In my happy home I barely breathe

In my lover's arms I find relief

And there's a sky that's changing and a bird that sings

I never once in my wayward life was heading to run out

In my happy home I read the signs

In my lover's arms I move in time

There's no more crying and there's no more lies

I never once in my sweet life was waiting for desire

--Happy home (Garbage)

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"Veronica, what happened to you?" Logan asked, blinking at her face, bruised and scratched.

"It doesn't matter," she said, looking away from him.

"Of course it matters," he said, gently taking her face in his hands and directing her gaze back to his. And then the most surprising thing happened; she burst into tears.

"I'm so sorry," Veronica whispered. "I'm so sorry that I accused you of killing Lily. I know you didn't do it. I'm so sorry about---"

"Hey," he said, ignoring the pounding in his head. "It's ok. I know you were just trying to get to the truth. I just wish I didn't give you so much reason to think I'd be capable of it."

She put her hands over his and shook her head.

"No! I never wanted to believe you did it. But when your alibi didn't check out---"

She looked so miserable he couldn't help himself. He had to wipe it away. He leaned in and kissed her. He could taste the salt from her tears as he gently urged her mouth open. She circled his neck with her arms and he felt her pull him down on top of her.

"Duncan?"

Logan twitched.

Duncan!

"This is Keith Mars."

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Logan's eyes popped open and he turned to see the glow of Keith Mar's cell phone in the darkness of the car.

"I just wanted to let you know that I picked up that package you ordered. Please let me know where you want me to deliver it." Keith hung up and turned and saw Logan's expression. "Bad dream?"

Logan ran a hand over his face. "You have no idea."

"Well that was the third time I called Duncan and he's not answering. I'm afraid I'm left with only one alternative."

Keith brought the car to a stop and Logan looked out the window and shot up in his seat.

"You're kidding right" he said, looking at the menacing house he used to call home. "This is a sick joke to get back at me for whatever you think I did to Veronica. Well I applaud your twisted sense of humor, now kindly get me the hell out of here."

"I'm sorry, son, but you're still a minor and he is your father."

Logan shot Keith a look. "And what would the state say about turning over said minor to the custody of a murderer? That's gotta be classified as child abuse."

"He hasn't been convicted yet."

Logan hit the dashboard after ever word. "The legal system in this country should be outlawed."

Then he pushed open the car door and leaped out of the car. He turned back to Keith.

"Well thanks for all the chuckles. See you in court."

"Logan," Keith said sympathetically. "I'd let you crash at my place but…"

"Apple. Tree. Got it."

"I was thinking of Veronica."

Logan slammed the car door shut.

"So was I," he replied.

Logan couldn't stand the pity he saw on Keith Mars' face so he turned back toward the house. It was dark and about as inviting as the Psycho house. He stuffed his hands in his pockets and walked toward it. He supposed there were a few things he and his old man could chat about.

As per usual, he walked through the back. He could see that the kitchen and the living room were lit up. He reached for the door and yanked it open.

"Here's Johnny!" He announced.

Aaron Echolls was sitting on the couch, watching news coverage of his impending trial. He whirled around at the sound of his son's voice and jumped to his feet when he saw him.

"Logan! Thank God." He said, rushing to hug his long lost son. But Logan side stepped him and pointed at the tv.

"This is the most press you've gotten in a decade, you must be so proud."

"Logan…."

"No, please, continue watching. It's riveting television. I know I'm enthralled. I must have seen that pool house video of you and Lily a dozen times, with the gray boxes in place, of course. Don't want to scandalize the kiddies."

"Logan, I know how much my relationship with Lily must have hurt you…."

"Not nearly as much as you killing her did."

Aaron clenched his fist and then let it go.

You don't scare me anymore old man. You already took everything away from me.

"Logan, you can't really believe I did all the things they say I did, do you?"

"No, I just took off so I could find the real killer. By the way I ran into OJ, he wants to hit a couple of rounds of golf with you."

"You're really going to take the word of your girlfriend and her pathetic father over mine?"

