Summary: Begins with the missing scene from 1x19, just after LoVe's kiss, and before she breaks up with Leo. AU from there.
A/N: Thanks for all the awesome feed back. Thanks to my muses, lex and forcedmovement. \Italics are VMVO and feedback is muchly appreciated. Also, many lines of dialogue were double checked with the VM transcripts at www twiztv com.
Veronica and Logan approached the front door of his house, walking hand in hand.
"My dad thinks he's a gourmet." Logan said. "Humor him." He noticed that the house was dark. "Ah, so it looks like he's going to make us eat to candle light tonight." He sighed. "Show time." He joked, pushing the door open.
The lights flicked on amid shouts of surprise. Both Veronica and Logan were stunned. The room was kinda quiet, but only because rumor had it that Veronica and Logan had broken up. It seemed that Neptune High's most talked about couple was back together. That was when Veronica spotted Duncan, and her eyes locked with his. Logan hadn't noticed him yet, putting an arm around Veronica while moving closer to his dad.
"So is this party nine months early or three months late?" Logan asked.
"I gotta a lot of lost years to make up for." Aaron replied. "This is my way of getting started."
"Good call." He snarked, spotting Duncan over his father's shoulder. He glanced at Veronica, knowing she'd seen him too. Logan made his way over to where Duncan was leaning against a pillar with Meg, the crowd whispering as they walked.
"Are you guys back together?" Meg nearly squealed at them. Veronica managed a stiff nod, unable to take her eyes off Duncan's face. Meg pulled her into a hug of congratulations, oblivious to Duncan's thunderous expression.
"Duncan..." Logan began, but trailed off.
"What's going on here, Logan?" Duncan cut him off. Meg gave him a look.
"Are you okay?" She asked her boyfriend. Veronica kept her eyes trained on the floor.
"I was going to tell you first thing." Logan told Duncan.
"What...wait, you two?" Duncan replied, shocked and angry.
"Veronica is my girlfriend." Logan squeezed her hand and gave her a smile. Duncan barked out a laugh.
"Dude you're...serious." Duncan realized that Logan wasn't joking. "You just asked if they were back together." He said to Meg. "How long has this been going on?"
"Since you left." Veronica finally spoke up.
"So, what, you wait until I leave town and then it doesn't matter?" Duncan accused. Meg looked hurt by the tone of his voice.
"Are you serious?" Veronica asked him. "You didn't exactly announce your plans for departure now did you?" She glared. "And you lost any right to be betrayed when you broke up with me."
"Guys, come on." Meg pleaded uncomfortably. She glanced around the room, glad that someone had turned on the music, and the other party goer's had started to mingle.
"No, I want to know why you think we've done something wrong, Duncan." Logan said.
"You hate her." Duncan reminded his friend. Logan flinched.
"Maybe I did." Logan admitted. "But I haven't for awhile now."
"I don't understand this at all." Duncan exclaimed. "I leave town for a couple of weeks and I come back to find you all over my girlfriend!" He shouted. The party quieted down at Duncan's raised voice.
"She's not your girlfriend, anymore!" Logan pointed out, just as loud. Meg and Veronica both look horrified, but Meg was clearly hurt by Duncan's reaction. Duncan drew back his fist and punched Logan on the jaw before anyone could react. Logan doubled over, his hand to his chin. Screams rang out as every one gathered to see what was going on.
"Duncan stop it!" Meg shouted at her boyfriend. Logan let out laughter as he stood back up. Veronica reached out and touched his arm.
"Don't." She said, stepping in between them. Veronica looked at Duncan. "I think you should leave." He gave them both a cold glance, stepped around them and headed for the door.
"Anyone else got a problem with my girlfriend, then just start heading for the rectangle with the knob." Logan announced to the crowd, wiping blood off his lip. Veronica helped him over to the couch. Aaron walked over, and gave his son a disapproving glare as he checked Logan's jaw. Logan pulled loose. "I've had worse."
"Let me get you some ice." Veronica volunteered, headed for the food table.
She filled one of the cloth napkins with a few cubes, and nearly bumped into Madison as she turned around.
"So, are you and Logan back together?" Madison asked.
"Yes, Madison." Veronica answered in a tone that implied she'd rather be having her teeth drilled.
"Do you think his dad's going to do another movie soon, or what?" Madison continued like she didn't hear Veronica's tone. "He's way too cute to become a has been." Madison held out one of the drinks she was holding. "You want one? They said it was sugar-free, but I don't know."
"Thanks." Veroinca replied, taking the glass. She gestured with the ice pack. "I gotta.." She joined Logan, Meg and his father a few moments later. "Here." She handed Logan the ice pack.
