The Saint Has Fallen (1/1)
Rating: PG for some swearing
Pairing : This is a LoVe story. Is there any other kind?
Summary : Veronica can't ignore Duncan's secrets and lies anymore. Alternate extended ending for 'My Mother the Fiend'. AU starting from Veronica leaving Meg's hospital room.
Spoilers : Up to 'My Mother the Fiend'
Disclaimer : I own nothing, I make no profit. I just like to play.
Author's note: I've been watching some season 2 episodes and was reminded how bothered I am that ཁSaint Duncan" got away with so much - the lying, the cheating - I think Veronica really needed to lose those rose-colored glasses when it came to him. This just came to me and wouldn't get out of my head. Hope you enjoy!
Veronica swiftly walks away from Meg's hospital room. The image of Meg's very pregnant belly burned into her mind.
Duncan had to know. It definitely explained why he kept the constant vigil outside Meg's room. She was pregnant with his child. It also explained Meg's hostile attitude more – she had been pregnant, alone and terrified.
It seemed Duncan had a lot of secrets these days. Lying to her and lying about her to his parents. She really didn't appreciate being the dirty little mistress. Veronica can't help but wonder if there is anything else she has been blind to while on her path to 'normal'. She leaves the hospital and heads to her car – she intended to find out.
"Honey, I'm Ho - me!" Logan sing-songs as he enters the suite. Coming around the corner he's just in time to see Kendall scramble off Duncan's lap whilst fixing her shirt.
"Oh, good." Logan takes the scene in almost nonchalantly. To be honest, he's not really surprised. "I see you found something to do while I was gone."
Duncan shifts nervously on the couch, stammering, "Uh, we were just…"
Quickly holding up his hand, Logan jesters for silence. "Please, save me the lame attempt at trying to cover up what I already knew. You two aren't exactly subtle. This is, what, the second time I come home to find you two alone, cozy on the couch? I know we used to share our toys when we were younger, DK, I just thought we'd grown past that phase."
Kendall watches the exchange, a glint of amusement in her eyes as she runs a finger across her bottom lip to fix her smeared lipstick.
"Now boys, there's no need to fight." She slowly rises from the couch and approaches Logan, hips swaying seductively. "Don't be mad, Logan. Can't we all just play nice ... We could even play nice together?"
Kendall gives Logan what he's sure is meant to be her most alluring smile, eyebrow cocked suggestively. She reaches to run her hands down his chest. Before she can make contact, Logan has her wrists in his hands stopping her from advancing further.
A harsh bark of laughter erupts from Logan. "You think we're going to fight over you?" Sneering, he drops her wrists pushing them away, almost disgusted to have touched her. "Sorry to disappoint, but you and The Donut can keep playing with each other all you want. I honestly don't care what or who you do."
Kendall seemed to be instantly caught somewhere between confusion and outrage as Logan spoke. Her mouth opened as if to say something, but she just gawked at him.
"You see," Logan continues taking advantage of her silence, "You didn't really get the hint the other night when I escorted you to the door immediately after Trina left. I'm done with you."
"You're WHAT?" Kendall shrieks, finding her voice.
"Done. With. You." Logan repeats forcefully and as if talking to someone hard of hearing.
Anger flashes across Kendall's face, her eyes narrow. "How dare you…"
Logan sighs loudly, cutting her off. "You can save your indignant rant. It won't suit you. Acting indignant implies you had some form of dignity coming into this, and let's face it, you gave that up long ago for a bigger bra size."
Again Kendall goes to speak, but again Logan cuts her off, "Seriously, I hardly cared what came out of your mouth while I was fucking you. You can imagine how little I care now."
Duncan only watches this exchange, uneasy. Kendall looks at him outraged.
"Are you just going to sit there and let him talk to me this way?" she demands.
Duncan doesn't answer, just continues to sit perched on the edge of the couch, head hung refusing the meet Kendall's accusing stare.
"Looks like it." Logan smirks. Grabbing a hold of Kendall's arm in one hand and her purse from the back of the couch in the other, Logan gently but forcefully ushers her towards the door.
"DK and I have some roommate issues to work out. So I think ..." he opens the door and places Kendall out into the hall, letting the purse fall at her feet "... It's time I put the trash out."
Logan slams the door in her face before she can say anything and stalks back to the living room. He stands there and just stares at Duncan for a few seconds taking deep even breaths, trying to reign in the rage he could feel building inside.
Standing Duncan makes his way over to Logan. "Look, man, I'm sorr..."
It was all he got out before Logan's fist connects hard with his face. The force of the blow knocks Duncan backwards, toppling over the coffee table to land with a crash.
