"You ready to go?" Logan asks, his voice soft and his eyes focused as he stretches out his hand, open palm, waiting for her to close the gap between them.

She takes his hand, half nod and she's about to give him a quite yeah when Heather squishes herself between them, brightly suggesting that they all end the night with one final ride; the Ferris wheel.

Heather's wide eyes and pearly white smile throw not-so-subtle hints at her big sister. Veronica sends Logan an awkward smile as she pretends to have no clue about what that's all about.

Naturally, Heather's excitement hits one of many soft spots Logan has for the Mars clan and he indulges her, dragging the crew along.

Veronica stuffs her hands in her jacket pockets, Logan's striding ahead to buy tickets for those who don't have unlimited passes and she finds her hands feeling rather cold without Logan's natural heat to keep her warm.

She knows what Heather is doing; she's trying to create this romantic and magical moment that falls somewhere between the twinkling lights that illuminate through the dark, the cold air that forces snuggles in the tight knit space as they circle the air and ponder about how beautiful things look from high up above.

Veronica supposes if they were a normal couple it wouldn't be such a bad opportunity to profess true love and share a kiss from the top of the Ferris wheel but it's not as simple as that and Veronica doesn't know how to explain it all to Heather.

She needs time because this isn't as easy as a girl admitting she loves a boy that she's dating. It's a girl admitting that she loves a boy who might still be in love with someone else and she's scared of how this is going to change things between them despite the reassurance she's had.

She knows Heather is going to be disappointed in her when she hops off the ride and she says that she couldn't do it - she could lie but she's lied enough and it's haunting her in ways she didn't think about when this all started.

She notices Heather clinging to Ophelia, hands hooked around each other while the boys chatter beside them.

She's taken to a time when she'd laughed the night away with Lilly's arm hooked on hers, clear of any vindication.

Heather gives an awkwardly pained smile when Ryan speaks and Veronica feels her heart ache because she remembers all too well how she'd tightened her smile, held back her tears and congratulated her best friend for dating the boy that she liked. It broke her heart but it was okay because the sound of her best friend's happiness was louder than the sound of her heart breaking - until it wasn't, until her best friend was gone and she could hear the sound of her crying heart way too loud and way too clear.

The line is short - people are leaving so it doesn't take long for them to get seated. Logan comes to stand beside her, his hand going to her waist as he brings her closer to him and it's ridiculous how a small act from him makes her heart beat a little faster.

He gives her a small smile and she thinks maybe he has nerves of his own because he shoves his hands away in his pocket. She wants to complain that it's not that she minded his hand on her side but it's just that she liked it maybe a bit too much. She stays silent - her hands still in her own pockets as she sees Ophelia push Heather to go ahead with Ryan who's already seated in the ride.

Ophelia smiles, giving Heather a sly thumbs up, Heather looks confused and panicked like she wants to object and trade places. It's too late because the attendant is moving to seat the next pair and Veronica catches Ophelia's look; she doesn't look like she's sad or pained or faking happy as she hops onto the seat next to Darrell. It makes her wonder what exactly made Heather think she shared the same crush as her best friend.

Wallace gets into the next seat wearing his boyish grin with Georgia beside him. Veronica softly smiles because she's grateful that Wallace is a person in her life, that he's her best friend and a person that she can wholeheartedly trust. She's never really had a person like him in her life before. She may have regrets about her past but she doesn't actually want to regret anything leading up to her cutting him down from that flagpole.

Logan's hand is back on her waist, urging her forward and she realizes then that they're up next. She gives an apologetic smile to the attendant, moves along and settles herself as Logan comes in after her.

"You okay?" He asks, they're not exactly moving yet - just the light jolt so the next couple can be seated - and she silently nods her head.

The ride starts slowly, not picking up much speed after the initial momentum. The air is chilled against her skin and her blonde waves fly back like she's a heroine in a movie that the boy would inevitably fall in love with.

It's dark - obviously because it's night time - but there's calmness in the dark that simply doesn't exist during the day.

