A/N: This is a one shot idea that has been floating around in my head while I have been trying to write for all my stories. I haven't done a one-shot before so, here goes.
One Year: 180 days vs. 180 days
When Logan Echolls had to say goodbye to Veronica Mars that morning it broke his heart to think the last two weeks might not keep her with him. Logan was afraid as he stepped on the ship getting ready to spend 6 months or 180 days away from the one person he needed more than his own life. He didn't know that these 180 days would bring him both joy and pain.
It has been a month since Veronica last saw Logan, but they had talked on the phone the night before. She noticed how he seemed so excited to hear her voice, as if he was worried she wouldn't answer. She though would have preferred to see him instead of talk with him. She was going through Logan withdrawals and it was making her moody with everyone.
"How is your dad handling you being here instead of New York?" Mac her new IT person asked from across the room. The two women shared the outer office of Mars Investigation.
"He's not happy about me putting the Lawyer job on hold for now, but someone has got to work around here and pay the bills," Veronica says smiling at her beloved friend. Her life would move forward like this for the next four months. She would help her dad track down home wreakers; take pictures of men cheating with other women, and even track done the missing college students here or there. She though wasn't prepared for the event that would change her life dramatically.
"Lieutenant Echolls," a younger man calls out as Logan gets out of his plane. He was excited because he would be home in a few weeks. He couldn't believe how fast and slow the last 5 and a half weeks had gone by. When he talked with Veronica the days went fast, but in the down time it went slow. He was just glad to know she had stayed for him; she was willing to take a chance on him.
"Sir, you asked for me," Logan says as he enters one of the board rooms on the Navy ship. He saw several men in suits which was very different on a ship like this.
"There has been an incident on the mainland. It seems that your presence is being requested in Neptune, but since our mission isn't over for a week and a half you are not able to leave just yet," an older man said as he handed Logan a photograph.
"What's this," Logan demands as he looks at the tiny child in an incubator. It was hooked up to several machines.
"That Lieutenant is your daughter," another man says as he hands Logan another sheet of paper that would destroy him. He takes the information that was given to him. He wasn't very happy, he had asked to have leave to go home, but was declined since they were headed home shortly anyway.
It was in the moment where he was told he couldn't leave that he began to feel so much anger. He hadn't felt this much anger since she left him the last time, but there would be no leaving him again. She was already gone. He wouldn't be able to see her smile light up when she saw him. He wouldn't be able to tell her he loved her. No, he would now be filled with regrets. He decided in that moment to ask for an honorary discharge. He wouldn't be able to do his job with what has happened now.
Keith Mars would learn from Mac that Logan wouldn't be home for the rest of his deployment. The Navy wasn't going to make an exception because they would be back in less than a week. Keith did get a call from Logan asking if there was anything he could do to help, but Keith was too upset to talk with him. In the back of Keith's mind he blamed Logan Echolls for what happened to his daughter. If he hadn't of asked her to come home, he wouldn't be making arrangements for her right now. He would be watching her work tirelessly on something across from Mac.
Logan entered the ICU area of the hospital pratcially running into a nurse. He had searched for a parking spot for more than 20 minutes, he had cursed a little when a black SUV stole a sopt from him. "I'm here to see my daughter. I don't know her name, but her last name is either Echolls or Mars," the young man says quickly getting a strange look from the nurse.
"You aren't sure about your own child's name," she asks him puzzled as if she didn't believe him.
"I was at sea when she was born, and her mother Veronica Mars was.." he didn't need to go further since the nurse held up a hand.
"Keith Mars has her listed under Mars. She's right this way," the nurse says as she leads Logan to meet his daughter for the very first time. He is asked to dress in scrubs. As he enters the little room he can see the blonde hair of the little baby. She opened her eyes immediately as if she knew her father was finally in the room. Her eyes were exact replicas of her mothers. He couldn't help the tears that rolled down his cheek. He had a daughter that would never know her mother.
"I see you finally made it here," Keith Mars says as he enters the space using the cane to help him walk from the car accident that claimed Deputy Sacks life almost 6 months ago.
"I drove all night," Logan says as he touches his daughter's little fingers.
"Right," Keith snapped a little upset that he had to see the damn bastard. Yes, Keith mars was bitter toward Logan. In Keith's eyes his little girl lost out because of his punk ass. It didn't matter to him that Logan was innocent; he was guilty in his books.
