Story Title: They're Baaack

Chapter Title: Desperate Youth And Pain

Disclaimer: Not Mine. Too Bad. I'll Live. Oh, and uh, the only thing that IS mine is how I arrange the characters, how I changed the plot line around, and oh yea, the Grayson Bros.

Chapter 7- Desperate Youth And Pain

"Hey Meg," I speak into the phone as I sit in my father's office. "Are we still on for next weekend? Even your parents had to approve of a Six Pence None The Richer concert."

I know that Meg and I aren't that close, but who else am I going to take. Logan would sooner impale his skull with a tire iron, and the Grayson Brothers aren't that nice. And Mac hates their music. Part of me does to, but it was a Lilly thing, so I'll deal.

"They did. They are even letting me miss school Monday and putting us up in a hotel in LA," Meg's answer came through the receiver.

"And why would they do that?"

Not only are Meg's extremely religious parents strict, but they also hate me.

"Because Sunday is my eighteenth birthday. And they trust me. Lizzie kind of screwed up when I asked them."

"And made you look like a blessing. Why didn't you tell me it was your birthday?"

"Oh, it's no big deal. My parents booked it for two nights, so we can get there Saturday and do some shopping if you want?"

"How can I deny shopping? I'll tell my dad. I'm sure he won't mind me missing a Monday. They suck anyway."

"That they do," Meg laughed. "See you Veronica!"

"Bye Meg," I chuckle out before hanging up the phone.

I look around, and see that the office is a mess. The entire place is covered with Dad's election posters and it's a little weird having my dad's eyes follow my every movement from a picture.

It's like an episode of Scooby Doo, Where Are You?!

A woman walks in, and I can tell she's a trust fund brat.

"Can I help you?" I ask in my secretary voice.

"I need to hire a detective," she answers.

Hm... Could that possibly be why you're in a Private Detective's office?

"Right place, wrong day. Ah, we're not usually open on Sundays," I answer, biting back my retort.

"This is kind of an emergency. I need to investigate my boyfriend...or, I guess my potential fiancé now that I found an engagement ring in his gym bag."

Ha!

"You found it in his--" I start off with my skeptic voice, only to be cut off.

"I need some serious, serious answers."

Okay then!

I take down her information just as my dad walks in. "Ah, there's the man of the hour. Keith Mars, meet Julie Bloch."

"Looking forward to working with you, Mr. Mars," Julie answers.

She leaves and my dad looks at me, obviously amused. He tells me to call her and tell her no, and I put up a fight. Finally, I sigh as if I give in, dial the number, and quickly hang up, with the receiver still to my ear.

"Julie, hi. It's Veronica from Mars Investigations. I'm really sorry, but Mr. Mars is unable to take on any new cases at this time. Recommendation? Ah, Nick Harris Detectives is always good. If you're looking locally, Vinnie Vanlowe is a respected detective," I finish off, a bit disgusted with myself. "I'm really sorry about this Julie. Uh, I hope it all works out. We wish you the best."

The only way I'd ever make two grand in a week working at the Hut is if they installed a pole. Dad might be too busy for Miss Brightside but I think I can pencil in some time to make a couple quick G's.

I quickly take her information and card and slip it into my back pocket before addressing my father again.

"Hey dad? Do you mind if I spend next weekend in L.A and skip Monday?" I ask as if it's no big deal.

"May the daddy ask why?" he replies, slightly bemused.

"Well, I have these concert tickets, and I invited Meg. But, see, it's her birthday, so her parents paid for a hotel room for the weekend, so we figured we'd drive up early, do some shopping, hang out, and then go to the concert Sunday night."

"So if I run a check on the Mannings I'll find out what you're saying is completely true?"

"No," I reply, then pause. "You'll find out what Meg told me is true."

"Sure sweetie, just be a good girl."

"That's it? No lectures? No rules? No embedding me with a tracker to make sure if I lie you can kill me? Or at least ground me."

"If you want to have a nice weekend with your friend, go ahead. You're eighteen now, and I do trust you."

