CHAPTER 26

After school, Veronica sat with Logan on the bench near the parking lot, bouncing her leg nervously. Her mother was late.

"What if she's drunk and got in an accident?" Veronica said, her eyes fixed on the almost empty lot.

"That's why I'm staying. We agreed – if she's drunk, or doesn't show up, Ben will take you to the Sheriff's department instead," Logan replied.

Veronica nodded, her brow furrowed in thought. Surely her dad knew her mom was drunk by this time every day. Wasn't that one of the reasons he drove her every morning? Because her mom was too hungover to operate a vehicle? And why Ben drove them home every evening? Or was he as blind to her mother's drinking, as he was to Logan and her flirting in the car, when he drove them to school?

"He's testing her," Veronica said out loud.

Logan frowned at her in confusion.

"My dad is testing my mom," she added. "To see if she can pull it together enough to pick me up."

"Do you think he would risk your safety that way?" asked Logan.

Veronica spied her mother's car drive through the entrance to the parking lot. "Guess we're about to find out."

Lianne pulled up to the curb close to where Logan and Veronica sat. They both stood, letting go of each other's hands. Lianne rolled down the automatic window on Veronica's side and called out to her.

"Let's go, Veronica," she said, her voice was tinged with annoyance, a frown on her face.

Veronica glanced at Logan. "I'll call you later."

Logan nodded, hesitating for a moment, as Veronica approached the car.

Opening the door, Veronica started to crawl into her seat, sniffing the air for any indication of alcohol. That's when she saw it. With a gasp she stopped what she was doing to focus on her copy of The Joy of Sex, sitting next to her mother, along with her Christmas letter from Logan.

The idea to run crossed her mind, but she realized she would really have nowhere to go. She just really couldn't catch a break.

Her mother looked from the book to Veronica. "We'll talk on the way home."

"Veronica?" Logan's spoke from behind her. "Is everything okay?"

Veronica slid into her seat and leaned out of the car to grab the door handle. "It's fine. I'll call you later."

Veronica looked out the window as Logan slowly stepped away from the car. Her mother put the car in gear and he disappeared from Veronica's sight as her mother drove out of the parking lot.

Clutching her backpack to her chest, Veronica watched the road for signs of any erratic driving by her mom. Today, Lianne drove straight as an arrow and Veronica counted her blessings for the moment.

"Would you like to explain what this book was doing in your room?" Lianne began as they stopped at a red light.

"Would you like to explain why you were searching my room?" Veronica snarked.

Lianne slammed her palm on the steering wheel and Veronica jumped. "You will not talk to me that way, young lady!"

"Why not? Things can't get any worse?" Veronica replied. "Or maybe they can. Are you drunk?"

Lianne turned to Veronica with such a look of disdain that Veronica recoiled slightly, thinking her mother may actually strike her.

"I haven't had a drop this afternoon! Your father said to pick you up safely, so that's what I'm doing." Lianne hissed.

"Does Dad know you searched my room? Or was that on his orders too?" she said.

Lianne kept her eyes on the road as she drove. "No. I decided I needed to do it. For your own good."

Veronica rolled her eyes. She was having a hard time believing her mother did anything good for anyone but herself at the moment.

"However, I'm sure your dad will be interested in what I found, even if he doesn't approve of my methods," Lianne said.

Shit. Fuck. Shit. Damn. Veronica had nothing more to take away. Full armed guard house arrest, with snazzy ankle monitor, it is, she thought.

"But…" Lianne began. "I'm willing to make you a deal."

Veronica's eyes narrowed and she turned to her mother. "A deal? What kind of deal?"

"Your father wants me to stay home on Saturday nights, to make sure that Logan doesn't show up or you don't sneak out," Lianne explained. "I want you to convince him that you'll be a good daughter and not have your boyfriend come over if I'm not there. If you can do that, then I won't tell him about the book and the letter."

Veronica's mouth dropped open. "You're blackmailing me?"

Lianne rolled her eyes. "I'm not blackmailing you. We're making a deal."

"What if I refuse–?" Veronica asked.

