7:45 pm, Veronica's Apartment
"Sorry I'm late. The GPS in my Rover sucks."
"How do you know where I live?" Veronica challenged. She took a moment to judge her outfit against his. He'd gone more casual HOT with a burgundy button up, sleeves rolled up to the elbows. The top 3 buttons were undone so she could see his black tee underneath. She could guarantee the jeans he wore must have cost him a pretty penny. Money well spent. Damnit,Veronica. You are MAD. But he looks amazing. Strike that. You are Amazingly pissed at him right now. She hadn't changed out of her work clothes, unsure of what sort of evening to plan for.
"FBI." Logan pointed at himself not taking his eyes off Veronica.
"I haven't changed after work yet. I'll be right out." She rushed down the hallway to her room and stared at the four outfits laying on her bed. She settled on her comfy, but still sexy boyfriend cut jeans and the teal henley that she thought might be a little too casual, but as Seth reminded her last time she wore it, it made her look edible and caused her blue eyes to sparkle more intensely than usual. She pulled her hair down and fluffed it up a bit. Relieved that she had already spent the last half an hour perfecting her make up, she gave herself a quick glance in the mirror. She looked good. With a splash of perfume, she returned to the living room.
As she moved quickly to her bedroom, Logan watched in amusement. She had obviously waited to change until she knew what he was wearing. After a brief pause, he took in the space around him. So, this is where Veronica Mars lives now. He walked over to look at the pictures on her wall. He smiled at the faces of Keith Mars, Wallace Fennell, and Parker Lee at the wedding reception for Mac and Dick Casablancas, which was next to a picture of Veronica, Mac and Dick. He had wanted to be at the wedding, but little did the guests know, he and Mac had worked it out so that he watched via webcam from New York.
The frame next to the wedding pictures housed pictures of the famed Fab Four. Logan remembered that night on the beach fondly. And then he noticed that next to it was a picture of he and Veronica. They were so happy in the picture, emotion bubbled in his throat. It was from high school, he thought. He didn't recognize the picture and wondered who had taken it. Her apartment looked similar to her old apartment in Neptune, only slightly more feminine and a touch less home-y.
When he sat on the couch a wave of sorrow washed over him. The room smelled of Veronica. He rested his elbows on his knees and buried his face in his hands. The upcoming conversation terrified him. How could he explain three years without contact? How could he tell her it just hurt too much to see her and not be with her? How could he make her not hate him? He knew he'd have to lay it all out on the line. All of it. But was he ready?
When she walked out and saw his head resting on his hands, she had to physically restrain herself from rushing over to comfort him. "Long day?" She asked. He bolted upright.
"Wow." Veronica was hotter than ever. Oh my God. Did I really just say that 'wow' out loud?! "Oh you know me. A day full of lectures and letting people gawk at me is my idea of a super fun day!" He recovered.
"What the hell, Logan?!" She demanded. It was better to rush into the fight than to concentrate on the fact that she had stunned him with her outfit.
"Well, judging from the fact that you haven't screamed at me or hit me, you definitely must have known that I wasn't dead. I assume you tracked me as best as you could from grilling your dad? Anyway. Well, I promised myself And a bunch of Clinical Psychologist Coworkers that I was going to be completely honest with you when we finally had this conversation, so here goes. I couldn't handle being near you and not being with you. It was killing me, Veronica. So, I took off." He flinched as she crossed her arms over her chest in her getting ready to attack pose. "I couldn't say goodbye to you and I'm really sorry about that." Veronica sighed heavily.
"Where am I supposed to go with that, Logan? Three YEARS and not so much as a word from you. Do you have ANY idea what it was like for me to go to your house and discover that a new family lived there?! And as if that wasn't bad enough, I figure out that my best friends and even my FATHER all knew you were gone and had all gotten the opportunity to say their goodbyes!!" An unfamiliar sensation washed over Veronica as tears welled up in her eyes. She hadn't cried in two and a half years, but Logan shows up and it's only a matter of minutes. "Damnit!" She flopped down onto the couch as far away from him as she could get and balled up her fists, willing her eyes not to betray her. She pulled her knees tightly to her chest. Logan watched nervously.
"I was scared," He said softly.
"Scared? Of what?" She stared at her knees, too afraid to look up at him.
"It's not something I'm proud of. But…" He faltered. This admission was exactly what his mentors challenged him to do. She looked up as he paused, then unable to turn away. "I couldn't say goodbye. Not to you. What if- What if you were happy to see me go?" He rushed through the words as if they would hurt less. He leaned his elbows onto his knees again, his head drooping.
"Are you kidding me? Man, I really was a bitch to you if that's what you thought," she realized aloud.
