Season 1 Episode 8: Communication is over-rated
A/N: What if I said they were mine?? What would really happen?? Not willing to find out…Not mine never will be.
Episode Guide: A purity test strengthens and breaks ties and getting in to see Koontz requires drastic measures.
"Cliff McCormick just they gentleman we wanted to see." I say from behind my desk smiling brightly at him.
"Can I get you a coffee, a doughnut a baked good of some sort?" Duncan says closing the door to my office behind him. His smile mirrors mine and he walks over to stand behind me. If we didn't look mildly related before our matching shit-eating grins would make anyone understand Celeste's suspicions.
"Aren't we pleasant" Cliff says eyeing us both suspiciously. "You aren't going to try to sell me a raffle ticket are you?" Duncan smile falters slightly.
"Not exactly we want you to get us on death row to see Abel Koontz." Not surprisingly Cliff refuses to do much more than hand him a letter stating his case and leaves after realizing my Dad didn't really call him in. Wallace comes to pick Duncan up for 'guy time' which I understand to involve video games and beer leaving me to fall asleep studying history.
If there is anything I learned from history is that it tends to repeat itself. This would explain why I am staring at my clothes which are submerged in a toilet.
"Don't think because you've got Duncan wrapped around you're little finger that you're anything more than trash" Madison said snidely regarding my dripping wet clothes.
"A for effort Madison but where is the originality?" I exclaim with faux exasperation "I expect effort to be put in your evil schemes." Her lips purse and color is flushing up her cheeks "We're still best enemies right I mean…We didn't break up?" Madison spins on her over-priced flats and storms out, a posse of vapid blondes (and some brunettes) behind her. Meg Manning is casually leaning on a locker regarding the scene. Her porcelain face breaks into a smile when the rest of the 09ers leave.
"So you need something to wear?" This is the story of how Veronica Mars ends up walking through the halls of Neptune in a cheerleading uniform.
The whispers and taunts make their way into my ears before I even walk out to the quad. Meg, though an 09er, is known to be demure and her presence isn't threatening enough to hold off the leers or insults.
"Why don't you come sit with us?" She says with a kind smile. "You are dressed for the occasion." Wallace is sitting with team and Duncan has already sat down at the 09er table Meg is gesturing at. I have a test next period, no time to go home and a wise man once said keep your friends close and your enemies closer.
"Sure why not?" Meg smiles and leads the way cheerfully, getting frustrated glances from the other 09ers except Duncan who is taking the time to fully examine the cheerleading uniform.
"Not that I'm complaining but what the hell are you wearing?" Duncan asks jovially gesturing to the uniform. I roll my eyes and sit down without responding. Logan and Dick come barreling up with a laptop yammering about a purity test and Logan's eyes briefly scoured my body before flickering back to the screen. Apparently it's an online list of questions involving anything sex, drug, or rock and roll related. After the questions are answered the site calculates what percentage pure you are. This is going to be fun to discuss at a table where I'm known to be the school whore.
"Anything below a 60 is really slutty." Pam says starring at me pointedly. Logan looks down and I can't read his expression but Duncan speaks up quickly to dissipate the tension.
"Unless you're a guy." The crowd snickers and starts bugging an overly virginal Cole and Meg about their high scores.
"I think it's sexy you decided to wait." Meg pipes up kissing him defiantly on the lips before running off to talk with her sister.
"Kissing on the lips now Cole?" Duncan teases looking down quickly at my chiding glance.
"Someone please describe second base to me. Is it beautiful there?" Logan rolls his eyes and is about to retort but Madison beats him too it.
"Ask Veronica she's the expert." Well the conversation was centered on purity the standard slut comments were expected. I turn to Cole and look deadly serious.
"Judging from the way Madison talks to Dick these days I don't think it's all it's cracked up to be. Then again that could be due to the fact that it's lost its novelty for her."The table has picked up on the tension and Dick seems to be raking his small brain for something to say to defend his girlfriend.
"Whatever Veronica Mars as least I didn't make out with half the grade at Shelley's party." Madison's voice is accusatory and calm. If it wasn't directed at me I would have to give her props for her ability to snark calmly under fire.
"No but you did make out with Casey at Dick's party while you were dating Dick." The whole table is now interested and alternate between throwing Madison confused, accusatory stares and sympathetically watching Dick's reaction. Dick is caught between confusion and hurt and I almost feel bad for bringing this up publically.
