A/N : Should've posted this yesterday, time was not on my side! Happy Easter to those that celebrate it :-)
(For disclaimer, etc. - chapter 1)


Chapter 5 - Manic Monday

"Ready to go, sweetheart?" Keith checked with his daughter as she emerged from her room on Monday morning, her school bag on her shoulder.

"As I'll ever be" she said, a little shakily.

She didn't relish the idea of facing Lilly and Duncan today, or the looks and whispers she was sure would be abundant at Neptune High. Everybody was going to know by now about Logan's father and Lilly, what they'd done, and what happened as a consequence. She realised then that she should worry less about herself and more about her best friends ex. Logan was going to have to be so strong to get through the next few days, weeks, months even, and after what he'd been through already...

"Good morning, Mars family" the very young man she'd been thinking of grinned as he pulled his car onto the front drive of her house, turning the loud volume of the radio down to almost non-existent.

"Well, good morning, Logan" Keith greeted him from the front door, "What can we do for you?"

"It is actually more of a case of what I can do for you, sir" Logan smiled as he hopped out of his car and stepped up onto the porch, "I was thinking perhaps I could give your beautiful daughter a ride to school" he offered, and despite the fact she was sure it was nothing more than a throw-away comment, Veronica felt a little pleased to hear herself called beautiful - what girl wouldn't?

"That's very kind of you, Logan, I'm sure Veronica would love to ride to school with you" Keith answered for his daughter who seemed incapable of speaking suddenly. She merely nodded in response to the question asked of her, and answer given on her behalf, before wishing her father a good day at work, kissing him on the cheek, and following Logan to his car.

He opened the door for her like a gentleman, fake bowing as she climbed into the vehicle, feeling a little weird about the whole situation. Logan had never come around to her house to pick her up and take her to school. Sometimes he drove her over to Lilly's after school, or picked the two of them up from the Kane house to go somewhere, but this was a new experience. Besides, Logan seemed awfully chipper today, given the events of the weekend and how he'd been yesterday, all subdued and sad.

The car made a raucous sound as it's owner revved the engine, before jacking up the volume on the radio once again and pulling out into the road, headed for the school.

"So, I'm guessing this sudden ride to school thing wasn't to talk" Veronica yelled over the loud music that boomed in her ears.

"That all depends" Logan said, turning the radio down to a much more reasonable level as he drove, glancing at her with a smile on his face that surprised her a little bit. He was in surprisingly good spirits considering everything that had happened, "Was there something we were supposed to talk about?"

"I honestly don't know" Veronica frowned, not really knowing what to make of all this.

Yesterday Logan had seemed so lost and broken over his Dad and Lilly. They'd leaned on each other as he came to terms with the betrayal, and she in turn dealt with the fact she'd come pretty close to probable death.

Veronica wasn't exactly sure what she'd expected to happen when they saw each other at school on this strange Monday morning. They'd gotten closer this past weekend than ever before, and yet she wasn't certain they'd stay that way. There were rules at Neptune High, systems and class divides. Whilst there would be no shame in herself and Logan getting closer, being better friends or even more, there would be talk about it, there was set to be a lot of talk about the whole affair, and by that she knew she meant Lilly and Aaron's liaisons. With her father being so famous, and Veronica's own being the Sheriff that arrested Aaron, the three of them plus Duncan and all their parents were going to be today's big story at the High School, the centre of attention whether they liked it or not.

When Veronica's thought process slowed a little, she realised she'd returned to the real world just in time to hear Logan speak to her. They'd stopped at a red light and he turned slightly in the driver's seat to look at her properly.

"Veronica" he sighed, "Look, I know you probably expected tears and tantrums from me today, or maybe you just expected me to forget the little share-fest we had" he explained, "but honestly, I kinda need a friend right now. I figured maybe you'd feel the same, and despite the fact I appear to be as good an actor as Daddy dearest... I seriously wouldn't mind you being there to hold my hand a little" he said seriously.

Veronica smiled genuinely at him, but he seemed not to realise she was being sympathetic and friendly.

"Great, I pour out a glass of pure heart and you laugh so hard it shoots out your nose" he said, sounding both disappointed and angry as he shoved the car into gear and sped off just as soon as the lights turned green.

"Logan" Veronica sighed, "I'm not laughing at you. This is not a funny situation" she agreed with his own sentiment, though he still didn't seem willing to listen to her as they headed down the street, suddenly turning sharply into the school parking lot.

Logan pulled into his usual space and shut off the engine, moving to leap out of the car immediately. He was prevented from doing so as Veronica's hand landed on his arm and kept him there beside her.

"Hey" she said, making sure she really had his attention, that he was hearing her words and not just assuming he knew what she meant, "I was not laughing at you" she promised him, "And y'know, you're not the only one who could use a friend today" she admitted, making him feel genuinely better for a few moments, until he looked around and noticed all the eyes that were upon him.

The busy parking lot and school grounds beyond were eerily quiet, save for a few whispers about the situation surrounding Aaron Echolls, Lilly Kane, and their families and friends.

Taking a deep breath, Logan hopped out of the car and hurried around the other side to open the passenger door for Veronica.

"Here, let me help you with your hasty exit, stage left" he said, half-jokingly.

Sure, she said she wanted them to be friends and all, but Logan was all too used to being stabbed in the back by those that were supposed to be on his side. Plus, she had agreed to be seen with him before she saw just how much attention was about to be thrust upon them, all the pairs of eyes that were staring, and in no kind of good way.

