Note: I don't own Veronica Mars or anything associated. I'm just a big fan.
Update 9/2: just fixing some grammatical errors. I don't have a beta so I'm just now getting a chance to fix the little errors :)

The night Aaron Echolls was stabbed, everything changed. Veronica and Logan had ran out of the pool house to see Keith Mars tackling a woman in a catering uniform. As the ambulance sirens grew louder, the party guests filtered into the yard and stared openly at Aaron on the ground and his wife Lynn standing pale faced, hand covering her mouth. Deputies stormed in an handcuffed the assailant while Keith gave his version of the story. Apparently, the woman had slept with Aaron at a party last year and was angry when he didn't leave his wife to be with her as he had promised. During the confrontation, the woman spewed names of other women Aaron had also broken promises to. Lynn heard everything and was mortified.

Veronica wrapped one arm around Logan's waist and held him close while he watched the scene before them. He looked at his mother and slowly shook his head. Veronica heard him whisper, "When will this all end?" She looked at his face and saw fire in his eyes, directed at Aaron.

Keith needed to go down to the Sheriff's station to give his statement. Veronica promised him that she would be home when he got there but she wanted to stay with Logan for now. He nodded and gave Logan a tight smile. He stopped near Lynn and leaned down to murmur in her ear, clutching her shoulder gently. Her eyes were watery while she watched the ambulance take her husband away.

Veronica stayed with Logan for a few hours. They sat silently on the couch in the pool house holding hands before Logan finally spoke.

"He beats me, you know." He didn't know why he was telling her this. He hadn't really told anyone but it felt like a weight on his chest. Even after the last year of lashing out at her, he knew she was innately trustworthy.

Veronica gripped her hand tighter over his. She had suspected but never knew for sure. She had known him since they were 12 years old and things had never felt quite right around Aaron. "Is it just you, or does he hit your mom and Trina?"

Logan gave a long sigh and looked out across the room. "Just me. He said it builds character."

She shook her head and said, "No one deserves that."

He chuckled mirthlessly. "Oh, I've done plenty to deserve it. You know I'm a bad boy."

"Yeah, you deserve to have your car taken away or be grounded for a while. Not to be hurt by the man who is supposed to protect you."

"Protect. That's a weird concept. No one's ever protected me."

She looked up at him inquiringly and asked, "Not even your mom?"

"No, she tried at first. But he broke her down emotionally. Now she's too drunk most of the time to have any idea of what's going on."

"For what it's worth, I'm sorry Logan," she replied softly.

"I want her to leave him. But I don't know if she's strong enough to. My plan has been to take her away from him when I turn 18." He stood up and paced in front of the couch.

"My dad can help. I know your dad is powerful but mine isn't easily intimidated."

"I don't know what it'll take to get her to ask for help." They both looked at each other, silently thinking over the situation. Veronica's heart broke for the little boy who had grown into a young man without the benefit of a loving father. His cell phone chirped and as he read a text message, she itched to run her hands through his hair and give him comfort.

"He's out of surgery. It looks like he's going to make it. Oh, joy."

"I'll be here for you, Logan. Why don't you call it a night and we can go to the hospital tomorrow together?"

"Yeah, I'd like that. I know we need to talk. About us and what happened tonight and over the last year."

"We do, but that can wait." She stood up and hugged him tightly. He wrapped his arms around her and pressed his nose into her hair. "Call me tomorrow and we'll go together. You aren't alone in this," she said with conviction.

Logan nodded and kissed her head gently. She gathered her jacket and bag and slipped out of the pool house, glancing back at him with a small smile. He sat down heavily on the couch and thought of what tomorrow would bring.

Keith woke early the next morning. He needed to talk to Aaron and get a clearer picture of what happened last night. But first, he needed to ensure that his daughter was all right. He quietly opened the door to her bedroom and leaned against the frame, watching her sleep. He was at the office yesterday when he realized that one of Aaron's ex-lovers was on the catering team for the party. Keith had learned to follow his gut instincts and his gut was telling him something was going to go wrong. He knew Veronica was at the Echolls house and trusted her to stay away from the party like he had asked. The frisson of panic that his daughter would be hurt during the oncoming drama had only left when he locked in on her blue eyes after he tackled Aaron's attacker. Keith walked softly into the room and pushed back some hair on Veronica's forehead, leaning down to kiss her brow. He knew that she had had a rough year. He also knew that she was keeping personal things from him, but he couldn't force his teenage daughter to confide in him. Sparing one more glance at the light of his life, he walked out of the room and made his way to the hospital.

