A/N: After all the drama of the previous chapter, this is a little more warm and fuzzy... Thanx, as ever, for all the awesome reviews! :)
(For disclaimer, etc. - see chapter 1)
Chapter 25
Mac figured she should be used to the whole doctors appointment thing by now, and yet every time she came here she felt stupidly nervous. It wasn't as if they had ever given her bad news or anything, or the doctor was this terrible person. On the contrary, Dr Devlin was a really sweet man and always did everything he could to make Mac feel comfortable. The cynic in her said that was because he was being paid plenty by Dick to do just that, but Mac would also like to think he was just a good guy too.
"You okay, babe?" asked Dick as he felt Mac's hand shake a little inside his own.
"Sure, yeah" she lied badly, so badly in fact that he noticed immediately and fixed her with a look that proved he didn't believe her at all, "A little nervous" she admitted, "I know it's dumb, but I can't help it"
"It's all good" her boyfriend reminded her, "Doc'll do what he always does, tell us everything is cool with Junior, and then we'll head home" he shrugged easily.
Mac nodded but looked none the less pale or shaky. Maybe it wasn't just this doctors appointment that had her so rattled, maybe it was what came after. Yes, they were headed home after this, to their own little apartment that had been theirs for the better part of two months now. Unfortunately, they weren't staying there all day, as Mac would have liked. They were due at her parents house for dinner at seven, and that was probably what really had her so shaken up.
Mr and Mrs Mackenzie had adjusted pretty well to their teenage daughter getting pregnant as the result of a one night stand whilst still in college. They helped pay for the apartment she moved into with her boyfriend, and tried their best to accept Dick into their lives as both Mac's partner and their future grandchild's Daddy. She couldn't fault them on how hard they were trying to make everything okay when it reality it had seemed far from it for so long. The problem wasn't really them, it was Dick.
It wasn't that he didn't know how to behave in front of her folks. Dick tried hard too, for Mac's sake, but he did have rather a habit of putting his foot in it without meaning to. Mac didn't want to give him a list of topics to steer clear of, because that seemed wrong. By the same token, even if she tried to make such a list, she was sure she could never think of every single thing that might lead to badness. It wasn't Dick's fault, not at all. She sometimes wondered if he didn't know how to behave around people's parents because his own had been so absent. That was one topic in particular she hoped didn't come up at dinner tonight.
Mac's parent knew about Dick's parents, before she ever explained the situation. Everyone heard the gossip, whether they wanted to or not, and unfortunately where Mr and Mrs Casablancas were concerned, most of it was true. There had been much debate over Dick seeing his Dad in jail. In the end, he decided to go, but only because he wanted to make things final with Big Dick. Mac didn't know exactly how it went down, only what Dick had told her and that was brief. From what she understood, he had told his father about their relationship and the baby that would be his grandchild. The conversation was over quickly as Dick went on to say that he never wanted to see his Dad any where near his son or daughter, or even near himself and Mac. They were done being related as far as Dick was concerned and that was all there was to it.
Mac felt saddened knowing the connection between the two men was undoubtedly severed forever. She agreed that Big Dick was hardly a good person or would be a good influence on their lives or that of their child, but she knew what it was not to know your real family and it came with a side helping of pain. Dick insisted his situation was different. What happened to his Macky was painful and hard, but her decision was made for her. Cutting his own father out of his life was a choice Dick was making for himself, and he knew it was the right one. Big Dick, Cassidy, all of the badness that went with it, they were Dick's past, whilst Mac and the baby were his bright and shiny future. Mac had smiled at the way he phrased it and found that same expression now as she thought about it again.
It wasn't that she expected the future to run smoothly either, nobody could predict that, and this was never going to be easy. Two young adults suddenly having a baby and a new relationship and all at the same time, there were some big changes happening here and nobody was so naive as to think it would be plain sailing from beginning to end. Still, Mac and Dick had each other, and their friends, and the support of her family at least. They were so much better off than plenty of other people, that was for sure.
"Miss Mackenzie? The doctor will see you now" smiled the woman behind the desk, and Mac took a deep breath as she got to her feet.
Dick's hand wrapped tightly around her own as they headed to the door.
"You sure you're okay, babe?" he checked again as she smiled at him in a strangely tearful way.
"Yeah" she agreed, "I really am" she promised, and was pleased to realise she meant every word.
Veronica was breathing hard as she flopped back against the pillows of Logan's bed. He was seriously good at that, and it really never got boring. Of course, she might have to start going to the gym to get her stamina up if they were going to keep doing it, or she was never going to be fit for both her own social life and classes too.
"Y'know you're saving me a tonne of gym fees" Logan teased her, making Veronica wonder if he read minds too, as she chuckled breathlessly.
