I know, I know - FINALLY! I have to say I am so glad I took the time to go back and rewrite this chapter. And rewrite I did. I believe this is the fifth chapter eight I've written. But it's a keeper;) Seriously, I really like it, it's now one of my favorite chapters. My sincere thanks again to those who bravely pointed out the original chapter eight's faults. This was definitely worth it.

P.S. Ronhermione13, if you want some utterly fabulous Ron and Hermion fan fiction, visit checkmated dot com. It's a whole site dedicated to them. And 'Of Hearts and Heroes' is up to chapter 35 there. You have lots of catching up to do, huh? Enjoy;)

Chapter Eight (Revision)

Veronica held the door open for Logan as he stepped into the living room, then closed it and leaned back, watching him through narrowed eyes. When he turned to look at her questioningly, she crossed her arms over her chest and quirked an eyebrow.

"You're not going to take that car back, are you?"

"Like I said - the title's in your name. Legally, it's out of my hands," he replied, raising his hands and spreading his fingers in illustration. Veronica sighed and shook her head.

"How very sneaky of you," she told him.

"You mean how very Logan of me," he corrected, smirking. Veronica shrugged.

"Same difference," she concluded, pushing away from the door and walking to the kitchen to finish her earlier cleanup. She needed to distract herself from his presence. This new sweet and thoughtful Logan was enough to make her annoyingly melty in the knees.

"I knew you wouldn't accept it any other way," he told her, approaching the table to pick up dishes and stack them in the sink. He then proceeded to rinse them and place them in the appropriate slots in the dishwasher. Veronica came slowly over to the counter to watch him in disbelief. She raised her forefingers in the shape of a cross.

"Okay, who are you and what have you done with Logan Echolls? No self-respecting 0-9er has domestic skills of any kind." Logan held up a sponge defensively.

"Hey, the help isn't always around for after party cleanup. And when the parents are about to get home, you learn real fast how to work the garbage disposal. As well as other household appliances." Veronica considered this while trying to supress a grin. She finally lowered her fingers.

"And I say again, how very sneaky of you." She went back to the table to finish clearing it off, then returned to the counter just as Logan closed the dishwasher and started the wash cycle. She wiped the countertop absently while he rinsed out the sink. "You know," she began hesitantly, "the car was a very thoughtful, though ostentatious, gift." She neatly folded the washcloth and hung it over the faucet, stepping right into his personal space. He didn't back away. Veronica looked up into his face, making sure she had his attention. "But you're not responsible for your father's actions," she told him firmly, meaning more than the destruction of her car. Logan gave her a hard look, his gaze drifting to the bruise on her cheek.

"You don't think so?" he asked softly. He shook himself and shrugged. "Logically, I know that. Of course, if we're being nitpicky, I have to point out that had I not been dating Lilly, she would not have met and subsequently fucked my father, therefore leading to her death." He raised his eyebrows. "How's that for logic?" Veronica placed one hand on the counter, one on her hip, and cocked her head.

"It's very twisted actually. Now you're taking responsibility for Lilly's actions as well. You going for full martyrdom or mere sainthood?" Logan chuckled, but there was no humor in it.

"I don't know, what do chics dig more?" Veronica bit back a snappy retort. This conversation had taken a wrong turn somewhere. She pressed her lips together and looked at the floor. Logan studied her downcast features and sighed. "You wouldn't have done that." She met his eyes.

"Done what?" she asked in confusion.

"Cheated on me," he said simply, then grinned. "Turn me in for murder, sure, but no sleeping around with relatives and gang bangers." Veronica looked at him a moment before answering.

"No, I wouldn't have done that," she said,"but I'm not Lilly." Logan smiled a genuine smile and lifted his hand to brush a strand of hair behind her ear.

"No, you're not," he agreed, dropping his hand and staring out the kitchen window. Veronica didn't know what to say, so she said nothing. She just stared at his profile. His smile turned to a frown as he lowered his gaze, running a finger along the counter. "I wish you could've trusted me," he said finally, making his hand into a fist and pounding the counter gently. Veronica took a breath and shook her head.

"I did trust you," she told him, hesitating before placing a hand over her heart, "here." She met his eyes briefly before clearing her throat. "But up here," she continued quickly, tapping her temple with a finger, "the evidence was telling me differently. And I always follow the evidence, even if I don't like where it leads." Logan searched her face.

"And now?" he asked.

'And now my heart aches when I look at you because your piece of shit father stands between us.' But she didn't say it. She couldn't say anything, so she merely shook her head and shrugged helplessly. Logan took a deep breath and nodded.

"Guess that's my cue to leave," he said, clapping his hands together and pointing to the front door. As he pulled away from her, physically and emotionally, she remembered her earlier conversation with her father. She didn't want to do it, but it might be Lilly's only chance for justice at this point. And maybe some help for Logan as well.

