Disclaimer: Though we're practically identical twins (if he were 5'2", female and Mediterranean-looking), I'm not Rob Thomas and don't own Veronica Mars. However, if I had a genie's lamp, I would rub the hell out of that thing and wish that I were!
I'm back! Hope you all came with me, because Cliff(!) my favorite character in the VM-verse will be making a few appearances here, and that's never a bad thing :)
This is a sequel, so I highly recommend reading 'Follow the MacGuffin' first, because it will make so much more sense that way. For those who need a refresher, (MAJOR SPOILERS if you haven't read it, obviously) here's a 'Follow The MacGuffin' roundup:
1) LoVe is finally happy and living together after much craziness, but Veronica is at a crossroads with her FBI career due to a major screw-up that almost got her killed and gave her a nasty case of PTSD
2) Veronica is knocked up but Logan doesn't know
3) Logan is being stalked, but Veronica doesn't know (they just do not know how to be honest with each other!), but Wallace is on to him and offered to help
4) Mac and Dick realized they liked each other, but then Dick had to play hero and ended up shot - he doesn't remember anything from that night now - including their hookup - and yet, he's still falling in love with her all over again
5) Mac also decided to play hero in order to get Dick medical help, and now she owes a life debt to Alexei Petrenko, a creepy Russian billionaire software mogul who wants to be her sugar daddy - he' s threatened to kill Dick if she double-crosses him, so Mac is trying to create distance with Dick to prevent him from being a target
6) Duncan swung himself a sweet deal with the DA and is off to prison for only six months, and while he's gone, he is leaving Lilly in LoVe's care
7) Clarence is schtupping Celeste Kane, who is sick with cancer AND Lianne has been secretly living in a cottage on the Kane property for years, playing part-time house with Jake (lots of middle-aged people getting their freak on in one place)
8) Keith (who reconciled with Alicia) is sheriff again, due to a massive drug bust he helped the Feds with that put away the FitzPatrick clan and ousted their puppet, Vinnie VanLowe
9) Creepy Russian billionaire wants to ruin Jake Kane and plans to use Mac to do it
10) "Leo has a secret, and it's a good one" - before he blew himself to smithereens by making the unfortunate decision to move Veronica's car for her, Leo told her he needed to talk about something very important - could it have something to do with that mysterious bus locker key she found in his pocket?
Whew! Did you get all of that? Good! Here we go...
CHAPTER 1
Veronica squinted as she noticed the twinkle lights dangling from the roof of the Neptune Court House. They blinked in vain against the glare from the bright sunlight assaulting the facade of the building like a nuclear blast.
The city kept the lights on around the clock during the entire month of December, despite the high cost and pointlessness of igniting them during daylight hours. Last June, the city assembly voted to shut down a library in the 02 school district because they couldn't afford to pay the staff to keep it running, but twinkle lights were deemed a necessity, a vital part of the cultural life in Neptune.
Gotta love a city that values plastic trees and fake snow over its children's literacy. Oh well, at least when they're older, the kids will have something pretty to look at while they're out panhandling for cash.
Duncan and his legal team entered the building, followed closely by Veronica, Logan and their lawyer, Cliff.
Veronica slipped her hand into Logan's as he pulled her tired body up the stairs. It had been two weeks since she'd come home from the hospital, and other than her auditory issues, she was nearly back to her old self.
Unless you count the unexpected guest setting up shop in my womb.
"I feel like I'm dragging around a basset hound. Didn't you get any sleep last night?" Logan slowed his gait to pull her closer to him.
She pushed herself to pick up the pace. "If I remember correctly, I lost a good hour of snoozing due to you and your insatiable pair of grabby hands."
"I didn't hear too much complaining out of you last night." He leaned in closer. "And it was closer to two hours, Bob."
"Two hours? Are we measuring that in Earth time? I had it pegged as being closer to 45 minutes."
Gotta keep moving the goal post just out of reach to keep him motivated. It's not like he hasn't had enough stroking - both ego and otherwise - to keep his self-esteem soaring into the next decade.
Logan gave her an incredulous look. "Considering it was the first time I've gotten to touch you in two weeks and I didn't even get to be inside of you, I believe I deserve a standing ovation for my restraint."
"Huh? I didn't catch that." Veronica's face pinched with effort as she struggled to hear him.
He smiled and tickled her side. "I know your game by now, Mars. You just want to trick me into saying that again at top volume now that we've entered a room where the acoustics rival Mount Everest. I'm not biting...unless you ask me nicely."
She placed a hand over her heart and looked offended. "Playing games? Hmm. That really does not sound like me at all."
Cliff cleared his throat and placed a gentle hand on Veronica's shoulder. "Vee, if you and 'l'enfant terrible' don't knock off all the sexy-talk, the only kid you'll be taking home with you this weekend is the one whose hand you're currently holding."
I'm suddenly thrilled my dad didn't show up for this.
Logan raised an eyebrow at Veronica, in vindication. "Don't you just love it when karma takes care of all your dirty work for you?"
Their shoes clacked against the grey marble floor as they approached the line for the x-ray machine.
A family of four was directly in front of them, slowing down the queue as they struggled with both an inconsolable infant and a bratty three year old boy who wouldn't stop taking items out of the bins that needed to go through the machine.
"If that's not an advertisement for birth control, I don't know what is," Logan said with a sneer.
Cliff threw his ramshackle briefcase onto the conveyor belt. "Preach, brother."
If I wasn't wary of telling him about the baby before...
