A/N: Thanx for the reviews on the previous chapter. I'm not sure I like thic chapter... ah well, it is what it is...

(For disclaimer, etc. - see chapter 1)

Chapter 12

Veronica was not happy, although to be fair a lot of her anger was aimed at herself rather than anybody else. Logan had been foolish, diving in some strangers car and heading off into the sunset without her. Of course it was the second time he'd pulled this stunt lately and she couldn't blame him for thinking it would work out okay, after all, he'd picked exactly the right saviour in her. Now, he could be getting himself into some serious trouble. There was every chance the people who picked him up could ID him as Logan Echolls, son of rich moviestars, and that could easily be used against him. Kidnapped for ransom sounded like a plot from a movie but it did happen, and more often than it should, Veronica knew. She dreaded to think what might happen if Logan was out in the world alone, and she knew that for the most part she was to blame.

This whole trip had been a ridiculous idea from the start and she ought to have known it. Giving the back-up the slip was an even stupider plan, but she couldn't afford to contact them or her Dad now. If it got back to the Echolls that there son was even more AWOL than they originally thought, out there without even the protection the blonde PI could offer Veronica didn't like to think what they'd do. Her own father's job could be in danger, and her own career along with it.

There were too many things to worry about, too many variables Veronica couldn't control and she hated that. A growling sound emanated from the back of her throat as she was forced to pull up sharply into a queue of traffic a mile long, or so it seemed to the agitated Veronica. She really had to focus, to figure out a way to track where Logan had gone and get there as fast as she could. Then she had some more apologising to do if she was ever going to patch up their pseudo-friendship enough to convince him to let her take him home. This whole thing might've been easier if he hadn't smashed up her cell phone before disappearing into the distance!

It wasn't Logan's finest hour as he dived out of the car at the next gas station promising that when he got back from the bathroom he would pay his share of the gas money. He had no cash on him and since his card got eaten by an ATM two days ago, he was going to have to live by his wits, it seemed. Dodging around the side of the building, he circled around past the men's bathroom and into the garage's workshop around back.

"Hey, man, you can't be in here unless you're picking up a car" a mechanic told him crossly.

"Cool down, vato" he told the Mexican looking dude as he peered around the corner a moment and then went back to standing with his back against the wall, "I just need to hide out for a few minutes then I'll get out of your way"

The mechanic, who's coveralls said his name was Weevil, looked suspiciously at the young man stood before him and then moved to look outside. There were two rich-bitch type girls pounding on the bathroom door calling for someone to come out before a guy with them said he was going in to teach some manners to whoever they were looking for. Weevil frowned looking back at the mystery man stood there in the dark and then strolled out of the workshop. For an awful minute, Logan thought his cover was blown and yet could do nothing about it as there was nowhere left to run.

"Hey!" Weevil called to the girls, "You lookin' for somebody?" he checked, "'cause there was this young guy just came running by here, headed that way!" he pointed way off into the distance away from the gas station.

In seconds the girls had their friend out of the bathroom and all three went pelting to the car to chase down whoever it was they were looking for. Weevil had a pretty good idea it was the guy waiting in his workshop and he intended to find out why before he decided what he was going to do next.

"They're gone" he said as he wandered back into the garage and slid the door closed, finishing up wiping his hands on the oily rag he was holding and then tossing it aside, "You wanna tell me what kinda trouble you're in?"

"Where do you want me to start?" Logan sighed, leaning his head back against the wall and turning his eyes heavenward as he breathed a sigh of relief that he'd at least got away from those he had just duped, "Hey, thanks, man" he said then, looking Weevil's way, "For not telling them I was in here"

"No problem to me" the mechanic shrugged, "You got a name, kid?" he asked then, thinking it was as good a place as any.

"I'm not a kid" he ground out, a lot more annoyed by that particular word right now than ever before, "I'm Logan" he admitted, mindful of pissing off the guy that had just helped him out anyway.

