I should have demanded feedback earlier! Thank you all so much for your positive reviews. They opened my eyes to a lot of things in this story and the way I update. So, here you are, two days later with a new chapter! You're all going to want to slap Veronica again, but I promise she will get the stick out of her butt and realize what's really important.

So, PLEASE, give me the same amount of feedback as you did for the last chapter and I can almost guarantee another chapter by tomorrow.

P.S. Individual comments for my awesome reviewers will be at the end.

Read, enjoy and review!

Hard. Did Logan really know what hard was? I, on the other hand, had come face to face with hard on several occasions.

Seeing Lily beautifully broken on her patio, blood spilling onto the concrete; that was hard. Waking up in Shelley Pomroy's guest room with no panties or recollection of the night before; that was hard. Being locked in a burning refridgerator while your dad fights a crazed murder; again, hard. Watching a bus full of your classmates tumble into the rocky waters of the Pacific; still hard. Thinking your dad was blown up on the same plane with a child molestor while finding out who actually raped you and killed your classmates; that sure as hell was hard. After barely getting over your own rape, having to find the serial rapist on campus; one of the hardest.

But then I stopped myself. Logan had been there, been affected by everyone one of those incidents. Logan had been my constant shoulder, well for the most part anyway, and he saw what each life shattering event had done to me. Logan was there for me through thick and thin.

And he had the nerve to sleep with my sworn enemy.

My eyes focused, seething with my newest development. Logan knew exactly what sleeping with Madison would do to me and yet, he did it anyway. He was trying to hurt me.

That's when I noticed I was back in my apartment, sitting on my own couch with four prying eyes watching my every mood.

"I'm thirsty," I commented causing both Mac and Dick to jump.

Mac stood from her place next to Dick, "What can I get you?"

I waved her away wordlessly and crossed the living room and into the kitchen. I retrieved a glass and brought it back towards the fridge where I hesitated a moment. In one angry movement, I swung the door open barely flinching as it slammed against the counter. With just as much punch behind my movements I twisted the top off the Tropicana and violently poured the pulp-less liquid into my glass. And in my haste of throwing the carton back in the refrigerator I pulled my glass with me. I watched as the glass and orange juice tumble to the floor, splashing and shattering at my feet.

Finally as if the broken glass had released my flood gates, tears began streaming down my face. My legs gave way and my body crumble to the floor.

"Veronica, get up!" Mac yelled, trying to map out the safest way through the glass and orange juice.

Before either of us could react, glass crunched under Dick's sneakers and he crossed the kitchen. His strong arms scooped underneath me, flinching only once as a piece of glass stabbed into his skin, and he lifted me out of danger and brought me out of the kitchen.

"She's bleeding," Mac commented, looking around the apartment to where Dick should put me, "And so are you."

Mac disappeared quickly down the hall and into the bathroom. Dick continued on towards my room where he lightly placed me on my bed. He turned me on my side so that no blood stained my comforter. Part of me wanted to thank him for his thoughtfulness but I didn't have the energy to speak through my now soundless sobbing.

Mac reappeared with tweezers and Band-Aids in tow, "Here, let's clean her up."

Silently Mac assessed each cut on my palms and feet. Using the tweezers she carefully pulled out any tiny shards of glass that had lodged in each wound. With just as much care, Dick covered the open holes in my hands with the Band-Aids. Too bad there wasn't a Band-Aid big enough to cover the wound Logan left in my chest.

"So," Mac paused when all wounds were bandaged up on both Dick and me.

I knew what she wanted to know, everything, but the only thing I could do in response was roll over in my bed, and curl up into a ball. Mac sighed, giving up on the whole talking thing and walked towards the door.

"You coming, Dick?"

"Give me a second," He whispered, motioning her to close the door behind her, "Veronica."

I sniffled.

"Veronica Mars, suck it up."

My head shot to face him, shock evident on all of my features.

"Yeah, you heard me," He answered as if my look had spoken to him, "Since when do you show weakness?"
This time my mouth fell open.

"As long as I've known you, you've been the toughest, most badass girl around," He shook his head in disbelief, "And now look at you. Crying and weak."

"Excuse me?" I finally spoke in my defense, "You know nothing about me."

