Hey you guys! I suck! I know it and I'm so SO SORRY! You guys are all amazing and great and I don't deserve you at all, but and really grateful for you all! I'm hoping to update again soon once I get done with finals on Wednesday. After that I have three blessed months of no classes! I'm sad to say this story is almost over! Hope you all enjoy!
Disclaimer: I don't own Veronica Mars...I wish!
Pulling her key from the ignition Veronica sighs getting out of her car. She had tried every trick in the book, all the way from begging to threatening, to get Wallace to come with her to this poker party, but he had traitorously opted out. Claiming he had family obligations that couldn't be ignored. Veronica wasn't fooled and Wallace was going to pay…there would be no cookies or any other treats for a month at least. That would teach him! At least he had given her enough warning of his abandonment so she was able to plan ahead. She had worked it out that she would be the last one to arrive, not giving Logan or Duncan an chance to corner her before all the drama of the evening unfolded. She was honestly hoping that after she revealed who stole the money everyone would be too distracted for any actual poker game and she could slip out without notice.
Skipping around the outskirts of the house, avoiding the Echoll's famous Christmas party, Veronica can see the pool house lit up and everyone tensely waiting for her arrival. Stopping outside the window to stare Veronica takes in everyone's posture, looking to see if the guilty party was sweating. You had Connor on his phone in the corner while staring into a mirror, causing Veronica to roll her eyes at how conceited he is. Weevil is sitting with his arms crossed taking turns glaring at everyone, probably planning to torture for the culprit. Sean is shuffling the cards and looking around, seeming impatient for the game to begin. Duncan appears to just be staring off into space, very deep in thought. That just left Logan who was standing off by himself staring out the window. Veronica watched him the longest. She didn't know when or how, but in the last couple of days something had shifted in her life and at the crux of the change was Logan. With second thoughts with this plan Veronica takes the final steps to the door and walks in, causing everyone to turn and stare in her direction. Feeling like she was behind enemy lines almost Veronica walks closer towards Weevil feeling he was the closest thing to a friend in the room. Logan and Duncan's look of hurt didn't go unnoticed.
"Sorry I was late." Veronica says setting her bag down in the corner and turning to see that Connor had hung up his phone and everyone had come to sit around the poker table. "I guess Logan told everyone while we're all here…It took some work on my part, but I figured it out and I must…"
"V." Weevil says standing up and stopping her from rambling on. "I think I've waited long enough to find out which one of the punk ass rich boys took my money. If you would save the theatrics for your next case it would be greatly appreciated." He lightens his works and attitude with a small smirk that only could be considered charming on Weevil.
"Fine…nice way to steal my thunder and take out all the fun in this Weevil, didn't you know that's all part of the thrill in the PI biz?" Veronica says in mock annoyance before smiling and clasping her hands together in front of her. "Theatrics aside…I must say Sean you really had me going for awhile, laying it on pretty thick that Logan had been the only one who had gotten his hands on the money. You almost had me fooled…Almost." Veronica says smiling mischievously glancing over at Logan and noticing the surprised look on his face and then glancing over at the rest of them they all seemed pretty shocked. Except for Sean, he just looked royally pissed.
"I think you and I need to step outside." Weevil says standing up from the table.
"I can get you the money back, just give me a couple of days and you will have all of it!" Sean says standing up quickly from the table.
"Oh you'll be getting me my money back, but that's only part of the business we have to discuss." Weevil says nodding his head menacingly.
Scared and angry Sean turns on Veronica, causing everyone in the room to stand up in alarm and defense. "This is all your fault! You and all your damned digging! If it wasn't for the fact you were shacking up with Logan I would've probably been able to get away with it too. Hell, if I had known I had to sleep with you to have you defend me I wouldn't have bothered making up all the lies. You stupid poor little…" Sean didn't get to finish whatever it was he was going to say. Logan's fist connecting with his jaw stopped anything coherent from coming out of Sean's mouth. And the next punch that landed in his gut had him doubling over. Before Logan's next blow could land he had Weevil holding his one arm and Connor had the other.
"That's enough now Richy rich." Weevil says pulling Logan away from a groaning Sean. "That's my job." Waiting to be sure Logan was in control of himself before letting go; Weevil can't help but smile to himself. He didn't know the rich boy had it in him, but he apparently did. Weevil had been ready to pound the guy there for what he had been saying, but Logan had beaten him to it. Looking up at Connor who still had Logan's other arm he nods his head. "I think he understands that I can take it from here." Both guys letting go of Logan's arms they wait to see how he reacts. When all Logan does is glare at a pathetic looking Sean they relax and Connor sits back down. "I'm just going to quickly take care of this business, but I'll be back soon." With those parting words Weevil grabs Sean by the neck of his shirt and practically drags him out of the pool house, planning to not only teach him lesson on not messing with Eli Navarro, but also not to talk about Veronica like that.
