Year of Living Dangerously Part II

by VanessaGalore

Now complete. Sequel to YLD1. If you don't deal with the past, it will deal with you. A future-fic about fatherhood, consequences, & redemption. Logan/Veronica, Ensemble, & everyone I haven't killed yet. Minor Character Death. Reviews contain spoilers.

29. Chapters 91 to 94

DISCLAIMER: I don't own any rights to Veronica Mars. This story is written as a tribute only. No celebrity endorsement is implied by product placements. All real persons' names are used in the sense of "wouldn't it be cool if this person had this gig?" The institution discussed in this fic is not a real institution. No harm or insult is intended to any real-life organizations or to any participants in the meetings of these organizations. Again, this fic is not intended for those under the age of 17.

A/N: Beta-ed by Poniesforall, Kazy, and Sobertears. All mistakes that remain are my responsibility.

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Last time on The Year of Living Dangerously Part II-Just the important stuff from chapters 88-90:

( for the whole overblown "previously on", see my journal.
vanessagalore•livejournal•com/67809•html )

Mac's FBI handler, Alan Sheffield, catches her using his stolen Blackberry and forces her to admit that she's trying to surreptitiously help Veronica with the Slasher case. He reveals to her that the FBI suspects the bombing attack on her parents was not retribution for Mac's work on the Russian mafia's computer identity theft scheme.

Veronica's condition is still improving, but she can't really remember the last day. She expresses her regret that she got Logan involved in the undercover operation and that she didn't listen to him when he tried to get her to end it.

Logan is arrested on misdemeanor assault and battery charges for his attack on Klein the last day of the operation. While Keith is bailing him out, Veronica sneaks off and phones Wallace, who tells her about the Mackenzie funeral. She insists upon returning to Neptune immediately to support Mac.

Sheriff D'Amato questions Logan's agent, Harvey Greenblatt, who insists that Logan did not hire an impostor as an alibi and suggests that perhaps one of Aaron Echolls' stalkers has targeted Logan. Forensics determine that a fingerprint found in Kendall's hotel suite is a possible match with Veronica's fingerprints. Leo learns of the Briar Hill undercover operation and Logan's arrest. He interviews Madison Sinclair, who tells the history of Duncan, Logan, and Veronica from her perspective. She confirms that Logan had an affair with Kendall and reveals that Kendall was the reason that Duncan and Veronica broke up before Duncan left the country. She points out that Veronica has recently been supporting Duncan in his custody case. Leo wonders if it is truly a coincidence that Duncan and Kendall returned to Neptune around the same time, and the romantic entanglements of Logan, Veronica, Duncan, and Kendall reinforce his suspicions about Kendall's murder.

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VERONICA MARS
10:00PM SHO ch: 340 60min 2009 TV-MA
Besieged
Alan questions Mike Fields and probes the
possible motives for the MacKenzie bombing;
Veronica, Logan, and Keith head home.
Veronica: Kristen Bell. Logan: Jason Dohring.
Keith: Enrico Colantoni. Dick: Ryan Hansen.
Mac: Tina Majorino. Alan: Ned Vaughan.
Mike Fields: Michael Trucco.
•••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••

CHAPTER NINETY-ONE: "BESIEGED"

Mon. 3/16/09 afternoon: San Diego RCFL, CA

Mike Fields taps nervously on the half-open door to Alan's office. His direct supervisor had called first thing this morning, ordering him to drop everything and proceed directly to the Regional Computer Forensics Laboratory in San Diego to speak with Alan Sheffield.

"Come in," Alan says brusquely. "Have a seat, Agent Fields."

Mike sits down; he glances sideways at Mac, already seated in front of the desk, who looks tired and stressed compared to the last time he saw her. "What's this about, Agent Sheffield? My supervisor didn't give me any details."

Alan stares at Mike. "It's amazing. Everyone who has a relationship with Veronica Mars seems to be incapable of full disclosure. Of course you know what this is about."