"So that's why we got back together, huh? You needed the work-out?" she joked right back, though perhaps it was not the most tactful subject to be teasing him with, "Logan, I'm sorry" she apologised when she saw his smile fade, "I was... My head isn't exactly straight right now" she admitted as she turned to look at him.
"I don't know whether to be offended by the first remark or flattered by the reason for it" he told her, that old familiar smirk returning in a moment.
She could love that look now as much as she used to say she hated it. Hating Logan had never been easy, not even back in High School after Lily was killed and he was being so awful to her. Leader of the pitchfork and torches brigade, wanting to burn her at the stake, and still Veronica couldn't find a way to really despise him. From the beginning, she knew she had loved him in some small way and that had never really died. Now the feeling was stronger than ever and so far so good on the whole making it work thing. It had been a couple of months now, and here they were still happily together, still a couple and only one small fight that neither could even recall what it was about anymore. Maybe miracles do happen, Veronica thought, maybe this time we really can make this work.
"You're being thoughtful" Logan noticed as he pulled her close and kissed the top of her head, "This is going to lead to some diabolical scheme, isn't it?"
She swatted him across the chest for that remark, but laughed a little anyway. It was true, she did have a habit of thinking too much, planning and scheming for her latest case, even when they were together in bed like this. It would seem bad perhaps to anyone else, but Logan knew his girlfriend could not turn off that fast-thinking, devious little brain of hers. He loved that about her as much as he loved anything else.
"Actually... and I probably shouldn't say this out loud and jinx it" she noted, looking up from where her head was resting on her boyfriends chest, "I was just thinking how well this is going" she smiled, "We're making this work, at last, and I am really happy, Logan" she told him sincerely.
"Really can't be any happier than I am" he assured her, leaning down to kiss the end of her nose, and then her lips, "Besides, us working out isn't the real miracle" he told her then as they snuggled close together, "That is entirely your friend Mac and my friend Dick making things work with baby-bump makes three" he told her.
Veronica couldn't argue with that. It was becoming less bizarre to see the couple with their arms around each other or kissing or whatever. It was possible to think of Dick Casablancas as a real human being, and not just human but also sweet and kind and even adult, words that Veronica would never have applied to the guy before.
"I can't believe that Mac is six months pregnant already" she sighed, "It seems so fast. Like one minute we were just normal college girls and suddenly she's just so close to being a Mom. I can't imagine dealing with that, not at our age"
"Me neither" Logan admitted, allowing himself an internal sigh of relief.
He knew women were affected by what was happening in each others lives. Girls got broody when their friends were pregnant or newly a mother. Though Logan was sure he knew Veronica well enough and was positive she would not be wanting a baby right now, it was good to hear her say it out loud like that. It wasn't as if he wasn't entirely committed to his girlfriend, he really was, and if he thought for a moment that it was a child or lose her, he would be a father at the tender age of twenty, Logan would just really prefer not to, and it was good to know Veronica was in no rush for motherhood or anything as big as that right now.
"Now you're thoughtful" she said as she looked up at him, "Serious face" she noted, "That can't lead to anything good"
"What? A man can't be serious now and then?" he joked, "I thought you girls liked mysterious and broody"
"You remember when we watched Buffy the Vampire Slayer, right?" she said, looking unimpressed, "I was a Spike girl, not an Angel fan. Broody is not my type"
"No, you're strictly reformed bad boys" he smirked at that as he ran his hands over her skin suddenly, making her shiver.
"Easy on the reformed" she said, leaning in to kiss his lips.
It was a good long moment before they parted, and even then Veronica wasn't overly keen. Logan had a reason for not pursuing the passion right now though, a reason he was determined to tell her about, no matter how much she tried to stop him talking with kisses and touches both.
"Seriously, Veronica" he said, pushing her off some, even as he laughed at the tricks she was trying, "I really have to tell you something"
That got her attention and not necessarily in a good way. Logan was rarely serious, at least not this serious. She would like to think that anything he had to say to her was a good thing, but you never knew until such things were actually said. With a solemn expression she nodded for him to go ahead and talk.
Logan ran a hand back through his hair and tried to get his bearings before he spoke.
"So, I was thinking, about how it's kinda lonely around here since Dick moved in with Mac and all" he explained, "And, y'know, I always meant to move into a real place of my own eventually..." he paused then to turn over and reach into the bedside locker for something.
Veronica wasn't sure what to think when he turned back with a brochure that had a bow stuck on it, as if it were supposed to be some kind of gift.
"This is kind of an early Christmas gift" he explained with what appeared to be a nervous smile, as he handed her the supposed present.
His girlfriend sat up some, pulling the covers up with her, before she accepted her 'gift' and opened it up.
"Apartments?" she said with frown, completely confused by now, "You want me to help you pick out a place?" she checked, "I mean, that's sweet, Logan, but that's not really a gift for me so much as a free headache, and it's gonna be your place so..."
