Author's Note:

Major apologies for such a long wait between chapters. I started writing this one way back in April, but then I was busy pretty much all of May, with going on vacation and then getting sick halfway through it, plus trying to get a couple of short stories written for the VMHQ 1.5K Challenge. As a result, I didn't get back to writing this story until last week. Thanks for your patience :).

Chapter Sixteen

Mid-October 2019

Fourteen Weeks Along

Veronica steps out onto the sundeck of the beach house in Neptune and perches on the edge of a sun lounger, soaking up the warm, Monday morning sun. Bringing the coffee mug to her lips, she savours every sip of the limited amount of caffeine she's allowed to drink now, as she takes in the expanse of ocean before her. She's missed this view. Sure, they live near the beach in Virginia, but it's not the same… SoCal beaches are all sun and sand and palm trees, whereas East Coast beaches have a more rugged, countryside feel to them.

She's glad she took Logan's suggestion to come back to Neptune, because even though it's meant leaving Pony with Nick and Amy for a few weeks, and possibly missing Sarah's new arrival at the end of the month, it's a big relief to be home again.

"Hey."

Mac's voice sounds from behind her, and Veronica turns to see her friend slipping through the door as well, before taking a seat beside her on the lounger.

"Morning," she greets with a nod.

"You okay?" asks Mac.

"Yeah," she says, looking down at her coffee. "I'm glad to be home."

Mac smiles. "We're glad you're home, too."

"Yeah…" Veronica gives a shrug.

"You miss him, huh?"

She raises an eyebrow, glancing at her friend with a wry smile. "It's that obvious?"

"Well…"

"It's just… really bad timing," Veronica says, bringing the mug to her lips and taking a sip. "I don't want him to miss anything."

"He'll be back in no time," Mac says reassuringly. "It's only for a few weeks."

"Yeah, I know," she agrees, "And I guess it does mean I get to spend time in Neptune."

"See, there's still a positive side," Mac shifts closer, giving her a nudge. "And don't worry, we'll keep you suitably distracted."

Veronica smiles. "Thanks, Q."

Veronica makes it to eleven-thirty before she gives up on lazing around the house; she has to get out and actually do something. She's spent the last few weeks barely managing to do anything at all and the five months before that trying desperately to get a grasp on what she wants to do with her life in Virginia, with little success. Now she's in Neptune though, she feels pretty good and she's itching to get back to the life she knows.

She grabs the keys to Logan's BMW, which Dick dropped off at the house yesterday, and heads into town. Picking up some sandwiches from the local deli, she pulls up outside the Mars Investigations office just after twelve.

Entering the building, she announces her presence with a smile and a cheerful, "I have sustenance."

"Ooh." Mac's eyes light up. "Sandwiches."

"Hey, Dad," she calls in the direction of his closed office door. "You want food?"

"Oh, he's not here," says Mac. "He's down at the Sheriff's department."

"Really?" Veronica raises a speculative eyebrow. "Business or pleasure?"

"Something about a bail jumper, I think," says Mac. "But there was an implied 'I'll be back after lunch' in there too."

"Ah, well." Veronica shrugs, placing the deli bag down on Mac's desk and pulling out the food, and then grabs a sandwich and takes a seat. "More for us, then. After all, I'm eating for two now."

Mac shoots her a grin as she reaches for her own sandwich. "That you are."

They share a relaxed lunch, punctuated by small talk about what's been going on in their lives lately, though Veronica can sense Mac's holding back about something.

"Come on, Q, spill," she says eventually. "You obviously have something you want to say."

"It's nothing, really." Mac shakes her head. "It's just, what are you doing here, V? You don't work here anymore."

"I know."

"You should be relaxing, taking it easy."

Veronica shakes her head, sitting forward in her chair and placing the remains of her sandwich back on the desk.

"But that's just it, Mac… it feels like all I do these days is 'relax' and 'take it easy'… while Logan goes out and earns our money. I can do things for myself, you know; I'm not some kept housewife."

Mac frowns. "I didn't say you were."

"I can't just sit around twiddling my thumbs while I'm here. I need to do something. I need to keep busy." She looks at her friend beseechingly. "You know how I hate having nothing to do."

"Okay, I get it." Mac holds up her hands in surrender. "Enough with the guilt trip already." She reaches across her desk and picks up a folder, holding it out to Veronica. "Here, take a look at this one."