Everyone left in the pool house is quiet letting their thoughts keep them busy. Connor couldn't understand how he had gotten caught up in all of this or where Logan had learned to punch like that. Staring at the kid he'd known for years he was seeing something more than a spoiled loser. With that last thought he had to get up and use the bathroom, stupid diuretic tea.
Logan was still enraged over what Sean had said about Veronica. He didn't know what had come over him, but one second he had been standing listening to Sean plead and yell and the next his fist was connecting with the pitiful excuse of a person. If Weevil and Connor hadn't pulled him back he didn't know if he would've been able to stop punching Sean. Looking over at Veronica to see how she was holding up, Logan doesn't know how to read the expression on her face. She looked shocked, but from what Logan wasn't sure. Was it Sean's outburst or Logan's reaction? Wishing he could cross the gap between them, but knowing he had to wait for them to not have an audience Logan holds back a sigh.
Duncan was busy looking back and forth between Logan and Veronica. He too had been enraged over what Sean had been saying, but he didn't even have a chance to really process the words coming from Sean's mouth before Logan had been up and defending Veronica the way someone who really cared for her would. Watching Logan stare at Veronica, Duncan realizes this isn't just a passing fancy for Logan; his best friend was truly invested in Veronica. It killed Duncan to see it, but the evidence was staring him in the face. And was it fair of him to cause his friend pain after what he had already gone through with Lily? Looking to Veronica, Duncan feels his heart constrict over the thought of giving her up truly. Even though he had broken up with her he still loved her. Part of him probably always would. Was he strong enough to truly step aside? Staring at Veronica Duncan really didn't know if he could.
Feeling the tension in the room Veronica just stands still. She had been surprised by Sean's outburst; she didn't think he had it in him to act out that way. She must admit his words stung because it hit really close to her feelings for Logan, something she hadn't been able to classify and understand yet. It bothered her even more because he made it sound like what her and Logan were getting into was something dirty and manipulating. Which, if Veronica was honest with herself, could be the truth; Logan could've just been messing with her, but Veronica didn't think so. It felt too real for it to be faked, but she couldn't take a chance and ignore the warning bells in her head. Logan had proven that he could manipulate and hurt without a passing thought, what would make this any different? Taking a chance of being caught, Veronica glances up at Logan and sees him staring back at her, with too much emotion to be faked.
Coming out of the bathroom Connor notices the tension in the room hadn't gone down and no one had moved. Sighing and sitting back down he looks at Veronica. "That was quite a show you put on there. I'm impressed." Connor says trying to sound humorous, but serious at the same time. "Like I said, you could easily have a job in show business if you ever wanted to give it a try."
Grateful for something to talk about Veronica pulls up the seat Sean had vacated and laughs. "I think I'll stick with finishing high school, but thanks again for the offer."
Following Veronica's example both Logan and Duncan sit back down at the table: Logan in the seat right next to Veronica, Duncan across the table from her. Waiting for Weevil to come back from dealing with Sean Logan grabs the chips and starts to divvy out what everyone needs. When he hands Veronica her chips she looks at him and smiles. They were the same chips she had learned to play with all that time ago. She remembered them because instead of the normal red, white, blue, and black chips that you normally saw these were, copper bronze, silver, and gold with four leaf clovers on them. Logan had called them her lucky set because she had won almost every hand with the chips. Neither one had pointed out he had let her win.
By the time Logan had the chips handed out and everyone had given him their money to buy into the game, Weevil was back at the table and pulling up the last seat on the other side of Veronica. Leaning in to her personal space Weevil asks the question eating at his mind from the second of Sean's outburst. "You ok V?" Watching her nod her head he smiles. "Don't let that punk ass get you down…he ain't worth it." Leaning back into his chair he notices the question look from the movie star and Duncan, along with the glare he gets from Logan. "Are you going to deal those cards there Richy or what?" Weevil asks, but the normal malice and antagonism in his voice is missing. He had a new found respect for Echolls since the kid pounded his buddy in V's defense. Weevil would never admit it though.
"Actually I think Veronica should deal first."
"Oh I don't want any special treatment." Veronica says with false alarm. When Logan sets the cards in front of her and raises his eyebrows Veronica glares back before smiling sweetly and picking up the cards. She knew Logan was baiting her, seeing how much she remembered from before…boy was he in for a surprise. Looking around the table and noticing the skeptical looks on the rest of their faces Veronica grins before separating the deck to shuffle the cards.
"Think you can handle yourself V?" Weevil asks laughing, he didn't take Veronica for a big card player, especially poker.
"Oh I don't know Weevil, I must admit it it's been awhile." Veronica says looking over at Logan. Not bothering to look back at the cards Veronica does some of the trick shuffling that had given her fits when Logan had been teaching her. Not taking her eyes off of the proud smile on Logan's face Veronica hears the gasps in surprise from the others around the table. Starting to deal she looks back at Weevil she smiles mischievously. "I think I can handle it."