He laughed, "You're kidding me right?"

I shut up. Any response I'd have come up with would have been littered with bitterness and anger that Dick didn't deserve.

"I'm disappointed in you," He said softly, "You've ruined your superhero image in my eyes."

"Superhero?" I croaked.

"Did I stutter?"

I smiled, "I didn't know you thought of me so highly."

He shrugged his shoulders nonchalantly.

"But every superhero has their kryptonite."

He looked deep in thought for a second, "And what's yours?"

"The Logan shaped hole in my body isn't evidence enough?"

He shook his head again, "When are you two going to get over yourselves? Just admit it already and get on with your lives."

"Admit what?" My hand subconsciously sprang to my stomach. The jerking motion caught Dick's attention, his eyes following my hands, "It moved."

He looked into my eyes, as if he were getting consent, which I granted and then he rested his hand next to mine. Sure enough, the baby kicked again. And again. The smile that spread across Dick's face was contagious. Or at least I thought it had been, but when I tried to smile, I realized I couldn't stretch my cheeks any farther.

"You're right," I said through my tight cheeks, "I need to get on with my life."

He didn't tear his eyes or hand from my stomach, "Do you remember that time that that girl, uh, Betty –"

"Bonnie?"

"Oh, right, Bonnie," He lightly rubbed a thumb over my stomach, "Well remember when she was pregnant and it might've been mine…I was kinda excited." My look must have said it all because he continued, "Don't get me wrong I was scared shitless. I mean, I'm Dick Casablancas. I have a lot of money and reputation to think of. Plus, I didn't want to screw some kid up. You've seen what parenting I've had."

Part of me wanted to laugh. Dick Casablancas wanting a kid? I held back though, knowing that he was being sincere, "So you acted like a jerk…why?"

"Because I was scared," He finally looked at me, "You know, keep everyone at arms distance."

"Wow, I just –" There was a faint knock on the door, "Come in."

My bedroom door crept open slowly revealing Mac looking sheepish in the doorway, "I got lonely."

"I'm sorry," I laughed at her childish expression. The sound seemed to let out a collective sigh of relief, "Join the party."

Mac stepped towards the bed but stopped when she saw Dick's hand on my stomach. Dare I say jealousy washed over her face, "What'd going on in here?"

"It's moving!" Dick exclaimed. His enthusiasm nearly matched mine.

Mac was timid as she took a few steps forward at a time, "Can I, uh, feel?"

"Uh, yeah," I was put off by Mac's request for permission to touch my stomach, "I don't know what's weirder, feeling something swimming around inside or having all these people touch my stomach."

Both retracted their hands at my statement, "I said it was weird not that you had to stop. Isn't this sort of a milestone in pregnancies? Plus aren't strangers going to be flocking to touch my stomach now as well? I'd rather it be you guys."

We all into a silence which was completely different than the awkward silence from earlier when I snapped out of my trance-like state.

"Hey, guys," I reverted their attention back to me, well my face, "What happened earlier?"

Dick cocked an eyebrow, "You mean you don't remember?"
"Well she was pretty much catatonic," Mac seemed to remember I was still in the room after she commented, "You were just staring off…"

"Huh," I sat up, pulling my knees as close as I could to my body.

"The better question is what made you go all zombie on us?" Dick finally asked the question Mac was itching to know the answer too.

I rested my chin on my knees, "I don't know really. Logan and I were fighting…"

"Fighting or fighting?" Dick wiggled his eyebrows suggestively earning a slap from Mac, "What it's a valid question after what I walked in on this morning."

My cheeks burned red, "We were actually fighting. I just had to get out of there but I don't even remember leaving the suite, let alone getting home."

"Well you definitely left the suite." Mac confirmed, "The receptionist –"

"Tina." Dick offered to the story.

"Yeah, uh, Tina, flagged down Dick," Mac continued with filling in the gaps of my afternoon, "You were sitting in the lobby, just staring out into space. Apparently you were scaring the guests."

"Huh," I said again, unable to form any coherent reaction.

"So I threw you over my shoulder like the burly man I am and brought you here." Mac shot Dick at glare at his statement, but seeing my smile, smiled in turn.