"Thanks." Veronica takes it gratefully.

She opens the file and flips through it. Seems like a pretty standard Neptune case: a well-to-do 09er couple want Mars Investigations to look into their future daughter-in-law because they're worried she's after their money.

As ideas for getting started begin to form in her mind, Veronica feels the familiar rush of adrenaline and excitement she always used to get from working cases. She's missed it. A lot. Sure, she was helping out remotely with her father's casework before she got pregnant, but it wasn't the same; she was working just behind the scenes, on the other side of the country. She wasn't doing the real work.

She sighs, leaning back in her seat and closing the file.

"You okay?" asks Mac, for the second time today.

"Not really," Veronica admits. "I don't think I can do it anymore."

"Do what?" Her friend looks alarmed as her gaze drops to Veronica's stomach.

"Oh, God, no, not that." Veronica's quick to assure her, hand cupping her belly protectively. "This kid ain't going nowhere… not if I can help it."

"Thank God." Mac looks relieved. "For a moment, I was worried I was gonna have to send an urgent email to Logan."

"Sorry, didn't mean to scare you," she apologises. "It's just… being back here, in the office, it feels right. This is where I'm meant to be: here in Neptune, working cases, being with my family and friends."

"I know." Mac nods in understanding. "But I thought things were getting better for you in Virginia?"

"They are," she says, "but something's missing in my life there. I don't feel like myself anymore, Mac. I feel like I'm in limbo, just going through the motions until we can come home and I can start living my life again."

"I'm sorry," Mac says softly. "I get that it's not what you really want, but you have done it before... I mean, you were away from Neptune for nine years, and you were okay."

"But, that was different," Veronica counters. "Back then, I chose to leave; I wanted to get out of Neptune and start a new life for myself. I was trying to get away from everything this town represented for me." She shakes her head, placing the closed file down on Mac's desk. "But a lot has changed since then, and I don't want that anymore."

"It's only for two more years, though," reasons Mac. "I mean, what's a couple years in the grand scheme of things? You can spend the rest of your lives in Neptune after that."

"Yeah, that's what I've been telling myself," Veronica admits. "But is it worth it if I'm miserable?"

Mac leans forward, looking concerned. "You're miserable?"

Veronica shrugs, looking away for a moment as she collects her thoughts.

"I don't know, it's just..." She shakes her head, as the floodgates open and everything starts spilling out. "It's not just work, Mac; it's everything. I don't want to have my baby in Virginia, I want to have it here, in Neptune." She sucks in a deep breath. "I want to be close to my dad, and you and Wallace. I want to live in our house again, and be able to see you all whenever I like. I have a whole support system here, but in Virginia, it's just me and Logan, and as amazing as he is, he can't be around all the time."

"But, Veronica, you can't have the baby here… right?" says Mac softly. "I mean, Logan can't leave Virginia, and you wouldn't want to come back here without him. I can't imagine he would want that either."

"No, I wouldn't, and neither would he. Of course, it wouldn't work." Veronica gives a frustrated sigh. "But I don't know what to do. I mean, what if we can't move back here at all? Who's to say Logan won't get transferred somewhere else after this? Fuck, what if he gets stationed in, like Japan or somewhere?"

"Japan?" Mac's eyes widen. "Seriously?"

"Yeah, seriously." She raises her eyebrows in a 'can you believe it?' gesture. "Back when he first deployed after I came back to Neptune, I told him in an email that I'd never been to Japan and he said there was a base there and maybe we'd be able to go someday."

"Wow… I hadn't even thought of that possibility."

"Yeah, me neither," Veronica replies. "Or at least, I tried not to."

"Have you told Logan all of this?"

"Not really," Veronica admits. "I mean, he knows I haven't been happy in Virginia, but that was before we found out about the baby… and then with everything going on, all the morning sickness and doctor's appointments—"

"I get it." Mac nods in understanding. "Look, I know there's not much you can do right now, but when he gets back, you need to talk to him. Explain how you're feeling, see if you can figure something out together."

"Yeah," Veronica agrees. "I will. I'll talk to him."

"Good." Mac smiles encouragingly.

"Yeah." She returns the smile.

"But that's a few weeks away, and right now, you're here, so let's make the most of it, shall we?" Mac waves a hand toward the case file on her desk. "You know what, have at it with that case. Do whatever you need to do to feel more like yourself again."