"WHAT THE FUCK?" Duncan yells, holding his face, looking up from the floor. "I thought you didn't care who Kendall did?"
Furious, Logan rounds on Duncan towering over him, "I don't care about her, you fucking idiot! I care about Veronica! You know, the girl you're cheating on with that vapid, money hungry whore!"
Duncan at least has the decency to hang his head in shame at Veronica's name. "I…" he stutters.
"JUST SHUT THE FUCK UP!" Logan roars. "There's NO excuse you can come up, nothing you say will ever justify cheating on Veronica!"
Duncan slowly pulls himself off the floor and to his feet. He wipes the blood from his split lip on the back of his hand. "You still love her, don't you?" he asks, almost accuses.
Logan resists the urge to punch him again. "At least one of us does."
"I love Veron…"
"If you finish that statement, I will hit you again." Logan cuts in. "What the fuck is wrong with you? Why would you …. How could you do this to her?"
Duncan only shrugs slightly in response. He couldn't answer either question.
Silence fills the space between them. Logan stares hard at the stranger in front of him wearing Duncan's clothes and wonders briefly whatever happened to his best friend? Sadly, Logan knows the answer to that question ... he also knows that after all this time, all they had been through together ... This is the moment where he and Duncan are no longer friends.
"You know, I only stayed around and put myself through the torture of watching 'Duncan and Veronica – couple extraordinaire' because I thought she was better off with you ... Turns out I was wrong." Logan shakes his head, "I only ever slept with Kendall because I couldn't have Veronica. What's your excuse?"
"Are you going to tell her?" Duncan chooses to ignore the question.
"No." Logan gives Duncan a hard look, "You are."
Duncan pales at the idea. "No, I can't."
"You can and you will!" Logan takes a step towards Duncan, "Or, so help me God, they will never find your body!"
Veronica steps off the elevator just in time to see Kendall be placed out the door by a strong set of arms. She'd heard Logan's comment about putting the trash out and couldn't help but smile.
She watches as Kendall stands there for a moment, staring at the door before her stunned. With an angry huff the woman finally snatches her purse off the floor and turns hurrying for the elevator, so lost in her own stupor that she passes Veronica without noticing her.
Curious as to what just happened, Veronica approaches the suite door quickly. Logan had slammed it with enough force that it had bounced on the door jam, not latching, leaving the door slightly ajar.
Pushing the door open and stepping into the suite, Veronica hears a crash from the living room followed by Duncan's angry cry. Her first thought was to run into the room, but her PI instinct kicked in and she found herself frozen in place as she listens.
She remains quiet and still despite the overwhelming urge to vomit as she heard the entire exchange between the two boys in the next room. She wasn't sure she could move.
Until …
"Like father, like son!" Duncan hisses in response to Logan's not so subtle death threat.
Veronica turns the corner, surprising both boys and herself, "He's NOTHING like his father!" she says defensively, glaring at Duncan.
"Veronica." Duncan whispers horrified, he clears his throat. "How long have you been there?"
"Long enough to know that you, apparently, are very much like your father! With the lying, cheating and secret love child on the way." Her voice is surprisingly even. She thought she would be yelling, be more upset given everything she had just learned … but all she felt was a calm fury.
Duncan had flinched at the mention of the baby. "I was going to tell you about the baby!" His tone suddenly desperate, "It was just never the right time…"
"Shut up!" Veronica snaps at him and he immediately falls mute.
Turning her attention to Logan she looks up to meet his concerned gaze. "Thank you."
She isn't sure what exactly she's thanking him for; Punching Duncan, for confronting him, for trying to make him come clean, for loving her … all of the above.
Logan nods, seeming to understand. "Thank you" he tells her quietly.
She knows he means for defending him, for saying that he is not like Aaron. She nods. "Give us a minute?" she asks.
Logan frowns, his eyes darting over to glare at Duncan.
"I'll be okay." Veronica tells him. She reaches out and puts her hand on his arm and Logan visibly relaxes some. "I will, I promise. Just ... don't go too far?"
Logan nods again, frown still in place. "Okay. I'll just be in my room packing the few things I have. I won't be living here anymore."
Turning Logan walks into his room and is sure not to close the door all the way. If Duncan raises his voice once even a little, Logan wants to be out there punching him again without any delay.
He picks up the phone and calls the front desk. He requests a room under his own name as far way from the Presidential Suite as possible and for a bellman to be sent up as soon as the room is ready.
