Spoilers through 1x18, WOCD.

A/N: Not sure where this came from. Not exactly the sequel to Midnight Caller I'd been thinking about, but something tells me this turned out better than that would've. That's not to say there won't be one...just that this isn't it. As always, italics denote Veronica's voice overs.


When she heard Logan's somewhat falsely cheerful voice ring out from the doorway of the journalism room, even her internal monologue groaned.

"You've been avoiding me, Veronica Mars."

She turned around in her chair to see him leaning sideways against the door frame, his hands stuffed in the pockets of his jeans. It was his vulnerable pose, the one she was sure he had only shown in front of a handful of people. Lilly...Duncan...and herself. She minimized her search window, and stood up.

"Well, I do declare you've found me." She replied, adopting her southern belle accent.

"I heard...about Duncan." He said, hesitatingly stepping towards him. She granted him a small smile.

"I heard he was visiting relatives." Veronica told him. Logan gave her a look, one that emphasized how much crap both of them knew the excuse was. She sighed. "Meg told me he withdrew 10 grand from the bank. I traced him as far as I could, but his trail died somewhere near the border." She finally said, meeting his gaze.

Note to self. Stop looking into his eyes. It only causes more problems.

"You'll be one of the first to know if I hear anything new." Veronica reassured him.

"Thanks." He replied, moving closer. Her heart began beating a bit faster.

It shouldn't have happened. There shouldn't be this...thing, between us.

"Listen...about yesterday." She began. He stopped moving towards her. "I just wanted to say thanks..for the rescue and all." Logan smiled at her.

Dear God, he's smiling at me.

She can't remember a time when she's seen him smile like that.

It was when Lilly was still alive.

The knowledge that thanking him for saving her life has made him smile like he did before Lilly was killed hits hard, and her smile falters.

"What?" He asked, noticing the change in her demeanor.

"You haven't smiled like that since Lilly." She pointed out, hoping that he won't randomly explode at her. His mother, and some times Duncan were acceptable forms of conversation. They didn't talk about Lilly to each other. It hurt too much, and there was so much blame with bringing her up. She expected his face to cloud over, his eyes to flash, and his vulnerable side to disappear beneath his obnoxious exterior.

Why, oh why did I open my big mouth? Next time you go to the doctor, Veronica, make sure he prescribes something for your foot-in-mouth disease.

"You remind me of her, you know?" He told her. She nods in reply.

Woah. Didn't see that one coming.

"I'm not her, Logan." Veronica said softly. "If that's what yesterday was about..." She trailed off. They both know she's not talking about the rescue itself, but what happened after.

"That's not what it was about." He finally replies. "But she was there."

Lilly is always there. She's one of the things keeping us from being friends.

"Then what was it about?" She asked.

I don't know if I want to know the answer.

He smiled, and she smiled back. Neither of them was willing to say what exactly that kiss was.

I'm not sure I could if I tried.

"We're friends." Logan told her.

"Friends." She echoes, smiling. He picks up his back, and heads for the door.

She watches until he disappears down the hall.

Friends.