Drunk Logan
Chapter 44
A/N: We're coming to the end. Almost there.
Disclaimer: I don't own "Free At Last"
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A week after Thanksgiving and Keith waking up, he was released from the hospital. It had been a long week for everyone. While he was in a coma, Veronica had thought that everything would be great if her father would just wake up. What she didn't realize is that it would actually get worse before it got better. Sure, she was ecstatic to know that he would live and eventually make a full recovery. What she didn't know is how much more she would miss him before he was allowed to come home.
Knowing that her father was awake and in the hospital, Veronica just wanted to bring him home and spend time with him. The longest she'd ever been away from her father was a week. They were going on five weeks by the time he was finally released and she thought she'd go crazy. She often had to stop herself from thinking of the 'what-ifs'. What if he'd stayed in a coma? What if he'd actually died at the hands of Aaron Echolls? How would she have dealt with never being able to see him again?
She couldn't let herself think about those questions. When she did, she would break down into uncontrollable sobs. She would be scared until the day he came home and she could watch him as he got stronger and stronger. She knew she'd still worry. Her father being so close to death had really brought the realities of his dangerous job to light. Sure, she had gotten into more than enough scrapes for any seventeen year old, but that was easier to handle. It was easier for her to think about her own death, than that of her father's. She figured she was being pretty selfish. Between dying and leaving her father to mourn her loss alone or him dying and leaving her, she'd pick the former any day. Her one comfort was knowing that she had Lynn and Logan.
Keith couldn't wait to leave the hospital. He was glad that he hadn't been awake for his entire hospital stay. He knew he'd be out of his mind. Although he was eternally grateful to the Echolls' for taking care of Veronica, it wasn't good enough. He wanted to be there for her. He wanted to ask her about her day, enjoy 'dessert for dinner' nights and bantering around about her boyfriend, knowing that it would just make him nervous. He couldn't wait to get home, although he didn't know what to expect from their new living arrangements. Lynn, Logan, Keith and Veronica...one big, happy family. Keith chuckled at the idea of it.
It was amazing how much could change in such a short amount of time. Had it just been a couple of months prior that he and Veronica were living in their rundown two-bedroom apartment? Veronica had just started dating the new boy, Troy? Aaron Echolls was still an adored movie star and Lilly Kane's murder was still a mystery. Logan still hated Veronica with everything in him and the paternity of his daughter had been a question he wasn't sure he wanted to know the answer to.
Yes, things could certainly change in such a short amount of time.
Lynn and Logan had also had a big week. Logan had taken it upon himself to act as Veronica's entertainer, protector, comforter and schedule keeper. He made it his goal to try to keep her mind off of the countdown running in her mind until the day Keith would be allowed to come home. It wasn't that his strong girlfriend couldn't take care of herself, he knew she could. He also knew that she was on edge awaiting her father's release and Logan wanted to take care of her.
He had also spent much of the week making plans with Lynn for Keith's homecoming. During the times that Veronica really wanted to talk about her father, Logan would discreetly ask her questions about his likes and dislikes. He was able to find out all sorts of interesting tidbits about Keith, including his food likes and dislikes, his favorite colors and his tastes when it came to home decor. All information that he and Lynn used to prepare for his arrival.
Keith was released on the basis that he would have nurses come in and check on him twice a day, would keep regular check-ups with his doctors and would continue the physical therapy he'd started while still hospitalized. He still had a tremendous amount of recovery ahead of him. Lynn and Logan, though, had made arrangements to have everything Keith needed at his fingertips.
Lynn had his things moved into a room on the lower floor. It had been Aaron's office with an adjoining bathroom and double doors that opened into a meeting/lounge room, of sorts. She'd removed everything of Aaron's and all of the furniture in the attached room. They'd used the information Logan had gleaned regarding Keith's tastes to decorate the room in rich colors of reds and oranges with dark leather and African Mahogany wood furniture imported from Ghana. It was amazing what you could accomplish in a short amount of time with a virtual endless amount of resources.
When Keith arrived home, he was welcomed by a designer room that was lavish, but undeniably masculine. He was able to move through the room with ease and walked through a set of french doors that led to what could only be described as a physical therapist's dream. Any machine, equipment or supplies that his physical therapist or nurses would need was stocked in that room. When he was ready to start doing the exercises on his own, he'd have full access to the equipment at any time of the day.
Keith had been shocked to learn that Lynn and Logan had opened their home to he and Veronica. Needless to say, he was in awe when he saw all of the care they'd taken to rearranging two rooms of their house for him...including fully equipping a physical therapy/exercise room. He was so thankful to them for all that they'd done.
Veronica had also been shocked at just how much Lynn had accomplished. After living with Lynn and Logan while her father was in a coma, she knew that Lynn would take care of him. She just hadn't even imagined that she'd do as much as she had. She knew that her father would have some in-home care with nurses visiting twice a day, but she'd fully expected to have to drive her dad to all of his other required appointments. He was set to have physical therapy three to four times a week, plus appointments with someone who would assist him with his fine motor skills twice a week. Instead, Lynn had arranged to have everything brought to him and Veronica couldn't express how grateful she was to the woman.
