Disclaimer: I do not own Veronica Mars. I have Rob Thomas to thank for my obsession. I also do not own Kanye West, though I love his song Stronger, Ludacris, Eminiem, Nas or any other rappers.

Author's Note: I feel so bad about the lack of updates but last week almost killed me. I had finals which meant 5 papers and a test within a three day period of time. I'm finally home for Spring Break untilMarch 31st, which I so need, which means along with this extra-long update, there will be at least two/three more in the coming week. I hope everyone enjoys this chapter!

Dedication: This is pretty random but to Kristen Bell, for keeping my hope alive for a VM movie/tv series. She said in an interview that she'd LOVE to do either one.

Veronica walked into the Balboa County Sheriff Department balancing a bag with two sandwiches, two large drinks, the Manning case file and a box of donuts for the deputy sheriffs. She was less than five steps from Keith's office when she began to feel the rather large file slip right out from under her arm. She quickly put down the food and drinks onto the nearest desk.

"Need help?" Veronica heard as she crouched down to retrieve the papers which were scattered all over the floor.

"Sure," she said. When she looked up, Veronica saw her ex-boyfriend, Deputy Sheriff Leo D'Amato handing her a few of the pages that flew under his desk. Veronica grabbed the folder and leapt up.

"Leo!" She said, wrapping her arms around him. "How are you?"

"Great. Great. Did your Dad tell you?" Leo said, proudly lifting up his hand to show her a wedding band. "I'm a married man."

"He did. I'm so happy for you Leo. Who's the lucky lady?" Veronica was genuinely happy to see that after all the trouble Leo went through last year, he was finally happy.

"Her name is Katherine, Kate. You'll love her. She's a teacher at the school my sister goes to." Leo bragged as he reached for the wedding picture sitting on his desk. He handed it to Veronica. "I wish you could have been at the wedding."

"Leo, she's beautiful. You look pretty handsome yourself." Veronica nudged as Leo smirked. "Trust me, I would have rather been at your wedding than fetching coffee in Virginia, that's for sure."

"That bad?" Leo asked,

"Not THAT bad but I sure am glad to be back in Neptune." Veronica admitted, placing the picture back on Leo's desk. "Wow, I never thought I'd be saying that."

"Those for us?" Deputy Sacks interrupted, pointing to the box to donuts.

"Indeed they are Deputy Sacks. You know the rule though." She said, pointing her finger in his face. "Leave at least one jelly or the Sheriff will get VERY angry."

"Speaking of the Sheriff, your dad wants to see you Veronica." Sacks said, taking a donut and heading to his desk.

"Gotta boogie." Veronica said, grabbing the sandwiches and drinks.

"It was great seeing you Veronica Mars." Leo said. "I hope Neptune bring you the happiness you're looking for."

"Thanks Deputy Leo." Veronica smiled. I hope it does too.

When Veronica knocked on the door of Keith's office, before he was on the phone when so she plopped herself down onto one of the chairs in front of his desk.

"Okay. Call me if anything changes. Thanks Chief Wilkins." Keith hung up the phone.

"I really like what you've done with the place." Veronica said as she pointed to the Sheriff Lamb's large bass fish on the wall and the leather and chrome chair she was sitting on, courtesy of the Van Lowe reign.

"Says the girl who still has unicorns in her bedroom," Keith pointed out. Veronica rolled her eyes. "Plus, I've been too busy solving crimes in this town to redecorate. Lowest crime rate in three years. Badabing!"

"Brag, brag, brag." Veronica rolled her eyes. "That's all you people do in this office. Murder solved this. Crime family in jail that." Keith laughed.

"Where's my sandwich woman?" Keith demanded. Veronica handed him the bag and his drink. "Thank you my dear daughter."

"Welcome." Veronica dazedly replied, thumbing through the files on his desk. 'So, Weevil said you had some information about the Manning case for me."

"Yeah." Keith said, his mouth full of food. He put down his sandwich and reached into his desk and handed her a file labeled 'Family Secrets'

"What's this?" Veronica said as she opened the file.

"Remember when Don Lamb arrested you and Duncan for breaking into the Manning house?" Veronica nodded as she bit into her sandwich and continued flipping through the many pages. "I guess he kept tabs on the family since then but never gathered enough information to make an arrest."

