Chapter 3: Veronica's Homecoming

Logan and Dick's beach house saw some good times the last six weeks of the summer. Wallace managed to master his summer class despite all the fun. Duncan was relieved to discover that Logan really meant what he said and treated him with the same affection he used to. However, Duncan noticed some obvious changes in Logan. His humor no longer carried that stinging bite Duncan had gotten accustomed to after Lilly's death. He seemed more at ease and comfortable in his own skin. The restlessness that always pushed him into trouble seemed gone. There was a tinge of melancholy and introspectiveness that seemed to come upon Logan at odd times. He noticed that Dick was quick to pull him out of it. As the summer progressed and Logan began to open up to him, he started understanding where it was coming from.

Duncan did not quite know what to think about Logan and Dick's friendships with Wallace and Mac. Everyone at school had always liked Wallace, so he wasn't too surprised that they'd become friends with him, especially in light of the fact that Wallace was Veronica's closest friend. Wallace had explained how he'd ended up living with them for the summer. Wallace also explained Veronica's absence.

What really surprised Duncan was Mac's continual presence at the beach house with the guys. He had a few AP classes with Mac in high school. He knew Logan had AP English with her also. Mac and Logan got to know each other when Logan was dating Veronica. He understood that. Normally, though, after a guy and girl broke up he no longer stayed close to his ex's friends. Also, Logan wasn't one to have friends that were female. Most females in his life wanted a certain type of relationship from him. Duncan couldn't recall any girl who was just friends with him. Veronica was the only one that managed that back when Lilly was alive. He and Meg had been friendly, but not very close, and they never hung out unless she was dating one of Logan's friends. Mac's obvious real friendship with both Dick and Logan was a puzzle to Duncan.

Learning about the website Mac had designed for Logan surprised him and revealed a side of Mac he did not know was there. Seeing Mac so at ease with Dick, however, was at first strange for him. Veronica never had much patience with Dick. Mac came across as more reserved than Veronica. He was constantly surprised to observe how comfortable Mac was with the guys, especially her easy affection with Dick. None of them were dating her. However, he did notice Dick's eyes lingering on her sometimes, and he seemed very concerned with her opinion. Mac, though, seemed to treat all the guys the same. She was at first reserved with Duncan. But when he started bringing Lily over, she quickly warmed up and began treating him with the same friendliness and ease.

The guys and Mac loved having Lily around. The guest room quickly became filled up with a play pen and toys the guys were constantly buying for her. They were determined to both make up for lost time and to spoil her rotten. Duncan got such a kick out of watching them with Lily. For so long, it had been just the two of them. Seeing his beautiful daughter bask in their attention convinced him that he had made the right choice coming home. His parents were too reserved with Lilly. The demonstrative affection she encountered at the beach house with his friends was what she had been missing since they had left.

He also believed that Lily's unconditional love and affection were a healing balm to both Logan and Dick. He knew the loss of Beaver and the things he'd done affected them both. However much Dick seemed the same for the most part, Duncan knew better than anyone how much a loss of a sibling affected a person. Dick and Beaver were always together. Dick always gave Beaver a hard time, but Lilly always ragged on Duncan, too. Duncan knew how much Lilly loved him, just like everyone knew not to mess with Beav, and where Dick was invited, Beaver would be right behind him. To invite Dick was to invite Beaver, just like Duncan and Logan used to be.

Lily's presence also served to clear away any residual awkwardness between him and everyone else. Watching Dick and Mac play with Lily, provided Logan and Duncan a good atmosphere to catch up on the past year. He told Logan about all the places they'd been and how lonely and scared being on the run had been for him. He was forever looking over his shoulder, terrified Lily would be taken from him. Logan told him about saving Veronica from Beaver and about how much closer they had become when they began at Hearst. Talking about her was not as weird as he figured it'd be. It was kind of like loving and losing Veronica Mars was a club of which they both were members. Duncan was not overly surprised to hear that Veronica's continual push to unravel yet another dangerous mystery put her in harm's way. He was upset to learn about her near rape. However, it was Dick and not Logan himself who told Duncan about how Logan had personally punished the guys responsible for hurting Veronica. Logan wasn't one to brag about things that really meant something to him so not a lot of people even knew about it.

