I don't own VM or the characters. I make no money of this – I only lay claim to the plot.

A/N I just wanna thank everyone for the continuing good response I've gotten. I love you all for taking the time to share your views with me! I also wanted to remind you all, that I'm not a doctor and therefore don't know all the real ramifications of scaring and surgery and stuff like that. Just a tiny reminder, if something seems way too out of reality…Anyway, Enjoy!

CHAPTER THREE

An excruciating pain flared to life in his stomach and he looked down and saw a piece of wood embedded in his abdomen. Without realizing it, his fingers slowly rose to touch the pouring blood. The pain immediately intensified. "Argh… shit it hurts," he muttered and then looked up when he heard a soft voice gasp his name. She's so pale, he thought and held on to the sound of her voice.

Sometime later he felt her small arms help him out from his prison and place him in another man's vehicle. He thinks he might have passed out after that. The next thing he remembered were her sky-blue eyes as he sadly whispered, "I don't wanna die Ronnie…"

When he woke up again, the pain was muted and it took him a while to figure out what was going on. The memory of her pain filled eyes haunted him into action and he asked a nurse, who hesitated and finally told him that all of them were in a bad shape - Especially her after a severe blood loss. His heart twitched in fear and he closed his eyes with a prayer. Not her, anyone but her…

---

"Dick…Dude come on man, it's morning and you gotta get ready for school."

The hesitant voice belonging to Cassidy "Beaver" Cassablancas, slowly brought Logan out of his sleep – his nightmare. "No way it can't be morning already," Dick's muffled voice sounded from underneath his pillow.

Logan frowned as he slowly sat up. His heart was pounding and he took a couple of deep breaths to calm himself down. Every time he had that dream, his immediate desire to call Veronica and check up on her was so strong that he had to count to ten before doing anything else.

I haven't had that dream in a few weeks now, Logan thought and finally got to his feet and walked towards the nearest bathroom to get ready, must be Aaron's behavior that made me go to sleep unhappy last night.

Logan chuckled darkly as he opened a new pack of toothbrushes and took one and put some toothpaste on it. Who am I kidding – every night in the Echolls household means an unhappy one. Logan slowly took off his shirt and vaguely inspected the results of last night's encounter. He'd been playing on his computer and had been having a rare peaceful moment; when his father's deep rumble suddenly escalated into a full-blown roar against his mother. Only a moment later Logan had interrupted his father's threats to his trembling mother and had therefore earned himself a beating. A beating he no longer took without a small sample of resistance thus ensuring a larger amount of injuries.

A pounding on the door jerked Logan back to reality and he quickly turned to lock the door before Dick entered. But it was too late and in the next second Dick stumbled in and stopped dead at the sight of a topless Logan. "Whoa dog," he muttered silently and quickly slammed the door and locked it before Cassidy could enter the bathroom too.

Logan smirked without saying a word. Dick's blue eyes traveled down his torso – taking in all the bruises and marks. Dick's eyes stopped at the scar from the accident and noticed a cluster of bruising around it. Before he could say anything though, Logan reached out and put on his shirt again. "Yeah, Aaron does know to hit where it hurts. So, you wanna ride with me to school today?"

"Logan, man – you gotta do something, can't you report him to the sheriff or something?" Logan shook his head and rubbed his eyes tiredly, "No I can't do that. He's not an actor for nothing, remember? He's probably gonna spin everything to his advantage and then go home and beat the shit out of my mom to get his pent up aggression out…Besides," Logan added quietly, "I don't want Ronnie to know I've spoken to her dad – she still misses him and shit."

To his credit Dick simply nodded and put the whole thing out of his mind. Logan silently observed his friend go through his grooming process. Logan swallowed a grateful smile. Back when Duncan had showed him what a dickhead he really was – no one but the Cassablancas heir had stood by his side without hesitating first. Dick was loyal and in his mind Logan could do no real wrong, so if he said he didn't need the law to help him out with his home problems, who was Dick to judge. Logan knew this and appreciated it, because it meant that Dick wouldn't ask too many questions. Only two people in his life were allowed to push his privacy limits and although he loved the dude, Dick wasn't one of them.

