A/N: Its taken me a while to update, I know. A combination of writers block and illness took its toll, but I'm back now and regular updates should resume! Thanx for the positive feedbcak, folks! ;-)

(For disclaimer, etc. - see chapter 1)

Chapter 5

The sun was going down and the air turning cool when Veronica decided now was the time to get off the beach and go elsewhere. Checking Google maps on her cell showed the next town was just a few minutes drive away and had a mall where she could get Logan some more clothes, which he was severely lacking, and at least one hotel they could crash at. Her travel buddy was currently making his way back across the sand towards the car where she was waiting, an ice cream in either hand that he said they had to have before they left. It had been a hell of an afternoon of running and splashing, talking and sunbathing. They'd had a really great time, to the point where Veronica almost forgot this was just a job. She was reminded rather abruptly as her cell rang in her hand, the display telling her that 'LD' was calling.

"Hello, Leo" she said with a wry smile, "You have exactly two minutes until Logan reaches this car and then I am hanging up. Suspicion is not to be aroused"

"Hey, Veronica" her ex greeted her with a smile she didn't need to see to know it was there, "Just make sure you don't go arousing anything else either. The boy likes you, I can see that from here"

Veronica turned around to see if she could spot her trackers and sure enough she pinpointed them within a few seconds, their car parked across the way in a row of others. It wouldn't be at all suspicious to anybody else, but she was trained for this kind of thing.

"Keep your mind out the gutter and your eye on the ball, D'Amata" she warned him, "You do your job, I'll do mine"

"You got it, boss" he mocked her, "But seriously though, couple of girls spotted the boy wonder, they were taking some camera-phone shots. Don't worry though, I was my usual charming yet clutzy self"

"What did you do?" she asked curiously, a smile on her lips that she couldn't help as they chatted just like old times, "Did ya strike out with the lizadees, bro?

"Let's just say I owe a very pretty girl a very expensive replacement cell, and a Coke that she didn't so much wanna drink with a phone float" he explained with a chuckle that made Veronica laugh too, until she spotted Logan getting very close.

"Keep up the good work, Deputy" she teased him, just as he had been doing with her, before hanging up from the call just as Logan reached her, handing her an ice-cream cone, "Thanks" she smiled gratefully as he hopped into the car beside her.

"Who was on the phone?" he asked curiously as they ate.

Veronica almost felt like snapping at him for daring to ask, but it was a fair and honest question. Besides, if she got weird and jumpy he wasn't going to trust her, and she needed that trust right now if this was going to work out.

"Just a friend wondering how my vacation is going" she shrugged like it was no big deal, and if she were telling the absolute truth it really wouldn't be.

"How is it going?" asked Logan curiously, glancing sideways at Veronica as she shifted in her seat and pocketed her cell, trying not to drop her ice-cream in the process.

"I'm having a good time with a new friend" she replied easily, smiling as she licked at her vanilla treat, enjoying it immensely, "but I was thinking" she added around a mouthful that she quickly swallowed, "we should drive into town, do a little shopping before we call it a night. You seem to be a little lacking in the clothing department" she said with a dubious look at what he was wearing right now, a hybrid of his own fancy suit and her hand-me-down extras.

"Well, a man likes to travel light" he joked as he leant back in the seat some and licked at his ice-cream.

"There's light and there's downright stinky, which you will be if we don't get you some fancy new duds" Veronica teased him, "And speaking of phone calls as we were a moment ago, don't you have anyone at home you should let know you're okay?" she asked, as if she didn't know.

Logan looked thoughtful a moment before he sighed.

"I guess I owe my parents a call at least" he considered, and Veronica was just about to dig out her cell phone again when he shook his head to stop her, "Later" he said simply, and silence then reigned as the pair enjoyed their ice-cream and the sight of the sun setting into the sea.

"Everybody come and play, throw every last care away, let's go to the mall... today..."

It wasn't a song he got at first, took Logan a minute to puzzle out, not least because Veronica was muttering the lyrics more than really meaning to sing aloud, as they walked through row on row of stores. Then suddenly it hit him.

"Robin Sparkles" he declared, with a snap of his fingers.

"I'm sorry?" said Veronica as she turned back to look at him, appearing innocent enough but Logan knew better somehow.

"Me too" he grinned, "I'm at the mall with a Robin Sparkles fan" he winced and forced a shudder of disgust that made Veronica laugh but also want to swing for him at the same time.

"Shut up" she said with a chuckle as she socked him in the arm, hoping to change the subject fast to save her blushes, "and let's get you some new clothing" she advised, turning into a nearby store.

"Yes, ma'am" her companion saluted, dancing the robot as he followed her into the store, but stopping fast when a couple of kids started laughing at him.

Logan didn't feel much like joking around anyway as he glanced around at the rails of clothing on offer. He wrinkled his nose at the odd smell in the air and the fact this place was wall to wall cheap attire.

"Seriously, this place?" he asked, feeling every kind of uncomfortable,

Of course, Veronica knew why but she wasn't supposed to. Taking him straight into some high-end store looked presumptuous, and might have blown her cover. If he wanted to tell her the truth of who he was, Logan would do so in his own time. She was happy to let this ride as it was for now.

"Well, there's a designer store over that-a-way" she pointed, "but I figured this might be more your price range" she shrugged, all innocence as she started sorting through a rack of T-shirts, apparently deciding the green would look better on Logan than the blue.

"Actually..." he started to say as he leant against the end of the rail, changing his mind in a moment, "I have a credit card, but I don't think I'll be using that" he said thoughtfully.

