Chapter 16: Bombshells

*****The Next Monday*****

Veronica walked to her class, her mind replaying the weekend. Not only had she enjoyed her self-defense class with Buffy, but the cook-out at Buffy's had been surprisingly entertaining. It was the first time that she'd been around Logan for any period of time since she returned. Piz had dumped her after Logan's fight in the cafeteria in May, insisting that he knew she and Logan were soulmates. It didn't matter what she said, Piz said that he could not compete with Logan nor did she look at Piz the way she looked at Logan. Piz had not returned this semester having gotten a DJ job in New York over the summer.

Veronica would admit to avoiding Logan and the confusing feelings he brought out in her. They seemed to never work, so it was easier to ignore all the things she felt and going on her summer internship without talking directly to him. His hurt look when she left the cafeteria after his fight with Gorya that day still haunted her. She knew that she owed him an apology, but if she gave it to him, she wouldn't have any good reason to keep him away from her. Finding out he had been dating Buffy was part of the reason she was so quick to dislike the new girl. It was petty of her, but it was true. When Mac assured her that they weren't lovers or even serious, Veronica felt some of her animosity against Buffy leave.

However, it was the cookout on Saturday that really did it for her. Not only did she get a chance to see Logan again, but she was able to see how Buffy interacted with him. Logan, of course, barely acknowledged Veronica, and she wasn't overly surprised. Pretending indifference was something he was very good at. Veronica told herself, however, he wasn't indifferent. Although she didn't try to speak one-on-one to him at the party, she kept a close eye on him. It was easy to pretend she didn't miss him when he wasn't right in front of her. When he smiled at everyone but her, it stung.

When Weevil arrived at the party, though, she was no longer bothered by it because she saw how at ease Weevil was with Buffy and her friends, especially Xander. The two really were friends—Veronica was pleasantly surprised. Then she noticed how Weevil looked at Buffy, and she understood that he wasn't passing the time with Buffy. He really liked her and watched her every interaction—the way Veronica watched Logan.

It was hard for Veronica to figure out, though, which guy Buffy liked better. She treated both with warmth, but neither had the ease of a lover. That's why Veronica felt there was time for her to figure out what she felt for Logan without Buffy seducing him.

Mac waved at Veronica when she spotted her on campus.

"Good morning," Veronica said.

"Is it? Why did I sign up for a nine o'clock class on Mondays?" Mac groaned.

"Nine o'clock isn't that early," Veronica said.

"To normal college students it is," Mac grumbled. "I was up working on an outline for my new project. I have to meet up with my new partner in my computer science class."

"Did you get a good partner at least? I hate partner work," Veronica said.

"I'm not sure yet," Mac said. "He seems really nice—kind of cute, actually. Thoughtful."

"A guy who seems thoughtful after first meeting him? Why can't I ever meet a guy like that?" Veronica said.

"Logan can be very thoughtful," Mac said. "I saw him watching you Saturday."

"He was not. He was too busy flirting with Buffy or laughing with his sister's near twin," Veronica said.

"Sounds like someone is a little jealous," Mac said with a grin. "Piz is gone, and you know that you love Logan."

"I don't think lack of love was my problem with Logan," Veronica said. "It was a lack of trust."

"I never understood exactly why you broke up with him the last time anyway," Mac said. "He didn't cheat on you. He was drunk and heartbroken when you dumped him before Christmas and hooked up with Madison. You know, she probably seduced him. She humiliated you at the lingerie store, and you took it out on Logan."

"That's not how it happened!" Veronica said defensively.

"Isn't it?" Mac said bluntly. Then she noticed her new partner. "Oh, there's Oz now."

"Oz? Who's Oz?" Veronica asked.

"He's my computer partner I was talking about. He's new to Hearst, plays in a band if you can believe that," Mac said with a grin.

"He's in a band like Piz was in a band?" Veronica asked, looking at the short redheaded guy walking toward them.

"I'm not sure. I think he's been in one a few years, so more seriously than Piz. He's only taking two classes," Mac said. "He's only here on Mondays and Wednesdays."

As the redheaded guy approached and smiled at Mac, Veronica realized that he was very cute. Only a half inch or so taller than them. "Hello, Cindy," he said to Mac.

"You can call me Mac, Oz," she said. "Unless you want me to call you Daniel."

"Well, it is my name," he said with a shrug. "My parents call me Daniel. I like Cindy. You look like a Cindy."

"Okay, Daniel—sorry, I have to stick with Oz. Oz sounds like you," Mac said, grinning at him. "This is my best friend Veronica Mars. Veronica. Daniel Osbourne, the new partner I was telling you about."

"It's great to meet you, Oz. It's kind of funny that you both are got nicknames based on your last names," Veronica said, grinning. "What are the odds?"

"One in nine hundred and seventy-five thousand or so," Oz said with a shrug.

"Really?" Veronica asked, impressed. "You can calculate that in your head?"

"Nah, but I knew it'd sound good," he said.

Veronica and Mac both laughed, appreciating his cool delivery and humor. "Mac was saying that you are new and part-time," Veronica said.

