Title: Could This Be Happening? Part 25
Author: christykq
Rating: M for language and innuendos mostly, some sex
Characters/Pairings: LoVe, ensemble
Word Count: 4343
Spoilers: Begins with 3.05 and goes through S3.
Disclaimer: I own nothing in the VM universe, it all belongs to the master RT. I also do not earn a profit from any one of the many brand names named in my story and no copyright infringement is intended. Transcripts from Indigo Mantoya at twiztv dot com.
A/N: Character's thoughts are italic.
Part 25
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Before 3.16 Un-American Graffiti
End of February, Beginning of March 2007: 21 weeks pregnant
"Yes! I win again!" Logan hops from his seat on the Suite's sofa with his fists in the air over his head in celebration, the control dangling from his fingertips. "I told you, you needed to practice, Heather."
Logan adjusts the microphone on his headset. "No, you didn't. I can tell, you haven't played since last week." He sits on the sofa concentrating on his conversation via the headset, with his eleven-year-old friend Heather Button. "What's up?" His voice softens. "Oh, yeah… How old is he?... A younger man, Heather, you're robbing the cradle… You're still older…" He laughs at Heather's side of the conversation. "Oh, okay by two months. Sorry."
Dick opens the door with three pizzas balancing on one hand as Mac walks in to the Suite before him. Mac has a large brown grocery bag in her arms.
"…okay, Friday at four. Got it… Uh huh, bring it on. Bye." Logan takes the headset off his head, blushes a bit and runs his fingers through his hair as he throws the headset on the sofa cushion.
"Dude, can you be any more of a freakin' dork?" Dick points to the headset lying on the sofa and sets the pizzas on the coffee table. "You're weekly date?" Dick draws the last word out and giggles.
"Blow me."
Dick opens the top pizza box and examines the contents then shifts it to the side digging into the second box.
"Hey, Mac." Logan acknowledges Veronica's friend then replies to his friend. "Yep. Oh yeah and Mindy says hi." Logan taunts. Dick mumbles something under his breath and Logan smirks at making his friend uncomfortable.
Mac unloads a bottle of Diet Coke, a bottle of Jack Daniels, a bag of potato chips and a six-pack of Heineken out of the grocery bag as she listens to Dick and Logan.
Logan eyes the rations on the table and looks at Mac. "Planning on having a party, Mac?"
"I'm planning on being drunk and naked in the hot tub by ten." Mac deadpans.
"Hallelujah." Dick says in his normal speaking voice, placing a plain piece of pizza on Mac's paper plate.
Mac snaps her fingers in mock frustration. "Oh, but you don't have a hot tub." She whines for effect. "Damn."
"Fuck. I knew this Suite sucked." Dick plays along, a little hint of truth in his banter.
"Veronica has to work at the library until seven." Logan peeks under each pizza box lid at the selection. "You didn't buy an anchovy pie, did you?" Logan bites his slice and puts it on his paper plate. "'Cause Ronnie is over her anchovy fascination. Thank God."
"Fuck no. She can eat plain or pepperoni or veggie lovers like the rest of us." Dick shakes his head from side to side. "You spoil her, man."
"He's in luv." Mac sing-songs. "She owns you."
Logan huffs. "Tell me about it." He eats a few bites of pizza. "What brings you to our humble abode, Ms. Mackenzie?"
"I'm going to kick Dick's ass in every video game you have." Mac says with an all-knowing smile.
"You wanna put your money where your mouth is, Mackie?" Dick says as he opens a beer.
"How much?" Mac is intrigued.
"Hand me one." Logan points to the six-pack of beer. Dick complies. Logan opens his beer and he and Dick tap bottlenecks and swallow a gulp of beer.
"Fifty."
"No way. I'm a poor college student, Dick. Make it twenty and you got a deal." Mac barters.
"I'll spot you thirty." Logan smirks and takes a bite of pizza.
"Fifty it is then, Dude." Dick smiles with confidence. "Let's drink on it."
Mac looks at her can of Diet Coke then at Dick and Logan. "Can I stay here tonight?" Dick chokes on his pizza and coughs.
Logan laughs at Dick's reaction. "Starting on the first part of your plan?" He asks Mac with a raised eyebrow. Mac shrugs shyly.
"Yeah…" Logan pats the sofa cushion. "…the sofa's got your name written all over it."
"Okay." She hands her can to Dick. "JD please." Dick pours a generous amount in her can and they seal their bet with a smack of his bottle and her can and a swallow of their beverages.
