A/N: Reviews make me smile, and LoVe makes me just as happy as it makes you!
Read on for more Logan/Veronica fun, and other stuff too:-)
(For disclaimer, etc. - see chapter 1)
Chapter 15 - Is This Really Happening To Me?
"So, I guess I'll see you tomorrow" Logan said as he walked Veronica from the car to her door, her hand held tight in his.
"I guess so" she agreed, feeling oddly shy all of a sudden as they faced each other on the porch.
She knew he was thinking of kissing her again, which she didn't mind at all, but Veronica was overly aware of the fact her father was probably watching again, ensuring Logan didn't take advantage or something.
"You do know my Dad probably has binoculars trained on us right now" she smiled, eyes shifting towards the window and back, "and those binoculars are balanced on his gun?"
Logan looked at her strangely, like he wasn't sure if she was kidding or not, before looking towards the window and offering up a friendly wave and a smile just in case.
"So, I should get inside" Veronica said eventually, looking up at him through her lashes, "Thank you for today, I had a great time"
"Me too" Logan agreed, as he finally moved in and kissed her softly on the lips, "I'll see you tomorrow" he said backing away to his car, waving to Veronica as she did the same and disappeared into the house.
"You have a nice time, sweetheart?" Keith asked her with a smile as she came into the house, also beaming.
"I did" she told him truthfully, with a nod of her head.
Life hadn't exactly been rosy lately, what with the whole Aaron and Lilly situation, and Lianne leaving. Both Veronica and Keith were glad to be smiling at all right now, though of course she didn't know the look on her fathers face was entirely faked.
He'd just managed to get the samples for the DNA test sorted out and posted off before she got back. A few minutes sooner and she would have seen something, started asking questions that he either couldn't, or didn't want to answer right now. He was still keeping secrets, and it killed Keith to know that he was lying to the girl he saw as his daughter. Still, until he knew for sure whether she was his blood kin or not, it seemed better to be silent on the whole subject.
"How about you?" Veronica asked her father, snapping him from the semi-daze he seemed to be in, "Do anything fun whilst I was out with Logan?"
"Not really" Keith shook his head, "Just paperwork and stuff"
"On a Sunday?" his daughter frowned, "Dad, we talked about this"
"Yeah, I know, I'm sorry, honey" he apologised.
He knew they had indeed made an agreement that unless it was an emergency there would be no work-related stuff on Sundays. Everybody needed a break, even the Sheriff, and Veronica was determined her father would get one.
"So, how about we put the work away, and I raid the freezer?" she suggested, "We could have dessert for dinner" she grinned, pulling ice-cream topping and a jar of cherries from the nearest cupboard.
"Okay" Keith agreed with a smile, as he put the papers back in their file and got up from his seat, pointing a finger at her, "but if social services come calling, we had a real healthy roast with all the trimmings, alright?"
"Absolutely" Veronica laughed, as she began preparing two oversized dishes of various ice-cream related products.
Life, it seemed, was finally turning around for the Mars family, even if that did consist of just the two people these days. Of course Veronica didn't know that things were not necessarily going to remain rosy, but then, right now, what she didn't know couldn't hurt her.
"Lilly, what are you doing?" Duncan asked his sister, as he appeared in her bedroom doorway and looked in at her.
"Right now?" she asked, raising an eyebrow, her foot propped up on a chair as she fastened the buckle on her silver stilettos, "I'm scuba-diving with dolphins, Donut" she smirked, "What does it look like I'm doing?"
"You can't honestly think you're going out tonight?" he shook his head as he came into the room, standing watching her with his arms folded across his chest as she flitted around, checking her hair, finding the right purse, and so on, "Dad grounded you, remember?"
"'Dad grounded you, remember?'" Lilly mimicked in a pathetic little squeaky voice, "Honestly, Duncan, you're getting really boring again" she rolled her eyes, "You were way more fun when you were with Veronica, but then I guess that wasn't destined to go anywhere..." she considered, as she touched up her lipstick and pouted into the mirror.
Duncan glared behind her and she saw it in the glass.
"What is wrong with you?" he shook his head, "You always took advantage of people, treated us all like idiots, but now... now, it's like you don't even remember how to care at all. You're getting worse, Lilly, why can't you see it?"
"No, Duncan, why can't you see it?" she yelled, spinning around suddenly and getting in his face, "Why can't you see that I'm having a good time, having a life, enjoying myself?"
"With Mr Echolls? With that Weevil guy? By hurting Logan and Veronica?" he reeled off her crimes, "Is this how you enjoy yourself, Lilly? It's twisted!" he told her, as he got overly mad.
"More twisted than you making out with our own sister?" the blonde challenged him, the prime insult saved only for special occasions when she got really mad at her brothers attempts to control her, or tell her what he thought of her life.
A blackness took over Duncan's mind in that moment. He wasn't aware of what he was doing, his brain froze up, everything went dark. A blind rage took over and then... nothing.
Duncan woke up with a blinding headache, and a distinct lack of memory as to how he'd got here on his own bed. He still wore the same clothes as when he'd gone into Lilly's room to talk to her about her behaviour, not that much time could've passed.