Because of Aaron's popularity, he had to show his Private Investigator badge at the hospital before being admitted to Aaron's floor and private room. Lifting his hand to knock on the door, he heard a male voice yelling and a woman sobbing. The door was cracked open so Keith stepped into the room quietly and entered the closet, unseen by the room's occupants.

"Dammit Lynn, you know I need to keep up appearances! So what if I have been with other women. Don't tell me you haven't slept with other men while we've been married?" Aaron said snidely.

"No! Never! Our vows meant something to me. You haven't been the easiest man to be married to but I have always been faithful," Lynn said through tears. Not one to pass up an opportunity, Keith clicked on the digital tape recorder he always kept in the inner pocket of his jacket.

"So maybe you're the only faithful woman in Hollywood. Who gives a shit? If you try to divorce me, I will destroy you. I will cut you off in all the ways that matter – money, popularity, your son."

Lynn gasped. Keith could see her stumble back against the wall, her eyes alight with terror.

"Don't you dare touch my son! I have stood by for too long while you beat him and abuse him. Take whatever you want from me, but leave Logan out of this!" Keith's ears perked with the confirmation of his suspicions: Aaron beat Logan and apparently Lynn knew about it.

"Oh, I'll take from you. I'll do whatever it takes for you to obey me. You've seen the scars on his back; you know what I'm capable of. I'll enjoy making you submit Lynn. You'll probably need to stay in the house for a few weeks. I wouldn't want pictures to get out with you bruised and banged up. It wouldn't be good for my image. But you'll learn that you can NEVER leave me and -

Before he consciously realized it, Keith stomped into the room and growled, "That's enough!" He looked back a stricken Lynn, shaking against the wall.

"Ah Keith. Nice of you to join us. Do you have any more information on my attacker?" Aaron asked coolly, ambivalent to Keith's temper.

"You're disgusting Aaron. You're not a real man! Threatening your wife and beating your son just to make you feel like you're in control? Disgusting!" Keith snarled. In two steps he was at Lynn's side and pulled her in close.

"Oh are you one of the men my wife has fucked? I know she hasn't been faithful but I didn't think she'd slum it with the help."

"Aaron! I never -" Lynn began before Keith interrupted.

"That's enough. From what I can gather, Lynn wants to leave you and you were so helpful to threaten her while I recorded it on tape. We have enough to get you and Logan a restraining order. I think we're done here." He looked down at Lynn who was nodding and crying. Aaron scoffed and turned on the television.

"Good luck with that. Money talks in Neptune and I happen to have a lot of it."

Keith grabbed Lynn's hand and walked out of the door. He didn't look at her until they got on the elevator. He pulled her in and when the door closed, he hit the emergency stop button and turned to look at her.

"I can help Lynn. You aren't alone anymore. Tell me what you want to do."

She took a shuddering breath and looked straight into his eyes. "I want him out of mine and Logan's life. I don't care about the money or house or anything except getting away from that monster. I have been passive for too long. Enough is enough."

"We can make that happen. You don't have to be afraid anymore."

She shook her head and gave a little laugh. "I have been afraid for a long time Keith. It's going to take me a while to get used to being free. But I want it so bad I can taste it." Keith nodded, grabbed her hand and squeezed. He released the emergency stop on the elevator and hit the button for the basement.

"First things first, we need to get out of here without you being seen. We need to go to the Sheriff's station and get a temporary restraining order. Lamb is an idiot but I still have friends there. We also need to call Logan and tell him to stop all contact with his father." She looked stricken for a moment but Keith could see her physically buck up and build resolve.

"We'll leave your car here at the hospital and I'll drive. You call Logan then your lawyer. Have him meet us at the station. I'll call my contacts and we'll get this done today."

The both got into his SUV and he started the engine. He looked at her again and she gave him a small smile. "It's going to be okay Lynn."

"I know," she whispered as they drove out of the parking garage and she pulled out her cell phone.

Veronica's alarm went off at 9am. She hadn't gotten home until 2am and hadn't been able to sleep right away, her mind reeling from both conversations she'd had with Duncan and Logan as well as Aaron's attack and what Logan had confided in her after.

She grabbed her cell phone and saw a text message from her dad: "Call me before you leave the house." Nothing from Logan yet.