"Can you guys please fight in the matching uniforms because that would be beyond hot?" Logan says with an awkward laugh trying to smooth the situation over with humor most likely for Dick's benefit. For once Madison doesn't pay him heed.
"Well at least I didn't service half of Neptune while stabbing my dead best friend in the back. Then again slutting up Neptune would be a fitting tribute for Lily wouldn't it" You know how in fights people say
horrible things that they regret while they are saying them? This was one of those moments for Madison Sinclair who immediately looks contrite as both Duncan and Logan rise to their feet.
"Don't talk about my sister" Duncan said too calmly before stalking walking off towards the bleachers. The rest of the table was stunned silent. They were waiting for me to slap her, to break down, to rehash another slutty Madison event or for Logan to reel at the mention of his dead girlfriend. I just walk away wordlessly leaving her at the mercy of the other 09ers who too had been Lily's friends, or at least were Dick's. Screw the history test I'm not spending another minute in this evil uniform.
"Veronica" I know that voice. Really not the person I want to deal with right now. I speed up. "Veronica, stop." He grabs my wrist causing me to halt abruptly.
"Where are you going?" Logan asks calmly as if he thought the Lily comment was going to affect me as it did Duncan. He doesn't know people say way worse about Lily when he wasn't listening. It is a special form of torture just for me, whisper Lily comments just loud enough for me to hear. Few stoop low enough to use Lily's memory against me but those who do, do it well.
"Home." Logan may be coming around but the Lily comment would have stung him too and I don't want to hear him try to relieve the sting by crushing me.
"We have a History test worth 20 of our grade in 10 minutes." He holds up his watch and smiles tightly.
"I'll retake it." I walk away.
"Veronica…" I stop. He hesitates as if trying to find the words "I'm sorry…about Madison and them."
"Madison and them don't bother me Logan." I say it with a tone that clearly implies that he is the one who bothers me. He is the one who hurt, ridiculed and mocked me for months and has yet to offer any sort of apology. This is the closest he has come to doing so. Apologizing for 'Madison and them' in a tone that is supposed to imply more doesn't cut it. "You should find Duncan. "
"No, you should find Duncan. Us guys don't really do the feeling sharing. It's a little too Brokeback" He regarded my outfit for a moment then slips off the long-sleeve button-down top that was open over his t-shirt. He holds it out to me as if it's a peace offering. It's not enough but it's better than looking like I just stepped out of high school musical.
Logan's POV
She takes it hesitantly but her eyes say it all. It's not nearly enough to make up for all the things I've done. Every red-blooded male gets a little turned on by a woman in his clothes but turned-on seems like too trivial a word to describe the dull ache I feel when she slips the over-sized shirt over her pale
shoulders. The shirt is big on me and it swallows her. She undoes the buttons, crosses the tails and ties them behind her back causing the shirt to take shape.
"We should find him." Her eyes are softer before and it is her way of saying thank you. I can't say sorry she can't say thank you, communication is over-rated anyways.
Finding Duncan isn't hard he has never been sneaky and we know him to well to not know his regular hiding spots. He probably wants to be found anyways. He's sitting on the bleachers filling out a purity test. I, for one, am glad we pulled him out of all the distress he is apparently in.
"Do people say things to you about her all the time." He says not taking his eyes off the computer. Veronica sits down beside him and I awkwardly slide down on the bleacher in front of her. I drink deeply from my hip-flask ignoring Veronica's exasperated expression. What is the correct way to respond to your dead girlfriend being called a slut?
"People will always talk Duncan." Her voice sounds tired as if this is something she's said over and over again and I wonder if she's said it to anyone in particular or if it is the phrase she throws at the mirror every morning. That doesn't help with the guilt. "Madison Sinclair was right Lily would have loved it if I scowered Neptune for men on her behalf. Lily was Lily and Madison does not have the ability to make her any less fabulous." She says with a teasing smile resting her chin on Duncan's shoulder. He stops staring blankly at the purity test site and his appreciative smile goes from her to me. I can't help but wonder if it is her contact or her words that got through to him. I think of her gentle but sure hands on my back and the patient way she affirmed that she did not pity me. It was probably a healthy mix of both. The bell rings loudly breaking the moment of tentative camaraderie.