Putting a hand to his head, Duncan found the pain increased, and there were traces of blood as he brought his fingers in front of his eyes.
"Lilly" he said to himself, horrified by the thought that he might've struck out at her, hurt her in some way.
For all his sister was, in spite of the arguments they often had, he still loved her, he would not want to harm her, not like this.
"Good, you're awake" she said, catching his attention.
Duncan turned and spotted Lilly, looking just fine, if not somewhat annoyed, sitting on the chair next to his bed.
"What...?" he began, but she shook her head.
"You had one of your fits again" Lilly told him, "And pretty much screwed my chances of getting out for my date tonight" she rolled her eyes.
"But... I didn't..." he said, looking confused, his hand going back to the apparent wound on his head as he spotted the injury in the mirror across the room.
"You went all Incredible Hulk, minus the green" she told him, shrugging her shoulders like it was no big deal, "Mom and Dad think I hit you with the lamp to stop you hurting yourself"
"What really happened?" he asked grimly, knowing someone or something must've definitely hit him, but as yet uncertain as to whom/what or why.
"I dunno" she said the way only a practised liar could, "You just got like an anger overload, and Weevil was right there outside my window waiting for me. He heard us yelling and literally swung in to save the day" she smirked, "If it makes you feel better, you gave him a decent black eye before he got you to stay down"
Duncan looked away and winced at the thought of what he might've been capable of given the chance, that and the pain that tore through his skull.
"Anyway" Lilly sighed, "now I know you're okay, I'm going to go get some beauty sleep, not that I need a whole lot, right?" she winked, as she hopped off the chair and moved towards the door.
"Lilly" Duncan called to her, just as she opened the door, "I'm sorry" he said sincerely when she turned back.
"Don't sweat it, little brother" she smiled at him, "Just expect a lot of parental fuss and a couple more trips to the shrink" she said wickedly, "Besides, you probably did me a favour, taking all the attention off me for a while. Leaves me free to enjoy myself without 24/7 eyeballing from Mom and Dad" she grinned, as she finally left.
Duncan closed his eyes and let his head drop back onto his pillow. He wasn't sure how life had got so screwed up, but somewhere along the line it had. He had things going for him, of course, more then most average people that was for sure. His family was rich, his girlfriend was sweet and beautiful, he had lots of friends, a healthy GPA, it was all good. Unfortunately for Duncan he also had secrets, too many that were becoming too difficult to keep.
He never got the chance to explain to Veronica the reason why it might be wrong for the two of them to be together, and he probably never would. He also had to keep to himself about the condition he suffered, the very one that made him lash out at Lilly tonight, and at others before. Now there would be more lies, more problems, making up excuses for why he had this cut and bruise on his forehead. No doubt his parents would think of a story to cover for it, but it would be Duncan who was left to tell everybody at school, to lie to people again.
One thing he disliked most about his sister, no matter how much he loved her, was her lies and deceptions, and yet, this was the way they'd been brought up, both him and Lilly. The truth was told when it was convenient to do so, at all other times lies must be used to cover up that which would do no good to the charater and upstanding nature of the Kane family.
Duncan wondered if the blow to the head he had received was causing the pain he felt, or if it was just an overload of secrets in his brain threatening to spill out in every direction that was causing the uneasy pressure and agony inside his head. He'd always thought things would get easier as he got older and more independent, but it hadn't happened yet. His parents still controlled him, and the money that should make their lives less stressful ended up making them harder. The press always wanted a story, the main reason why so many secrets must be kept. Someone was always out to get a family of such wealth and fame, for various reasons.
Duncan wondered how Logan coped, since the son of two movie stars was much more in the public eye than even the children of a software giant. The strangest thing was, right now, despite all that had happened, Duncan actually felt more envious of his old best friend than anyone else.
For all the problems that were encoutenred by the Echolls' boy, being abused by his father as Duncan knew he had been, then finding out Aaron and Lilly had betrayed him, there was still a lot of good in Logan's life. His mother would do anything for him, somewhere he had a sister, and though they often fought like cat and dog, underneath it all Trina did love her little brother, in her own strange way, and they were only siblings through an adoption and subsequent marriage.
Then there was Veronica. It was becoming increasingly obvious that Logan had her too, not just for a friend, nor even a best friend, but more than that. It was obvious at the party last night that they were getting closer. The dancing, the hand-holding, the looks they shared, oh yes, Duncan was almost certain they'd be dating before long if they were not secretly doing so already.
To say he was jealous was an under-statement in spite of the fact he digusted himself with such thoughts. Veronica could be his sister, he should not be jealous of her potential boyfriend, but he was, and he always would be, no matter who she dated.
A tap on Duncan's door was followed by his mother entering the room, bringing with her some pills for him to take, one to ease his aching head, another to ward off further angry attacks. Dutifully he took the offered drugs, and said not a word as Celeste instructed him to get some more sleep.
Though he would do as he was told, Duncan was almost afraid to sleep, to dream. Too often he saw a perfect world behind his eyes, only to wake up in the morning and find an imperfect reality. Every day that got a little harder to accept.
To Be Continued...