Mac says quickly, "I'm sorry, Mike. If there was any other way, I wouldn't have–"

Alan shakes his head. "Agent Fields, you've already been disciplined once in the last year for allowing Ms. Mars access to your passwords."

"Veronica did that without my knowledge. I would have encouraged her to take any evidence to the Bureau if she had confided in me," Mike explains.

Mac rolls her eyes. Way to have Veronica's back, you douche.

"That's an interesting observation. In my file, it says that after she accessed the databases with your password, you subsequently helped her by providing background information on Marvin Chase. And you admitted as much to your supervisor," Alan retorts.

"She has a way of asking you to do things," Mike replies feebly. "I don't know why I agreed...I have a lot of respect for her investigative abilities." He tries to muster additional courage. "I've already been disciplined for that breach, as you know."

"And you didn't learn anything from it, apparently. I'd like to know everything you've done for Ms. Mars in the past few months. Everything, no matter how small or large. I'll be comparing what you tell me now with the records on your computer, so I suggest you be completely forthcoming. Or I'll be recommending that you immediately be terminated from the bureau."

Mike sighs. "Veronica came to me in early February." He consults his Blackberry and specifies, "February 6. She asked if she could review the case files for the Saturday Night Slasher. She explained that the latest victim was an old girlfriend of her current boyfriend, Logan Echolls, and that the media was spinning the story to blame him. I gave her unofficial copies of the case files for each victim and made her promise to bring anything she found out to me."

"How much of the case files did you give her?" Alan asks, making a note on a piece of paper.

"The biographical summary, autopsy and tox reports, crime scene reports, and photos, before and after, for each victim."

"Pretty much the whole file then?"

"I didn't give her any of the interview transcripts, just the raw data. She does excel at discerning patterns, and as long as she brought her ideas to me, I really didn't see the harm of a fresh pair of eyes looking at the data."

"Didn't see the harm," Alan comments sarcastically. "Anything else from that meeting?"

"She asked me to run Logan Echolls' passport number through Passport Control to see if he had actually left the country as the press was reporting," Mike replies. "Veronica explained that she thought the video of him circulating on the internet was a fake, intended to get the paparazzi off his trail."

"That's true," Mac chimes in. "Alan, she was just trying to help in the investigation in order to get the media to leave Logan alone. She thought it didn't make sense that Hannah was supposedly high on heroin at the time of her death, but hadn't been a long time user. Veronica wondered what other discrepancies there might be between Hannah's case and the others. She was suspicious that the FBI might be missing something."

Mike adds, "She told me what she had discovered the next time I spoke to her."

"Which was?"

Mike consults his Blackberry again. "March 2. She told me her theory that the serial killer was committing the murders on dates when Saturday nights coincided with a full moon."

Alan frowns. "Mac mentioned that yesterday. I believe the serial killer task force is working in a completely different area. Is there any evidence to support this theory other than Veronica's guesswork?"

"If you run the dates of the murders and compare them to the dates of the full moon, you'll see that every Saturday with a full moon has a corresponding victim. Except it wasn't a full moon when Hannah Griffith was murdered. And Hannah Griffith had never been arrested for prostitution. The only evidence that she was a prostitute was the fact that she was murdered by a killer who targets hookers," Mike explains.

Alan types on his computer, scowling at the screen. Mike looks at Mac, who shrugs and mouths, 'Sorry'. Mike nods resignedly. Alan finally looks up and reluctantly admits, "She's right. This does seem to indicate that the last victim was killed by a copycat. Did you report this to the agents in charge of the Slasher case?"

Mike stares back. "You see, that's the thing. How did a copycat killer know all the details we withheld from the press? The symbol that was carved into the victims? Only the police and the FBI knew about that. Veronica was convinced this was someone in law enforcement or someone who had access to law enforcement."

Alan frowns. "You know that there are always leaks in investigations. Perhaps someone briefed the governor, or the mayor of Los Angeles, and the information got out that way."