A little while later Logan drove off to school a few minutes after the Cassablancas brothers. Just as he bent over to change the tune on his stereo, his phone went off. Logan sighed when he saw the caller id, but answered while he pulled over – knowing he shouldn't be driving during this conversation.

"Hi mom…" He greeted slowly. Lynne Echolls voice immediately brought out the memory of the previous night and Logan really didn't want to go down that road right now. "Thank God you're okay, Logan. I've just said goodbye to your father for the day and he told me to tell you that he expects you home for dinner tonight…"

"So we can play the ideal family for a change?" Logan couldn't help but quip and he resisted the urge to yell at his mother. "Err…"her voice was hesitant now, "…I'm sorry you had to go through that again Logan – I'm just weak…But," she quickly added before Logan could say anything, "never mind that. I called to tell you I might have tipped off Lily – I was worried about you Logan. Aaron and you really gave it your all last night – I had to get a doctor over here to stitch his arm up…So…I thought you might be hurt and…"

Unable to take any more Logan quickly interjected, "Mom, I'm fine. A couple of bruises but that's all. I spent the night at Dick's. I'm on my way to school now – but I promise I'll be home later, all right?" A few moments later Logan ended the call and placed his head on the steering wheel with a heavy sigh. The minute he closed his eyes, his dream came roaring back into his mind. Veronica's blue eyes – so filled with fear and pain. The pain had only increased over the last year but before Logan could dive into that particular memory again, his phone rang again.

"Dude I'm on my way," Logan all but sneered into the phone without checking the caller. "Good morning son," Aaron's deep voice said after a short pause and Logan instantly straightened up. "Your mother just informed me that you were allright – and I'm happy to know that you're still going to school despite everything." Logan snarled soundlessly at the condescending way his father spoke. As if he gives a damn, he thought angrily, but then he said emotionlessly, "She told me we're having dinner tonight. Is it at seven as always?"

Aaron's dark chuckle – so like Logan's own, made his skin crawl, "Yes son. We need to sit down as a family and be reminded of our love, isn't that right?" Logan didn't respond for a moment, but then he agreed. "So," Aaron's tone became more cheerful, "now that we've put this whole thing behind us, I'm gonna go do my job. Your allowance doesn't come automatically, you know."

Logan sat in silence for a minute after the conversation with his father. I hate the son of a bitch; he thought and clenched his fingers on the wheel for a second. He knew deep down inside that it was only his own fears that kept him from going full throttle on the older man. "I gotta go to school and talk a bit with Ronnie and Lils," Logan muttered after another heavy pause – knowing that only those two girls could calm him now.

A few hours later Logan found himself in the eraser room with Caitlin Ford. The tall skinny blonde was a sad replacement for Lily Kane, but Logan knew that Lily had figured out his true desires and therefore that road was never to be walked upon again. As Caitlin wiped her mouth and he himself zipped up his pants, Logan fervently wished for the past to come back.

Caitlin smiled with sex in her eyes up at him – obviously way to sure on her power over him and Logan charmingly responded and thanked the girl before he simply turned and left her to her own devices.

A moment later he was on his way to the final class before lunch. Nothing like a little rendezvous to bring forth an appetite, Logan thought with a smirk – eager for the chance to eat. Out of the corner of his eyes, he noticed people's stares. Some were more along the lines of pure idolization, but there were also the usual hate filled ones. One stare in particular caught Logan's attention. Due to his crappy start of the day, Logan didn't really want to ignore it as he usually did – so he promptly stopped and asked coolly, "Wanna say something to me? I know I'm pretty, but dude, enough with the stares already – you might give people a wrong impression of your," Logan looked around in fake concern and then stage whispered, "sexuality…"

Duncan Kane's hateful stare intensified and his cheeks slowly turned a telling shade of pink. Logan's smirk increased and he turned to continue toward his class. Then Duncan spoke and Logan stopped mid-movement. "I'll remember that. So did your dad throw – I mean show you around last night?"

