Story Title: They're Baaack
Chapt. Title: Doubt Truth To Be A Liar
Word Count: 2400
Summary: See previous Chapters.
Disclaimer: If I DID own V Mars, do you think I'd be writing this to a bunch of strangers? I'd be partying on a yacht somewhere. I DO own The Grayson Bros. characters however.
Chapter 3- Doubt Truth To Be A Liar.
I can't believe my dad made me give up the PI buisness. Okay, so I never really gave it up, but you get the idea.
I busy myself with whatever I can at Java the Hut when JB walks in. Figures. JB was the best with dealing with crying girls, because he would stay silent instead of doing or saying something stupid. Lately, I've been talking to JB more. I look around at the tables and see Mac at the counter, working on her 2nd espressso with a laptop in front of her.
"Hey," JB says quietly.
I steer him over to Mac. I can't deal with the concern right now. I just want to talk about something useless, pointless, anything.
"Hey Mac, mind if we join?" I ask, knowing she'll say yes.
"Yeah, sure. I need a break from this anyway. This girl is paying me to fix this thing, but her hardrive is in worse shape than my brother's room."
Perfect Mac. The one subject JB will never ignore. Note to self: Get her a really good birthday gift.
"Mind if I try?" JB asks innocently.
She raises her eyebrows at me, but slides it over, nevertheless. JB's hands fly over the keyboard and Mac watches in awe. He pulls that serious face that only shows up when he's working on computers.
"Mac, meet JB; JB, Mac. You two have fun with your megabytes, and flash memories, and falsifying of evidence."
"I only did that once, and only because you and your dad vouched for the guy," JB answers, never looking up.
I know what you're thinking, Keith Mars, former sheriff, breaking the law! Never! It was a rough case, and the mayor had like twenty bags of evidence that couldn't be released due to Jurisdiction issues with the FBI and bad press. He asked my dad to falsify and alibi with hard proof. It was just for the media! The FBI got the real stuff. I think.
I walked back over to the counter and pulled out my cell phone. I check my messages; 3 new voicemails.
BEEP
"Hey Veronica, it's dad. I was wondering if you could take care of yourself tonight. A lead just came in, should be back by morining, but I have a meeting with Woody Goodman, so I won't see you until you come home from school. Love you sweetie. Bye."
BEEP
"Hey Superfly. Man when I heard about that Neptune High bus crash, I went pale. And chocolate bruthas like me don't do pale. Knowing you, you've already got a few leads under your Batman utility belt. Call me back."
BEEP
"Hey, Veronica, it's me. I'm sure you already know who, what with the voice and caller ID combo, but I just, uh, just need to talk to you, okay? Call me back when you get this, or I'll see you soon anyway."
BEEP
Holy crap. That couldn't have been who I thought it was. Why would Leo want to talk to me for? We talked for like, 2 seconds when he came to get Logan, but that was it. And what was with that, I'll see you soon thing? Way too "I Know What You Did Last Summer" for my taste. Even though the movie did suck.
My thoughts were interupted when my phone rang. I looked over at Mac and JB, deeply absorbed in conversation, and reluctantly headed away, answering my Sidekick. It was a slow night, so I had time for a 5 second conversation. Plus, my shift ended in 5 minutes anyway.
"Hello?" I ask.
"Hey Ronnie."
What the hell is Dick doing with my cell phone number? Why is he even calling me?
"Dick, what the hell do you want?"
"Why so hostile baby? I heard you do this type of thing all the time. Or was the swim team an exception?"
"30 seconds Dick."
I hear noise in the background, no doubt he's at a party. The Life Short party no doubt. Mike and Emmett were down there, making sure to have a little fun. My stomach drops.
"Logan's wasted. Can you come pick him up?"
"Isn't the party at his house?"
"Well, yeah, but it'd be better if he wasn't here passed out. Someone said the bikers were going to crash."
Pissed off bikers with Logan passed out within in killing range. Great Dick, so smart of you guys.
"Get Mike and Emmett to do it."
"Left already."
"Duncan?"
"Spending quality time with Meg at the Grand."
Since when were they back together? Gee Veronica, nothing like trying to solve a possible mass murder to shake you out of the loop.