"No. It was me. I was such an ass. Running around trying to prevent anything from happening to you, which of course completely stifled everything I love about you. And I'd get insanely jealous of anyone who even looked in your direction, but I'd get totally pissed off if even a hint of jealousy came from your side. I was so messed up. I couldn't be a good boyfriend. I wrapped myself up in you to try to forget about my problems. I was so God-damned damaged." Veronica watched him in silence as he opened up the old wounds. "That's actually part of why I dove head first into Psychology. I was trying desperately to understand why I always hurt you when all I've ever wanted was to be with you."
Logan's confession was interrupted by Veronica's cell phone, which rang and buzzed loudly on the coffee table. She grabbed it instinctively and glanced at the caller ID. "Hold that thought. It's the office. Yeah?" Veronica's eyes almost immediately rolled in annoyance and she started to rub her temples with her thumb and forefinger. Logan silently hoped she would never have that look on her face when he called. If she will let me call he after this.
"Why did you call from the office?…Well, I don't feel like talking right now…What are you doing going through my desk?!…This conversation is over." Veronica slammed her cell phone closed and dropped it onto the coffee table with a growl.
"Seth?" Logan asked, trying to mask the wavering tone.
"Why would you say that?"
"Because the LA Field Office seems to have nothing better to do than gossip like school girls while eating lunch," he sniped. "And after your performance this morning, everyone thought I'd be THRILLED to hear all about the Seth-Onica Saga."
"Oh God. Did you just say Seth-Onica?! Because I think I might need to go vomit." Veronica paled.
"Oh yeah," Logan chastised. "And trust me. Logan Echolls loves NOTHING more than to hear about the sexual exploits of Veronica Mars and some sadistic neophyte hell bent on one-upmanship in order to compensate for his deficiencies." After a moment, Veronica realized her mouth was hanging open in surprise and she closed it. Was that Jealous Logan coming out of his shell? Was that clinical speak for 'He better stay the hell away from My Veronica'? That was one of the hottest sentences he has ever put together. No. No. NO. Logan left me alone and miserable. After a brief pause, he broke the silence. "Not only is he not worth your time, if I ever again hear him treat you like he just did on the phone, trust me, he'll regret it."
Veronica couldn't decide if she was turned off or on by that declaration. "No offense, but how is that your business?"
"Like it or not, Veronica, you're one of the most important people in my life and I won't tolerate any assholes walking all over you like that. And that's exactly how I am with Mac and Trina, too."
So help me the butterflies are playing dodgeball in my stomach. Swoon. "Well, I'm capable of handling him myself, but thanks."
"Your phone conversation indicates otherwise."
"I didn't want to get into it with him while I'm here with you. I'll have time to deal with him later. Not that the conversation will be anything more than, 'Hey Seth, you're an ass. Have a nice life'. Can you believe he stood me up after begging me for a week to have coffee with him so we could get things on the right track?"
"A guy stood Veronica Mars up? What has the world come to?" Logan teased.
"I know, right? I mean, I'm like a total catch. Who wouldn't want an emotionally-stunted, trouble-causing, tragedy magnet like me?"
"I can honestly say, I have no idea. Of course, I'm the president of the 'Guys Who Have Absolutely No Hope Of Ever Being Rid Of Their Insatiable Love For Veronica Mars' Club. And I'm telling you, right now we are so full, we have a waiting list to get on the waiting list." He braided the truth with humor, carefully.
"Y'know, I haven't been at any of those meetings in a while. I'm really kind of missing them. I mean, guys throwing punches in girls' bathrooms, and people attempting to buy my favor with limousines and hotel suites. Speaking of which, have you been back to Neptune lately?"
"A couple weeks ago."
"Which explains why my dad mentioned seeing you, then retracted. So, is it still Neptune-y?"
"Yeah, except the newest Mrs. Casablancas seems to be making waves with the old money types. We went to the Neptune Country Club for brunch just so she could walk in with blue streaks in her hair. Plus, I think it's hysterical to see how in line she keeps Dick." Logan smiled at the thought.
"I've noticed she's come a lot farther out of her shell than she used to be. Who would've ever thought that Mac and Dick would make the most complementary couple I've ever met. Everyone was bummed you couldn't make it to the wedding. Especially Dick."
"Yeah, I was on a major case up in New York. It was this huge child sex slave ring. The week of the wedding we had finally found some new clues and I was so, well, I just had to get those kids out." Logan's eyes clouded with pain.
"I can't believe you work for the FBI. I always pictured you going into something more, I don't know, more creative."
"Acting?"
"No. Actually, I kind of always pictured you going into writing. Like the next Jack Kerouac or something. You write some of the best letters I've ever read and you love those quotes."
"I actually thought about getting out after that New York case. It was like having to live inside the minds of the darkest, most disgusting people ever. I had to take a vacation after that. Which is when I ended up in Neptune."
"Logan?"
"Hmm?"
"It's 8:45."
"That it is." He said, standing up. "Let's go get you some food." He offered her his hand to help her up off the couch and she graciously accepted. The electricity from their first skin to skin contact sent shivers down her spine.