Ha! Okay, now I know what this is about. He wants me to go back to being the normal girl I was before he was ousted and the whole town turned against us. To him, this seems all normal and wholesome. But I am Veronica Mars. Lighting rod for trouble. He should know that by now.

I walk out and head to Logan's. I call Julie to tell her I'll be covering her case. Due to the fact Mr. Mars thinks that this case may be better for someone of the female gender. She tells me about some late night phone calls, excuses to get out of the house, possibly doing his tennis pro, and a picture of some woman on his bar.

I pull into Logan's driveway and tell Julie goodbye. Logan comes out of the house and gives me a kiss.

"Hello," he greets me as he pulls back.

"Hey," I smile back. "What is this surprise date?"

"Now, if I told you, it wouldn't be a surprise now would it?"

Benedict is really losing his creativity. I'm starting to get bored.

He pulls out a blindfold, and moves forward to tie it, but I step back and keep him at arms length.

"I don't know what you think this date is leading to, but you put that thing on me, you won't get lucky for the next few months."

"Aww, sugarpuss! Where's the trust?" He shakes his head. "Come on, Veronica, just let me put it on, you won't be disappointed, I promise."

He looks at me with his chocolate eyes, and I turn around to let him tie it.

"I hope you realize what promise you just made. I can easily get disappointed."

He just laughs and leads me to the car. I hear him open the door, and he lifts me into the seat, buckling me in as well.

I have no clue where this is going, but I am not sure that I like the fact that my taser is in my own car, and judging by the big leather seats, this is Big Bird.

Logan obviously senses my discomfort, because a minute later, the door opens again, and I can feel my bag being put into my lap.

"Wouldn't want you to leave Mr. Sparky behind, now would we?" Logan snarks as he kisses my cheek.

We drive in silence, and he puts on the radio so that I can't even listen for clues as to where we are going.

You'd be surprised how much you can tell about where you are by the sounds. If you here only cars, you're probably on a highway. If you can hear silence, you're on a deserted road. If you hear different voices, you're in a housed area. Sometimes your common sense just has to figure it out.

I listen to the sounds of Oh! Gravity by Switchfoot playing on the radio.

Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah

Facedown with the L.A. curbside

Ending in the ones and zeroes

Downtown was the perfect place to hide

The first star that I saw last night was a headlight

Of a man made sky but Man made never made our dreams collide, collide

Here we are now with falling sky and the rain

We're awakening

Here we are now with the desperate youth and the pain

We're awakening Maybe it's called ambition

You've been talking in your sleep about a dream

We're awakening

Last week saw me living for nothing but deadlines

With my deadbeat sky but

This town doesn't look the same tonight

These dreams started singing me out of nowhere

And in all my life I don't know that I've ever felt so alive, alive

Here we are now with falling sky and the rain

We're awakening

Here we are now with the desperate youth and the pain

We're awakening

Maybe it's called ambition

You've been talking in your sleep about a dream

We're awakening

I want to wake up kicking and screaming

I want to wake up kicking and screaming

I want to know that my heart's still beating

It's beating, I'm bleeding

I want to wake up kicking and screaming (I want to wake up)
I want to live like I know the meaning (I want to wake up)
I want to know that my heart's still beating (I want to wake up)
It's beating, it's beating It's beating, I'm bleeding

Here we are now with falling sky and the rain

We're awakening

Here we are now with the desperate youth and the pain

We're awake--

Suddenly, the voices are cut off, and the engine is silenced. I can feel Logan lean over and he pulls of my blindfold. I open my eyes and look around. I lean my head against the headrest and relax.

"You are a charmer Echolls," I breathe out.

"I try," Logan replies, and kisses me heavily.

The Next Morning (AN: Sorry, you'll just have to wonder!)

I wake up the next morning to my alarm, wishing I was dead. Last night left me too tired to wake up early and avoid my good buddies. I only shower my body, give Back-up a walk around the complex, and make a quick bagel to go. I head into my car and head out, glad to get to go to school in my trusty rust bucket.

I know I should be happy about the whole, carpooling, save cash on gas, and all that jazz, but I really don't know how much longer I can take this.

