Welcome to Neptune

Disclaimer: I own nothing except the OCs and the storyline.

Veronica sat on the chair, biting her thumbnail. Logan meanwhile was sitting on the arm of the couch.

They didn't say a word. It was one of those silences that just sat in the air and filled the room with tension. They had never had a moment quite like this before. They were always shouting or kissing or talking. Never just this silent.

"Do you want to know something?" Logan's voice broke the silence and Veronica turned to him.

His voice was horse and he wasn't even looking at her, just down at the floor.

"I think…I think a part of me already knew," he said, quietly, "When I looked at Lucas…this amazing feeling came over me like…like finally this hole inside my soul had been filled. But I never let myself think that he was my son. I never even let my mind completely go there."

Logan barked out a laugh and said, "You know I used to think it was absolute crap when parents described the love they have for their kids. I mean, my father defiantly didn't have that feeling for me. But Lucas…I know what they're talking about now."

Veronica sighed and said, "Logan I'm sor-."

Don't," Logan said, "Don't sit there and pretend to be sorry."

Veronica's eyes narrowed and she replied, "Alright! Why don't I just be honest then?"

Logan nodded, "That would be nice for once!"

"Fine then," she barked back, "I'm not sorry. I'm not sorry for protecting our son from the basterds that were after him. I'm not sorry for doing everything I could to keep him safe. But I am sorry that you had to be hurt for that to happen."

Logan rubbed his face with his hands. Silence filled the room again until Logan said quietly, "What kind of kid was he like growing up?"

Veronica smiled slightly. "He couldn't have caused more trouble if he tried. I swear that boy attracted trouble like a magnet…still does."

Logan smirked and Veronica said, "I remember once when he was ten he decided that it would be a good idea to try and drive one of the agents' cars since he had seen so many agents do it. Have you ever seen a ten year old try and drive an SUV? I nearly had a heart attack when I saw him. Thankfully he didn't even get out of the FBI car park and there were no crashes."

Logan smiled slightly and Veronica added, "He still needs his father though."

Logan stiffened.

"He has always needed his father. And he has missed you so much over the years."

"He knew about me when he was younger?" Logan asked.

Veronica nodded, "If you couldn't know about him then he should at least know about you."

Logan stood up and started to walk around the room. Veronica watched him pace for a while until Logan pointed the wall beside the stairs.

"He should have drawn on that by the time he was three."

Veronica frowned but Logan continued, pointing to the glass vase. "He should have smashed that by the time he was seven. This rug? It should have been wash repeatedly by the time he was ten because of the amount of muddy footprints he put on it. And the TV? That should have been replaced at least by now, from the times he put a baseball threw it-."

"No matter how many times he was told not to play baseball indoors," Veronica finished.

Logan nodded, "You thought of it too?"

"The life we could have had? Yes, all the time." Logan snorted,

"No Veronica. The life I SHOULD have shared with you and Lucas. Lucas grew up with you, he knows you. But you took that from me Veronica! You took him from me!"

"I had too!" she yelled back standing up, "I had to leave to protect him!"

"But I could have come with you! We could have been a family on the run or not!" Logan stated.

"Logan if you went with me then you would have been in danger too and I couldn't have that! I needed you to be safe."

"You don't always have to look after anyone!" Logan shouted at her.

"But I need to look after Lucas!" Veronica yelled back, "I need to make sure that he's ok but the thought of anything happening to him makes me sick! You have to understand that."

Logan looked at her and she looked back. "I thought I knew you!" Logan said, "But then you took my son from me and now I don't know what to think."

Veronica had seen him this angry before. Their fights usually went like this full of yelling and angry words. The last time they fought was fifteen years ago and Veronica had even missed it slightly. It felt familiar, almost right somehow. But now Lucas's feelings were on the line and Veronica wasn't prepared to bet on them.

"I will make this clear to you Logan. I don't mind you being mad at me now or yelling at me right now," she said, "But if you dare, if you even dare, to hurt Lucas or make him choose sides, I swear I will show you how much of a cold hearted bitch I can be."

Logan looked over her face, and said, "I would never do anything to hurt Lucas. You really would do anything for him wouldn't you?"

"Always," Veronica said. "I have to go back. Lucas is at the house and I don't like leaving him alone."

"Natalie went up to her room as soon as you walked in the door. That means that Lucas isn't alone," Logan stated.

When Veronica frowned Logan said, "She's made a habit of climbing in his window."

Veronica nodded, "Then I better get over there."

She walked towards the door and as she opened it Logan said, "We are not finished here!"

Veronica turned to him and said, "Oh I know."

With that she walked out the door and shut it behind her. Logan sat down on the couch and rubbed a hand across his face.