"I'll pretend I didn't hear that" Veronica said with an eye roll as she got out of the car and Logan closed the door. He was a little stunned to see she was holding out her hand to him as if she wanted him to take hold of it.

"The hand holding was kinda metaphorical" he said awkwardly, but she didn't move.

"Not for me" she admitted, not certain whether she was more glad or embarrassed when he finally relented and wrapped his fingers around her own, "Friends, right?"

"Seems like" Logan agreed with a nod as they headed across the parking lot towards the school building.

It felt weird, beyond weird really, especially for Veronica who wasn't used to quite this much attention. Now people were going to talk, maybe even more than they already were, about herself, and Logan, and the Kanes. It didn't matter, that's what Miss Mars told herself as she looked up at her friend and they shared a shaky smile. They knew the truth, they knew the reality behind the various rumours that made their way through the school, the town, maybe even further. They were friends, that was all, but they both needed that right now, in the absence of...

"Hey, guys!" Lilly Kane's voice echoed across the parking lot as loud as ever as she hurried towards the pair who were both shocked to see her grinning and coming at them like an over-excited twelve year old on speed. After what had happened, it seemed she still thought they were all friends, that everything was fine. It made Logan feel sick and his hand slipped from Veronica's as he turned to go.

"Logan" she called after him, but he turned back only briefly to shoot her an apologetic look and shake his head before he walked quickly away.

"Hey, Veronica" Lilly said breathlessly when she'd quite finished pelting across the space between them. She either didn't notice, or didn't care for her friends aggravated expression, though Duncan noticed and quickly headed in the direction of his own best friend. It felt odd to him, knowing what Logan's Dad had done with Lilly, what he'd almost done to her on Saturday night too, but they were best friends, they had been for years, surely that shouldn't change.

Veronica glanced briefly at him as he walked by, before her attention was dragged back to the girl who ought to be her best friend, though quite honestly, right now it was hard to look at her.

"I was so going to come see you yesterday, but Mom was spazzing big time" Lilly rolled her eyes as if she didn't understand what the big deal was, "I even tried working on Dad, but I think he's caught like panic-disease from my Mom or something, because he totally wasn't budging on the idea of me being grounded" she sighed.

"You're surprised you got grounded?" Veronica checked, stunned by the revelation. She thought even Lilly would feel bad about this one, for making her family look foolish, for making herself look like such a whore, for breaking Logan's heart, for almost getting the both of them killed. It seemed all this and more meant little or nothing to Miss Kane, and she laughed it off just like everything else in her life.

"Come on, Veronica" she said as she looped her arm through her friends and started walking, "When did you ever know me get stuck with a real grounding? I'm always out the next night"

The older girl looked a little surprised when she realised Veronica wasn't walking with her, that she was still glued to the spot staring at her with apparent astonishment and maybe even a little disgust.

"I can't believe you don't care" the blonde said incredulously, "Everything that's happened, the lives you've turned upside down and you seriously don't even care" she realised, feeling quite sick at the idea of it.

She knew Lilly to be the 'whatever' type, let things flow over her and go by without much care for anything, but all this, she thought she'd at least feel a little bad - apparently not.

Though Lilly opened her mouth to reply, Veronica didn't give her the chance. If her friend couldn't care about what she'd done, then she couldn't care too much for her explanation or apology. If it came now, it would be too late anyway. With a shake of her head, she walked away, ignoring the whispers and looks she got. Right now she was making a stand, even if it did mean losing her best friend.

"Hey, Logan, wait up" Duncan called behind him, catching more than just his friends attention as other students, even teachers, looked over and whispered about the scandal that connected the two families.

"Why? So you can tell me what a lunatic my father is?" the other boy checked as he glanced from inside his locker to Duncan and back, "Or so you can apologise for what a tramp your sister is?" he asked, finally finding the book he wanted and slamming his locker door shut.

"Lilly's not perfect" Duncan admitted, as his friend smirked at the understatement of the century, "but she's not..."

"Not what, man?" Logan was interested to know as he faced the boy that had long since been his best friend, "Not really a bad person? Not a slut for cheating on me? Not completely stupid for getting mixed up with my Dad when she knows what he's capable of?" he said, voice rising as he got more angry, "And hey, wasn't she supposed to be dating me whilst she was getting her kicks with dearest Daddy?"

"I'm sorry, man" Duncan said sincerely, "but y'know he could've killed her, and that's not her fault"

"Well, it's not mine" Logan reminded him, leaning back against the lockers and letting out a breath, the fight going out of him somewhat as he realised this was pointless and stupid. His father and Duncan's sister were the problems here, neither of the young men had done anything that they ought to be ashamed of, "Oh, today is going to be so much fun" Logan said, sarcasm overly apparent as he pushed off the lockers and headed down the hallway with his friend still at his side.

"People are always gonna talk, Logan" he told him, as if he didn't know, "But hey, that never bothered you before, right?" he checked with a smirk, his attempt at humour helping only a little it seemed as his friend didn't really respond.

"One more peppy piece of confidence and you're gonna start sounding like your ex" he said eventually as they turned the corner.

"Veronica?" Duncan checked, a stupid question when one considered she was the only real girlfriend he'd ever had.

"Actually, she's been great, a real friend" Logan nodded, "I guess yesterday I got to see what you always saw, man" he smiled as he slapped Duncan on the back and walked away.

The young Kane watched his friend go, though he wasn't so quick to smile. The idea of Logan and Veronica getting close didn't thrill him, after all he was still in love with the little blonde himself, he just knew now he couldn't be with her. That didn't mean he wanted his friend to make a move, but what could he do to stop it?

To Be Continued...