Veronica rolled her eyes as she slipped off her platform sandals. "Please, you two are much bigger babies than than those two. You guys whine non-stop."
"Maybe, but at least when I shit in my pants, there's a good reason for it," Cliff said with a wink.
Veronica blanched, then dropped her shoes into the plastic bin in front of her. "Don't tell me the reason."
"The only common ground I have with a baby is a fine appreciation of the human mammary gland," Logan said, then leered for a moment at Veronica's chest.
"So you're saying you hate kids?" she asked.
"I never said I hated kids," he said.
Thank God.
Cliff elbowed Logan in the ribs. "You didn't say you liked them either."
Logan chuckled and nodded his head. "True."
Crap.
"Though I'm sure I would have liked myself when I was a kid. I'm told I was fascinating," he continued.
Cliff examined him with a studied eye. "I believe it."
"Of course you were." Veronica snorted. "I guess I don't know what we're doing here if you hate kids so much, Logan. I mean, in case you haven't noticed, Lilly Kane is a kid."
He stopped what he was doing and turned to face her. "Lilly Kane is no kid. Lilly Kane is a 40 year old con artist in the body of a seven year old girl."
"Does she know how to play poker?" Cliff asked.
"Of course she does, but Duncan already forbade me to take her to Vegas," said Logan.
Cliff tipped his head from side to side in thought. "There are ways around that."
"You are both horrible people," Veronica mumbled under her breath.
Logan threw an arm around Cliff's shoulders. "See, that is exactly why he and I should probably never be parents. That, and the whole genetic predisposition to violent, psychotic rages."
Oh, so this is about Aaron, then.
Cliff distanced himself from Logan with a look. "Speak for yourself. These feathers never get ruffled." He brushed some lint off of the lapel of his off-brand, budget suit.
"The violent, psychotic rage thing was all me," Logan clarified.
You are nothing like him, Logan, but you'll never believe that, will you?
"Obviously," Cliff said, as he placed a pair of black, pleather loafers along with his wallet and flip-phone into a bin. "Oh, for the record, I never said I wasn't a parent, just that I shouldn't be a parent. In fact, I'm fairly certain there are at least a few kids running around Little Korea who have a voice like liquid gold and a head of hair that would make a lion cry with jealousy."
The three year old brat from the family in front of them pulled one of his father's shoes away just as it was entering the scanner and chucked it at Cliff's back.
"Ow. Little fucker." Cliff winced in pain.
Logan unloaded the contents of his pockets into another plastic bin and gave it a little nudge forward onto the conveyor belt. "I see they've repainted the lobby since the last time I was here," he said, looking up at the crisp, ecru walls.
Cliff took in the sight of the recently changed lobby and smiled. "It's the little things that really make this job a delight."
Veronica placed her handbag and iPhone into the bin just behind his, then suddenly remembered her gun. "Hang on, this lady is packing" she said, gesturing to the gun strapped to her side beneath her pale blue blazer.
"Aren't we all?" Cliff asked suggestively, sailing through the metal detector with a lazy, half-wave to her over his shoulder.
Veronica eyed the walk-through metal detector nervously and racked her brains for a believable out. "I need to check in my gun, Logan, so I'll meet you on the other side."
He leaned over and placed a chaste kiss on her lips before she set off to speak with the heavy-set Mexican officer in her 30's, who was guarding the area.
And once again, my gun saves the day.
"I'm a Federal agent," Veronica started, flashing her badge. "I need to check in my gun."
The guard examined Veronica's badge and gave her a nod of approval. "It's nice to see other women in law enforcement. You know, I was thinking of going Fed for a while there, myself."
"Really? What changed your mind?" she asked as she passed her gun, holster and clip to the officer.
"My son. Just when it was time to report for camp, I found out I was pregnant. Can't really complete those obstacle courses with a giant belly getting in the way," the woman said with a regretful shrug, before recording the gun's serial number and placing the weapon in a safe behind the guard station.
"Speaking of being pregnant...I don't suppose I could skip the x-ray machine in lieu of a magnetic wand and a vigorous pat-down? As a professional courtesy?" she asked in a quiet voice, furtively glancing in Logan's direction before covertly pointing to her own belly.
"That your husband over there? The tall one with the built arms who can't figure out how to tie his shoes?" the guard asked.
Veronica smiled as she watched Logan struggle to get his shoes back on. "Yeah, that's my boyfriend. We live together."
The woman looked on appreciatively as Logan bent over in the other direction while lacing his oxfords back up. "Not bad. Not bad at all."
Eyes up, lady!
"Don't let the sweet face fool you, he's bad, but I kind of like him that way," Veronica said with a smirk.
"He doesn't know yet, right?" she asked, her glance indicating Veronica's belly, while she ran her hands over the blonde's arms and torso.
Veronica looked up at the woman in shock.
"Your eyes were looking everywhere but at me, and you spoke to me in a whisper," the officer said while patting down Veronica's legs. "Those are classic 'tells', you know?"
If a stranger can get me to spill my guts in a matter of minutes, how transparent am I to everybody who knows me well?
"No, he doesn't. The timing just hasn't been right yet to tell him, you know?" Veronica busied herself with replacing her jacket.
The woman laughed to herself. "It never is, honey."
Veronica was impressed with the woman's observational skills. "You know, it's a shame you never tried again for the FBI, you would have made a great interrogator."
The guard got off the ground and wiped her slacks clean. "Yeah, but we all have to make that hard choice at some point. You probably already know this, but motherhood doesn't really fit that well in the agent lifestyle."
