I have no idea if Neptune had an art gallery. I don't recall one, so I wrote that there's not one. If I'm wrong, please don't let that detail bother you as it's really not that important.

Chapter 3: Adopted

******Two Days Later******

Willow woke up after a restless night of not sleeping. Last night, she'd finally gotten her parents to call her back. She'd called her parents a dozen times after Logan's revelation, but she kept getting their voicemail. When she'd finally heard from them him it was about thirty hours after she'd first called them. She was beyond pissed.

Flashback

"Mom?" she said as she answered the phone.

"Yes, sweetheart. Is everything okay? You've called so many times—it's unlike you," Sheila said.

"Yes, it is, and you'd think you'd have called me back right away instead of waiting more than a day," Willow said crossly.

"Now, Willow, there's no reason to be hostile," Sheila said in the reasonable tone that set Willow's teeth on edge. It was impossible to argue with a woman who was always self-controlled. "We were away from the hotel for the day, and we didn't get your messages until this morning."

"Yes, and you still waited hours to call me. I could be in the hospital dying," she said pointedly.

"If you were dying, it would be the hospital calling us," her mother pointed out. "What is wrong? You are not normally so unpleasant."

Willow took a deep breath, trying to calm down. She knew getting angry would get her nowhere with her mother. She'd just hang up and not talk until Willow spoke in a more cordial tone. "I'm sorry, Mom, but I'm freaked out, and I had to talk to you," she said.

"What's got you so disturbed?" Sheila asked.

"I met this guy on campus, who took one look at me and totally freaked out," Willow shared. "He showed me a picture of his adopted sister, and she is a dead ringer for me—except she's a few years older."

"That's fascinating," Sheila remarked.

"Is it? Or does it mean I'm adopted, and you never bothered to mention it?" Willow asked.

Sheila was silent a long moment.

"Mom?" Willow prodded. "Am I? Did you and Dad adopt me? Am I not actually Jewish?" Although Willow wasn't a devout Jew, she loved the rich history and cultural of the Jewish people. Knowing she was part of such a people had filled her with a strong personal identity at an early age. When she suffered from the bullying that Cordelia and company had subjected her to, she used to remind herself that it was nothing compared to what her people had suffered. Were they not her people? That upset her more than thinking her parents weren't biologically related to her.

"Honey, being Jewish isn't just about the blood," Sheila said. "It's a religion and a wonderful culture that no one can ever take away from you."

"You're not answering the question, Mom. Did you give birth to me?" she asked bluntly.

"Well, no, I didn't," she admitted.

"Seriously?" Willow asked, still having trouble believing it.

"I'm sorry, Willow," her mother said. "I found out a year after your father and I married that I have a hostile womb. When I was finishing up my doctorate, I attended a conference at Hearst—right there in Neptune where you're at now. I met this lovely deaf girl, who was very pregnant and working in the cafeteria. I had taken ASL for my second language and was excited to practice it. Her name was Mary. Sadly, she was depressed, convinced that she could not care for the baby. Foolishly, she'd allow a married man to seduce her for the second time. He was married, and he kept stringing her along. I tried to convince her to go tell his wife and insist that he help, but she was too scared. My conference was three days, and on the third day, she asked if I would be interested in adopting her baby. Her other baby had gotten adopted into a wonderful home, and she was very pleased with how it turned out. I had told her about my newly wedded state and not being able to have children. I told her that I'd speak to my husband, and a week later, he came with me for an introduction. We just knew it was the right thing for our family and career. What kind of psychologists could we be if we had no personal experiences to speak of?"

Her mother finally paused. "So it's true? I'm adopted, and Logan's sister is my blood relative?" Willow said, reeling from the confirmation.

"That's so wonderful, Willow! Your father and I never could give you a sibling like he wanted," she said. "He will be so happy to know. Please let us know when you meet her, so we can come to town and meet her, too. He will be very excited. Well, I must go. We are meeting some colleagues for drinks."

"That's it? That's all you have to say? You waited all this time to tell me! Were you ever going to tell me?" Willow asked.

"Your father and I did much research and found that children who knew they were adopted grew up feeling more insecure," she said. "We didn't want you to ever feel for one moment that you weren't ours. Not to mention, your father wanted you to take your Jewish heritage seriously. If you had health issues or began planning to have a baby, we would've told you. As you've decided on a lesbian lifestyle, we didn't see any urgency in sharing the news."

