A/N: I just stayed with it taking over 2 hours on a non-traffic journey to get back to Neptune from Hollywood. Works for me, hope it works for you all! Thanks!

Chapter 11

It took forever to get back to Neptune. On a good day, it should take just over two hours, but today was not a good day for Logan. Traffic had been backed up due to a fender bender that had caused a complete stand still on the freeway, bringing his blood pressure to a boiling point. Minutes turned into an hour and still Logan was nowhere near Neptune.

He couldn't believe that they had misread the situation and that he had left Veronica vulnerable. He knew she thought that she would take safe measures, but she had always had a bad habit of getting herself into dangerous situations unexpectedly. His gut told him that she was in trouble.

He thought back to some of the many times in the past when she had been in perilous situations. At the River Styx, when he had found her pinned to a billiards table by an angry Irishman. Logan had pulled a gun to save her then. He remembered how angry she had been that he was carrying a weapon, but he had never regretted it. That incident would have gone a whole lot differently without it. He remembered the night on the roof of the Grand, how scared he had been when he had seen Beaver with the Taser, shocking her over and over again with it. If she hadn't have been able to text him that night, she would have been the one dead the next morning. The night at Hearst, when he had found her passed out next to her car, head partially shaved. That had just been happenstance that Logan had been looking for her. And the night Mercer and Moe had been arrested, it had been pure luck that there were students in the dorm to hear her use that whistle for help.

Lastly, he thought of an afternoon during their junior year of high school; the first time that he had been fully aware of the danger she put herself into. They had been on the phone, arguing, when she had suddenly gasped and dropped her phone. He still remembered the chill that had gone through him when he had heard the fear in her voice. Somehow, she had realized that Logan was still on the line and had been able to direct him to where she was being forced to drive. Logan hadn't even thought, he had just gotten directly into his Xterra and headed to the Camelot where he had gladly beat the shit out of the idiot who had tried to kidnap her.

That was the day they had shared their first kiss, the kiss that had begun it all. She had leaned in to kiss him as a thank you, but the feel of her lips on his had ignited him, causing him to take her in his arms without a second thought. It had been soul-sealing, for him at least, and there had been no going back after that point.

That had also been the beginning of his constant worry for her, one that he could not control no matter how hard he tried. Even when she wasn't rightfully his to worry about, he had worried. Even when he had resented her, he worried. Even these past nine years, he admitted now, he had worried for her. He had worried if she was safe, worried if she was happy.

It wasn't as if the worry had ruled his life. He wasn't that manic. Logan had definitely made his life without her, without the idea that she would come back to him. But the fact that they were part of each other, that they had had so many things to tie them to one another, made it impossible to not worry.

Now, as each mile brought him closer to where she was, he was allowing himself to remember those things that bound them together. He prayed that he would make it in time to help her, or that he was just overreacting. Hopefully, it was the latter, and he could pick her up and they could grab dinner. He tried to envision a normal evening where they could just order take out and watch a movie, relaxing together after the long day of surveillance. Somehow, though, he knew it wouldn't be quite that easy.


Logan pulled off the freeway, now only minutes from Gia's apartment. From a block away, he could see flashing lights of police cruisers and yellow caution tape strung out, blocking the road. He parked haphazardly, his eyes searching past the crowd that had formed, looking for her. He had his phone out and was frantically dialing her number as he neared the police barricade, pushing his way through all the gawking people.

Not far from the caution tape sat an ambulance, with its back doors open. There was an EMT coming out of the back, and just inside he suddenly saw her, sitting up right. He felt weak, his breath leaving him as he cried out, "Veronica!"

She heard him immediately, her eyes finding his. Veronica stopped the EMT and gestured toward Logan and said something Logan couldn't make out. The EMT then made his way toward Logan, lifting the caution tape and motioning him through.

Logan didn't give the EMT even a cursory glance as he went past him and went straight to where she was sitting inside the ambulance. His eyes took her in completely; seeing that she still looked whole, he sat down beside her on the gurney and hugged her tightly. "Oh my god, Veronica! Are you all right?"

