Title: All I want is you

Disclaimer: No one belongs to me. If they did there would've been more LoVe and at least five more seasons, twenty more books, ten more movies, and more.

Couples: LoVe, MaDi

Summary: Set after the first break up in Season 3. Veronica and Mac accompany Logan and Dick to a cabin in Tahoe for the holidays. Veronica is trying to be Logan's friend, but that doesn't seem to be working well when all she wants is him and Dick and Mac are trying to get them together, but falling in love with each other as well. No Madison stuff since Logan spent the holidays with Veronica instead of going to Aspen and hooking up with Madison.

Author's Note: So Bondopoulos and I wanted to write a road trip fic with LoVe and Madi so this is a joint project on our parts. No worries I will still continue with Of Bloodshed, Babies, and Epic Love. This is just a side project so I hope you guys like it! Please review and let us know! I know it's a bit early for the holidays, but it seemed to be the perfect time to set the story, so just get into the Christmas spirit despite it being October.

Enjoy!

Chapter 1: I don't want a lot for Christmas

Veronica always prided herself on being a strong female. She was someone who could keep her shit together. She was strong when Lilly died. She was strong when her life got turned upside down after her mother left. She kept it together even after Logan turned the school against her and made her life a living hell for a full year. She was strong when she found out the truth behind every dirty secret that had been hidden from her. She was able to fight Aaron off and still managed to keep it together when she found about what Cassidy had done to her unconscious body. She even kept it together when she thought her father had died and as she watched Cassidy jump off the roof. Through all this she managed to keep moving forward.

After everything that had happened to her, however, Veronica was surprised at the one thing that was to finally make her break. Logan Echolls - or more specifically - Logan breaking up with her and not being in her life anymore. Now all she wanted to do was lie in her bed and wallow. She couldn't bring herself to do anything. All she thought of was Logan.

Veronica couldn't say she was entirely surprised when Logan broke up with her. She had put a distance between them to be sure. But she was surprised by how much it hurt. She felt like her whole world had collapsed. She felt all the strength she so proudly had inside her deflate a little. She knew she hadn't been the best girlfriend to him, but she wasn't completely ready to let go of him.

She knew that she had to snap out of this funk, so she allowed herself exactly two weeks to wallow. After exactly two weeks she was working out a way to at least try to be his friend. Veronica felt that Logan was sincere when he said that she could come to him whenever she needed help or needed a friend. And maybe it was too soon to want to befriend him after only two weeks broken up, but she really needed to see him. She wanted to make sure they were okay. If she couldn't be his girlfriend than she sure as hell was going to try to be his friend.

She was determined to be his friend. She convinced herself that it was possible since they had been in the past. They could again. Maybe that's what led her to making the phone call after her last final let out.

It was the last day of Veronica's first semester at Hearst and the holidays were approaching. Her dad was out of town and she was lonely. She knew she could call Mac or Wallace, but she didn't want to have to put on a happy face around them like she had been for weeks. Besides, she was so not in the mood for Piz or Parker to tag along with them.

"Hello?" his voice breathed into the phone.

She thought she heard hope in his voice - or maybe she just hoped there was hope in his voice.

"Hey…um…it's Veronica." Veronica said wincing at the unsteadiness in her voice.

Logan cleared his throat and she could hear shuffling in the background. "Hey what's up?" he replied.

"Just…you know…um…I was wondering if you maybe wanted to get dinner."

There was a long pause and Veronica closed her eyes silently berating herself for the phone call in the first place. She felt pathetic and stupid and she silently swore up and down never to call him ever again. Screw friendship he obviously didn't want—

"You know what…" she started to preempt him but he interrupted her.

"Yeah, ok. Where?" Logan asked stopping her train of thought.

Her eyes popped open and she let out a breath she would forever deny holding.

"Um, how about that place you really like. The Chinese place?" she suggested.

"Ok. How's fifteen minutes?"

"Perfect."