"Someone in the government, like perhaps the speaker of the state assembly?" Mac suggests.

"Veronica wondered if Hannah was killed to cover up something that she witnessed at Briar Hill Academy," Mike explains. "She was about to go undercover there to gather evidence for a lawsuit against the school. Apparently, Veronica was successful, going by all the news reports over the last few days. There certainly have been revelations about Assemblyman Frazzino and his daughter and what was going on at the school. There were also allegedly payoffs to the commissioner of the Vermont Department of Education for early warnings about surprise inspections."

"Right, that's what you implied last night, Mac," Alan muses. "So Veronica thought Hannah was blackmailing somebody?"

"Not necessarily. It could have been someone trying to eliminate witnesses that took advantage of the Slasher's modus operandi," Mike replies.

"You took these suspicions to the agents in charge of the Slasher case, of course," Alan says.

"If I took Veronica's suspicions to the Slasher task force, I could have alerted the murderer," Mike answers. "She told me to try to get in touch with Mac. Veronica thought Mac had uncovered something about the case."

Mac explains, "After I entered Witness Protection, and I was working with you on the identity theft programs, I learned enough about the FBI databases that I was able to compile a list of everyone who had access to the Slasher's victim files. I sent Veronica a coded email, telling her to get Mike to make contact with me, and I gave him the list."

Alan looks pissed. "You're incredible, Mac, and that's not a compliment."

Mac flushes.

"Why is this so important now?" Mike asks curiously. "What's happened? Did Mac come up with some new information?"

Alan looks at him stonily. "You heard about the attempt to murder Mac's family?"

"Wait...the MacKenzie family in Neptune...that's your family? Oh, Mac, I'm so sorry," Mike says sympathetically.

"Mac's family was not at home when the bomb went off. They've now been inducted into the Witness Protection program. At first, we assumed it was retaliation for Mac's computer forensics work here at the Bureau. She was able to reconstruct a method for identifying the originating server for a massive identity theft program, and we were able to arrest the perpetrators, who were Russian mafia."

Mike looks at Mac. "That's great, Mac. We've had to devote more and more of the Bureau's resources to computer crime. Veronica always said you were an amazing programmer."

"Except we don't think the Russian mafia was behind the bombing after all," Alan replies. "How would they know that Mac was responsible for finding that server? There was no press reports of her involvement. The Bureau's Computer Forensic Team took the credit for the bust. There was no mention of Cynthia MacKenzie in any of the publicity. At first, we just assumed it was a continuation of the hit that was placed on her, Max, and the other hacker who was murdered, Rick Picket. But our informants in the Russian mafia say there is no hit on Mac. And there was no attempt on Max's or Picket's family, either. Why your family, and not theirs?" Alan sighs. "I'm wondering if it was Mac's other activities with us here at the FBI that made her a target. Maybe someone found out about your research into the serial killer case and decided to stop you before you told someone what you knew. They couldn't get to you personally because of our security, so they're trying to get you out in the open at your family's funeral."

"I've told you everything I know," Mac protests. "And I was very careful when I was snooping into files."

"You're absolutely certain no one could know you accessed those files?"

"No, of course, you can never be absolutely certain; someone could have installed a program that would surreptitiously gather data on everyone accessing the files. But I was watching for that, and I don't think there was anything like that," Mac replies thoughtfully.

"Agent Fields, you said you saw Veronica on March 2. You got the list from Mac on..."

"The next day, March 3. I started working on the names on Wednesday, March 4."

"What exactly have you been doing with the list Mac gave you?"

"I haven't made much progress with it. I'm doing a basic alibi check. I've eliminated maybe half of the agents listed, because they were working shifts at the time," Mike explains. "I structured it as an Accounting Department query verifying timecards. I included agents who weren't on Mac's list to avoid raising suspicion."