Logan quickly scanned Duncan's entourage and judging from the mocking, but fearful glimpses in their eyes, they hadn't caught on to the innuendo. Logan took a deep breath in relief and walked the few steps over to his former best friend, who'd just violated his trust so severely. He crouched down before him, so they were eye to eye and said, "That is no longer a concern of yours, now is it Donut?" Duncan's eyes narrowed in anger, but then widened in actual fear when Logan continued calmly – and so quietly that no one but he could hear, "I've never done anything to you for the shit you've put Ronnie through as a favor to her, but keep pushing my limits like that and I'm gonna show you just who the real psycho in my family is…"

Without another word Logan quickly stood back up and roughly pushed Duncan's chair into his friends and walked inside his class with an evil smirk on his handsome face. People recognized that look of anger in his eyes and avoided him. It was only Dick, who shared this class with him, that stayed by his side completely fearless. "So, did you do your homework 'cause I totally didn't." With a chuckle Logan calmed down and sporadically paid attention to the teacher until the bell rang and he left Dick as he tried to flirt with Madison Sinclair for the hundredth time that day alone.

A moment later Lily ran into him and he expertly avoided any serious talk about his latest fight with his dad and they walked in comfortable silence towards the quad. With a inwardly sigh Logan suddenly remembered he was supposed to have a full-blown family dinner that night and he immediately felt the need for a good time beforehand. He glanced down at his ex-girlfriend, who looked very thoughtful at the moment and Logan felt a pang of pity go out to her.

After the accident her injury had been so severe that her shocked parents had instantly hired the best plastic surgeon possible. The doctor had done a good job with most of the scarring and there was only one big one left – sadly it was so deep that it was impossible to do anything else with. Logan sighed, but then shook himself out of his pitying thoughts. She's still stunning and I'd still be with her if she'd want me and if it wasn't because of Ronnie…

Again images of Veronica assaulted his mind and Logan quickly stopped his imagination before it got too detailed and then remembered what he'd been thinking a moment before. A good time before the torture session… "Wanna hang out later?" he asked and with a small genuine smile, he saw Lily flinch as she too was torn out of some deep thinking. Glad I'm not the only one living in my head today, he briefly thought.

Just as Lily answered his request they'd exited the doors and Logan immediately spotted trouble. A group of people were surrounding someone and Logan's eyes quickly recognized the tall kiss ass 09'er Mark something – but more importantly his eyes swallowed the person Mark was obviously arguing with. A tiny blonde Logan would recognize anywhere.

Anger grew inside him like never before and Logan's teeth were clenched in rage as he hissed, "If he hurts so much as one hair on her head…" Before he knew it he'd begun moving – shoving people aside without a second thought. The second he pushed the last obstacle – nay person out of his way, Logan saw Mark push the much smaller Veronica and she began falling backwards. One part of Logan immediately categorized the other 09'er as dead meat, while the other wondered in concern why one push could have so much impact on Veronica.

In the next second he'd caught her surprisingly light body and for a quick moment Logan reveled in the fact that she was in his arms, but then he shrugged it off and turned back into the person she saw him as. Her friend. "Hi Ronnie," he muttered in her ear without letting her go.

To his sadness Veronica's frozen state didn't last and she began squirming to be released and with a long inwardly sigh Logan complied. As he straightened back up, his temper reminded him that he should focus on something else. Someone else named Mark.

The anger boiled up again and Logan watched with internal satisfaction as Mark fidgeted in anxiety when he asked softly, "Why were you pushing a woman Mark? And more importantly; why were you pushing my friend?" Out of the corner of his eyes Logan noticed that Veronica moved towards a naked black kid taped to the flagpole and he realized just what had set off the argument in the first place.

Mark cleared his throat and Logan's attention returned to the other male and without a warning Logan's fist connected with Mark's face. Mark went down hard and slammed his head on the pavement. People grimaced in sympathy – knowing that when Logan Echolls got mad enough to throw punches – he was not about to take it easy on you.

