Logan ran his fingers gently down Veronica's bare back. He watched as goose bumps formed in the wake of his touch. She shifted and made a sound that resembled a purr.

"I love you. You know that, don't you?" He asked.

She reached behind her and pulled his arms around her. He moved closer and pressed his body up to hers.

"This I know," she said.

"Good." He leaned down and nibbled on her ear while he slowly moved his fingers over her flat stomach. "But you know that I have some issues."

She laughed and there was something jarring about it.

"More issues then a magazine rack, lover."

Logan jerked away from her and she rolled over and regarded him curiously. But it wasn't Veronica. It was Lilly.

&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&

Logan jerked awake. He ran his hands through his hair and looked around, momentarily believing that he had fallen asleep behind the wheel. But then it came back to him. He'd driven to Veronica's but while he sat in his car contemplating what exactly he was going to do he must have fallen asleep. He glanced at his watch and saw that it was still early.

He was about to climb out of the car when his phone rang. Without really thinking about it he answered it.

"Logan, where the hell are you?" Duncan whispered frantically into the phone as he smiled and nodded at the others in the living room.

Wallace was applying suntan lotion to Mac's back while Meg was putting lotion on his back. He couldn't look more delighted if he tried.

"Make sure to put on two coats," he was saying to Meg. Then he glanced up at her skeptical expression. "What? You don't think a black man can burn?"

Duncan turned his back on them and walked a little farther away from the group.

"I forgot something," Logan mumbled. "I had to go back and get it."

"Go back?" Duncan said. "Wait a minute. You went home!"

Meg, Meg and Wallace all looked up at him, startled.

"I forgot my trunks," Logan replied. "You know how attached I am to them."

"Logan…."

"Listen, I'll be back in a couple of hours. Go out on the boat and have fun and frolic without me."

"How exactly do you expect me to get the boat in the water without a car?"

"Oh. Well. Rent one. Put it on my tab."

"Logan," Duncan said, raising his voice appropriately now that the rest of his friends already realized that something was up. "Tell me what is really going on."

"No," Logan replied savagely. "Why don't you tell me?"

Duncan closed his eyes. Shit.

"I don't know," he said truthfully.

"Well I'm about to find out," Logan replied, snapping the phone off.

&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&

Veronica stumbled out of her bedroom to the foreign smell of pancakes. Not McGriddle cakes, but honest to God homemade pancakes. She stopped when she found Troy standing at the stove with a spatula.

"What are you doing?" She demanded.

"Maybe you're not a sharp as I gave you credit for," he said with a grin. "Making breakfast."

"Why?" She demanded as her stomach gave a traitorous growl. She wrapped her arms around her stomach and realized she was still in her pajamas.

"Because my last meal was at 7 pm last night and the body needs substance in order to survive." He pointed the spatula at the counter where there was some bacon on a plate. "Nosh on that while you're waiting."

Veronica wanted to turn around and at least throw some clothes on but the smell of the bacon was too tempting to deny. She picked up a piece and sniffed it carefully for poison.

Troy saw her and laughed.

"Think I spiked your breakfast meat?"

She gave him a knowing look and carefully bit into the bacon.

"Where did you learn to cook?" She asked.

"I've been on my own for a while now," he explained as he slid the pancake onto a plate. "I thought I'd try and make up for some things by regaling you with my culinary expertise."

"You'd have make every meal I ate until I died to make up everything to me," she replied. Hearing Troy explain to her that he hadn't played her when they were dating had made her feel better. But it still didn't make up for what he was doing to her now.

She reached over and picked up her cell phone and contemplated calling Logan. He'd sounded so miserable the night before. But she glanced at the clock and figured he wasn't awake yet.

As if reading her mind, Troy slid another pancake onto her plate and said: "You know, I never told you to lie to Logan."

Veronica snickered. "If I had told Logan what you were up to you'd still be looking for your teeth." She set the phone down. "Besides, he was already leaving town. It was just easier this way. I'll tell him all about you and your blackmailing scheme when he gets home."

"Blackmail is such a--"

"Accurate term?"

"I'd like to think of it as you helping out an old friend."

"Let me point out what's wrong with that statement. The words "friend" and "helping"."

Veronica's phone rang and she picked it up again and saw that it was Duncan. After that everything happened at once, in what seemed like slow motion. She answered the phone just as someone knocked at the door.

"Hello?" she said as Troy walked over to answer the door.

"Veronica!" Duncan practically shouted into her ear. "It's Logan. I just talked to him. He's headed home. He may already be there."

Veronica's head snapped to the door.

"Troy, don't---"

But he was already pulling the door open and to Veronica's horror she realized that he was shirtless and still only wearing the sweat pants he'd slept in the night before.

Logan looked up as the door opened and in the span of about three seconds he took in the entire scene. Veronica was standing by the kitchen counter in a short nightgown, her cell phone in her hand, staring at him with the most damning look of guilt he'd ever seen. He vaguely registered the smells of the cozy little breakfast they were sharing as he noted Troy, his old buddy, standing at the door half dressed, looking stunned.

"Logan…" Veronica shouted and it was like the bell at boxing match. Logan pulled back and sent his fist crushingly into Troy's face.

Troy stumbled back and fell. He put his hand up but he was too dazed to speak. So Logan turned on Veronica.

"You swore to me Veronica. You swore you wouldn't do this to me." He swallowed hard and his voice broke. "After Lilly…."

Veronica shook her head frantically. She could see his heart breaking right in front of her eyes.

"Logan, I swear--" But she couldn't finish her sentence because Troy had managed to get to his feet. Logan heard him and turned around.

"Hey, buddy," Logan said, his rage igniting again. He pulled back his fist but Troy managed to dodge it. When the swing went wide he sent his own fist into Logan's stomach. Logan doubled over and using both fists he came down hard on Logan's back.

"Troy stop!" Veronica shouted.

Logan's legs buckled beneath him and his head clipped the end of the table before he hit the ground. Then his body didn't move at all.

&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&

Well a lot still needs to happen but I believe the next chapter will be the last. Thanks to everyone who has reviewed. I've had terrific response.

SabrinaYutsuki/ Joann--thanks! I really liked Troy too, until, well you know, he turned evil. So part of my intention with this story was to soften his image a bit.

Simply Lily—I'd certainly be in the line to make Logan happy :)

Joycelyn Solos—Wow! Thanks!

Firefly2000—Snickerdoodles?

Ablaze—It's funny how many songs on the radio right now are so fitting for Logan's situation.

Jacedes—sorry about the stress!

beaglelover719—I had a lovely vacation, thanks, and I don't want to give anything away but I promise Logan won't be jumping off any bridges in this story!

If I had the time I'd thank each and everyone of you for your encouraging reviews! I get a thrill every time I get one in my mailbox!