Veronica POV
"We have a test" I say gesturing between Logan and myself. Duncan nods and says something about making sure Logan doesn't cheat which Logan responds to with faked offence. For a moment everything seems normal again and we are simply three laughing teenagers rushing in at the lunch bell to not miss a test. Then I remember that the reason we were on the field was because someone called Duncan's dead sister a slut and I am wearing a cheerleading uniform made more modest by Logan a guy who shows his soft-side to me because I've seen his father's scars. We are so far from normal it's insane.
The long day is finally finishes and Wallace, Duncan and I head to Wallace's house to watch boxing.
"Twenty seconds baby" I grab the chips from Duncan who is writing notes out of a textbook.
"You are this excited about the Super Featherweight Crown?" Duncan says disbelievingly before giving up on writing chemistry notes.
"I know and I'm usually so passive." Wallace is intently focused on the computer screen and up until now has ignored the banter.
"So did you guys take the purity test?" Kind of an awkward thing to bring up in front of the ex-boyfriend, good thing I didn't take it. Duncan and Wallace are both looking a little flushed. I give him my best you-have-got-the-be-kidding look.
"Yeah me, neither." Wallace says dropping his eyes
"Stupid right?" Duncan replies with a forced laugh and a whole lot of red crawling up his cheeks.
"What did you guys score?" It's all I can do not to laugh at their matching abashed expressions. Duncan is in the high 60s and Wallace scores a 70 both of which I kind of expect.
"You are 30 danger-loving, girl-touching rockstar!" Wallace just rolls his eyes.
"More like one point away from being cool." Duncan mocks throwing a chip at him as Wallace faux-pouts,
"Here" I say undoing my sweater to reveal a sports bra. It's nothing Duncan hasn't seen but he doesn't waste the opportunity to look and Wallace just laughs. "Now you're a big stud." Of course Wallace's mom Alicia picks that particular moment to come through the doors.
"Wallace can I talk to you for a minute?" Wallace cringes slightly then heads off after his mom as Duncan and I watch him leave.
"That had to be worth at least two points." Duncan says with a chuckle as he scrolls down the screen. "Oh my god. Listen to this. Not that innocent? 10 bucks will let you know if you are dating an angel from heaven or a hottie from hell. Buy the results of anyone's purity test for 10 bucks." Duncan's jaw drops as he processes what this means "This is crazy you can go on there and buy anyone's test!"
"I never thought I'd say this but I kind of can't wait for school tomorrow."I say in response to Duncan's horrified expression.
As I expected the entire school was in chaos. Duncan pulls me out of the way of two boys punching each other screaming about their girlfriend's purity tests.
"Wow." I say with a laugh as we stop at my locker.
"Hey look" Duncan points across the hall to Meg and Cole who are in the middle of a heated argument. Meg is furiously scrubbing at a bright red 45 that is painted on her locker as Cole reads her purity test to her. Cole finally walks away proclaiming that Meg has made a fool out of him.
I know how it feels. To watch the people you thought had your back turn against you without a second thought. I walk over to her holding out a tissue.
"I didn't even do anything." She says helplessly.
"I know." I said emotionlessly to the distressed cheerleader who does nothing more than sigh gratefully.
"You believe me?" There is cautious hope in her voice and she carefully phrases it as a question not a statement.
"Meg, you're the last good person at this school. I believe cartoon birds braided your hair this morning" She smiles gratefully and my new project of the day should be easier than it will be: Clear Meg Mannings name.
Logan's POV
Her voice rings out as she settles on the seat next to me carrying on a conversation with Duncan. Veronica Mars has an amazing ability to compartmentalize. After seeing me basically filleted I expected either the information would be used against me, or she'd be so distraught she would have immediately phoned her father and she would never look at me the same. I never expected calm indifference. She has her moments of kindness. The second I start to feel she is going to tell someone about my father or that Lily was cheating on me, her cold as steel eyes will momentarily warm and she'll softly reassure me that everything will be fine. The moment I believe her, they cool again. Our friendship, if you can call it that, has this undercurrent of something dark and painful. It's in the way her eyes don't lock on to mine for longer than necessary or the way she looks around for Duncan before approaching me socially. She has no problem running after me for a case. I used to think it was Lily's death but that pain was with Duncan too they have fallen into a disturbingly easy friendship.
