A/N: I would like you all to know that this story probably wouldn't exist if not for BeWitchingRedhead36. She recently returned to Fanfiction . net to complete her story Postcode Envy, which I love. Catching up on that fic, put ideas in my head, and now, 5.5 years since I last wrote a fic for this fandom and quite a while since I did any kind of serious rewatching of canon, here we are. This story is a sequel to Falling in Love is Hard on the Knees, BUT if you didn't read that one or did but can't remember the details (it's been a while) don't worry. Basically, post-movie, Dick got attacked, Mac was the only one around to help out his injured self, and in getting to know each other, they fell in love. That's the gist. So, here we have established Mac/Dick, with some about-to-be-married Logan/Veronica on the side. All set? Let's go...
Disclaimer: All recognisable characters belong to Rob Thomas and other folks that aren't me.
Chapter 1
Her smile kept slipping. She was trying her best to keep it in place, but it was kind of hard going.
It wasn't that Mac was unhappy about the event she was attending today. In fact, she was thrilled to be standing beside her best friend, Veronica, as she married Logan. Sure, they had their problems, some of them as epic as their whole crazy romance seemed to be, but those two were destined.
What could be better than for them to get married? Except maybe the fact that Mac got to be Maid of Honour while her boyfriend, Dick, took up the position of Best Man. It couldn't have been more perfect. Except for one thing. One thing she was not going to talk about at all. There would be no thunder stealing, today of all days.
"What's up, Q?" Veronica asked in a low voice, from the far end of the outdoor aisle.
"What could be up, Bond?" Mac shrugged, fake smile wobbling horribly.
It was impossible to lie to a best friend, to a sister, more or less. It was even tougher to pull off when the woman in question was Veronica Mars, kick-ass PI, trained lawyer, seer of all untruths, even with her eyes closed.
"We'll talk after," she said, shaking her head slightly. "I think they're playing my song," she added with a smirk, facing forward to complete what would no doubt prove to be the most important walk of her life.
Mac led the way, made more of an effort with that fake smile of hers as she counted her steps in her head. It got easier when she saw Wallace giving her the thumbs up, Logan smiling even as his gaze shifted beyond her to the bride, as it should, and then, there was Dick. If his eyes got any wider they were going to roll right out of his head. Mac was more than a little proud of being able to evoke that reaction after almost a year of them living together. Of course, it was a real rarity for him to see her in a dress.
The happy expression stayed on Mac's face throughout the ceremony. It was too good an occasion for anything else. She put her arm through Dick's own, followed the happy couple back down the aisle, with her boyfriend whispering in her ear how smoking hot she looked in the dress. Plus, how he couldn't wait to get her out of it later. It made her glad they weren't actually in a church. Not that Mac was religious or anything, but some things were just generally disrespectful.
The reception was Echolls lavish and Mars cool at the same time. The perfect mixture of the two of them. It was what their marriage ought to be. Mac hoped it lasted. She really, really wanted to believe that it could.
"Worst part is, I almost believe those two are gonna make it this time," said a voice behind her. "I must be gettin' old and way too soft."
"The great Weevil Navarro? Old and soft?" Mac checked, turning to look at him, a smirk playing at her lips. "No way. You just know true love when you see it, that's all," she said of Veronica and Logan, dancing close in each other's arms.
"True love, huh?" he echoed, shaking his head. "Seems pretty crazy to me that someone like her is meant for a guy like him. Not just that, but you too, chica? With that surf-brained dude from the hills?" he asked, only half-joking, Mac suspected.
"Not everybody gets me and Dick," she admitted easily enough, "but it works. He makes me happy,"
Something in her voice must have betrayed her, even though everything she said was completely true. She could tell by the look on Weevil's face, the concern in his eyes. He suspected something was wrong. Maybe he was right. Even Mac wasn't certain about the rights and wrongs of it yet, only that there was something serious she was going to have to talk about before too much longer. Of course, that initial conversation couldn't be with Eli Navarro, not even with Veronica Mars-Echolls, as she would be known from now on.
"I should..." she said, gesturing across the room to where Dick was clearly seeking her out.
Mac exited stage left before Weevil could say another word, hurrying to her boyfriend's side, feeling better and worse all at once the moment he spotted her and smiled.
"Hey, babe," he said, pulling her straight into his arms and kissing her firmly on the lips. "Well, they did it. Finally got hitched."
"Seems that way," Mac agreed, struggling once again to keep the smile on her face, even as she glanced over at her best friend and his, dancing and staring into each other's eyes the way newlyweds should.
For all that they had been through, all the ups and downs, and some of them had been a long way down, they had finally made it. Not that a wedding meant they were guaranteed to last forever, but Mac had faith in Veronica and Logan to be smart enough to at least try as hard as they could to stick together. They certainly didn't work too well when they were apart.
"Dick?" she said then, looking up at him. "Um, we need to talk."