Don't remind me.
Veronica intently smoothed the non-existent creases from her shirt. "So I'm learning."
The perky blonde secretary from the 4th floor lead Duncan, Veronica, Logan and their vast legal entourage into a soulless corner office. The chairs were barely padded and utilitarian, a far cry from the sleek and luxurious offices at Kane headquarters.
A fake wood table with an empty conference phone hole in the middle took up the majority of the room, leaving the group aimlessly wandering around it's perimeter.
Veronica noted the absence of said conference phone and the lack of any other equipment, save for a sour-smelling, miniature Krupps coffee maker mocking them from the side ledge. "I told you they wouldn't have coffee here, Donut. It's not Kane Corp. Not every conference room in town looks like it was designed by the W Hotel chain."
Duncan seemed appropriately nervous as he sat gingerly on the edge of the table. "It's not like I've ever been in the bowels of the courthouse before, Veronica."
Logan casually raised a finger. "I have."
Veronica smiled tensely and pushed Logan down into a vacant chair by his shoulders. "Probably not the best topic of discussion once the ADA shows up, honey."
"It's a matter of public record, Vee" Cliff reminded her. "They'll probably bring it up."
"Okay, but we don't have to remind them to bring it up, do we?" she carped.
Logan grinned at her with amusement and pulled her into his lap. "Are you ashamed of me, kitten?" he asked as he felt his way around her thighs.
Only when you grope me in front of my dad's friends, lover.
"Not ashamed, but not exactly bursting with joy at the stupidity you exhibited in your youth."
"And here, I always thought you found my criminal nature a sign of my superior intellect." He nuzzled the back of her neck and she leaned into the affection.
"That's exactly what a sociopath would say." She tilted her head just enough to let him see her smirk. "Strictly my professional opinion, as a profiling specialist."
Duncan quickly turned to look out of the window at the parking lot below.
Veronica gave Logan's arm a playful pinch before motioning toward Duncan with her head. "Retract tentacles" she mouthed.
Logan dramatically released her and she leapt off of his lap. "Seriously Duncan, what would you like us to say if they ask?"
A severe-looking, African American woman around 50 with shortly-cropped hair gazed humorously at the couple. "It's better if you let your...lawyer?" she asked, looking caustically at Cliff, who simply nodded without offense. "...talk for you."
Should I be surprised that Celeste Kane was the one to hire this charmer?
"This is all a formality anyway," she said dismissively. "They usually sign off on the guardian's custody preference in these cases, and now that Mr. Kane has established parentage, it shouldn't be a problem."
"What about the Mannings?" Veronica asked.
"Didn't I tell you?" Duncan asked, turning from the window to face her. "Stewart Manning is in prison."
"Child abuse? Child endangerment? Spousal abuse?" Veronica rattled off only a few of the many charges she would have liked to have lobbed at the asshole, if given the chance.
He shook his head. "Tax fraud. Apparently, the only kind of withholding Uncle Sam disapproves of is financial."
Logan's leg started to bounce and he fiddled with the collar on his jacket anxiously.
Knowing how easily upset he got from hearing tales of child abuse, Veronica circled behind his chair and rested her hands on his shoulders to ground him. "And what about Grace? She's not living with Rose Manning still, right?" she asked, more for Logan's benefit than her own.
Duncan kneaded the back of his neck with his left hand and returned his eyes to the window. "Mrs. Manning drank a bottle of bleach the night they took Meg's dad away. Grace lives with Lizzie now."
Wish I could bring myself to feel bad about that. Oh well.
The door opened without warning, startling everyone inside, and in walked the assistant district attorney Jefferey Steinberg, a schlubby, rumpled-looking white man in his mid-40's, wearing an ill-fitting suit. Following closely on his heels with a legal pad in her arms, was a stunning Latina woman in her mid-20's, whom Veronica assumed to be his assistant or intern.
"Mr. Kane, it's a pleasure to be meeting with you once again," the ADA said, as he pulled a chair out from the table and took a seat. "You already know my legal intern, Ms. Ruiz, from our last mediation."
The woman took the chair next to him and then looked up, immediately locking eyes with Veronica. She smiled subtly and then looked back down at her notes.
Carmen Ruiz? I haven't seen her since graduation. It can't be a bad thing having a person sitting across the aisle who owes you a solid.
"Yes. Also, we went to school together," Duncan said.
"Uh-oh, hope we don't have a conflict of interest here," the ADA said sarcastically, with an expression that suggested it would be an impossibility.
Jeez. How much coin did Jake Kane have to 'donate' to the courthouse to warrant this kind of a reception. It's like traveling with a visiting pasha.
"This is Ms. Mars and her fiance, Mr. Echolls. They'll be serving as the child's guardians during Mr. Kane's incarceration," Steinberg explained to Carmen, who wrote down some notes.
Fiance? I know I can be a heavy sleeper, but surely I would have remembered getting engaged.
Duncan looked quizzically at Veronica, who shrugged and then turned to Logan with a raised brow. Logan responded with a guilty-looking smile before quickly averting his stare.
Guess that answers that question.
"It's a pleasure to meet everybody" Carmen said, once again pointedly shooting Veronica a covert greeting with her eyes.
After going over the details of Duncan's agreement with a fine tooth comb, as well as the specifics of the custody arrangement, the ADA rose from his chair and placed a fatherly hand on Carmen's shoulder. "I'm due in court in ten minutes, but Carmen here will stay and finish up the paperwork with you all. Mr. Kane, I trust we'll be seeing you bright and early on Monday morning?"