"Yes," he said.

"Where did you go last year?" Veronica asked.

Mac realized she didn't know that and waited for his answer. "I never asked," she said.

"I went to USC in Sunnydale," he said.

The two girls exchanged a look. "We have met some others who transferred from there," Veronica said.

"Really?" Oz asked.

"Oz?" someone said, and they all turned to see Buffy walking, looking shocked.

"Buffy?" Oz said, showing equal surprise. He stepped toward her, and she practically ran to hug him.

"I can't believe it's you!" Buffy gushed. "Does Will know you're here?"

"I doubt it. I haven't spoken to her since I left Sunnydale last time," he said.

"Oh," Buffy said, grimacing. She looked at Mac and Veronica, who were listening. "Oz and Willow used to be a couple—before she was with Tara. It didn't end well."

Both girls looked surprised although Mac did know that Willow had dated a guy before. However, she was shocked that it was Oz.

"How are you able to leave the hellmouth?" Oz asked. Then he glanced at Veronica and Mac and winced. "I mean Sunnyhell—it's the town's nickname."

"That's a long story," Buffy said. "Can you come to dinner tonight? Xander lives here, and he'll be stoked to know you're in Neptune."

"He's a student?" Oz asked in surprise.

Buffy snorted. "Of course not. He's working on campus, though. He and Anya broke up. She didn't want to leave the Magic Box, and she feels Xander chose me and Willow over her."

"I get that," Oz said.

"So do I, but it's not that simple," Buffy said. She looked at her watch. "Hey, it's almost nine. We gotta get to class. I have a cell phone now." She pulled it out of her bag. "Put your number in it, and I'll call you later."

Oz did that, and then he walked with Mac to class while Veronica fell in step with Buffy. "Do you know Oz well?" she asked Buffy.

"Oz isn't that easy to know," she said. "But we went to high school together. Surviving that place wasn't easy. He and Willow were together for about two years."

Veronica looked surprise. "Really? She and Tara seem so perfect together, and it's hard to picture Willow and Oz as a couple."

"They were very close. Oz is the first love of her life. She crushed on Xander, but then she met Oz. He really brought her out of her shell. He's a genius like Will, but he doesn't care much about school," Buffy said. "He actually repeated senior year."

Veronica smiled. "He did?"

"Yes, he never went to class—he passed his finals, but there's an attendance policy," Buffy said. "He's a great guy. When he left Willow, it broke her heart. Then he came back, but she'd met Tara. He didn't take it very well. I hope they can find a way to get along."

When they entered their building, they went into opposite directions. Veronica's mind was distracted as she wondered how bad Sunnydale was if Oz called it a hellmouth? Was he over his ex? Did Mac have a potential love interest? Veronica couldn't help but notice how they both seemed weird about Sunnydale.

By the end of the school day, Willow learned that Oz was a student on campus, and she wasn't sure how she felt. She, Tara, and Buffy had an introduction to philosophy class together after lunch. It was their last class of the day, and it was when Buffy broke the news to her.

"I was right to tell you, right?" Buffy asked, anxious.

Willow nodded. "You were," she said. "I'm glad he's back in school—I didn't think he'd do that."

"We can find out more at dinner," Buffy said. "I better text Xander and tell him he's hosting dinner tonight." She pulled out her phone and sent a text.

"Better tell him Scoobies only so Weevil isn't there," Willow added.

"I shouldn't come," Tara said.

"Of course, you should," Willow said. "You're a Scooby."

"Not-not really," Tara said. "The last time Oz saw me, he attacked me."

"That wasn't him," Willow said. "That was the wolf, and I'm sure he's moved past that."

"It's probably best, though, Will, if you test the waters first. Make sure Oz is in full control where you're concerned," Buffy said.

Willow frowned, not wanting Tara to feel hurt, but Buffy made sense. "Okay," she said.

That evening, Xander was very happy to greet Oz, who got his address from Buffy. "I can't believe you're in town, too! How amazing is that?" he said as he let him in.

"Kismet," Oz said. "I had no idea you guys were here."

"I thought you were either traveling with your band or back with the monks in Thailand or something," Xander said.

"I did go back to Tibet for about another month. Then my grandmother got sick," Oz said. "She lives in San Diego. My parents really wanted me to finish school, and my grandma needed someone to be there to help."

"Oh, I'm sorry to hear that. Is she going to be okay?" Xander asked.

Oz nodded. "Yes," he said. "So tell me why you all left Sunnydale."

His apartment door opened before he could reply, and Buffy stepped in with Willow. "Hey, guys. We brought Chinese," she said, holding up the bags.

Willow smiled at Oz and sat her bags on Xander's table. "Hi," she said.

"It's good to see you, Will," Oz said, giving her a warm smile. Although he knew a part of him would always love her, it didn't hurt anymore to see her. That was very good.

"Yea?" Willow asked.

Oz nodded. "Yes. It's okay," he said. "I'm in a good place."

Willow looked relieved. Soon, they were passing out the food and chatting like old times. Xander told them all what Oz said about his grandmother. Willow offered to give him some healing crystals, and he thanked her. Suddenly, things were good again, and she knew that Oz and she would be back to being friends. It made her incredibly happy because he had been so important to her, and she still loved him.