Her arms went around him and he felt her take a deep breath. "I am now."

He pulled away from her to look into her eyes. "I couldn't get here sooner. There was a freaking wreck on the interstate, I tried, but-"

She shook her head, interrupting, "You don't need to explain." Suddenly there were tears pooling in her eyes, running down her cheeks. "Gia's dead. Logan, Cobb shot her."

Complete and utter terror shot through his body. "What are you talking about?"

She then explained what had happened, how she had gone to Gia's once Cobb had left but that somehow, Cobb had heard their conversation on the radio and had shot Gia through the window. How Cobb had come to the apartment and how she had barely managed to escape. How a cat had saved her life.

"I made a mistake with the bug, Logan. I screwed up and it cost Gia her life." Her face was filled with remorse. "I don't know what I was thinking; I should have known that Cobb might hear it." She began sobbing then, burying her head into his chest. "Why didn't I think of that?"

Trying to console her, he rubbed her back, murmuring, "You couldn't have known that. I'm so glad you're all right." He was only feeling relief that she was here with him and not in a body bag next to Gia's. As bad as it was that Gia was dead, he was aware that Veronica had barely walked away from death herself. "You're not hurt, are you? Do you need to go to the hospital?"

She shook her head, and pulled away from him. "They were just clearing me, checking all my vitals. The EMTs are done with me. I already gave my statement to the police…I better check one last time, but I want you to take me home. I can get my things later. It's all locked up in Gia's place; anyway, the police sealed it all. Cobb was arrested; they took him to the hospital with a police escort."

Logan helped her stand, and they walked hand in hand out of the ambulance and down to where there were a number of police officers standing near cruisers. They were told they could go, and that in the morning they likely would be contacting Veronica about her statement and arranging to get her things back to her. He could tell most of what they told her went straight over her head as she just leaned into him and let her lead her to his car.

He helped her into the passenger seat and then came around to sit in the driver's seat. As he buckled in, he turned to look at her. "I worried the whole way here about what was happening. If anything would have happened to you…"

Veronica was leaned back, head resting against the head rest, eyes closed. Quietly, she responded, "I know. It was stupid. I shouldn't have gone in until you were here. I realize that now. We should have gone in together or…hell, I don't know. It could have gone so much differently if I would have waited." She sighed, and opened her eyes to stare at him. "I honestly thought it would be fine."

He started the car, not saying anything as he carefully maneuvered the vehicle around the people milling about and then back towards the interstate. Veronica turned back straight in her seat, eyes straight ahead. Logan could tell she was done talking for now, which was fine by him. He was getting used to these silent rides with Veronica mute beside him.


Logan pulled to stop in front of her dad's house. She could tell he was still worried about her and probably wondering if she was in shock. At least she hadn't fallen asleep on the way back this time, and he didn't have to carry her in again. They both got out of the car at the same time, Logan coming around quickly to meet her and walk with her up to the front door. She let them into the house, turning on the living room light and shutting the door firmly behind them, locking the deadbolt.

"I'm going to go change. Make yourself at home, I'll be right back." Veronica left him to fend for himself while she went in to the guest room to find her bag and clean clothes. She took it all into the bathroom and took a shower, reveling in the warmth of the water, purging herself of the feel of death and destruction on her skin.

When she finally returned to the living room, Logan was sitting at the couch, the T.V. on and tuned to the local news. He smiled up at her, motioning her to sit down next to him. "I hope you don't mind, I called for delivery—lasagna? Sounded good and if I remember right, one of your favorites."

She smiled tiredly back at him. Remembered right, huh? "That sounds great. Would you like some wine or a beer?"

He shook his head, suddenly serious. "Um…no, water works for me. Go ahead and get yourself a glass, though."

That surprised her. Never in their previous lives would he have declined alcohol of any type. She went into the kitchen and got them each bottles of water and returned to sit next to him, handing him one.

After a few minutes of silence, Logan finally asked, "So…what happens now?"

Veronica cast a sideways glance at him. "You mean, with the case?"

