"So if you two would just run this booth that would be great," Henry said looking around frantically. "There are prizes in the box. The kids get a prize for every balloon they pop. Don't blow the balloons up too much, or they are too easy to pop."
"Got it," Logan said. "Don't worry; we're good here. You must have a lot to check on."
"Thanks," Henry said hurrying to the other end of the hallway of the Learning Center.
Veronica laughed once he was gone. "So that's Henry. He seems… stressed."
"He isn't always that abrupt, but he is a little odd," Logan agreed. "So you think we can manage this one?" He nodded to the booth.
"As long as none of the kids have really bad aim and impale anyone with those darts," she replied. She began to dig through the box of prizes. "Definitely not a Neptune High carnival," she said glancing around at the homemade booths and simple carnival games.
"No kidding," Logan agreed. "It's funny how normal that all seemed."
"What do you mean?" Veronica asked boosting herself up to sit on the edge of the table at the booth they were running.
"Neptune," Logan stated. "That life, the wealth, it was all I'd ever known, so it just seemed so normal."
Veronica looked at him slightly puzzled before it occurred to her how much Logan's attitude about wealth had changed. She'd barely registered it in the past year and a half. It was probably because there had been so much time between them seeing each other, but now that he drew her attention to it, she realized the shift. He didn't take his wealth for granted as some kind of birthright or expect people to treat him differently because of it like he had when they were young. "What changed?" she asked curiously.
"I guess seeing the world," he said sitting next to her. "After college when I left California, I did my best to escape the shadow of my family. In the process, I think I realized that that lifestyle was the thing tying me to it." He smiled at her as she placed her hand on his knee. "Don't get me wrong. I still like having money, and it definitely helps with indulging in my somewhat frivolous career path, but… I don't feel like living the way my parents did."
"I've noticed, and I'm glad," Veronica replied leaning over and kissing his cheek briefly. "We should get ready. It looks like the kids are coming in." She nodded in the direction of a few groups of teenagers milling around.
Within thirty minutes the hallways of the learning center were packed with kids playing games, eating junk food, and generally enjoying themselves. The past ten minutes had Veronica and Logan surrounded by a group of girls from the writing program and some of their friends. The girls who knew him had eagerly introduced their friends to the "cute writer from their program," as Veronica heard one of the girls call Logan when he was out of earshot.
After the group of girls had finally wandered off once they had used up their excuse of playing the game, Veronica smirked at Logan. "It's so funny that you are that guy," she said.
"What guy?" he asked puzzled.
"The teacher all the girls have a crush on," she said.
"Well technically, I'm not a teacher," Logan replied with a grin. "So did you ever have a crush on a teacher?" he asked.
"No," she replied with a shake of her head. At Logan's pressing look, she added, "Well maybe in college."
"When we were together?" he asked.
She laughed as she handed a handful of darts to a kid in exchange for some tickets. "No," she replied with a shy smile. "Sophomore year." She handed the boy the box to sift through prizes for the balloons he had popped. "Here you go," she said.
"Thanks," the boy replied with a smile at her before walking away.
"Looks like I'm not the only one with admirers," Logan said wrapping his arms around her waist.
"Logan," she chided. "The kids."
"It's just Oliver," Logan said as the boy approached their booth. "He knows about being crazy about a girl. Right kid?" Logan asked.
Oliver laughed. "Sure," he replied. "Plus I've seen worse out of the two of you."
"Not the point," Veronica said shedding Logan's arms. "There are other impressionable youths around."
"Fine," Logan replied. "I have self control."
"All evidence to the contrary," Veronica whispered walking past him to hand Oliver some darts.
"Here's your chance to impress that girl," Logan said just before Rachel walked up to the booth too.
"Hi Oliver," she said. She smiled at Logan and Veronica. "Hi," she said. "Are you going to play?" she asked Oliver.
"Yeah," he replied. Oliver took a deep breath and threw the darts hitting two of the balloon.
"Nice job," Logan said handing him the box of prizes to pick through.
"Do you want to pick one out?" Oliver asked Rachel shyly.
"Sure," she replied. "Thanks, that's sweet."
Oliver grinned at Logan who winked at him. Rachel and Oliver hung around a couple minutes longer talking to Logan and Veronica before Rachel said, "I want some popcorn. Do you want to come with me Oliver?" The boy nodded eagerly and followed her.
"Man, I remember that feeling," Logan replied. "He is so nervous."
"You?" Veronica asked skeptically. "You were never nervous with girls in high school. Maybe when we were like twelve, but I doubt even then."
Logan was helping some other kids who were playing the game. When they left, he turned to her and said, "Well you know, there was this one girl. She made me plenty nervous." He grinned when Veronica blushed slightly.
