Another chapter in a timely manner. Aren't you all so proud of me? I lied last update when I said there'd only be a few more chapters. I was going to write a sequel but I don't want the weight of another story on my shoulders. Instead I'm going to extend this story to about 30 chapters (give or take a few).

All your reviews have gotten me so inspired that I have 2 more chapters already written and I'm working on a 3rd right now (who needs to pack for school? Psst!). So I can guarentee more chapters this week! Let's all clap and dance around for my complete 180. Individual responses to reviews are at the end.

On with another (and might I say, juicy) chapter!

I never knew what appropriate attire to wear to a bowling outing was. Last time I went with witty, this time I was looking more for convention. A vintage bowling shirt was perfect. The lose fabric floated away from my stomach enough that if I didn't know better, I wouldn't think I was pregnant. One normal day out would be exactly what I needed.

A text from Wallace informed me that he would pick me up in ten minutes so I had to kick my butt into gear. For some strange reason I felt the need to look good Wallace's last day in Neptune for the summer. I let my blonde hair lose, wavy to fall past my shoulders. For the first time in a few weeks, I even applied makeup. I was surprised I hadn't forgotten how to apply it all correctly. The hair and makeup contradicted my maternity jeans and bowling shirt, so I gave up, pulling my hair into a loose bun at my neck.

"God, Wallace, where are you?" I was frustrated with the amount of time I had to play with my look. As if God was answering my prayers, a rhythmic knock sounded on the front door, "Finally!"

"Let's go girl, I'm running late for my own goodbye party," Wallace gave my outfit a once over, "Are you sure you're not a closet bowling freak because that shirt looks so natural."

I affectionately punched his arm. Actions do speak louder than words.

"Before we get there I want to say something so that I don't get all emotional because I'm sick of being such a, a…girl."

"V, just spit it out."

"I, I'm really proud of you," I fought back the tightening feeling in my chest and throat. I swore to myself I wouldn't cry, "Like, this is a really big deal. I'm proud to be your best friend."

"Now, now," Wallace pat my shoulder as he continued watching the road, "I gotta catch up to you somehow."

"Psst," I pushed his hand out of the way, thankful for his kidding nature, "You can never be as cool as me."

"I never said you were cool," He said as he pulled into the bowling alley's parking lot. My jaw dropped open and I crossed my arms over my chest, "I'm kidding! There is no way I could ever compare to you, Veronica Mars."

We got out of the car and Wallace pulled me close to him as we walked through the lot. I was completely content in my best friend's arms.

Then something shiny caught my eye. A shiny, black Range Rover sat in a parking spot near the entrance to the bowling alley. Shit.

"You invited Logan?" I spat venomously, "You don't even like him!"

Wallace stopped walking. His face was full of concentration as he calculated how to handle my outburst, "I never said I didn't like him."

"Uh, I'm pretty sure you've displayed your distaste for him on occasion."

He held up his hands defensively, "Okay, okay, that was high school. Things are different now. I mean, he always going to be a part of your life and I'm always going to be a part of your life so we have to coexist."

"I just –" I cut myself off. I was being ridiculous, "I'm sorry. You're right. It's just we had a fight yesterday."

Wallace shook his head, "I should've known. But seriously, you two need to work things out ASAP. This little LoVe child is going to be here before you know it."

"I wish everyone would just stop saying that," I said through gritted teeth, allowing Wallace to pull me inside, "And love child? Really, Wallace?"

"Not love but LoVe. Logan and Veronica put together," He flashed his innocent little smile, "You like it?"

For the second time of the day, I punched Wallace, harder. I made sure he felt the affection in that one.

"Hey Wallace! Veronica!" Mac jumped up from the plastic bench and started walking, well more like shuffling in her over sized bowling shoes, to greet us, "This is the end of an era."

"The end?" Wallace hugged her, "I'm only going to Africa for the summer you know."

Mac nodded, leaning heavily on Wallace, "I know. But when you get back. Everything will be different."

We all knew that was the truth. In just the few short months of summer, one of us will have completed a volunteering stint with Invisible Children, the other will be a parent and the last will develop the glue that will keep them all together.

"Uh, are we going to bowl or what?" Dick Casablancas interrupted the Hallmark moment.

Wallace and I walked over to the counter to turn our shoes in for a pair of smelly, unfashionable bowling shoes before joining a group at the lanes they already reserved. And that's when I saw him, sulking by the computer.

"Hey Veronica," His voice was low and dull.

"Hi."

He sighed, "Listen, I –"

"Stop," I put a hand up to silence his lips, "I know we need to talk but not now. Please. I don't want to ruin my last day with Wallace." He nodded in understanding. I knew a conversation was inevitable but I was going to do anything in my power to prolong the wait, "Girls against boys?"

"Uh, but there's two of you and only three of us," Dick pointed out, seemingly annoyed.

"Right…" Mac and I exchanged that look that usually follows anything Dick says.

"Sounds good to me. Losers buy pizza," Wallace rubbed his hands together warming them up for his ball handling.

