Author's Note: Alright, so this is quite DUVE but no worries, Logan's coming in the next chapter! Just hold on! ha ha
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She woke to the annoying beep of her watch. 3:18 am. Why the hell would she ever want to get up at 3:18 in the morning?
Then Duncan stirred beside her, his hand sliding over her waist to pull her closer.
She elbowed him gently. "Duncan," she whispered.
He groaned but didn't wake.
She rolled over in his arms and selfishly stole a few moments to watch him. His jaw was clenched, even in sleep, as if he was still alert. But he was relaxed around his eyes and as she traced his jaw line, his mouth relaxed into a smile, not quite believing that he was there, that she was there. When she'd said goodbye to him that last time, she'd thought that was it. That that was the last time. And now here he was. Being around him was intoxicating, amazing, and surprisingly calming.
His eyes opened and focused on her. "Veronica." Then his eyes opened wide and he shot up in bed. "What time is it? We have to get you out of here."
She smiled. "I can make it. I got in, didn't I?"
His worried look melted into a smile. "Yeah, you did."
She rose and dressed quickly, feeling slightly self-conscious as his eyes followed her every move.
"Can't interest you in a little exercise before you go, can I?"
She blushed. Since when was Duncan able to make her blush? She thought back to the first time they'd had sex. Okay, some maybe he'd come a ways since then and probably picked up a few blush-worthy tricks. "Sorry, the cameras are going to have some static til 3:40. I have to go really soon if I'm going to make it over the wall in time." She really did regret it, she realized, as she moved to the window. It had been since Logan that she'd felt dark eyes and possessive hands claiming her, branding ownership over her. Last night Duncan had done just that and she felt deliciously sated. She couldn't help but grin as she slid up the window.
Duncan suddenly appeared behind her, pulling her towards his body. "Meet me," he whispered into her ear. "Anywhere, anytime. I need to see you again, need to be with you again."
She swallowed hard as he caressed her hips, his lips closing on her pulse.
"Meet me," he repeated.
In a haze, she gave him her hotel and the room number next to her own. Then with one last long kiss, she climbed down to the ground. She prayed her legs would hold her as she sprinted to the back wall. It wasn't until she'd climbed into her car and was in park in front of the hotel that the full force of what had happened hit her. Duncan was back. Well, not back back but back in her life. For a time, she tried to remind herself. But she couldn't help the grin that crept onto her face.
Then, in the shower, as she washed his familiar smell from her body, she realized another thing. Logan. She'd completely forgotten about Logan. She hadn't even looked around the mansion. She'd been too busy revelling in Duncan and her own happiness to even look beyond his bed. Logan could've been tied up in Duncan's closet and she'd never even tried to look for him. "Dammit." She hit the wall of the shower with the palm of her hand a few times until her palm stung. How could she have been so stupid? So selfish and a terrible human being? What was wrong with her? It was like every time she got around Duncan everything sort of hazed away. Like her mind shut everything out because it selfishly wanted happiness in a little bubble except life didn't work that way...
After dressing and going down to book the second room, she opened the adjoining door and moved her clothes and toiletries over. Then she hunkered down with some leftover take-out and went through her notes.
April 12th, 2007 – Gory threatens Logan
April 23th, 2007 – last sighting of Logan – night desk manager of the Neptune Grand sees him exit the hotel alone and proceed to his car. Gets in and drives off.
May 9th, 2007 – Dick Casablancas calls Veronica Mars, citing he hasn't seen Logan in over two weeks. They were supposed to go surfing. Search finds nothing missing in Logan's room (surprisingly meticulous – which in itself is suspicious)
May 30th, 2007 – Logan's abandoned Range Rover found at the bluffs. Not even a fake note to try to deter people.
"Arrogant assholes," Veronica sniped.
June 1st, 2007 – Veronica Mars sets out with the help of Cindy Mackenzie to follow the web of links from Gory
June 9th, 2007 – Cindy Mackenzie reluctantly returns to Neptune to start her internship with Veronica Mars' urging.