Duncan took a deep breath and produced a forced-looking smile. "With bells on."
Cliff leaned in to whisper in Veronica's ear. "Which they will promptly remove, as they might be used as a weapon inside the joint."
Veronica shook her head. "You are a twisted man, Clifford."
"On that note, if I'm no longer needed, I have a standing appointment at 'Phuket Good', the Thai massage place on Santa Ana Way." He stood up and snapped his fraying, faux-leather briefcase closed. "That's four stops just off the PCH service road, in case you're in the market for a four-handed rub down," he said, looking directly at Logan.
You are lucky I owe you a million favors, man.
Logan looked behind himself, then realized Cliff was reciting the directions for his benefit. "Are you trying to get me killed, Cliff? You know my girl is licensed to carry a gun, right?"
Cliff chuckled as he walked toward the door. "You kids and your conventional views on love...come back and talk to me after your third divorce."
"Goodbye, Cliff," Veronica said forcefully.
Logan brought both of her hands to his lips. "I'm in the market for a two-handed massage, only."
"I only need to use one." Veronica whispered as she flexed the fingers on her right hand in the air.
He groaned under his breath. "You are going to pay for that comment later, kitten."
She rubbed her hands together in anticipation. "Ooh, I certainly hope so. This whole being injured thing has really put a crimp in our sex life."
Carmen rose from the table after collecting all of the signatures she needed, then beamed openly at Veronica. "You are about the last person I expected to walk through that door with Duncan Kane...except for maybe this guy," she said, indicating Logan with her thumb before giving her old acquaintance a quick hug.
You're probably only one of thousands who feel the same way.
Logan bowed his head. "Carmen, you're looking as lovely as ever."
"Thank you, Logan." She tittered and then looked back and forth between the couple with anticipation. "I'm actually quite surprised to see you together still. I mean, considering the hostile way you treated each other senior year."
Ah...those were my salad days, when I had nothing to exact my vengeance with other than my own two hands and my enterprising spirit.
"That wasn't hostility, Carmen, that was unrequited love," Logan said.
He's the only one who can make verbal harassment sound romantic.
Veronica leaned her head against his arm for a moment. "It wasn't unrequited, Logan. Just un-acted upon."
"Oh, because you were dating..." Carmen looked at Duncan uncomfortably and then back at Veronica.
Logan's expression became a rigid mask at her mention of his girlfriend's relationship with his former best friend and Carmen stammered nervously. "I – what I – um mean is..."
Oh God, here we go again. Somebody should have warned her about poking a sleeping dragon.
Veronica sensed old insecurities beginning to crown their ugly heads. She knew high school was a sore subject for Logan, not only for the unconscionable way he treated her during most of their sophomore and junior year, but for the uncontrolled rage and immaturity he displayed during their senior year which prompted her to coldly abandon him. It was the lowest point he'd ever experienced in his life, and she knew that any reminder of it would just bring the feelings of inadequacy back to him in a flash.
He's not the only one who's ashamed of the way they acted back then. I should have been more understanding, I should have been there for him like he was for me. He was alone, and I just cut him loose in the wilderness, leaving him to perish. I'm not sure I'll ever be able to forgive myself for that.
She interlaced her fingers with Logan's and clung to his arm with her other hand. "The real problem was that I just wasn't ready to accept the inevitable back then, but I am now." She looked directly into Logan's eyes until she felt his tension give.
Carmen gave Veronica's forearm a light squeeze. "That is just the sweetest story ever, and I am so happy for you both. I mean, who would have guessed that the two of you would one day be getting married?"
Logan tightened his grip on Veronica's hand. "I would have guessed, but then again, I always did put the 'hopeless' in hopeless romantic."
Veronica glared at him. "I'm afraid the wedding is just a flight of Logan's fancy. I suppose he thought being married might sway the ADA in our favor, as far as Lilly's custody was concerned. What an old-fashioned notion, am I right?" She laughed nervously.
Carmen looked confused. "Wait – so you're not...?"
Veronica could feel Logan start to tighten up again next to her again. "Oh, we are, just not legally. We live together, we just won't be releasing doves any time soon."
Logan looked flatly at Veronica. "Define soon."
Anytime before I reach 100. If you still want to lock it down when I look like a Raisinette, I'm all yours.
"Probably not the most appropriate place to be having this discussion, darling." Veronica's face hardened.
Logan kept his features relaxed. "Well, you won't have it anywhere else, so I'll take it where I can get it, snookems."
She licked her lips and took a step closer to him. "I don't think you'll be getting it at all if you don't drop the subject immediately, hot pants."
Carmen brought her hands to either side of her face. "Aww, you guys really are exactly the same as you were in high school! None of us were ever sure whether you were going to kill each other or eat each other for breakfast."
You can add me to that list.
Logan wrapped an arm around Veronica's waist. "Little known fact: Ronnie is actually the breakfast of champions." He pulled her tightly against his groin, which had slightly begun to harden.
Duncan tapped Carmen on the arm and motioned her over to his lawyers so they could ask her a question. "Listen, I should get over there, but I'd love to grab coffee sometime and catch up."
A friend? Ah yes. I remember when I used to have those.
"Sounds great. I'll leave my number."
Carmen squeezed Veronica's hand. "Fantastic! I'll see you soon."
As Carmen walked away, Veronica could feel Logan's breath quicken behind her.
"Alone at last."
