Veronica's Hangover
Chapter 3: The Fettuccine
Flashback: Saturday Evening - Casino
Veronica clung to Logan's left hand as they wandered aimlessly through the casino. They were quiet for a while, each thinking how nice it felt to be touching the other – even if it was only a handhold. Noticing an exterior door, Veronica tugged Logan through it.
The courtyard was dominated by a large illuminated fountain. The fragrance of a several types of flowers hung in the air, while the splashes and gurgles of the fountain drowned out the bells-and-whistles sounds from the casino.
Veronica hopped up on the ledge of the fountain, and they walked for a moment around its perimeter. When Logan's orbit stretched outwards causing their clasped hands to lift horizontally, Veronica gave a little tug to pull him closer. Laughing, Logan did a little Fred Astaire twirl inward so that his left hand crossed over his right shoulder, pulling her arm around his neck. Standing on the ledge put Veronica slightly above eye level, and she didn't hesitate for a second before pressing her mouth to his, using her other hand to pull him closer. Logan responded immediately, opening his lips to hers and tangling his fingers into her hair.
"What was that for?" Logan breathed, minutes later when they broke for air.
"I just wanted to get that out of the way so I wouldn't be thinking about it all night." Veronica grinned.
"It still feels the same." Logan sighed.
"I knew it would." Veronica answered, smiling down at him before kissing him again.
Veronica pulled a quarter from her purse and tossed it in the fountain. She didn't tell Logan that she'd wished that he would come back home to Neptune. He helped her down from the ledge with a little twirl and they explored the courtyard garden for a bit before heading back inside the casino.
They found a table to sit at and Logan ordered them a bottle of champagne, which they drank as they caught up. Veronica told him how she'd realized she wouldn't enjoy working for the FBI. Veronica did not do so well with rules and restrictions. She'd realized that while she would never have the paycheck or prestige of working at the bureau, being a private investigator was her calling and it made her happy. She still worked with Keith, splitting cases based on ability. At her size, Veronica was never going to be able to bring in bail jumpers, but there were areas where she excelled over Keith. They still made a great team. So what if she sometimes had to scrimp to keep up the mortgage payment?
Logan ordered a second bottle of champagne before describing to Veronica how he'd graduated from UCLA. Even before graduation, he had founded his company The Salacia Corp after spending a year being mentored by one of the greatest minds in the business world. If he'd been filthy rich before, he was filthy stinking rich now. Due to their growth in the past year, they were ready to begin a major expansion and hiring spree. He described to Veronica how Sophia had been his right hand since even before forming the company, and how indispensable she had been to him.
They grew quiet for a moment regarding each other. At the look on Veronica's face, Logan asked her what she was thinking.
"I'm afraid if I let go of your hand, you'll disappear again." Veronica confessed.
Logan wasn't sure how to respond. He wanted to reassure her and promise her he wouldn't go anywhere. However, had she been sober, she would have made her excuses an hour ago with a promise to call or write. He knew it was the alcohol making her affectionate and nostalgic, but was it so wrong for him to want to bask in the little bit of time he had with her?
"What went wrong with us Logan?" Veronica asked suddenly.
"It might have been you telling me I was out of your life forever." he answered.
Veronica winced. "I knew I was lying the second it came out of my mouth." she said. "I learned so much at Quantico, and I came back with so many things I wanted to tell you about, and you were just gone."
Logan sighed. "I couldn't stay". His eyes begged her to understand. "I spent my entire Senior year watching you get cuddly with Duncan, and it almost killed me. I couldn't deal with it all over again with a new guy. It was time for me to make a clean break."
"Who, Piz?" Veronica asked. "Piz and I didn't even survive the summer apart."
Logan face-palmed. Perhaps he had miscalculated.
"I never tried to hide from you, Veronica. I didn't change my name, and I wasn't unlisted. I made sure that you would be able to find me, should you ever choose to. I used to daydream that one day you would show up at my door." Logan told her.
"I daydreamed about showing up at your door too!" Veronica admitted. "I did find you. I actually parked outside your apartment once or twice, but I couldn't work up the nerve to knock. I figured you'd left to get away from me. Who was I to intrude on your new life?"
Logan groaned in frustration, running his hands up the sides of his face and into his hair. "If I had known…" he began when he looked back up at her. He trailed off, not sure how to finish the sentence.
