Veronica goes back to her dorm room with a huge smile on her face. She and Logan had spent hours on the beach, talking, kissing, flirting – she couldn't believe it. She had not really let a person of the opposite sex (including Piz or her Father) touch her after Kyle, and now she had just kissed Logan Echolls. Multiple times.

She and Logan had decided to tell his Dad tomorrow that they were getting married, and that they would like to live together. She wasn't sure how it was going to go over, but all she knew was that it was there best chance at getting Logan out of there. He had seemed nervous while they planned to trick his Father (and in doing so, the law) and had even tried to ward her off several times. She knew he was scared that she could possibly get hurt in doing this, but she couldn't just let him continue to live there – merely to be his Father's punching bag. It just wasn't fair.

Of course, she thought to herself as she tried to get her mind to fall asleep, life wasn't fair. Just ask Lily Kane.

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The next morning she's awaken by someone knocking at her door. Stretching, she pulls open the door to the sight of Logan holding out a box of donuts.

"Since you're so adamant on pretending to be my fiancée," he says, "I thought I might as well feed you."

She laughs and ushers him into the room (Mac still hasn't returned yet) and grabs a donut from the box. Logan's looking at her weird, his brown eyes open and beautiful.

"What you looking at Echolls?" she asks, jutting out her bottom lip. He laughs.

"You're just," he blushes, "Beautiful in the mornings. I never let myself notice it before."

Veronica smiles, and leans forward to peck him on the lips. "I don't think people usually call me 'beautiful' in the mornings, but thank you." She takes a large bite of her donut, and catches Logan looking at her like he's never seen her before – again. "You know, the staring thing is going to get a bit old."

"I just haven't met anyone – really been with anyone, and no Madison doesn't count – since Lily," he says quickly, "I never thought I would again. But then I saw you sitting on that bench and something changed, I don't really know what but –"

"It's okay," Veronica says, reaching out to take his hand. "I didn't really think I could be with anyone else either. So for right now, let's take things slow."

"That might be hard to do considering we're about to pretend to be engaged," he says, wiggling his eyebrows, and she laughs.

"I meant between the two of us. To the rest of the world we can be as serious as they picture us to be."

"So you have thought of that?" Logan asks nervously, "Because my Dad will want to tell the tabloids and People – whoever will listen, that I'm getting married."

Veronica hadn't thought of that, and the words sent a spiraling fear through her gut. Still, she smiled as wide as she possibly could and went – "Of course I thought of that!"

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It's the second time Veronica's been to Logan's house, but this time she's wearing a fake ring and knows the truth about who his Father is. Every fiber of her being wishes she could just pull out Mr. Sparky and zap Aaron to hell, but she doesn't think it would hold down well in court.

The ring had been Logan's Mother's and was real (despite her protests). It felt heavy on her finger, like it was weighing her down with the false promise it held.

Logan seemed just as nervous. She was holding his hand, and she could feel that his palms were sweaty, that his fingers were shaking. Some girls would have been grossed out, but Veronica held on with all her might because despite all Logan was steady. He was steadying her nerves.

"We'll be okay," Logan promises her, and something in his brown eyes is lying. She chooses to believe him anyways, and only watches as he fumbles with his key and barely manages to get the door open.

"Dad, I'm home!" he calls, his voice warbling slightly. Veronica squeezes his hand tighter.

"You didn't come home last night," Aaron Echolls' voice is nothing like on television right now, it's hard and angry and dangerous.

"I went to visit someone," Logan says easily, "C'mon Sugarpuss."

Veronica steps into Logan's house, her entire body shaking. Aaron Echolls descends the stairs in front of them, wearing a bathrobe and a forced pleasant expression.

"I didn't know we had company," he says, his voice polite.

"Dad," Logan starts again, "I've been keeping something from you."

Aaron manages only to look mildly interested, but there's something that flickers in his eyes – insanity. Veronica shivers, not really wanting his eyes on her at all. How could someone like this be Logan's Father?

"I'm Logan's fiancée," she quickly says, stepping forward with her hand outstretched, "Veronica Mars."

To say Aaron Echolls' was shocked was perhaps an understatement. His eyes nearly popped out of their sockets, his mouth opening in an astonished gape. They had managed to pull one over his eyes after all.