Duncan did not know what to think about the things Logan didn't say. Logan told him he had messed up with Veronica, letting Duncan believe it was his fault entirely that they had broken up the last time. However, one evening when Dick and Duncan were alone, Dick made a comment about Logan finally recovering from all the crap Veronica had put him through last year. Dick was worried about Logan becoming unraveled again when Veronica came back home. When Duncan expressed his surprise, Dick eagerly told him about how Logan tried to let Veronica go when she kept putting herself at risk last year investigating the rapes on campus. It made Logan crazy to think of her being hurt. He was helpless to help his mom when she'd been alive. Veronica was the most important thing in his life, and he could not watch her recklessly bringing danger unto herself. Logan had actually broken up with Veronica, but a few weeks later she sucked him back in. They seemed tighter than ever. Then Logan made the mistake of admitting he'd slept with Madison when Logan and Veronica had been broken up over Christmas break. Logan stayed drunk for the first month or so after she'd dumped him. Dick knew from experience how pushy Madison could be when she wanted something. It had always made her crazy that both Duncan and Logan preferred Veronica over her or one of the other 09er girls. Dick expressed disgust at Veronica holding Logan to her impossible standard as if she was little Miss Perfect.

Duncan's head was still spinning from all the information Dick revealed. Wallace had mentioned his roommate Piz being a deejay in New York for the summer. But it was Dick who had told him that Piz was Veronica's rebound guy. Although personally, Duncan thought the Piz guy was lasting a lot longer than a rebound guy was supposed to. Then again Veronica wasn't one to bail on a relationship if she thought it would work. Dick also took immense pleasure in revealing that Logan had beat Piz to a pulp when he thought Piz had recorded him having sex with Veronica. Then Dick told him about the beat down Logan gave the guy who was actually responsible. When Duncan inquired if Veronica and Logan had gotten together after that, Dick had informed him that as far as he knew she'd left for Virginia still with the Piz dude. But all the drama had taken place right before she'd left for the summer. As far as Dick was concerned, she'd probably be back messing with Logan's head again as soon as she got bored with the Piz guy.

Hearing all about Logan and Veronica's turbulent relationship brought Duncan a lot of mixed emotions. He never loved anyone the way he loved Veronica. Unlike Dick, he understood why Logan couldn't easily walk away from Veronica. If it had not been for Lily, he knew that he would have never have left her. He knew, too, that he would always love her. However, he also knew that he was not the same man he had been when he was with Veronica. He could tell from what he heard that she had been through a lot. Having lost so much himself and being without the support of his friends when he and Lily were on the run changed him. For one, he wasn't so quick to walk away from people who meant so much to him. He let Logan down before and vowed he'd never do that again. Taking close friendships for granted was not something he ever planned on doing again.

He wanted to reconnect with Veronica. Lily getting to know her was important to him. At one time, he'd fantasized that he and Veronica would raise her together. He and Veronica had not really broken up. He just had to leave, and she risked everything making sure he got away clean with Lily.

Unfortunately, it was apparent that things were not finished with her and Logan either. Duncan did not know this Piz guy, but it sounded to him that Piz was never the one protecting or defending his girlfriend. Logan was doing that even after Veronica broke his heart. This time Duncan promised to be the friend Logan and Veronica needed. He would wait and see how things were when she came back. If it was clear there was something between Logan and Veronica still, then he would keep his distance. Lily was now the most important thing in his life. Creating a safe, happy life for her was his number one priority. Everything else was secondary. Causing friction between Logan and Veronica would not be the best thing for Lily. Doing what was best for her was what was important. Duncan never really gave Piz much thought. As far as Duncan was concerned, Piz was a nonissue.

The woman in question was excited to be finally be heading back home. She was surprised to discover how much she missed Neptune. There were some things she did not miss, but she hated being away from her dad. Although her dad frequently left for trips chasing bail jumpers, they had never spent so long from one another. She could not wait to see him. She was also looking forward to catching up with her friends.