Again the baby began kicking and my hand flew to my bump. Without even getting my consent this time both Dick and Mac followed suit, falling back into our comfortable silence as if waiting for the fourth party in the room to start talking.

The front door swung open and my father bellowed "Honey, I'm home!"

As if I were the ring leader, Mac and Dick followed my actions, barely noticing my struggle to climb from the corner of my bed. When the trio was completed we made our way out of my room to greet my father from a hard day at work.

"Oh, hello Richard, Cindy," Dad nodded, "I didn't know we'd be having guests. I could add a pizza to our order."

"Oh, no Mr. Mars, we were just keep Veronica company," Mac stepped towards the couch to gather her bag.

"Yeah, Sheriff, I have to be getting home," Everyone stopped to stare at Dick before everyone erupted in laughter. First off, Dick had called my dad Sheriff in such a deflated, scared voice it was cute. Secondly, him needing to get home was a ridiculous comment because he had no one to answer to besides Logan and he wasn't really the paternal type. Oh, crap.

Just breathe, Veronica. I told myself. You don't need to lose it again.

"What'd you order?" I diverted my attention to food, since my stomach was growling. Or was that just the baby moving? Boy was it going to be hard to decipher hunger from someone playing in my uterus.

Dad looked down on the menu he had in front of him that was littered with circles, "I got the lasagna, eggplant parm, spaghetti and meatballs and chicken francese."

"And you thought you would need a pizza for two more people?" Dick blurted out.

"Son, you obviously don't know how the Mars family eats."

"Well, I've witnessed Veronica chow down," Mac laughed at the memory, "And I'll pass on witnessing that again. Goodnight Mr. Mars. See you tomorrow Veronica."

"Bye guys!" I called after them but my real focus was on the promise of food. I barely heard the door close behind them. I sniffed the air, waiting for the enchanting smell of Italian to waft from the other side of the door. What I did smell made me gag.

"What is it?" My dad looked at my actions questionably as I continued to sniff the air until I found the unnaturally disgusting smell. I channeled Back-up as I followed the scent right up to my father.

Holding my nose in obvious disgust I asked, "What is that?"

He sniffed his uniform trying to distinguish the smell, "Well combined with my manly scent I'd say it's the Thai food we ordered at lunch."

"You need to change, right now," I ordered still protecting my nose from the stench, "And never eat Thai food again."

He shuffled down the hallway to his room, escaping my wrath if he disagreed about the potency of his odor. Thankfully, the delivery man knocked bringing a delicious scent into the apartment. My mouth began watering instantaneously as I placed the bag of food on the counter. I cursed myself for making my dad change and busied myself with setting the places on the counter. Just as I finished pouring juice into two cups, Dad came out of his bedroom dressed in fresh, stench free clothes.

"Just what I like to see," He sat on his stool, "My dinner all laid out when I get home from a hard day at work."

I smiled sweetly, taking my seat across from him, "Don't worry, I gave the delivery boy a decent tip."

Silently we filled out plates with a scoop of each enticing dish. Smothering my whole plate with grated cheese, I settled into a steady pattern of shoveling the food into my mouth.

"So," Dad drawled, "How was your movie night with Logan?"

I faltered slightly in my shoveling motion, "Fine."

"What'd you watch?"

"The Notebook and Wedding Crashers."

"Hm," He began eating the food off his own plate, "How was The Notebook? I've never seen it."

"It's a classic," I said with a mouthful, "A real tearjerker."

"Yeah," He nodded, "I heard you balling like a baby."

Blood collected in my cheeks turning them crimson.

"Speaking of baby," He segued to a new topic, "How's my baby? And her baby?"

"We're both doing fine," I admitted even though I wasn't sure if that was entirely true, "But your baby would be better if her baby would settle down."

My dad dropped his fork in his plate, "The baby's moving?"

"Moving is an understatement," I responded, not looking up from my plate of food. I jump at the sudden hand on my stomach. In the few bites I had taken in the silence I hadn't even realized my dad had leapt from his chair to rest his hand on my stomach.

He beamed up at me, "This is amazing, Veronica."

