They had expelled Mac. A fifth of all undergraduates in the US were raising children... and they'd refused to even give her friend the option.
Not the official policy of course.
A federal law called Title IX protected pregnant and parenting students from discrimination, but the administration's legal department had come up with one hell of a loophole.
You cannot lose a university-sponsored scholarship, including athletic scholarships, because of your pregnancy, but a doctor's note wouldn't be enough to erase the ethic's violation charges which had resulted in Mac's current academic status.
The idea make Veronica's head spin and acid burned her throat at the unfairness of it all.
At least in a Penthouse at the Neptune grand she could get some proper sleep far from the student-athletes invading the dorms.
"Parker went home a little while ago with Wallace to help pack, the dorm administrator's said that Mac's stuff have to be out by tomorrow morning, but I don't think Gia's going to make that big a deal out of anything they can't fit into the van tonight." Logan explained quietly looking towards Dick's former bedroom. "And Mac.."
"Is doing her best impression of a human burrito." Veronica finished and he nodded. The softness in his expression holding her captive.
Veronica was pretty sure if the former occupant's stuff was still in there she'd be smashing it up like a rage room.
"There's probably a "Title IX coordinator" on campus to help file complaints." Logan offered.
She crossed her arms, her nails biting into her palms, lamenting the unknown location of Dick's current surfboard and tried her best to quell the building anger inside her that pushed against the overwhelming appreciation and love she felt for her fiance right now. While she had been learning about US judicial prison term bias towards marginalised groups Wallace had barely ended the call after learning about Mac before Logan had driven them both to the emergency room and offered the brunette computer whizz his spare bedroom, rent free. Especially since their last conversation had confirmed that Mac still hadn't told her parents about being pregnant.
This selfless protective side was part of the reason why she fell in love with Logan Echolls.
To trust was to hope, to trust was to be vulnerable... and there were few she trusted more when she was vulnerable than Logan.
Before this summer with Logan, she hadn't realised how lonely she had been.
Faculty heads had signed off on suspending Cindy MacKenzi from her enrolment due to violations of her scholarship conditions after hacking Hearst IT security systems. Now they insisted that she either pay her outstanding tuition for the rest of her semester or withdraw from the remaining school year. Despite Tim's attack and her father's investigation were trying to stave off a potential lawsuit, blackmailing their student into silence.
Only in Neptune would an institution be so cruel and vindictive.
Right now, Mac needed time to take a breath and let the dust settle while Veronica hunted Mars Investigation's past cases for any crossovers with the board members, reassurance would be served up with a side of retribution. Her brain snapping into overtime to formulate solutions, shooting down anything unsuitable like a sniper.
If her dad's files didn't have dirt, she would find it.
At least in his hospital ward they wouldn't have to worry about Dick showing up unannounced…
Not to mention the duel contributions which Logan's former roommate had added to the situation? Veronica hadn't mentioned any of the discussion she'd had with her father's Lawyer best friend, Cliff McCormack over the terms of the legal documents Dick had sent to Mac mere days ago. Document's and papers filled with words like Surrogacy Contract and Non-disclosure Agreement, attempts to get her kicked out of school, hearing the of assortment of legalese and threats Dick had been planning to lay against Mac to claim to their unborn child made Veronica sick. Millionaire's were Neptune Royalty and everything those contracts screamed the only solution would be to run.
They would have to talk about Dick.
The idea of Mac's expanding waistline made her feel conflicted, it was exhausting battling back the fury at her boyfriend's best friend.
He'd almost died saving her from Tim Foyle but he'd also tried to use his sizeable trust fund and fancy lawyers to control her future.
Medical details, vitamins and baby showers and feelings weren't in her wheelhouse but Veronica was firm in her conviction to correct the universe. With Weevil she had been too late, she couldn't bring him back any more than she could erase the demons that had kept Logan awake last night but she could fix this for Mac.
"How was it out there?" he asked quickly as if sensing the directions of her thoughts, Logan drew her into his arms, kissing the top of her head affectionately.
"Jeff Ratner won't be bringing you breakfast anymore." She said, curling her arms around his waist, inhaling his familiar scent.
"The guy who accused you of cheating?" Logan asked, quirking a brow.
"Yeah, Professor Landry has asked him to take Tim's place." Veronica nodded in amused disbelief. Surely after almost being framed for murder her professor would have learned his lesson over hiring embittered underachievers. "He wanted to meet with me tomorrow afternoon to discuss the FBI internship but I'm behind on my student placement hours in the library, so I have the early shift. Garrett has finals."
Logan sighed audibly and kissed her forehead again. "Hate getting into an empty bed."
All he had to do was look at her with those gorgeous honey-brown eyes, give her that grin and she would gladly burrow away into a sea of blankets with him. His fingers knitted together with hers as he took her hand and pulled her towards the couch to sit down, pausing to hold up her left hand, brushing his thumb over the ring she was wearing there.
"Aren't you worried someone could see this?" Logan asked. She's not only your high school crush, she's the ex-girlfriend of your ex-best friend. The one girl you've always wanted... and she's wearing your ring...
"Someone... like my dad?" Veronica answered, eyebrows raised and Logan's ears blushed adorably.
"Or... Someone who may not have yet given permission for me to steal away his first born." Logan swallowed, sinking awkwardly onto the couch, pulling her into his lap. The shyness was a welcome moment of levity in a tense couple of days, gang wars, funerals and an new murderer on the loose... and Logan Echolls was still worried about screwing up tradition and facing Sheriff Mars?
It was just so... normal after the last few days that the idea was absurd.
"For real?" Veronica asked with a faux scandalised expression.
"He'll get over it." Logan shrugged.
Veronica felt her blood pound and her body tingled at the heat in his gaze, tiny butterflies of happiness danced around her heart. She had no doubt that her family and friends would get over the shock of her engagement, because for the first time in years the future had more than just a father and daughter taking on the world. Logan would be in hers night after sheet-clenching, heart-pounding, lip-biting night, even if it meant she needed to ask him to chose her over his friendship with his best friend.