She looked around at the still full conference room and smirked. "I wouldn't exactly say that." The evidence of Logan's growing arousal gently nudged her back and her brow creased in response. "Seriously? You're getting hard here? Are you an animal?" she whispered, always amused by his ill-timed erections.
Logan pouted. "Last night was the first night since you came home that we got to...do stuff. I'm a little backed up." Veronica groaned her disgust and tried to squirm out of his grasp to no avail. "Hey, you should count yourself lucky that I'm not indifferent to you."
Veronica placed a hand on her hip. "As if you could ever be indifferent to me."
"Likewise."
She smiled to herself. "That too."
"Well." He let out a relieved breath. "It's nice that you're finally admitting it...even if it did take you twelve years" he said, with more than a hint of pleasure.
Logan's hands slid from Veronica's waist to her outer thighs and he leaned his lower half further into her. "What exactly is doing it for you, the communal office microwave from the Paleolithic era or the way the synthetic low-pile carpet glimmers under the institutional fluorescent lighting?"
He shrugged. "What can I say? This building is making me feel nostalgic."
"For what? Incarceration?" Veronica asked as she flipped her body around to face him.
Logan looked at her shyly with puppy dog eyes as he brushed her hair out of her eyes then tucked it behind her ears. "You know." He leaned his forehead against hers and she could feel the affection radiating off of him.
Great, now I'm getting a metaphorical erection.
She did know. She'd been feeling it since they walked into the place. For all of the time Logan had spent on trial in that courthouse, she had been right there next to him, as nervous as he was, fearing what he feared, holding his hand like it was the only thing preventing him from being taken away from her.
Veronica's arms snaked up around his neck and she molded herself to his body. "I do."
"You were the only thing keeping me sane that summer," he whispered.
She frowned, then let her hands wander down his back. "I did a pretty lousy job with that, if I remember correctly."
"I didn't think it was possible to love anybody more than I loved you back then, but I was wrong." Veronica cocked her head to the side in question.
"I'm still referring to you, genius."
Veronica's breath caught in her chest and she simply smiled at him, hoping he could feel all of the things she had trouble saying out loud. She would have given anything to be able to express herself freely at that moment, but deep down she knew it just wasn't in the cards for people like her. "If this is your way of trying to get me to agree to a quickie in the broom closet, I accept."
I'm actually not kidding about that broom closet.
He chuckled at her obvious emotional deflection and pressed his lips against hers, a tacit acceptance of her limitations.
"I did...love you back then, Logan, even though I pretended not to," she said faintly, before tipping her face up to his. "Just so you know."
Logan cupped her face with his hands and lowered his mouth onto hers once more, then grinned. "I believe there was some mention of a broom closet?"
"Actually, I prefer my illicit trysts to take place in electrical closets," she said very seriously.
"Electrical closets, you say?" He ardently looked around the room for a moment then sighed. "Seems they're fresh out of closets in general, my dear. I suppose that's what you get with a cheap, city architect."
She reached her hand into his pocket and produced his keys. "I know this terrific place where they have tons of closets. Plus, when we wear ourselves out, we can just walk ten feet and collapse into our own bed."
"That does sound terrific. Why don't you give me the address?"
Mac entered her apartment and threw her purse on the table, letting it ricochet off of the wood and slide back onto the floor with a soft thud.
Too tired. Will get it later.
It was Friday and she had just finished her first full week at Alexicon. It was grueling work, starting a project from scratch, but true to his word, Alexei had provided her with unlimited funds and full access to everything and anything she needed. As far as professional endeavors go, she had to admit that this was pretty top shelf. Her personal life, however, was like the sludge one might find at the bottom of a beer barrel after it's been tapped.
So far, in the ten days that she had been at his company, Alexei had 'invited' her to join him for lunch on nine occasions. Lunch, Alexei-style, consisted of going over the the Red Room Club for some holubtsi cabbage rolls, a few shots of horseradish vodka and several uninvited gropes. To say he was being aggressive in his sexual harassment would be like referring to Steve Buscemi as looking slightly haggard.
As Mac crossed her living room, she was stopped cold by the sight of Dick Casablancas, lying peacefully asleep on her couch, next to a game center that he'd brought over earlier in the week. A few lit candles and six bottles of an obscure, imported beer he had chilling in an ice bucket rounded out the oddly romantic scene. She sighed at the effort, despite her genuine wish that he hadn't come over.
Why does he keep doing this? He's only making it tougher for me to protect him.
As if sensing her presence, Dick's eyes fluttered open and a sleepy smile crept across his face as he stretched. "Mornin' Mackie."
She folded her arms and did her best to look annoyed. "It's 7pm, Dick."
"It's morning somewhere..."
She wanted to be mad, but he just looked too adorable lying there for her to muster up the appropriate level of ire. However, she needed to drive her message home somehow. "This is the fourth day this week you broke into my house."
"Whatever Macster. It's not breaking in if I have a key," he said, continuing to stretch his arms over his head. Her eyes combed over his tanned, taut stomach muscles as his shirt rose halfway up his torso, and she felt all of the air escape her lungs. "Besides, I let all of my friends have the key to my house. What's the big deal?"
Should this worry me more than it does? Probably.
"The big deal, is that I didn't give you a key to my house." Mac's hands made their way to her hips in fists. "How, exactly, do you have a key to my place?"
"I told your landlady that I was your boyfriend, and that I needed to set up a bunch of elaborate shit in your apartment so I could propose to you."
She bought that?
Off her doubting look, Dick waggled his eyebrows. "I can be very persuasive."