"You can call me Weevil" the mechanical told him, "Everyday does"

Logan nodded as he watched him drop the hood down on the car he'd been working on and head over to a thermos from which he poured out a cup of what smelled like coffee. It wasn't long before another plastic cup appeared and it was suddenly in Logan's hand without a word being spoken.

"Thanks" he muttered, accepting the less than clean cup and wondering what he might catch if he drank out of it.

"You ain't gonna drink that are ya?" said Weevil with a chuckle as he stared at Logan who in turn stared at the drink with distaste, "Not that I blame you, man" he said, reaching to take the cup away from him again.

"I can't afford anything else" Logan noted with a sigh, but Weevil still took the drink from his hand and poured it straight down the drain.

"That your only problem?" he asked him, as he gestured for the younger man to follow him out of the workshop.

"No" Logan admitted, not caring to elaborate right now as he followed his newest friend around to a cafe where it seemed the waitresses all knew him - maybe because he worked at the gas station same as they did, but Logan suspected there was more to it than that somehow.

"Park yourself, man, I'll stand you a coffee, if that's your poison?" he checked, the waitress he had called over waiting for Logan to sit himself down and give an answer.

"Coffee's good, thanks" he smiled politely as the waitress went to fetch the order for them.

"Okay, so lack of cash I get" said Weevil thoughtfully, "but there's gotta be more to it than that. I'm guessin' woman trouble, 'cause let's face it, only a woman could get a guy in this much of a mess, right?" he smiled knowingly as Logan looked away, feeling dumb, "C'mon, man, lay it on me. See if old Weevil can't give you some advice" he suggested.

Logan wasn't sure that it was going to do any good, but he had nobody else to talk to about Veronica right now or at all, truth be told. There was no way he was telling this guy the absolute truth, about his parents and running away and everything. He could use their cover story maybe, the one they'd fed Duncan Kane and the hotel staff before. Either way, he figured if he could get some advice from this guy, who looked like he'd walked the world a while in spite of not being so very old, then he was going to take it. There was no-one else to ask, and so long as he kept certain facts to himself, Logan was sure things would be fine.

Veronica shouldn't be driving and she knew it. It was telling Logan she needed him to take over a while that had prompted his latest outburst and his running away from her, and that was hours ago. At the next gas station she resolved to pull over, even if it meant sleeping around back in her car for a while, she would do it, she just had to get some rest. Besides, she would need gas soon too, and if she was really lucky the car she saw Logan disappear in would as well. It was a long-shot that his newest friends would need to stop at the same place she did, but it was all Veronica had right now.

A yawn escaped as she checked the sign post up ahead and changed lanes. Not far now til she could stop. Once she'd got some rest, she might be in a better state to work on fixing her cell too, which would help. This thing had gone on too long and she needed to get a hold of her Dad. Maybe if she apologised to him and to the Echolls, things could work out. It wasn't as if she had anything to lose, Logan was already mad as hell at her. Finding out the truth couldn't really make things much worse, or so Veronica figured at this point.

Pulling into the next gas station, she got out of the car in front of a little cafe. Coffee was what her body craved, at least at first. Her mind was soon distracted as she reached the door and peered in through the window to see a very familiar figure sat by the counter.

"And that's when I jumped cars and left her behind"

Logan completed his explanation of what had happened with Veronica, and swallowed down the last of his drink as Weevil looked thoughtful.

"That's a hell of a tale, man" he told the younger man, realising he had a drop of coffee left too and ought to drink it before it went cold, "Sounds like you had one hell of a woman there too" he advised.

"Yeah, a woman that thinks I'm a kid" he complained, kicking at the bar on the stool he was sat on, feeling angry still.

"And what are you doin' by runnin' out on the chick, 'cept proving you're some kind of Mama's boy that can't handle the rejection?" he challenged Logan.

The younger man sat and stared for a minute, his mouth opening and closing three times without sound coming out and making him look like a landed trout. He hated to admit it, but Weevil was right. Yelling and sulking and running away; it was all typical childish behaviour and it had only made Veronica's case for her where Logan was concerned. He wanted her to look at him and see a man, but he really wasn't acting like one at all.

