One more kiss could be the best thing

One more lie could be the worst

And all these thoughts are never resting

And you're not something I deserve.

---Let me go, Three Doors Down

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Tuesday morning Veronica laid under her covers trying to get a few more minutes of sleep before her alarm went off. After trying for a few minutes she finally sighed to herself and crawled out of bed.

As she walked down the stairs she could hear her parent's talking.

"So Logan and Veronica are together?" Lianne asked

"She said that they were having a thing and then they broke up. But then he took her out before the arraignment yesterday and when she called and asked for my permission it sounded like they were back on."

"Did she say anything last night when you took her home?"

"You saw her when we got home. She was so upset with Aaron getting off on bail it wasn't the right time."

'It wasn't just his getting off.' Veronica thought to herself as she remembered the last few moments in the courtroom

"I'm so sorry Logan." Veronica said rubbing his arm as they watched his father shake hands with his lawyer, "But I swear this is all going to work out."

"This is all going to work out?" Logan asked in shock, "Veronica he admitted to sleeping with Lilly and they still let him out on bail. He's going to get maybe six months of jail time, at the most."

"You don't know that Logan."

"He's got money Veronica. You more than anyone should know that if you have money you can get away with anything, even..." Logan wouldn't allow himself to finish the rest of the sentence. He just threw his hands up and looked at her, "I can't do this Veronica. I've gotta go."

Back in the real world Veronica made her way to the kitchen.

"You're up early again." Lianne said as Veronica took a seat at the table

"Couldn't sleep. I had another weird dream."

"About what?"

"Nothing important."

"Well, I'm off to work." Keith said as he finished off his coffee.

"Have a good day daddy."

"You too sweetie."

As Keith left the house Lianne looked her daughter in the eyes.

"So you and Logan Echoll are together huh?"

"Were." Veronica said as she poured herself a glass of orange juice

"Why didn't you tell me? I thought we could tell each other anything."

Veronica laughed to herself holding back tears of rage.

"Tell each other anything?" She asked, "Okay, why didn't you tell me that you were with Jake Kane Friday? Or even better, why didn't you tell me that Jake could be my father? Hmm?"

They both stood completely still for a moment and then Veronica shook her head in disgust.

"That's what I thought." She turned around and began to head back up stairs, "I've got to get ready for school."

"I'll take you and I can explain..." Lianne started

"Don't bother. I'll catch a ride with Lilly and Duncan."

Veronica hurried up to her room where the radio was playing a local morning show.

"In entertainment news Aaron Echoll's was released on bail yesterday." One of DJ's who called himself Bubba Bob said, "Can you believe this guy? I mean how can a guy who's married to Lynn Echoll's have an affair with someone else?"

Veronica quickly hit the power button on her alarm clock and then proceeded to dial Lilly's number.

"Lilly it's me... Yes, I know what time it is...Look can I get a ride to school with you and Duncan? Please? Thank you."

At his own house Logan stumbled in the back door smelling like cigarette smoke and various alcoholic drinks.

"Logan where have you been?" Aaron asked as Logan walked into the kitchen strait to the refrigerator and pulled out a container of orange juice.

"Well I went to this really rockin' party." Logan said pulling a glass out of a cabinet and filled with juice, "By the way, I ran into R. Kelly. He wants to have lunch. Have your people call his people."

"Logan, you're upset we understand that, but you cannot talk to your father like that." Lynne said standing up

"Are you standing up for him?" Logan asked in shock, "You've got to be fucking kidding me."

"Logan!" Aaron exclaimed.

"You know what? I was a fool for coming back here."

Logan turned on his heels and headed back out the door.

"Do not walk away from me Logan!" His father shouted.

"Go to hell!" Logan exclaimed as he hurried to his car and left.

That afternoon at lunch Veronica sat with the rest of the 09-ers picking at some half cold french fries.

"Veronica what's wrong?" Lilly asked.

"Nothing." Veronica said pushing the fries to the side.

"You don't look like nothing's wrong." Meg told her

"Well nothing is."

"Yeah okay." Duncan said walking up to the table while talking on his cell phone, "Okay. Bye."

"Who was that?" Lilly asked

"Logan. He's in LA and he's drunk at some hotel."

"Why?" Meg asked.

"He probably had a nice run in with his dad." Veronica said standing up, "Duncan do you think I can borrow your car?"

"I'll drive you. Come on."

An hour later Veronica and Duncan were on their way to Los Angeles.

"So, what exactly is going on?" Duncan asked as he merged lanes, "How do you know where Logan is?"

"I just do."

"You two have gotten awfully close lately."

"We're friends."

'That's a lie.' Veronica thought, 'I have no idea what we are.'

She closed her eyes and thought back to the last time she spoke to Logan

"What are you still doing here?" Veronica asked taking a seat on the steps next to Logan

"Dad wanted a photo of the family. He said it's great publicity. Showing him as a family man."

"A family man. What a load."

"What are you still doing here?" Logan asked as his leg touched hers.