"Logan," she said, placing a hand on his forearm. "There's something else I need to talk to you about." He turned to look at her, then leaned against the wall and crossed his arms over his chest.

"I'm not going to like this, am I?"

"Undoubtedly, no." Now that she had his attention, she wasn't sure how to broach the subject. She started unconciously pacing back and forth in front of him. Logan followed her movements with amusement until he eventually tapped his watch.

"Spit it out, Mars, I'm growing old here." Veronica winced inwardly at the use of her last name. He was distancing himself, all right. She forced herself to face him.

"Remember when we flushed Trina out at the hotel? You guys were talking in the lobby. Well, arguing really. Anyway, she said something that stuck with me." Logan chuckled and shrugged.

"Trina says a lot of things. Most of them dumb. What could she possibly have said that would be worth remembering?"

"Cigarette burns and broken noses," Veronica quoted very softly. But Logan heard her. And the change that came over him was instant and a bit frightening. Distant was a nice way of describing his demeanor towards her now. He stepped forward and wagged a finger slowly in front of her face.

"Do not go there," he told her intensely. But Veronica couldn't back off, she was nothing if not dogged in her pursuits.

"If we could give the D.A. something more concrete," she went on reasonably, "a history of . . . of abuse - " Logan ran a hand through his hair and pointed at her angrily.

"You don't know what you're talking about!"

"Yes, I do! All those black eyes and bruises I noticed over the years? You always referred to them as 'sports related injuries'. Why did I believe that? You don't even play sports!"

"Drop it," he ordered, turning his back on her to open the door.

'In for a penny, in for a pound,' Veronica thought philosophically as she launched herself at the door, throwing the deadbolt and blocking the doorknob with her body. Backup, sensing his mistress's distress, hopped down from the couch and came over to growl at Logan menacingly.

"You're not leaving until you hear me out," Veronica said. Logan raised an eyebrow in a challenging manner and bent down to scratch Backup behind the ears. A bit of tail wagging and paw tapping later, Logan rose and gave her a triumphant look. Veronica scowled at Backup. "Bad dog." He whined and went to squeeze under the coffee table. Logan slowly approached Veronica, placing a hand to either side of her head on the door, effectively trapping her in the space of his arms.

"Don't make me move you, Mars. It could get very unpleasant." Actually, Veronica was beginning to feel anything but unpleasant as their eyes locked. She was reminded of their first mind blowing kiss at the Camelot, all impulse and instinct. Logan seemed to be thinking along the same lines as his gaze moved down to her lips. Suddenly, Veronica closed her eyes tightly and shook her head.

'No. Must . . . resist . . . acute male hotness.' She quickly ducked out of his arms and escaped to the kitchen counter. Logan straightened, momentarily flustered, but he soon recovered.

"Wow, that was easy," he announced, unlocking the door and opening it.

"Logan, please," Veronica called out desperately, "you can't let Lilly's killer go unpunished!" Logan took a deep breath, closed his eyes briefly, then turned to look at her.

"He won't." If Logan had meant to reassure her, he had failed. Instead, she was suddenly worried. And suspicious.

"What do you mean?" she asked, slowly walking to the door.

"I'll take care of it." That statement upgraded her from worried to scared. She slid in front of the door, shutting it with her weight, and was blocking Logan's exit once again.

"Explain, please." He searched her face for a moment before placing his hands on her shoulders.

"Trust me?" Just two little words, but so much was riding on them. Veronica looked into his eyes, hoping to see some clue as to what was going on in his crafty little brain. But she saw nothing except his silent plea. She closed her eyes and covered Logan's hands with her own.

"I do trust you," she whispered. When she opened her eyes, she caught Logan giving her a small smile. He then placed a lingering kiss on her forehead, which sent tingles all over her body.

"Thank you," he said against her skin, wreaking even more havoc on her nervous system as her toes curled.

"Yeah, sure, you betcha," she managed somewhat coherently in her best Canadian accent. She stepped away from him to open the door and allowed him to pass through. He hadn't yet left the porch when she called out after him. "Logan!" He stopped aned looked at her. She hesitated before saying anything. "Whatever you're doing . . . please be careful," she pleaded. He simply nodded and continued to the parking lot. Veronica watched until he was gone, then walked across the living room to plop down on the couch. Backup looked up at her guiltily from under the coffee table. She tried giving him her sternest look, but chuckled instead. "I know, he's kind of hard to resist."

Et voila! Better, huh? I'm leaving the Duncan confrontation until chapter nine, didn't want to sully eight with it. I'm sorry, but that boy just gets on my nerves. Again, don't know how long I'll be until nine is posted, hopefully later this week sometime. I'll do my darndest. In all, I'm thinking another 2 - 3 chapters until I'm finished. I even have the last paragraph all planned out, dialogue and everything. I feel so J.K. Rowling;) It's too cute. Ahem, okay, til the next chapter . . .