Logan's phone rings on the coffee table under the pizza boxes. "Oh shit. Where the hell is my phone." All three friends lift and move boxes and napkins to find the cell phone. "Here." Mac hands Logan his phone.
"Yeah, I'm here. Hello." He breathes heavily into the phone.
"Mmm, did you miss me? You're breathing heavy." Veronica purrs into her phone.
"You know it." Logan smiles at the sound of his wife's voice. "My phone was hidden under a bunch of pizza boxes on the table. We were all searching for it before it went to voice mail."
"Who's there?"
"Dick and Mac brought pizza home before they start their gaming date." Logan looks at Mac then Dick and lifts his eyebrows. "What time are you done? Seven?"
"Yeah."
"Let me talk to her." Mac shakes her hand at Logan and his phone.
"Can you get Wallace to bring you home? I kinda started the party without you, but I only had one." Logan says leaning away from Mac's encroaching fingers.
"Come on. Give me the phone." Mac screeches and slaps Logan's leg in a weak attempt to get the phone out of his hand.
Logan swats at Mac's hands and continues talking to Veronica. "Mac wants to talk to you, Dear. Oh, she's started the party without you too."
Mac finally swipes the phone out of Logan's hand while he was still holding it to his ear.
"Geez, all you had to do was ask." Logan says mockingly put out.
"Hey Bond?" She doesn't wait for Veronica to answer her greeting. "Do you think you could stop by my dorm room and pick up some clothes for me. I'm staying here tonight."
"Q, Are you drinking?" Veronica teases.
"Yeah, I need to relax a little. Logan said I could sleep on the couch."
"I'll see what I can do. You can always wear something of mine if you want to, too." Veronica responds. "Then I won't have to go to your room."
"Alright, but I'm gonna search through your drawers. I better not see anything not meant for my innocent eyes." Mac stresses. Logan grins mischievously.
"Just stay away from the bedside table. That's where we keep all the whips and chains." Veronica laughs.
"Um, on second thought, I'll just wear something of Dick's." Mac says with a wrinkled up nose. "See ya soon." Mac hands Logan his phone back.
"You're welcome in my drawers anytime." Dick leans back against the sofa and puts his hands behind his head making his pants available for searching. "I got nothing to hide." Mac rolls her eyes. Dick smiles with an eyebrow wiggle.
Logan takes his phone again. "Okay, so you're gonna get Wallace to bring you home?"
"Yeah. And Logan…" Veronica pauses. "…please watch over Mac. She doesn't drink… well, ever. She'll be puking if she doesn't pace herself."
"Okay. I'll see you guys when you get home. Be careful. I love you."
Dick makes loud kiss-y sounds toward the phone. "I looooovvvve yyyoooouuu." Mac says loudly, mocking Logan's sweet talk.
"Bye." Logan snaps his phone closed and helps himself to another piece of pizza, ignoring Dick and Mac's friendly ribbing.
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When Veronica walked through the Presidential Suite's door after work, she wasn't sure what she was going to find. Logan and Dick could drink a lot and Mac was drinking but rarely ever did before. She was pleasantly surprised to see Dick and Mac yelling at the video game they were playing and Logan watching from the couch. All of them buzzed but no one was puking or half naked so that was good. There were pizza boxes and bottles on just about every surface in the room but for the most part, she was pleased.
Mac kicked everyone's ass in every game she challenged them in and was collecting her fifty dollars from Dick after a few hours. He gladly paid her because it secretly turned him on that she could play any video game available as good as any geeky, pimple-faced fifteen-year-old guy.
Mac took Veronica up on her offer of clothes only to find out it was laundry day and Veronica didn't have too many options to offer. Mac decided on an old pair of Dick's board shorts and one of Veronica's tank tops. She had to admit the board shorts were comfortable and it wasn't long before she was nodding off in the corner of the L-shaped couch.
Veronica didn't stay awake much later than Mac. She kissed Logan on the cheek and disappeared into their room while Logan, Dick and Wallace fought through Halo.
After being declared champion of their Dead or Alive Beach Volleyball tournament, Wallace needed some air and decided to visit the balcony.
He makes himself comfortable on the outdoor chair, sips his beer and enjoys the cool California night.
Logan joins Wallace on the balcony after a few minutes and hands him another beer. "Thanks for bringing Ronnie home and bringing the extra case of beer." Logan sits down on another outdoor chair and tips his bottle to Wallace before taking a sip.
"No problem, man. I would've been sittin' in my room all night if V didn't call me." Wallace replies.
Dick comes out to the balcony and makes sure to shut the door securely behind him. He turns to the two men at the table and shakes a Ziplock bag in the air. "Anyone care to join me in a smoke?" He sits and begins rolling a joint at the table.