Veronica made her way to her car on shaky legs. As she unlocked the door and climbed in she took several deep breaths to calm her racing heart. She felt sick and jittery. She half wished she'd never suggested going to dinner with Logan. She reminded herself that if she wanted to try the friendship portion of the relationship again she would have to step out of her comfort zone. They had been good friends, before Lilly's murder so why couldn't they again?

She tried to push the fact that she didn't exactly only want to be friends with him out of her mind. Maybe if they were friends again he could see she was trying to change and that she could deal with her own issues in regards to him. They had previously moved so fast in their relationship so maybe moving very slowly would do the trick. Friendship in her mind seemed to be the key to any future with him at all. At least with friendship they could be in each other's lives.

She was stalling again she realized as she forced herself to put the key in the ignition. She hesitated again and took another deep breath, closing her eyes as the air went in.

"No more running, Veronica." She mumbled before starting the car and heading in the direction of the restaurant.

She arrived with a few minutes to spare but decided to make her way into the restaurant anyway. When she passed through the front door she was surprised to see Logan already at a table waiting for her. He was staring at the door so he saw her immediately as she walked through. She gave him a tentative smile and walked over to the table. As she dropped her purse into the chair beside her she gave him a a gentle, yet more confident smile. She was working hard to appear unfazed by his presence.

"Hey." She said the smile still on her face.

"Hey." He replied.

They sat there for a minute both staring at each other.

"So how are you?" she asked breaking the silence.

"Good, good. School, you know. It's nice to be done for the semester." Logan said leaning back in his seat. He had a look of utter nonchalance as his brown eyes rested on her. The only thing that gave away his unease was his fiddling with the wooden chopsticks on the table.

Veronica nodded, wondering if he always looked that good or if it had just been too long since she'd seen him. He was wearing a forest green shirt and jeans and his hair was done just right. His eyes were their usual piercing brown and she swore they could see into her soul. She was surprised at how badly she wanted to touch him or kiss him, but she knew that would ruin her whole friendship plan. Her finger twitched despite herself as she thought about reaching across the table and putting her hand on his.

"That's good. School's been…tough." She said for lack of anything else to say.

Logan smiled slightly. "I was a bit surprised you called."

"Just a bit?"

"Possibly more than a bit." He relented.

She smiled. "I want to try being friends, you know, like what you said and I just…I want to be friends. We've known each other since we were twelve Logan. I want you in my life. Just because we're…through doesn't mean we can't still be…friends." She said almost choking on the last word. Again she was surprised by how hard that word was to say. She tried to channel her inner strength as she looked back into his deep brown eyes.

"I'm glad you called." He said after a long minute.

She nodded, "Good. So what do you say? Friends?" she said sounding shyer than she would've liked.

Logan grinned and tapped his chin thoughtfully. "I don't know…what does being your friend entail? Asking for favors? Chasing college rapists?" He said with just a hint more malice than he would've liked.

Veronica ducked her head and looked down at her hands in her lap. "Maybe this wasn't such a good idea." She said so quietly he almost didn't hear her.

It was as if Logan could sense she was about to bolt because his hand shot out to grab her arm and keep her in place. The minute his hand connected to her bare arm a bolt of electricity shot up through her and she let out a breathy little sigh. Only the smallest amount of contact was necessary for him to still get under her skin. His mere touch was enough to make her feel impossibly warm and protected.

"I want to try. Being friends I mean, I want to try." He said his eyes boring into hers.

Veronica nodded once. She willed his hand not to leave her skin, but once he saw she wasn't going to run he dropped her arm and began fiddling with the chopstick again.

"Good."

"Good."

They sat for a few minutes silently regarding one another before, as if like magic, the tension between them snapped and Logan began telling a funny story about something that had happened in one of his classes. Veronica laughed until she couldn't breathe and the rest of the night went as well as could be. They laughed and joked. They bantered with each other and enjoyed a comfortableness that they always seemed able to slide into like a second skin. Veronica couldn't help but marvel at how easy the friendship thing was becoming now that they had gotten over the initial awkwardness. She found herself missing touching him though on more than one occasion. She had to clench her fists so she wouldn't reach across the table and wipe his mouth where sauce was or touch his hand that rested on the table.

