her heel and walked away seething.
Veronica continued shopping, mumbling to herself. She hated that she was so emotional right now. Morning sickness was long gone, something she didn't miss, but this newer revelation, wearing her emotions on her sleeve was not something she was used to.
She rounded a corner, pushing the cart ahead of her with a little more force than necessary.
"Hey Ronnie, do we need… what's wrong?"
She looked up into her fiancée's eyes and melted, like she always did. "Why do some people have the ability to make you feel like you're right back in high school?" she said, hating that her voice sounded fragile.
He wrapped an arm around her shoulder, protecting her small frame from the outside world. He rubbed her baby bump sympathetically. Although Veronica hated that their daughter was causing her to be overly emotional, he secretly loved it.
"Pretty soon baby will come meet the world and you can go back to putting your impenetrable walls up, love," he said teasingly. Hating seeing a frown on her face, he only wanted to make her smile. Trying to pull her from an emotional slump was like walking through land mine these past few weeks.
She pulled away from him, her face reddening. He only succeeded in embarrassing her, and he had no idea how.
She bit her lip to keep the tears from over flowing, angry at his words, and embarrassed at her over the top reaction to her anger. She desperately wanted her tenacity back, but she feared she was turning to a marshmallow inside and out.
"Hey, no no no," he said holding his hands up in the classic 'I come in peace' fashion. "I'm sorry," he said sincerely. He hated himself in that moment.
He felt ill-equipped to deal with this Veronica. She glared daggers at him as he tried to hug her. She spun on her heel and walked away. He tried but failed to hide his grin as she walked off. He loved her waddle, but he'd never tell her that.
She constantly yelled at him when her clothes didn't fit. He insisted she maternity shop online for many reasons. It was easier for them to shop together, they didn't have to deal with the paparazzi that were inevitably following them everywhere, and she never had to see the bottom line.
He thought back to the first time they shopped together online. They sat together curled up in bed with his laptop. She added everything she liked to the virtual cart, intent on deleting some things before checkout, she just didn't want to forget about them and hated dealing with the wish list.
After browsing for almost two hours she had to use the bathroom, he checked out before she was back. She was furious until the clothes started arriving. He loved providing for her, and he wished she would accept it more, but that was one of the things he loved about her.
He walked over to the prearranged flowers, intent on buying a bouquet as a peace offering. He picked through the single flowers, deciding to arrange his own bouquet instead. He was almost finished when he felt someone press up against his side.
"My, my, Logan Echolls," Madison's voice said seductively as she pressed herself against him.
He side stepped away from her, putting space between them. "Hello, Madison," he said evenly.
"You don't have to buy me flowers first, you know," she said leering at him.
He looked at her briefly. The last five years hasn't been good to her, he thought wryly. Dick told him she was married, divorced, and looking for husband number two.
Logan ignored her ridiculous come on and continued arranging his flowers in the bright orange vase he picked out.
"Well, it was… it sure was something seeing you again, Madison, but I need to go," he said skirting the truth, but not being able to outright lie to her and say it was nice seeing her again.
"Mhm," she purred, stepping in close to him again. He had to move the flowers out of the way so she didn't crush them. He was quickly moving backwards, out of her reach when a cart pushed into her, sending her teetering in her heels.
"Oh, I'm so sorry!" Veronica said eyes wide and full of innocence.
Logan chuckled as Madison scowled at the smaller blonde.
"What do you want, whale?" Madison sneered at her.
"Well, I was just going to ask my fiancée here if he was ready to go back to our house, but by all means, if you have something more important to offer…," she trailed off with a flick of her wrist.
When Madison just stood there gaping at them Veronica continued. "Oh, I'm sorry Madison. Silly me, you never have anything to offer, much less something of importance," she said.
Logan twined his fingers with Veronica's and walked her to the checkout aisle.
"That was… amusing," he said as he pulled a daisy from the vase and tucked it behind her ear.
"Sorry," she muttered as she turned her face up towards him. His mouth lifted up in that heart stoppingly beautiful grin she loved so much.
His eyes twinkled as he lowered his face down to capture her lips in a sweet and nearly chaste kiss. She grinned and placed his hand on her stomach to feel their baby's kick.
When he kissed her, her heart fluttered in her chest which always made the baby kick. Looking into his eyes, their hands on her stomach, she figured she could do this for a two more months.
The line progressed and she threw some candy bars on the conveyer belt when she thought he wasn't looking.
He chuckled. "I thought we were eating healthy, dear," he said jokingly. She stuck her tongue out at him.
"Yeah, well she," she paused looking pointedly at her stomach, "wants chocolate."
He grabbed a few bags of M&M's and tossed them on the conveyer belt as well.
"Well, who are we to deny a growing girl chocolate?" he said matter of factly.
She grinned. As they walked hand in hand to the bright yellow X-terra Veronica decided she could definitely do this for another two months. …And a few more times in the future.