Despite himself, Alan nods, appreciating Mike's cautious investigative techniques. "I'm trying to understand the timeline here. Do you know when Veronica's undercover operation started?" Alan asks.

Mike looks at his Blackberry and tries to recall their conversation. "I met with her on Monday the second, two weeks ago. I think she said she would be starting on Friday."

Alan looks at his own calendar. "Friday, March 6. About ten days ago. And the bombing occurred late on Sunday, March 8."

"You think there's a connection?" Mac asks dubiously.

"I don't know what to think." Alan starts to pace around the office and muses out loud. "Veronica meets with Mike on March 2. Mike gets the list from Mac on the third, and begins checking alibis on the fourth. Two days later, Veronica goes undercover, at the place where she suspects Hannah witnessed something bad enough to commit murder. She starts asking questions at Briar Hill, snooping around, and somebody gets suspicious. Let's say for argument's sake that someone at the school has a contact in the FBI. This FBI agent digs around and finds out that Mac is snooping here in San Diego, and they decide that Mac might really know something. They've already killed Hannah to cover up something; they decide to try to get at Mac to keep her quiet. But she's protected by intense security here at the Bureau, and they can't get to her without revealing themselves."

Alan continues, "They know Mac is helping investigate the Russian mafia, and they try to get Mac out in the open by making it look like the mafia took out her family. There have been several incidents in the last few years where FBI agent's families were targeted by the Russian mafia, and everyone's hyperalert about it. Of course we would assume it was retaliation for the arrests. At the funeral, they would get assigned to the detail and make sure that Mac gets taken out."

"Lots of ifs," Mike says dubiously. "If it's an FBI agent, why not just try to get at Mac once she's in Witness Protection and away from all this security?"

"I don't know. Maybe the agent doesn't have clearance for WitSec files. Or there's a reason to move quickly that we're not seeing," Alan theorizes.

"So you're assuming that Veronica made somebody nervous in Vermont?" Mike asks.

"Or maybe your alibi checks alerted somebody," Alan replies. "I guess the real question is, is there something that you know that's worth all this trouble, Mac?"

"What?" Mac asks. "I don't know anything."

"If this theory's correct, somebody thinks you know something," Alan states. "Is there any chance that Veronica accidentally let something slip about Mac while she was undercover and that alerted someone?"

Mac says "No!" as Mike comments simultaneously, "I doubt it. She's a pro."

Mac adds, "So what about the funeral tomorrow?"

Alan sighs again. "I guess we go ahead with our plans. I don't know what to think. This Briar Hill connection seems pretty far-fetched. But I think the alternative is worse."

"The alternative?" Mac asks.

"The alternative is that someone in the FBI has a connection to the Russian mafia, and this truly was retaliation for Mac's help with the identity-theft ring."

Mike and Mac stare at Alan. Mac realizes if this is true, even Witness Protection might not save her life.

Alan begins to pace again. "I don't think we have a choice. We need to stick with our plan at the funeral. Brenda will take your place, and I'll ask for further security upgrades, strictly on a need-to-know basis. I've been setting up a video feed for you to watch everyone who is attending to see if you recognize someone who shouldn't be there, in case this is some personal vendetta that we haven't been able to discover. And I'll ask for any of the agents on the list you compiled to be transferred to other duties–in case there really is some connection."

He continues, "I'm going to have to discuss the whole operation with my direct supervisor. Agent Fields, I'm going to ask you to take a voluntary leave of absence until we determine how to handle this incident. Clearly, you should have brought this to the attention of your supervisor even if you were hesitant about contacting the Slasher task force directly," Alan states seriously.

"Sir...I fully intended to compel Veronica to discuss her theories with the appropriate personnel once she had finished her undercover operation," Mike protests.

"No, I don't think so, Agent Fields. I think Veronica knew she could trust you to work with her without informing other Bureau personnel. It was the right move for her, but not the right move for your career."

Mac interrupts, "Screw the Bureau, Mike." Alan frowns at her, and she makes a face back at him.

