Summary: Set near the end of A Trip to the Dentist. This is how the scene with the ceiling fan should have went down... LoVe style. And then the rest of the first season based on that change.
Disclaimer: I don't own Veronica Mars, lucky Mr. Rob Thomas does.
Author's Notes: Thanks to everyone who sent me feedback! It's much appreciated. Here is your reward! I hope you enjoy. Oh and thanks to Proffy for noticing my mistake of not putting Logan's name in the dialogue with Veronica in her father which would have clued Weevil in. This version of the chapter is fixed! Sorry to anyone else who was confused by that.
A very distraught Veronica sat on the sink of the girls bathroom, "Beaver said that Logan had bought Lilly a shot glass that he found in a tourist shop down there." She was just finishing giving Keith the low down on her conversation with Cassidy. Her patent "Out of Order" sign was hanging outside to ward off any possible interruptions to her very important phone call.
"Does that seem odd to you?" he asked.
Veronica thought a moment, her feet swung over the edge, "Not that odd. Lilly collected shot glasses. Beaver said it said "I got baked in Ensenada" and she would have loved it." She ran a hand through her hair, not wanting to believe what all of this implied. She propped one leg up on the sink and rested her head on it a moment, willing Logan to be innocent.
"Are you all right, honey?" Keith asked, concerned after hearing the tone of her voice.
Veronica lifted her head and sighed, "Yeah, just... Logan." She wasn't going to let herself immediately accuse him. She had to give him a chance to defend himself, like she had with the video taping equipment. She would prove he couldn't have been the one who killed Lilly.
Suddenly Keith exclaimed, "Baked in Ensenada! Veronica!"
Veronica's face scrunched with confusion while she waited for her father to explain himself.
"Just a second, I need to find something," he told her, and she heard him moving around and rustling papers.
He remained silent for a few minutes, and the suspense was driving Veronica crazy, "What are you looking for?"
"This," Keith said, not elaborating, and obviously reading something.
"Dad…" Veronica pleaded.
"It's an inventory of everything in Lilly's bedroom, everything in Lilly's car," he went on in monotone, still reading, searching for something.
Veronica was about to scream with the frustration of wanting to know what he was trying to find.
"Shot glass. Baked in Ensenada," he read, having found what he was looking for, "It's here, it was in her car. You know what this means?"
Veronica allowed this to sink in and wanted to faint, "Means Logan found Lilly." She felt sick to her stomach, "But that doesn't necessarily mean anything. Right?" she asked somewhat meekly, hoping her father would agree.
"You know just as well as I do, Veronica, that this could mean everything," he said matter-of-factly. Veronica was silent on the other end of the line, knowing that he was right. "Honey, I think you should come home. I'm gonna need your help with some of this," he continued, somewhat sadly, sensing his daughter's confusion and distress.
"I can't. I have to meet someone after school," she explained in a half truth, knowing that if she told him it was Logan she had to meet that he would never allow it.
Keith sighed, "All right, but I want you to meet me at the office as soon as you can. I'll call you when I get more information on Logan's alibi."
"Thanks," she replied, with little enthusiasm.
"Hang in there sweetheart. I'll talk to you soon," he said, and with that they both hung up.
Veronica sat in the bathroom for a few more minutes, contemplating her next move. The bell rang, this time signaling the end of her lunch period. She reluctantly hopped down from her perch and exited the bathroom. Her sign was quickly lifted off of the door and slipped into her backpack. Stealthily, she moved through the hallways, which were still somewhat filled with other students hurrying to get to class. She didn't like the fact that she was clearly avoiding Logan, but she needed some time to get her thoughts, and facts, straight before seeing him after school. She only hoped her dad would call her with more news before then.
Veronica made it through the rest of the school day without running into Logan. She took her cell phone out of her bag as she began to slowly make her way towards the exit of the school. Every few minutes during class she had checked to see if her dad had called her, but there was nothing.
"Come on…" she begged, staring at the phone, just before it started to ring.
"What'd you find?" she asked almost frantically.
"What, no 'Hi Dad! It just brightens up my day every time you call.' You disappoint me, Veronica," Keith joked, hoping to lighten his daughter's mood.
"Ha ha," she replied with sarcasm. "I'm sorry to say that the only thing that's going to brighten my day at this point is you telling me Beaver was lying about Logan."
"I'm sorry, sweetie. The Border Patrol got back to me. Logan's car crossed the border at 8:57 a.m. on the day Lilly was murdered. Beaver was telling the truth," he told her, reluctantly.
Veronica let out the breath she'd been holding, "He had plenty of time to get back to Neptune and kill her." Things just weren't looking up for Logan, and it was tearing her up inside. It wasn't probably the best idea, but she needed to talk to him and try and find out the truth. "Okay, I'll see you later," she said quickly, wanting to end the conversation so that she could begin her own side of the investigation.
"Hey, are you okay?" he asked, concerned that everything that had been happening recently was starting to really get to her.
"I'm fine," she responded, knowing that he probably didn't believe her.
Keith resigned, not wanting to push her, "Love you."