"I need a favor" Her small, warm hand on my arm jerks me out of my analysis. Not surprisingly she drops her hand like it's been burned the second we lock eyes.
"I'm going to get you a t-shirt with that embroidered on it."
"You are not going to like this favor and if it makes you uncomfortable or whatever you don't have to.." The nervous rambling and the soft way she trailed off at the end were reminiscent of the old Veronica.
"Never go into marketing Mars." I say secretly worried about this elusive 'favor' that even Duncan seems uncomfortable with.
"As it turns out Koontz is a big fan of your father's and Duncan and I have tried but he doesn't want to talk to us…" That would explain why she is looking at me like I'm about to swallow her whole.
"You want me to use my father's celebrity to get me in to see my girlfriend's alleged killer?"
Veronica POV
There isn't much Logan won't due to make sure Lily's real killer is behind bars, pimping out his dad's fame, something that his caused him considerable pain throughout his entire life, maybe asking too much. He is obviously uncomfortable with the idea and if I wasn't so desperate to hear Koontz's side of the story I would quickly give him an out.
"Ok." He says with a determined nod. Duncan lets out a relieved breath before throwing a guilty look at Logan. "What do I do?" I spend the rest of lunch with Duncan and Logan explaining exactly how Logan
should act and what he needs to ask. He calls the jail and tells them that Aaron Echolls son would like to make an appointment. He says Aaron Echolls with in an overly-important voice I've never heard him use before and looks a little self-depreciating afterwards. Whipping out the Aaron Echolls card has always been hard for Logan, understandable under normal circumstance and painfully obvious when you know Logan.
flashback
October always means field trips and though I personally enjoy them apperantly 12 yr old boys have better things to do then toddle around a museum.
"You are Aaron Echolls son aren't you?" A middle age lady gushes and Logan looks up at her obviously unimpressed and a little embarrassed at the scene the lady was causing. He nods, uncomfortable than tries to slip back in the crowd. "Well I'll be I just loved you father in Hair Trigger. Such a handsome man I'll bet you'll grow up to be just like him."Something unspeakably dark flashes across Logan's face and he has stopped looking for escape and seems to have retreated to somewhere in his mind way to dark for a 12 yr old.
"Logan we're going to get in trouble if we get separated." I say anxiously grabbing his hand with just the right amount of urgency to get the lady to move. I basically have to pull him away from her and I hold tight to his hand as we round the corner.
"Are you ok?" I ask gently, squeezing his hand to get his attention.
"Do you think I'm like my father?" Something seems off about the question but I answer anyways.
"Not really…I don't know your father though. Why?" Did Logan really want to be the next big movie star?
"Do you think that all kids end up like their parents?"
end flashback
Being 12 and being extremely naïve I didn't realize that this question came from something much larger and uglier than I can imagine. At the time I had laughed and said of course not peppering him with examples of funny father-son duos on TV or that I knew that couldn't be more different. A few of the stories made him laugh and eventually the dark cloud he was carrying around vanished as he relished the idea that he could be his father's polar opposite. At that age I didn't realize what I had unwittingly done for him.
After school I seek out the computer prodigy Mac who assures me that if the IT heartthrob Renny Demoue can't help me clear Meg's name she may be able to do a little hacking. I have a feeling we're going to get along great.
I leave with Wallace ecstatic to have a simple night of hanging out with a friend free of trouble. This notion, however, fails when I see Alicia arguing with her skeezy tenant.
School the next day is frustrating to say the least. All that I found out was that Lizzie may or may not have posted Meg's test and that the IT guy was seriously good looking. Besides that Logan continued to walk around in a bitter haze snapping at Duncan when he asks him what's wrong and stomping off to be alone. For a brief moment I wonder if I should follow him. There is a time when I would have slid of the lunch table and followed without reservation but I'm not sure exactly how much our little half-truce covers.
"I'm worried about Logan and Koontz" Duncan says suddenly as we walk towards our lockers to change books. His expression has been thoughtful for the past few minutes. I'm surprised this is all he has come up with. Personally, I thought we accepted Logan visiting Koontz was a bad but necessary step in solving the case.
