Life can be so cruel

Don't it astound you?

So when nothing seems too certain or safe

Let it burn through you

You can keep it pure on the inside

And you know what you believe to be right

So you're not going to crack

No you're never gonna crack

--Run baby run (Garbage)

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She could smell the alcohol on his breath when his mouth closed over hers. She could taste it when he slipped his tongue in her mouth.

She pushed her hand into his hair and eased him back onto her waterbed. It shifted and rolled beneath them. She started pushing his shirt off his shoulders when he pulled away from her. She tried to follow him with her mouth but he grinned and turned away.

"Don't stop," she said in frustration.

He looked down at her and smiled appreciatively.

"I love you Veronica Mars."

She blinked at him.

"What?"

He leaned down and started to nip at her ear. "I love you," he whispered.

Then he pulled back and looked at her. "Did you say don't stop?"

"Veronica?"

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Veronica opened her eyes. Wallace was nudging her in the ribs.

"Your dad is home."

"Oh," Veronica said, rubbing her eyes quickly. She sat up and then grabbed a handful of popcorn from the bowl in Wallace's lap. She was munching on it and watching the movie on the TV avidly when her dad walked in.

"Hey, beautiful," he said, then nodded at her companion. "Wallace."

"Hey dad," Veronica said. "Did you catch the bad guy?"

"I always get my man," he replied, throwing his keys on the counter so as not to meet her eyes. He hadn't told Veronica who he was going after and he wasn't sure if he should. Then he caught sight of something on the counter. "Hey, whose cell phone is this?"

Veronica looked away from the TV. "Oh, it must be Duncan's."

Well that explains why he wouldn't return my calls.

"Yeah," Wallace added. "He must be a popular boy because that thing was ringing off the hook. I finally had to shut it off."

Keith looked over at Wallace and saw that he was looking at him curiously. Keith turned the phone over and noted it had caller ID. If Wallace picked it up when it was ringing the words 'Keith Mars' probably blinked up at him. From the way Wallace was eyeballing him he figured that was exactly what happened.

"So who's up for Mexican," he asked cheerily.

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Logan screeched to a stop in front of Veronica's apartment building. He left the key in the ignition and the door open as he launched himself out of the car. He took the steps two at a time and reached her door gasping for breath. He was about to pound on the door when he heard something that made him stop.

It was her voice.

"Mexican? Again? Didn't we just have that before you left?"

"I'm in the mood for it," Keith replied.

Logan stood motionless, just listening to her speak.

"So I take it you weren't tracking your fugitive down in China," she replied.

Fugitive?

"I don't make my food choices based on where I've been, Veronica."

"Really? So it was a total coincidence that you wanted Cuban food after you brought Duncan home and you wanted nothing but buffets when you got back from Vegas?"

"Absolutely."

Logan slowly backed away from the door. He went back to his car and pulled down the street where he could still see the building but where he wasn't in plain sight.

Logan was never one to back away from confrontations. In fact he usually thrived on them. But when he'd heard Veronica's voice it reminded him that she was angry with him. That she probably hated him. And the thought of her looking at him with loathing was not something he could stand. At least not right now. He'd been beat up enough this evening. He rubbed his jaw where his dad had hit him.

He needed some time to work out a game plan. Veronica's dad was home so she was safe for the time being. And he would sit there and watch the building all night if he had to. Veronica had endured all the damage from his father that she was going to have to.

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He had never really experienced bliss before. Lust, definitely. Sex, absolutely. But never bliss.

He ran his fingers over her skin and watched with immense satisfaction as she closed her eyes and caught her breath.

"Are you sure about this," he asked.

She nodded, breathing too rapidly to actually speak. He leaned down and kissed her while he reached out to the nightstand for his wallet. He touched it with his fingertips and it flipped off the table and fumbled to the floor.

"Logan…." She said with an urgency he recognized.

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Logan woke up abruptly and rather uncomfortably. He squinted in the intense sunlight.

"Damn it," he said. "Curse my fertile imagination."

He thumped his head on the headrest. Come on, distract yourself.