"It'd be our place" he cut in, proving how brave or possibly stupid he could be - only the bravest and dumbest interrupted Veronica Mars.
"Ours?" she echoed, coming of entirely parrot-like and kind of stupid for a person that was known for her quick mind and sickle wit on any normal occasion, "Logan, what are you saying?"
"C'mon, Mars" he rolled his eyes, "Put the clues together and solve the mystery" he teased her as he pulled himself up beside her and put his arm around her shoulders, "I'm asking you, Veronica Mars, to move in with me" he asked her, serious in a second as he genuinely made the proposal.
Veronica was sure that for a moment she forgot how to breathe. It was crazy really, she ought to have seen this coming. Of course Logan needed a real place to live, she was the one to tell him so, most especially after Dick moved out. Nobody could live in a hotel forever, that was just weird, but somehow it never occurred to her that Logan would want her to move in when he took the big step back to the land of normal house-dwelling folks. Mac and Dick had done it, but they were having a baby and that made everything different. Her and Logan, living together, it seemed scary and huge on the one hand, and yet on the other, she kind of loved it.
"Wait a second" she shook her head, "Are you... are you giving me half an apartment for a Christmas gift?" she checked, her head still reeling at the concept.
"Kind of, maybe" he smiled, caught between nervous and amused at her shock, "I mean, obviously rushing into this would be crazy and probably not what we should do but... but I want you with me in this, Veronica" he told her seriously, "I want to be with you, always"
There were tears in her eyes as she moved to hug him tight and then kiss his lips.
"I wanna be with you too" she assured him, "So yes, Logan" she told him at last, "I'd love to find an apartment and move in with you"
Dinner was going shockingly well. Mac had happily told her parents how she got along with the doctor, and how everything was good and normal with the baby. She deliberately skipped out any details, first because they were about to eat, and second because Ryan's ears were always set to wide-open. Her little brother did not need to know too much about women in that sense yet, nor babies and pregnancy. It might just mess with his head a little too much!
Everything felt so surprisingly comfortable as the Mackenzie family, plus Dick, sat around the table to eat. Sam asked Dick how school was going and he actually remembered to talk about what he was learning and not how he still tried to cut classes sometimes. Natalie asked her daughter if she was coping okay with her pregnancy and reminded her she was always there is she needed to talk. Ryan was his usual self, behaving to a point, but then getting bored and fidgeting until somebody paid him attention. He was soon into a conversation with Dick about video games, and Mac smiled genuinely at the effort her boyfriend was making. It went so far as him offering to take Ryan on at any game he wanted when dinner was done. When Mac stuck an elbow in his ribs, Dick even remembered to ask the Mackenzies if that was okay with them.
"Of course" Sam nodded, grateful that he'd been asked at all, "Ryan is allowed to play after dinner, but only for an hour" he warned his son, "It is a school night"
"Only two weeks til we break for the Holidays" Ryan consoled himself with that, which prompted his Mom to mention something else.
"Yes, about Christmas" she said, putting down her knife and fork and turning full attention to Mac and Dick, "Now, Cindy, your father and I were talking about it, and... well, I know you're a young woman striking out on your own now and making a family of your own" she said, still feeling just a little awkward and emotional about her baby girl being so grown up, "but the fact is, well, we would love to have you come home to us for Christmas" she admitted.
Mac opened her mouth to answer, but wasn't sure what to say. She had been putting off the topic of Christmas for the most part because she didn't know how best to play it. Going home to her family would seem normal in a way, but she was with Dick now and they lived together. They were a couple and having a baby, surely that meant they should be together on such a special occasion too, not least because he really had nowhere else to go.
"Your Mom is inviting both of you, honey" Sam cut in then as he saw Mac's evident distress, "Of course, you and Dick are both welcome here. We understand that next year you might wanna be alone with your little one" he smiled, "but this year..." he tailed off, looking from his daughter to Dick and back.
The young couple looked to each other in much the same way and Mac's smile was a mile wide when Dick shrugged and told her 'Your choice, babe. I'm cool with whatever'.
"Thanks, Mom, Dad" she told them happily then, "We'd love to be here for Christmas"
Finally it seemed things were working out for the better, and Mac couldn't be happier. It seemed crazy that she could be content in a situation so far removed from that which she had originally planned for herself, but life had a way of surprising you, and fate had vastly different ideas about where she should be. That was fine with Cindy Mackenzie, because right now, she was as happy as she'd ever been.
To Be Continued...
A/N2: In case you're wondering, I'm not actually going to write Christmas as Chez Mackenzie, but you will hear what happened there in the next chapter. This is mostly because I don't want this story to drag on and on and on. Gotta get to the good/important stuff people! ;)