Yeah, I'll bet.
"I'm positive I don't want to know what that means." Mac circled around her couch and plopped down on the opposite end from where Dick was sitting.
He shrugged. "I could always demonstrate."
Flabbergasted by his audaciousness, she shook her head. "Please tell me you're making this up to tease me."
His eyes twinkled with mirth. "Nope. I'm only gonna be straight with you. It's a new thing I'm trying."
"So what? You copied my keys or something?"
Dick gave her a coy smile. "Or something."
Fuck. Seriously? The last time I saw him put this much effort into something was when he threw that Oktoberfest-themed housewarming party for himself over three years ago. I still don't know how Logan managed to talk me into that one.
"You copied my keys?" Mac asked more insistently this time.
"I totally did," he said with no remorse.
She ran her hands through her hair and let out an exasperated puff of air as her head hit the cushions. "Well, I feel safe. I only hope Mrs. Washington doesn't find the Zodiac Killer sexy next time he rolls into town." She sighed and kicked her shoes off onto the floor. "Listen Dick, I know you have a very fertile imagination, but you are aware you're not my boyfriend?"
Dick popped the top off of a beer and held it out to her. "Yet."
Is he for real with this? I feel like I'm being punk'd. This whole scenario is shades of every 80's movie I've ever seen, where the bully tricks the dork into thinking his girlfriend/boyfriend is into them, only to publicly humiliate them for the crime of believing the farce.
Mac looked at it blankly for a moment, then rolled her eyes and took it from him. "I'm only drinking this beer because it's cold and I'm thirsty, not because I'm agreeing with you."
Dick shuffled along the couch until he was next to her and handed her a game controller, which she took wordlessly and placed in her lap, as she had done nearly every day that week.
"Why me?"
He looked at her with mock confusion. "You've seen your rack, right?"
She stifled a laugh and took a swig of her beer. "There are plenty of great racks out there, Dick. Why mine?"
He shrugged. "I've pretty much fucked everybody in Neptune worth doing already."
Come again?
Mac narrowed her eyes at him. "So you're saying that you're sitting in my living room right now, because I'm what's left over after you've plowed through all of the better-looking girls?"
He turned his entire body to face her, then pulled her beer from her hands to get her attention and slammed it on the coffee table. "No, Mac what I'm saying is that if you've seen one set of fake knockers, you've pretty much seen them all, you know? After the sex is done, there's really nothing else interesting happening with those women. You and I haven't even gone to second base, and I'm already having way more fun with you than I've ever had with any of those chicks." He rested his hand on her thigh and practically burned a hole in her with his gaze. "In case I haven't made myself clear, I like being your friend, but I still totally want to bang you."
Shit. How am I supposed to resist this? The answer: I can't! When did this happen to me? Have I turned into one of those pod people?
She felt her stomach start to tingle and tried to tamp it down with a full-body clench. "Look, I was joking about me owning you like a Japanese Shogun. You're not my serf, Dick, you don't have to work off your debt to me."
Dick cracked a smirk. "I'm not here to work off a debt, but that kind of sounds like an awesome sex game, which by the way, I'm definitely up for if you're into that kind of stuff."
I wasn't until you just mentioned it. Gah!
Mac took a deep breath and tried to reason with herself. "Yeah, until you get bored and move on to the next 'challenge'."
"Hey, I got all of that crap out of my system when I was 20. I know I was, like, the biggest whore in Southern California, but I'm done with all that, I swear. I've been done with that for a while now," Dick said, a tinge of hurt feelings working it's way into his tone. "I'm here because I like hanging out with you, not because I'm trying to conquer you, or whatever crap scenario is floating around in that head of yours."
"Dick..."
Dick shook his hand in front of his face to stop her from talking. "No, you don't get it, because you can't even imagine the parade of boring-ass, fake-looking, gold-diggers that have come through my bedroom. You don't roll with that crowd, so you don't even know the kind of crap that's out there."
"God, I feel terrible for you." Mac's mouth formed a tight line. "A little tip, Dick: if you're trying to get a women to date you, you might not want to mention the 'parade' of ladies who have marched through your bedroom."
Dick scoffed. "Oh, like I'm sure you're shocked, because you had no idea what a giant man-whore I used to be. Is this the first time we've met?" He held his hand out for to her to shake.
Point taken.
She shrugged her acquiescence and he retracted his hand. "Obviously you don't get it, so I'll lay it out for you. I don't meet too many smart and funny chicks who can kick my ass on the console, while also somehow getting me to care about shit I probably wouldn't even think about normally. Plus, you're really cute when you get embarrassed, which is a lot...probably because you like me too."
Her mouth dropped open, but she couldn't manage to form any words.
Shit. Shit! He actually said it out loud. What the hell am I supposed to do with this information when it's taking everything I have to keep me glued to my couch cushion?
Dick took her hand in both of his and played absently with her fingers. "You're still letting me sit here, right? If you wanted to get rid of me, you wouldn't have to try really hard. Guess you're not as much of a challenge as you think you are, Mac, so that debunks that theory."
At a loss for anything productive to say about the topic at hand, Mac hid behind the minutiae. "You just used the word debunk correctly in context."
"I'm not retarded, Mac. I went to college." He released her hand.
"I have no idea why I just said that, I know you're not...'retarded'," she said, stumbling over the distasteful word repeated in air quotes. "I don't meant to be acting like such a bitch, it's just...I'm, uh...I'm a hard nut to crack."
