Sorry about the wait – my Veronica Mars muse hasn't been too chatty lately. But I finally strapped her down and made her give me this chapter. I hope you like it.

Please R&R

Oh, right, warning for language.

After leaving Logan in the pool house., Veronica dug her cell phone out of her bag. She saw that she had I missed call from Lilly. A feeling of disgust bubbled up in her stomach as the image of her best friend having sex with her boyfriend's father played fresh in her mind. She deleted the message without listening to it, then she dialled her dad.

"Hi, honey," Keith Mars answered. "What's up?"

"Hey dad," she replied. "I need a favour – you remember how you always told me that if I ever needed a ride to just call you and you'd come and get me no questions asked?"

"Yes," Keith drawled.

"Well, I need a ride," she informed.

"Is there some kind trouble, honey?" he wanted to know. "Is something wrong?"

Veronica snickered. "What happened to the no question asked part? I knew that was too good to be true."

"Okay, okay," Keith relented. "No questions. Just tell me where you are and I'll be right there."

Veronica sighed, not for the first time feeling thankful for the father she was blessed with having. "Thanks dad. I'm at the Echolls mansion," she told him. "Oh and dad, could you do something else for me – again without questions?"

Keith let out a weary sigh. "What is it?"

Veronica bit her bottom lip and looked back over her shoulder at the pool house. "Well, you're on duty right now, right?"

"Yeah," her dad confirmed sounding curious.

"Any chance you're in the mood to bust up a rowdy party?" She could practically hear her dad rubbing his forehead through the phone line.

"Any chance you want to tell me why you want the police to break up your friend's party?" he countered.

"Um... not at the moment, no," she told him.

"Is there anyone I should be arresting?" Keith asked.

"No," Veronica blurted out quickly. "No arrest. Just get everyone to leave."

Keith sighed. "Okay. I'll be there in ten minutes with sirens on."

Veronica smirked. "Thanks dad," she said and hung up.

She hoped she was doing the right thing. She thought she was. She didn't think that Logan really wanted to have to deal with his guest right now. He did say he wanted to be alone.

She just hoped that's what he really needed and she wasn't making a mistake by leaving. She wanted to be there for him. But at the moment she had no idea how to be. So she was doing what she could by getting everyone out of his house.

And just prayed that when he was finally ready to let someone be there, he would come to her.

oOo

As soon as Veronica woke up the next morning, she grabbed her cell and checked her messages, hoping Logan had called.

There was only one message; it wasn't from Logan.

She gritted her teeth as she pressed the button and put the phone to her ear.

"Hey, loser!" Lily's voice shrilled. "What the hell happened to you? I'm parked outside Logan's right now and the place is deserted. What the fuck? Call me."

Veronica snorted as she deleted the message. Not likely she was going to be returning that call anytime soon.

She hesitated briefly before punching in Logan's number. She knew he said to leave him alone, but she had to know if he was okay.

She waited impatiently as his voice mail pick up and he rattled off an inspirational quote.

"Hey, Logan, it's me... Veronica," she began after the tone. "Will you call me back, please? I'm really worried about you. I just need to know that you're all right. Please, call me. I..." she paused not really knowing what she should say. "I'm just so sorry." Feeling inadequate she hung up.

She tossed her phone across the bed and flopped back, groaning in frustration.

A knock sounded on her bedroom door.

"Come in," she grumbled.

The door opened and her mom's head popped in.

"Hey, sweetie," Leann said.

Veronica pushed herself up and folded her legs under herself.. "Hey, mom."

"I was just wanting to know if you wanted to talk about last night," her mother ventured. "How'd it go with you and Logan – I'm mean I'm guessing it couldn't have been too well judging by the police escort home."

Veronica smiled wanly at her mother's attempted joke.

"Um... something sorta came up," she hedged, not really feeling like sharing the details about Lily and Mr. Echolls with her mom at this point. "We didn't really get a chance to have 'the talk'."

"Oh," Leann replied. "Sorry, honey."

"It's okay," Veronica assured.

Leann opened her mouth to say something but was interrupted by the shrill of Veronica's cell phone. Veronica practically flew across the bed to get it – she was in such a rush she forgot to check the ID.

"Hello," she practically panted, frantic.

"Hello, yourself," Lily's voice replied.

Veronica's stomach sank. "Lily," she said. Her mother made a gesture that she was going to leave her alone and clicked the door closed behind her.

"Yeah, that's me,.your best friend, Lily Kane; the one that's been calling you all night. What's going on? What happened with the party – people said you called the cops, a.k.a, your dad to come break it up."

"Well, I told you I wasn't in the party mood," Veronica replied drily.

Lily snorted. "Apparently not. So?"

"So what?"

"So what about Logan – did you find out who the slut is?"

Yes, I did, Veronica thought bitterly. I'm talking to her right now.

"The only girl I know he talked to is me," she said.

"Oh," said Lily deflated. "Well what are you doing? I'm gonna hit the mall; I'm in need of massive retail therapy – wanna come?

"You know," Veronica drawled. "I've had a killer headache all day – I'm gonna pass."

"You sure?"

"Positive."