Packing his belongings doesn't take very long. Once he has it all into his bags, Logan sits on the bed and tries not to listen to the voices in the next room. He can hear Duncan pleading and every now and then caught the low, dangerous tones of Veronica.
It isn't before long he hears the suite door open and slam shut. Veronica's exit, he thinks, and he's on his feet and moving before he realizes. He wants to go after her, make sure she's okay.
He opens the bedroom door and is surprised to see Veronica standing there at the threshold.
"I told him to get out while I gathered my things from his room. I never want to step foot in here again after today." She explains, her voice flat. She looks so small and tired standing there. Logan pulls his sleeves down over his hands and fights his desire to envelope her in a hug.
"I've called and gotten my own room. The bellman should be here soon."
Veronica gives a small nod, "I'll go get my stuff."
The bellman arrives, loads Logan's bags and Veronica's one small bag onto the trolley. He leads them out of the room and to the elevator. They ride the 5 floors down in silence, the only sound being the cheesy elevator music.
Veronica reaches over and takes Logan's hand in hers without looking up at him. He holds it tightly, relieved to be giving her some form of comfort.
Once in the new room, Logan hands the bellman a hundred dollar bill. "Please make sure does not find out what room we've moved to."
The bellman nods as he accepts the bill, "Not a problem . I'll make sure the front desk knows." The man gives Veronica a small smile and leaves, pulling his trolley as he goes.
They stand there side by side taking in the room. It's nice, though half the size of the suite upstairs. First off, it only has one bedroom. The sitting area's a decent size, nice couch; a lot of the same decorations fill the room. They definitely went overboard with the whole Neptune aquatic theme.
Logan was about to speak, when Veronica's cellphone rang. She pulls it out of her pocket and looks at the called ID, afraid to see Duncan's name. She sighs in relief when she sees it's her father.
"Hey Dad." she moves to sit on the edge of the couch. She has a chipper tone to her voice that Logan knows is forced. He wonders if her father would catch it. "Where are you off to this time? No rest for the wicked, huh? Dad, I'll be okay – in bed with my face washed and teeth brushed by 10pm! I do not need to stay at the Fennels. You worry far too much, old man! Okay, I love you too. Be safe. Bye"
She hangs up the phone and sits there for a moment just staring off into space. Logan wonders if he should say something and racks his brain for anything to lighten the mood and maybe get a smile out of her.
"Logan." She speaks first, "Can I take a shower?"
"Yeah, anything you want. Are you hungry? I could have room service bring up some food for when you get out?" Logan offers, jumping at the chance to do anything useful for her.
"I'm not really hungry." She replies.
Logan mock gasps and covers his mouth, "Veronica Mars is not hungry! Say it ain't so! Isn't that a sign of the coming apocalypse?"
Veronica lips curve into a smile, it was small, but it was there and Logan feels proud of himself for coaxing it out. She grabs her bag, which is mostly her toiletries, a few CDs and an old pair of shorts she likes to sleep in, and heads to the bathroom.
Before she closes the door, she turns back to Logan. "Order me anything pasta with a lot of cheese on it."
Logan smiles and nods while reaching for the phone.
Veronica stands staring at herself in the mirror. She rehashes the day's events over in her mind. Duncan was not the person she thought he was. Not the sweet boy she fell in love with when she was 14. Then again, she wasn't that sweet girl anymore either. They had changed, in more ways then she cared to think about.
Again she thinks wonders why she's not more upset. Sure she's upset, but she just thought there should be more yelling, more screaming when you find out your boyfriend is cheating on you. It should hurt more then it does, she should be crying her eyes out.
Instead her calm fury has just turned into a weird indifference. Seeing that Duncan is not the boy she once knew, not the boy she loves … she actually feels relieved. She doesn't have to pretend anymore. She doesn't have to keep up this facade any longer. It had been so tiring.
Tearing her gaze away from herself and the mirror, she turns the shower on and strips out of her clothes. The water is hot on her skin when she steps in and she loves the feel of it. It makes her feel alive again and not so numb.
Logan waits anxiously, almost bouncing in his seat on the couch. He listens to the sound of the water running in the shower, thinking of the small blonde inside, worrying . Other than her phone conversation with her Dad, she hasn't really spoken since she came out of Duncan's room carrying her bag.
He wonders where her rage has gone. Every other day of the week she wears it proudly, like a badge for everyone to see. But today … the day she has such cause and righteous use for it, she remains mute. He still hasn't decided if her not screaming at Duncan was a good or a bad thing. He did, however, know that it was most definitely over between the two of them.
At that thought, Logan can't help but smile. He knows that the events of today were not about him, but part of him can't help being so completely happy that it's over for 'Duncan and Veronica – couple extraordinaire'. Was it selfish? Definitely. Logan didn't care.