"Veronica what's 180 days to us, our story is epic," that was the last words he said to Veronica that meant anything to him 6 months ago. He knew in his heart he was coming back to her, but he never thought she wouldn't be there when he returned.
Logan had named his daughter Lynn Grace Mars-Echolls. Lynn was the only thing keeping Logan from going crazy. It had been 3 months since his return, and he was finally able to take his little girl home. Yes, it was a home, but it would never truly be a home without Veronica. He decided to stop by to see Veronica before heading home. He tended to visit her every other day or so. Keith trained to put a stop to that with security, but they let him slip in once Keith was gone.
"Ronnie, god I don't think I can do this without you. I mean you were the one who said we should wait, but here I am. I got my honorary discharge papers the other day. I will not be missing out on anything Lynn does. I have started writing a book. I hope to have it done one day, but I don't know. God, I miss you. I wish were here right now helping me. I have no clue what to do. Wallace and Mac have said they will help me even Dick said he'd pitch in, but your dad is so angry with me," Logan stops as he shifts his daughter in his lap. He feels the pulling of his heart when Lynn reaches her hand out toward him.
"What are you doing here?" demands an angry Keith.
"I was talking with her. I thought she would like to know Lynn," Logan says as he stands up taking his little girl with him.
"You have no right to be here. Get the hell away from here. I don't want to see you here again or else. Now go!" Keith yells as Logan stares at the older man. Yes, this wouldn't be easy but Keith would need his help one day not to long from now. Would Logan be able to let this fit of rage go, or would it be the damning nail in Keith Mars's coffin when the day or rebirth comes.
Mac moved in with Logan shortly after Logan found a great house. It was right on the beach, but what surprised Mac the most was it wasn't prime real estate in the 09er zip code. No it was located in the middle or the heart of Neptune. It was actually right at the edge of Dog Beach. It was perfect for what he needed. The home had an exclusive private beach, had a beautiful hardwood deck with and enclosed pool and hot tub. The deck spans the whole width of the back house which was nice for entertaining. The house itself had 4 bedrooms with 3 and a half bathroom. He even had a one bedroom guest house or pool house that could totally function as a nice little apartment.
Yes, Logan had been home for four months and life was finally settling down for him. He had gotten the hang of feeding times for Lynn, but the lack of sleep wasn't something he liked. Mac stayed home twice a week and worked from the office she shared with Logan when he would need to go do errands. He hired Ms. Navarro to help him around the house and to cook. He knew he was asking for it when he saw Eli Navarro waiting for him outside the house on one partically bad day.
He had gone to visit Veronica, and was attacked by PCHers as he was leaving the parking lot. He knew Eli was behind it, but was also smart enough not to be involved. "I guess you're still pissing people off," Eli says as Logan gets out of his Land Rover. The BMW he had left for Veronica was in storage. He couldn't drive it.
"Yeah, something like that," Logan responses as he grabs the bag of formula from the back seat.
"It wasn't my idea," Eli says as Mac opens the front door with Lynn in her arms.
"There's been an issue at the office. I've got to go," Mac says as she hands Lynn off to Logan.
"I had heard, but I didn't really know," Eli says as Logan adjusts the bag so he could hold Lynn better.
"Yeah, well I have great help," Logan says as he walks into his house closing the door behind him. Eli's grandmother knew what happened to Logan the moment she saw him, but never said a word. She knew Logan wouldn't want her pity. She reached for Lynn and took care of her while Logan cleaned up. It was during that shower of cleaning off his blood, that he broke down. He cried for the first time since hearing about what happened to Veronica. He cried for not being enough to protect his mother. He cried for not being able to save Lilly. He cried for not seeing what was going on with Carrie. By the time the shower ended he was overwhelmed with pity, but decided he needed to pull through for the little girl who needed him.
Yes, taking Lynn from Ms. Navarro was so easy and he was so gentle with her. Ms. Navarro knew that the man standing before her was nothing like his father. He would protect this little girl from all the evils of the world. She knew he just protected her from what could have happened if she had been with her father when Eli's friends and caught up with him. Yes, Logan had a long road ahead of him, but he would have the help of friends that knew how Epic his love story was with Veronica.
Logan was taking Lynn in for a routine checkup; it had been a little over 6 months since she was born. He had to take her to the ICU ward to see the pediatrician who helped deliver her, but it was fine with him. He might even be able to sneak a visit to someone there as well.