"Thanks, Q," Veronica says gratefully, both relieved that she's been able to get some of this off her chest and also hopeful that maybe she and Logan can find some kind of solution to what feels like an impossible situation.

She reaches for the file again, and starts scanning through it, fresh ideas for how to solve the case running through her mind.

"But be careful, okay?" warns Mac. "I don't want to be the one to have to tell Logan you've once again got yourself into a sticky situation. Especially not when you're pregnant with his kid."

"Of course I'll be careful." Veronica tries not to roll her eyes as she injects as much innocence into the words as she can. "I'm always careful."

"Whatever you say, Bond."

Late October 2019

Fifteen weeks along

"You wouldn't believe the nerve of this guy, Lo!" Veronica exclaims through Skype the next Tuesday and Logan can't help smiling at the incensed look on her face as she sits cross-legged on the bed in their beach house. "I mean, for God's sake, why is it that men always seem to think we owe them the world?"

"Don't ask me." He holds his hands up in surrender. "I'd like to stay in your good books."

She stops mid-rant, her expression softening. "Sorry, didn't mean you."

"No, 'course not." He nods, still smiling. "So, you're good? Sounds like you're having fun in Neptune."

"I'm good," she says, smoothing a hand over her growing stomach. "We're good."

Logan's eyes follow the movement and his heart gives a small skip in his chest. His baby is in that stomach.

"I'm glad. How're you feeling?"

She nods. "I'm okay… apart from the heartburn, shortness of breath, oh, and the nosebleeds. Two so far."

"Nosebleeds?" Logan looks concerned. "Is that supposed to happen?"

"Apparently, it's pretty normal," she says. "Something to do with increased bloodflow, I think."

"But apart from that, you're okay?"

"I am," she says, with a nod, though her expression seems a little guarded. Before Logan can question it, she changes the subject. "I definitely can't hide the fact that I'm pregnant now though… my clothes barely even fit anymore."

"You look amazing." Logan smiles tenderly, before gesturing to his face. "You have this—I don't know—this glow."

"I have a glow?" she asks, looking sceptical. "I think that's your bad internet connection playing tricks on you, because all I see is oily skin."

"I'm serious, Veronica." He gives a soft chuckle. "You look happy and healthy, and, you know, totally gorgeous."

"Go on…" She grins, preening for the camera.

"I miss you," he says then, turning serious.

"Me too," she agrees. "Kinda like crazy."

"I'll be home soon," he assures her. "I have it on good authority that I will be back in the next three weeks."

"You'd better be, Lieutenant." She points a finger at the screen, looking at him sternly as he lifts his coffee mug to his lips. "Because I'm horny as hell right now and my vibrator just isn't cutting it."

Logan almost spits out his mouthful of coffee at that, as he glances around the thankfully empty computer room. "Veronica!"

"Sorry," she says, though she looks completely unrepentant. "It's not my fault that increased sex drive is a symptom of pregnancy, or that you're not here and I have to improvise."

"Geez," Logan mutters in a strangled tone as he wills his body not to react to the thought of Veronica doing… that while he's away. He shifts uncomfortably in his chair. "Can we talk about something else?"

"Sure." She gives an innocent smile. "So… how's the flying going? Getting good thrust action in your plane?"

"Stop it."

"Oh, I'm sorry…" she responds, again looking anything but. "Are you not allowed to talk about that? Don't tell me: the engine power and stamina discussions are reserved for your secret mission briefings. Ooh, do you all sit around and compare the speed of your… jets?"

"Okay, that's it. I'm hanging up now," he declares quickly, moving the mouse to the 'end call' button, index finger hovering above it.

"Hey, no… don't go," she protests quickly, adding in a pout for effect. "We still have ten minutes. No more innuendo, I promise."

"If you say so…" he replies sceptically.

"Cross my heart." She motions across her torso. "Seriously, what've you been up to?"

He studies her suspiciously for a moment, before relaxing and starting to tell her as much as he can about life on the Vinson. When their time is up, they say their goodbyes and as he closes Skype on the computer, the smile drops from Logan's face. Veronica seems so much happier tonight than he's seen her in a long time—she had a glow about her today that he doesn't think is just due to the pregnancy. She's happy there, in Neptune; she's back in her element, and it's obvious that being back home has lifted her spirits.