Wallace smiles. "I guess I'm staying here tonight too."
"Dude, you got your lighter?" Dick says not looking up from his preparations.
"Yeah." Logan digs in his pocket for his grandfather's light and throws it on the table.
Dick licks the paper and seals it, lights the end of the joint and takes the first drag then passes it to Logan.
Logan looks through the balcony sliding door quickly, making sure Veronica is still in their bedroom, before he takes a hit and passes the joint to Wallace. "I will deny I was ever out here if Veronica asks." Logan says in a low voice.
"Shit, this never happened." Wallace says as continues the circulation around the table. "She'll tear me a new ass if she knew I was out here with you two."
"Fuckin' pansies." Dick proclaims. "We're just getting high. You guys make it sound like we're killing baby animals or somethin'."
Dick breaks the silence after a few minutes. "God damn, did you see Mac in my board shorts, Dude?" Dick exhales blowing smoke over his head.
Wallace looks at Dick with a big smile. "Not you too? Oh, shit." He shakes his head at the '09er next to him.
"What? Did you fucking see her at the wedding? Christ, I had wood the whole fucking night." Dick takes a sip of beer.
"You gonna do anything about it?" Logan offers the roach to Wallace. Wallace waves it off.
Dick takes it from Logan and finishes the joint, rubbing the end in the ashtray in the center of the table. "She's with that Bronson dude, man."
"Yeah, he's all save the planet and shit." Wallace adds.
"He seemed nice when I met him." Logan sips his beer.
"He's too fucking perfect. It makes me want to puke, Dude." Dick whines.
"So, make her forget about Mr. Peace Corp." Logan says quietly.
Dick picks at the label on his beer bottle thinking about what he could do to sway Mac's affection toward him.
"You wanna hit the waves tomorrow morning?" Logan asks Dick and turns to Wallace. "You surf?"
"Nah. I wasn't raised with the Pacific Ocean in my backyard like you guys were." Wallace says softly.
"Have you ever tried it?" Logan questions.
"No. I'm not too keen on knowing there are sharks out there just waiting for me to fall into the water." Wallace grimaces.
"You wanna try Conner's Point?" Dick asks.
Logan shrugs. "Okay."
"Dude, did Ronnie say it's okay?" Dick teases. Wallace laughs.
"She won't care. I haven't been surfing in a while." Logan defends as he stands and collects the empty beer bottles. "'Nother round?" Dick and Wallace nod yes as Logan opens the sliding door and enters the Suite in pursuit of more beer.
"He is so fucking whipped…" Dick says as he watches Logan walk across the living room and out of sight. "…and so God damn happy." Dick continues.
"Wouldn't you be if you were sleeping with a hot blonde every night?" Wallace chuckles.
Dick nods in agreement. "They're having a kid. Dude, that's fucked up."
Wallace shrugs. "It couldn't of happened to two nicer people."
"I guess." Dick says under his breath.
Logan returns his seat with a six beers in his arms. "This is the last of the beer."
"After these, I'm calling it a night." Wallace opens a beer.
"Anyone up for a road trip to Vegas?" Logan asks.
"Tonight?" Wallace eyes widen in question.
"No, before we move outta here at the end of March, during break."
Wallace shrugs. "Sounds good to me but I have to split a hotel room with a bunch of people 'cause I don't have any money."
"If we can get six or eight people we can share two or three rooms between all of us. It wouldn't be that expensive." Logan justifies.
"I'm in." Dick says quickly.
"You can't get married this time." Logan smirks.
"Wait! Hold up! What did you say?" Wallace quizzes looking at Logan then Dick. "Dude, you got married in Vegas? When did this happen?"
"A couple of weeks back. We got drunk and got married. We're trying to get it annulled." Dick drinks his beer trying to erase the memory of Melinda out of his mind.
"No shit." Wallace laughs.
"You need to call Cliff about that soon. Until then, you have to wait to act on Mac anyway." Logan grins. "You can't cheat on your wife."
"Aw BALLS! This fucking sucks." Dick rolls his head back, hanging awkwardly off the back of the chair. "I was so fucking drunk."
"Do I know Mrs. Casablancas?" Wallace grins along with Logan.
"I met her at Pi Sig party. Dude, she's smokin' hot but what a bitch." Dick sits up again.
"Damn, I'm the only single guy out here." Wallace looks at the other two men.
"Consider yourself lucky." Dick whines.