"I'll have to show your dad what I found and let him deal with you and Logan," Lianne said. "Since I'm sure Logan is involved in however you got this book in the first place."

Veronica was almost too shocked for words. Yep. Her mom was definitely blackmailing her.

"Fine," she whispered.

Lianne let out a relieved sigh. "Good. Now that's settled, we can move on."

Staring out the window, Veronica's thoughts turned in her head. Why was it so important for her mom to go out on Saturday night? What was the big deal? Couldn't see her friends a different night? Couldn't she have a few drinks another time? Apparently not. She needed to go out and drink so badly that nothing and no one would get in her way.

Veronica's stomach pitched and rolled. Her own mother had just blackmailed her so she could go out and party. She was sure she was going to be sick.

"Can I at least have my letter back?" Veronica asked. "It doesn't have anything that Dad would be upset about written in it. Just please give me that."

Lianne pulled onto the driveway and turned off the car. Reaching beside her, she picked up the letter and handed it to Veronica. "I guess so. But I'm keeping the book."

Veronica held the letter tightly in her hands. Defeated, she climbed out of the car, went up the front steps, and waited quietly for her mother to open the front door for her. Once inside, she bolted upstairs to her room, slamming the door behind her.

Glancing around her room, she realized that everything in her closet was piled on her bed. Hangers, clothes, shoes, and sundry objects, hauled out and inspected, then tossed together. Dropping her backpack to the ground, she crossed the room and flung open the closet door. On the floor lay several shoe boxes, all open with the shoes pulled out. The box to her Docs Martins, which once hid the book, sat on top of the pile, now empty.

Veronica shook her head. Her mom knew there would be something. Of course, she thought, Lianne was a teenage girl once, she probably had her own secrets, once upon a time. What did she think she would find? A diary detailing everything? Photos? More letters? Whatever she thought Veronica knew what her plan had been all along – use whatever she found to get what she wanted.

Turning her back on the closet, Veronica shed her jacket and tossed it on the bed on top of the rest of her clothes. With a heavy sigh, she slumped to the floor. Stretching out on her back, staring at the ceiling, she began to contemplate her next move.

Veronica managed to get her closet reorganized just in time for dinner that night. Her father greeted her with a tight smile as she sat down next to him at the table.

"How was school today, Veronica?" he asked.

Veronica shrugged. "Okay."

"How's Logan?" Keith said.

Veronica glanced at her dad briefly. "Okay."

Lianne walked into the room with a huge plate of pasta carbonara. Veronica found herself unable to look at her mom. Was she even her mother anymore? Wouldn't blackmail nullify that bond? It really didn't matter anymore. If Lianne was going to use Veronica, then Veronica was prepared to use her too.

Everyone helped themselves to the pasta and salad in silence. A few minutes into the meal, Veronica pulled her head up high, her eyes aimed at her mother.

"I changed my mind," Veronica announced. "I do need help getting birth control."

The sound of Keith choking on his water made Veronica glance over at him briefly before looking back at her mom.

Lianne put down her fork and arched her eyebrow suspiciously at Veronica. "Well, this is a surprise. What changed?"

Veronica's eyes narrowed. "Thought about it a little more. Talked to Logan about it, too. I mean, better safe than sorry, right?"

Lianne lifted her wine glass to her lips and took a long sip. "Of course. I'll make an appointment at the Neptune Clinic. We can go together. If you're sure that's what you want."

Veronica nodded emphatically. "Positive. Let's just keep me from making the mistake of having a kid, shall we?"

She saw her mother cringe slightly as she began to catch on to what Veronica was really saying.

"I mean, you were right, Dad," Veronica continued, her eyes set on Lianne. "Logan and I have a lot we want to accomplish. I really don't want to get trapped into being some bored housewife, taking care of some bratty kid all day. That. Would. Suck."

Lianne licked her lips, her eyes narrowing at her daughter. "Do you really think you and Logan have a future? Veronica, this is just a teenage thing. One day, you'll both move on. But for now, I'm glad you are being smart about using protection, so you aren't bound to this boy for the rest of your life."

A smile twisted at Veronica's lips. "I trust Logan, Mom. I know he's a good person. He's not the kind of guy that would, say, knock up some other girl then leave me. You'll see."