The love and admiration that filled his eyes was enough to bring tears to my own. In all of Neptune, I totally lucked out with the best father ever even though with people like Aaron Echolls and Dick Senior, it wasn't a hard race. I was thankful that my dad was the one who stayed because he truly was my hero. Despite the many times I had reminded him, I hope he knew the depth of gratitude and love that I felt for him.

Cue annoying cell phone interruption here.

I wiped my eyes quickly, hesitating slightly before running to answer my phone. I really didn't want to have another emotional tearfest again. If there was one thing I was absolutely fed up with, it had to be the crying.

"Hello?" I answered just before it would have been transferred into my voicemail.

"Supafly? Is that you?" Wallace asked, "Damn girl, I've forgotten the sound of your voice."

I laughed, "Very funny, Wallace."

"Well, it's true. I haven't talked to you in ages. I'm starting to think you were just using me to get with Piz."

"Ha, ha. The phone works both ways, Papa Bear."

"And that's exactly why I'm calling you," He paused for dramatic effect, "I leave for Africa on Friday."

"As in the day after tomorrow?" I choked, trying to catch my breath after it was so conveniently knocked out of me by my supposed best friend.

"See, I knew you passed kindergarten all along."

"Wallace," I steady my voice, "This isn't a joking matter. We need to hang out as much as possible."

"I know that, hence why I called," He was so smug sometimes I had the urge to reach through the phone and smack him, "But I have a lot of people to see."

"But, but…I'm your best friend," I frowned.

"Don't do that to me, V. You know you're my numba one squeeze, but I do have other friends I haven't seen in a while."

"Whose fault is that?"

"Hey! I've been training and getting all the information to keep me safe while I'm in Africa trying to help stop a genocide."

Oh he was good, guilt tripping me about world tragedies, "Alright you superhero you, well when do I get to see you?"

"I propose a bowling trip so that I can see all my friends in one go," He paused again, "You in?"

"Bowling? As in ugly shoes, sweaty balls –"

"What kind of bowling alley do you go to?" Wallace laughed, "Yes, I'm talking about that great American pastime for my last day in America."

"I'm in."

"That's what I like to hear. I'll pick you up tomorrow so you get to spend the most time with me."

In writing this fic I was so focused on all the LoVe drama that I forgot there are other characters that I was missing out on. So there's Wallace. Piz and Madison will no longer in the fic because its the summer and they don't actually live in Neptune. I know you're all pretty bummed about that one.

I'm guestimating about 5 or 6 more chapters and an epilogue for this story unless my plan for the end gets too twisted to fit into that short of a time frame. With that said, I project to be done with this story by the end of the month, before the semester really starts loading on the work so that I won't have to have long months in between updates.

Individual Responses:

LoVefan4ever: You've been a faithful reader/reviewer from the beginning it'd be hard to NOT think of you when I'm writing. For a while I was sure you were the only person reading this! But I promise Veronica will get her brain back in the next couple of chapters, so no more stupid Veronica.

Galaxy451: I hope everything in your house got taken care of now that you're all caught up with the story! But really, when has LoVe ever been completely happy? There's always that tension between the two that you just want to reach into the TV screen and shake them. As for Mac and Dick...you'll just have to wait and see what I have planned for those two.

AmyInJapan: I am totally inspired to write more because you made me realize I do something I utterly hate. I hate having to reread chapters more than actually waiting for the updates. So you kicked my butt in gear to get things out in a more timely manner! Thanks a bunch!

Kathy0518: I totally agree with the whole soulmate thing but they're not just soulmates, they're EPIC. And just like Logan said in season 2 their love would span years and battles (don't remember the speech word for word but you get the drift) so it can't be any easy fight for happiness. But have no fear...LoVe is in the air!

roots19: I'm glad you see things my way. I mean, Logan can't always plan the villain in Veronica's life. She just needs to accept that he's human and he made a mistake. And I envision that, if Veronica had slept with someone when they were broken up like Dick (what a juicy story that would've been), Logan would end up murdering them. But booty calls with a baby on the way is not the way to go for LoVe. Keep reading for the final battle between the two!

And other thanks to distinctlyforbidden, AmandaL, Isilady and Sarah85 for their words of encouragement!