Veronica kept her eyes on the clothes when she spoke again.

"Should I even ask?" she said, without any particular tone, though in her head she'd already figured out what she expected his answer to be.

"My parents will check where I spend and try to find me" he told her, just exactly as Veronica knew he would, "I could use not being traced"

She smiled as she glanced up at him, handing over a selection of T-shirts that were five for ten dollars.

"I'll ask no secrets, you tell me no lies" she said as she breezed by to another rail, this time of pants.

Logan was barely paying attention anymore. As much as he'd enjoyed spending today with his new little blonde friend, and Veronica really was awesome, mentioning his parents reminded him just exactly what he was doing. This was a million miles from his world, the reality he had left behind to go on some wild adventure. His Dad was doubtless going nuts by now, and his Mom would be worried sick. It amused Logan a little to know his father was probably mad as hell with him and unable to vent his anger, but it didn't make Logan feel particularly good to know he might be scaring his Mom who had a tendency to panic about her baby boy at times. It was maybe the only part of all this he could live to regret and without a thought in his head he dipped into his pocket for his cell phone that had been switched off since his initial bolt from the movie premiere.

Veronica was stealing glances at her secret charge from behind the rack of young men's clothing she was rifling through. She had thought about encouraging Logan to pull an ET and phone home, but she also knew she had to be careful with just exactly what she said to him. Keeping her lies straight was her strong point, it had to be in her line of work, but this felt so far from a job right now. For the first time in a long time, Veronica Mars was allowing herself to cut loose and have fun with someone close to her own age who wanted just the same things she did - a vacation, laughter, fun, relaxation, no strings attached and nothing and no-one to worry about but themselves. It felt good, but Veronica had to keep reminding herself to be wary too. Sure, there was back-up in place, Sachs and D'Amata were paid too much not to be vigilant and all, but she still had to be on her guard and do her own part of this job properly. If they had to come to the rescue in too big a way the cover would be blown, and it might just break Logan's heart to know what his parents and she herself had done to him.

Across the way, the boy in question checked the screen of his cell and scoffed at the sight that met his eyes. Forty seven missed calls and a matching number of messages. A quick scroll down the list proved what he already knew. His Mom and Dad had been calling, alongside Keith Mars, head of security, and a couple of his so-called friends as well, including Dick Casablancas. They had all made attempts to contact him, no doubt to trace the call and track him down. Hell, Logan was surprised they hadn't tried harder and weren't still calling now. It almost hurt to realise they had given up so easy, even if he should be glad about it.

Dialling his Mom's cell, Logan put the phone to his ear and waited for her to pick up.

"Logan, sweetheart?" she gasped as she answered in a matter of seconds.

"Yeah, Mom, it's me" he assured her with a smile that he just couldn't help, after all, it was kind of nice to hear her voice, especially when she was apparently so pleased to hear from him.

"Where are you, Logan? Please let us know, we've been worried sick" she told him desperately, as Aaron started up yelling in the background, making his son wince.

"I'm fine, Mom" he promised her, not realising of course that his Oscar-winning parents were play acting their concern for the most part.

As Logan explained he just needed to be free a while, Keith was talking to D'Amata on the other line, showing Lynn and Aaron on a map the exact mall their son was standing in to make his call. It was peace of mind for them and a complete scam on Logan, but he was getting what he wanted, and so they told themselves it was fine.

Veronica moved from one rail of clothes to another that was a little closer. She listened in as Logan made his call and his parents told him they were not happy but they understood his need to have a little independence.

"You sure you're okay about this, Dad?" he asked his father in particular, completely stunned that he was allowing him to do this.

"No, Logan, I'm not okay" he said, and that at least was honest, hence the fact his tone sounded normal and angry to his son, "but your mother has made it clear you need at least a few days of freedom and I'm assured by Mr Mars that he can find you at any time should some emergency occur" he told Logan truthfully, albeit he was leaving out some major details, "You make sure you call us each day, and do not get into any kind of trouble, and you have our permission to take your... vacation, or whatever this is"

"Thank you, sir" said Logan with a nod and a grin that spread right across his face as he turned to find Veronica very close behind him.

He gave her a thumbs up gesture which she returned with a smile, glad for him that he had parental approval. Of course, she knew he was going to get that, she knew a great deal more than even he did about this situation, and yet could not say a word.

"Logan, honey" his mother was back on the line now, "Do you have enough money and everything?" she checked worriedly.

"Sure, Mom" he grinned even wider if it were possible, now sure that he would not be tracked down and dragged back home kicking and screaming if he went a little nuts with his credit card, "I'm just fine"

Of course, Logan knew he couldn't go using his no-limit platinum whereever he wanted. With his name right there on the card it'd be way too risky, but that didn't stop him from finding the nearest ATM and getting all that he needed in cash.

A few more pleasantries, including a mumbled I love you, and a swift see you soon, and Logan ended the call. Veronica stood before him with an armful of clothes, about to ask what had happened, in spite of the fact she secretly knew already. What she did not expect was for Logan to take the clothes from her arms, toss the whole lot aside, grab up her hand and bolt from the store, dragging her behind him.

The two of them got more than one strange look as they ran together through the middle of the mall, with Logan whooping and laughing like a sugar-high child. Veronica didn't judge him; after all, moderate freedom was all well and good, but the unadulterated kind that he felt he had now had to mean so much more. She planned to help Logan enjoy this for as long as it could last.

To Be Continued...