I'm a hard nut to crack? What the fuck is wrong with me? Now I sound dumber than he did in high school!
Dick looked at her like she was the last shrimp left on the buffet table. "I'm fairly confident I can crack your nut, Mac."
Will somebody break out the smelling salts already? I am going down.
She cleared her throat nervously and tried to affect a serious mien. "How, um, exactly do you think you would accomplish something like that?"
What are you doing, girl? This is the opposite of getting rid of him and you know it.
Dick leaned forward, took the console from her lap and placed it on the coffee table in front of her. Her back straightened as he inched even closer to her and gently combed her hair back, before grazing the outside corner of her ear with his lips.
"I'm sure I can think of something" he whispered hotly into her ear, causing a chill to run down her spine. He then pressed a soft kiss to the apple of her cheek and quickly pulled out of her personal space, leaving her cold from the loss of contact.
Uhhh...
Mac felt suddenly lightheaded and her mouth ran dry. As if on cue, Dick handed her the beer he opened for her earlier and she took a sip, then nodded her thanks.
"So...when you're done swooning and shit, let me know if you're up for a game of 5th." Dick brought his own beer to his lips and took a long, smug sip.
Logan punched the entry code into his gate and pulled his truck into the driveway of his beachfront home.
Before he had a chance to cut the motor, he instinctively lunged across the console to prevent Veronica from unbuckling her seat belt. "Stop trying to get out of the car on your own."
I'm sure being so quick on the draw probably helped her in the FBI, but it's making my home life exhausting.
She growled her displeasure, but obeyed his request, leaving the seat belt connection alone. "I've actually been doing this whole walking-on-my-own thing for the last 20-odd years pretty well. I'm fairly certain I can continue to."
Ignoring her complaints, Logan turned off the car and gave her a stern look. "Stay there until I come around."
"Sir! Yes sir!" she shouted, followed by a sarcastic salute.
He tried hard not to laugh as he stepped out of the car, but even in her anger, Veronica always managed to be entertaining.
After circling around to the other side, he opened her door and attempted to guide her from the passenger seat, but she dug her heels in. "If you would just follow the doctor's orders, I wouldn't have to get tough with you all the time."
She angrily crossed her arms over her chest. "Looks like somebody rented the movie 'Secretary' again."
Logan took a moment to fantasize about Veronica wearing a crisp, white button down blouse with a pinstriped skirt so short and tight she could barely walk in it.
God, I fucking love that film.
"Logan?" she snapped with annoyance.
Crap. Did she notice?
He cleared his throat and adjusted his stance to leave more room in the front of his trousers. "Uh, no actually, I rented 'Misery', but I am happy to bend you over a desk at any time. You just say the word." He tried his best cheeky grin to distract her from his lascivious thoughts.
Veronica pouted her lips. "Word."
Fuck. Really? It's about time.
He looked down at his girlfriend with affection. "Looks like I should probably get you inside then."
Her expression remained unmoved. "Looks like it."
I cannot keep track of this woman's moods lately.
"How is it that at the same time you're seducing me, you're also managing to give off the distinct impression that you're irritated with me. It's funny, you'd think that when a woman runs hot and cold at the same time, the result would be warm. Alas, no."
She shook her head. "It's not you. I'm just sick of not being about to move around the way I want, and irritated by the constant ringing in my ears. How am I supposed to figure out who did this to me – and to Leo – if I can't even reliably hear who people are saying, or even walk down the street without getting dizzy."
Time for an inspirational quote, Bobcat.
He knelt at her feet and leaned his arms on her knees. "He that can have patience, can have what he will. Benjamin Franklin."
"I highly doubt Benjamin Franklin had to wear a crash helmet just to walk around the block. Something tells me he'd be singing a different tune if that were the case."
Logan ran his hands through his hair and struggled to stay balanced. "Who is forcing you to wear a crash helmet?"
Veronica shrugged petulantly. "If I were living alone, I'd have to."
"Well, then it's a good thing you're not living alone." Logan stood up, turned around and offered his back for a ride. "How about I just let you climb on my back and we forgo the whole walking thing altogether?"
She wrapped her arms and legs around his torso and rested her chin on his shoulder. Despite her recent foray into intermittent insanity, he still never felt safer or happier than when she was surrounding him. "I'd rather climb your front, if you know what I mean."
Okay, seriously, something is afoot. She's giving me emotional whiplash.
Logan laughed. "No, I don't know what you mean, Veronica. Please explain."
She dug the edge of her chin into his shoulder as punishment for teasing her. "If I have to explain it, I'm doing something wrong."
His hands cupped her ass from behind and pulled her closer to him. "If you were doing it any more right, I'd be fucking you on the hood of my Toyota right now." He bent his knees and placed her on her feet next to the front door, then nearly knocked the wind out of her with hid amorous embrace. "Come on. You've been driving me crazy all morning. Get inside."
Veronica taunted him with a wanton look. "You get inside."
Sir! Yes, sir!
"That's what I've been trying to do for weeks now, Ronnie!" His hands wandered into her hair and yanked her head back to expose her throat for further exploration. "Veronica..."
She began to pant heavily as he nipped and sucked the column of her neck. "Do it."
Fuck.
Logan pulled her blazer off and threw it on the ground next to the doormat. "Is that a new bra? Your breasts look enormous."
"Why don't you find out?" she said, unbuttoning her blouse until the top of her white lace bra was visible.
He slid his hands under Veronica's shirt and roughly cupped her breasts, causing her to squeal in pain and pull away from him quickly. "Are you okay? Did I hurt you?"
