A few minutes after Aaron left for good, a shirtless Logan opened the closet door to retrieve Veronica. "Sorry," he said, motioning to his naked torso. "I got something on my shirt and my other shirts are in this closet." Veronica looked freaked out, but certainly not by that.

"Is your dad gone?"

"Yeah, of course. Sorry about the closet. I just didn't want to subject you to him… He might have tried to hit on you or something." Veronica gave an involuntary shudder.

"Did you take a shower?" Logan's hair looked freshly washed but the closer she got Veronica realized it reeked of alcohol not shampoo.

"Kind of. But just with water. And a sink. So not really."

"Did he throw something on you? Alcohol? Logan, don't be embarrassed, it's just you left the bedroom door open-I could hear what was going on out there." Shit. Logan had really hoped that "sick dog" business was for his ears only.

"Well, don't take anything he said too seriously. He just… says stuff sometimes." Logan struggled to find words as he threw on a fresh t-shirt with his back to Veronica. She noticed his back had a few scars, like maybe someone had been playing tic tac toe with a cigarette or letting loose with a belt. She had seen some of them before but she knew this wasn't the time to bring it up-only her internal filter was shutting down. "But we do have to get you out of here," Logan continued, breaking through her thoughts.

"What about you?"

"Yeah, me too. Duncan- I used to climb in his window at night sometimes. I'd say I'm coming over and he'd disable the alarm, but his parents can't find me there…"

"Why? Why did you used to sneak into Duncan's at night?"

"Oh, you didn't know about our secret love affair?" Logan asked mirthlessly. "You know the real reason why, Veronica. Don't make me say this shit." Logan's dark eyes got darker. For a second, he looked uncannily like his father. "Look, I can't be here when he gets back either so let's get going."

"I'll drive you anywhere you need to go or you can stay with me?" It was one of those damn statements that came out like an uncertain question.

"I can't; I'd love to but your dad..."

"I'll explain things to him."

"And what exactly would you say?"

"That you had a fight with your dad and you have nowhere else to go. Sound good? Just take one of the guest rooms. I don't want you sleeping on the beach."

Logan smiled for the first time since his dad had come home. "Ok, let me get my toothbrush. I've made that mistake too many times." And I'm going to need my flask, Logan decided, pocketing it sight unseen by Veronica. As much as he hated to prove his dad right, sometimes Logan knew that to his core he was just a good for nothing drunk. And he was just getting started. It was the only thing that helped muddle his mind-which sounded like a bad thing but Logan knew from experience wasn't always.

Logan took his time "getting his toothbrush" because he also had to fill up his flask and he knew Veronica needed to call her dad. Keith Mars was probably waking up right now, frantically realizing that his daughter wasn't home, thinking something was wrong. Well, wasn't something always wrong? Since the beginning of fucking time.

Logan had a delayed realization that they had school tomorrow and he should probably pack his books but then, looking around, saw that he hadn't even brought them home with him in the first place. How Logan was managing to pass all his classes was beyond him. He looked at the clock and sighed. He and Veronica weren't going to get very much sleep, not that they would have anyway. He hesitated in the doorway of his bedroom to see if Veronica was off the phone. With all her might, she beamed at him and declared, "Let's go!"

They took a silent elevator ride down to the lobby and found Veronica's yellow Xterra in the parking lot-inconspicuous as ever. "It'll be ok," she suddenly felt like saying as she grabbed Logan's hand across the gearshift.

He took her hand but kept looking down. Softly, so softly that she could barely hear: "It's never ok."

888888888888888

Veronica had promised to explain to her dad why Logan had to stay over last night but right now she needed coffee and a donut.

"Logan still asleep?" Keith asked neutrally.

"Yeah, I think he takes about five seconds to get ready though so we should be good. He's not used to getting a ride either…" Veronica gulped down some coffee, continued to make smallish talk and didn't look her dad in the eye.

"Sweetie, is everything ok with Logan? You can tell me. I care about him too. He's a good kid-most of the time."

Veronica laughed a little, but mostly out of nervous energy. "I don't know what I'm allowed to say here, Dad, to be totally honest. But I know you know what Aaron Echolls is like. And that's pretty much all there is to it." She finally looked up at her father, wondering if her vague answer would suffice.

"That kid's had a hard life, no doubt. Tell him he can stay here when he needs it but, Veronica, and I mean this… Back off of Aaron and the Fitzpatricks." Veronica audibly protested this. "I mean it, this is getting too dangerous and I can't allow you to get put in the middle of it."

"Do you know some things that I don't know?"

"I know enough to know that if Aaron's as dangerous as I think he is, the people he's working for-God only knows. Leave it to the police force."

"Sheriff Lamb? Please, I wouldn't let him get my kitten out of a tree."

"I think that's the fire department, honey, and we don't have a cat."

"It's not the cat, it's the principle of the cat."

"Veronica, seriously, you think Logan's going to be ok?"

"I don't know, Dad. But we probably should stop talking about it-he might come downstairs any minute... And thank you."

Keith never said you're welcome. He always just said: "Any time." And he meant it.

The drive into school was mostly silent. "You need somewhere to sleep again tonight?" Veronica finally asked as they pulled into the Neptune High parking lot.

"No, I'm sure it's fine. I would need to get more clothes and stuff... He's kicked me out before and I can always go back the next day." Veronica decided to let that slide without direct comment.

"Ok, well let me know if you ever need anything… You know, my dad likes you."

"Yeah, I got that. I just can't figure out why."

"Me neither," Veronica joked with a sly smile. "Maybe he just trusts my judgment."

"Are you saying that you like me?"

"You know by now that I like you." She hesitated before steeling herself to continue. "It was wrong of me to take advantage of our friendship in order to help with my case. I'm sorry."

"No, it's ok. I still want to help. You heard him…" Logan got out of the car, bookless and full of anxiety but trying not to show it. He spoke quietly and through clenched teeth. "He's up to no good. I don't even care anymore. We have to stop them from hurting people."

"Logan… My dad said it could get really dangerous. He's worried-about both of us."

"I am too," Logan answered honestly. He was usually honest, until you pushed him. "But whatever they're doing-it's not right. And it's probably worse than anything we could begin to imagine."