Problem is, he'll be home in a few weeks, and then it's back to Virginia Beach again. If he's honest, he's dreading it. In the past, whenever he was stationed somewhere new, he just put his head down and got on with it. It was just part of being in the Navy; he'd chosen it, and he was gonna make the most of it. But it's different now; because of Veronica… because they're putting down roots and starting a family. He used to be a free spirit, happy to go wherever they sent him, but not anymore. He's not happy at Oceana either, not really. He grins and bears it because that's the job and because he loves what he does, but if it were up to him, he and Veronica would leave the East Coast behind and go back home to Neptune.

He sighs, pushing back his chair and standing to leave the room. It feels like they're in an impossible situation. He doesn't want to live in Virginia any more than Veronica does, but he can't leave… which means neither will she.

Beginning November 2019

Sixteen Weeks Along

"Ugh," Veronica groans, burying her face in her pillow as the ping of a message on her phone rouses her from sleep. "Go away."

The phone pings again, and then again, and she can't ignore it anymore.

"Geez, let a girl sleep, why don't you?" she grumbles, pushing her hair back from her face and lifting herself up onto one elbow so she can reach for the phone.

She's about to turn it to silent mode when she catches sight of the message.

It's from Chaos.

She sits up immediately, wide awake now as she scans the words on the screen.

- Healthy baby boy arrived at 4:08 EST this morning. 7 lbs, 6 oz. Mom and baby both doing well. Name to be decided. Photos to follow – Tim

"Awesome." Veronica says to herself, smiling widely. "Congratulations, guys."

She scrolls down to the next two messages, which are two photos: one is of an exhausted-looking Sarah in a hospital gown, cradling a tiny bundle against her chest, and the second is a close up of the new baby—admittedly, it's not the cutest baby photo, given that the poor boy is all pink and wrinkly and his eyes are squeezed shut, but even so, the photo sends a pang of both longing and affection through Veronica's chest.

- He's adorable! Congratulations to both of you. Let me know when you've chosen a name. Can't wait to meet him. V.

She sends off the response, then frowns when her the phone pings twice more within a couple of seconds. No way could Chaos have replied that quickly, she thinks, scanning the messages.

- Congratulations, Sarah and Tim. Let us know when you're ready for visitors.

- So awesome, guys! Hey, if you're still trying to think of names, what about Joseph after Grandpa?

"What the—?" Before she can get any further into that thought, Veronica glances at the top of the screen and realises she's part of a group message with about 30 other participants. "Ah, that explains it."

Placing the phone back down on the nightstand, she eases herself out of the bed and stands, rubbing her aching lower back with one hand as she rests the other just above her stomach. She's really started to show in the last couple of weeks, and she's definitely feeling the difference now.

Shuffling into the bathroom, she uses the toilet, then turns the shower on. Her gaze drops to the scales on the floor and she sighs as she reluctantly steps onto them. Two pounds up since last week; that's a gain of six pounds overall, not counting the couple of pounds she lost back in September with all the morning sickness.

"Ugh," she says again, stepping off the scales and into the shower.

Okay, yeah, it's not that much weight in the grand scheme of things, but on her small frame, it certainly feels like it.

Veronica takes her time in the shower, letting the warm water sooth her stiff muscles as she tries to wake up properly. In the last few days, she's finally started to catch up on the sleep that has been eluding her for the last few weeks, and even though she has more energy now, she's even less of a morning person than she used to be.

For a moment, as she rinses shampoo from her hair, she allows herself to think of Logan and what he might be doing right now. She hasn't heard from him in a few days, but she's been trying hard not to worry too much, because, really, what good will it do? He'll be home soon, and she has both her health and the baby's health to think about now.

Finishing up in the shower, she gets dressed and ready for the day, then heads into the kitchen, where Mac is fixing a weird-looking tofu omelette for breakfast.

"Morning," her friend chirps, sounding way too perky for eight-thirty on a Friday morning. "Sleep well?"

"I did." Veronica nods, unlocking her phone screen to find a further ten messages have appeared. "Until I got woken up by about a thousand messages."

"How come?"

"Sarah had the baby last night. It's a boy." She grins, scrolling to the baby photos again and holding the phone out to Mac. "Here, take a look."

"Oh, wow!" Mac exclaims. "He's so cute. You mind if I send a message back?"

"Go ahead."

As Mac types her congratulations, Veronica makes herself a healthy breakfast of fruit and oatmeal, then pours a mug of instant coffee, even as she gazes longingly at the fancy coffee machine in the corner. She's had to force herself to drink instant over filter coffee, to cut down on her daily caffeine intake.