"Love you, too," she answered, before quickly hanging up. She started to make her way down the hallway again when she heard movement behind her. Her head snapped around to see Weevil standing there. He had a knowing look on his face, and she knew he'd heard her conversation, "That's not what it sounded like."
Weevil contested her claim, "It sounded a lot like Logan killed Lilly. These rich boys think they can get away with anything, don't they?" He leaned in close to Veronica, before turning on his heel and walking away from her.
"Weevil!" she called out, and he stopped, looking over his shoulder. He quirked an eyebrow, silently asking her what she could possibly say that would convince him he'd been wrong in his conclusion. Veronica ran up to him, "Listen… I just don't want you to do anything rash…"
"Rash?" he questioned, angrily, "I wouldn't call seeking revenge against Lilly's killer a rash action."
She sighed, "It would be rash if you took your revenge out on the wrong person."
"Say the word, V," he prodded, "Tell me Echolls didn't do it."
Veronica looked at him silently for a moment. Weevil nodded, and started to leave again, but she grabbed his arm and stopped him, "I don't know… yet. I'm going to find out."
He looked at her skeptically, and then in annoyance at her hand on his arm. She quickly removed it before continuing, "We'll never know whether or not he did it if he's dead." Weevil seemed somewhat convinced by her rationalization.
"You've got till midnight. Then… I can't promise I won't be 'rash'," he mocked.
Veronica was disappointed by his time frame, "I might need more time than that."
Weevil began backing away, "You'd better give me something. I want proof."
Ah, the burden of proof. It rests on my petite and tired shoulders. Logan's life may rest on my petite and tired shoulders. No pressure…
Veronica watched Weevil walk away before turning and running to her car, hoping Logan hadn't thought she'd ditched him and already left. She made it outside and was relieved to see him casually leaned up against the driver's side door. She slowed her pace and smirked at him, putting on a southern belle accent, "You aren't waitin' on little ole me are ya?"
What's your plan Veronica? You can't avoid the topic of his possible homicidal tendencies and blown alibi forever.
"Oh…" he looked surprised, "This is your car?" Logan tried to keep up the front of not intentionally waiting for her, but he cracked once she came within 10 feet. He smiled at her and pulled her up against him.
Act normal Veronica… I need to save face until I figure out what I'm supposed to do.
"It is, in fact, my car. And I'd appreciate it if your 'perfect representation of the human specimen' self could cease in touching it. I just had it detailed," she said straight-faced. He smirked at her in response.
You sure don't look like the murdering kind… I need to get him somewhere that's private enough that we won't be overheard, but public enough that I'd be safe were it to be a worst-case-scenario… in case the evidence against him is accurate.
"You know, I thought it looked a little less… dingy today," he joked standing up so and taking a step back so that he could take a look at it. "It just radiates brilliance in autimotive technology."
"Ha ha," Veronica said dryly, "It gets me from A to B. I can't complain. Much." Logan smiled before taking her face in his hands and kissing her.
He pulled back and sighed, "To be able to do that." Logan shook his head in somewhat disbelief.
So much for this being like a walk in the park. Not that I was really delusional enough to think it would be, but that just sealed the deal… Wait a second…
Veronica smiled, "How 'bout we go somewhere. You. Me. Start working on the whole normal thing."
"Sounds peachy keen," he agreed, raising his eyebrows before walking around to the other side of the car.
Veronica opened her door, "You know, I figure we should start trying to be normal as soon as possible. Because you're just… How can I break this to you gently? Odd."
Logan's hand flew to his heart, "You slay me with your words, Mars. They both laughed as they got in the car. "Where to?" he asked, "Hope it's close. Who knows how far this'll take us."
"Alright, alright… I've been keeping my fierce, jet black Hummer locked up in the garage, so I didn't make you and your sunshine yellow Xterra feel inferior, but if you keep making fun of the La Baron I'll be forced to take her out," Veronica threatened.
"How sweet of you, to think of my feelings," Logan said, sniffling, before chuckling, "That was a low blow. Insulting a man's car."
"I know, I know. I just didn't realize…" she trailed off, making a turn out of the parking lot.
Logan's eyebrows scrunched up in confusion, "Realize what?"
"That you'd reached manhood," she finished, a smirk appearing on your lips.
He didn't miss a beat, "You just wait, you'll find out how much of a man I really am."
Veronica gasped slightly at the sexual innuendo. She swallowed and continued staring ahead at the road, ignoring how close he now was to her. Logan laughed at her nervousness before kissing her gently on the cheek, "Chill out, Mars."
Veronica looked at him and glared, but with little anger behind it, "I'm very 'chill.' Thank you."
"Right. So what destination do you have in mind?" Logan asked, leaning back and putting his hands behind his head.
"Well… I was thinking we could go sit on a bench in the sunshine, watch the children play and talk about life," she mused.
Logan stared at her for a moment before bursting out laughing, "Yeah, and I'm thinking of taking up knitting."
"How manly of you Logan," she jeered, "But seriously, how does a stroll on the beach sound?"
"It sounds fantastic. Especially if the beachy atmosphere lends to you desiring more than just a 'stroll,'" he wiggled his eyebrows at her suggestively.
Veronica smiled, but inside she wanted to scream from the inner turmoil she felt, as she drove quickly to Dog Beach.
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