CHAPTER 6

"Just promise you that you won't tell her" Logan said tensely to Dick. They had spent the last ten minutes arguing in whispers over what Logan had done and he knew that it was time to end it. Veronica was only a room away and he didn't want to risk her finding out what they were talking about.

Dick looked at him for a minute before nodding. "If you want to tie a ball and chain to your leg, its fine with me" he said in a tone that belied his vehemence of just a minute before. He was sure that Veronica would find out. Logan was half sure that Dick believed Veronica knew who shot JFK. Not that he blamed the guy, not after everything that had happened between the two of them. Every secret Dick had, had been exposed by Veronica, down to him slumming with a poor girl.

Logan sighed, wondering if he could trust Dick to keep quiet. He would ask for his word, but he didn't think that it was worth much. He didn't have much choice though; he would just have to hope that Dick was never put in a situation where he had to tell. Now all Logan had to worry about was sharing the good news with Veronica's father.

"Dude, you just went pale again" Dick said with some actual concern in his voice. "You sure your all right?"

Logan shook his head and grinned wryly. "Would you be all right if you had to tell Keith Mars that you got his only daughter pregnant?" He asked lightly.

"That isn't something that Dick will ever have to worry about" Veronica answered tartly from the doorway of his bedroom. Both men looked over at her in surprise. Logan didn't know how long Veronica had been listening and panic filled him. Even from snippets of their conversation she would get suspicious and try to figure out what was up. And with Veronica Mars, she usually found out what she wanted.

Logan gave a quick worried look in Dick's direction. Veronica wouldn't have to put much pressure on him before he snapped like a cracker.

"And you don't have to worry either Logan" Veronica continued with a saccharine smile. "I'll make sure he doesn't have his gun on him when we tell him". Logan chuckled along with Dick's laugh. If she was joking around like this then she hadn't heard much. Thank god.

When Dick stopped laughing he had a sober look on his face. He stood from the couch and went to Veronica, taking her hands. Veronica gave him a questioning look and tensed. "I just wanted to tell you how sorry I am" he said seriously. Veronica's eyes widened and she tried to pull her hands free. She opened her mouth to speak but Dick cut her off. "No matter how much Logan cares about you, I never thought he would go to these extremes to keep you"

Logan's heart stopped and he looked at Dick as if he had grown another head. He couldn't believe the bastard had…Veronica's laugh interrupted his thoughts and Logan moved his gaze to her.

"Thanks Dick" she laughed. "I was sure that you would assume I had trapped him, not the other way around" She pulled her hands completely away and walked over to sit next to Logan on the couch. With his head still spinning he automatically put an arm around her shoulder and pulled her close. He gave Dick an incredulous look as Veronica snuggled into him.

"What Logan?" he asked innocently. The twinkle in his eye made Logan's insides shake. Logan was lucky that Veronica took it as a joke; otherwise he would be dead right now. But at least now that it had been made as a joke, Veronica probably wouldn't consider it as truth. "Just because I'm your best man doesn't mean I don't prefer Veronica over you"

This time Logan only smiled wryly as Veronica laughed. "Thanks Dick" he said, meaning it. The idiot could be charming when he put his mind to it, and apparently now was one of those times.

"No problem" Dick said easily. "Way I figure it, the best man gets to give the bride a kiss". Logan was halfway through an eye roll when Veronica turned green and clutched her stomach. Logan's drew up in concern and Dick looked nervous. "You look like your gonna hurl Ronnie" he said bluntly. "Morning sickness" It was the second time in one day that Logan was surprised to see a softer side of Dick Casablancas.

But Veronica was obviously untouched by Dick's gentle tone, because she didn't pass up the opportunity to insult him go by. The look she gave him seemed to ask if he was slow in the head. "No Dick" she said as if he were a child. "You just said you were going to kiss me"

Everyone laughed this time. Logan kissed Veronica softly on the forehead and grinned proudly at Dick. "And she's all mine"

"Lucky you" Dick responded sarcastically as he settled himself on the other side of the couch. He gave Logan an expectant look. "So when are you guys going to tell the Sheriff" he asked, using Keith's old title like many of the 09ers did. Very few held respect for Lamb. He was a joke for most of them.

"Today" Veronica answered Dick solidly. Logan looked down at her in question. Smiling up at him she explained. "The longer we wait the more upset he will be"

Logan nodded. That made sense, because if they waited at all it wouldn't just be that she was pregnant, it would be that they hid it from him. And the last thing they needed to do was make things worse. "But we're going to buy the ring first" he said. "It'll be harder for him to get rid of me if you already have the ring on your finger"

"I won't argue with that" Veronica said, making Logan frown.

"Why? Because your dad will try to get rid of me or because you want the ring?" Logan thought that it was an important distinction considering that Keith could probably make him disappear without getting caught.

"Mostly the second one" Veronica admitted with a twinkle in her eye. Logan smiled in relief for about a second.

"What do you mean, mostly?"