"I'll be there in a few. Don't let him out of your sight Dick."
"Don't worry Captain. Beav's taking care of that."
I sigh and hang up. Cindy's fine with me taking off a minute early, and I slip past my friends, who seem to be pretty chummy. I'm pretty good matchmaker. Scary.
I climbed into my LeBaron and drove in to the 90909 district, looking for Logan's house.
Of course. A bus full of poor kids goes over a cliff and the 09er's have to throw a party. It makes me sick I was one of them sometimes. Lilly wouldn't have stood for it either. Just like old times though. I would always take care of Logan when he was drunk.
Flashback
3rd Person POV
"Ronnie, I don't need you to take care of me," Logan slurred as he shuffled around.
"Logan, shut up. Your parents aren't home, and I'm not stupid enough to call my dad. I need to find a way to get you somewhere other than the beach. Duncan and Lilly left awhile ago," Veronica said trying to hold him up.
"Just take my car to my house. Not like you don't have your own room there anyway."
"No license doofus."
"Permit."
"It's after regulated hours. My father would slaughter me."
"He'd ground you. Come on Ronnie, we'll make sundaes!"
Veronica sighed and helped Logan into his yellow beast, careful to put the childlock on. Logan had a tendency to open the door randomly when he was drunk. She was lucky this time, and he passed out on the ride back. She pulled into his house and went around to his side and helped him out.
"She doesn't love me," Logan whispered, stirring awake.
"Of course she does," Veronica answered.
"Not like I love her like that anyway. Lilly's just Lilly. Everyone loves her, but I loved her because I loved someone who didn't love me back."
"Logan, you're drunk just go to sleep," Veronica says, pulling out his keys and opening the door.
"But I want sundaes!"
"I'll call my mom and tell her I'll be here tonight, because you have a migraine and I don't want to leave you home alone. I'll stay in my room and we can have Mud Sludge Sundaes tomorrow."
"I love you Veronica Mars," Logan says softly, as he drifts to sleep. Veronica helps him onto his bed and stares at him. She leaves after a while to call her mother.
End Flashback
Veronica's POV
Lilly always joked about how Logan loved me since he saw me. I guess I never believed her until that night. I miss Logan sometimes, and then this happens.
I pull into the gate and walk to the front steps, where Cassidy is leaning in the doorway, holding up a drunk Logan. I sigh and tell him thanks, as I put Logan's arm around me. He stumbles over and I put the childlock on.
Deja Vu, party of two. Why do I always help him, even when he's in jackass mode?
I look at him, pouting and squirming around in his seat.
Because you love him, Mars. You are a marshmellow.
"You don't have to do this Ronnie," he says, slightly louder than nessacary.
"I know I don't," I reply, even though it's not true.
"Where are you going to take me?"
"My apartment."
"I'm sure you're dad will be thrilled."
"He won't be home until tomorrow. By the way, do you have any clothes for school?"
He opens to make a retort, but I hear sirens behind us. I pull over, tired from this day. The officer comes up to us and I see Leo. I roll down the window to let him speak. He sees Logan and his face becomes strained.
"Hey Veronica. Can I see you for I sec? I need ta tell ya something," He says.
Logan gives me a look and I tell him to stay put and shut up. I take the keys with me, roll up the window, and as I get out, I subtlly lock the door.
No way is he escaping. Too many of his drunken mistakes come back and bite me in the ass.
"What do you need Leo? I got your message," I tell him, trying to get to the point.
"Veronica, it's about the crash. Lamb's looking at the driver. Suicide."
"I know. It's all over the news. They found a note."
"But that's not it Veronica. It didn't sound like he was going to commit suicide. It sounded like he was leaving his wife and kids."
Need anymore proof than that Mars? You already had your suspicions, and now Leo is handing this to you. I wonder if I can get aiding and abetting without the dinner and a movie date.
"Leo, if I want to get anywhere with this, I need that note."
"How did I know you were going to say that?" He pauses and reaches in his pocket for a crumpled piece of paper. "I managed to make a copy. Hopefully, if this pans out, Lamb won't win the re-election."
"Wait. I never thought of that. Do you really think if I can prove he didn't pull a suicide, and show it to the press, everyone will realize how incompetent he is?"