The arrow Veronica had shot at her mother hit its mark. Lianne's eyes turned dark with anger. "That's enough out of you, Veronica."

"What the hell is wrong with you two?" Keith said, dropping his cutlery with a clatter.

Veronica held her breath. If her mom said anything about the book, Veronica was ready to tell her father about the blackmail.

"Nothing, Keith," Lianne said, her focus changing to her husband. "Veronica just came home from school a little…testy today."

"Yep. That's it, Dad," Veronica replied. "I should probably be alone. Excuse me."

Pushing back her chair, Veronica scowled at her mother one last time before heading up the stairs, back to her room. If her mom was going to make Veronica's life difficult, she was going to make Lianne's life difficult as well.

"Thank God! I was beginning to worry!" Logan said through the phone.

"Sorry," Veronica replied. "It took me forever to finish my homework."

Glancing at the clock, Veronica saw it was already 9:45 pm. No wonder she felt exhausted.

"I'm just glad you made it home okay," he said. "I take it your mom wasn't drunk."

Veronica sighed and rolled onto her back. Logan's t-shirt rode up slightly and she yanked on its hem to cover herself from the evening chill.

"Oh, she wasn't drunk. I don't think she was drinking when she ransacked my room while I was at school," Veronica snarked.

"What? What the hell happened?" Logan asked.

Veronica took a deep breath. "My mom found the sex book and is blackmailing me into convincing my dad that I can stay home on Saturday nights by myself, and made me promise that you won't try to sneak over here. But to get back at her I announced at the dinner table that I needed to get birth control because I didn't want to get knocked up and turn into her - a bored housewife, who never got over her first boyfriend."

There was silence for a moment on Logan's end of the phone.

"You want to go on the Pill? Now?" he said.

Veronica groaned. "That was your take-away from what I just said?"

"Does this mean you want to have sex soon?" Logan asked.

"I know you're a boy," she said, exasperated. "But could you please focus on the other things I said for a minute and not the part that involves us having sex?"

"Sorry," Logan muttered. "It was a lot to take in. What was the other part?"

"My mom is blackmailing me." Veronica reiterated slowly, enunciating every word. "I have officially hit a new low."

"Why would she blackmail you?" Logan said.

"Because she wants to go out drinking every Saturday night. And my Dad wants her to stay home and watch me," Veronica said.

"That's messed up," he replied. "I can't believe she needs her booze night so much that she would throw her own daughter under the bus."

A lump caught in Veronica's throat. She had been so angry with her mom, and so hell bent on some sort of retaliation, that she had neglected to see what was right in front of her face.

"She loves to drink more than she loves me," Veronica said quietly, tears springing to her eyes.

"Veronica, I didn't mean to –"

"No," she sniffled, wiping her eyes with the back of her hand. "That's what it is. What kind of mother blackmails her own daughter?"

"She loves you, Veronica," Logan consoled her.

"She searched my room, Logan." Veronica's voice cracked through her tears. "She was looking for something to hold over me. That was her plan all along."

"So what are you going to do?"

"Use her. Like she's using me." Veronica fell silent for a moment, thinking again about what she needed to do. "It's obvious the drinking has become so bad that I can't count on her anymore. If she can help me get birth control, then I have it for when we are ready to use it, and I don't need to ask her for anything ever again."

Veronica covered her eyes with her arm and sighed. Her happy life had been thrown into chaos, all within 24 hours. Her mother was blackmailing her, her father was disappointed with her, and she couldn't be alone with Logan anymore. Sometimes life just really sucked.

"So –" Logan began hesitantly. "Getting birth control isn't about actually having sex?"

Veronica let out a small laugh. "No. Sorry. Eventually yes, but right now, no."

"Okay, good," he replied. "Because I'd like to read the Joy of Sex again, before we do. I'll have to figure out how to get another copy."

"I thought you had it memorized," she giggled, uncovering her eyes.

"I did, but I may want to brush up, you know, before the big test," he replied.

Veronica bit her lip and smiled. "I promise, I'll be kind with my grading."

"Easy A," Logan teased.