She got out of bed and made her way into the bathroom. After a shower and cup of coffee, she sat down at the island with her cell phone. She debated on calling Logan or her dad first. Before she could make a decision, her screen flashed with an incoming call from her dad.

"Hey dad," she answered.

"Veronica, are you still at home?" He sounded hurried.

"Yes, I just got up. I haven't heard from Logan yet. I told him I'd go with to the hospital to see his dad," she said before taking a sip of coffee.

"Don't see Aaron. Go get Logan and bring him back to our house. His mother and I will be there in an hour."

"Uh okay. What's going on?"

"I can't say right now, sweetie. Please just do as I ask. We'll see you soon" Before she could respond, he hung up.

She took a deep breath and shook out her shoulders, suddenly tense. Picking up her cell phone she dialed a number she hadn't in over a year.

"Veronica..." a gravelly voice answered.

"Logan, are you still sleeping?" She looked at the clock and saw that it was close to 10am.

"Late night last night," he replied.

"Me too. Listen, my dad just called and said not to go to the hospital. Have you heard anything more?" She fiddled with her mug.

"I think I have a voicemail from my mom but I'm not sure. Maybe the bastard died after surgery. Or a nurse smothered him with a pillow?"

"I don't know about that. My dad said you should come to my house. Your mom and him will be here in an hour to talk."

"Huh. That's weird. All right, I'll shower and come over. Have you eaten yet?"

"No. Come over and we'll figure something out." He agreed and they hung up their phones

Veronica went back to her bedroom and began straightening up. She threw her clothes from last night into the hamper and made her bed. She looked around her room and her eyes stopped on a picture of her, Duncan, Lilly, and Logan from two summers before. As much as she missed those days, she knew that they were in the rearview mirror now. Too much had happened to all of them to go back. She didn't know what would happen to her relationship with Duncan know that he knew she wasn't her sister and she knew that they had slept together. She also didn't know what would happen with Logan. Especially with the kiss they shared.

She sighed and sat at her computer desk, booting up her laptop. She opened her email and saw one from Mac, the computer genius she'd befriended in the whole purity test debacle. "Hey V, I need your help. Call me when you get a chance today." Short and sweet. Veronica was wondering what her friend needed help with a knock sounded at her front door. She looked out the window near the door and saw Logan wearing dark sunglasses and a holding a brown paper bag.

She opened the door. "Wow, that was quick."

"It took longer to figure out where to park in this building's parking lot. How do you live without your own driveway or garage? It's so very... quaint." He stepped into the living room and she saw him look over the bulk of their apartment.

"Funny. Welcome to our humble abode. Please tell me you have some sort pastry in there. Cheese danish would be preferred." He handed over the bag and walked swiftly down the hallway, unabashedly looking into her bedroom, her father's room, and the bathroom. He walked back into the kitchen while she took out plates to dish out the cheese danishes he brought. He sat down at the island counter and she raised the pot of coffee, looking at him inquiringly. He nodded and she poured him a cup.

"So your apartment is... nice. When did you guys move?"

"About a year ago. After my dad lost his job we couldn't afford the house anymore. Now this is home. It's nice that it's by the beach though." She took a bite from her danish and smiled at him. She could tell that he wasn't trying to be mean but was actually curious about the changes that have gone on in her life.

"That sucks that you had to move. You don't really think about all the changes that have to happen when the public turns on you and you lose your job."

Uneasy with the conversation, Veronica replied, "My dad stood by his convictions. And it's a good thing he did. Abel Koontz didn't kill Lilly. That's a fact."

Logan looked at her wide-eyed. "How do you know that?" Shit, she thought. I shouldn't have said anything.

"No particular reason. So, how about those Sharks, eh?"

"Don't change the subject. What do you know?" Logan pierced her with his chocolate eyes. She could tell that he wasn't going to let this go.

"My dad lost his job because he knew the Kane's were covering something up. I don't know what but I will find out. I've done my own research on Koontz and he definitely didn't kill Lilly. He had no reason to."

"The newspaper said Kane Corporation stole a patent from him. Isn't that reason enough?" Logan asked.

"No, no. Anyone who works at Kane signs an agreement that anything they produce while working on the job belongs to the company. It's not a big secret that Kane wouldn't allow Koontz to keep the patent and it wasn't personal. That's business standard. No, Koontz had never met Lilly or any of Jake's family. He was a programmer, not a big wig in the company. My dad interviewed him and Koontz said specifically he was only miffed, not furious, about Kane's refusal to give him the patent. Why would a miffed guy murder a teenager he never met?"