Here, Veronica paused, feeling that hurt stabbing her stomach again. She really wanted that FBI internship. It was like an ache she couldn't get rid of. Like she'd forgotten something but could never remember. She hadn't returned for the internship. She couldn't. She hadn't even returned to school.
Two years.
It was a long time. A long and frustrating time. Despite Mac being an amazing hacker, they'd only had a few leads. Glimpses and rumours of an American held against his will. The Castle was probably laughing as they led Mac on goose chase after goose chase through cyberspace. Everytime they got close the Castle just shut them down.
She put her head down onto the table, feeling an almost familiar feeling of overwhelming defeat come over her. She didn't even know if Logan was alive. She had given up two years of her life but had no idea. But she had to keep trying.
Her cell phone rang. Piz's name flashed on the screen. Another ache. One a little more familiar – it brought back memories from high school when she'd be out with Duncan and her phone would vibrate. Usually Logan. Usually drunkenly leaving heartbroken messages on her voicemail.
She picked up.
"Hey superspy! How're things?"
His voice always brought an ache in her throat. He was the one who called her the most – his job at the radio station wasn't as exciting as he originally thought and school wasn't much better. So he called her. Their breakup had been surprisingly easy... mostly because she didn't think he fully grasped the concept of breaking up. Possibly, she thought, because he wouldn't accept it. Like they were on a break or something. Except this break wasn't like the break she and Logan took. She was sure he wasn't seeing anyone else. Because he called her way too much to have any time to be with anyone else. It was sweet but also made her achy. "They're... they're good... I think we're going to learn how to overthrow China this afternoon." She felt like a heartless, spineless bitch. She should have told him the truth, been honest like she'd promised herself at the beginning of their relationship. No lies this time. Nothing to destroy the innocence. Well, that was all up shit creek now. She'd fed him some bullshit line about how the internship had extended into the fall and beyond and he'd bought it believing she was as amazing as she told him they thought. "Actually Piz..."
But he was rambling on about the fishing trip he and his dad had gone on that weekend. "... and he caught this massive pike, Vro... it was amazing."
She closed her eyes. Trying to dump Piz had been like aiming a rifle at a puppy. Who was evil enough to pull the trigger? She didn't know what to say to him. She couldn't figure out what to do... she didn't want to lose him but she felt like she was leading him on. With Logan, she didn't have to worry about it. He always knew what was going on. He'd yell and leave. Duncan had never reacted either but he had the decency to plough on as if nothing was wrong and then just disappearing. Now, she had no experience, no idea how to progress. When she'd first broken it off, he'd shrugged her off.
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"I get it. It's a test, right? Wallace told me you would test me. It's just the way you are." She tried to interrupt but he pushed on. "Okay. I'm going to wait for you. No problem, Veronica. I'll be here when you come home."
She didn't know what to say. Of all the reaction she could've gotten, she hadn't expected this one. "Piz..."
"No." She could hear the determination in his voice. "You're not going to run me off like the others. I'm not Logan. I will be here for you."
If she didn't feel so guilty, she would've rolled her eyes. "Piz, c'mon. Be realistic."
He shook his head. "It's only 4 months, Veronica. That's nothing, if you think about it. And I will wait. Count on it."
"Piz, I've got to go... I'm really sorry."
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And she had been, she realized later. She wasn't usually sorry when she broke up with someone. People weren't usually sorry... Annoyed, yes. Angry, yes. But sorry? Never... well, Leo. She had been sorry about Leo. But with Logan, he did something incredibly stupid or awful... or both.
But two years? Although they had settled into a comfortable friendship, she knew that he was waiting for her to come home, waiting to see if she would let him in like she did once in freshman year when her defences were weak and she needed something safe.
"That's amazing, Piz. I wish you were here to see the things I see. D.C. is exciting. I think I could get used to living in a city. It's exciting and always on the move."
She could hear his smile. So sunny and happy. "I think it'd be pretty cool to visit but I'd need a place in the woods. A cabin or something. Just to get away, y'know?"
"Sure, Piz. Alright, I gotta go. I'll talk to you later."
"Miss you." He always ended it with, Miss you. And she let him. Because it was safe. It was a friends thing.