She hadn't heard as much from Mac and Wallace as she had Piz. She knew Wallace got stuck taking a summer class instead of trekking off to Africa, and he was not happy with his mom's new boyfriend. The last email he'd sent said he was doing better now that he'd survived summer school. He'd saw Mac and Logan some she knew. Mac mentioned once being at the beach with Wallace and his plane. Veronica also knew Mac kept in contact with Logan due to their website. Although Mac had told Veronica she had broken up with Max, Veronica didn't detect a lot of pain behind that revelation. "But I am an expert at hiding pain, so who's to say Mac isn't either?" she thought to herself.

Coming off the plane and through her gate, she was ecstatic to see her dad waiting for her. "There's my girl! Who's your daddy?" he playfully asked holding open his arms.

"Oh, Daddy, I missed you so much! You and your corny jokes!" She quickly embraced him for a long hug.

"Back Up has been moping around all summer. He's waiting for you in the car."

"I'm glad to be back. I missed him and everyone. But you the most, of course!" she said with a grin.

"But of course! I am an incredible dad!" he declared as he picked up her luggage and began the long walk out of the airport and to the car. "And now with my newly elected position, I can support you in the manner you deserve!"

"Did you get me a pony?" she asked him with a mischievous grin. It was a long standing joke between them.

"Nope. I reserved you a suite in the very fine residential hall at Hearst!" he stated modestly.

"What?" Veronica asked, surprised.

"Yep, I put your name in a hat for a dorm room on campus. Now that all the ugliness is out of the school, and I'm making more income, I want you to quit wasting so much time commuting back and forth. You deserve to have more time for your friends," her dad explained.

"What, I'm not even home yet and you're already kicking me out?" Veronica joked with a smile.

"Hey, you know it's not like that. Classes don't start for a week or so. I was just so excited to tell you that it might have come across wrong. I'd love for you to live with me always. But I know that if we'd had the money last year, you would have stayed on campus with Mac and Wallace."

"I know, Dad. I was just teasing you. You're right. Living on campus will save me time and gas money. But I will need to be off campus some to keep the office open."

"No, honey, you won't. I know you're going to be upset with me, but I closed down shop," Keith revealed, causing her mouth to open in argument. However, he held up his hand, warding off her interruption. "I do not want you spending any energy doing P.I. work this year. Last year was not the freshman year I had envisioned for you. You were brave and clever solving the Dean's murder. However, your investigations into the rapes and the Castle were reckless and at times short-sighted. You didn't have enough sense to come to me or ask for my help. I spent all summer dealing with the Kane's lawyers over the charges I entailed keeping you out of trouble."

"But Dad," Veronica tried to protest.

"No buts, Veronica. I not only closed Mars Investigation, but I made sure the space was rented out before you came back. I realize you are a grown woman and a licensed investigator. I hope spending the summer with the F.B.I. gave you a worthy goal to strive toward. Risking your future over things that other people like me are better equipped to handle is not something I am going to allow to happen again!" Keith insisted.

"I'm sorry, Dad, that I've put you through so much. I can't promise to not do any investigating. But now that you're the Sheriff I can trust the law in Neptune to do its job," she said with a smile.

"That's right. I have the right stuff, baby, and don't you forget it!" he said with a grin.

"How did your battle with the Kane's lawyers end?" Veronica inquired as they finally made it to the car, and she greeted Back Up who was overjoyed to see her.

"Very well," he responded as he put her bags in the car. "The return of the prodigal son put the Kanes in a better mood and gave their attorneys something more to focus on. However, I think when Duncan came home and heard that his parents were once again trying to ruin me, he put his foot down."

"Really? Why do you think that?" Veronica asked.

"Well, I ran into Duncan a few weeks ago at the Java Hut, and he apologized for involving you in his escape with Lily and the problems his dad was causing me. He assured me that I didn't need to worry about it. Then a few days later, Cliff called me and told me that the Kanes were dropping the charges and no longer pressing the lieutenant governor to recall me."

"Wow, Dad! That's great news! I'm relieved that my shenanigans didn't cause lasting damage. I wouldn't have forgiven myself if I had ruined your career."