The end of the night was the hardest though. She had forgotten somewhere along the way that this wasn't a date. By the time they had paid and Logan began to walk her to the car she half expected a kiss. Logan appeared to be having an easier time of it and gave her a friendly hug. She winced as he embraced her, but closed her eyes briefly as she took in his sweet Logan scent. When she pulled back she ducked her head so he wouldn't see the hurt in her eyes. Logan always had a tendency to see right through her and now wasn't the time to give anything away. When she did finally look back up she found him looking at her oddly.

"So I guess this is the last time I'll see you," he said leaning against her SUV.

"Yeah, I'm sure you're going to Aspen for the holidays." She said trying to act more casual that she felt. Inside she was a mess; she couldn't help but wonder if maybe he was going to hook up with someone in Aspen.

"No actually. Dick and I decided to go to his family's place in Tahoe instead. We aren't really in the mood to see the old gang." Logan admitted sheepishly.

For a moment she wondered why, but then she remembered that Dick was also in a weird transitional phase after everything that had happened with his dad and brother.

"Oh yeah, I get it. That sounds fun. Just you, Dick, beer, and tons of single ladies." She joked, resorting to humor in an attempt to mask how him being anywhere near single ladies bothered her.

"Something like that." Logan said noncommittally. "What about you?" He asked after a slight pause.

"What about me?"

"What are your holiday plans? What are you doing now that the semester is done?"

"Oh, uh…well you know." She said shifting uncomfortably before him.

"No I don't know. That's why I asked. What are you doing?" He asked frowning at her uncomfortable behavior.

She cleared her throat self-consciously and wrapped her arms around herself.

"Nothing, actually." She said finally.

"What do you mean, nothing?" He asked surprised.

"Well, I guess that's not true. Mac will be around so I'm sure that she and I will just hang out I guess." She said feeling foolish.

"Where's your dad?"

"Out of town. He's trying to break a big case. Some of the major stuff is happening over the holidays. Initially he wasn't going to take it, but I just told him to go. I mean we do the same thing every year so I won't miss much and we need the money." She said trying to wave it off as if it was no big deal.

Logan stared at her for a moment. "Why isn't Mac celebrating with her family?"

"She has a big computer thing due at the end of the week and her family already left to go visit some relatives on the East coast. She told them she'd just celebrate with friends."

"Well why don't you guys come with us? I mean the more the merrier."

"Logan you don't have to do that. I don't want to crash your boy's weekend of debauchery. I mean—"

"No seriously it would be fun! We can go skiing or snowboarding. We can all hang out. Get drunk, go clubbing, you know. It'll be sweet." Logan said excitedly.

She looked at him and bit her lip. "I mean…are you sure? Mac and I—"

"Yeah it's fine. You guys should come." Logan said, nodding vehemently.

She bit her lip and then nodded. She was not as reluctant as she thought she should be.

"Alright, maybe. How long did you plan to be there?"

"We leave next Saturday. Two days before Christmas."

"Ok and we'd be gone for…"

"Only about a week and a half. We planned to leave two days after New Years." He said grinning at her.

She smiled back unable to hold it in. "Alright, if you're sure. I'll run it by Mac and let you know tomorrow." She said.

Veronica didn't think it was possible but Logan's grin actually widened when she relented and she found herself really wanting to kiss him.

"Awesome." He said before reaching out to squeeze her shoulder and then letting go before she could do anything about it.

Veronica was feeling a bit tongue tied after their physical contact so she just nodded as she opened her car door. When she turned and climbed into the driver's seat she could feel Logan's eyes on her. As she left the parking lot she wondered what she had gotten herself and Mac into.

(A/n: So what do you think? Continue? Please review!)