"I wouldn't drink that." Meg warned, pulling her aside.
"Why?" Veronica wanted know.
"I'm betting Madison gave you a trip to the dentist." Meg answered. "It's her thing. She does it to people she doesn't like." Meg sighed. "She spits in the cocktail and calls it 'a trip to the dentist' because we're in eighth grade." Veronica stared at her.
"I'll be right back."
Logan found Veronica a few moments later, her head in her hands.
"Isn't this the best party ever?" He said, holding out his hands for hers. She gave him a brief smiled, putting her hands in his. He pulls her to the door, and outside as they head for the pool house. Logan gave a little hop down the step, and then reach up to swing Veronica around down it. They enter one of the guest rooms of the pool house as Logan pulled her into his arms for a kiss.
"See, now why can't it just be like this?" He asked, kissing her. "Why do there have to be all these other people in the world?" Logan kissed her again and pulled her to the bed.
"What are you doing?" She asked playfully. He sat back on the bed, pulling her with him.
"You're too short." He teased as she sat on his lap. "I'm leveling the playing field." They kissed as Logan slipped her jacket off her shoulders.
"Is this where you take all your conquests?" Veronica wanted to know, her tone light. Logan laughed and fell back on the bed.
"Nope." He told her. "Only the short ones." Veronica leaned down to kiss him. It intensified quickly as hands starting roaming. He rolled her over and began making himself familiar with the side of her neck. He pulled back for a second and sighed. "I don't know about you, but I could use a refreshment about now."
"Hmm." She replied, giving him a smile. Logan leaned over and reached into the nightstand, pulling out a screwdriver. Intrigued, Veronica watched as he walked over to the vent and started unscrewing it.
"You learned that from Lilly." Veronica gasped with a grin.
"Nope." Logan smiled at her over his shoulder. "Lilly learned that from me." He reached into the vent and pulled out a key. "It's almost endearing that I need a key to the liquor cabinet." Veronica laid back on the bed as she heard him put the key in the lock. She stared at the ceiling fan, seeing a line that ran from the fan to the bookcase. She rose to her knees on the bed, realizes there was some sort of lens in the fan's center.
"Logan?" Veronica said his name quietly, startling him so that the key broke off in the lock.
"Wow, just wild, huh?" He said, turning to see that she wasn't paying attention to him. Veronica was staring at the ceiling. "What are you looking at?" He asked. She wordlessly climbed off the bed and walked over to the bookcase. She reached up, and to his amazement, pulled the bookcase apart.
"What the?" He said, coming up next to her. Unable to look away from the electronic equipment in front of her, Veronica reached out with a shaky hand and pressed a button on the VCR. The cameras on top of the VCR clicked on, both of their angles trained on the bed behind them.
"Logan." Veronica managed to get his name out. He walked over to the bed, and waved a hand, and she gasped as it showed up on the screen in front of her. She turned to stare at him, horrified. "Tell me you didn't know about this." She whispered.
"Veronica, I didn't know about this, you have to believe me." Logan pleaded, approaching her. She searched his eyes, looking for her answers. She relaxed.
"I believe you." She finally told him. He exhaled loudly. "What is this?"
"As much as I hate to say it, I think it's my dad's" Logan replied. "He's not exactly..." He trailed off.
"I got the idea, thanks." She said, grimacing at the image. "Can we go? This room is...creepy."
"Yeah." He replied. "I'll take you home."
As they walked up to her front door, Logan put his arm around her and squeezed.
"I'm sorry Duncan hit you." She apologized.
"Don't be." Logan shrugged. "I deserved it for going after you...isn't there some rule about dating your best friend's ex?"
"He still shouldn't have hit you." Veronica pointed out.
"We'll work it out." Logan promised. She sighed, as they paused outside her door. "You do believe me about the cameras, right?"
"For the millionth time, yes." She was exasperated. "I told you earlier that I trust you, Logan, and I meant it." He gave her and ear to ear grin.
"I'll pick you up for school tomorrow?" He asked.
"Yeah." She replied. He kissed her gently, and then stepped back as she walked to her door. It opened just as she put her hand on the knob.
"I knew I heard something out here." Veronica blinked and took a step back as her mother stepping into view. Logan's jaw dropped.
"Mom?" She cried, grabbing her in a fierce hug.
"I'm home." Her mom mumbled into her shoulder, and then pulled back. Lianne spotted Logan over Veronica's shoulder. "Hello, Logan."
"Mrs. Mars." Logan managed to get out.
"Bye, Logan." Veronica gave him a look and disappeared inside with her mother. Logan stared at the door to the Mars' apartment for several minutes before turning and walking into the night.