Title: Need You
Rating: T
Pairing(s)/Character(s): Veronica/Logan
Warnings: None
Disclaimer: Don't own 'em - not making any money off 'em. Dern it.
Word Count: 1,004
Summary: Episode 3x09: Spit & Eggs AU. When Logan breaks up with Veronica, he says she never needs anything. What if Veronica actually speaks up before Logan leaves?
Notes: Here's another one for you guys. I definitely seem to enjoy AUs where there are happier Logan/Veronica interactions. Or at least ones where they actually talk. Once again, I want to thank everyone who gave me such a warm welcome into this magnificent fandom, and the ultimate ship. I don't normally have OTPs in a fandom, but it's safe to say the LoVe is my VM OTP. I hope you enjoy this little fic, and I hope you'll review it as well.
Veronica had long lost the cheerful expression when Logan began to talk. Now her heartbeat was erratic as she tried to make herself believe that this wasn't happening, that she wasn't losing one of the most important people in her life.
"...I'm not built to stand on the sidelines. I don't know, I think we have a choice. And I think we can take a tough but survivable amount of pain now... or stay together and deal with unbearable pain later. So, I vote for the pain now. But I'm always here... if you need anything." He paused to kiss her on the forehead, and then continued, "But you never need anything."
He turned to walk away, but before Veronica could talk herself out of it, she took his arm, halting his progress. "I do need something, though. I need you."
His back was still to her. "Veronica..."
She swallowed at how choked up he sounded, taking some measure of comfort that breaking up with her was as hard for him to do as it was for her to hear. "No, you wanted to talk and get it out, and I allowed you to. Now it's my turn. I do need you, more than you realize. I know I push you away. I know I have trust issues. And those two things go hand-in-hand together. I get that I'm difficult, and it would probably be easier if we just ended things now. It would probably save us some pain. I don't want easy, though. I want you. I allowed us to implode before senior year because I was scared. I won't make the same mistake twice. Please, don't give up on us."
Finally, Logan turned back around, and she gasped at the visible pain in his expression. "Why did you ignore my call yesterday? I saw you look at the phone, ignore it, and begin eating like nothing had happened. I thought we were okay, and then you did that."
"You watched me like you watched Lilly that final day."
Logan shrugged, not looking at all repentant. "Answer the question."
"I needed time to process things. I was still angry because of how scared I had been, but after I thought about it, I saw that you were only trying to protect me. I just needed to be by myself. I never met to hurt you."
Logan swallowed. "Do you remember our conversation in Neptune High's hallway?"
She blinked. "Be more specific please."
"The one before I was arrested for Lilly's murder."
Veronica closed her eyes, the memory coming back to her easily. "Yeah."
"I said something along the lines of don't run out on me. If you need to be by yourself, just let me know."
Veronica blinked back tears, hating that Logan was one of the only people that could reduce her to such a state. "I remember."
"So, you don't trust me, and you won't let me help you. How can we be together?"
"How can you say that? I do trust you. Even when I was at my angriest with you, after finding Kendall in your bedroom and you not remembering your drunken speech, I still trusted that you'd come save me. I still knew that I could count on you. Besides my dad, you are one of the only people who have ever seen me cry. Doesn't that mean anything to you?"
"It does, but I don't want you to get into a situation where you need to be rescued. I never want you in that kind of danger again because sooner or later, I might not be fast enough."
Veronica nodded. "Okay. Okay. Maybe we need to talk then. I mean, I won't stop sleuthing, but maybe we can figure out a safer way for me to do it." He opened his mouth, and Veronica continued quickly. "A way that doesn't involve a 24-7 personal bodyguard."
Logan huffed. "Fine, but you need to stop holding me to impossible standards. I try to do better for you, but I'm human. I'm going to make mistakes, and I hate the fact you always seem to make me feel like a failure with just a look."
Veronica moved so her body pressed against his. "I don't date failures. They kiss softly, and she breathed deeply. "I'm sorry your girlfriend has so much baggage."
His nose touched hers. "Well, your boyfriend isn't exactly a walk in the park either."
"Please, just tell me you're not giving up on us. I'm not sure if I could do this without you, and the fact that I'm actually admitting it, shows you how serious I really am."
"I love you, but this time when I say we need to go easier on each other, I really mean it."
Veronica tilted her head up to gaze into his eyes. "I promise. We can work it out."
He kissed the corner of her mouth. "Fine. Let's go somewhere and talk about the case. I know asking you to stop won't work, so we need figure out a way for you to be safer. I never want to find you in a parking lot drugged again."
Veronica nodded and wrapped her arms tight around his waist. "Okay. Let's go somewhere."
She felt like the steel trap had finally released her heart when Logan didn't make any comment about them still beig broken up. She still had him. At least for now.
She knew she had to look in the mirror and face some of her demons. She knew she had to let Logan in more, show him that she trusted him as much as she possibly could. He was important to her, and she needed to own up to some of her faults and stop holding all of Logan's mistakes against him.
As Logan took her hand, she knew they had some work to do. Not just on the case, but on them as a couple. She hoped Logan would stick it out with her through it all.