Mike shakes his head. "No, I'm not going to take this lying down. There were compelling reasons not to disclose this information until more data was known, not the least of which was Veronica's personal safety on her undercover operation."

"Suit yourself," Alan answers. "The ADIC will be in touch with your supervisor."

Mon. 3/16/09 late afternoon: Logan Airport, Boston, MA

For the hundredth time, Veronica protests, "I can walk. I don't need this wheelchair."

"You agreed, Veronica," Keith replies. "That was the deal. You agreed to use a wheelchair, avoid all stress, and comply with your doctor's orders if we would agree to take you back to Neptune. Dr. Arthurs wasn't too happy with us. First Logan gets arrested, and then you sneak out of your room, call Wallace, and insist on taking the next flight out. I think Dr. Arthurs wanted to put you on a psych hold and report me to the Department of Child and Family Services. Please, Veronica. Don't push it, okay?"

Veronica sighs as Logan continues to push her through the terminal.

Keith's phone rings again. "Hey...yeah...that sounds good. Thanks again for helping Logan today. I appreciate it, Jim." He terminates the call.

"Epstein again?" Logan asks.

"Yeah, he's packing up all the gear to ship back to Neptune and closing up the rented house for me. He and I are both retaining a copy of all the evidence on separate hard drives, and the FBI took possession of the computers we used as evidence for the federal case. Epstein's pretty happy right now. He's been working on this lawsuit for two years without much success, and he seems to think a substantial verdict is a lock."

"Maybe he can afford a secretary now," Veronica comments, remembering the disorderly state of Epstein's office.

"He'll need more than a secretary. He'll need several paralegals just to file all the paperwork for this case, and probably a second attorney to help prepare the lawsuit once the criminal charges have been resolved. Klein's attorneys are already filing motions to suppress evidence. I suggested that Epstein get a forensic accountant to trace all of Klein's and Briar Hill's assets before they have a chance to hide them."

"Is Klein still talking about suing us?" Veronica asks, looking up at her dad.

"Don't worry about it, honey. Ruggerio assured us that there's not much wriggle room on the federal charges. Klein's not going to have time to sue us when he's defending himself on all these charges," Keith replies, somewhat misleadingly. Truth is, I do expect a lawsuit. But there will be time enough to worry about that later. He continues, "And I don't want you to worry about Logan's arrest. Epstein said that Logan can plead no contest to assault and pay a small fine. It's just a misdemeanor, and we'll ask the clients to pay the fine for him."

Veronica glances at her dad. He smiles reassuringly at her, and she nods slightly.

They reach the gate, and Logan sets the brake on the wheelchair. He sets his carry-on down next to the wheelchair and suggests, "I'll go buy some food for the plane."

"Good idea," Keith agrees. "Peanuts aren't going to do it. See if you get a filet mignon, or maybe a lasagna for this one," he adds, nodding at Veronica, who sticks her tongue out at him.

Logan wanders down the terminal until he finds a sandwich shop. He orders six large sandwiches with various fillings, large containers of potato salad and macaroni salad, and chocolate chip cookies. He is still unaccustomed to how thin Veronica is; he didn't see it at the school, where all the girls were underweight, but now it strikes him as obscene. She has uncharacteristically pushed her food away more than once, and he worries that it's her emotional turmoil that prevents her from eating as she usually does. He picks up several sodas and a large water to share.

He starts back towards the gate carrying the large bags of food. He passes a store with newspapers, magazines, and books, and he stops, intending to find some light reading to pass the time on the flight. Logan grabs a copy of 'People', 'Entertainment Weekly', and a crossword puzzle book and gets in line to pay. There is a 'Wall Street Journal' on display near the cash register and, to Logan's surprise, he notices a headline reading, 'SEC Reopens Investigation Into Casablancas REIT Enterprises After Suspicious Death'. He adds the newspaper to his stack and waits impatiently to pay.