It wasn't until the day they brought Keith home that Veronica realized how much of a role Logan had played in her father's accommodations. Logan and Lynn had left Veronica and Keith alone in his room. They figured that the two could use some father/daughter time. She had stayed and talked to Keith for a little while, but it became obvious that he was exhausted from the transition. She left his room, allowing him to get some rest.
Veronica had heard voices in the kitchen on her way through the foyer. She stopped when she heard the conversation between Logan, Lynn and some of the staff.
"Honey, you've done a great job in preparing for Keith's homecoming." Lynn said with obvious pride in her voice. "You've thought of everything."
"Well, not everything. You're the one who had the idea of using Aaron's office and lounge for a suite." Logan replied in an uncharacteristically humble moment.
"Well, what else is on your list, honey?"
Veronica positioned herself out of sight, not because she thought she needed to hide, more out of habit of needing to eavesdrop and sneak around during cases. As she peered into the room, she could see Logan's profile as he was perched on a stool at the kitchen bar, while his mother and several members of their household staff looked at him expectantly.
"Well, first of all," Logan was directing his comments to the staff. "Mom and I just want to thank all of you for your willingness to really step up and help Mr. Mars during his recovery. We can't thank you enough. That being said, we still have plenty to do to make his recovery as easy and painless as possible."
"Mrs. Navarro," Veronica watched as Logan placed his hand over the older woman's. " I've made a list of all of the foods that Keith likes and dislikes and that the doctor says that he should be eating to assist with his recovery. If you could make the menu to fit those criteria, that would be great. Also, a nurse will be in two times a day for awhile to help him with his medical needs. Veronica and I will be at school, so you're going to need to check on him at least once an hour to see if he needs anything else." Logan was stopped by his mother's voice.
"Oh, actually, I'll be helping with that, too." At Logan's stunned look, she shrugged. "Well, it's not like I have anything else to do."
Logan just smiled at his mother. He knew that Lynn was eternally grateful to Keith for saving Logan and Veronica, even though he put his own life at risk.
"Okay, then. Count mom in as a worker bee. Hmmm..." Veronica saw Logan flipping through a pad of paper he'd taken some notes on and then started speaking again.
"It will be awhile before he can drive. Mr. Sanders, you will need to make yourself available to him." Logan said to his father's driver. "He shouldn't need to go too many places anytime soon, but just in case he does, he will need someone to drive him while we're at school."
Logan turned to the grounds keeper. "Look, I know this isn't your job, but Backup is going to need to be let in and out. I know he'll want to stay with Keith during his recovery, but Keith won't be able to let him in and out all day long. Also, he's usually a very active man. It's going to drive him nuts to have to stay inside a lot. If you could bring in some fresh cut flowers, maybe a couple of potted plants just to brighten up his room, that would be helpful."
"Oh, and FYI, I've started a Netflix account for him and I'll be showing him how to pick out movies himself. The first three movies should be arriving tomorrow though. If you see them, take them into Keith. He's going to be bored and the movies will help, along with the magazines that I subscribed to for him."
Logan rubbed his forehead roughly, then ran his fingers through his hair. "Ugh! I know I'm forgetting something. What am I forgetting..." He was frustrated with himself. He didn't expect perfection, but he wanted to get as close as possible for Keith. He wanted to be prepared for any need, desire or whim that Keith might have while recovering.
"OH! The refrigerator. There is a mini-fridge by Mr. Mars' bed. I've already stocked it with a lot of his favorites, but we're all going to need to keep an eye on it to make sure it stays stocked."
"Well, I guess that's it, people. Let's just try to do everything we can to make his recovery as easy as possible. He's a strong, proud man. Pamper him, but don't let him know he's being pampered."
"Treat him like one of the family." Veronica could hear the tremble in Logan's voice and noticed him fidgeting with his sleeves. "After everything he and Veronica and we have been through, he might as well be family."
Veronica had tears in her eyes as she silently slipped away, and walked toward her bedroom.
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Logan had finished talking to his mother and went to Keith's room to check on Veronica, but she wasn't there. Seeing that Keith was asleep, he knew Veronica must have left so her father could rest.
When he knocked on her bedroom door and there was no answer, he began to get a little nervous. Yes, all of the dangers to her had been neutralized, either in jail awaiting trial or dead, but that fear still wrapped tightly around his chest, making it difficult for him to breathe. He wasn't sure how long it would take before he'd be able to be away from her without wondering if she was in some kind of trouble.
He walked to his room, hoping that she'd be waiting for him in there. As soon as he opened the door, he stopped dead in his tracks. Laying on his bed was a crisp, white, button-down shirt, a plaid mini-skirt, knee-high socks and a pair of black Mary Janes. He walked closer to read a note that had been left on the outfit.