"Wow." Veronica said surprised. "When did you find it? And where? "

"It was in Don's lock box. After he died, they could never find the key so it got stored in the back room. Last week, Sacks found the key inside the mouth of Sheila over there when we were going to take her down," Keith said, pointing to the bass on the wall. "But after we found the file, I decided to keep her up there. Guess he never thought anyone would look there."

"Sheila? I won't even try to understand that. Maybe Lamb had a heart after all. Makes me miss him." Keith glared at her. "And then I remember the times he arrested me, insulted my intelligence, kept me in jail for no reason and suddenly, the raw sentiment disappears."

"Exactly." Keith nodded. "So, any big plans tonight?"

"Actually, yes. Logan asked me to go to dinner with him." Veronica admitted.

"Really? Are you and Logan dating again?"

"Nope. Just friends. Just dinner." Veronica said Before Keith could question her any more, Sacks knocked on the door.

"Keith, the Mayor is on line one. Something about the golf benefit next week," he said. Veronica quickly grabbed her stuff, trying to avoid any further questioning on the subject.

"Thanks Sacks," Keith said. "You don't have to go Veronica, this won't take long."

"No, no. You have a very important call and I have to head back to the office before I go home to get ready," Veronica said, walking toward the door. "I'll see you later, Pop."

"Be careful tonight Veronica," Keith warned. Veronica wondered if he was hesitant to see Veronica with Logan again. "There's going to be construction on Main Street."

Veronica smiled. "Okay dad. Love you."

After running a few errands and stopping at the office to drop off the case file and let Weevil off early, Veronica headed home to get ready for her date. It had been months since she went out on a date, let alone a date with Logan, so she was understandably nervous. She was shuffling through her closet when her phone began to ring.

"Hello?" Veronica answered.

"Sup Veronica?"

"Hi Wallace. What's going on?"

"You know, chilling with Kanye, picking up females.. the usual." Veronica rolled her eyes.

"Kanye and picking up girls? Why do you never call me for these things!" Wallace laughed. "But no really, what are you doing?"

"Nothing at all. Trying to avoid spending another mother/son bonding night at home. Since I got back from Africa, my mom has been pulling the 'You were gone ALL summer' card and I haven't had anything better to do, so besides last night, I spent the last week with her. I need to get out of this house!" Wallace begged.

"Sorry BFF. I'm actually busy." Veronica said.

"Busy? What you got going on?"

"I'm actually having dinner with Logan." She admitted, hesitantly.

"Logan? Really?" Wallace asked.

"Is that a good really or a bad really?"

"Oh no. Definitely a good really." Wallace said.

"Definitely?" Veronica asked, shocked by Wallace's nonchalant attitude on the subject.

"Yeah. Logan's a good guy."

"When did you and Logan become so chummy?" Veronica wondered out loud.

"Well when you left for Virginia, I still had two weeks in Neptune before leaving for Africa and I ran into him at the beach. Since Piz left for New York as soon as classes ended and Mac was still love shacking it up with Max, I had been spending a lot of quality time with my planes so when he invited me over to play some Halo and order room service, I was of course game. He's a cool guy once you really get to know him." Veronica was surprised at the stamp of approval Logan had just gotten from her BFF.

"Hmm. Well okay then." Veronica said, kind of speechless, as she looked over at the clock on her desk. "Hate to cut this short but I still have to get in the shower. Reschedule for tomorrow night?"

"For sure." Wallace said. "One thing before you go.. Know how you're feeling?"

"Yeah?'

"Logan's feeling the same way. Trust me." Wallace said, hanging up the phone.

What did Wallace mean by that! Well he knows I still have feelings for Logan but does Logan know that? Ugh! Just when I thought I wasn't nervous. Nice one Wallace.

After a lengthy shower, Veronica ended up staring at her closet again for an outfit to wear, finally deciding on a pair of dark Bermuda jeans, a white halter top with black lace and a pair of kitten heel sandals. She stepped in front of the mirror to assess her choices and began to laugh.

'Here Veronica,' Lilly said, throwing a shirt at her.

'What's this?' she asked.

'I bought it last week and it looks FABULOUS on me so I'm giving it to you. You need more me in your wardrobe.' Veronica giggled.