He takes his purchases and sits down to read the article. His heart hammers in his chest as he reads that Kendall Casablancas, née Priscilla Banks, was found murdered in Neptune, California on March 11. Logan checks the date on the paper and calculates that the eleventh was last Wednesday, about five days into the operation. He reads the article three times. It highlights Kendall's marriage to Richard Casablancas, Sr. and her disappearance shortly after the suicide of her stepson. Sheriff Leo D'Amato states the investigation is being pursued vigorously, although no arrest has been made. The article speculates that up to fifty percent of the assets of the Casablancas REIT were not recovered after Casablancas fled the country to avoid prosecution for real estate and stock fraud. The former CEO had no comment when contacted by the Wall Street Journal. The article notes that Casablancas is now living in the Cayman Islands after serving a one-year sentence in a federal penitentiary.

Shakily, Logan folds up the newspaper and returns to the gate. There's no way I'm showing Veronica this. She has enough to worry about; plenty of time to tell her about Kendall later. He hides the newspaper in the bag with the sandwiches, intending to transfer it to his carry-on when she's not looking. He offers her the magazines and the crossword puzzle book and kisses her on the forehead. "I'll be right back. I want to use the men's room before they start boarding." Veronica opens the 'People' magazine to scan the table of contents, and he quickly moves the newspaper to the outside pocket of his carry-on while she is distracted.

Logan walks a short distance to the men's room. When Veronica's and Keith's attention are elsewhere, he walks past the restroom to a deserted gate and pulls out his cell phone. He dials with trembling fingers. This isn't bad news: it's good news. That bitch is fucking out of our lives for good now. "Dick."

"Dude! Where the hell are you? I've been leaving messages at the Marses' apartment for days," Dick replies.

"I'm in Boston. We're on the way back."

"Did you hear about–"

"Kendall. Yeah, I just found out. We've been completely out of the loop. Veronica and I were undercover for a case. It was a mess. The FBI were involved, and Veronica got hurt. She didn't even know about the MacKenzies until today. She found out and insisted on coming home for the funeral, even though the doctor wanted her to stay in the hospital for another day."

"Is Veronica all right?" Dick asks anxiously.

"Yeah. She's going to be all right, I guess. She's...the fuckers really did a number on her. It was...fuck, I don't know how to say it. I'll tell you about it when we get back. Dick, what the hell is going on with Kendall?" Logan says nervously.

"I don't know. They found her last Wednesday. The sheriff has been investigating; he asked me a whole bunch of questions about you and her. Somehow he found out that you and Kendall had a thing senior year. And he's got a video of you and Veronica at the Neptune Grand where Kendall apparently was staying before she got offed. Better watch out for your nads, dude, that guy D'Amato wants to cut 'em off. What'd you ever do to him, anyways? He totally hates you," Dick comments.

"A video from the Neptune Grand?" Logan repeats. Did we miss a camera in Duncan's room? Fuck!!

"Security footage from the elevator. You guys are making out. Whoa, dude, pretty hot stuff."

At least it's not a video of us interrogating Kendall, but, fuck!, this is not what Veronica needs right now. Logan viciously pounds the arm of his chair with his fist. The bruises from punching Klein, which have finally stopped hurting, begin to ache again. In a tense voice, he asks, "What did D'Amato say, exactly?" Another passenger stares at him, and Logan makes a little wave, smiling slightly to reassure the man, who moves off uncertainly.

"He asked when you started the affair. He implied that Veronica dumped you because she found out you were screwing Kendall. I told him it wasn't true, that you went after Kendall on the rebound from Veronica. The sheriff knows you weren't in Madeira, and he said he was wondering why you went to all that trouble to make people think you weren't around. He friggin' wants to crucify you, Logan. I thought Lamb was bad, but this guy's worse. It's like his personal mission to fuck you over, but good."