Veronica rolled back onto her stomach and lay her head on her pillow. "God, I miss you. It's only been one day and already I want to run away to your house and hide out where no one can find us."

"Would it help if I said that I think things will eventually get better?" said Logan.

A pout crossed Veronica's lips. "I know. I think it will, too. I mean, my dad actually asked how you were at dinner today. So there's some hope."

"It just means we go back to holding hands and kissing in random places at school for a while," Logan said with a chuckle.

When she closed her eyes, Veronica could imagine Logan's hand sliding gently up her blouse, making her shiver.

"But second base was so awesome. I don't want to be sent back to first!" she groaned.

Logan laughed. "Don't worry. We won't be stuck at first forever. Just keep visualizing a home run, like they do in the majors."

"If you build it, they will come?" she giggled, quoting 'Field of Dreams'.

"Exactly," Logan replied with a throaty chuckle.

The next morning, Veronica stayed in her room until the last possible moment before heading downstairs, grabbing four pieces of toast, her lunch from the counter, and heading out the door without a word to her mother.

Her dad caught up to her, several minute later, as she stood outside of the cruiser, by the passenger side door, quickly finishing the last piece of toast in her hand.

"Sitting up front today?" he asked as he unlocked the door for her.

Veronica swallowed the dry breakfast. "Makes me feel like less of a criminal."

Keith chuckled and walked around to get into the driver's seat as Veronica climbed into the front. She sat in silence as her father started the car and began to drive. A few minutes into the trip, her father finally spoke.

"Your mother seems to think that you can be trusted not to have Logan come over, if she goes out on Saturday night," Keith began.

Shit. This was her big chance to save herself. Her mom set it up, now she just had to finish the job.

"He won't, Dad. I promise," Veronica began. "He's really upset about how upset you are. And so am I. We just want you to trust us again."

Keith sighed. "Veronica, I don't know if I can ever trust you guys again."

Okay. Trust thing isn't working. Time to try something else. Veronica thought.

"Can I be honest, Dad?" Veronica began.

"Always," replied her dad. "What is it?"

"I don't want to be at home watching Mom get drunk by herself every Saturday night," she said quietly.

Keith turned to look at her momentarily, his eyes wide in shock. Quickly, he recovered to watch the road again.

"Please, Dad," Veronica implored. "Please let her go out. I know what will happen and I don't want to see it. At least, when I was at Logan's, I could pretend it wasn't happening. But if I'm at home, I can't ignore it anymore."

Keith kept his eyes on the road, but still didn't speak. Emotion began to bubble in Veronica as she realized what she was saying to her father was, in fact, the truth.

"I felt safe at Logan's," she continued, trying to find her words. "Safe from her drinking. You know, back in the Fall, she picked me up from school when she was drunk? That day that Logan got into the fight. I thought she was going to kill..."

"Veronica!" Keith gasped, his knuckles turning white on the steering wheel. "Please stop!"

Keith maneuvered the car into a parking spot on the street and placed the car in park before turning to face Veronica. She began shaking involuntarily as the gravity of the situation set in.

"I didn't realize –" Keith began, reaching over to take her hand. "I didn't realize that you noticed her drinking."

"I notice, Daddy," she replied, squeezing his hand. "I've noticed most of my life."

Keith's head dropped as he closed his eyes tightly. "I never wanted this to affect you. I thought she could keep it together for you. If not for me, then for you."

"I'm scared," Veronica admitted quietly. "I'm scared to be around her when she's really, truly drunk. Please let her go out. I promise, no Logan. I'll stay in the house. No tricks. No lies. Just please let her drink somewhere else."

Keith opened his eyes and gazed sadly at his daughter. "Alright. I will talk to her again about it. I want to trust you, Veronica. Please don't break that trust again."

Veronica nodded. "Thank you. We won't."

Keith let out a deep sigh and placed the car into drive. As they continued on their way to school, Veronica's heart pounded in her chest. Her two biggest secrets were now out in the open. There was no where to go but up from here.