"Veronica, the '09er's' are a miniority in this town. Everyone else hates the guy. But this, this conversation, never happened okay? And I never saw a drunk minior in your car either."
I laugh. Telling him I'll keep his secret, I head for the car, a wave of seriousness washes over me again.
We ride in silence for a while. It isn't until I park in the lot to my complex that he speaks.
"Did the good Deputy want to arrange a booty call?" Logan breaks the silence.
"Tell me you're joking, Logan."
I slam my car door shut, and after seeing him try to open his, walk over and let him out. Then I open the door to my aparment and he runs after me.
"What? You two dated when we kissed for the first time. You were dancing with him at The Total Eclipse Of The Heart crapfest. I was drunk, not blind. Now he pulls you over, just to say hi? Get real."
"Logan, you are not allowed to make me feel guilty. Not that it's any of your buisness, but no, we aren't seeing each other. Leo was asking me to look into something to make sure Lamb didn't get re-elected."
He's silent. I move to my room, grab a tank top and some cotton pants, and go to the bathroom to change. When I walk out, he's not on the couch anymore. I walk around, and see he's looking at my Logan Box. I put it in the corner of my room after we broke up. All our pictures together, everything he ever gave me, our movie tickets, and other reminders. Never had the heart to throw it away.
And people say I can't respect privacy? That box was under a huge pile of stuff the last time I looked at it. He would have had to move everything. Drunk or not, he has no right. So why aren't I yelling at him? Did you want him to find it Veronica?
"What happened between us?" he whispers so quietly, that I can barely hear him.
"If something happened to me, I wouldn't want you to feel guilty."
Did I just give Logan Echolls, my ex-best friend, ex- worst enemy, ex-boyfriend, a straight foward, honest answer? You're losing it Mars.
"What's that supposed to mean? Why would anything happen to you?" his voice is suddenly alert.
"First off, I am me Logan. Anything dangerous within a ten mile radius seems to find me. Second off, with you and Dick doing your best to piss off the PCHer's, why wouldn't they try to come after me? They'd do it to get to you. Besides, I couldn't just watch you kill yourself."
"Then why not just tell me that?! Why break up with me?"
"Because you never let me tell you! You never let me tell you what I felt about it. I tried, but I just couldn't take it anymore Logan. I couldn't lose you, and I hoped that if we broke up, you would straighten up. But you proved me wrong, just like you always love to!"
Defintely losing it. No turning back now.
"Well, now that I know I'll stop Veronica! I'll straighten up. You'll never have to lose me. We're epic Ronnie. Ruined lives, spanning continents, bloodshed. EPIC! You love me, I know you do. And I love you too."
He comes up to me and rubs my cheek with his finger. I can smell the alcohol, but I know he's a hell of a lot more sober than he was fifteen minutes ago.
Do you tell him how much you want to be with him Veronica?
I love him, I know that I do, but I'm so tired. I wish that he didn't see the tear that I'd been fighting run down my cheek at that precise moment, but I know he saw.
"I promise," he mumbles, looking into my green eyes.
How can I know you're telling the truth Logan? I know you, you'll go overboard at first, stop doing anything that might be considered stupid, then relax slightly, then Dick or someone will insult you for it, and you end up resenting me for it. I mean, Hamlet did say, doubt truth to be a liar.
I look up into his warm, deep brown eyes.
But what was that last line?
Okay, so I'm reading Hamlet again, and it's my FAV Shakespeare play so, sorry. I know everyone dies and all, but it's so much sadder when you read it. Alright, this WAS going to my give you this as my Holiday gift, but you get it early cuz I'm a bit sad. I stay up late reading, after everyone is asleep, and usually my brother breaks my silence and gives me a heart attack by surprising me. But he's visting some family, so now everytime I get a heart attack, no reassurance its my brother. I thought I'd cheer you up instead!
If you're wondereing, Emmett is from this book I love, and Mike's character is from there too. I just screwed around with the personalities. JB is an old friend of mine that I used to talk to about Wrestling with. That's right. I'm a Stone Cold Steve Austin kind of girl. The character is nothing like him, but I've missed him a little lately.
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