Logan bent down to hit Mark again when suddenly the memory of last night returned. Aaron standing much like he was now – over his own fallen body and kicking him relentlessly in the one place that made sure that Logan couldn't fight back anymore. Shaking the memory of with disgust Logan unfolded his clenched fist and instead he reached out and helped the dazed looking Mark to his feet. Mark looked petrified at the close proximity between them and Logan took one step back. He waited – half expecting that Mark would retaliate, but when nothing happened, Logan nodded and said coolly, "Don't do it again."

Without another word or punch being exchanged the shocked crowd of Neptune High watched their unofficial leader walk over to his usual lunch table with his signature smirk on his face – completely sure that his order would be carried out.

And it would be – Mark never lifted a hand towards another female ever again.

When school ended Logan drove home without hesitation. He knew he couldn't avoid his family so why delay it. Fortunately he still had plans with Lily, so he knew he'd get a needed breather before dinnertime. When Logan pulled up to the huge mansion he was forced to call home, he broke into a relieved smile – despite his best efforts. His dad's car wasn't there so he wouldn't have to suffer any unnecessary small talk until dinner.

The minute he entered the house Lynne appeared and Logan fought back the urge to growl. A barely covered bruise was visible behind her dark bangs. "Hi mom," Logan greeted and strolled towards the kitchen to get a bottle of water. "Good to see he can amuse himself when I'm not around," he muttered. Lynne sighed and he could hear her follow him. "It wasn't that bad Logan, he just heard me talking to Lily and came to some wrong conclusions – that's all."

Logan resisted a childish eye roll and took a sip of the cold water. Lynne leaned back on the counter and before long the mother and son had discussed the weather, the schooldays and was just embarking on another round of the weather, when Lynne stopped with another sigh.

"So Logan," she then began, "I meant to tell you last night that I ran into Sheriff Mars the other day." Logan felt his body tense and he sat the now empty bottle by the sink and waited for Lynne to continue. "He's miserable – even though he tried to play it off as a bad case of the flu. He looks so…old and tired and he asked me if you and Veronica were still close? The moment I said yes, he basically attacked me with questions for you to ask her. Like; how's she doing in school? How's her love life? Does Lianne make sure she eats right? And all sorts of other questions like that. I have to admit I was shocked," Lynne continued when Logan didn't say anything, "Here I – along with the rest of Neptune – thought he'd been bought off enough so he wouldn't care what happened to the girl, but the look in his eyes…I mean, he really looked worried and sad and…I think we might not know the whole thing there."

Logan didn't respond for a moment, but then he echoed his mother's earlier sigh and quietly said, "Yeah, that's the impression I've gotten too – but I can't get Ronnie to talk about it."

They stood in worried silence for a while, but then Lynne straightened up and said, "Well, we can't worry about that now. I'm gonna go take a bath and if I know my son as well as I think I do, you've got plans of your own before dinner – so go change and have fun with Lily."

Logan watched his mother walk out of the kitchen with a bemused smile on his lips. Sometimes she's more perceptive than I give her credit for; he thought and went to his room to do as he had been told.

--

About thirty minutes later he heard Lily's horn echo loudly outside and Logan quickly kissed Lynne on the cheek and walked out to his waiting friend.

"So newsflash baby," her cheerful voice and genuine smile greeted him as he slid inside the car, "I've invited Veronica to tag along today on our little adventure –I do hope you don't mind," she added with a mischievous smile and Logan grinned as he shook his head.

They all spent the next few hours goofing around at the mall and enjoyed the peace at the beach. Logan completely forgot that he'd have to spend the evening with the man he hated more than anyone as he laughed at Lily's antics and Veronica's sarcastic interludes.

But all good things have to end sometime and before he knew it, Logan had to get back and Lily promised to take him home, just after she'd dropped of Veronica.

Despite Lily's slow paced driving, they pulled up to Veronica's house faster than Logan had anticipated. Then he felt Veronica stiffen beside him and he looked over and noticed that her eyes were glued to the car in the driveway. Logan swallowed a curse when he realized whose car it was and he understood Veronica, when she turned to Lily and stated, "I'm not spending the night here, if he's sleeping here…I don't care if I have to go to school tomorrow without my books, I'm not going in there."

