A/N: Well, I hoped for a positive reaction to the plot twist and revelation that the baby is actually most likely Logan's kid, but I do understand that you're still all wondering how and why... Read on for further explanation, and thanx for all the fab reviews! :-)

(For disclaimer, etc. - see chapter 1)

Chapter 4 - I Know What I'm Saying

Logan Echolls had endured a few too many shocks these past few months. Finding out his girlfriend was cheating on him hadn't been so bad, hell, he'd almost been expecting it. The discovery that she had two guys on the side was worse, especially when the head of the local biker gang was revealed to be Lilly's less evil sin. Logan's own father, Aaron Echolls, had been the other, and in light of the Kanes' daughter deciding to spill about their illegal affair, Aaron had murdered the girl in cold blood.

The shock of losing the girl he thought he loved at the hands of his own violent father had repercussions for Logan, and understandably so. Still, he wasn't the only one to lose Lilly, he had at least a friend in Veronica that understood how he felt, and he could hardly say he was sad to lose Daddy Dearest from his life. The scars he bore from one too many beatings were enough, he could use a break from the belt and the fists.

Then there was that night, two months ago now. He remembered it with regret for a while, for so many reasons, but there was a part of him that would never be sorry it happened. Still, it had been shock to realise just exactly what he and Veronica had done when he woke and found her at his side. Their friendship had always been very real, though the people around them only ever assumed them to be connected by association with the Kanes. They loved each other like best friends should, and when Logan lost Lilly and things between him and Duncan grew strained, Veronica was still there, steadfast and true at Logan's side.

He was determined to return the favour and had been there for her more than once when things between her and Duncan became awkward and occasionally volatile. They fought more after Lilly died, Logan knew. He knew some of their fights stemmed out of Veronica's unerring friendship towards him, and he felt bad about that, but not enough to push her away. Duncan had gone too far one night, said some things that at the time Veronica found unforgivable. With her Dad out of town and no-one else to turn to it was Logan's arms she'd run into, and later his embrace she'd ended up spending the night in. This, apparently, had now resulted in her pregnancy, and that was perhaps the biggest shock in Logan's young life so far.

"Wow" he said as he paced the living room, stopping a couple of times to look at Veronica with an expression that suggested he was going to speak, but he didn't.

"I shouldn't've come here like this" the blonde declared, attempting to get to her feet and finding it was a bad plan as her head swam violently and she landed back on the couch with a thump, feeling thoroughly sick.

"Hey, be careful" Logan said, practically running to her side and making sure she was okay.

"I'm fine" she assured him when he looked like he was going to touch her, right now she couldn't bear it.

Realising what he'd been about to do, Logan retracted the hands that would reach out to her and ran them back through his hair instead, still looking overwhelmed. Veronica couldn't really blame him for that, but she wished he'd say something useful instead of just standing and staring.

"You're fine?" he said at last, "Really? 'Cause I gotta tell you, Ronnie, you just knocked me for a loop" he declared, dropping down onto the end of the couch near her feet, elbows resting on his knees and hands behind his head as he tried to take in what was happening here.

"Of course I'm not fine, not really" Veronica sighed, "but what choice do I have, Logan? I can't fall apart, not now, not when... for the baby's sake, I can't" she said firmly, wondering where her sudden confidence in herself was coming from.

Maybe it was just because she'd told Logan the truth now, even if she had lied to everybody else. Maybe it was just because he was still here and hadn't run screaming from her yet, though it almost might have been preferable if he had. It was odd to think that they used to be such good friends, and stranger still to remember how the past couple of months had been between them.

After that night, everything was different. For so many reasons they had avoided each other as a matter of course, but there could be no more of that. Right now, at this moment at least, they must face each other and what they had done.

"Who else knows?" Logan asked as he glanced her way and Veronica swallowed hard before answering.

"My Dad, my doctor" she told him staring right back at him, her eyes lowered to the floor when she added, "Duncan, and his parents"

"Why would...?" Logan began, only to catch himself before the question was wholly out.

A humourless laugh left his lips then as he rose to his feet and shook his head.

"He thinks it's his" he said, a statement and not a question because he knew Veronica well enough to second guess her anyway, "You told Duncan the baby was his"

"No" Veronica shook her head, "I never told anybody that, they all just assumed and... and I let them"

"Why?!" Logan demanded to know, not wanting to be so angry at her but unable to help it right now.

"Because it's bad enough I'm the stupid idiot that got pregnant at sixteen!" she yelled back at him, "I didn't want to be the cheating slut too!" she declared, crying hard once again.

Her tears coupled with her sad and angry words broke Logan's heart. The last thing he wanted to do was make her feel worse than she already did, but he was so confused right now, he wasn't sure what he was doing. Turning his eyes heavenward, he tried to compose himself, to let the anger go that would only do him and Veronica more harm that good. Moving to her side then, he knelt before her on the floor and offered his embrace in which to hold her. She let herself fall into his arms and cried on his shoulder like she had to many times before. He held her tight and rocked her gently, telling her it would all work out, it would all be okay in the end.