By the end of the school day, all Veronica wanted to do was crawl in bed and hide. The entire school was buzzing about the dance that night and knowing that she couldn't go just added to Veronica's overall depression. Word had also spread about Logan and Veronica getting caught making out in the theatre, thanks to Dick telling Madison, and their quiet togetherness was now subject to whispers and pointing. None of this seemed to affect Logan, who just put his arm around Veronica's shoulders and kissed her head tenderly. But after being the subject of school gossip a few too many times, Veronica just felt like hiding from the world.

Logan and Veronica sat together on the bench by the parking lot, waiting again for her mother to pick her up. As they did, Veronica hung her head, concentrating on playing with Logan's fingers as they snaked between hers on her lap.

"I know you're disappointed about the dance, but there will be others," Logan reassured her.

Veronica nodded but continued to look down. "I know, but this would be our first time dancing together, as a couple. Even if we were going to keep it a secret, at least we would have known." She let out a deep sigh. "And this is the last time I see you until Monday. Monday!"

"Absence makes the heart grow fonder," he teased.

Veronica groaned. "This weekend is going to suck so badly."

"Veronica."

Veronica's head snapped up to see her father getting out of his police cruiser, striding confidently towards the teens.

The couple dropped hands and stood quickly, taking a tiny shuffle apart from each other.

Keith stopped in front of them, giving a tight smile.

"Logan," he said, nodding in the boy's direction.

"Mr. Mars. Sir," Logan stammered.

"Logan's been waiting with me," Veronica said quickly. "In case Mom…can't drive me home."

It took Keith a second to register what Veronica was saying. He turned towards Logan and nodded. "Thank you, Logan. But it looks like I'll be picking Veronica up for a while."

Veronica frowned, stepping closer to Keith. "Why? Where's Mom?"

Keith looked between Veronica and Logan before resting a hand on Veronica's shoulder. "Your Mom went away for a week, to her sister's place. To think about things."

"Oh," she said quietly, her head dropping to look at the ground.

Keith moved closer and kissed Veronica's forehead gently. "Let's go home and talk, okay?"

Veronica nodded and Keith turned towards the car.

"Goodbye so—," Keith called out before correcting himself. "Goodbye, Logan."

Logan gave a small wave. "Bye, Mr. Mars."

Her mother was gone. The words rolled around in Veronica's head and tears began to sting her eyes. A cold wave swept through her, hardening her heart. She wouldn't cry over her mother's selfish actions again. Not today.

"Are you okay?" Logan asked quietly next to her.

"No. But I will be." Veronica said, turning to face him. "See you on Monday."

Logan gave her a small smile. "See you on Monday."

Sliding into the seat next to her dad, Veronica buckled her seat belt and cast her sad eyes out the front window.

Keith pulled out of the parking lot in silence. When he came up to the first stop light, he let out a deep sigh.

"I'm hoping that when your mom comes back, she'll agree to start going to AA. And she and I will start going to counselling," her dad explained.

"And if she doesn't?" Veronica asked.

"Then we'll deal with it," Keith replied. "But until she gets back, it's just you and me, kiddo. Okay?"

Veronica nodded. "Okay."

"So that means that I'll send a car for you after school next week, to bring you to the station. You can do your homework until my shift ends," he said, tossing a small smile her way.

Veronica gave her father a warm smile. She loved the station. When she was younger, she would sit at the front desk with Olga the receptionist, listening and watching as the wheels of justice turned around her.

"Can I interrogate someone?" she asked.

Keith laughed. "Remember that time I let you and Logan spend the afternoon at the station with me?"

Veronica grinned. In third grade Keith had brought Veronica and Logan to the station to learn more about a community career. It had ended up being a slow day and Keith had treated the kids by fingerprinting them, taking their mug shots, doing a police lineup, and finally locking them in the cell for a time, They'd been delighted and, once released, spent the rest of the time running around the station house, pretending to be detectives hunting for clues, and interrogating each other in one of the rooms, slamming their fists on the big oak table and yelling dramatically.

"Logan would be no fun to interrogate now," she mused. "I know all his secrets."

Keith rolled his eyes and snorted a small laugh. "And I guess everyone knows his biggest secret."

"What's that?" Veronica asked.

"How much he likes you," Keith replied.