"Hey, Logan?" She says, breath hitching as she looks at the people walking, rides spinning and how the colours wisp into blurry brightness.

"Hmm?" He hums, hands casually flung over the metal bar as his eyes redirect to her.

She half turns her head to him. Leaning on her shoulder, hair flying back and her eyes soft as she looks at him. "Thank you," she lets out, airy but just loud enough for him to hear.

"For what?" He wants to know, shifting his position to get closer to her.

She doesn't really know how to explain why she's saying thank you because it's a combination of things that could send her on a monologue that's longer than this ride. So she offers him a half smile and repeats the words he'd said to her the night before, "For caring about me."

She's not sure if those words are enough to describe all that she's thankful for but it's all she has for now.

"Always, Mars," he grins, playfully bumping her shoulder. He wants to say he's never stopped caring but he doesn't have any right to so he's made silent promises to remedy that fact. All he cares about is her and he hopes that she can see that.

She cracks a smile, leaning into him as they enjoy the ride - it's not so much romantic as it is calming and she knows that there's no one else she'd rather be next to right now than him.


Backup leaps up to them when they come home, he's wagging his tail and nuzzling his face in their hands. Heather's overjoyed by the welcome, Veronica scratches his ears and coos at what a good boy he is, Logan smiles and is surprised when the dog welcomes him so warmly especially when Heather and Veronica are barely a few feet away. Logan pats him, mimicking Veronica's actions, he scratches Backups ears and coos that Backup is the good boy.

Keith has the TV on and pizza boxes sprawled on the coffee table. He's clad in his Sheriff's uniform, standing behind the sofa as he gets ready to leave for the night shift.

"You got pizza without us," Heather gasps, fully offended and runs to pick a slice.

"Wash your hands first," Veronica calls, warningly and her sister halts in position before running to the kitchen.

"I assumed you'd stuff yourself with corn dogs and fries," Keith dryly remarks, knowing full well just how much they liked eating at the carnival.

"Pizza is the dessert of all foods. There's always space," Heather argues as she bites into the now barely room temperature pizza slice.

Keith chuckles, lightly shaking his head. "I need to get to work. You kids have fun. And Logan, by eleven Veronica will be shaking your hand at the door as you head out," he warns, brows arched with a pointed look.

"Yes, sir," Logan salutes.

"Stay safe, daddy-O-7," Veronica chirps.

"Always am," he assures, dropping a kiss on Veronica's head.

"Bye, daddy," Heather says, giving him a peck on the cheek. "Have a good day at work."

"Thanks, kiddo," he lightly ruffles Heather's hair. "Don't forget no boyfriends in the house past 11," he aims at Veronica. "No matter how much you like 'em," he says to both Heather and Backup.

Backup wags his tail happily while Heather hums in acknowledgement of his words. Keith bops the little Mars on her nose and she chuckles lightly as he leaves.


They're watching Easy Rider because it's one of Logan's favourites and Veronica kinda likes the way he grins when he notices that they're showing it on TV.

He's giving her tidbits about the movie, off-screen accords and quoting his favourite lines as they're being said and she's not sure why she's surprised but he's even more of a dork than she'd thought and she kinda falls a little bit more in love with him.

Heather's asleep half way into the movie; lightly snoring, exhausted into the pile of cushions that she'll deny in the morning.

It's only when the movie is over that they take her into her room, Logan carries her and Veronica tucks her in.

She thanks him, again, this time mostly for helping get Heather to bed. They're in the kitchen, he's sipping on water - leaning on the counter like he belongs there. She's across him, leaning and she can't help but wonder what he thinks of her leaning. Is her leaning as thought worthy as his leaning? Because she still has memories from the first time he was in her kitchen.

She bites her lip, tilting her head and she watches him as he talks. He's all soft smiles and warm hands and adoring eyes and how could she not have seen that nobody's ever looked at her the way he looks at her?

It's not enough that she wants him, she needs to tell him, needs him to know about her all consuming feelings for him and that this contractual agreement is so much more than keeping boys in check for her and she knows that she's more than just a means to make Lilly jealous but she wonders if his feelings for her has surpassed the need to make Lilly jealous.