"No, Logan" she said in response, pulling away then, "This time you can't make it better with a kiss on the forehead and a bowl of ice-cream" she sniffed, wiping her eyes on the backs of her hands

"You don't think I know that?" he said with a shake of his head, "Geez, Veronica, how the hell did this happen to us?" he asked, mostly rhetorically, though she answered anyway.

"I think we both know the answer to that"

Two Months Earlier...

Veronica crashed in through the front door, tears pouring down her face, though they were less noticeable now that she was soaked to the skin from the rain. She barely noticed how cold or wet she was, she'd hardly been aware of the weather at all as she ran through Neptune under the darkening sky that matched her mood. God, she was so angry at Duncan right now, and so hurt that he would acuse her as he had. They'd been fighting more, especially since Lilly died but it had started before that. He was so irrational, even paranoid sometimes, and Veronica felt like she was losing him bit by bit.

Lately he'd got it into his head that she was spending too much time with Logan. In a way, she understood what his problem was, after all it was his father, Aaron, who had killed Duncan's sister, that had to hurt like hell. What her boyfriend didn't seem to understand was that Logan had suffered at the hands of his father too, that he was just as shocked and sickened by Aaron's crimes as anyone, and that he needed a friend right now, as much if not more so than the rest of them did.

There was just no reasoning with Duncan lately and tonight had been the last straw for Veronica's own frayed temper. She shouldn't have but she lashed out and the regret that followed immediately after sent her fleeing from the Kane house. It took her a while to run all the way home and she could barely breathe now that she'd made it. Back-Up came to see what the commotion was and Veronica was only too happy to cling to the one friend that would never and could never leave her. She didn't even have her father for company or advice tonight. He'd called before she even left for her date with Duncan to say he was going to have to pull an all nighter. It was why she'd agreed to stay over at the Kanes to ensure her safety, but that plan had just flown out the window.

With thunder crashing over head and too much pain in her heart to bear alone, Veronica couldn't stand the thought of spending the whole night by herself in the house like this. Her dog was little comfort to her emotional state, he couldn't exactly talk through her problems with her, but she knew a guy that probably would.

Reaching for the phone, Veronica hit the speed dial and waited impatiently for a response.

"Pick up, please pick up" she urged him, and as if he'd actually heard her, he suddenly did so, "Logan!" she yelled a little too loudly, startling him entirely.

"Veronica? Are you okay?" he checked, realising she sounded anything but okay even in her exclamation of his name.

"No" she admitted, as she tried to explain what had happened with Duncan.

Honestly, Logan didn't catch half of what she tried to say, but the main points were clear. She'd had another fight with Duncan, and by the sounds of it this one was a doozy. She was in floods of tears and at this distance at least inconsolable.

"Hold on, Ronnie, I'll be right there" he promised her as she sobbed in his ear.

As good as his word, Logan arrived at the Mars residence in record time having gunned the car the entire way. He was lucky he wasn't arrested, or worse killed, but he'd barely thought about red lights or crashes. His only thought had been that he needed to get Veronica. She was upset, she needed him, and here he was.

The moment he arrived at the door she tore it open, falling into his waiting arms, crying like she'd never stop. Guiding her inside before they both caught their death in the cold rainy night, Logan realised that his friend was already soaked to the skin.

"Its okay, it's gonna be okay, Veronica, I've got you now" he said softly, rubbing her back as he held on tight to her and let her cry it all out.

"I'm sorry" she mumbled against his chest, "I'm sorry I called and made you come over..."

"Hey, I came over because I wanted to" he said firmly, pushing her away just a little so he could see her face, "You're like my best friend these days, Veronica. When you need me, where else would I be?" he asked rhetorically, but the sweet sentiment only seemed to increase her want to bawl on him.

"I'm so sick of crying" she declared after a while, sniffing hard.

"Not a fan myself" he agreed, looking down at his shirt, "Hey, look, now I'm as wet as you" he smirked at his own little joke and was glad to see her raise even the smallest of smiles because of it.

"I'm sorry" she said for about the fourth time since he arrived, and Logan rolled his eyes at her apparent need to apologise for the world.

"I'm not the one that's going to die from hypothermia if I don't change my clothes" he pointed out, gesturing down at her soaked outfit, "Why don't you go get dried off and changed?" he suggested, but she looked weirdly uncertain about it.

"You're staying, right?" she checked and he smiled at that.

"I'll be here" he promised as she found that little tiny smile again and disappeared off to her room.

Alone in the living room, Logan took a deep breath and looked around the place. He wondered what he was supposed to do in this situation. He loved Veronica like any best friend would, but he couldn't replace her need for Lilly. Girls had girl best friends, they cried together over boy troubles, whilst eating ice-cream and putting the world to rights, alongside an inspiring Julia Roberts movie. Logan couldn't do that, the best he could offer was to hold Veronica when she cried, and hope to God he said the right thing when she asked for his opinion. The whole thing might've been easier if she weren't so perfect, if a tiny part of him hadn't always kind of wished he'd gotten to her first, before Duncan stepped in. It was a long time ago, but the feelings he'd had for her back then when they first met at the age of twelve had never completely died, not when he was with Lilly, and not even now.