"I'll go with him." Wow did those words just come out of my mouth? Well I've made my bed. "You have soccer and he can't go alone." Duncan just nods tightly and we continue walking down the hall both our thoughts with a poor little rich boy. The sight of my locker changes Duncan's face from pensive to downright pissed.
"Well now Meg's the second biggest slut in school." I say with a soft chuckle as I point to the number 14. My calm act does little to calm Duncan.
"14! That's ridiculous. Who did this I'll…" Stopping Duncan before he threatens the student body seems like a good plan.
"Enough Duncan, it's fine." He stares between me and the number in disbelief as if trying to connect the two. Duncan is still uncomfortable with the idea of people accosting me and I guess that's a good thing. It gets a little tiresome though when the same guy stood idly by for over a year suddenly feels the need for tights and a cape. I know he's sorry and he knows forgive him but sometimes when his eyes flash with anger at the thought of someone insulting me I can't help but wonder how he stayed so calm for so long.
I make it through the day without too much slut-sneezing and insults. I think a large part of it has to do with Duncan all but barring his teeth at anyone who tries and Logan's less than subtle acts, one of which was breaking Dick Casablanca's nose. If only the guy could pick a goddamn side.
While Duncan and Logan continue fighting for my honor, a rather ironic task considering Logan was the one who decided to stomp all over it in the first place, Mac and I hack into the system trying to find anything to help expose Meg's tormentor. We inadvertently hit the jack-pot when we find that someone has logged on as my in the journalism room. There is no one there but an online computer reveals all the information we need to know. I quickly scan my email making sure the perp didn't further attempt to decimate me. This being Neptune, they did.
"Oh god." I say as I read the email I apparently sent to my ex-boyfriend.
Dear Duncan, I just want you to know that I still love you very much and I think about you constantly. I need to tell you that when we were dating I had VD I hope you didn't catch anything from me.
I run in to the quad looking around for Duncan. He is sitting at the table with Logan pouring over some sort of extreme sports magazine.
"I'm not still in love with you." I blurt out taking Duncan by surprise.
"So you were the girl from the Seventh Veil last night. Don't worry darling I don't love you anymore either" Logan says covering is interest and confusion with glee.
"Shut up Logan" Duncan says. "I-I know…I mean, uh, why are you…" Good job Veronica he hasn't even checked his email yet.
"Someone stole my password and sent fake emails from me to you." Duncan begins to understand and the shadow of a playful smile begins to creep on his face. "And I don't have VD I've never had VD." Logan makes a whining noise and bites on his fist as if he it is physically paining him to hold back the witticisms. Duncan just nods in silent understanding trying hard to suppress a chuckle at my distressed face.
"I think the VD comment would have tipped me off pretty quick that it was a fake." He says with a smile offering me a piece of pizza to help cover the awkwardness.
Turns out it was Pam who decided to try to ruin my friendship with Duncan and Kimmy who tried to ruin Meg's reputation. When I aired a video exposing both of them as conniving bitches, neither were successful.
"Logan" I run up to catch him before he gets in his Xterra. "Tomorrow we're going to bug you so I'm going to have to go along with you to the prison." Logan nods blankly.
"Sure I'll pick you up for school tomorrow. We can go together." I give him a nod and a wave trying my best to ignore the apprehension in his smile. Tomorrow is going to suck.
I didn't get much sleep last night. Between nervous anticipation for Logan and Koontz's meeting, Meg's comment about having friends and Wallace coming over because his house was being fumigated my mind was in over-drive. Logan's Xterra swings in the parking lot and I quickly grab the bug before running down to meet him.
"Hey"
"Hi" There is something painfully tentative about the way Logan talks to me now. Long, awkward pauses and followed by grand gestures seem to be our mode of communication. He will break Dick's nose when he insults me but cannot bring himself to apologize. I wiped blood of his scarred back while assuring him he wasn't alone yet I can't offer him a normal, friendly smile for no reason at all.
"I like this song." Logan said snapping me out of my confusing thoughts. I nod in agreement and we endure the rest of the car ride in awkward silence.
School goes by painfully slowly and I notice Logan and Duncan both watching the clock as well. I'm not particularly concerned about what Koontz will say. In fact I'm almost positive his words and actions will prove that he has been payed to take the fall but I am worried about Logan's reactions. I promise Duncan I'll call him if we find out anything pertinent and rush out the doors to meet Logan.