She wonders if he knows how he's looking at her and how his hands feel against her skin - igniting warmth and shivers and happy little dancing butterflies.

She's got nerves riding through her veins and her heart trashes against her chest like there's a volcano in her that's waiting to erupt, she wonder if he notices how badly she wants to leap in his arms.

"Veronica?"

Her eyes snap to his and her thought fades to black. She's biting her lips and maybe it's night courage but she feels brave because he's here, he's looking at her, and he's saying her name in warm whispers that makes her name feel like the holy grail.

She kisses him, her hands riding up his neck and her body pressing up against his. He's leaning so deeply into her, hands tightly wound on her waist - he doesn't want to let go.

She pushes into him, tilting her head so she can feel more of him. She wants him to feel all of her. She wants him to know that this is real.

When their lips break apart, she pulls closer to him, out of breath, his eyes dipping down and focusing on her and hers flickering up to meet his.

He sees it all in her eyes but he's afraid that her words may betray the moment they're in so he doesn't wait for her to question or excuse this kiss - he doesn't see any possible reason she could give except that this is as real to her as it's been for him.

He's kissing her again, hard and long, wanting her to realize just how much he wants her. He's holding her so tightly against him - so afraid to let go and have this moment disappear because the truth is that he could live forever standing by Veronica's counter kissing her like it's the end of time.

His forehead leans on hers and she's chuckling, he hopes it's a good sign - a sign that she gets that this goes beyond everything they've excused it to be.

"Veronica?" He breaths out, his eyes try to focus on hers but her lips are so pulp and pursed so close to his. He wants to just kiss her again but he needs words. She's trying to catch her breath, so focused on his lips, he can feel her want for him as she inches closer, tiptoeing and leaning into him. Her eyes flicker to his when he says her name and he's holding her steady against him and he just wants her to say one word. "This is real, right?"

She's so close to him, nose lightly grazing his, lips close enough to kiss. "Do you want it to be?"

He responds by tightening his hold on her and dipping his head down to kiss her. He whispers against her lips, "I more than want."

Her lips break into a smile, a light chuckle of escapes her mouth and he's grinning, open mouthed and bright eyed as he stares at her.

"I do too," she admits, softly. "I like you, Logan Echolls and not in a fake way."

He chuckles, so relieved and happy. He didn't know it was possible for his heart to feel this full. "I'm in love with you, Veronica Mars."

"You're what?" She's smiling impossibly wide and she's sure she has heart shapes in her eyes but it doesn't really matter because Logan loves her and for once in her life she might actually be letting happiness in instead of locking the door on it.

He's smiling and leaning and letting her find the truth of his words in his kiss. She's the only one he wants, she's been the only one for a long time now.

She's sinking into him, she's feeling things she's never felt before all at once and she's lost in the feeling of his hands behind her neck, lightly tugging on her hair while his tongue slips passed her lips.

He grins, kissing her check and her temple and she's arching into him, wanting everything he's giving her.

"I should go now," he says, reluctant but necessary. He's feeling too much right now in the brick of the night with the girl that he loves finally in his arms, kissing him with just as much passion and want as he has for her.

It's almost eleven, he knows without a doubt that her father is going to call and check if he's gone or not and he really doesn't want to get carried away with Veronica.

She nods, still holding onto him. "So how do we do this? What do you put in a contract - "

He chuckles, shaking his head, dipping down and giving her a light kiss. "You gotta trust," he whispers.

Her eyes close as he kisses her forehead. "So are you picking me up for school tomorrow?"

"Yeah," he lets out through a light chuckle.

"You're not contractually obligated anymore," she points out, biting her lip, a bit teasing and a little bit insecure. She's not sure how to actually do relationships.

He shrugs, still smiling and staring at her with adoration. "I like being the first one that sees you in the morning."

She's chuckling, face burying in his chest and he holds her, breathing in the scent of her mixed with the scent of carnival chaos - they stay like that for a few minutes before he leaves and Logan realizes just how dangerous it is to kiss Veronica Mars for real.