About an hour into the carnival, Henry came back by and relieved Veronica and Logan for a while. "Go ahead and walk around, play some of the games if you want," he said.
"Want a soda or something?" Logan asked Veronica as they walked past the snack booth.
"I'm fine," she replied. "Want to play a game?"
"Sure," Logan replied with a twinkle in his eyes. "I've got something in mind." He led her to the end of the hallway to the ring toss. Veronica laughed as Logan attempted with varying success to get a ring over a stuffed prize. When he was finally successful, he turned to her with a victorious look on his face.
"Well done," she said with a smile.
The man running the booth handed Logan the prize, which he in turn offered to Veronica. "Here," he said with a grin. "I know it is about a decade late." Veronica gave him a puzzled look but took the stuffed bear he offered her. "Remember," he whispered in her ear. "I wuv you beary much."
A smiled grew on Veronica's face. "I did say I wanted my bear won," she said. "I nearly forgot."
"I think we've mastered the normal thing pretty well," Logan stated wrapping and arm around her and leading her back to the booth they were manning for the night.
During the cab ride home from the carnival, Veronica studied the bear in her hands. "We've come a long ways," she said quietly.
"We certainly have," Logan agreed. Veronica leaned her head on his shoulder.
"So I got an odd phone call while you were at work today," Logan said as he and Veronica were changing for the FBI's holiday party.
"From whom?" she asked, turning her back to him. "Zip?" she asked.
"Well that was the odd part," he said zipping her dress, but not after dropping a kiss to her shoulder. "It was Trina."
"Really?" Veronica asked turning around. "When was the last time you heard from her?"
"Over three years ago," he replied. "I was in London still. She called to tell me I was an uncle."
"How did I not know that?" Veronica asked. "That you have a…"
"Niece, Kensley," Logan finished. "Because I've never met her. I don't know. Sorry," he added. "I don't think much about Trina as family. She kind of… you know just disappeared after my dad…"
"It's fine Logan," Veronica replied. Reassuringly, she moved to adjust his tie. "But she is your family."
"You're my family," Logan admitted somewhat abruptly.
Veronica's lip twitched into a smile. "What did Trina want?" she asked shifting the conversation.
"Well, she wants to come visit," he said. "For Christmas." He sighed and sat down on the bed. "I'm sure there is a catch; I just don't know what it is yet."
"Maybe she just wants to see you," Veronica replied. "You are her brother."
Logan shrugged. "Maybe. She got divorced earlier this year. She could be lonely. She's never done well alone."
"You want to have her for Christmas?" Veronica asked. She sat next to him and began to pull on her nylons.
"We have plans," Logan replied. "And it's Trina, so there will be drama."
"True," Veronica agreed, "but you do have a niece you could meet for the first time."
Logan nodded. "You wouldn't mind?" he asked. "I know you've never really cared for Trina."
"It's fine. She is a bit, well, manipulative, but like I said, she is your family," she stated. "I think you should invite her. Though, I don't think we have room at the house. Somehow, I don't think Trina would be happy on the blowup in your office," she added. "I guess we could sleep in there though."
"No," Logan responded. "I'm sure that she would rather stay somewhere with a concierge and room service." He sighed. "I'll call her tomorrow and invite her to join us."
Veronica nodded. "Good," she replied. "We should get going," she added.
"Veronica?" Logan asked as they walked out of the bedroom.
"Yeah?" she replied.
"Will you help me buy Kensley some gifts?" he asked. "I don't know what to buy a three year old girl."
"I don't know how much more I know," Veronica admitted. "But, Logan, of course I will."
"Thanks," he replied. She realized the thank you was for much more than helping with the gift.
The FBI holiday party was low key compared to the one they had attended for the publishing house they year before, but Logan had to admit Veronica was right. It was nice knowing more people there, less of a display.
They spent most of their night talking to Leslie, Jack, Juliana and Mike. They danced and drank some. During one of their dances toward the end of the night when Logan had pulled her close to him on the dance floor, Veronica gazed up at him. "You're my family too," she whispered quietly. "You and my dad and Linda. I didn't say it before, but…"
Logan leaned down and pressed a kiss to her forehead, then her cheek. "I know," he whispered. He ran a hand over her hair and tucked a strand behind her ear. Gently, he ran his finger along the chain around her neck until it reached the ring that dangled there. Then he returned his hand to her waist. He didn't want to pressure her, but he wanted to remind her that he had offered a definition of family that everyone would acknowledge, that meant something to someone other than them.
"Yeah," she whispered as if reading his mind. He kissed her cheek again as the song ended.
"So I just got off the phone with Trina," Logan said coming into the kitchen. He had been working in his office that afternoon trying to get going on another novel.
"Are they coming?" Veronica asked turning away from the vegetables she was cutting up for dinner.