I love them all, but I need my car. I have to follow Collin Nevin today, and them, not helping. If I didn't know any better, I'd think they were working with my dad.

I pull into the parking lot, empty, so I grab a nice spot, and sit in the courtyard, and take out my books.

I have an English test in about an hour, and I need the refresher, what with Mike distracting me all the time.

"You know, if I didn't know how much you love me, I'd think you were avoiding me," a voice taunts, trying to get me to look up from my book.

"Mike, you, and the rest of all the overproctective men in my life, need to grow the hell up. I need my car. I have stakeouts, shadowing, and cases to work on. Plus, my Java the Hut job, and oh, yeah, I need to study for English. So, could you please inform your brothers of this, and I will kindly inform my boyfriend," I snap, never looking up.

"Tell me how you really feel, why don't you. No problem Veronica," Mike answers. "You know we just like to make sure you're okay. And you do go around pissing people off like it's a sport."

"It is to me," I tell him, trying to read the margin notes in my copy of the latest English assignment.

"And that's why a murderer snuck into your car before summer, and tried to give you the worst case of freezer burn, like, ever."

I finally look and meet Mike's eyes. I can see them challenging me, but also, a look of anger flashed in them. He disguised it quickly, but nothing escapes me.

Is he mad at me, or himself? Mike and I grew close after Lilly's death.

/Flashback/
3rd Person POV(Bold Still Veronica Voiceover)

Veroncia walked down the halls, still with long hair and a crestfallen expression on her face. She walks up to her locker, only to see paper clippings about her father posted all over the door.

She ignores them and digs in to where her lock is. She turns in the combo and takes out her books. Mike walks up to her, ignoring the fact that the 09ers go from snickering, to glaring at him.

"What's wrong?" he asks, noting her face.

That must have been the tenth time he asked me that, in that week alone.

"Oh, not much. Just some stupid 09er prank," she says nonchalant, but her eyes reveal more. She hesitates, than closes the locker door slowly.

"Shit," he mumbles under his breath. He instantly rips off the papers. "Why didn't you do that?"

"It doesn't matter Mike. It's not going to do any difference. More will be up tomorrow. Besides, I know my dad, he wouldn't have accused the Kane's without good reason, right?"

Now that I think back on it, I was trying to convince him more than myself. I loved the Grayson triplets a lot back then, but they weren't exactly in my first circle of friends. And after everything, people who were supposedly my good buddies, acted like nothing was happening, just to trick me.

"Right," he reassures her, and takes some of her books from her hands, in front of everyone.

She gives him a "You don't have to do this look" and he replies with a shrug. Dick gives him a look of disgust and disdain. And as soon as Veronica passes him, Mike turns back to give Dick a not-so-nice hand gesture.

/End/
Veronica POV

He was great to me before he moved. The guys were all amazing really, but they always felt mad at themselves if something happened when they weren't around.

"On that bright note," I say, feigning cheeriness, "I need to study."

"No problemo," Mike shrugs it off and pulls out his iPod and laptop. He begins typing away to what I think is the Violent Femmes, and I try to make sense of the notes in my book.

My eighth grade teacher, Mr. Messner, advised us to write in the margins of our books, because it was helpful. And it is. Now, I can't stop. It's like a disease where I try to jam it all in. I've gone OCD.

"Hey Veronica," Mac says, sitting next to me, pulling out her own laptop. "What's going on?"

"Not too much. Jumpy potential fiance with a trust fund. I have to follow this guy and see what his deal is," I answer her, after finally descrambling an entire scene.

"Sounds like fun. Uh, Mike, could I talk to Veronica alone please?"

Mike looks up, shrugs, and walks away with his stuff.

"What's up Mac?" I ask, using the head tilt.

"Okay, well, the Sinclair's called me last night. Madison knows, and since that was my excuse for not seeing them this summer..." she trails off.

"They want to have you over," I finish for her.

"Exactly, and well, you're the only one who knows. So I can't really talk to anyone else about this."

"Mac, you are going to hate me."