Veronica smiled regretfully. "But what really went wrong with us? Forget Madison and the fight with Piz - why couldn't we make things work?"
"I've had years to think about that. As much as I'd like to be fair and noble, and accept my half of the blame, I'd say it's mostly your fault." Logan flashed her a smirk.
Veronica laughed and slapped him on the arm. "Logan!"
"You think I'm kidding?" Logan asked. "I'm not perfect, Veronica. I know I'm too reckless and impulsive. And I can be too secretive. Especially when I'm afraid of disappointing you."
Veronica nodded in agreement.
"But you quit on me. Every single time. I would have been willing to work through anything with you. Anything! But how could I? You never gave me a chance. How could we fix things when only one of us was willing to try?"
For at least a minute, Veronica sat quietly reflecting on Logan's words.
"You're right, Logan." She admitted, finally. "I'm sorry that I gave up on you so easily."
"You were like this pit bull, Veronica. Once you got your teeth into something, nothing could make you let go - unless it was me." Logan's voice was thick.
Veronica nodded, unshed tears in her eyes.
"Hey, I'm sorry." Logan said catching her eyes and squeezing her hand. "I'm an ass. You're finally here with me, and I'm making you feel bad. Let's forget all about it, OK?"
"You know what I wish?" Veronica asked after a moment.
"World peace? More wishes? Hot monkey sex with me?" Logan asked.
Veronica responded with a tiny grin.
"I wish somebody had locked us together in a room until we'd worked out our issues."
"If I try really hard to find hidden meanings in that statement, it almost sounds as if you wish the two of us were still together." Logan observed, trying not to sound too hopeful.
"Every. Single. Day." Veronica answered.
Logan felt as if he had been gut-punched. He attempted to lighten the moment with humor.
"I can have that arranged. Sophia would be happy to lock me up somewhere, just to get me out of her hair for a few days. Do we have to do the whole bread and water thing, or could we get delivery –maybe a little slot on the floor for sliding food through?."
Veronica laughed softly and then a thought occurred to her. "There are other ways to be locked together?"
"Handcuffs?" Logan asked, overenthusiastically. Veronica slapped him on the arm.
Logan laughed, noticing Sophia approaching their table from behind Veronica and giving her a little wave.
"Sorry. What were you trying to say?"
"Well…" Veronica said, a mischievous glint in her eyes. "We are in Vegas…"
"And...?" Logan asked.
"We could always... gogetmarried." She rushed through the second half of the sentence as if it were one word.
"Don't tease me, Veronica." Logan said, groaning.
"Who's teasing?" Veronica smiled up at him. Logan stared at her, speechless for a good 30 seconds.
"Sophia?" Logan said, not breaking his eye contact with Veronica.
"Don't even think about it Logan." Sophia growled.
"See what you can set up in the next hour or so." Logan said.
"Absolutely not, Logan!" Sophia said.
"See if you can find Veronica a dress. You want to go with her?"
"No, I'm not picky. Just make it simple and elegant" Veronica smiled.
"Are you sure you want to do this?" Logan asked.
"And not have to spend the next five years missing you? You bet!" Veronica answered.
"This is not happening Logan." Sophia said, sternly.
"You're wasting time Soph." Logan said. "What size are you, V?"
"2 petite" she answered.
"Shoes?" he asked.
"6"
"Logan, are you listening to me?" Sophia asked. "Not happening."
"It's happening Soph." Logan said. "I believe in you. You can pull this off."
"I can, but I won't, Logan." Sophia said.
"Text me with the location, and have a limo meet us out front. Any special requests Veronica?"
"Elvis!" Veronica said, clapping. "If we're going to have a tacky Vegas wedding, we have to have Elvis. Lilly would love it!"
Logan smiled indulgently. "Elvis it is! Sophia, spare no expense. Oh, I have a special request. Make sure the flowers are lilies, and find at least one donut. Oh, and make sure the rings are platinum. I love you, and have faith in you. See you in a bit."
Logan stood and led Veronica off towards the slot machines. He pulled her snug against his side, whispering something in her ear, and she laughed.
Sophia leaned over and gently banged her head against the table several times.
Then sighing dramatically, she whipped out her cell and got to work.
Present Time – Mars Investigation.
"Hey, dad! You mind if I cut out an hour early today?" Veronica called, while shutting down her computer.
"Who are you? My daughter, the workaholic would never ask me that question." Keith joked."
