I just wanna thank everyone who reviewed this story. It really means a lot to me. This is the second to last chapter, so I hope you all like it!

--x--

Lorelai was watching Veronica through the window. She felt such pity for the girl but couldn't help marveling at her strength. After all Veronica had been through – and Lorelai suspected she didn't know the half of it –she wouldn't have been surprised if Veronica wallowed in self-pity, but she didn't. She kept going. And Lorelai respected that more than anything.

Even as she watched, Veronica was cheerfully fielding a call from what Lorelai assumed was her family.

"Dad, is Wallace there?" she was asking. After a pause, she said, "Hey, brother...No, I don't mean literally…oh, ha-ha…God, I hope not…If your eyes burn, use the Visine by my table…I gotta go, Wallace. Talk to you soon." Veronica looked up and met Lorelai's eyes. She offered a weak smile and put her phone away.

Returning her gaze to the road, Lorelai saw they were rapidly nearing her house.

Luke jerked the wheel of his truck and pulled into the driveway of the Gilmore house.

"Home sweet home," Lorelai sang out as she jumped from the truck, followed closely by Rory who had been squished between her and Luke. They grabbed Veronica's hands and led her into the house, leaving Luke to deal with Logan, who had passed out somewhere along the way.

"Got any coffee?" Veronica asked hopefully.

The Gilmores smiled. "But of course," Lorelai assured her, heading into the kitchen.

"C'mon," Rory said to Veronica, following Lorelai. Veronica lagged behind for a moment, watching as Luke dropped Logan on the couch. Assured that he was safe, she turned and entered the kitchen.

"Ooh, I smell coffee!" Veronica exclaimed, taking the cup Rory offered her.

Rory followed Veronica's gaze and saw her watching as Lorelai piled an assortment cookies, chips, and leftover Chinese food onto a large tray. "All the fixings," Rory declared.

Veronica smiled brightly for the first time since Rory had met her. "Looks delicious!"

Lorelai returned the smile and said to Rory, "Told you I liked her!"

Luke walked into the kitchen, took one look at the tray and rolled his eyes. "Aw, jeez. You trying to corrupt her?"

Lorelai smiled mischievously. "Maybe," she said mysteriously before shoving a cookie into her mouth.

"You're disgusting, you know that right?" Luke asked, shaking his head.

"And you love me anyway," Lorelai cooed.

--x--

Logan's eyes fluttered open and he bit his lip to keep from asking where he was. He could hear Veronica talking to the others. He wasn't ready to face her. His eyes roamed the room for an escape route and settled on the slightly ajar door. The reporters were out there, Logan knew, but he was practiced at eluding them. He slipped out through the crack and silently tiptoed around to the back, using the darkness as cover and praying he didn't trip in his drunken state. Luckily, there was no one in the back yet. Logan ran for a well-worn path in the woods, not quite sure where he was going and not really caring.

--x--

Lorelai, Rory and Luke were trying their hardest to make Veronica forget, at least temporarily, everything that was going on. It helped a little, but Veronica could only resist the urge to check on Logan for so long. She excused herself and quietly entered the living room. It only took a second for her to realize that lump under the covers wasn't Logan. He was smart, but drunk. There was a single pillow under the blanket, much too small to be Logan.

--x--

Veronica tiptoed around back, realizing this was the path Logan had most likely taken, and sprinted down the trail. She came upon him shortly. He was lying in a park, staring at the sky. When he heard her approach, Logan slowly climbed to his feet.

"Veronica!" Logan slurred. "Now we can party like it's 1999!"

Veronica gave him a sour smile. "Why? Do you have more GHB?"

Logan's smirk faded. "I told you I was sorry! I didn't even have to tell you I drugged Duncan, but I did! I never meant for you to get hurt."

A short, humorless laugh escaped Veronica's lips. "You never meant to hurt me? You've done nothing but hurt me since Lilly died!"

Shame flushed across his handsome face as Logan hung his head. "I know…and I'm –"

"Hey, Logan!" a voice called out. Logan turned towards it and a bright flash went off, temporarily blinding him. He took a step backwards, trying to regain his balance and stepped right into the gazebo, banging his head with a resounding crack. Logan slumped to the ground, unconscious.

--x--

Veronica grunted in exhaustion as she tried to drag Logan away from the photographers. After a few unsuccessful attempts, laid him down and pulled her cell phone from her pocket, intending to call Weevil. A message flashed on the screen: 'Low Battery.' She groaned. "That's what I get for losing my charger," she muttered, renewing her efforts to drag Logan back to the house.

--x--

Logan spun around, wondering where the hell he was and why. A flash of yellow danced past him and he remembered. Lilly. There she was, spinning around in front of him.

"Lilly?"

She let loose one of her teasing smiles. "C'mon, now. I know you haven't forgotten me already! I'm the fabulous Lilly Kane!"

Logan shook his head furiously. He hadn't forgotten anything. Every facial expression and hand gesture, every curve of her body, was embedded in his memory. He could never forget.

"Why?" he asked, voice raspy with unshed tears.

"Logan," she said softly. "You didn't love me. You just thought you did. It's Veronica you really love."

He nodded, knowing she was right. "I'm sorry."

Lilly laughed and it tugged at his heart. God, how he missed that laugh. "Why are you sorry? You didn't do anything. You and Veronica are actually a pretty cute couple." Then her expression turned serious. "Just…just promise you won't forget me, Logan."

"Never," Logan whispered fiercely and then she gone. He looked left and right, searching for her. "Lilly?" he called. A soft female voice answered, calling his name. "Lilly!" he yelled again. His eyes flew open. He was back in the Gilmore house. Through the window, he could see Veronica sitting on the swing out front.

"Hey," Veronica whispered as he approached.

"Hi," he replied, groaning at the throbbing pain in his head.

Veronica laughed and Logan felt that tugging at his heartstrings again. Only this time, it made him happy. "You big baby," Veronica teased.

"How did I get here?" he asked, sitting next to her. Surprisingly, she didn't move away and Logan took this as a good sign.

"Luke found us and carried you back here," Veronica explained.

Their eyes locked and they both smiled weakly, unsure of what to say.

A camera flash brought them back to reality. "There's the cover for next issue of Star or Us Weekly," Veronica commented dryly.

Logan laughed and struggled to his feet. "Veronica," he started, "I really am sorry. For everything."

Veronica held his gaze and nodded. She could hear the sorrow in his tone and see the sincerity in his eyes. Her gaze lowered to his neck. When she saw his shell necklace, Veronica began fingering her own black choker. "Remember when we gave each other these?" she asked softly.

"Yeah," Logan whispered back. "Seventh grade. Lilly and Duncan invited us to the fair. Lilly convinced Duncan to stand up with her on the Ferris wheel and their parents were ragging on them."

Veronica picked up the tale. "Celeste gave us ten dollars each and told us to go play a game until they were done. You bet me I couldn't beat you at ring tossing. You won but the attendant gave me the shell necklace because he felt sorry for me."

Logan laughed. "Then we traded because you told me the choker was a girl's necklace and that people would make fun of me."

Veronica joined in laughing. "Duncan made fun of you anyway, just for wearing a necklace."

"Until I pantsed him," Logan pointed out indignantly. "A move that forever endeared me to dear Celeste." They both started laughing again.

When their laughter died, a calming silence settled around them. "Logan?"

"Yeah?"

"Let's go home," Veronica said, offering her hand.

Logan stared at her for a moment before taking it. "Let's go home," he repeated. "We've got an execution to attend," he added.

"Whatever will I wear?" Veronica asked as they slowly walked back into house.