Okay Veronica, prepare to lose one of your best friends because your temper got the better of you.

"Why?"

"I told Madison she was switched at birth," I cut her off.

"Oh...You know, it's okay. I don't hate you."

What?! Okay, this is going to inflate my ego soon enough. I've been horrible to my friends, and yet, they forgive me. What the hell is this?

"Really? You're sure Mac, because, you really should," I check. Part of me feels numb.

"No, it's fine. She had a right to know. I mean, her parents went behind her back. She was blissfully ignorant. I just, don't know what I'm going to do," she answers, lowering her head.

"Do you want to... To know your, bio-parents? I mean, this is big, and your mom and dad won't be mad."

"No, actually, they are the ones asking me to."

"What do you want?"

"I have no clue," she answers, turning so she has her back to the table, looking at the people around us.

Where did they come from?

"It's like, they are a part of me," Mac goes on, "but they aren't my mom and dad. I mean, I know they don't get me, and drive me up a wall, but, they raised me. They try to get me. And my bio-parents, they just, they kind of made the choice to give me to another family. But on the same side, so did the people that raised me. It is so screwed up."

I look at my watch, and pack my bags, leading Mac up, and we walk to an abandoned classroom, close to both our lockers.

"Listen, you've obviously thought about this since summer," I start, and take a breathe."But they want you to do this, so that means they understand. And the Sinclair's seem like good people from the times that I've met them, despite Madison being a spoiled brat. I know that I have no idea what you are going through, but how much is one dinner going to hurt? At the least, you can just reassure them that you grew up with good people, that taught you right and care about you."

She hugs me, and I was a little shocked. Not by the hug, but at my own words.

When did I become so kind and rational? Aren't I Veronica, Take-no-Prisoners, Mars? This is what I get for making friends. I become a marshmallow.

"Hey? What's with the hug fest over here?" a voice came through the door, and we both turn to see a very bemused JB.

"Uh, we're girls? Hugs are what we do? Along with the all night ice cream wallowing, and cheesy romantic comedies starring someone hot like Jesse Metcalfe," I tease, earning myself a grateful look from Mac.

Time to leave the lovely couple alone. I have things to do, and the bell is about to ring.

"See you guys later, I have a test to take," I say, heading to my locker before going to English.

AFTER SCHOOL

I sit in my car, bored out of my skull.

Okay, this is just torture. The guy is obviously a clean slate.

I whip out my cell and call Julie.

"Hi, Julie," I greet her, still staring out my window.

"Find out anything?" she asks quickly.

She seems almost eager. God, I hate trust fund babies. They are just so weird.

"Yep, you can rest easy. He's on his eighth lap and I'm on my way to Starbuck's, 'cause I gotta say...spying on Collin? A little boring."

She tells me about some number appearing on Colin's cell and I type it in to my PryingEyez search box after we hang up.

Hm... I wonder who lives out on 8520 Primrose Lane. And I just have to say this; Who the hell named our streets?? Honestly, Primrose Lane? Do we have Sesame Street too? Let's Planet Zowie this address.

He's meeting at a Rabbi's?

Colin pulls out, and I wait slightly before following him. After a few minutes of tailing, turns out that we are headed toward said Rabbi. I pull my cell out again and call Julie.

"That number belongs to whoever lives here on Primrose Lane. It's where he goes instead of tennis. It also happens to be the home of a Rabbi," I explain.

"A rabbi? He's not Jewish. I'm Jewish," she elaborates on the situation.

Pause.

"Are you there yet Julie?"

NEXT DAY----- School

I stand by my locker, exhausted, having spent an entire night serving up coffee, hearing Julie whine, and thinking about Mac.

"Yo, Martha," I hear none other than Eli "Weevil" Navarro call down the hall. I hear him stop by my locker, and I pull my head out to see him standing there with five other bikers. "Heard you took a ride downtown behind a one-eighty-seven. So, did you flop for the cops or did the local Warner hook you up with some ankle bling?"