"Whatever. Later!" she bade before signing off.

"Much," Veronica muttered as she hit the end call button and tossed the phone aside again – this time in disgust.

She gnawed on her lip for a moment while she contemplated calling Logan again. She finally sighed and reached across the mattress again to retrieve the phone.

She hit redial and waited.

He didn't answer.

Screw it, she thought scrambling up from the bed.

She hastily got herself dressed.

"Mom!" she called as she pulled up her jeans. "Can I barrow your car!"

oOo

Veronica's heart sank, discouraged as she pulled up to the Echolls' mansion and noted Logan's bright yellow monstrosity was nowhere in sight – and as it was hard to miss, it obviously wasn't there; which meant, neither was Logan.

She parked her mom's car and tried the door anyway – no answer.

Crap.

Worry ate at Veronica's stomach – she was so concerned about Logan she called Dick and asked if he knew where he was. If Veronica was having a willing conversation with Dick Casablancas then it was serious.

Unfortunately the call didn't yield any joy; Dick hadn't seen Logan since the party last night – the party that your dad busted up, Dick had griped after which Veronica hung up on him.

She drove around for a while longer and made a few more phone calls – no Logan.

She'd almost even called Duncan, but had sagely decided against it.

It was already getting dark by the time Veronica called it quits and returned home. She would have stayed out all night searching, but her mom needed the car; she was going out for on of her regular girl's night with her friends.

She spent another restless night staring at the ceiling as her mind reeled with unsavoury possibilities. She was shaken from these morose thoughts when she heard a familiar tapping on her bedroom window.

She was out of bed like a shot, relief flooding her and she rushed across the room to open the window. She threw it open without a thought to see Logan standing there.

"Oh my god, where have you been?" she asked him. "I've been so worried about. Are you okay?" She stopped abruptly as Logan shifted and his face became more visible in the moonlight. She gasped seeing the purplish bruise forming on his cheek and the gash over his left eye. "Oh my god, Logan."

Logan's mouth quirked wryly, he lifted his right hand and revealed his split knuckles. "Went to L.A. to have a chat with daddy dearest," he told her.

Veronica's eyes slipped closed. She'd been afraid of something like this. "Oh, god Logan..." She opened her eyes and looked at him – his brown eyes were soft and vulnerable and she found herself unable to hold on to her annoyance at his rash behaviour. And after all, it wasn't like Aaron hadn't had it coming.

She reached out and put her hand to the cheek that wasn't bruised. "Come inside," she told him, stepping back from the window.

"You sure?" he asked sheepishly.

Veronica nodded.

Logan smiled gratefully and clamoured over the windowsill, wincing and holding his side as he did so.

Veronica grimaced in sympathy.

"I'll be right back," she whispered. "I'm going to get something to clean up that cut."

She turned to go, but Logan caught her hand.

"Veronica..."

She turned back and looked up at him. His eyes were swimming with tears. He looked so fragile. Veronica stepped closer and carefully put her arms around him. His own arms came around her, engulfing her much smaller frame. He buried him face in nook between her neck and shoulder. He sobbed silently in her arms, his tears falling onto her skin and dampening her hair.

He held on to her tightly like she was his life-preserver. Veronica didn't mind the pressure his strong arms were applying on her slight figure – she was just glad he was allowing her to be the thing his was holding onto. That he was holding on at all.

"It's okay," she murmured as her own tears sprang into her eyes. "I'm here. I've got you."

After a moment, Logan blew out a breath, stirring Veronica's hair and pulled back.

Veronica cleared her throat and smiled at him. "Come on," she said, tugging his hand over to the bed. "Sit down," she told him. "I'm gonna go get some band-aids and stuff."

Logan gave her a small smile in return nodded, sitting down on the edge of the bed..

After Veronica had cleaned and covered Logan's cut, she bent down and brushed her lips gently to where she applied the band-aid.

Logan wrapped his arms around her waist and held her to him for a moment, stroking her back.

Veronica felt a powerful electric surge go through her and shivered. Her breath quickened.

"You should get some rest," she suggested, keeping her voice low so it would strain.

Logan loosened his hold on her and she pulled back.

Veronica looked down at him, biting her bottom lip.

"Lay down," she told him.

Logan's eyes flashed in surprise. He thought she was going to tell him to go home.

"Just...to sleep," Veronica clarified.

Logan nodded and eased himself down on his side.

Veronica walked down to the end of the bed and sat down at Logan's feet, then began to untie his shoelaces.

"You can't sleep with your shoes on," she said in answer to his unvoiced question.

After she carefully placed his shoes on the floor, she awkwardly scooted up the bed and laid down beside Logan, facing him.

She gently touched her hand to his cheek and placed a soft kiss on his lips.

"Get some sleep," she murmured..

Logan put his arms around Veronica and pulled her closer to him. He rested his forehead against hers and sighed. Then, allowed his eyes to slip closed.

Veronica watched him for awhile, waiting until she heard his breathing slow down and even out, before closing her own eyes and allowing sleep to take her as well.

TBC...

Thanks for reading! I'd really appreciate it if you would please drop me a review and let me know what you thought.