Epilogue - A Little Family

"Ssh, sweetie, it's Daddy's big moment" Veronica whispered to the child in her lap as she looked up at the stage and watched her boyfriend step up to shake hands with the Principal.

"Logan Echolls" Mr Clemmons said with a crooked smile as he handed over the young man's diploma, "Don't think life is going to be any easier now you're out of here, young man" he whispered away from the microphone, "You have people depending on you now"

"I know, sir" Logan smiled, knowing it was going to be tough, as it had been these past months and yet also knowing he would continue to be as happy as Veronica and Lauren continually made him.

He turned to the crowd, triumphantly punching the air, before blowing a collective kiss to the three most important women in his life all sat there in the front row - his Mom, his girlfriend, and his baby girl.

As he descended the stage and the next person received their diploma, Lynn leaned in closer to Veronica and whispered in her ear.

"Are you okay, sweetheart?" she checked, "I know how much you'd love to be up there with him..."

"It's okay" the blonde assured her, even now with tears in her eyes, "I have something more special to take care of right now" she said, holding Lauren close.

She meant what she said, her daughter meant the world to her, though she was just a little hurt still that having Lauren had taken away her Senior year. There had been options, day care for the baby and home tutoring for Veronica, but she didn't like the idea of spending so much time away from Lauren. She'd learnt to accept the way things were, no use pining for a life that could never be now. For the most part at least she was happy. Lauren was adorable and the perfect mix of herself and Logan.

They were a happy little family, if not an unconventional one. Not many in Neptune had much respect for the girl who cheated on Duncan Kane and got pregnant in High School, or the boy who she did these things with. Still, they had some good friends and family who loved them.

Beside Veronica right now sat Weevil's grandma, a tough old lady who had fought through all kinds of ailments this past year or more, and had been a second mothering influence that Veronica was grateful for. Weevil himself would keep those in line who would try to talk Veronica Mars down, and Meg Manning was around to fill her in on the gossip. Keith and Lynn were model parents and grandparents, though both she and Logan were starting to wonder about the closeness of his Mom and her Dad. They hadn't dared ask what that was all about just get.

Logan could barely stand to sit in his seat til the end of the ceremony, so eager was he to get back to his family. When he was finally allowed the chance, Veronica found herself almost completely bowled over, and very glad she'd just handed Lauren to Mrs Navarro. Logan kissed his girl with a passion that he knew would never die.

"I love you, Veronica Mars" he told her, "And I love that I'm getting out of this place" he told her with a grin, making her laugh.

"It's not so bad" she told him almost sadly, and yet the moment was gone just as soon as it had come, "and I love you too, always" she swore, hugging him tight.

She had no time for tears, sadness, and regret. In a lot of ways, Veronica Mars was extremely lucky. She knew other girls parents might not been as understanding at her own father, that many men would not have stood by her when she needed them as Logan had, and certainly that no friends would do so. Here she had two new mothers, a couple of great friends who she didn't know how she ever lived without, and a man and daughter that both adored her.

Just one person was missing, and she would see him later. Her father had been put through so much, first by her mother, Lianne, and since then by herself, but Veronica knew she didn't have to feel guilty about that. He loved her no matter was, as Logan did, as all these people did. Despite all that seemed to go wrong in her life, Veronica knew in this moment that she was a very lucky girl indeed.

- The End -