Oh, give me a break. Weevil, you don't honestly believe that I buy this intimidation crap do you? If I weren't dating Logan, than you wouldn't be asking me for a favor right around now.

I slam my locker shut and twirl on my heal to face him.

"You know the deal, cuz. Every time a kitty cries in this town, Onetime tries to put a case on me," I snap, noticing the fact that his earrings are different than usual.

Hm... Isn't that odd? In fact, those earrings he used to wear were pretty familiar...

"Where's that disco ball you usually wear? 'Cause I'm guessing, like, an evidence bag in the sheriff's office," I bait him.

It works. He pounds fists with his biker buddies and they all turn to leave.

"My question, and I'm betting it's the sheriff's, is what was your earring doing at the Road Hog, in the last place Curly Moran was seen alive?" I continue, once his friends are out of earshot.

He starts to deny it, but I cut him off. He sighs, and we walk down the hall, him eyeing the other bikers. He turns back to me and starts explaining.

"A couple weeks ago, a few days before Curly beached, I got this weird call, some guy saying Curly was behind the bus crash."

"You don't know who it was?"

"They just said Curly was hired by the Fitzpatricks to get back at Cervando."

The Fighting Fitzpatricks. They are some scary ass people. My dad must have put like, five of them in Chino. They are known for drug dealing, killing, and some serious shit. It was pretty creepy.

"Gimme your cell," I demand. He complies.

"I called the mystery guy back, already, all it does is ring," he tells me. "Look, should I be expecting a visit from Lamb? If I know I'm being brought in, I'll put on my good underwear, you know?"

"You should really do that anyway," I tease, walking away.

I pick up my cell phone as the last bell rings, opening my cell phone. I scroll down my Contacts list and find the person I was looking for.

"Hey, buddy, whatcha doing?" I say in my cheerful, I-need-a-favor voice.

"Veronica, are you in immediate life-threatening danger?" Mac asks me, and I can hear someone in the background.

"At this precise moment, no..."

"Then I'm hanging up."

"Wait, wait, my go-to temptress just canceled on me and I need an AV wizard to be my eyes and ears for a scenario I've got going down at four. JB's make out session can wait."

"Pick me up," she answered, and I heard the blush in her voice.

LATER...

"God, that guy was a complete sweetheart. Why does he have such a paranoid girlfriend?" Mac asked me as they drove back from Veronica's temptation scene with Colin.

"Hello? The girl's rich, and annoying. But whose complaining? I'm getting three grand from it," I answered. "Hey Mac, can you pull up PryingEyez on my laptop? I want to look up a phone number."

I hand her my cell and tell her the number is in there. She types it in, and as she reads where the call was from, she hesitates.

"What's up? Who's phone is it?" I ask, nervous.

"Uh...Logan's house," Mac answers.

"Oh. I'll just, um, talk to him today. Where do you need to be dropped off? I have to get to work," I segway.

Mental Note: Try to find a way of asking without accusing. Logan has parties at his house all the time. And he has friends over non-stop. Not to mention all the help. It could have been anyone. Right?

"Actaully, I'm going to Java The Hut, so I'll wait for you to change. I'm meeting the Sinclairs," Mac shocked me.

She actually took my advice? Me? Veronica "Train Wreck" Mars? If people don't stop this, my ego is going to shoot up. And God knows nobody wants that.

"Really? Well, why not weasel a lobster dinner out of them? Or did they pick the Hut?"

"No, I did. I knew you were working so...I was hoping to have someone to send a Bat Signal to in case..."

"Oh, well, sure. No problem. Just call me Bruce. Now if I had his cash, I'd buy two Batmobiles. Robin deserves a little something...Does JB know?"

"No. No, no, no, no, NO! He can not know about this Veronica. I just, this is way to weird. We've barely even been on one date," Mac freaks.

There must be a "Rule" that says if you really want a shot with a guy, save emotional baggage until the third date. Mac probably shouldn't listen to what I'm about to say. Logan and I knew all of each other's baggage before we even got together.

"I won't tell him, but, I think he'd understand. JB is a freak too," I reassure her.