"Yea, all's well that ends well, as they say. So, how do you feel about Duncan being in town? You know he'll want to see you when he hears you're back," her dad said.

"Well, I want to see him and can't wait to see Lily. I'm happy he's back and not wanted for kidnapping," Veronica replied.

"You're still with Piz, right?" he asked.

"Yes, Dad. Piz is still my boyfriend. Duncan and I have been over a long time. He left, Dad. Remember, the hero is the one who stayed. Duncan didn't stay; Logan did. Logan was the one who saved me from Beaver, not Duncan. Logan was the one who kept me from being raped, not Duncan. Duncan hasn't contacted me at all since he's been gone."

"But you're not with Logan. You're with Piz?" her dad asked with a confused look on his face. Veronica's love life, especially where Logan was concerned often confused him.

"Yes, I'm with Piz. Piz is a good guy and much better for me than Logan. I know Logan will always be there for me, and I care about him. But we are not good for each other. I bring out bad qualities in him."

"I don't know about that," her dad said. "I think you have an immensely positive effect on Logan."

"Dad, he beat up a guy connected with the Russian mob right before school was out even after I told him about the guy's connections!"

"I'm guessing his violence had something to do with you?" Keith asked knowingly.

"Yes. Sorokin is the one who aired that fake video of me and Piz being intimate. After first wrongfully attacking Piz for doing it, he caught Sorokin being less than nice to me in the school cafeteria."

"So let me see if I understand you," Keith said. "Even though you were broken up for a while, Logan still risked himself defending your honor? And that is proof to you that you don't belong together? Taking up for you is a bad quality?" he shook his head in amazement. "Honey, I'm not sure where I messed up. I know your mom and I didn't give you the best example of a healthy relationship between a man and a woman. But you know, if I had known what had been going on, I'd have done the same thing! Face it, honey. You bring out the protective instinct in all the men who love you! There's nothing wrong with that!"

"Protective is one thing. Punishing anyone he thinks has wronged me regardless of the facts is not anything I need. It's reckless and just plain irresponsible! Piz loves me, and he doesn't act so crazy!" Veronica insisted, obviously upset.

"Well, honey, I like Piz. He's a good guy. I don't worry much about you when you're with him," her dad told her. "However, everyone loves differently. People who have had everything and everyone they loved ripped from them tend to respond a certain way when someone threatens someone they love. You can't be mad at Logan for loving you too much. You can't judge how a person loves. He doesn't always think. He reacts. The guys at the station told me about him purposely taking a bat to a police car just so he'd get arrested."

"See, that's exactly what I'm talking about, Dad. He doesn't think," Veronica said, vindicated.

"Wait, Veronica. That's not the whole story. Logan did this right after the campus rapists were arrested and still being held in the Neptune jail. He wanted to get arrested, so he could get at them," her dad revealed. "The guys told me that it was the one time they were happy and in complete agreement when Lamb purposely ignored procedure. Lamb made sure he put Logan in the same cell as Mercer and the other guy. Lamb also ignored the screams coming from the cell after Logan punished them for daring to hurt you. He was able to do what I wanted to do but couldn't. Yes, it was risky and some might say foolish. But Veronica, I'm not sure you can really understand the lengths a man will go through to protect what's his and those he loves. It's a primal instinct men have. Some more than others. And some men like Logan and me have a built in protective instinct with those who are important to us. Can you really fault a man for that?"

"I don't know what to say. I never heard a word about Logan doing that," Veronica said, shaken at the news.

"Not many people did. Lamb made sure Logan's actions were not made public. The only ones who knew were those who worked that day, or anyone Logan told. Logan paid for the damages to the car and donated a hefty amount to the Neptune Sheriff department," her dad explained, finishing his tale.

"Wow. I can't say I'm surprised. I wondered why Logan never came to see me after they were arrested. He never told me. But that doesn't change the present. Logan and I can't seem to make it work. If a relationship is that much work, then what kind of relationship is it really?" Veronica asked with frustration evident.

"Well, honey, the best things in life shouldn't be easy."

