Under My Skin

Disclaimer: I don't own this, or Pillsbury or anything else. I wish I did, maybe if I write Santa Claus, he will give it to me! Cross your fingers.

Author's Note: I've changed a few details about Spit and Eggs. Logan and Veronica were still together through the episode, but things were strained. The rest you'll read. It's short, I know, but tomorrow I leave for home, so I have lots of time to write. Happy Holidays to all!

Mac managed to make it home by noon the next day. She hadn't been home in over 48 hours, and she was grateful that Veronica lent her some clothes. All she wanted was a shower, and some junk food and her bed. Her house was empty and she was glad, she didn't want to deal with her mom or her brother. All she wanted to do was ignore the rest of the world.

After hearing about Veronica's messy break up, Mac really didn't want that. Veronica had told her about what happened last night over Pillsbury Crescents. After the fall out with Mercer and the Hearst Campus rapist, Logan had become incredibly distant. He had gone and beaten Mercer and Moe to a pulp in the holding cell at Neptune's sheriff department, and then go off to Mexico. He had forgotten Veronica's birthday and yelled at her when she casually reminded him. That was it, in Veronica's eyes. She dumped him and preceded to act 'tough'.

Mac had watched her friend break down and she never wanted to be that upset again. Cassidy's suicide had already left her heart in pieces, and she was afraid of what a nasty break up with Dick would do. She entered her room, and it was covered with flowers. All different types and she couldn't believe it. There in her dad writing was a note about some mystery admirer sending more flowers than the botanical gardens down near dog beach.

She knew immediately whom they were from, and she sighed. Of course this would happen at this moment, when she figured that it wasn't worth it. Instead she lay down on her bed, and stared at her favorite of all the flowers that he had sent. An intricate glass vase that held lilies, roses and bluebells. It smelled the best, and it broke her heart to look at it.

Her phone buzzed underneath her fingertips, like somehow she knew that he would call her, subconsciously at least. She cursed her damn Philosophy professor for making her overanalyze it, and she wanted to not answer her phone, but she was a stickler for punishment.

She pressed talk and Dick immediately said her name. 'Mac.' He breathed in the phone, and Mac had to admit, that her heart fluttered a little bit at the way he said her name. 'Hi.' There was silence on the phone, neither person knowing quite what to say. 'Thanks for the flowers.' Mac says and Dick chuckles. 'Good you got them. I didn't know what was your favorite, so I figured it's better to be safe than sorry.'

Mac had to laugh at that and then the silence loomed over them again. 'Where have you been? I've been calling you since yesterday morning.' Mac shifted uncomfortably, not knowing what to say. 'I was with Veronica, wallowing.' Dick laughed. 'I was with Logan, drinking.' The phone was silent again, and this time, Mac tried to come up with a way to explain what had happened.

'I love my flowers..' Mac tried to start but Dick started to say something at the same time and they both laughed. 'I'm outside your house, wanna let me in?' Mac would love to say no, but she instead tells him that the door is unlocked.

Dick finds himself in her room a minute later and Mac just sits there on her bed. Still un-showered and feeling gross. Dick smiles at the sight of Mac. He liked that she refused to change, and her cute smiles made him hotter than any flash of lingerie that Madison had worn.

'Hi.' Mac said sheepishly and Dick tried to act cool, but let's face it, he was anything but cool around his semi girlfriend. He sat on the bed and they sat side by side in silence yet again. 'How's your head?' Mac asked and Dick's hand immediately went to the bluish tint on the side of his forehead. 'It's ok.' Mac brushed his bangs out of his eyes, and their eyes met, and Mac blushed.

'I'm sorry.' Mac said and dick shrugged. 'I've had bigger, harder and heavier things thrown at my head.' Mac brushed her fingers over the bruise. 'It was mean, and childish.' Dick just shrugs. 'I've been a jackass, so I think I deserve it.' Dick looks over at a picture of Veronica and Mac together. 'Why did you throw it? Your not into violence I thought.'

Mac sighed. 'It's stupid now. I'm an idiot, I…' Mac begins but really she just doesn't know what to say. Veronica had asked her if part of the reason why she had suddenly done a 180, was because of Cassidy. Murderer, sociopath and rapist or not, she had loved him. And that's just not something you get over.

'I got mad at that picture, of Veronica and I. you hated me, veronica, anyone who wasn't like you dick, and suddenly you have that picture now?' Mac doesn't know if she can bring up Cassidy in front of Dick. She didn't know what would happen. Another thing that made her doubt that this could work.

But dick was surprising. He kept her on her toes, and he knew just how to sweep her off her feet. 'I was an asshole to anyone who wasn't like me. I'm sorry.' He takes her hand and he smiles and fiddles with the plastic ring he had given her the day that they played in the ocean. 'Obviously you don't hate me, since you have the ring.'

Mac looked over at the flowers, something that she thought no other guy would ever consider on doing for her, and she shrugged. 'How about we stop worrying about the past huh? But we need to talk Di…Richard.'

Dick swallowed and thought that yet again he was being dumped. 'I don't trust you. I don't trust anyone. After..' Dick jumped up. 'If you're going dump me will you just do it?' Instead Mac just shook her head.

'No, I'm not doing that. We are just going so fast, and it's so soon after Cassidy.' Mac covered her mouth after she said her name. She expected him to lash out, to yell, or something instead he hugged her. Normally she would have reacted badly to being touched in such a way, but with Dick, she never felt uncomfortable. For the first time since graduation night, she felt safe. Their problems, how many, or how deeply they were seated in their minds, and hearts, didn't seem so important.

'Cin, It's going to be ok.' Dick brushes his hand over her hair, and she feels her knees weaken. Dick holds on tighter, and then looks down at her. 'You ok?' Mac just nods and steps on her tippy toes. 'Yup.' She kissed him.

'So wanna watch a movie?' Mac asks and Dick shrugs. 'No weird ass indepedent movies!' Mac laughs and pulls Dick out of her room into her living room where the DVD player was.

That night they managed to go through all of Mac's favorite (non independent movies) and managed to figure out a way to get Logan and Veronica back together. Dick had elaborated on the many stages of a drunken logan in the last few days. 'it's scary man, he's not exactly violent, but he is fond of throwing the JD bottles once he's finished.' Mac put her hand on Dicks arm and he smiled at how sweet she was. 'Picture Veronica filled with sugar, and no mystery to solve. She's scary too.'

Dick giggled. 'I say this calls for an intervention!'

TBC