Veronica bit her lip to hold back her smile. "Yeah. I guess you're right."

Glancing at her dad, she saw the corner of his mouth turned up in a smile, as he kept his eyes on the road. Maybe this won't be too bad, she thought, as she let her own smile spread across her face.

That evening, Keith ordered pizza for dinner, and the two of them settled in to watch movies together. They decided to begin their marathon with Die Hard, and Veronica hurried upstairs to change into her yoga pants and tank top while her dad hunted for the DVD.

Settled on the couch with chips and pop, Veronica finally relaxed into the comfort of the big cushions. The past 24 hours were a blur, and even though her mother was gone, she took some comfort in knowing that, when she returned, that things would get better.

The doorbell rang, breaking Veronica from her thoughts. Glancing at her father as he paused the movie, she rose to answer the door. Her father lifted his hand to stop her as he quickly walked past. When her flicked on the porch light, Veronica let out a small gasp at the figure illuminated outside.

Her dad opened the door to Logan, who was shifting nervously from foot to foot, in his dark navy blue suit, a crisp white shirt underneath. He held a bouquet of wildflowers in one hand and a portable CD player in the other.

"Hello, Mr. Mars," Logan stammered. "I know that Veronica can't leave the house but I was wondering, sir, if I could see her for maybe ten minutes on the porch, with the door open, and the lights on, sir, since the porch is kind of part of the house and you would be here, so we wouldn't be alone."

Veronica glanced at her dad. His lips twitched as he fought to keep a grin from appearing.

"Why?" Keith asked, crossing his arms over his chest.

Logan took a deep breath and looked her father straight in the eyes. "Well, sir. I know she was really looking forward to the dance, sir, and I know she…we…are both in trouble but I really wanted to make sure we had a first dance together now that we are, like, together...well, like a couple together, you know, and not just friends, even if she's still my best friend."

This time, Keith couldn't contain his chuckle. "Takes a lot of guts to try something like this, Logan."

"Ben said this was either the smartest or stupidest thing I've ever done," Logan said, jerking his head towards the waiting car. "He's not too sure."

"Why is it the stupidest?" asked Keith.

"Because you could shoot me, sir," Logan replied seriously.

This time Keith let out a loud laugh. "I'm not going to shoot you, Logan."

Logan glanced at Veronica then back to her father, still seeming unconvinced that her father wasn't hiding his gun somewhere on his person.

"So, why is it the smartest thing you've ever done?" Keith asked with a smile.

Logan fidgeted for a moment then looked past Keith to Veronica then back to Keith.

"Because I want you to know that this isn't some stupid boy hormone thing and that I actually -" Logan took a deep breath in his rambling to steady himself. "—I love her. And respect her. And it's not like a…you know…physical thing…because I would wait until the end of time for her, if I have to. It's a love thing. Sir."

Veronica held her hands over her heart. She couldn't believe what she was seeing and hearing. After the heartbreak of her mother's betrayal, its was amazing to feel loved again.

Keith glanced between them and let out a long sigh. "You both have ten minutes. And the door stays open the entire time. I'm staying right where I can see you. And for the love of God, please, no making out!"

A wide grin pulled across Logan's lips, lighting up his eyes. "Thank you, Mr. Mars! Whatever you say."

Veronica walked outside quickly, past her dad to Logan. He held the flowers out to her and she took them from him, cradling them in her arms.

"They're beautiful. Thank you," Veronica said quietly.

He smiled down at her and raised his finger. "Just a minute."

Placing the CD player on the ground, he pressed play and stepped closer to Veronica.

The low tones of Jimmy Page's slow guitar solo, at the beginning of the song, filled the air.

"Led Zeppelin?" Veronica asked incredulously.

Logan took the flowers from her hands and placed them on the window ledge. "Trust me…Since I've Been Loving You, is like, the most romantic song ever."

Veronica gave a little shiver, from both the cold and the anticipation. Smiling down at her, Logan pulled off his jacket and offered it to her. Biting her lip, Veronica turned around and slipped her arms through the large jacket, wrapping the lapels across her chest for warmth, she relished the fact that the heat from Logan's body still lingered in the fabric. She turned back to him and smiled.