"A--Alabama. B--Barbados. C--Cuba. D--Delaware…"

He stopped when he saw Veronica emerge from her building with her dad and Wallace.

Wallace? He spent the night?

Logan felt something in the pit of his stomach squirm.

It's been three months, you dweeb. Never thought she'd move on? And how very progressive of ol' Keith….

Then a car pulled up in front of them. A woman emerged and from the way she walked over to Wallace and hugged him Logan assumed it was his mom.

Oh but what is this…..

Then she walked over and gave Keith Mars a kiss. And not a peck on the cheek either.

Well someone was keeping the home fires burning while you were in Mexico you dog.

Logan instantly started feeling better. After all, Veronica wouldn't have hooked up with the equivalent of her brother would she? They all climbed into the car and Logan started his engine to follow them. He had formulated a plan in the night, but he knew he had to speak to Veronica first. Alone.

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OK, you are now officially a stalker.

Apple. Tree. Daddy would be so proud.

Logan put his head on the steering wheel and thumped his head. He'd followed them to breakfast at IHOP. (That Rooty Tooty breakfast had looked scrumptious. Or perhaps it was the fact he hadn't eaten in a day or two) Then to a walk on the beach. Then to an arts and crafts fair and then to window shopping on the boardwalk.

Finally Veronica looked at her watch and said something to her companions and Logan almost did a jig. They went back to the apartment building. Wallace and his mother dropped Veronica and her dad off on the sidewalk. Keith kissed his daughter goodbye and headed to the office, Logan assumed. He was waiting for Veronica to go inside so he could follow her but she was standing on the sidewalk, digging for her keys or something. Then Keith pulled away and she pulled out her keys like she had them in her hand the entire time and she walked over to a car. Her car, Logan realized.

That's right, she ran her last one into a tree to get away from daddy dearest.

The thought gave him a chill. But he shook it off and followed Veronica as she pulled away. He did his best to keep his distance but he was driving a bright yellow Xterra. He couldn't believe she hadn't spotted him already. But she'd been distracted all day from the looks of it.

She's broken, her father had said. And you helped break her…..

Logan was distracted himself with these thoughts that he didn't realize at first she'd pulled into a hospital parking lot. He watched her park and climb out of her car. He went looking for his own space but couldn't find one quick enough. She was headed for the doors and he was going to lose her if she went inside. So he parked under the sign that read "Physician parking only".

"Ticket me," he mumbled as he climbed out and ran after Veronica.

Fortunately the waiting room was packed and she was at the front counter checking in when he entered. He grabbed a magazine and sat down. He could confront her now. She wasn't surrounded by her posse but he was unsettled by the fact that she was at a hospital.

What if that bastard did something that permanently damaged her?

He looked over the magazine and watched her walk in the door marked "lab". He dropped the magazine and walked to the counter.

"Excuse me, I need to use the bathroom, there's one back there isn't there?"

The receptionist nodded. "Oh, but are you giving a urine sample today?"

Oh the many responses I have for that.

But he smiled. "I don't think so."

She handed him a cup.

"Well why don't you fill this up just in case?"

Logan took the cup and smiled.

"Well why not?"

He put the cup in his shirt pocket, patted it and walked into the lab.

"Hi Veronica," he heard someone say from a room off to the right. A room conveniently placed next to the bathroom. He went inside but left the door open a crack and listened.

"Hi Ulysses," she said wearily. "No offense, but I'm really hoping this is the last time I ever have to see you again."

He chuckled.

"Well your gonadotropin levels looked good last time so this is probably it."

"Thank God," she replied. "Because I'm starting to look like a drug addict."

"Blood draws every day will do that to you."

Gonadotropin levels? Blood draws everyday? What the hell was wrong with her?

Logan watched her leave. He followed her out, tossing the empty urine cup back at the receptionist. He pulled out his phone and dialed his doctor. He was in his car by the time they got him on the phone. The doctor hadn't even finished saying hello when Logan snapped: "What the hell are gonadotropin levels and why would someone need them checked?"

The doctor paused.

"You're obviously not asking on your own behalf," he replied.

"No I'm not. Why?"

"Because we monitor gonadotropin levels on pregnant women."