-Lucas-

Lucas gasped slightly. He froze and turned the TV to mute. He listened again.

There it was! That tapping sound.

Lucas stood up slowly and tried to hear where the noise was coming from. He picked up the gun that was lying on the sitting room table and held it out in front of him as he looked around the house.

Realizing that the tapping was coming from one of the upstairs rooms Lucas slowly made his way upstairs. He was breathing heavily and he slowly walked towards his own room. He pressed his back against the wall beside his bedroom door.

He heard the tapping again and he quickly entered the room holding the gun out.

He let out a sigh of relief when he saw Natalie sitting on the tree outside his window. He made his over to it and opened the window.

"What the hell are you doing here?" Lucas said.

"I came to see how you were," Natalie said, "But if you're going to be pissed at me then I'll just leave."

Lucas just shook his head and practically dragged her through the window. Natalie stood in the room and rubbed her dirty hands on her jeans.

She looked at Lucas and said, "Is that a gun?"

Lucas snorted, "No it's a fancy banana!"

Natalie frowned at him as he walked out the door and downstairs. As they walked into the kitchen, Natalie asked, "Do you know how to shoot that thing?"

Lucas shrugged, "My mom taught me years ago. You're lucky I have good reflexes. I could have shot you by accident."

"When you said before how you 'picked up a few things' from agents, you meant stuff like this?" Natalie said.

Lucas shrugged again.

Natalie shook her head. "Who are you?" she asked, "You aren't the guy that has been my friend all this time."

"Well I'm sorry," Lucas replied, "But having your father find out about his son like this isn't exactly something that would put anyone in good mood."

Natalie frowned at him. "Is that why we're friends?"

Lucas frowned back, "What do you mean?"

"Are we only friends because Logan is your father?"

Lucas's eyes went wide and he shook his head. "No! No, that's not it. I didn't know Logan was your guardian when I met you. I mean when I found out he was I thought of not talking to you at all."

Natalie gasped and replied, "What?"

Lucas replied, "No! I mean that-."

"Why did you keep talking to me then?" Natalie asked.

"I-I didn't want to lose you," Lucas stammered.

Natalie stared at him for a few seconds and he looked back. Then Natalie shook her head and said, "No. No. You lied to me. You've been lying to me for months and I can't- I wouldn't…why do have to be so…so…you!"

Before Lucas could answer she said, "I thought maybe you and me could be more then friends."

Lucas nearly smiled. Nearly.

"And then this happens," Natalie said, "and now I don't know what to think. All I know is that you hurt me and lied to me and when I try to see how you are, you just push me away!"

"Natalie-."

"No! I don't want to be lied to anymore Lucas. Just leave me alone!" With that she walked towards the door, threw it open and walked out.

Lucas stared after her, remembering he promised his mother not to step foot outside the house. So he had to slam the door shut, locking it and then kick the kitchen cabinet. He leaned against the kitchen counter and sighed.

He walked into the sitting room and tried to watch TV.

It was only a few minutes later that his mother unlocked the door and walked in, making sure to lock the door after her.

Since Tommy's father was back, the house was practically on lock down. Veronica had also told Tommy's mother and her house was locked up as well. Veronica walked into the sitting room and smiled at Lucas.

"I saw Natalie walking from the house. Did you two make up?"

Lucas shook his head, "No. In fact she told me to leave her alone."

"Oh honey I'm sorry," Veronica said placing a comforting hand on his shoulder.

"What about you and Logan?"

Veronica snorted and replied, "It's going to take a lot more time for Logan and me to sort things out. I had to leave him just now because I didn't want to leave you alone."

Lucas shook his head, "You have got to stop using me as an excuse to leave an argument with Logan. What are you afraid of happening in an argument with him?"

Veronica cleared her throat and said, "Well, when Logan and I used to fight it, um… it used to end in a certain way and I don't think that it would be a good thing to-um…well let's just say that if we fought and we ended up the same way at the end of the argument then it wouldn't help the situation."

Lucas frowned and replied, "What are you talking about?"

Veronica sighed and said, "Let's just say that you wouldn't be here if Logan and I didn't fight."

Lucas made a face and replied, "Ok ew! Ma, I didn't need to know that!"

Veronica shrugged, "You asked."

Lucas smiled slightly and Veronica was glad to see it after such a hard day.

The smile faded slightly and Lucas said, "We really fucked up didn't we Ma?"

Veronica smacked his head slightly and Lucas yelled, "Ow! What was that for?"

"No swearing in the house," Veronica stated, "But yes, we've messed up. We've just got try and fix it."

Lucas nodded, determination written on his face. When it came down to it, Logan was his father, Neptune was his home and Natalie was someone he cared about very much. He wasn't going to lose that.