'But Lil, I can't take it! You've only had it for a week.'

'No, you're taking it and every time you wear it, you'll think of me and remember how sexy and unstoppable you are!' Lilly said, as she danced around the room. Veronica couldn't help but wonder how her best friend was still making her confident in herself well beyond the grave.

Veronica sat patiently on the couch, blankly watching an old episode of 'South Park'. She tried her hardest to ignore what Wallace had said as she subconsciously tapped her foot on the floor, waiting for Logan to arrive. Finally, after watching Kenny get killed, yet again, she heard a knock on the door and quickly turned off the television and grabbed her purse.

"Wow." Logan said, looking Veronica up and down, as she opened the door. He was wearing a black polo with a pair of jeans and black flip flops. He looks GOOD. Veronica thought to herself.

"Wow what?" Veronica said.

"Just wow." Logan shook his head, attempting to free himself from the daze that Veronica Mars had caused him. "So, you ready to go?"

"Yep," she said, closing the door and following Logan to his car. He walked over to the passenger side and opened the door, motioning for her to get in.

"Thank you very much," she smiled, a real smile, for the first time in a long time. Logan got into the car and flipped on the radio as he pulled out of the parking lot.

"So, where we going?" Veronica asked in sing-song. "Chinese? Italian? Burgers? Lobster? Come on Logan!" Logan smirked, ignoring her questioning and turned up the radio, blasting the newest Nas CD.

"Since when do you listen to rap?" At first, Veronica tried yelling over the song instead, he turned the music up even louder causing the Range Rover to thump down the road. She asked again, louder in fact this time, but quickly got frustrated, turning off the radio and whacking Logan on the arm in one swift motion.

"Hey!" Logan said, rubbing his arm. "That's going to bruise!"

"You didn't answer my questions! Where we going and since when do you listen to rap!" Veronica said, making a fist very close to his arm

"Well it was going to be a surprise but if you're going to continue to abuse me, I'll just tell you." Veronica retreated her fist and Logan continued. "We're going to Little Italy, you know, that restaurant where you ate your own dinner, my dinner and half the takeout lasagna you ordered for your dad."

"A girl eats two and a half meals at a place and suddenly it's okay to re-dine there." Veronica laughed.

"You don't want to go there? Because I mean we can just go pick up corn dogs at the gas station."

"Decisions, Decisions. Well maybe we'll just go with your choice, I mean, since you made the reservations and everything."

"Good choice," Logan said, reaching for the power button on the radio. Veronica swatted his arm down.

"No more rap!" She pleaded. "And rap? Really? That's so un-Logan of you."

"Well, actually, it's not my CD. I let Dick borrow the Range Rover yesterday and you know Dick, he has to accompany any car ride with the loudest music he can and this month, it's rap."

"Thank god. I thought I was losing you to the dark side. First Wallace and his undying love for everything Nelly and Kanye then Mac's newfound appreciation for Timberland, I don't think I could handle another person!"

"Hold on there," Logan said. "I remember a time when you knew all the words to every Eminem and Ludacris song. And didn't you spend weeks begging your mom, my mom and Celeste to let us go see 8 Mile?"

"Well.." Veronica tried to think of an excuse. "Can I plead insanity?"

"Uhm, only if you let me plead insanity for the two month overall obsession."

"OVERALLS! I forgot about those!" Veronica snorted. "You were a farmer for Halloween and I swear you didn't change out of those until your 13th birthday."

"So insanity?"

"And in this insanity, we never bring up the obsession with Eminem and the fact that I own the 8 Mile DVD and I watch it once in a while."

"Or the fact that my mom got a pillow made out of the overalls which I keep under my bed." Veronica tried her hardest not to snicker. Logan took his hand off the wheel and offered in an handshake. "Agreed?"

"Okay, agreed!" She grabbed his hand, and Veronica felt as spark go up her spine as they shook on it. A huge smile spread across her face and out of the corner of her eye, Veronica could see the same huge smile spread across Logan's.

When they arrived, Logan and Veronica were quickly seated at a candle lit table tucked away in the corner of the restaurant. The waiter handed them two menus and Veronica couldn't help but laugh as the small redheaded teenager tried to pronounce the specials to the best of his ability.