"My ex-girlfriend, thanks to you. But maybe that's a good thing considering how you 'handled' my last one." He stalked passed Aaron. "But don't worry, I'm just here to pick up a few things and then you won't have to concern yourself with me and my---"

Aaron reached out and snagged Logan's arm. His grip was even stronger then usual.

"You're not going anywhere."

Logan felt his heart hammering in his chest, belts and bruises playing through his memory.

Aaron smiled and made his tone easy going but his grip didn't loosen at all. Logan could already feel the finger marks bruising into his skin. "I can't let you leave, Logan, you're my son."

"I've been gone for three months why---" then it dawned on him. "It'll look better for your case if I'm living here."

"Yes, my lawyers said with us living under the same roof it would--"

"Look like I didn't believe you killed Lily even if you were fucking her."

"Logan, you need to get over this anger you have and think clearly--"

Logan yanked on his arm but his father was still too strong for him.

"My anger! I'm not the one that bashed in Lily's head and tried to set Veronica on fire!"

Aaron smacked Logan so hard the cracking sound it made echoed in the room. Then he pulled Logan closer to him and spoke in a deadly whisper.

"You need to stop talking that way son." He let him go with a shove that knocked Logan into the back of the couch. He hit it with the small of his back and Logan bit his lip so as to not to shout as the pain shot through him. Aaron started stalking around the room. "And even if any of what I'm charged with were true, do you really think I'm going to get convicted?" He let out a laugh disguised as a bark. "Men like me don't get convicted, son. Look at Michael Jackson, OJ Simpson, Robert Blake."

Logan rubbed his arm where Aaron had dug his fingers into him.

"They weren't caught on videotape."

"Neither was I. No murders anyway. Oh sure, I did have that unfortunate relationship with Lily but she came on to me. And trust me, my lawyers already have a long list of Lily's 'suitors' willing to testify to her predatory methods."

Logan went very still.

"And really, who could blame my little lapse in judgment when I was dealing with an unstable wife at home."

Logan swung before he even realized it and crossed his father's jaw with a right hook.

"Don't you dare drag my mother into this cesspool," he shouted. "The only crazy thing she ever did was stay with you!"

Aaron looked stunned as he lifted his hand to his mouth and looked at the blood seeping out of his cracked lip. Logan turned away from him, breathing hard.

"Your mother is gone Logan. Her reputation doesn't mean anything to her now. Do you really want to lose another parent?"

Logan looked back at his father.

"Yeah, I really do."

Aaron stalked over to Logan, who back pedaled as fast as he could until his back hit the fireplace.

"Can you imagine what life will be like without me," his father demanded. "Your mother's $100,000 will run out pretty quickly if I'm not supporting you. And from what I understand you used up a big chunk already while you were in Mexico."

"While I----you knew where I was?"

Aaron put his hand next to Logan's head, pinning him against the wall.

"I was giving you some space. Not many fathers would be so understanding."

Logan swallowed hard. "Yeah, you're a prince."

"Daddy?"

Aaron turned around at the sound of Trina's voice and smiled.

"Trina! Look who's home!" Aaron said, patting Logan on the shoulder.

"Daddy, what happened to your lip?"

Aaron chuckled as he rubbed his lip with the back of his hand.

"Oh, must have bitten my lip." He walked over and put his arm around Trina's shoulders. "Well say hi to your brother."

"Hi little brother," Trina said. "Way to go, deserting daddy in his hour of need."

"Now Trina, don't be like that. Logan just needed time to work things out for himself. In fact we were just discussing the finer points of my case. I was telling him how all the evidence against me was circumstantial. And thanks to the cover up that the Kane's did there is not one single piece of evidence linking me, or whoever committed the crime, to the scene of Lily's murder." He gave Logan a significant look. "Really the only thing the prosecution has going for it is the testimony of Veronica Mars."

Logan felt his stomach twist into a knot. He shook his head. He scrambled out of the room and into the hallway. He yanked open the end table drawer by the front door and found his keys were still there. He grabbed them and pulled open the front door, running to his car.

He had been wrong. His dad could still scare the shit out of him.

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Author's note: Thanks to everyone who has been reviewing! I'm glad you're enjoying it so far. This chapter took a bit of a dark turn but things should lighten up a little next time.