After they filled Oz in all the events that caused them to leave the hellmouth, Buffy told him about her new jobs. Oz was very interested in her Tai Chi class, and she was happy to give him the details.

Since Willow was able to be around Oz without feeling terribly awkward, she pulled out her cell and sent Tara a text, asking her to join them. They needed to know if Tara was safe with Oz.

"So how's the wolf?" Buffy asked. "Still able to control it on the full moon?"

Oz nodded. "If I can keep my emotions under control, I can," he said.

"That's good because I told Tara to come join us," Willow said. "We need to know if she is safe to be around you."

"That's good because I need to apologize to her," Oz said.

Buffy and Xander were both happy that things were going so well. Xander couldn't wait to introduce him to Weevil. He was telling him all about the former PCHer when the doorbell rang.

Tara came in, feeling anxious. "I'm glad you are here," Willow said, standing up and grabbing her hand to pull her inside.

"Are you-you sure?" she asked.

"It's okay, Tara," Oz said, standing up. "I'm not going to hurt you. I am deeply ashamed and sorry for what happened last time we saw each other."

Tara gave him a nervous smile. "I know it wasn't you, so it's okay," she said.

"I'm under control now," Oz said. "You do not have to be afraid."

"I got the tranq gun on the stove," Xander said with a smirk.

"Are you hungry? I saved you a dumpling," Willow said, handing her a plate.

Tara sat down, feeling good that things were going to work out.

*****The Next Day*****

Veronica was heading to the parking lot to drive to her shift at the Hut when she saw Dick and Logan walking. Deciding not to avoid them, she waved.

Logan smiled and altered his course slightly, so he could meet her. "Hello," he said. "How's classes going?"

"So far so good," she said. "You?"

"I can't complain too much," he said. "Dick has been given the job of organizing his fraternity's back to school bash Friday."

"You should come," Dick said. "The fraternity has taken you off the banned list since you proved we weren't all rapists last year."

"I'll see," she said, not willing to commit to a party with Dick. "You guys heading to the parking lot?"

"Yea," Logan said. "So the girls were giving me and Dick a hard time for being wasteful by living at the hotel."

"Girls?" Veronica asked.

"Buffy, Willow, and Tara," Logan said.

"Ah, your new entourage," Veronica said.

"Well, I wouldn't exactly say that," Logan said. "Buffy and I are mostly just friends, and Willow is like a sister."

"You and Buffy broke up?" Veronica asked in surprise.

Logan shrugged. "I wouldn't say broke up since we weren't ever a couple," he said. "We just went out and had a good time. She's a lot of fun."

"She didn't put out," Dick said with a smirk.

Logan elbowed him. "Better watch that mouth of yours," Logan said. "You know Buffy would kick your ass if she heard you."

Dick looked scared, causing Veronica to snicker. "I'll catch you guys later," Dick said, taking off toward his truck.

"Wow. I am not sure how I feel that he is now more scared of Buffy than he is of me," Veronica said.

"Well, it's not just Buffy. He's become close to Willow and Tara," Logan said.

"He knows that the girls are dating each other, and they won't be dating him, right?" Veronica asked.

"He does," Logan said. "I made it very clear, but the girls genuinely like him. Tara is very shy, and Dick makes her laugh."

"I thought she was a better judge of character," Veronica muttered. Veronica stopped at her car. "Where did you park?"

"Over there," he said, pointing two rows over. "You know Dick is my closest friend—there's more to him than you give him credit for."

"I don't want to fight, Logan," she said, opening her car and throwing her bag in.

"I don't either. I was just saying that if others besides me find him okay, then maybe it's time you move past high school and all the ugliness we went through," Logan said.

"It's that easy, huh?" Veronica said.

"I didn't say it was easy, Veronica. Nothing with you ever is," he said a bit bitterly.

Veronica felt a stab of guilt and reached for his hand. "Logan, I feel I owe you an apology," she said.

Logan looked surprised. "You do? For what?" he asked.

"For leaving town when school was over without talking to you," she said. "You stood up for me at great personal risk, and I do appreciate it."

"You know that I'd do anything for you, right?" Logan asked, squeezing her hand before letting it go. He couldn't let things get too intense because they had been down this road too many times. Somehow, she always left him feeingl devastated and broken.

"I do know that," she said. Then she debated on how honest she should be. Deciding that he deserved the truth, she continued, "Piz broke up with me before I left because he was convinced that you and I were soulmates."

Logan was caught off guard by her confession, and his surprise showed on his face.

"I'm not trying to—" she paused. "I mean, I probably shouldn't have told you that. I just felt that I should be honest—I owe you that at least."

"I used to think we were soulmates," Logan said. "Then you broke my heart three times."

Veronica flinched at his words. "I'm sorry, Logan," she said.

"Me, too," he said, giving her a sad look. Veronica watched him walk toward his car before she got into her own.

A minute later, she heard and felt a loud explosion and looked up. Logan's SUV was on fire!

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