"I think I'm going to go with the 'Chicken al a.. I think that means tomatoes or mushrooms' special. It sounds like it could be good." Veronica joked.

"Well I'm ordering the 'Cream Bruce Lee' for dessert." Logan laughed.

"I feel so bad for laughing." Veronica sipped her water, trying to stop her giggles. "He can't be older than fifteen and if his red hair says anything, I don't think he's a bit Italian."

"I just think he was nervous." Logan noted.

"Nervous of what?"

"You. He kept stuttering every time you looked up at him from your menu. I think he thinks your pretty!" Logan snickered.

"Shut up. No he doesn't." she said, flicking his hand.

"Here he comes, I'll ask him myself." Logan motioned to the waiter to come to their table.

"Sir, are you ready to order?" the teenager nervously asked.

"Yes but I have a question first. We have a little debate going on, do you have a crush on my date? Think she's pretty hot?" Veronica dug her head deep into her menu. The waiter's face quickly turned from a pale white to a deep red. " Because It's okay if you do. I think she's gorgeous." Veronica lifted her head, biting her bottom lip. Logan noticed she was turning the same red that the waiter was still sporting on his face.

"Okay then. Well enough talk, I'm hungry. I'll have the manicotti, a side salad with the red vinaigrette dressing and can I have two to-go orders of the lasagna." Veronica said to the waiter.

"And I'll have the chicken parmesan, a side salad with ranch dressing and an order of the garlic bread for the table." Logan reached for Veronica's menu and handed them to the waiter. "If you make it quick, maybe she'll give you a kiss."

"You're evil." She glared at him as the teenager ran, knocking into two tables and a chair before finally retreating in the kitchen. Logan continued to laugh but stopped when he noticed the host seating a blond man and a brunette woman at the table behind Veronica.

"What?" Veronica said, noticing Logan's quick change in emotion.

"Uh, nothing." He said, hoping Veronica wouldn't notice the two, who were holding hands across the table.

"No what?" She said, turning around to see what Logan looked uncomfortable about. Sitting at the table behind her, she saw Dick Casablancas and her best friend Mac kissing.

WHAT IS GOING ON! Veronica thought as her eyes widened at Logan who shrugged his shoulders at her. MAC AND DICK! WHAT!

Veronica stared at Logan, to what him felt like an hour, trying to get information out of him.

"You don't know anything?" She prodded

"Not anything more than I already told you. I didn't see much of Dick for the first few weeks of summer then I went to South America for two weeks at the end of June and when I got back, Mac and Dick were hanging out." Logan explained. "I asked him about it after she left and he didn't say much more than they were the only ones who knew still felt pain and sadness over Cassidy and they were trying to heal together."

"Dick said that?" Veronica doubted.

"In less words and with a few dudes in there but yeah. They spent most of the summer hanging out and didn't start dating until a few weeks ago. Mac asked me not to say anything. I think she wanted to tell you herself."

"Wow. Mac said something about a new guy at the party but I never would have guessed in a million years that it was Dick." Veronica said as the waiter placed their salads and the garlic bread on the table.

"Really? I mean I was surprised at first too but it makes sense." Logan admitted, taking a bite of his salad. Veronica gave him a curious look as she ripped a piece of bread from the plate in the center of the table. "Look at us, well besides Duncan, we were really the only people who still were grieving for Lilly after all that time. Being together, that sense of understanding, I think really helped us to get over losing her."

Veronica nodded then looked back at Mac and Dick who were laughing and sharing a strawberry daiquiri, that she was sure Dick spiked. She turned back to Logan and smiled.

"I hope he can heal her as well as you healed me," she said. Logan smiled and placed his hand over Veronica's, which was laying on the table. Veronica exhaled, as a sense of relief, comfort and happiness rushed over her.

This is how it should be, always. Veronica thought.

And for the rest of their dinner, her hand never left his.

A/N: As much as I hate flashbacks, I really wanted to include Lilly somhow and I like how it turned out. I will be concluding the L/V date in the next chapter so all you LoVE shippers, don't fret. I have a few ideas for the Manning case but if anyone as an interesting one, please don't hesistate to tell me. As always, review away! Your comments/concerns motivate me!