"I thought our story was epic, you know?" admitted Logan. He seemed afraid to meet my gaze but that might've been the alcohol.
"Epic, how?" I asked disbelievingly.
"Spanning years and continents! Lives ruined and bloodshed, epic!" elaborated Logan as he shifted closer to me. His eyes searched mine, pleading for some sign that I understood.
Were we really having this conversation? He caught me off guard and I didn't know how to react. Who really knew with Logan? So I attempted to make light of the situation.
"Lives ruined and bloodshed? I really don't think a relationship should be that difficult." I quipped.
"Well they don't write songs about the ones that come easy, do they?" Logan smiled sadly at me.
I looked at him with a questioning gaze. I swear I had a witty comment lined up for him but all thoughts left me in that moment. My mouth opened but nothing came out so I closed it again. He reached out and caressed my cheek with the back of his fingers. He shifted closer still and I got the distinct impression he was going to kiss me. That couldn't happen. We broke up for a reason and I wasn't about to get sucked in again.
"Veronica.." Logan whispered.
"I have to…I have to go." I breathed.
And I fled.
**********
I woke up with a start. Damn, I had that dream again. I was pretty sure my subconscious was trying to tell me something but I was doing my best to ignore it. I was with Piz now and that was that. And it was good. Piz was everything Logan wasn't. He was sweet and kind. Piz didn't get into fights every other day. Piz didn't get accused of killing dead girlfriends or biker gang members. Piz went to all his classes on a regular basis. Piz wasn't disgustingly wealthy. And even if he were I'd wager he wouldn't have a superiority complex because of it. In short, Piz was a good guy; the sort of guy every girl should want to be with.
I sighed and got out of bed. It was Saturday and for once I didn't have a case to work on. Dad was out of town on assignment so I had free reign of the apartment. I was getting out some cereal when I heard a knock at the door. Groaning internally, I got up to answer it.
"Piz!" I said, surprised, "What are you doing here? I thought we were going to meet for lunch."
"I know but I couldn't wait. Veronica, I want to talk about what happened the other day in the cafeteria." Piz responded.
Oh, so it hadn't been over his head that Logan had, yet again, defended my honor. Crap. And that's exactly what it looked like too. I sighed again. This weekend wasn't going to be as relaxing as I thought. I let Piz in and led him over to the couch where we sat down.
"Look Piz, Logan was just being Logan. He thinks that guy deserves a few punches to the head for what he said to me." I explained. It sounded ridiculous in my own ears but I didn't really know how to explain Logan's actions. Unless you already knew him, it wasn't likely you'd accept hearsay information.
"What about me, Veronica? Did I deserve it too?" asked Piz angrily. His face still bore Logan's handiwork. Deep purple bruises marring his eyes and nose.
"Of course not! I never have nor will I ever condone Logan's actions!" I exclaimed. "He just thought-"
"I know what he thought!" interrupted Piz. "How am I supposed to compete with him?"
"What are you talking about? You don't have to compete with him." I declared.
"Yes I do!! How many other guys run around beating up every person who even looks at you the wrong way? It's obvious he still loves you!" announced Piz.
I stared at him, completely shocked. The only words that came to mind were 'that's not true. that's not true.'
"It is." continued Piz as if reading my mind. "I see the way he looks at you. Like he's lost the only thing in the world that still matters to him. Like he wants you back."
"Piz." I started, grabbing his hand. "Logan can look at me any way he likes. I'm with you now and that isn't going to change."
"Parker broke up with him you know." Piz went on.
I did know that. Mac had told me because Parker wasn't actually talking to me at the moment. It was Meg and Duncan all over again. Did I have 'Please Hate me.' written on my forehead? I didn't try to get guys to pine after me long after we broke up and moved on. Well I guess I should say I moved on. Apparently Duncan hadn't even though we had both been seeing other people. Ditto for Logan.
"It doesn't matter, Piz." I sighed. "Logan and I have a complicated history but you and me, Piz, we have a future."
"That's just it, Veronica. I don't think we do." said Piz carefully.
"What's that supposed to mean?" I asked, defensively.
"This whole thing with Logan isn't going to go away." He explained. "Logan isn't going to change."
"And?" I prompted.
"And I know how much he means to you. I can't ask you to cut him out of your life for me. As if he'd listen anyway." said Piz.
"Is this your way of breaking up with me? By shoving Logan between us?" I cried incredulously.
"Don't you get it?" He shot back, "He shoved himself between us! You let him!"
"That's not true!" I yelled, standing up.
Piz stood up too. "You want truth, Veronica? The truth is, you aren't any more over him than he is over you!"