"Fiancée?" he manages to stutter out, and takes her hand and gives it a hearty shake.

"Yeah, we wanted to keep things quiet until we decided where this was going," Logan says, smiling the best he could. Aaron doesn't dare show his anger in front of Veronica, but instead tries to look the most pleasant he can.

"That's fantastic news son!" he nearly shouts, clapping Logan on the back. Where he's 'given his son a friendly pat' is intentional, Veronica knows that's where the worst of Logan's welts are.

"If you don't mind," Veronica interjects, "We want to keep this as quiet as possible. I know you're so famous –" she laughs nervously, "But I think attention to this might be a little over kill."

"Of course," Aaron says, his eyes guarded. "I'm so happy for you both!"

"That being said," Logan says, obviously wanting to hurry this along. "Veronica and I want to move in together. I know I need your permission before I can go anywhere –"

"Yes, you do," Aaron's smile is forced again. "I don't really see why this needs to be so soon."

"Because I'm pregnant," Veronica blurts out off the top of her head. Logan and Aaron both turn their heads to look at her in shock, she gives a small nod to Logan. "I want Logan and I to live together so he can – you know, help me." She tries for a bright happy smile, and Aaron seems to buy it.

"You two are having a baby?" Aaron asks, and Logan steps back and slings an arm around Veronica's shoulder.

"Yeah," Logan says, "And I thought that living together would be best."

"Of course," Aaron says, smiling through gritted teeth. "Why don't you just live here? We have plenty of room."

Veronica laughs nervously. "Oh I couldn't—"

"I insist."

Veronica couldn't think of any protests – it was a large house and there were plenty of rooms, so she just nodded. "Okay." He couldn't hurt Logan if she was in the next room. She wouldn't be leaving Logan alone for a while.

"Great!" Aaron claps his hands, "I can't wait for us all to be a great happy family."

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"What was that?" Logan asks her as soon as they were in the safety of his Xterra, driving off to Veronica's dorm to pick up her stuff.

"He wasn't buying it. He wasn't going to let us move in, so I improvised," she shrugs carelessly, but her hands are trembling on the steering wheel.

"You're not actually pregnant are you?" he asks her seriously, and she knows that he's nervous that she's got some other boy's baby in her belly.

"No," she snorts. "I'm going to have to get those fake baby bumps from the pregnancy store – although hopefully it won't take us that long to shove your Father into jail."

Logan sighs, rolling back his head. "I don't know why I let you do this," he says.

"Because you trust me," Veronica replies easily, "And I trust you. It's not an easy thing for the two of us to do, and it means we've only got each other. I'm not about to let you fall Logan."

He looks over at her then with stars in his eyes. "Pull over," he says suddenly.

"What?!"

"Just pull over the damn car Mars."

She jerks the steering wheel to the side and in the next moment their kissing like they've never kissed before – sloppy and passionate. She forgets everything about taking things slowly and yanks him down on top of her.

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"Where were you today?" Mac asks suspiciously as soon as Veronica enters the room.

"With Logan," Veronica replies. "Okay listen – I'm going to have to stay somewhere else for a few weeks, cover for me with Piz."

"Who are you staying with?"

"Logan," Veronica shrugs, "Don't ask. It would take way to long to explain."

"You're hair is messy and your lips are chapped, "Mac observes, "I think it just explained itself."

Veronica laughs and grabs a duffel bag, shoving all of her important belongings inside.

"I can't keep secrets from you can I?" she asks.

"You'd have to physically hide something from me to not know the truth," Mac jokes. Something clicks in Veronica's brain – something entirely not connected with what's been going on today. She says a rushed goodbye to Mac, and nearly sprints out to where Logan's waiting.

"Lily," she says upon greeting as she throws her duffel bag into the backseat. "Did she have any places where she liked to hide things?"

Logan looks at her, confused. "What do you mean?"

"Did she have any places she hid things?!" Veronica asks more urgently.

"In her air vents – why?"

"Because what if she hid who her lover was in there?" Veronica asks, something like glee creeping into her voice. "And no one found it."

"So what are you going to do?"

"Find out what her secret was, Veronica style."