Willow didn't know what to say to her mother's response. It was actual proof that her parents did think of her more than she sometimes felt, but she still felt betrayed. "Can I talk to Dad?" she asked.

"I will have him call you tomorrow, okay? We really have to go," Sheila said.

"Fine. Thanks," Willow said. "Goodbye."

"Goodbye, dear," Sheila said. "I hope you know that we love you no matter what."

Willow sighed in resignation. Anger was wasted on her parents. "Yes, I know. I love you, too," she said.

She hung up and then cried in Tara's arms.

End of Flashback.

She still had so many questions. Who got her mom pregnant two different times? How come her parents never told her that she had actual relatives in Neptune? They made her so crazy, but she knew it was pointless even yelling at them. She knew she needed to speak to Logan again and find out about her sister.

"Are you okay, baby?" Tara asked in concern.

"Yea," Willow said with a sigh. "After our class, I'm going to have Buffy go with me to wherever Logan Echolls resides. I've got to speak to him about his sister—our sister."

"You know Dick said Logan was his best friend. He can probably help," Tara suggested. They had decided to take a class together for the summer. Tara hated anything math related, but Willow loved it. This way, Willow could help her. They were taking statistics. Dick failed it last fall when he was trying to get over his brother committing suicide. Luckily, the class didn't start until eleven, so they always had time in the morning.

"I can't believe how sucky that guy's life is," Willow said in sympathy. "Of course, Logan's seemed pretty crappy, too. I guess we shouldn't hold it against him for being suspicious."

"I don't know," Tara said uneasily. "He kind of scared me. He has a lot of anger."

"Well, you know people handle tragedy differently," Willow said. "Dick seems like a live and let live kind of guy while Logan is a hit me and I'll hit back harder kind of guy."

"He's like Buffy?" Tara asked with a grin.

Willow laughed. "I wouldn't say that, but she was seriously cute threatening him on my behalf the other day," she said.

Tara nodded. "She sure was, and what was funny was how we both knew she could kick his butt, but he had no idea," Tara added.

"You know, I researched him," Willow said.

"Dick?"

"No, Logan and his sister," Willow shared. "His mom committed suicide. I'm not sure if his mom was Trina's mom or not. She seems to be very different from me—a real jet setter. She wants to be famous like her dad. She's done some acting and stuff."

"Dick mentioned that she and Logan weren't very close," Tara said. Dick took them to lunch after their first class the day before. He had been really funny, making them laugh a lot.

"Yea," Willow said. "I need to call Xander and tell him."

"You didn't already?" Tara asked in surprise. As close as she and Buffy was, Xander was still the one closest to her. They had a history neither Buffy nor Tara could share.

"Telling Xander makes it too real," she admitted. "He's going to be really pissed that my parents didn't tell me. He also might get it in his head to beat Logan up for his accusation."

"Well, call him, and you'll feel better," Tara said. "I'm going to go to the Hut and get us some coffee and bagels."

"Okay," Willow said, picking up the phone. Tara was right—as always.

******Java Hut*****

Buffy was very excited to start her first shift at the Java Hut. Since money was kind of tight, she wanted to help out. Yesterday, she saw the now hiring sign. The manager said she was the same size as the girl who quit and hired her after very few questions. Her job was to host for a week. Then she'd learn how to wait tables. Of course, she already knew how to wait tables, but she wasn't about to argue with her new boss. Her mother had been very proud, insisting on dropping her off for work.

"Keith says he has a perfect location for my shop, so I'll swing by and let you know how it goes," Joyce said as she stopped the car.

"I got a job, and you a new gallery location—this is great," Buffy said happily. It was such a relief to be in place without conflict. Things seemed to be going so well for both of them. Once Xander got a job and moved to town, her world would be perfect.

"I'll see you soon," Joyce said as Buffy got out of the car.

Buffy's manager greeted her warmly and had her filling out paperwork when Tara walked in.

"Hi, Buffy," Tara said. "Are you starting your job already?"

"Yep. I figure since I've got almost three months of no class, I might as well do something constructive with my time," Buffy said. "How's Willow?"

"She's still freaked. I think she wants you to go with her to contact Logan. He made both of us nervous," Tara shared.

"I'll be happy to. I get off today at two," Buffy said.

"Okay, I don't want to get you into trouble, so I will order," Tara said. "Will and I will be back at two."

"Great," Buffy said.

Tara went up to the counter to order. Then, Dick and Logan came in, and Logan zeroed in on Buffy at the table. "What's Buffy doing?" he asked Dick.