"Your daughter the workaholic has a light workload right now, and hasn't been sleeping well."
"You want to talk about it?" Keith asked.
"Talk about what?" Veronica asked.
"Something has been bothering you all week long. I've tried to mind my business, but I'm getting concerned." Keith said.
"Everything's fine, dad! As I said, I haven't been sleeping well. I'll take a nap when I get home, and I should be fine." She kissed Keith on the cheek and headed out to her car.
Keith had a point. Veronica had been in a black mood for the past three days. She'd almost spilled the entire story to Keith several times, but her father had never been Logan's biggest fan. How could she explain that she had gotten drunk and married the bad boy he had been so relieved to see her to kick to the curb?
Three days!
Three days, and she hadn't heard a peep from Logan. Three damn days, Logan! So much for your one-year commitment! Why hadn't he at least called? He had her number. Three days he had been back in her life, and he was already making her crazy. Logan Freaking Echolls!
Veronica's House Neptune, CA
Veronica pulled up to her small bungalow wearily and parked. She'd purchased the modest brick home two years earlier when she'd realized that a father with a shotgun was seriously cramping her dating life. It hadn't helped much. She hadn't had a serious boyfriend since she'd moved in. That was for the best, she supposed. For a while there, she'd become a serial monogamist to a string of incredibly boring men. She wasn't sure what it said about her that she was incapable of attracting a man who excited her. Well… there was that one guy - her husband to be specific - but it had been three damn days and she was beginning to lose her patience!
About to insert her key in the lock, she noticed that the door was already unlocked. She turned the knob silently and called out. "Whoever you are, I have a Taser and I know how to use it. And my finger only has to hit send to dial 911."
"Whatever happened to 'Hi honey, I'm home!'?" Logan called from her kitchen.
Veronica pulled her door closed silently and did an extended happy dance on her front porch, before reopening it and entering her home, her face the picture of composure.
"I'm in here!" she heard Logan call.
Veronica followed the sound of his voice to her tiny kitchen. Logan was wearing a red and white striped apron over his jeans and t-shirt, humming, and whisking something in a saucepan. Whatever it was, it smelled delicious.
"Trespassing now, Logan?" She asked.
"Trespassing?" Logan asked in feigned shock. "But I have a key, doodlebug."
"I don't even want to know how you ended up with a key to my house. What are you cooking?" Veronica asked peering into the saucepan.
"Fettuccine Alfredo." Logan answered proudly.
Veronica let out a loud laugh. "It figures!"
"You think I can't cook?" Logan asked indignantly.
"Oh the irony! Fettuccine reminds me of a conversation I had with Mac right before I started dating Piz."
"Fettuccine makes you think of Piz?" Logan asked with a scowl.
"I'll cook something else." He said reaching for the burner knob on Veronica's stainless steel stove.
Veronica laughed slapping his hand away from the knob. "No! Fettuccine makes me think of you! Mac and I were having one of those food metaphor conversations, where Piz was the Eggplant Parmesan - healthy for me, but ultimately not very memorable. And you were the Fettuccine - Unhealthy as hell, but sinfully delicious."
Logan let out a laugh. He leaned back against the counter.
"Come here." he beckoned.
Veronica hesitated. It had been three days. Was she supposed to just come running?
"Come here." He repeated, tilting his head. Veronica wasn't the only one who could rock a head tilt.
Veronica sighed and stepped in front of Logan.
He reached out a hand and tilted her chin up as he lowered his mouth to hers. Veronica allowed her lips to part and Logan kissed her slowly and thoroughly. He touched his forehead to hers, as he pulled away.
"I've missed you." He said.
"You could have fooled me." Veronica said grouchily. "I haven't heard from you in three days."
"Just giving you time to process." Logan said.
"Well thanks for that...I guess" Veronica said.
Damn him for "getting" her. If he had come too soon, she might have panicked. Instead, he'd made her miss him.
"You're mad!" Logan teased. "Did you actually miss me, Veronica?"
"You're going to burn your sauce." Veronica grumbled.
After giving it a good whisk, Logan turned back. "You're not wearing your wedding ring." He pouted.
"Sorry." Veronica said guiltily. "I just haven't figured out how I'm going to explain this to everyone. It's right here."
She crossed to the kitchen sink, but the ring holder was empty.
"It's not here!" she said worriedly. "I just put it here this morning!" Veronica looked into the sink. "Maybe it fell down the drain. Do you know anything about plumbing?"