After breakfast, they head into Mars Investigations, where Veronica has pretty much taken up residence since she got back, to find Keith already working hard.

"Morning, Dad," she greets as she heads past his office.

"Morning," he returns distractedly, squinting at something on his computer screen.

She walks into her own office and gets settled at her desk, placing her phone down beside the keyboard as she starts up the computer. She's mostly been doing background checks and internet-based research for the last couple of weeks, since her father isn't keen on her working in the field while she's here. He says it's because she doesn't work here anymore and she should just consider this time a vacation, but she thinks the real reason is because he's worried she'll wear herself out by taking on too much. It's been a struggle not to go out on a sneaky stake-out or two, but she knows her father is just looking out for her, so she's playing the dutiful daughter and adhering to his wishes.

Veronica tries to concentrate on the cases, she really does, but the constant arrival of new messages to her phone starts to gets on her nerves, and after about half an hour of it, she lets out a grumble of frustration and turns off the phone, placing it face-down on the desk with a little more force than necessary.

"Everything okay in here?" asks Keith from the doorway. "Your phone's been buzzing away this morning."

"They're messages of congratulations," she tells him. "Sarah had her baby last night and Chaos sent out this massive group text. I've been getting message alerts all morning."

"That's wonderful news." He breaks out in a grin. "I can't remember: were they having a boy or a girl?"

"A boy," she tells him. "Seven pounds, six ounces. No name yet."

"Well, give them my congratulations."

"I will," she says, resting her hand on her bump. "You know, I'm glad there are only a handful of people I'll need to tell when this one's born, because this whole group text thing is just annoying."

Keith looks thoughtful for a moment, as he leans against the doorframe.

"You know," he says eventually. "Maybe I should come out to Virginia next year, so I'll be there when you have the baby. It would save you sending one of those few text messages."

Veronica feels a tug in her chest at the thought of having him there with her when the baby's born, but she quickly pushes it down as she shakes her head. "No, Dad, I can't ask you to do that. What about work?"

His eyebrows rise in surprise as his lips curl up in an incredulous smile. "Veronica, do you really think I would choose work over my first grandchild being born?"

"Well, no…" She shrugs sheepishly. "But honestly, I wish you wouldn't have to come to Virginia at all. I'd rather have the baby here in Neptune… that way everyone would be here."

"Yeah, that would be nice," admits Keith. "In an ideal world, of course."

"Yeah…" Veronica nods. "In an ideal world."

With a sigh, she glances over at the photo of her and Logan that she'd printed and stuck to the corner of her computer monitor last week.

Why'd you have to go and join the Navy, huh, Echolls? You couldn't have just chosen a nice, normal, local career instead?

Logan's glad for a morning off as he takes a seat in one of the ship's computer rooms a few hours later. It's Saturday morning on the ship and he's been busy all week with mission planning and flying, which means he's barely had any time to breathe, let alone check his emails or talk to Veronica. At least the CO has told him he'll be leaving the ship in ten days, thank God. Let's just hope it actually happens when they say it will.

He logs on to his emails to find two from Veronica, one from Chaos, and one from a buddy of his in the Fleet Readiness Center at North Island. Smiling, he clicks on Chaos' email, entitled IT'S A BOY!, and the smile stretches into a grin as he reads the text, then scrolls down to see the attached pictures of Chaos' new son. As happy as he is for his friends, he can't help the curl of excitement he feels as he thinks about the fact that in a few months' time, it's going to be him sending out the birth announcements. He sends Chaos a congratulatory reply, then checks the emails from Veronica.

The first is a chatty message from Monday about what she's been up to with Wallace and Mac over the weekend , and the second is just a few hours old, asking if he's heard the baby news yet, and attaching the same two photos he received from Chaos. He composes a reply, apologising for the radio silence, saying that, yes, he's heard about the baby, and asking if they've decided on a name yet. He doesn't mention when he'll be home though, because knowing the Navy, the date may still change. He'll wait until he receives the official orders before he passes on the news.

He clicks on the last email from Briggs at North Island with curiosity. He hasn't had much contact with the guys from the Readiness Center in the last few months, so it's a bit of a surprise to get an email from one of them now.