"Talk to you soon." She did miss him, even though she'd never admit it. Shaking it off, she went back to her notes.
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The sun dipped out of sight and she still hadn't made any progress on finding Logan. She briefly thought of going back into the mansion but finally decided it was too risky two nights in a row. So she stayed in, going over the notes over and over again. But there was still nothing.
Finally, she decided to call Leo. "Hey, it's me."
"Veronica, hey..." She could hear the smile in his voice and imagined him sitting down to give her his full attention. "What's up?"
"Any progress?" She didn't even try to pretend it was a social call. Her guilt outweighed any other emotion she felt at the moment.
"Sorry, Veronica. We haven't gotten any new leads and it looks like we've hit a dead end."
"What about the names I gave you? Did you run them?" She fidgeted, feeling helpless.
"Sorry. There's not too much we can do legally. I'm sorry we couldn't be of any more help. Makes me kind of wish I were in the P.I. business."
She could hear his smile again and almost smiled herself. Leo was so optimistic and peppy it sometimes made her teeth hurt. "Well, I'm sure we could use you." She hesitated a moment before asking, "How's my dad?"
"Still righting wrongs and triumphing over evil. But I know he misses you. You should call him more often, y'know... We do worry about you."
"Thanks Dr. Leo. I'll think about it."
"Chicken."
"Yep." She fingered the edge of her desk feeling the chips in the wood, the solid smoothness.
"Talk to you soon. Take care of yourself and think about what I said."
"Thanks Leo. I will. You take care too..."
She hung up, wanting to be at home snuggled between Leo and her dad watching old claymation Christmas cartoons. Before she'd taken off, Leo had starting hanging around. He didn't really get along with his family so he started hanging out at their place a lot. She'd come home and he'd be cooking pasta with her dad or wrestling with Backup on the floor. Finally, after a few months after she left and was obviously not coming back anytime soon, her dad had just asked him to move in, saying that he had too much space and not enough movement in the house. She'd felt guilty when Leo had told her, caution in his voice as if he might be overstepping a boundary. But she'd been encouraging. Someone had to help her dad keep happy, right?
A knock at the next door brought her out of her nostalgia. She moved quickly through the door, shutting it quietly. She opened the door and there was Duncan. He looked even better than the night before. He was dressed plainly in khakis and a blue dress shirt under a sweater and light tan jacket. He'd shaved and looked fresh and relaxed. He didn't even give her a chance to say anything just kissing her hard. "It feels good to be able to do that again."
She allowed him to hug her, allowed him to push all her troubles away as his fingers brushed her hair back. His lips placed light kisses across her face. He lifted her in his arms and twirled her around. "Maybe we'll take it a bit slower this time, eh?" He smirked, a ghost of Logan's smirk and she frowned.
He pulled back. "What? What's wrong?"
She contemplated telling him then decided against it. "Nothing. I just can't believe you're here. I can't believe we're here."
He brushed a stray strand of hair from her face. "I love you, Veronica Mars."
She had never heard those three words spoken so reverently. She hugged him and whispered into his sweater. "I love you too."
There was a knock at the door and Veronica jumped.
Duncan laid a reassuring hand on her arm. "I took the liberty of ordering room service. I hope you still like dessert for dinner..." He got up and opened the door. After a few words and a tip, Duncan returned, pushing a cart laden with strawberries, ice cream, chocolate sauce, and a chilled bottle of champagne.
"You are so cheesy." She giggled. "You think you're going to what? Decorate me then lick it off?" She lay back on the bed against the pillows.
He discarded his jacket. "You, Miss Mars, have a dirty mind." But he gave her a devilish smirk as he opened the bottle expertly. Pouring them each a glass, he slid onto the bed. "If you insist I decorate you and lick it off, I think you should take off your clothes. Otherwise, things might get dirty."
She smirked. "Dirty with one 'r' or two?"
He grinned. "Two." He bent his head and kissed her.
She kissed him back, placing her glass on the bedside table. Her hands slid up around his neck and pulled him down towards her, laughing.
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