"Well I wasn't expecting to see you two today," the nurse says as she watches Logan sign in.
"Yeah, well its check up time. I also thing Lynn is due for a few shots. It's going to be a rough day," Logan says as he notices a familiar person standing just a little way down the wing. He looks up from the nurse and his eyes meet Logan's. He sees the little girl wiggling in his arms as quickly turns away. Yes, today Keith Mars would be confronted by an unreckoning force, but it wouldn't be Logan Echolls.
"Mr. Mars was called in today about some tests, but he seems a little more agitated than usual," the nurse says as she passes some paperwork to Logan. He sits down and waits to see the doctor; unknown to him a small blonde is opening her eyes.
Yes, things don't always happen like they should; 180 days ago Veronica Mars was taking pictures of a cheating husband. She never saw the man who jerked her out of the car. She did however see the face of the man she was following. Jake Kane was once again meeting Lianne Mars.
Veronica was supposed to be at the doctor's office because she wasn't feeling good, but her dad got the call Lianne was getting ready to bolt. He asked Veronica to tail her. Lianne had already lost her half brother Hunter to Keith when the courts decided to press fraud and con charges against her for the fraud her new husband was trying to pull.
"I didn't tell you to hurt her," Jake says as he tries to help Veronica up only to take the brunt force of a car hitting them head on. Jake Kane survived barely, but the fact that he protected her spoke volumes to her. Veronica's head hit the asphalt and the car door at the same time causing her brain to fill with blood. Keith had to make the choice to put her in an induced coma, but her brain showed no activity. Majority of doctors said she was brain dead, but Jake Kane wouldn't let them hurt her just yet. He asked Keith to give him 180 days before doing anything.
"Daddy," Veronica Mars croaks out after opening her eyes for the first time in 6 months.
"I'm here baby. I'm here," Keith Mars emotionally cries out as he clings to his only daughter. If Keith Mars was being totally honest he had been dreading this day for weeks. When Jake called him to say there had been a change, Keith was prepared to end it all. He loaded his gun and decided the moment they pulled the plug on his baby, he would end his own life.
"Where's Logan?" Veronica asks not knowing anything. She had known he would be back in a few days, but wasn't sure how long she had been unconscious because she didn't hurt really.
"He's here, but not here right now," Keith mumbles not even looking his daughter in the eyes.
"What did you do?" Veronica demands knowing there was more to the story. "I know he is here, he visits with me, talks to me about Lynn. Who is Lynn?" Veronica asks but freezes as she looks toward the door.
"Logan," Keith mumbles as he gets up and put his hand out toward the man standing before him holding his granddaughter, he only sees when Wallace or Mac brings her over. This was the moment where Logan could refuse the man who has made his life hell for the past 6 months or her could move forward and be thankful for not losing Veronica.
"Mr. Mars," Logan says shaking the other man's hand. They exchange knowing glances, neither wanting to hold a grudge. The war was over, but could it be only because of Veronica that Logan could forget the cold shoulder he had received. Yes, he said in his mind. He could put it in the past because he probably would have done the same thing if he was in Keith's shows.
"I see who Lynn is now," Veronica says smiling. Logan knew how she ended up where she was, but no one told him why she hadn't known of Lynn beforehand.
"I guess when I left you, had a little something of me with you," Logan says with a smirk.
"I didn't even know. I had been feeling awful for a week or so, but hadn't even thought about being pregnant," Veronica says smiling as Lynn lay quietly on her chest.
"We should talk," Logan starts but is cut off by Veronica.
"Not right now. I want to just be here right now with you and Lynn. How long was I out," Veronica asks softly.
"180 days," Logan says.
"I was out for 6 months," Veronica snaps and makes Lynn move slightly.
"Veronica, what's 180 days to us. Our story is Epic: Spanning years and continents. Lives ruined, bloodshed, Epic," Logan says as Veronica gives him her head tilt.
"If I can could right, it would be 360 days; since you were gone for 180 and I was here 180," Veronica was still speaking when Logan hushed her by kissing her.
Yes, Veronica may be right with the days, but their story is epic. It's the words that Logan used to describe the set of books he wrote about his favorite blonde detective titled Neptune Epic, the lives ruined and bloodshed all happened. It might have been in that order but it all happened.