Whilst he knew from experience with his parents that alcohol didn't really solve problems, only pushed them away til later, Logan moved to the small drinks cabinet and found a bottle of brandy hiding at the back. It was good for shock, and for warming up cold, wet people. It might help Veronica feel better in a physical sense, and numb a little emotional pain, at least for a while. Deciding he may as well join her, Logan poured out two measures and was just turning around when Veronica emerged from her room in clean clothes, her hair towel-dried and brushed out, looking a little sheepish.

"Here" he said, holding out a glass to her, "It might make you feel a little better"

Veronica's initial reaction was to refuse the offer of alcohol. She didn't partake all that often and the few times she had only led her to great suffering later. Still, she was having the night from hell and it was only one small drink with Logan here to take care of her, so it'd be fine, she was sure.

"Why not?" she said with a shrug, accepting the glass as the two of them sat down together on the couch.

"So, you want to talk about what happened with you and Duncan?" he asked, assuming that was why he was here, because she needed a friend to talk to about it.

"Not really" she said quietly sipping at her drink, half way between loving and hating the way it burnt her throat on the way down.

"Uh-huh" Logan nodded, putting his own now empty glass down on the coffee table, "So that means it was another fight about me, right?" he asked, though he was ninety-nine percent sure he was right without her ever having to confirm it, "Wow, don't I feel special?" he said in an over the top fashion, clapping his hands together in fake joy.

"It's not your fault, Logan" Veronica said definitely with a shake of her head, "Its not even Duncan's fault really. We're just... we're all hurting, I guess, and we take it out on each other"

"Hmm, that's weird" he countered, "because I don't recall you and me taking it out on each other, only Duncan taking it out on everybody" he said, a point with which Veronica couldn't help but agree, though she said not a word as Logan got up to fetch the brandy bottle and refill their glasses.

"He made me so mad" Veronica explained, "He was yelling all this stuff about me and you, how everybody in his life ends up leaving and he was just waiting for me to do the same" she repeated the words, spitting them out like they were bitter in her mouth, "I told him I'd never leave him, that you and me are just friends but he won't believe it. He says guys and girls can't just be friends, one of them always has to feel more..." she stopped short mid-sentence she she realised Logan was laughing, a hollow echoing laugh that had no real humour behind it.

"Gotta give old Duncan some credit" Logan shook his head, downing his next drink and immediately pouring another, "He's not blind"
"What do you mean?" Veronica asked curiously as she turned to face him on the couch, but he wouldn't look at her, "Logan?" she said, her hand going to his face and making him look at her.

Barely able to meet her eyes, Logan honestly didn't know what to say. He was saved from having to explain his reaction or his words as he spotted something strange.

"What happened to your hand?" he asked, picking up said hand off his face and looking more carefully at the bruise that was forming on her knuckles.

"Dad tried to teach me to hit properly, I guess I never listened" she said quietly as Logan looked at her with widened eyes.

"You hit Duncan?" he asked, a little stunned, "Why?" he checked, since he'd known the couple had several fights but never one that resulted in violence.

"It doesn't matter" she said, trying to pull away, but he wouldn't let go, not til she'd answered him and when Veronica met his eyes she knew she had no choice but to explain, "He blamed us, me and you, for Lilly, saying we never really loved her and... I just lost it" she explained with a sad shake of her head, "How could he say those things, Logan? How?" she asked tearfully, but he had no answer to give.

Logan could only shake his head to show his inability to understand as he pulled Veronica close once again. She ended up half-laying on him, tears silently trickling down her cheeks. She didn't have the energy to sob and cry anymore, and she didn't want to. Held in Logan's arms, she didn't even need to, experiencing the strangest feeling of safety and warmth.

"I don't know what his problem is lately" he said of Duncan as he held onto Veronica, dropping a kiss onto the top of her head, "but I know you loved Lilly, just like I did... Just like I love you" he said, without really thinking, but Veronica noticed immediately and her head shot up, her eyes meeting his.

She'd been startled by the sentiment, and yet it wasn't so very strange now that she thought about. They were practically best friends these days and had known each other years. Of course they loved each other, it was just, Veronica couldn't ever remember a time when they'd said it before.

"I love you too, Logan" she said with a genuine smile, her lips so close to his that he could feel her breath on his face.

Though he knew it could end badly, that this was probably the worst idea he ever had, Logan couldn't bear to keep his distance anymore. Hearing those words from Veronica, being this close to her, the need to kiss her was overwhelming. Closing the tiny gap left between them he covered her lips with his own, loving the feeling he experienced for a whole five seconds before she pulled away, looking stunned.

"Veronica..." he breathed, feeling awful that he may have just wrecked the one friendship he had so far managed to hang on to.

He was stunned and yet thrilled beyond all rational thought when she suddenly launched herself back into his arms, crushing her lips to his. In moments, they were drowning in feelings too good to let go of, emotions they'd waited too long to set free, standing up from the couch and stumbling towards her bedroom, removing clothing all the way and never letting up their hold on each other. For tonight their problems were forgotten and their fears exorcised. Tomorrow would bring new issues to deal with, but for tonight, Logan and Veronica had each other to cling to, and it was all they wanted.

To Be Continued...