"I mean…with everything, I guess. The case, your dad…you." He grabbed the remote and switched the T.V. off. "What's your plan? I've been wondering if you need some help arranging care for your dad-so that you can get back to New York. That firm that hired you won't be patient forever while you sort all this out, will they?"

She was touched at his thoughtfulness. "I…uh…I actually lost that job offer. It's a good thing, now, in light of everything that has been going on." She shook her head as she saw his look of shock. "It's fine, really. I can't go back now, at least for a while. Thank you so much for your offer of help…it means a lot to me. But I'm not going back to New York, not until Dad's on his feet again."

Logan looked away from her, and she saw him swallow. Hesitantly, he said, "And…well. I know you said last night that you and Piz were through…but—"

Veronica put her hand out and rested it on his arm, "I called Piz yesterday, when I was supposed to be on the plane back. He got upset, he broke it off. He had been getting impatient with my changing schedule...I wonder now if he knew it was over the minute I got on the plane to come here. He wasn't all that excited for me to come in the first place. I don't know; it's just a feeling I have."

He looked back at her, staring into her eyes. "But...did you want it to be over? I mean, if I wouldn't have called, you wouldn't have been here, he wouldn't have gotten angry."

Already, she was shaking her head. "Logan. No. I love Piz, I do. But he doesn't understand this part of me, here in Neptune. He always has assumed it was like Nancy Drew, just cutesy little cases. He's never understood what makes me tick, and I don't know, he's just never taken it seriously. I admit I wanted that for a long time, to not have this part of me. But now, I don't know. He just doesn't fit." She settled back into the cushions of the couch. "This past week has kind of…enlightened me; I guess that's the best way to describe it. As much as I've screwed up with everything, it still feels so good to be back at it. Piz would never have understood it; he wouldn't have had the patience to see it through, whatever this is; he proved that. You had nothing to do with what happened to Dad...I would have had to come because of that. Can you imagine, what would have happened if you wouldn't have been here last night? Dad would be dead, and I would be organizing a funeral. I would have had to come back." Her eyes widened, as she repeated softly, "I would still be here."

Logan reached out and drew her to him, hugging her tightly. "Hey, don't think about what ifs. We were here, and he's alive…that's all that matters."

She felt herself crumbling, within the comfort of his arms, so grateful for a safe place to let go of her emotions. He had always been her safe place, she realized. He had never betrayed her weaknesses to anyone; he had just been there for her. He had always been the solid rock that she could count on, and it hurt her suddenly that she had denied herself his understanding and care for so long.

She became aware of his heartbeat underneath her ear, the woodsy male scent that was so exclusively Logan, and his strong arms around her. Slowly, she turned her face into his neck, breathing him in. He stilled, aware of her movements, his breath catching. Veronica planted a soft kiss at the base of his collar bone, running her hands down his back and then pulling away to look at him. She drew her lips inward, chewing on the top one for a moment. "I don't know what I would have done if you wouldn't have been here, Logan." Her eyes flashed in amusement. "Dad will be beside himself when he realizes he owes you his life."

Logan shook his head, chuckling softly. "He can just give me his first born."

She paused, startled. "Would you really want her?"

Abruptly Logan pulled her into him, his head dipping down so that his lips touched hers with a gentle force that took her breath. Deepening the kiss, he pushed his tongue into her mouth, melding with hers. His hands cupped her face, lightly feathering up her jawline and into her hair. Veronica reacted by pulling him closer to her, her hands running through his short-clipped hair to the collar of his shirt, restless. She felt her body inching closer to him, to where she was almost astride him, when, unexpectedly, the doorbell chimed. They sprang apart.

Logan stood, reaching for his wallet as he made his way to the front door. "Dinner's here."

Veronica stood as well, breathing slowly to regain her composure. "I'll get the plates."

A/N: Thank you thank you for all the Favorites/Followings and reviews to this story. I think I only have 1 more chapter, I am still deciding if I should put in 1 more LoVe steamy scene, so it may turn into 2 more chapters. It has been fun dabbling with fanfic, and I have been toying with an original Veronica Mars mystery...I have some serious brainstorming to do regarding it. It has been so great to read all the reviews, I appreciate your support!