And so the normal teenage bowling party began. Mac and I started off being behind but soon with Mac's calculated strikes we were dominating the competition. By the tenth frame we had wiped the floor clean with the boys.

"So, I think there was a promise of pizza?" I rubbed my grumbling stomach.

Being the gracious losers that they were, Wallace, Logan and Dick made their way over to the counter to order the food. Returning to the table where Mac and I were trying to get comfortable in the swiveling plastic chairs, they carried two pitchers of soda with plastic cups. It seemed that everything in the blasted bowling alley was made of uncomfortable plastic.

We danced around conversation and from the outsiders' prospective we probably looked like we were all friends forever. If that wasn't the farthest from reality than I was the Queen of England.

The pizzas finally came and I was first to dive in. I was also first to finish my allotted three slices. Without a fight from anyone but Dick, I earned the last slice on the argument that I was feeding for two. That was one of the only perks of pregnancy.

It wasn't until Mrs. Fennell called Wallace that I realized this was it. I would be best friendless for three whole months. I was stuck not helping anyone while Wallace got to have all the fun. How would I keep myself busy this summer?

The group all made its way into the parking lot. Logan and Dick started to pull back away from the group giving Mac and me our time with Wallace. Mac was the first to say her goodbyes.

"Hey, Veronica," Logan whispered trying not to ruin the moment, "Can we, uh, talk civilly after this?"

"Oh, uh, yeah," I stuttered. I knew this was coming. I knew what I had to say to him, "I mean, yes."

Dick and Logan backed farther away from Wallace and me with one final wave at their friend by default. Even Mac gave us our space.

"This is the end of an era, ya know."

Wallace laughed nervously, "Veronica, I'm not dying or anything. I'll be back at the end of August."

I pouted, "That's a very, very long time from now."

"You'll be so distracted with baby things that it will fly by. I promise."

"Just imagine, when you get back," I held my arms out, big and rounded in front of me, "I'll be this big. You won't even be able to hug me."

He slapped my arms out of the way and enveloped me into a big bear hug, "That's whack girl. I'll get my arms around you somehow."

"Well, you better go before the waterworks come. Trust me; you don't want to see that. Plus, your mom's waiting for you. Don't want her to hate me again."

"She won't change how I feel about you, V," Wallace didn't loosen his grip on me; "You're my best friend, girl."

"Stop it!" I weaseled out of his grip, "Go! Go save the world! I'll be here, knitting you a sweater."

A sly smile spread across his face, "Well instead of knitting me a sweater, because those things always make me itchy. Can you do something else for me?"

"Anything, Mr. Fennell," I hastily wiped the tears that were spilling over the brims of my eyes.

"Could you lower my purity score again by flashing me now," He laughed, "Since you have more to look at?"

He earned his third and final affectionate slap of the summer. I turned my back on him, knowing that if I watched him walk to his car and drive away I would lose it right there. He didn't deserve to see me hurting when he was off doing something for himself rather than being my errand boy. He needed to go to Africa without feeling guilty for leaving me behind. He needed to leave me behind for once after all the times he had fallen by the wayside in my life.

I took a few deep breaths before walking towards Logan, "Okay, let's talk."

I hopped into the front seat of his Range Rover after Mac and Dick decided to hang out again to give us space at the suite. The idea had come up so quick that I thought that it was out of sheer pleasure of each others' company than for giving Logan and me privacy.

But whatever the case, Logan and I headed back to the Grand. The car ride was unusually quiet, even for us. He didn't even turn on the radio to fill the silence. I was thankful though because I was taking this time to collect my thoughts. I wasn't one to apologize so this was all new to me. I needed all the preparation I could get.

Tina waved at us as we walked through the lobby though either of us even responded. I was about to burst, ruining my whole speech. We had to get to the suite and fast. The elevator must have sensed my impatience because an array of people got on seemingly needing to stop on each floor on the way up to the Presidential Suite.

But finally we arrived, safely, inside the room. Now I prayed for more time to think. I sat down on the couch. I stood up near the mini-fridge. I sat on the armchair. I moved to the arm of the couch. All the while, Logan looked on with a smile. He found this amusing.

"Veronica," He half-laughed, welcoming the distraction, "Just sit."

So I just sat. And we sat, and sat, and sat, neither of us wanting to say the first words.

"I'm sorry –" We both blurted out at the same time.

"You're sorry?" We continued in unison, "But why?"

Logan put up his hand, taking control of the conversation, "Just, let me go first."

"No!" I felt as if I was going to burst, "Please let me."

He shook his head with a smile on his face. He knew this was one battle he wasn't going to win if he started arguing on who was going to apologize first, "Go ahead."

"Well, I've been thinking what I would say to you since I left yesterday. I want to blame my behavior on my hormones but I'm afraid that excuse is getting old, fast," I stopped to take a breath, "It's hard for me to forgive. It's hard for me to trust people, to let people in. Every time I do I always get hurt, always. I'm always left to pick up the pieces. I just –"

"Veronic—" Logan interrupted.