"You win...any time...any place."
Logan looked up as Veronica emerged from his bathroom. "What's this for? There's still a week left on the bet."
Veronica just smiled at him, tears still present in her eyes. "It's just what the note says. You win, Logan. Don't get me wrong, I love you so much it hurts, but you are amazing. You arranged all of this for my father without making a big deal out of it. Why? Why did you do all of that?"
Veronica watched Logan duck his head as if he was embarrassed. "I don't know Veronica. I really like your dad. He's got a hard road ahead and I want him to be as comfortable as possible." Logan was really uncomfortable. He'd never expected her to find out about his involvement with her father's homecoming.
"He's your father, Veronica. You love him and I want to help you take care of him. Truthfully, though, my reasons are more selfish. In the years that I've known you and especially in the weeks leading up to his run-in with Aaron, he treated me more like a son than my own father ever had. I never really understood the relationship that you had with him. I was always confused by the fact that you WANTED to spend time with your parents. I mean, come on, what teenager wants to spend time with their dad, especially their gun-toting Sheriff turned P.I. dad. But, I finally understand it and I want as much of that relationship as possible. Plus, to top it all off, he stepped in at a time when my own father would have killed us both."
Logan wasn't used to opening up this much, especially when he was talking about a guy. He felt the need to deflect some of the attention back onto Veronica.
"Plus, I know you'll be helping him out as much as you can. The more you help him out, the less time you spend with me...and THAT is just NOT acceptable." They broke into laughter at Logan's obvious attempt to change the subject.
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In the weeks following Keith's release from the hospital, everything at the Echolls' estate was focused on recovery and moving on.
Lynn had made it her mission to be fully involved in Keith's recovery. She felt indebted to him and a little guilty that her sadistic husband had caused so much pain to so many people. She had always thought that his scope of violence was limited just to his family, specifically, Logan. She'd lived with an unbearable amount of guilt and the feeling of pure powerlessness to change the situation. Her one reprieve was knowing that Logan would have a chance to escape. He would turn eighteen, he would go off to college, he would be free at last.
She never imagined a scenario like the one she was living. One that would have her caring for the man who had almost died at the hands of Aaron after he'd attempted to kill Logan and Veronica, all to cover up the actual murder of Lilly Kane. In her life of wealth and fame, she'd experienced a lot of situations that people would deem 'surreal'. She truly felt that 'surreal' defined her new existence.
Lynn had thought that she was doing everything she could to help Keith. Help Keith recover from his injuries, help Keith get back on his feet financially, help Keith care for Veronica until he was better able. What she didn't bargain for was everything that she got back from him. For everything she was doing for him, he was there as much for her.
Keith and Lynn spent a lot of time just talking, laughing and walking around the complex as Keith grew stronger. There were hours upon hours where Keith was too physically exhausted to do anything, but rest. In those times, Lynn would join him. They would talk about everything and Lynn began opening up more and more about her life with Aaron. It was amazing how wonderful it felt to finally find someone who wasn't like the superficial people she'd grown so accustomed to. She had forgotten how genuine and trustworthy "normal" people were. She would joke about her therapy sessions with him and ask him how much she owed him. Keith would just laugh and tell her that they were even. Without her, he was sure he would have died of boredom. It may seem like a dream to be able to sit around and do nothing while surfing 400 channels, but after the first couple of days, he knew he'd found a treasure in Lynn's company.
It was a horrible thought, but the truth was, Lynn had come to life since Aaron's death. She'd been able to relax and be herself. There was a freedom in not being part of the publicity machine that had become her family. In previous years, she'd forgotten who she was and Keith watched as she slowly began to remember.
Although Logan and Veronica had recovered from their injuries while Keith was still in the hospital, they were just beginning to regain some sense of normalcy. They had spent the weeks of Keith's recovery focusing on school, renewing their friendships with Duncan, Wallace and even Weevil sometimes, and then rushing home to be with Keith. They both spent as much time as they could with him.
Veronica hated that he was home alone all day with nothing to do. She and Logan assumed that he spent his days doing nothing, but watching television and working with his physical therapist. They wanted to make sure that he felt loved and knew that they were there for him.
Although she and Logan spent all of their free time together, they hadn't really spent much time actually 'dating'. They'd been too busy just trying to help her father and focus on school. They were determined that they would eventually have a normal relationship. In the meantime, all of the time they spent together just drew them closer and closer.
The entire household had been given a true wake up call to the importance of the people in their lives and they did their best to appreciate their new little quasi-family. They enjoyed a low-key, but very traditional family Christmas together. Being new to low-key, Logan and Lynn took their cue from the Mars'.
New Year's Eve was finally upon them and Logan had decided to cash in on his and Veronica's bet. He told her to be dressed and ready for a night to remember. They were both excited that they were finally able to start focusing on each other once again.
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