"Yeah," he replied. "I was right; she wants to stay at a hotel. I think she said something about the Ritz Carlton or Mark Hopkins. Oh, and she is bringing the nanny."
"That's fine," Veronica said.
"Yeah, God forbid someone in my family actually take care of their own child," Logan replied with a scoff.
"Don't worry," Veronica replied. "We can leave that to you," she added with a wink.
"You've been hinting about children a lot more lately," Logan said. "Anything I should know?"
"Nope," Veronica replied casually. "So when is she coming?"
"Christmas Eve, I gathered," he stated. "I told her we were doing brunch here that morning. She said they would come over for that, though she did seem a little shocked when I said it wasn't being catered."
Veronica laughed. "She may be a little shocked about the life you've decided to lead," she said.
"I guess. Can those save?" Logan asked motioning to the veggies on the cutting board.
"Sure, why?" she questioned.
"I have a surprise and I thought we could go get dinner first," Logan stated.
"What's the surprise?" Veronica asked.
"If I told you, it wouldn't be a surprise," Logan responded. "Grab your coat. Let's get dinner."
"Where?" Veronica asked, hoping for any bit of information she could get out of him.
"Wherever you want," he replied. "Just pick somewhere nearby."
"Italian," she said confidently.
They ate dinner at one of their favorite neighborhood restaurants, and as they were leaving, Veronica asked, "So what next?"
"You really don't understand the concept of a surprise do you?" Logan asked.
"Hmph," Veronica snorted, pulling her scarf closer around her neck as a breeze picked up. "At least tell me how far we are walking," she said. "I'm cold."
"Not far," Logan said, wrapping an arm around her and rubbing his hand up and down her arm to warm her. "And it is close to the house."
They walked a couple of blocks. When they rounded the corner, Veronica noticed the Christmas tree lot across the street. "A tree?" she asked as Logan began to lead her over.
"Sure," he replied. "We're hosting Christmas this year. We need to pick out an awesome tree for our first Christmas living together.
Veronica grinned at him. "Pretty good surprise," she said. "Do I get to pick out the tree?"
"As long as it is something I am capable of carrying up the stairs to the front door," Logan replied.
"I think I can manage to keep it to something we can carry," she replied.
They wandered around the tree lot hand in hand until Veronica decisively stated, "That is the tree."
"You're sure?" Logan asked.
"Definitely," she replied. "It's perfect. It'll look good by the front window."
"Okay," he responded with a nod. Walking to a young man working in the lot, he said, "We'd like that tree over there."
"It's $50," the man responded. "I can take checks and cash, or you can go up front and pay with a card."
"Here," Logan replied handing him a $50 bill.
"You need help with the tree?" the man asked.
"We can get it," Logan said with a smile at Veronica. He grabbed the tree somewhat awkwardly.
"Try laying it on it's side," she suggested.
"I've got it," Logan replied tipping the tree so he could grab a sturdy branch by the base of the tree. "Can you get that end?" he asked.
"Sure," she replied. She grasped the tree near the top, grateful for her gloves.
After a couple of struggles with the tree, they reached their house and made it up the stairs. Veronica dug for her keys while Logan balanced the tree upright. Once she had the door open, he moved the tree inside. "So by the window?" he asked.
She nodded. "We don't have a tree stand," she said somewhat concerned.
"You think I'd be that unprepared?" he asked. "In the front closet. In fact, would you grab it for me before I break the window by dropping this thing?"
Veronica laughed as she hurried to the closet and returned with the new tree stand. They spent the rest of the evening getting the tree positioned correctly and wrapping it with some lights Logan had the foresight to buy. A couple hours later Veronica was lying on the floor with her head resting on Logan's lap while he leaned against the couch. She was staring at the tree with its white lights gleaming. Taser was sniffing the tree. "Don't get any ideas there, buddy," Logan said to the dog.
"It's beautiful Logan," Veronica whispered. "It just needs some ornaments."
"Here," he said handing her a small box.
Veronica sat up and took the box. "An ornament?" she asked.
"Yeah," Logan replied.
Veronica opened the box. Inside was a glass bauble with what she assumed were hand painted trees on a snowy scene complete with glitter on the snow. "Wow," she breathed.
"It was handed down from my mom's family. It actually survived the fire," he breathed out as Veronica leaned against him admiring the ornament. "I had actually forgotten about it until we began planning for Christmas this year."
"It's just gorgeous," she stated. "Do you want to put it on?" she asked.
He nodded. "Together?" he asked. Veronica stood up and held her arm out pulling him up. Together they walked to the tree.
"Our first ornament," she said with a smile. "Where should it go?"
Logan took her hand in his. "Here?" he asked moving her hand to an open space between two branches in the middle of the tree. Veronica placed the ornament in the space and leaned back into Logan's chest while he wrapped his arms around her from behind.