Logan turned to stare at Veronica in all her adorable nervousness and just took it in. She smiled as he laid his hand on her bare skin. Logan knew they were crossing a line and he wondered what taking this step would do to their relationship. Whatever doubts he had dissipated when he realized that he already knew what he felt for her. He just hadn't allowed himself to feel it for anyone for so long, he hadn't yet admitted it to himself. It didn't matter if he couldn't get the words out. Words had never been important in their relationship.

She watched him shyly as he came closer. She found she wasn't afraid; she trusted Logan more than she really cared to admit. She felt something for him that she had never felt for anyone before. It was different than what she'd had with Duncan, more inevitable. She and Logan had jumped into their relationship so fast and it had been so heavy and secretive that she hadn't allowed herself to understand her own feelings for him, nor did she expect the feelings he had for her. But, when she saw his big beautiful eyes fall on her, she knew what he felt. She was glad it was him.

It was a long, tentative night for both of them. Logan found himself more nervous than he had been as a virgin and he had never been so careful with a girl in his entire life. It didn't matter how many girls he'd slept with or how confident he normally was, this time he was with Veronica and it made all the difference in the world for him. Everything was different with Veronica.

By the time the sun came up, they were just starting to doze. Logan and Veronica lay tangled into each other beneath the covers, trying desperately to turn away from the light streaming through the only window in the room and to pretend it wasn't already morning. Logan turned away stubbornly, accidentally waking Veronica while doing so. She stirred and he wrapped his arms tightly around her bare figure in an attempt to keep her from getting up.

She yawned and turned to face him, blinking sleepily. "We should get up."

Logan glanced over her at the alarm clock. "It's only six thirty." He settled back into his place and rubbed her side, letting his eyes fall shut.

She smiled widely and patted him on the shoulder. "Okay, stay in bed. But I'm getting up to take a shower."

His head automatically snapped up. "Shower?"

She giggled as he leapt up and chased after her.

xxxx

Logan drove her home at about nine o'clock. He'd been reluctant to leave her, but she'd insisted. Veronica just had to know what those tapes contained. After she stopped at Wallace's to borrow his camcorder, she made her way back to her own apartment with the intention of watching them on her VCR. Her plans came to a screeching halt when she saw Duncan waiting for her at the door.

She approached him cautiously. "Duncan? What are you doing here?"

"I had to talk to you. What did Logan say to you?"

She continued towards the door. "He told me about the fight you two had last night. Let's get one thing straight. I didn't go nuts when my friend started dating you, so you can at least do the same for Logan and me. But if you want to get mad, then you better get mad at me too, because I'm just as guilty as he is."

"I don't care about all that. I'm just confused."

Veronica shot an annoyed glance at him. "Why?"

"About you. You know I can't help what happened at that party last year. I was just as drunk as you and if that means I slept with my sister than so be it, but-"

"Your what? You're the one that raped me? What the hell? And what are you talking about me being your sister? I'm not your sister!"

"Yes you are! My dad had an affair with your mom! That's why I broke up with you, dammit! I can't help it if I love you! I wanted to stop! I've tried to stop. But it won't go away!" He nearly collapsed down onto the cement stairs.

Veronica just stood facing him, breathing hard, too many emotions warring for precedence to allow her to think straight. "Get out," she finally said quietly.

Duncan just stared back at her. Veronica pushed past him and into the apartment, slamming the door and locking it before retreating to her room.

The next three hours were lost to hysterical tears, pathetic weeping, and finally numb shock as Veronica mulled over everything Duncan's admission meant for her. Her phone rang at noon. The called ID informed her that it was Logan. She didn't answer. Calmer, but by no means all right, she tried to hook up Wallace's recorder to her VCR, but she was short one cable and she couldn't view the tapes.

Veronica decided a nap would make her feel better. After all, it's not like she got any sleep the night before. Even though she was still heartsick over Duncan's confession, she found herself smiling at the memory of her and Logan as she curled up on the couch.