"Oh, she's working here—Ronnie's old spot, I think," Dick said. Then he spotted Tara. "There's Tara. Tara!"

Tara turned and saw Dick and Logan. She smiled and waved, and Dick walked toward her while Logan moved to Buffy.

"Good morning," Logan said as he approached the table that she was sitting in.

Buffy looked up. "Good morning," she said without smiling. "I can't really talk right now, but Willow and I would like to speak with you when I get off. Are you free to meet at us here at two?"

Logan nodded. "Sure. You starting here?" he asked.

"Yes. I'm trying to finish my new hire paperwork, but I keep getting interrupted," Buffy said, finally smiling at him.

"Okay, I'll catch you later then," Logan said, glad she didn't seem angry still with him.

He turned and saw Tara carrying a to-go drink tray and small bag. "Good morning," he said, trying to be friendly. "Tara, right?"

Tara nodded, feeling anxious. She glanced at Buffy, who gave her a reassuring smile. "Don't worry, Tara. He's being nice. Tell Will he will meet us here when I get off," Buffy told her.

"Okay," Tara said, glancing once more at Logan before heading to the door.

"I guess I really messed up that first impression with her, huh?" Logan asked.

"Tara's brother and father were abusive assholes," Buffy said coldly. "Men who lash out in anger frighten her."

Logan looked stricken at what she was implying. "I'd never hurt a woman!" he exclaimed.

"Good to know," Buffy said coolly. Then she looked down at her paperwork, clearly dismissing him.

Logan couldn't remember the last time he'd been so easily dismissed and stared down at her a moment before turning back to Dick, who was at a table already.

"Dude, I ordered for you," Dick said as he sat down across from him.

"Thanks," Logan said.

"Tara just left. Did you see her?" Dick asked. "You know her and Willow are in my summer class."

"Yes, you told me," Logan said. "Willow wants to speak to me this afternoon."

"You better be nice," Dick said with a stern look—stern for Dick anyway. "They're cool chicks. Willow is super smart like Mac, but she doesn't roll her eyes at me. She's already going to tutor me and Tara. Tara's not a math person either."

Logan grinned. He couldn't remember the last time Dick spoke about a girl without objectifying her in some way. "I can't believe you've managed to make friends with two different girls without trying to mack on them," he observed.

"Well, I did flirt a bit at lunch, but Tara just laughed at me and patted my hand like I was a good little boy," Dick admitted sheepishly. "She told me that Willow had once loved a man, so I might have better luck with her, but Willow said Tara had completely bewitched her."

"Tara looked scared when I said hello," Logan told him.

Dick glared. "What the hell did you say to her?" he asked.

Logan held up his hand. "Not a thing! I swear! I just said hello," he said. "Buffy told me that her father and brother were very abusive, and angry men scare her."

"Seriously?" Dick asked horrified. "That's messed up, dude. You better not yell at anyone around her, or I might kick your ass."

"I think Buffy will do it for you," Logan said with a grin.

"You really know how to piss off the tiny, hot blondes, don't you?" Dick said, shaking his head. "You know so many of my frat brothers are out of town for the summer. The campus is majorly lame, so it's nice to meet some new people. Plus, I've always wanted to be friends with lesbians."

"Glad you got something to check off your bucket list. But you know they're probably not going to sleep with you," Logan said, smiling.

"Probably not, but I can still dream, can't I?" Dick said with a wink. "But I don't know if I could sleep with a girl who looks so much like your sister. She's not anything like Trina, though."

"You've had one class and one lunch with her," Logan pointed out. "How can you be so sure?"

"Trina is fake and calculated, dude. I've known her as long as I've known you," Dick reminded him. "Willow is warm and funny. The way she looks at Tara is kind of cool. I've never had a girl look at me like that."

"How does she look at Tara?" Logan asked.

"The way you look at Ronnie," Dick said with a smirk. "Except it doesn't make me want to gag."

"Veronica left town without a word, Dick, so I don't think you need to worry about her," Logan said, picking up his breakfast sandwich and taking a bite. Would he ever quit hurting over Veronica Mars?

"Well, there's always Buffy," Dick said, looking over at her as she listened to whatever her boss was telling her. "She might even be hotter than Veronica. Willow said she was a real hero—had saved her life when they first met four years ago. Their hometown has a real bad gang problem—the kind that kill people. Buffy's like a blackbelt or something, and she kicked the guy's ass, who attacked Willow and her two best friends. One of Willow's friends died because the gang took him when Buffy was fighting the guy who grabbed her."