We pull into my complex, and I get up to change. Mac heads into the bathroom and I pull up Colin's internet history.

What dirty little secrets are lurking in your browser history? Escort agencies... Swingles? Genealogy website? Well look at that. Julie was so afraid to tell Collin about her family's money. Apparently he's figured that out all on his own.

"Ready to go?" Mac asks, coming out of the bathroom, looking frantic.

"Yup. Aren't I supposed to ask you that? You're the one about to meet with your long lost bio-parents, who happen to be one of the rich fancy smanchy people we hate so much," I say, and instantly regret it.

Way to be a supportive friend Veronica.

"Gee, thanks for that. Besides, not all rich people are bad right? I mean, Lauren was pretty nice when I met her. And her- my- mom too. And JB and his brothers aren't all that bad. The world is full of exceptions," she tries to convince herself.

"You're right. I met the Sinclair's a few times. They are pretty cool," I make up for my previous comment.

"Hey, I am one slice of coffee cake away alright? Just order it, and I'll find someway to get you out," I tell her.

"Thanks Veronica. That means a lot," Mac answers before opening her door and leaving.

Mac and I aren't the share our emotions type, so this is pretty big for the both of us. And how on Earth do I handle the Logan issue? He's coming over tonight and spending my break with me.

I lock my car and head inside. The Sinclair's are already seated, but not in my section. I see Mac going over to them, with one nervous glance my way. I give her a reassuring smile, and she sits. I pull Laura, the Sinclair's waitress, aside and tell her that if the teenage girl with the streaks in her hair at that table orders coffee cake, to inform me. She gives me a puzzled look, but says sure.

I'm twenty minutes into my shift when Laura comes back. Coffee Cake.

Think Mars. You only have a few minutes to pull this off.

I dial Mac's cell number. I walk away to squat behind the counter.

"Hello," Mac answers casually, but I can see her relieved face through the glass.

"Okay, this is your lab partner. She needs you to meet her at the library, because she's flipping out. Walk out to my car, and I'll get JB to pick you up. If that works for you, say 'Calm down. I'll be right there."

"Calm down. I'll be right there," she complies.

I see her talk to them, and get up to leave. Her mom grabs her arm, and tells her something. Mac replies and leaves. I pick my cell back up.

"Neptune Morgue. You stab 'em we slab 'em. Jason Brennan Grayson's office, leave a message." I hear and hang up.

Great time to turn off your phone. Who else can I call? Okay, Mac is really going to be uncomfortable with this. But after that meeting, I'm not sure it'll matter.

"Hello?" someone picks up.

"Hey. Listen, I need a favor."

"Of course you do. Does this require law 'bending'?"

"No. Mac is at Java the Hut, and we drove here together, but I'm still on my shift. She needs to get home. Can you come pick up? JB turned his cell off."

"Veronica..."

"Please Emmett?" I plead.

"Sure. Tell her to wait in the parking lot. I'll be there in like, two minutes. I'm in the neighborhood."

I should keep a count on how many times I've banked on Emmett being the silent type. He'll buy my story and not pry with Mac. Did I ever mention how much I LOVE Emmett? Cos' I do. And that is why I will wait a day or two before asking him WHY he is in said neighborhood.

"Thank you! Bye." I hang up.

Not two minutes later, Logan walks in, a smirk playing on his face as he puts away his iPod. I tell my manager I'm going on my break, and Logan struts, yes STRUTS, up to me and wraps his arms around me for a kiss.

"Hi," he breathes after we pull apart.

"Hi," I say back in the same tone.

Okay Veronica. You can do this. No accusing tone. No look of doubt. Trust. Good for the soul.

"Hey Logan, I need to ask you something," I begin, grabbing a piece of cake and moving to an empty table.

"Uh oh. Am I in trouble?" he asks, only half joking.

"Logan, September 24th, were you holding a party, maybe had some friends over?"

He looks at me with raised eyebrows, then his face turns to a thoughtful one.

"You don't remember that night? It was the Life Short Party. The one you picked me up from."

That's right. Logan is off. Scott free too! That call was made after I picked Logan up, but I'm guessing before the PCHer's crashed.