Logan laughs. "It was the best decision I ever made. Well, besides kissing Ronnie at the Camelot junior year." He smiles at the memory.
"Would you grow a set already? You pussy." Dick whines and gets up from the table taking a few empty bottles with him. "I'm out." He looks at Logan. "6 a.m. wake up call?"
Wallace finishes the last of his beer and stands to follow Dick inside.
Logan nods yes, empties the incriminating evidence from the ashtray into an empty beer bottle and follows Wallace into the Suite for the night.
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Veronica stretches her tiny body in their enormous bed. Her arms and legs are extended to their maximum length and she still doesn't touch the headboard or the bottom of the bed. Bummer. She realizes Logan isn't in bed next to her and she lifts her head slightly off the pillow. "Logan?"
No answer.
She yanks the covers up and over her head and hears a crumple. What was that? She moves the covers off her head and looks for the source of the noise. "Ah ha!" She grips the now crinkled note from Logan's pillow and reads it quickly. 'Dick and I are going to Conner's Point to see what kind of waves we can find. I'll call you when we're done. Why don't you, Wallace and Mac meet us at Joe's Diner for breakfast? I love you, L.'
Veronica balls the note and heaves it toward the trashcan in the bathroom with no real target in sight and sighs. I really need to get my old bones out of bed now.
She pads into the living room to find Wallace and Mac playing video games and lounging on the sofa.
"Good morning Sleepyhead." Wallace says softly when he sees Veronica appear at her bedroom door.
Mac quickly glances away from the game to Veronica. "Hey."
Veronica rubs the sleep from her eyes and tries to blink out the bright sunshine. "Hey. What time did the guys leave to go surfing?"
"I didn't hear a thing." Mac says as she kills another character.
Veronica sits on the far end of the sofa and pulls her legs in wrapping her arms around her legs the best she can with a five-month belly in the way.
"6 a.m. wake-up call was the last I heard last night." Wallace says as he watches Mac shoot another character.
"Logan left a note that he would call when they were done and he wants to meet for breakfast at…" Veronica stops mid-sentence and winces slightly, unnoticed by her best friends.
Wallace looks at Veronica when she doesn't continue. "Where? Breakfast at…?"
Veronica gets back to her stream of thought. "Oh, um, Joe's Diner. You guys up for that?"
Wallace and Mac nod in agreement.
"Dick's showers free if you guys want to use it. I'm going use our shower. Answer my phone if it rings while I'm in the shower." Veronica gets up and walks to the bathroom. Once her back is turned to her friends she rubs around her belly where the baby fluttered. I guess you want to go to Joe's too, huh, Will? She chuckles to herself.
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"Check please." Logan says to the waitress as she breezes past their table.
"Right away." The waitress replies as she rushes into the kitchen.
Logan rejoins the ongoing conversation between Wallace, Mac, Dick, and Veronica.
"…then he throws the bone. It's his own bone. Why would you play fetch with your own rib?" Mac questions uncomprehensively.
Logan nudges Veronica softly on the leg. "What movie is this?"
"Night at the Museum." Veronica answers and sips her orange juice.
"…and a remote control car is going to entertain a T-Rex?" Mac scoffs. "Not likely."
"I thought you said you liked it." Wallace asks Mac.
"I did but certain parts irritated me." Mac explains as she throws the last piece of toast in her mouth.
"The Indian girl was hot." Dick states.
Veronica gasps softly. Logan looks at his wife skeptically. "You didn't think Sacagawea was hot, Bobcat?" He smiles.
Veronica doesn't respond to his joke but takes his hand off the table and rests it on her belly gently. Her eyes slowly climb to Logan's face.
He studies her expression understanding what she's silently telling him and waits to feel the baby.
The rest of the table is unaware of what Logan and Veronica are experiencing at this moment.
"…she wasn't deaf. He thought she was because she was stuck in the glass."
"No, she was deaf." Dick says matter-of-factly.
"Right there." Veronica whispers as she smiles, warmly looking up at her husband's face. Logan nods not feeling any movement. He moves his hand slightly trying to find the spot where the baby is going to move next.
"Drink some juice again." He whispers and Veronica complies.
Wallace notices the preoccupied couple across the table. "V, you okay?" Mac and Dick turn their attention to Logan and Veronica now too.
Veronica smiles at her friends. "Yeah. I'm good." She says concentrating on Logan's hand and the movement coming from inside her body. She moves Logan's hand up a little. "The baby moved and I'm trying to get Logan to feel it."
"Cool." Wallace sits up in his seat attentively.
"Yeah, give her your best right hook kid." Dick says in his best tough guy voice with a small right hook of his own.