"Thanks. I wasn't expecting to be outside," she said.

"Shouldn't you know to expect the unexpected with me in your life?" Logan countered, moving closer to her and placing his hands gently on her hips.

Veronica wrapped her arms around his neck, leaving a few inches of room between them. Slowly, they began swaying in approximate time to the music.

Robert Plant's sultry voice began singing over the sound of heavy electric guitar and drums.

Veronica glanced towards the doorway as she and Logan moved in small circles together. Her dad had disappeared from view, but she knew he must be there, somewhere, watching. Slowly, she moved her body closer to Logan's and put her head on his chest, listening to the lyrics of the song. Since she had been loving Logan, at times she was sure - as Robert Plant's said - she was going to lose her mind. Their love seemed irrational, bordering on crazy. Who did they think they were, trying to love each other when neither of them really knew anything about love. But still, when she was with him, it just felt right; like this was where their life together should begin. It didn't matter if it made sense, or others thought they were insane for falling in love so young, this was them. Maybe forever, Veronica hoped.

His heart pounded beneath his shirt and she inhaled deeply, capturing his musky scent in her memory.

"Okay, it's kind of a romantic song," Veronica lied, hoping he wouldn't catch on. "Although the drum solos are hard to dance to."

"See. And you doubted me," he replied, pressing his lips to the top of her head.

"I said you had the nerve to tell me you didn't want me no more, yeah," Robert Plant's voice sang. "I open my front door, hear my back door slam"

"Just try to ignore the reference to the cheating wife with her lover running out the back door," Logan interjected quietly into the music. "Keep focused on the romantic parts."

Veronica closed her eyes and began giggling into his shirt. This song was far from the romantic masterpiece Logan thought it was, but dancing with him on her porch was so romantic she could barely think straight.

"In my defence, I just found out about what a 'backdoor man' was a few months ago. But I've liked the song way longer," he continued.

"Be quiet," she whispered. "You're spoiling the mood."

They rocked back and forth together gently, holding each other, knowing it was the last time they would touch for a few days. In that brief moment, Veronica wished this song would go on forever.

As the final strains of the final guitar solo died, Logan let go of Veronica. She dropped her arms and he walked over to shut off the CD. Slowly, she peeled off the jacket and shivered slightly as she held it out for him to take. With a small smile, he reached for it, slinging the fabric back around himself in a swift motion. Closing the gap between them, he took Veronica's hand in his.

"Thank you for the dance, Ms. Mars," he said, his voice filled with sincerity. "I look forward to this being the first of many times we dance together in our lives."

Before she could answer, Logan lifted her hand to his mouth, kissing her knuckles softly.

"Thank you for doing this for me," Veronica replied. "You have no idea how much I needed it right now."

Logan ran his thumb over the back of her hand gently. "Yeah. I do."

Letting go of her, Logan looked past Veronica towards the doorway. "Good night, Mr. Mars."

"'Night, Logan." Veronica heard her father say from behind her. "Good choice of music."

With a small nod and a smile, Logan picked up his CD player and walked into the darkness. Veronica watched as he climbed into the passenger seat of the Range Rover before turning towards the house.

There in the doorway, her father waited, holding her big, fluffy bathrobe open for her. Big tears began to fall down her cheeks as she turned to put the robe on. She wished she had the courage to follow Logan home. Knowing this was the last time she was seeing him until Monday overrode the momentary feeling of bliss from dancing with him and she gave in to her sadness.

Tying the belt tightly around her waist, she felt her dad's hands on her shoulder and he kissed the back of her head.

"It will all be okay," Keith said softly. "You and Logan will easily make it through this time apart, you and I will get through this next week, and your Mom will come home and we'll work things out. You'll see."

Veronica looked into the darkness of the street. She had her dad. She had Logan. Maybe, she thought, that was all she really needed.

Chapter End Notes

If you don't already know it, go and have a listen to "Since I've been Loving You" by Led Zeppelin. This song was once part of some pivotal teenage events in my life, way back in the day. (When I was young and with a teenage boy who found it romantic as well.) lol