The knock on the door pulls Logan from his thoughts. After letting the room service steward in with the trays, he tips him generously and walks over to the bathroom door. The water had just stopped.
"Ronnie." He calls through door, "The food's here."
"I'll be out in a moment." She replied, voice muffled through the door.
She came out after another minute with one of the hotels fluffy robes wrapped tightly around herself. She looked a little more refreshed and smiles as Logan lifts the covers off the food to reveal a few different options; Lasagna, manicotti, spaghetti and a heap of garlic bread.
She laughs looking at the plates, "Did you order the whole menu?"
"Only all the pasta dishes." Logan shrugs, "If memory serves me correct, you can pack away a lot of food for a smurf."
"Hey!" Veronica objects to the use of the word smurf, but she smiles and takes seat, eyeing the lasagna.
They eat in mostly silence at first, only stealing occasional looks across the table. Logan smiles to himself as Veronica finished off her lasagna and starts digging into the manicotti. She's surprised to find that she was hungry after all and is glad Logan ordered so much.
"Maybe I should have gotten two orders of that." Logan muses watching her. She only sticks her tongue out at him and continues eating.
Soon enough, the plates are empty and they both sit back stuffed.
"That was really good." Veronica sighs stretching back in her seat. She gets up and goes toward Logan's bags. Without asking she opens the top one, reaches in and pulls one of his t-shirts. She disappears into the bathroom briefly, then comes back out wearing the t-shirt and her shorts.
It was late and she doesn't feel like driving back to her apartment. In truth, she also didn't feel like being anywhere Duncan could possibly find her nor did she want to be alone.
"Is it okay if I sleep here tonight Logan?" she asks, already knowing the answer.
"Stay as long as you want." Logan answers quickly.
"Thanks."
"You take the room and I'll sleep out here on the couch."
Veronica immediately starts to argue with him, but he would hear none of it. She was getting the bed and that was the end of it. No discussion, no changing his mind.
Veronica mutters something about him being stubborn as she walks into the room. She doesn't close the door behind her, choosing to leave it open, much to Logan's relief.
Logan watches her from the couch as she crawls into the big bed and shifts around trying to get comfortable. Finally she seemed to settle and he sank back into the couch.
He was just starting to drift off the sleep when he heard her call out to him.
"Logan?"
"Yeah." He leaves the couch and moves to stand in the bedroom door.
In the dark he can see her fiddling with the hem of the blanket, "Could you, maybe, sleep in here? With me? I …" she inhales a deep breath and blows it out, "I don't want to be alone." She admits softly.
Logan made it to the side of the bed in two long strides. He gets in under the covers, careful not to crowd her side. Laying on his back, staring up at the ceiling, Logan thinks how it's been a while since he was this close, in this way with Veronica. Every part of him wants to reach over and gather her into his arms, tell her that she'll never be alone again. That everything would be okay.
Instead he crosses his arms over his chest and closes his eyes.
"Logan?" she whispers again after a few minutes.
"Yeah?" he whispers back, turning his head in her direction.
"Did you mean what you said to Duncan earlier?" Veronica had wanted to ask Logan that question all night. While they ate, she had replayed the exchange between Duncan and Logan over and over in her mind. Logan protecting her, threatening Duncan for her, dissolving their friendship over her… Logan admitting that he loved her.
"Every word of it." He answers honestly.
He feels Veronica shift in the bed, moving closer to him. Without a word, she lifts his arm from his chest and curls up against him. Logan pulls her closer and wraps his arm around her.
"I'm sorry." She says into his chest.
"For what?" Logan's asks, surprised.
"For ever leaving you." Veronica looks up at him. "I never should have …. I don't belong with Duncan. I don't love Duncan, I haven't for a long time."
Logan looks down at her, "Veronica?"
"I was just lying to myself, thinking I could get back some of the girl I lost when Lily died." She shakes her head, "I'm not that girl anymore and I don't want to be her ever again. I want to be the girl I am with you, she's the real me now."
Stunned, Logan actually reaches over and pinches himself to make sure he is indeed awake and hadn't fallen into a lovely dream.
She wasn't coming right out and saying it, but it sounded like she loved him too. She didn't need to say the words, hearing her say that she wanted to be with him was more than enough.
Logan hugs her tighter and kisses the top of her head. "I want that too. More than anything."
In the dark, they both smile to themselves. Neither, when waking up this morning to start the day, would have ever thought that they'd be ending it like this. Neither could think of any other place they wanted to be.
- end -