"Relax, Veronica." Logan said. "I have your ring. I saw it there when I showed up."
Veronica sighed in relief and held out her hand palm up. Logan turned her hand over, and reached his right hand into his pocket. After retrieving it, he slowly slid the wedding band onto her finger. Veronica looked up into his eyes, heart fluttering at the intimacy of the gesture. She felt him slide a second ring onto her finger. Looking down she saw that Logan had added an engagement ring. The platinum setting framed the largest emerald-cut diamond Veronica had ever seen flanked by smaller side stones.
She looked back up into Logan's eyes her mouth gaping.
"Is Veronica Mars actually speechless?" Logan joked.
"Oh My God, Logan! That's a ring for a queen, not a humble P.I." she blushed. "You didn't have to buy me an engagement ring. We skipped straight to the wedding."
"I didn't buy it." Logan said. "It's just something I had laying around."
"Right…Because everybody keeps the crown jewels in their sock drawer." Veronica laughed.
"How'd you know it was in my sock drawer?" Logan asked.
"You're not kidding are you?" Veronica asked. "When exactly did you buy this ring?"
"The last time we were together." Logan answered turning away to stir the sauce.
"You were going to propose?" Veronica asked, sincerely shocked.
"Remember when I broke up with you?" Logan asked. Veronica nodded. It still hurt to think of it.
"There were several reasons for that, but mainly, I didn't think you really loved me that much."
Veronica started to protest, but Logan held up a hand, continuing.
"It hurt like a bitch, but I tried to move on. Then one night a couple months later, I opened my door and you were standing there. You just threw yourself into my arms without saying a word - as if you couldn't live without me."
Veronica smiled at the memory. "I couldn't." She admitted.
"For the first time ever, you had finally fought for me. Not that I'd put up any resistance, but it was the thought that counted. I guess I took that as a sign that we really were meant to be. So I bought the ring a few weeks later. I planned that fancy date for us, planning to propose that night. I was scared to death. I knew you weren't ready to get married and that we were too young. I didn't expect to start planning a wedding or anything. I just kind of wanted to put a ring on your finger to show you how much I loved you, and how committed I was to you. I'd meant it as an 'any time, any place, you say the word' kind of thing."
Logan took a deep breath and continued. "So the big night came, and then the Madison thing came out, and …well I guess the rest is history. If you want, I can get you a different ring. Maybe this one is too tainted?" He finally risked looking at Veronica.
"Keep your mitts of my rock." she swatted at his hand, laughing through her tears.
"You like?" Logan asked hopefully.
"God, yes!" Veronica answered, kissing him soundly for a good minute. "I can't believe you held on to it all these years."
"I always meant to come back." He said. "After I'd gotten life together."
Veronica was quiet while Logan drained the pasta. Searching through the cabinets, Logan pulled out plates, wine glasses and silverware.
Finally Veronica spoke. "I'd meant to fight for you again. I thought about you constantly. I knew I wanted to find a way to forgive you so that we could be together, but before I could find the words to let you know where my head was at, you were with Parker."
Logan closed his eyes. Breathed deeply.
"Then when I was on my FBI internship, I thought of you every day. I thought about the way you went up against Sorokin, when there was nothing in it for you except for defending my honor, and I knew I was coming back to you. I broke up with Piz and I did not plan to accept no for an answer from you. I wasn't going to take the chance that you'd find another Parker, so I ran straight to your door when I got home...and…you were gone."
Logan pulled Veronica into his arms and buried his nose in her hair.
"Veronica?" Logan said, sighing. "You might want to be a bit more careful when you use words like ' I'm NEVER getting past this' or 'out of my life forever'. I tend to take them at face value."
"I might also want to learn to quit waiting until it's too late to tell you how I feel." Veronica sighed.
"Well, hopefully there won't be anymore 'too lates'" Logan answered.
"So does this mean we're back together?" Veronica asked in mock confusion.
"Nope." Logan said. "I always marry the girls I just want to have casual sex with."
Veronica chuckled softly.
"What are we doing, Logan?" Veronica asked after a moment of listening to his steady heartbeat.
"Being married, I guess." Logan answered quietly.
"But, how do we do that?" Veronica asked.
"I don't know yet. Let's start with dinner." Logan answered. He kissed her forehead and turned away to turn off the burner on the Alfredo sauce. "Can you go set the table?"