"This makes my job a hell of a lot harder. Every 09er was at that party," I sigh, shaking my head as I eat a forkful of chocolate.

"Can I know what's going on? Or is this on a need to know basis?" he finishes with a bit of bitterness in his voice. I choose to ignore it.

"Saturday, September twenty-fourth, there was a two minute and twenty-three second phone call to Weevil's cell phone made from your house. The caller claimed that Curly Moran was responsible for the bus crash. The same Curly Moran who's friends with your dad. The fact, evidenced by the poster in your house, is that Curly Moran was the stunt-coordinator on "The Long Haul" starring Aaron Echolls, circa 1982. "

"You have been a busy bee. The poster you freaked out about?" he asked, and suddenly his voice turned urgent. "Is that why you think it was your fault?"

"I know it was my fault Logan. Aaron," I say, not even knowing how Logan and his father were related. "He had every reason to want Duncan and I dead. You testifying against him, makes him look bad. Logan, you know what he is capable of. A bus of kids, wouldn't stop him."

"How would he even know about it?" he reasoned.

He just doesn't want me to feel responsible.

"Investigator? You get a cell phone call during the emancipation paper work? Logan, it's a public trip. It was in the local paper. There are a million ways."

We quickly change the subject and my break time is up. I finish my shift, see a message from Mac, which I plan to get to later, and my dad comes into my room to admit that he was wrong. He does need my help.

This night has been exciting. I'm closer to the bus crash mystery, and Mac is getting to know her family, somewhat. And you know what? This rape thing? It's over. I can't change it, and I finished treatment days ago. And I think it's time I told Logan the truth.

I call his cell phone and get the voicemail. I quickly leave a message saying we need to talk and collapse onto my bed, fully exhausted.

I wake up the next morning to my cell phone ringing. Logan.

"You rang?" Logan muses through the phone. I look at the clock.

"Since when are you up at 5 AM?" I groan pulling myself up.

"Since I wake up from a hot sweaty dream about my girlfriend," he jokes.

At least, I think he's joking.

And you decided to wake up because..."

"That message. You sounded weird. Everything alright in Veronica Land?"

"Is it ever? No. I'm fine. Kind of. Listen Logan, I'd prefer to do this in person."

"Too bad. So sad. You have me intrigued. What's going on Ronnie?" he sounds worried. My heart breaks.

"Alright. Logan, remember the uh, incident, at Shelly's last year?" I begin.

"Yes. Is everything okay? Do I need to murder Duncan?" he panics.

"Duncan has nothing to do with this, Logan. That night, someone was with me before Duncan. I had Chlymadia. I finished treatment. I thought you should know, after the other night...Things were moving quickly, and I thought you should know why I hesitated. But I'm treated now. All better."

(AN: Mystery revealed! They went to a secluded area, and Logan was all, we don't have to, and Veronica told him to wait. Just a few more days. And they spent the night talking away.)

Silence.

I mentioned how I hate silence right? Because, I do. It's evil. It gives you time to overthink and freak out.

"And, you, you're okay?" Logan finally breaks my thoughts. "And, are you sure that Duncan didn't..."

"Yes. I got some of his medical files. He didn't have anything. And, I'm not looking into it. I just, I don't think it matters anymore. I have dealt with it."

(AN: I know this is OOC for V, but why didn't she investigate this whole matter BEFORE she found out about Carmen?)

"Okay. As long as you're okay. I love you. No matter what. You know that right?"

"Yeah. I know. Now can I attempt to get some sleep?" I ask lightly.

HEY HEY! Luvs to you guys! Luvs to LoVer159 my beta! Okay, I wanted to do more on Mac's storyline. If you don't like it, Too damn bad. And uh, check out the story Twisted. It was on a haitus, but the author is back! YAY! OK, and uh, Happy MLK day. He was an amazing man.

Magic Pie Says: Reviewing makes for a happy author. Happy Author means Happy READERS. Take a few minutes and write in a little encouragment, or maybe some critisism, and make Everyone Happy!