"No, hear me out," I placed a finger over his lips, "But with you, you're there to pick up the pieces, even for or maybe especially for the messes you make. You're there to keep me together, to keep me whole. And I'm not whole without you. I've realized that. Sleeping with Madison, yeah it hurt me, a lot, but I can't hold that over your head anymore. There are more important things in life. Okay, I'm done," I sighed, "Your turn."

His had faded as I ranted and rambled, "I never thought that a drunken night with Madison would've hurt us so deeply, but it did. I can't take it back. But that was the last time, the last time I'm ever going to hurt you. I want you, all of you more than I value my own life sometimes and I can't handle not being with you," He paused, his face showing his inner turmoil, "What I said yesterday, I meant. I want all or nothing. But if it's nothing, I don't know what I'm going to do. I love you, Veronica. I didn't mean –"

"Oh!" One hand flew to my stomach and the other to my back as the baby kicked and twirled.

Logan shifted uncomfortably unsure of I was doing, "What's the matter?"

"Oh, no, no," I waved him off, "The baby's just somersaulting."

"The baby's moving?"

Oops, I hadn't mentioned it to him before, "Oh, yeah. It's been kicking and swimming around a lot lately. Pretty weird if you ask me. Here, feel this."

I took his hand and placed it where I had just had my own. His eyes focused on his hand, he slowly lifted his head to stare at me.

"Veronica, please tell me it's all," He pleaded, rubbing his thumb across my shirt, "Please."

"Logan," I laid my hand over top of his, "We're epic, remember?"

He leaned in, closing the space between our faces. Slowly he worked his lips, massaging my own. The kiss was different than the hungry kisses we had shared only twenty-four hours earlier. It was tender, longing, something we had never experienced before. I felt the difference, the change and I had faith that this time, things would be different.

I opened my mouth, wanting more but instead of more, he pulled back.

"I want to take this slow, Veronica," He admitted, "I want this all to work out. I don't want to screw up, not again."

I nodded, understanding completely, "Neither do I."

And all the while, his hand remained on my stomach. Even more surprising than the turn of the talk, the baby seemed to know each where Logan's hand was resting because the kicking became more localized. It was amazing but I couldn't help but wince.

"Does it hurt?" He questioned, rubbing circles on my stomach.

I shook my head, "Its just really weird feeling. Like something crawling under my skin."

He smiled, "Sounds cool."

"Oh yeah, it's real cool when it keeps me up all night."

"Well stay here," He offered, "If it wakes you up, you can wake me up and we can watch a movie, play a game, something to occupy the time."

I thought about it, "I mean, if you want me to. We'd have to stop by my apartment to get a change of clothes though."

"We'll bring over all your stuff if you want."

"I have to go home at some point," I pointed out, "So I'll need some clothes there too."

He shook his head, "When I said stay here, I pretty much meant move in."

"Whoa," I sucked in a long breath, "I thought we were taking things slow."

Logan shrugged, "I know, I know but isn't it just easier. I mean the baby's going to be here in a few months. We need to prepare."

"We're going to raise the baby here? At the Neptune Grand?" I asked in disbelief. I hadn't really thought of that before but the Neptune Grand would be the last place I could see as a good place to raise a child.

"You know what, I'm sensing a touchy subject," He backed away from me on the couch, "Forget I said anything."

I placed a hand on my hip, "We're going to have to talk about it at some point."

"Right, some point," He took my hand off my hip and enclosed it in his own, "But not now. I don't want to ruin the moment."

He was right. We had plenty of time to figure everything out. And we would figure everything out, together.

"Does taking it slow mean we won't be taking care of my," I paused and my cheeks flushed red, "Uh, my needs?"

Logan laughed, pulling me in for a hug, "Oh Sugarpuss…"

So finally, there's Veronica not being ridiculous. Hope the end of the fighting won't make you think there's not going to be more drama for these two to come.

Individual Responses:

AmyInJapan: I promise to never make you reread a chapter again (unless you choose to because it's just SO awesome.) so get used to regular updates.

Distinctlyforbidden: I've found that the more I write the characters the easier it is to channel them. Also I'm sad that you're giving up on your Heroes story. But if the inspiration strikes you, I'll be here to beta it, or anything else you need a second opinion/read-thru on.

Isilady: I don't think you're mean! I've written a Veronica that's hatable. But I have gotten sick of whiny, helpless Veronica so she's going to be different from now on. Especially with what I have planned. And I LOVE Dick. I wish they had given him a deeper character on the show though.

TSJorSydPip: The beginning was supposed to be confusing because Veronica kind of hid from the situation in her mind. So as she found out what happend, so did you. But to answer your questions. I don't know if you remember from the show, but Logan and Veronica broke up "for good" after Veronica found out Logan slept with Madison (while they were on a break). Also at this point, Veronica is 5 months along. To add, it's the end of May/beginning of June. Keep reading and reviewing!

Galaxy451: Well I hope you've added the story to your alerts so you don't almost miss this one! Well, here's Veronica letting it go. Surprise? I have many plans for the future of this story that I think you'll be pleasantly surprised with/enjoy.

And everyone else, leave me some more love (or hate if that's your thing).