"I think that saying is 'the best things in life are free!'" Veronica said with a laugh.

"Free or easy—either way, it means you won't appreciate things that come too easy. You know better than anyone how little so many of the 09er kids appreciate what they have because it came to them too easily," Keith explained.

"Well, regardless, I think we've exhausted this topic. Feed me soon or lose me forever!" Veronica exclaimed with a grin more than ready to have the subject changed.

"Okay, okay! I can take a hint. Food it is!" Keith said, grinning.

The next day Veronica dropped by Mac's to see her. She didn't know what to think when Mac's mom answered the door and told Veronica that Mac was at the beach with the guys. She said it in such a way that it was clear she assumed Veronica knew exactly where and who she was referring to.

"She said guys, not guy. Mac wouldn't be dating someone new without telling me," Veronica thought to herself. Veronica decided she'd drop by and see Wallace. Maybe he'd shed some light on what Mac was up to.

When Veronica got to the Fennels, she was stunned when Alicia told her Wallace didn't live there anymore. "What?" Veronica asked in amazement.

"Well, Veronica, I thought for sure he would have told you. He's living with some friends from Hearst at the beach house they own," she explained.

"Oh. We must have gotten our wires crossed. He never told me that exactly. Can you give me the address?" Veronica asked.

Veronica left the Fennels mostly confused. "Have I entered an alternate reality? Who could Wallace possibly be close enough to that he'd move in with? Who would own a beach house? Maybe some of the basketball players got together and rented a house. Yeah, that makes sense. Maybe Mac knows some of them, and she's hanging out with Wallace." Veronica's explanation to herself made perfect sense. She felt relieved to have figured out the mystery.

When she pulled up to the two story beach house, she didn't see any familiar jocks playing basketball outside. Nor did she hear loud music coming from the place. A pizza delivery guy was parked in front of the house. As Veronica got to the walk way in front, she was relieved to see Wallace at the door paying the delivery guy. "There's my Papa Bear!" she called out.

"Veronica! Hey, Superfly!" Wallace replied happily and closed the gap between them to pull her into a hug. "What a great surprise! I've missed your pixie self!"

"Yea, it surprised me, too, to discover that you were living at a beach house with some guys!" Veronica admonished.

"Ouch! Hey, sorry I didn't tell you. I figure it'd be my gift to you, letting you practice your investigating skills locating me!" he joked.

"Ha, ha, very funny! I can guess things were worse with your mom than you let on. I know when you were in the dorms you talked a lot about missing your mom's cooking."

"Well, I lost my appetite so much when my mom's loser boyfriend kept showing up for dinner that her cooking talents were wasted on me," he explained as he ushered her inside. "There are several things I need to tell you. I hope you won't be too upset with me for not telling you sooner."

Before he got any further a voice interrupted, "Yo! Fennello-Mello! We are starvin' in here! Bring us the pizza already, dude!"

"Is that Dick?" Veronica asked in disbelief. "Who exactly is here?" she asked as she walked toward the voice.

She had trouble believing her eyes when she walked into the living room. She didn't see one of Wallace's b-ball buddies. Instead, she saw Mac sitting in between Logan and another guy she didn't recognize, who was playing with a little blonde girl around two years old.

"Am I being punk'd? Or did I enter into the Twilight Zone? Did I take the red pill?" she asked in disbelief.

Mac looked up at her remark. "Veronica! You're finally home!" Mac jumped up and ran over to hug her.

"Hey, Mac! It's so good to see you! I must say I'm surprised to see you here with Dick and Logan. Why are all of you with Wallace, and who's your friends?" she asked referring to the child and man she didn't know.

"This is mine and Dick's place, Veronica," Logan answered for Mac, getting irritated that Veronica was barely acknowledging him after ignoring him all summer. "Wallace moved in a few months ago. And you know everyone here. We're all your friends," he said with a familiar smirk.

"Veronica Mars, I can't believe you've already forgotten me! I thought you promised to never forget me!" the stranger said as he got up and looked at her with a smile.

Veronica looked at the guy then looked at the child in his arms. She looked around in amazement. "Duncan?"…