Hey man,

How's it going? Bored at Oceana yet? Not the same without you and Chaos here, man. We need some young blood around to keep the rest of the crew in line. So, anyway, the base is buzzing with the news that they're planning on opening a new F/A-18 training unit here at North Island. Don't know anything official yet, but thought you might be interested. I know you said you and Veronica wanted to stay in Neptune – maybe there's an opportunity here?

Don't be a stranger,

Briggs

Logan sits back in his chair as his eyes scan the email again. Has he read that right? They're bringing fast jet training units back to San Diego? He scrunches his nose up in thought. Maybe it's just a rumour… 'cause surely he would have heard something about it already... right?

On the other hand, if it is true… this could open up a world of possibilities. Not only has he been stationed at North Island, but he's also completed the SFTI program, and he's a current tactics instructor at Oceana. Maybe he could ask to be transferred to the new unit from Virginia… help set it up, perhaps. Commander Sanchez already released him from Oceana for this deployment… what are the chances he'll agree to a transfer to the West Coast?

Mind racing with possible ideas, Logan sends an email back to Briggs, thanking him for the information and letting him know he's certainly interested in the possibility of transferring to North Island, if he can. As he hits 'send', then opens Skype to see if Veronica's online, he decides to ask around on the ship, see if anyone knows anything about this new development at North Island.

Early November 2019

Seventeen Weeks Along

"So, you'll be back Tuesday?" asks Veronica over Skype on Thursday night, which is Friday morning for Logan.

Through the screen, Logan shakes his head. "No, I leave the ship Tuesday. They'll fly me to the naval base in Japan and then I'll take a commercial flight back from Tokyo on Wednesday."

"Right, okay." She nods in understanding, shifting in the dining room chair as she tries to get more comfortable. "So, if I fly back to Norfolk, say, Monday, I can be there when you get back."

"Actually," he says, looking a little guilty. "I'll be flying into L.A., not Norfolk."

"L.A.?" She frowns, confused. "How come?"

"I have to make a trip down to North Island," he says. "And I figured since you're in Neptune, I could meet you there and then we can fly back to Virginia next weekend."

"Yeah? Okay." She smiles at the thought of seeing him again in a few days. "So, what do you need to do at North Island?"

"Just Navy stuff, you know how it is," he says. "Got some paperwork to sort out, and I'd like to catch up with the guys at the Readiness Center."

"Okay, so no booking flights back to Virginia just yet, then." She nods, then stretches, grimacing in discomfort as she rubs at a spot just above her stomach.

"You okay?" Logan frowns at her through the screen. "Nothing's wrong with the baby?"

"No, nothing's wrong," she assures him. "Guess I shouldn't have had those tacos for dinner, 'cause I have really bad heartburn now. They were so good though…"

"I'm sorry." He shoots her a sympathetic smile. "You have something for it?"

"Yeah, a stockpile of antacids and ginger."

"How's everything going, though?" he asks then. "Have you felt it move yet?"

Veronica shakes her head. "No, not yet. Apparently with the first one, it can take a while. According to the books, I might not feel anything until twenty-five weeks."

"Really? That late?" Logan looks surprised.

"I guess," she says. "I mean, Sarah said she didn't feel Ava until she was about twenty-two weeks."

"Oh, speaking of," says Logan. "How is Sarah? And the baby?"

"They're good, I think." Veronica nods. "I called a couple of days ago, but she was exhausted, so we couldn't talk for long. Sounds like everyone's doing well though. Did Chaos tell you the name they decided on?"

"Yeah." Logan smiles. "Mason. Good name."

"It is."

"You know, we should probably start thinking about names soon," he says then.

"Yeah, we should." Veronica feels a small thrill run through her at the thought. This baby is starting to feel more and more real by the day. "You have any preferences?"

Logan gives a wince. "Uh… not really?"

"Right. Okay. Good start."

"How about you?"

"Oh, uh… well, I didn't want to jinx anything, just in case… so…"

"Seriously?" Logan chuckles. "And you're rolling your eyes at me for not having any ideas yet?"

"Yeah, yeah, rub it in. You know what, at least I can blame pregnancy brain." She purses her lips at him in fake annoyance. "Okay, I propose we both do some brainstorming and share our ideas when you get back next week."

"Sounds like a plan," he agrees, before glancing at something behind him. "Shit, time's up. I gotta go. I'm sorry."

"It's okay. I'm gonna head to bed in a minute anyway," says Veronica. "See you soon, okay?"

"Count on it." Logan grins. "Love you."

"Love you, too."