"I screwed up... again" he realised, as Weevil chuckled.

"Don't sweat it, man, you ain't the first and you won't be the last" his new buddy sympathised, slapping him on the shoulder in a friendly gesture, "Anyway, chances are good you'll get a second chance with your chica" he said as he hopped down from his stool, realising he really ought to get back to work.

"How do you know?" asked Logan, as he got up too.

"'Cause from what you was describin'" said Weevil, gesturing out through the window of the cafe to the garage forecourt beyond, "I think she just showed up" he said, pointing to where a little blonde had just got out of her car and was approaching the door.

By the time Logan tore his eyes away from Veronica, Weevil was gone, out of the cafe's side door, having left enough cash for their coffees on the counter. Logan turned his head again and realised that his travel companion must've spotted him too as she stopped just inside the door, eyes wide but expression blank for the most part.

They met in the doorway, neither sure what they were supposed to say and therefore saying nothing to start off with. When they finally did speak it was over the top of each other.

"I'm sorry" they said in unison, quite the feat for the both of them to say and hear.

Veronica smiled at the same time Logan did, gesturing for him to come outside where more privacy existed. The pair sat down on the step together and she sighed.

"Logan..." she began, only to have him interrupt.

"I know I should probably be all chivalrous and let you go first" he told her, "but I can't do that" he shook his head, looking mostly at his hands where they hung between his knees, "I did a dumb thing, running away like a kid" he sighed, kicking a stone away for something else to do, "Anyway, I'm sorry" he repeated, sparing her a glance.

"I'm sorry too" she promised him, her hand landing on his arm to keep his attention when he tried to look away, "Logan, I just want us to be friends, please?"

When his eyes met hers then, he had to believe her. She wanted them to get along and it was what he wanted too. Of course, what he really craved was more than that, for them to be more than friends. Logan still believed that deep down that was what Veronica wanted too, and he couldn't figure out why she wouldn't just admit it. Maybe it was the age gap thing, after all it was her nasty barb about his age that had been the straw to break the camels back. Right now he had two choices, he could tell her no, that he didn't want to be her friend, that she'd had her chance and lost it and walk away in a sulk again like the kid he didn't want to be. Second choice was to be a man, to accept Veronica's clearly genuine apology and get on with being her friend and enjoying this vacation while he had the chance. Maybe in time he could prove to her that he was the man she refused to see him as right now.

"I want that too" he told her at length, "You're a good friend, Veronica" he smiled, that being true at least, "but I should tell you, I'm heading out to meet with another friend of mine. I've got two tickets to a concert..."

"I'll drive you" she offered immediately, as eager for them to patch up their friendship as she was keep him safe as was her original objective, "Or maybe you can drive you, in my car" she considered, remembering in an instant how tired she felt as she contemplated getting behind the wheel once more, "Even if I can't see the band, we can ride along together, right?"

Logan nodded his agreement. He wanted her company and besides he had no other transport if he were honest. He could meet Dick at the concert, they'd rock out as promised, and with that guy around, Veronica was bound to see that Logan was way more mature than some other guys his age!

"I'm just gonna use the bathroom" he said getting up then and moving to walk away.

"Logan" Veronica immediately called after him as she got up too, dusting off her backside as she did so.

When he looked back, she honestly wasn't sure what it was she wanted to say but had to find something now he was waiting. The only thing that came to mind spilled out of her mouth unchecked.

"I care about you" she promised him truthfully and she thought it was a good thing when he smiled, until she heard how he answered her.

"Yeah" he nodded once, "Just not enough" he shrugged his shoulders as he turned and walked away.

To Be Continued...

A/N2: If anyone here is a LiveJournal user, check out the link on my Profile Page - I'm writing ficlets based on prompts and would be happy to take LoVe requests there, or something else if you prefer :-)