"Ready?" He's more closed-off and grumpy than usual.
"Is anyone ever ready to speak to the guy who pled guilty to murdering his first love?" Ever since Logan found out about Weevil he has stopped calling Lily the love of his life and simply moved on to first love.
"I guess not." Shockingly the ride isn't too awkward. Logan isn't happy about having to play the part of adoring son but assures me he's done it enough to be able to pull it off. He is going under the guise of having found the photos of the shoes with a desperate want to clear the name of one of his father's biggest fans. We left the part of wanting to clear him off the record because we want to see Koontz's reaction first-hand.
"Ok here we go I'll be in the car." I thread the microphone under his shirt and pause for a moment when my hand meets the skin on his chest. His eyes are intense and a smile seems to be playing at his lips in spite of the mess he's about to walk into. Hurriedly I move my hand and clip the mic inside the lapel of his shirt. His dark eyes still focused on my increasingly red face.
"You should go." My own voice is shakier than I meant it to be and seems to snap him out of whatever happy place he was. He pales a bit and gives a curt nod jumping out of the Xterra. "Logan?" He turns back and I want to tell him he's going to be ok, how sorry I am I'm making him do this, that the Echolls name means nothing to me, or that whatever Koontz says he is crazy and not to listen. "Stay calm." He seems to understand the deeper meaning and gives a soft smile and nods again.
"Calm is my middle name Mars." He mock salutes than walks away speaking in to the bug so I can check if it's working. I sit back in the car unable to shake the feeling that the other shoe is about to drop.
Logan's POV
I flash the guard my ID and visitors badge before walking through the door. My eyes flutter casually over the other inmates and visitors and I can't help but wonder what landed them in a maximum security prison. My imagination runs wild as I walk down cement corridor and I let it. Anything is better on focusing on what I'm about to do. Veronica is on an earpiece in my ear and I can hear her nerves from across the parking lot. Abel Koontz looks thinner than he did on the arrest tape and his eyes hold a hollow quality I can't quite place.
"Well look at you, you look just like you're father did at your age." I've heard enough comments joining me and my father that it doesn't both me anymore. Personally I like to think his looks are the only half decent thing he gave me.
"Well you know what they say, like father like son." The words are acidic as they come of my tongue and I can hear Veronica inhale sharply in my ear.
"You must be so proud. Hair Trigger was one of my favorite movies." Wow a murderer with bad taste in movies. I just nod wordlessly there is only so much of this I can take.
"Bring up Lily" Veronica's commands. We were banking on the fact that Abel Koontz didn't know Lily was dating me. It was a pretty big gamble but based on his reaction so far I think we are in luck. How does one bring up a murdered girlfriend to the guy who killed her while trying to be inconspicuous?
"So...Lily Kane." I swear I heard a chuckle from Veronica on the other end. Abel Koontz just raises his eyebrows with a leering grin. "I, uh, found these pictures on the internet. Who knows they might be enough to get you a re-trail. Save you from the community soap." I over annunciate the 'p' and put the pictures up to the glass.
"A re-trail now why would I want a re-trail when I can have all this?" This guy is totally creepy, and judging from his reaction totally innocent. Any pre-tense of calm flies out the window when it comes together. It is no longer there is a great possibility Abel Koontz didn't kill Lily it is now Abel Koontz definitely didn't kill Lily.
"You never saw Lily Kane in your god-damn life why would you confess to killing her." Veronica is saying something sharply in my ear but I can't hear her anyways.
"What will it take for Keith Mars to let sleeping dogs lie." I think I've asked the same question before. "I know who you are Logan Echolls, Lily Kane's precious boyfriend." Oh dear. Veronica swears under her breath and the gig is officially up. "Do you want to hear exactly how I bashed sweet little Lily's brains in?" Even though he didn't kill her I can feel my lunch churn in my stomach. "Where were you that day Logan? What was the princess doing all alone in her castle?" That officially hits the nerve.
REVIEW REVIEW REVIEW or she'll end up with donut (just kidding i would never do that to you guys!)
A/N LoVe will some soon I'm trying to let it progress naturally I didn't think it was realistic how they hated each other, had a truce, then had a relationship in the show so I'm laying ground work...be patient you will be rewarded!