"Does it hurt?" Mac asks with a touch of concern in his voice.
"There." Veronica looks up into Logan's eyes again. "Right there." She presses his hand firmer against her skin.
"Yeah." Logan smiles a thousand watt smile. "I think. It was like someone pushed their finger on your skin lightly but it was from the inside. Right?" Logan is unsure if he's feeling something or if he's imagining things.
"Yeah, but it's really light." Veronica beams. "You probably wouldn't feel anything if I didn't point it out to you. It's so subtle."
Mac, Wallace and Dick are silent, watching their friends share a tender moment.
"I don't think Will feels like moving anymore." Logan says with his hand still searching for Will's motion.
"Give him time and you'll be able to see my whole belly move." Veronica laughs. "Or so the book says." She shrugs.
"That's creepy." Dick states but secretly thinks feeling your kid move would be pretty cool. "It's like you have an alien in there that's clawing his way through your skin."
"One layer at a time?" Mac asks dramatically. Wallace and Veronica roll their eyes simultaneously.
Veronica reaches for the check that's sitting on the table, reads it quickly and leans into Logan. "He'll move again, Babe. Next time, you'll probably feel it more since you know what to expect." She whispers to her husband.
She passes the check to Mac and elbows Logan lightly to break him out of his hunt for baby movement. "We owe 12.75, Dear."
Logan finally removes his hand from her stomach and digs for his wallet. He kisses his wife on the tip of her nose and throws a couple of five-dollar bills on the table in the pile of money left for the waitress. "That's my boy in there." He whispers proudly to no one in particular. He can't seem to wipe the smile off his face.
Logan stands and offers Veronica his hand as she slides to the end of the half-circle vinyl bench and comes to her feet. Veronica and Logan exit the diner hand-in-hand with Wallace, Mac and Dick following them closely behind.
The five friends shuffle through one glass door with a string of bells hanging from the door handle, into the small, enclosed entranceway of Joe's Diner. Finding themselves in a tight area before opening the second glass door, Dick begins pushing and shoving his friends lightly. "Molecules!" He says loudly as each person bumps and bounces off each other and the walls mimicking charged molecules. Wallace and Logan further Dick's efforts, forcing Veronica and Mac in the center of the three guys giggling and playfully yelling for help.
After a few seconds, Mac slips out the second door before further harassment can be handed out. Wallace and Veronica, then Logan and Dick follow exiting to the parking lot.
Veronica slaps her BFF lightly on the back with two hands. "Papa Bear, you smell."
"Thanks for pointing that out. May I remind you that these clothes are from yesterday." Wallace snips.
Veronica makes a point to get closer and really sniff Wallace's shirt. "No, that's not B.O." She looks at Wallace quizzically then behind her to Dick and Logan. "That's weed." Wallace gulps loudly and Dick and Logan look around the parking lot randomly.
Mac looks over her shoulder at her friends walking just behind her.
"You guys lit up last night, didn't you?" She asks incredulously. Wallace looks down at the ground. Dick and Logan are avoiding eye contact with the tiny investigator at all cost.
Veronica knows she's not going to get anything out of these boys. These three co-conspirators know how to keep a secret and that quality, in her opinion, makes them very good friends to have on her side. She's not really mad they were smoking illegal substances, actually she thinks it's funny to watch three grown men fidget before her, since she's almost half their size and weight.
"Ow. That hurt." Wallace whines as he rubs his head where Veronica smacked him.
"Come on, Ronnie." Dick whimpers after she tugs on his ear with force.
Logan flinches as she goes for his stomach and punches his bicep instead. "Honey." He complains as he soothes his arm.
"Jesus, all we did was get high." Dick protests. "It's not like we were torturing puppies."
Mac laughs and Veronica smiles with satisfaction as they walk ahead of the guys toward Veronica's Saturn.
"Well, that went better than expected." Logan mumbles.
"Ever think of wearing a different shirt, you Douche." Dick smacks Wallace on the back of the head as he heads toward the Saturn.
"Asshole." Wallace calls after Dick and explains his position to Logan. "I didn't have any clothes with me."
Dick runs to the Saturn and hops in the back seat before Veronica can pull away from the diner. "I'm coming with you guys. I don't want to ride with those stoners." Dick huffs, out of breath from running. Veronica and Mac shake their heads and laugh.
"She'll get over it." Logan opens the driver's door and hops in his truck. Wallace shrugs and jumps in the passenger seat barely shutting his door before Logan pulls out of the parking spot and drives in the direction of the Neptune Grand.
/tbc