"Honey? Are you okay? Wake up, Veronica! Are you sick?"

Veronica blinked open her eyes to find her father staring down at her, worry creasing his forehead.

She shook her head and pasted a wan smile on her lips. "No, just a little tired."

"Did you stay up late again messing around on that MyFace or Spacebook or whatever it is that you kids are into these days?" Keith asked, only half-serious.

Veronica laughed. "No." She rolled off the couch and stood up to see that the clock over on the counter read six o'clock.

Keith folded his arms across his chest and studied her as if trying to figure something out.

"What?" Veronica asked, trying to keep the note of panic out of her voice.

He kept staring at her strangely. "Oh, nothing. Something just seems different about you."

Stay calm, Veronica. There is no way he can tell you've had sex. Is there?

She shifted her weight uncomfortably before she was saved by her phone trilling from the coffee table. She snatched it up and answered it without thinking. It was Logan. Her father accepted the silent excuse for her to walk away.

"Hi, Veronica."

She froze. She had no idea of what to say to him after the boatload Duncan had dumped on her earlier. She was afraid it would disgust him so much he wouldn't want anything to do with her.

"Hey."

"I called earlier to see if you watched the tapes yet. Have you?"

Veronica shrugged, disappointment washing over her. "Not yet."

"Oh, okay. Well do you want to go grab something to eat somewhere? I could take you wherever-"

"No that's okay. I've got a lot to do to get ready for my finals." She heard her dad let someone in to the door.

Logan walked straight back into her room and hung up his phone. "You're going have to come up with a better excuse than that." He smiled sadly at her and they walked back out to the living room where Keith wasn't far off, trying not to seem as if he was listening into their conversation as he busied himself around the kitchen.

"So I guess you two are... dating now?" Keith fished around.

"Yeah, he's sort of my boyfriend." When she saw the quiet surprise on her father's face she kissed him on the cheek and dragged Logan towards the door. "I'll see you later, Daddy."

Logan waited until they were outside to ask where they were going. She didn't give an immediate verbal response but did kiss him long enough to make them both wonder about her father watching from inside.

"Just somewhere. I need to get out of the house."

"I found the recorder," Logan managed between kisses as they got into his Xterra.

"So, back to your place?"

Logan nodded with a grin as he cranked up the ignition.

The tapes ended up being the wrong format for the recorder. Veronica was disappointed but Logan just ran down stairs to Aaron who was sitting in front of the living room television, sipping a hearty glass of scotch.

"Hey dad, do have any recorders that a smaller tape would fit?"

Aaron's body froze for a moment. "What do you need one for, son?"

"Veronica and I just found some tapes, and we what to see what's on them."

"Where'd you find them?"

Logan shrugged, "Just some stuff Veronica wants to watch. They used to be Lilly's."

Aaron eyed his son warily. "I haven't got anything, but I think Trina has a recorder that would play them. She's coming home tomorrow morning. I'll call and tell her to bring it with her. Why don't you and Veronica just hang out here until then. She can sleep over." He added the last part as if it were some brilliant idea he'd just come up with.

Logan laughed at Aaron's awkward suggestion and went back upstairs to Veronica. "Well, my dad invited you to stay for a 'sleepover.' Should we bake cookies first or play dress up?"

"Hmmm. Dress up was always more Lilly's thing, cookies were mine," Veronica answered with a laugh.

Logan leaned in and kissed her.

"As fun as a sleepover sounds, I should probably get home before dad traces my cell phone to find I'm sitting in your room."

"Can he really do that?" Logan asked fearfully.

Veronica lifted her eyebrow at him in response.

Logan shook his head and laughed. "Okay, I'll take you home. But I'm kind of craving those cookies now."

Veronica kissed him quickly before standing up, gathering up the tapes, and heading to the door. "We have some at my apartment."

Logan smiled and followed. His father was passed out completely on the couch when they passed.