"Dad's doing the whole interview thing."

"Ah yes, the 'interview thing'. Something I know to well."

"I should probably go find him. See if he's done."

"Yeah, probably." Logan looked down at his feet

"So I'll talk to you tomorrow?"

"I don't think so. I think that we, you and I, should stop this."

"This?" Veronica asked, "Explain 'this'."

"Trying to go back to being a couple. We need to take a break."

Veronica felt as if all the air had been knocked out of her, "Take a break?" she asked, "Are you breaking up with me?"

"Veronica!" Keith called, "Let's go."

"You should go. Don't want to keep your dad waiting."

Veronica opened her eyes and looked around as they pulled into a parking lot.

"This the place?" Duncan asked

"It sure is." Veronica said as she began to pull off her tee-shirt to reveal a black bra.

"What are you doing?" Duncan asked as he shielded his eyes

"Changing. What you didn't think that I stopped at my house for nothing did you?"

"Is this part of your plan?"

"Yes." Veronica told him as she began to button a crisp white shirt up.

"And your plan is what's exactly?"

"Just follow my lead." She said as she slid a blazer on.

They got out of the car and made their way inside the hotel.

"Stay here." Veronica whispered as they got to the lobby, "I'll handle this."

Veronica walked up to the front desk.

"May I help you?" A woman in her mid thirties asked

"Yes you can." Veronica said placing her left hand on the counter to reveal a cubic zirconium ring that Lilly had bought her after the break up with Duncan claiming that it would help weed out the creeps from the good guys during the search for the next Mr. Right. "You see I'm getting married tomorrow..."

"Congratulations." The woman said.

"Thanks. And you see my fiancé is staying here, and I really need to speak to him, but I don't know what room he's in."

"I'm sorry; we're not allowed to share that information."

"It's really important."

"I'm sorry I---"

"Here's the deal." Veronica said mustering up some fake tears, "You see I just found out that I'm pregnant and I really need to let him know before the wedding. He's can get very jealous sometimes and if he doesn't find out now he'll think I'm hiding something..."

"I understand." The woman said placing a hand on Veronica's, "What's his name?"

"Logan Echolls."

"Alright." The woman typed the name into the computer and nodded her head, "I still unfortunately can't tell you what room he's in. I can however tell you that he just charged a drink from the bar not even three minutes ago."

"Thank you so much." Veronica said smiling

She headed back to the lobby where she signaled Duncan

"Did you find anything out?" Duncan asked coming up to her

"He's in the bar, come on."

They both made their way into the bar and automatically spotted Logan talking to the bartender.

"Hi honey." Veronica said taking a seat on one side of him, while Duncan took the other.

"Sugerpuss." Logan slurred.

"What do you think you're doing?" Duncan asked

"I am having a good time pretending to be a twenty three year old investment banker." He said and then turned to Veronica, "And let me guess you're my girlfriend?"

"Close. Your pregnant fiancée."

"Oooh. Shot gun wedding?"

"No. Long engagement. We're getting married tomorrow and this morning I found out that I'm carrying our love child."

"And you wanted to tell me before the wedding so that I didn't think that you're hiding it from me and then figure out that you slept with my best man." Logan turned to Duncan, "How could you man?"

"Come on let's pay and get you out of here." Duncan said taking a hold of his arm.

"Hell no." Logan said pulling away, "I ordered this red bull and vodka and I'm going to drink it. And then maybe order another one."

"No way." Veronica said signaling the bartender, "He's done. Take it away."

"Hey!" he exclaimed, "I wanted that."

"To bad." Veronica and Duncan helped lift him up and they headed towards the front desk.

An hour an a half later Veronica and Duncan were sitting on the hood of Logan's car while Logan threw up behind.

"Do you think he's done yet?" Duncan asked as he took a sip of coffee

"You saw how many drinks he had. This is only the beginning."

"Oh what fun. I'm going to go find Lilly. Make sure a group doesn't form to watch him get sick, okay?"

"Will do."

As Duncan left to track down Lilly, Veronica went back to Logan who was sitting on the ground with his head resting on a tire.

"How you feeling?" Veronica asked as she crouched down and ran her hand across Logan's sweaty forehead.

"Like I just had my insides pulled out and then shoved back in."

"That's what happens when you drink to much."

"Can we not mention drinking please?" Logan asked closing his eyes, "And also, puking."

"Okay, then how about we talk about us. Now, I don't want to sound like a Dawson's Creek episode but what are we now?" Veronica asked

"What do you mean?"

"You and me. First we were friends, then enemies, then friends, then boyfriend and girlfriend, and then what?"

"I don't know. But I hope we can go back to being friends. That's all I've ever wanted."

"Why did you break up with me?" Veronica asked, partially to herself.

"I just had to. You've got to understand that."

"Fine. But you have to do something for me."

"What?" Logan asked

"Don't do this again. Don't go out in search of trouble. Be safe."

"I'll do that Veronica. I don't want you to be sad." Logan said as he laid his head down on her lap and fell asleep.

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