I couldn't believe it. Piz was dumping me. Piz who never yelled or got upset. Piz who got along with my friends. Piz who accepted my P.I. nature and didn't try to change me. My Piz. I felt the tears spring to my eyes. Piz noticed and his expression immediately softened.
"I'm sorry, Veronica, I am but I can't do this anymore. Please don't ask me to." Piz said softly.
"I'm sorry too, Piz. I wish things were different." I replied.
He kissed my forehead. "I'll see you around, Mars. You'll be okay. You will."
And he left.
**********
After that, time felt suspended. Three weeks passed. Or was it four? I didn't really care. Life went on despite my constant pity party. The cherry on this little cake of misery was that Piz and Parker had got together last night. Wallace informed me during my shift at the library. Smooth, Fennel. Real smooth. Tonight Logan was having a party at the Neptune Grand. What he was celebrating I couldn't tell you. Did I want to go? Not really. Was the fact that neither Piz nor Parker were going comforting? Definitely.
When the elevator finally opened to let me in I was mildly surprised to see Dick Casablancas getting out.
"Aren't you going to the party?" I asked as he stepped out.
"Party's that way, Mars!" Dick announced pointing in the direction of the hotel lobby's exit. He looked like he'd had a couple drinks already so I figured he was just confused.
I let him go on his way and waited for the elevator to get to the penthouse suite. I took a couple of deep breaths before knocking on the door. I was pretty suspicious by now. Dick was going in the opposite direction of the party located in the hotel suite he shared with Logan. There was absolutely no noise coming from the other side of the door where said party was supposed to take place. My eyes narrowed and I knocked.
Logan answered the door but I didn't give him a chance to speak. "There's no party is there? What are you playing at, Echolls?" I side-stepped him and walked into his hotel living room which was, surprise, empty.
I turned around and faced him waiting for his explanation.
"I wanted to make sure you'd come." answered Logan somewhat lamely.
"Why wouldn't I have come?" I demanded.
"Oh, I don't know, the fact that yet again, you're avoiding me like the plague!" retorted Logan.
"If that were true, I wouldn't have come to your 'party.'" I snapped.
"You would if you thought Piz wasn't going to be here." Logan said quietly.
How did he know? How the hell did he always know? I sat down on his couch slumping my shoulders in defeat. "You should get a degree in mind-reading." I said in a half-assed attempt at sarcasm.
He sat down beside me, closer than I would've liked. "He's an idiot for leaving you."
Was that really his attempt at making me feel better? Suddenly I was angry. "It's your fault!" I yelled at him. "He left me because of you!"
"Veronica, I-
"Shut up, just shut up! He said you still loved me but that's a lie! If cared about me even a little you wouldn't have come between us! You wouldn't have assumed the worst of Piz and beat him up!" I screamed at him.
"I apologized for that." said Logan calmly.
"Yeah well, Piz broke up with me for it." I snapped.
"I reiterate, Piz. is. an. idiot." said Logan.
I sat in silence making a point to stare straight ahead and not at Logan. I dreamt again last night about the alterna-prom and what Logan said about us being epic. The time we dated and broke up again at Hearst didn't seem very epic. But maybe I was just biased.
"What's wrong with me?" I asked.
"There's nothing wrong with you, Ronnie." said Logan with the slight grin. He knew I hated that nickname.
"Then why do I always end up back here? With you?"
"Because you know I'm irresistible." joked Logan.
"Did you really mean it?" I finally looked at him, not in the mood for humour.
"Mean what?" asked Logan more seriously now.
"About us being epic." I explained.
Logan looked at me thoughtfully. "You know I have a hard time remembering prom night."
"You said our story was epic. Something about ruined lives and bloodshed." I continued.
"Sounds like us." Logan smiled.
"I guess we were epic after all." I said sadly. I stood up prepared to leave. I guess it's reasonable to assume I missed Logan more than I let on.
"We still are epic, Veronica. We still are." Logan declared, making me stop in my tracks. Now there was only one question burning in my mind.
"Is Piz right? Do you still love me?"
"Well…that depends." said Logan evasively.
"On what?" I asked curiously.
"On whether or not you still love me." he said quietly. I knew how careful Logan was with his emotions.
"Apparently I couldn't stop if I tried." I answered finally.
Logan inhaled deeply as if preparing for something really huge. I guess for him it was.
"I still love you, Veronica."
"I still love you too, Logan."
Great, we had finally admitted to ourselves what was obvious to everyone else in Neptune. But where did that leave us? I wondered. My answer came in the form of Logan pressing his lips to mine. I could feel the passion and love behind that kiss and I returned it with enthusiasm. I knew right then that we were more than epic.
We were forever.