"She told you all that over lunch?" Logan asked in dismay. "You're serious?"

"Serious as shit," Dick said, nodding. "I told you they weren't like other girls we know. They're like Ronnie except not angry and bitter."

"So when she said she was going to kick my ass, I was in actual danger?" Logan asked in bemusement.

"Yep," Dick said with a grin. Then he picked up his coffee and drained it.

"I guess I better make it up to her," Logan said with a grin as he glanced over at the newcomer.

"Dude, when are you going to learn that tiny blondes are your kryptonite?" Dick said, shaking his head. Logan would never learn.

*****A Few Hours Later*****

Joyce glanced over at Keith, trying not to show how nervous he made her. It'd been so long since she'd met a guy that she connected with. He was funny, intelligent, and adored his daughter. How could she not be attracted? After she dropped Buffy off work, she had met him at his apartment, which surprised her. He said that he'd wanted to have breakfast with her. When she pulled up to the apartment building, her cell phone beeped. She looked at it and saw that Keith sent her a text message.

I hope it's okay to cook you breakfast at my place. Take the stairs by the pool. First apartment at the top.

She sent back a reply to let her know that she was there now. Nervous, she got out of the car. When she walked around the pool, she heard him call out, "Joyce!" She looked up and saw Keith smiling down at her.

Smiling, she walked up toward him.

"I am sorry for misleading you," Keith said, giving her a sheepish smile. "But I really wanted to cook you breakfast as it's the only meal I do really well."

Joyce laughed. "It's okay," she said. "I was a bit surprised, but I'm not disappointed. It's been a long time since a man cooked any meal for me." She refused to think of Ted the robot as a man. How sad was it that he was the last one who had cooked for her?

Keith pushed his front door back open. "Please come in," he said. "Once upon a time, I was sheriff of the county and owned a really nice home. Unfortunately, when I refused to believe that the guy who confessed to killing Lilly Kane was guilty, I got fired from office. The pay cut was substantial, so me and Veronica moved here. A private investigator has very unpredictable pay."

Joyce was actually relieved that he wasn't trying to be something he wasn't but seemed determined to be honest with her. "I completely understand," she said. "When I was married to Buffy's father, we actually lived in the 90210-zip code in Beverly Hills. Sunnydale was definitely a downsize. The house we have now is even smaller as the cost of living is much higher here than in Sunnydale." No need to tell him about how the high death rate kept the costs down back there.

They had a really nice breakfast, learning more about one another. Then Keith insisted on driving her around town in his car, showing her more of the town, which was great as she'd been too busy unpacking to do much exploring.

Now, they were pulling up to his office. "This is a good location as it gets a lot of foot traffic, and the traffic light right there helps," he said pointing.

Mars Investigation was clearly displayed. "I like the logo design for your name," she said.

"That's all Veronica. She does all the creative thinking," he said. He pointed to the space next door. "Right there is open. The shop is twice the size of mine, so you might find it suits your needs. The spaces closer to the outlet malls are probably the best spot, but the rents over there are more than double."

Joyce looked at the place with a critical eye. It was a good location—he was right. "Neptune doesn't have an art gallery, right?" she asked.

"No, San Diego does, and it's not too far," he said. "So with the 09ers having all that money, I can see your gallery being very successful."

"I hope so," she said. "I will need to call the owner and look inside."

He held up a key. "I already took the liberty. My landlord owns that one, so it was easy to get him to let me show you the place," he said.

Joyce smiled. "I appreciate it," she said. He was such a nice guy—so thoughtful. It was hard to believe how lucky she was to have met him.

Somehow, she knew he was going to be in life for a long time.

*****That Afternoon*****

Willow tried to convince Tara to join her and Buffy to meet Logan, but she refused, insisting that Buffy was more than enough support. Now that she was outside the café, she was really wishing she'd been more insistent about Tara accompanying them.

Nervous, she walked inside and saw that Logan was already sitting at a corner table drinking a coffee. Buffy wasn't sitting with him, but she waved at Willow and held up a finger. She was finishing up something with her new boss.

Willow paused, not sure if she wanted to talk to Logan without Buffy. Then she took a deep breath and decided that she was a big girl.

She could handle Logan Echolls.

After all, he was only human.

*****To Be Continued*****

I forgot how easily Veronica Mars is for me to write. It's making time to write the chapter that has been my problem. Hopefully, updates will be much faster now that I'm off for the summer. Thanks for reading. Reviews are much appreciated.