Crap. Am I losing my touch?
Veronica shook her head, but kept her gaze on the ground. "I think..I think it's just PMS."
Oh yeah, her period. Explains a lot.
Logan closed the distance between them and wrapped his arms around her. "Well, it's about time. You haven't had your period at all since we've been together."
"I had it while I was being held that week at The Red Room," she mumbled under her breath.
As if being kidnapped weren't uncomfortable enough...yuck.
Logan grimaced and kissed the top of her head protectively. "That must have been fun for you."
He could feel Veronica tense in his arms. "I don't want to talk about it. In fact, I think I just want to go upstairs and take a shower, if you don't mind."
Looks like I'm going to have to take a shower now, too. Mine will be cold.
"Of course I don't mind. Are you...you're okay, right? You're acting kind of strange."
"I'm just tired."
"Oh. Well, why don't you go upstairs and I'll order us some dinner - or I could make you a cup of tea?" he offered.
Or whatever else you PMS ladies like to eat and drink when you're not blacking out with rage.
Veronica cradled his face in her hands and started to get choked up. "I really love you. You know that, right?"
Okay...I've never been one to look a gift horse in the mouth, but this is not normal Veronica behavior.
"Yeah, I know." Logan's forehead creased with concern as he intently traced the edges of her face with his fingers. He didn't know what he was looking for, but he knew for a fact that something was there that he wasn't catching. "It's just take-out, Ronnie. Save the tears of gratitude for when you try my Bolognese."
She started to cry and laugh at the same time and he swore he could feel his blood drop 10 degrees at that moment. "I really don't deserve you, Logan."
Is this still the PMS talking?
"You're not really acting like yourself, baby. Should I be concerned?" he asked before kissing her scalp a few times. "Take a deep breath."
Veronica took a few long breaths and smiled in a way he knew wasn't genuine. Over the years, he had mentally recorded every single one of her smiles, had them documented and forever branded into his mind. This was not one that he recognized.
No. This isn't normal.
Observing her with a curiosity usually reserved just for wildlife and babies, Logan worked up the nerve to broach a taboo subject they had yet to discuss. "Hey...what happened with Leo...if you feel like talking about it with me, I'm here, okay? Or if you don't feel comfortable talking to me, I could always call a therapist? No pressure."
Veronica shook her head vigorously at the suggestion. "I'm fine. Just emotional...from my period. It's been a while since you lived with a woman, so you've probably forgotten."
"I've never lived with a woman other than my mom - and Trina whenever her money would run out - so yeah, it's been a while."
She folded in on herself as she burrowed into his chest. "Just promise me that you'll never leave me, okay?"
Jesus. Now, I'm really getting worried.
Logan stroked her back and kissed her left temple. "What happened to Leo was a freak thing."
"It wasn't a freak thing, it was an assassination attempt, and in case you haven't noticed, they missed their target," she said, gesturing to herself.
"Believe me Veronica, I've noticed. I can barely sleep some nights because I'm so worried for you."
Veronica pulled away from him and rested her hands on her stomach. "I keep having this nightmare where there's somebody following us, and when I turn around to see who is it, you're standing in front of me and you've been stabbed, and you're bleeding everywhere."
Funny, I've been having those same nightmares in reverse.
Logan swallowed thickly and a shock of fear crept up his spine. "That's what those nightmares you've been having are about?"
"Some of them," she said cryptically. "Just promise me you'll be extra careful. I don't want to – I can't lose you, okay? I can't."
Though he'd always dreamed of her saying things like this to him, the circumstances of his fantasies had been very different. At this moment, he'd wholeheartedly prefer the less effusive version of Veronica, if in exchange it would leave her less terrified.
Veronica Mars is begging me to be safer – have I now entered 'The twilight Zone'?
"I'll never leave you," Logan said, knowing for certain it would take a bulldozer to get him out of her life now.
Veronica exhaled raggedly and fisted the lapels of his jacket with clammy palms. "Promise me you'll be careful. Promise me."
"I promise to be careful, okay?" He smiled at her as he stroked her cheekbone with his thumb, then leaned down to kiss her. "Go on upstairs now before I throw you over my shoulder. Seriously, your breasts are distracting. Flee now, while you still have the chance of an escape."
She laughed, and as she took her first step toward the front door, her foot slipped on a white folded card. Logan lunged to steady her just in time. "What's that?" she asked.
Great timing, stalker. Thanks.
He quickly grabbed the card from the ground and slipped it into his jacket pocket. "Must've fallen out of my pocket while you were mauling me. Now go!" he said, and slapped her on the ass lightly.
Veronica jokingly slapped his ass back. "Control your dirty urges," she said, then unlocked the front door and hurried inside.
Logan lifted the ominous card out of his pocket, but couldn't bring himself to open it. If it were a ladder, he would have walked around it like a bad omen.
He looked through the floor-to-ceiling glass windows next to the door and watched as Veronica carefully ascended the staircase toward their bedroom.
How can I protect her when I'm the reason she's in danger in the first place?
As he reached down to retrieve Veronica's blazer from where he'd dropped it earlier, a perfect white rose peeked out from underneath its cover.
A/N - Well? What did you think of the first chapter? Intrigued? I'm dying to know, so please scroll down a bit more and consider writing a review, if you have a moment. You don't have to be a registered user to leave feedback.
Oh, did I mention I love reading your reviews? I did? Okay, just checking...
Special Holla to Silverlining2k6 for the always amazing concrit.