Panic crossed his face, just for a second, before he covered it up. She couldn't blame him for that. Had Mac not just used the universal phrase that signalled an imminent break up? Maybe it was because she half-expected that to be the outcome of their conversation, but that didn't mean it could be avoided forever.
Entwining her fingers through his own, the way she had a hundred times before, Mac led the way back to the glass doors and out onto the terrace. The night air was cool and a little salty as the waves broke wildly on the beach below, the moon shining bright in the sky. Any other night, it would've been a perfect romantic scene. Right in that moment, all Mac wanted to do was cry.
"Hey, you're shaking," said Dick, pulling her wrap up higher over her shoulders.
"I'm not cold," she assured him, turning into his arms, forcing herself to meet his eyes.
She was surprised to see him smile a sad smile. "Wow. I guess it was dumb to think this day wasn't right around the corner, huh?"
He had Mac so confused, she didn't know what to say, just stood there in silence and let him go on.
"I mean, I get it, you know? It was kind of a fluke in the first place, you and me. It's not like I ever really thought... you know, like I could deserve you or whatever. All that crap I gave you in high school, and after..."
"Dick, that's not... That was a million years ago," she assured him, shaking her head, but apparently, he wasn't done.
"But it happened," he insisted. "I really lived up to my name back then, I know, and it's amazing to me that you ever even wanted to be in the same room with me after that. The way you took care of me, after the attack and everything, and then..." he trailed off, swallowed visibly hard, eyes to the sky as if he was trying not to cry just as much as she was. "Look, what I'm trying to say is, I get it, okay? It was cool while it lasted, but it's done. I mean, that's what this is, right? You telling me it's over?"
"No," Mac said so fast and loud she actually startled herself as much as him. "I don't... That's not what I want, Dick. I promise, it's really not," she swore, one more headshake sending one tear streaking down her face. "It's just, I'm not so sure how you're going to feel about us when I tell you that..." she stumbled over the words, forced a deep breath through her lungs, tried one more time. "Dick, I'm pretty sure I'm pregnant."
The wide eyes and stunned silence were expected. It was what came after that was worrying Mac so much. In the silence, she waited what felt like an eternity, while Dick first stared at her as if he lost the ability to do anything, ran a hand down his face, then opened and closed his mouth like a landed fish before finally finding words to say.
"You... you're pretty sure?"
"I didn't take a test yet," she admitted, "but all signs point to yes."
She really didn't want to explain exactly how she knew. Not that she was afraid to mention the female cycle and such in front of the guy who she had been sleeping with for months now. They'd been there before, it was unromantic but fine. This just didn't feel like the moment for that. It wasn't what she wanted him to ask about, and thankfully, he didn't.
"Wow. I mean, seriously, Macky, this is like... wow, you know?"
A giggle escaped her lips, she didn't mean for it to, but it did. It was just such a Dick Casablancas reaction, and yet, no yelling, no running, no denials or excuses. Mac actually didn't like herself very much for expecting that, not after everything, but at the same time, he was still Dick, and this was a very big deal. So big.
"I know it's a lot," she agreed. "If I am, but like I said, pretty sure," she repeated. "I probably should have been a hundred percent before I told you, but then I started thinking maybe you should know before. Maybe you would want to be there, you know, when I found out for certain."
"Sure," Dick replied absently, nodding his head, face turned towards the view that was epic by day, a little less so by night, and still, it had his attention. "Uh, we should probably do that. The finding out for certain thing, 'cause if you are..."
"Yeah, I know," Mac agreed. "It's like wow," she echoed his words, unable to say she didn't agree with them, inadequate as they might seem for two adults in a situation like this one.
It occurred to Mac to walk away then. Moreover, she had the strangest urge to tell Dick that he could go, if he wanted to. As much as she was sure she could cope alone if she had to, it was the very last thing she wanted. That said, if he stayed with her out of some old-fashioned or misguided attempt at chivalry or whatever, he would live to resent her and she would hate him for the rest of her life too.
"Dick..." she began, unsure how to go on when suddenly his arms were around her, pulling her to him, holding her tight.
"I so didn't see this coming," he said into her hair, kissing the top of her head, "but it's cool, right? I mean, yes or no, it'll... I mean, we'll be cool, right?"
She tipped her head back to look up at him, to meet his gaze as best she could in the dark and try to figure out exactly what he meant by that. They'd be cool, no matter whether she was pregnant or not. He was saying they would be together, if either outcome were true, wasn't he?
"I hope so," she stammered out. "I mean, I know we didn't plan this, but if it has happened..."
"Then we'll deal." Dick nodded definitely. "After everything else, I gotta think we can deal with anything, right? You know, you and me, together."
Nobody in their right mind would ever call Dick Casablancas an eloquent man, but honestly, Mac was sure she never heard anything as beautiful as those last few words from him.
"Yeah, Dick," she said, beaming up at him. "We can deal. You and me, together," she echoed, reaching up until her lips met his, more than happy when he returned her kiss.
Maybe it really was going to be okay after all.
To Be Continued...