Logan shared a brief look with Lily when they noticed the determined gleam in their friend's eyes. To Logan's growing reluctance he saw the same stubborn look growing in Lily's eyes and before he could say a word, she suddenly said, "Try and see if you can calm her down. I'm going in."

The minute the Kane girl exited the car to go and have an unavoidable confrontation with her father's lover, Veronica calmed down. "Damn," she said, "if I'd known she'd do that I wouldn't have…" Logan smiled and placed his arm around the tiny girl's shoulder. "Nothing we could have said would've stopped her and you know it…"

They watched Lily carry on a conversation with a disheveled looking Lianne and in the next moment Lily disappeared inside – probably to find Veronica's schoolbag. As they waited Logan suddenly remembered the conversation he'd had with his own mother earlier that afternoon and he turned in his seat and said, "So my mom ran into Keith Mars yesterday."

Veronica closed her eyes and Logan almost wished he hadn't said anything, but then she opened them and asked bluntly, "and what did he want?"

Logan retold his mother's story and to his surprise he saw that Veronica's eyes filled with tears. But then she shrugged off his arm, wiped her eyes and said, "Tell him I'm fine and that I'm handling Lianne the best way I know how. But whatever you do – make sure he doesn't come around here – okay?"

There's definitely something I'm missing, Logan thought and was about to tell Veronica that she didn't have to keep secrets from him, when Lily stormed out of the house with fire in her eyes and walked towards the car.

Jake Kane followed her with a matching scowl on his face and Logan immediately opened the car door and stepped out of the vehicle. Jake's determined steps faltered and the two men stared each other down as Lily got into the car and restarted it. "Have a nice night," Logan finally said and nodded politely to the frozen man and the shaking drunk of a mother in the doorway before he got back inside the car and Lily drove off.

--

The trio didn't say anything until the car stopped in front of Logan's house a little while later. Logan noticed his father's car in the open garage and knew he had to make a choice. The saddened looks Lily and Veronica exchanged every now and again finally convinced Logan and he pulled out his phone and called his dad.

Aaron picked up the phone at the second ring and Logan barely took the time to breathe before he said, "Hi, it's me. I'm outside with Lily and Veronica. There's been some problems at their houses today and I didn't think they should have to go to a hotel when we've got so many rooms and I was kinda hoping…"

"Say no more my boy," Aaron's voice interrupted Logan's explanation and he continued, "I understand completely. You're more than welcome to let the girls stay here. As you said, we've got plenty of room. It's good to know that I've raised a gentleman. Always be respectable to the ladies after all…"

The hypocritical statement almost made Logan laugh, but he resisted and quickly told the girls that they were spending the night at his house.

A moment later the door to the mansion opened and Lynne and Aaron appeared – both with charming and welcoming smiles on their faces – the complete picture of family happiness, Logan thought mockingly and led his two best friends inside.

Both Lily and Veronica knew his home life situation, but they both acted like they knew nothing and the mood was friendly as they ate the meal Lynne had made the cook prepare. A few hours later they all went to bed.

Logan couldn't sleep, because he knew that he wouldn't be allowed to sleep uninterrupted. And sure enough the door opened a few hours after midnight and Veronica walked in, dressed in an enormous pajama that covered her completely. "Hi," she said after a tense minute and finally Logan simply lifted his covers. She quickly dove into the bed next to him without another word. Only ten minutes after that did Lily make her entrance. She smiled briefly when she spotted the other two and Logan lifted the covers on his other side with a matching smile.

With the two most important people in his life by his side, Logan sighed heavily. At least we've got each other in this hellhole, he thought before sleep finally claimed him for the night.

A/N Hi all. I'm not pleased with this chapter's ending. I rewrote it two times and now that I've got work tomorrow I know I won't have time to update before at least Friday, so I really wanted to post something. I hope you don't share my opinion and like it. It was nice to dive back into Logan's mind. He's one of my favorite people ever and there's so much depth to him, which makes him great to write. Thanks for reading and reviewing!

Ditte Mai