"That doesn't prove he didn't do it. It just proves his motive wasn't as strong." Logan's hands were wrapped around his mug of coffee, his danish untouched.

Veronica got up, went into her bedroom and pulled down a box from the top of her bookshelf. She walked back into the room and set it in front of Logan. He looked up at her inquiringly and she took the lid off of the box, pulling out the picture of Lilly's bedroom.

"This is Lilly's bedroom, taken just hours after she died. See the shoes under her desk? They stuck out to me because she wore them just the day before. I drew a heart on them with a marker." Logan nodded. She pulled out another picture. "This is the evidence Lamb found on Koontz's houseboat two months after Lilly's murder. See the shoes?" Logan nodded again. "If he had killed Lilly, why would the shoes that were in her room the night she died be on his boat two months later? First off, did he go back and steal them? Second, wouldn't he have gotten rid of the evidence right after killing her? No. This evidence was planted by someone who wants Koontz to take the fall."

Logan looked back and forth at the two pictures before finally looking at Veronica's face. "Who?" he asked quietly.

"I don't know. There was discrepancies in both Jake and Celeste's testimony. I read my dad's transcripts of the interviews. They are hiding something and my dad lost his job before he could figure it out."

Logan jumped up from the table and shoved his fingers through his hair. "You don't actually believe one of them killed their daughter, do you?"

"Wouldn't be the first time they reacted when threatened..." she murmured under her breath. Also standing up, she rested her hands on the counter and calmly said, "No. I don't think they killed her. Honestly, I don't think they really even know what happened. I think they are covering it up and I plan to find out why."

"Why you? Why not just turn this information over to Lamb and let him deal with it?"

"Lilly was my best friend. I need to avenge her, for lack of a better term. Plus Lamb hates me. He didn't listen to me when I reported my rape and he has always -"

"He did WHAT?" Logan burst out.

"Oh. Uh, you know. After I woke up, I went to the station to report what happened to me. He didn't believe me." She looked away from Logan's face, afraid of what she'd see.

"For God's sake, Veronica. On top of an already shitty situation, you had to deal with that too? What did you do then?" Logan saw red but tried to clear the haze, needing to know what happened to her.

"I chopped off my hair, threw away my cutesy cardigans, and grew a backbone."

Logan moved quickly around the kitchen island and pulled her in close to his chest. She resisted for a moment before relaxing, resting her forehead against him. "Dammit Veronica. I can't stand that this happened to you." She didn't say anything and he tightened his grip on her. "You've been holding this in for too long, relying only on yourself. I'm here for you now."

He tilted her chin up with one finger and stared into her eyes. She looked back, eyes filled with emotion. She knew she should hold herself back from him but she had a sudden urge to share her burdens. Especially with the guy who had been one of her closest friends.

He looked at her mouth and then back up at her eyes, seeking permission. She gave an imperceptible nod and he lowered his lips to hers. She clenched her hand around the chest of his shirt, urging herself closer to his body. He deepened the kiss, massaging her tongue with his. She sighed softly and his hands trailed up and down her back. They stayed together for a long while, oblivious to the world around them. At that moment, he knew that he'd do anything to earn her back. He broke away from her mouth and kissed down her jaw. He whispered in her ear, "Veronica. I want to be there for you. Be more than your friend... be someone you can lean on and trust. I'm so sorry, Ronnie." He kissed her neck and she let out a shuddering breath when he pulled away to look at her again.

"I knew why you did it, Logan. Why you lashed out and pushed me away. You were hurting too." He looked ashamed at the reminder of how awful her year had been because of him. "I don't blame you though. I gave you back as good as I got." He gave a small smile. "I don't... I don't know how quickly I can be the girlfriend you expect, but I'm willing to try if you are."

He smiled brightly, his face alight with joy. "Oh Veronica, I don't expect anything. Being with you in any capacity is more than I deserve." Rather than responding, Veronica reached up on her toes and kissed his mouth. They both sank into the kiss, clutching each other tightly.

The front door opened and Keith and Lynn walked into the apartment. They both looked wide-eyed and open-mouthed at the two kissing teenagers who still hadn't noticed their presence. Keith cleared his throat and said, "Hi honey. So, this is new."