"Fuck," Logan says quietly, more mindful of the people around him. "Does D'Amato know..." Logan pauses, trying to figure out how to ask Dick without giving him new information. "Does D'Amato know that Kendall was sniffing around Duncan senior year?"

"He didn't mention it. Dude–I'm supposed to let him know when you come back to town."

"Well, technically, I'm not back yet." Logan remains silent, thinking. "I don't know. Veronica's not...she can't handle any extra stress right now. Just try to put him off if he talks to you again. I won't call you when I get back to town, so you don't have to lie."

"Last I heard, you're still out of town, dude," Dick agrees.

"Exactly. And you don't know when I'll be back. Thanks for the heads up, man."

"I hope Veronica gets better fast, so she can save your butt as usual," Dick says wistfully.

Logan snorts quietly. "Yeah. Right now, I'd give anything for her to be calling me a horse's ass like the old days." His voice breaks a little at the end.

"Shit, she's really messed up?"

"Yeah. I'm pretty worried about her. I've never seen her like this."

"C'mon, man, you know she's tough. She'll get through this. You guys have been through so much."

"Not like this," Logan replies shortly. "I'll talk to you later." He hangs up, morose about the latest news. Thinking of that ill-advised relationship with Kendall causes him to drift back to thoughts of the old resilient Veronica of senior year, who used to trade barbs with him, viciously pushing him away as she reinforced her own thick skin.

FLASHBACK: At the winter carnival slushy booth, Veronica asks him, "What's your poison?"

Logan replies, "Ah, emotionally unavailable women." He is immensely pleased at his witticism and her inadvertent reaction. She recovers and raps impatiently on the counter, and he continues, "Let's see...uh, I want something that suits my mood."

Without a second thought, she snaps back, "Oooh, I'm sorry. We're all out of liquid evil."

He remembers that day as if it was yesterday. He had found Hannah's picture in the yearbook; by asking around, he had determined that the general impression was that Hannah Griffith wasn't seeing anybody, and the word was that she was cute, but not beautiful or popular...just an average freshman girl who ran track and volunteered to sell Pirate Pride buttons and work at carnival booths. He recalls thinking that that added up to 'vulnerable' in the Echolls playbook. When Veronica commented that they were out of 'liquid evil', he had thought for a moment that she had somehow divined his desperate plan. Logan had headed for the Leap Frog booth, expecting Veronica to whip out her taser to stop him from going after Hannah. And when Veronica did find out what he was up to, her look had burned a hole in his skin. 'Toying with a sweet little girl's heart just to screw with her dad?' The words cannot be forgotten, no matter how hard he tries. Only Veronica can shame him like that.

He swallows compulsively. Veronica had told him off over and over that year; she had called him on his asinine, self-destructive relationship with Kendall–'poor little rich boy with a death-wish.' And now that affair is biting him on the ass again; biting Veronica on the ass too, he thinks, with bitter self-contempt. It sounds like Leo is determined to pay us back for humiliating him, and I've given him the perfect ammunition. Dammit!! I wish that Veronica was back in her old fine form, ready to snark and fight at the drop of a hat; she took on Leo without hesitation because her dad needed her to, and now I need her to help me too. Saving my ass 'with comment' would be just fine right about now.

That old Veronica was a cold-hearted bitch, to be sure, but right now Logan would rather have her than the thin and fragile young woman he sees in the wheelchair as he rounds the corner. That Veronica wouldn't be susceptible to D'Amato's insistent questioning or to the insinuations of relentless paparazzi given a new sex tape to replay day and night; she would just tell them to go to hell and live her life the way she wished...all the while supplying witty commentary.

She's got to be okay, he thinks, for perhaps the thousandth time since the undercover operation ended. The loudspeaker announces pre-boarding for their flight, and he pretends to smile at her as he approaches. Logan hoists his carry-on over his shoulder and takes the handles of her wheelchair.

Keith grabs his own carry-on and the food bags and glances at him. "Everything okay? That, uh, took a while."

"Oh yeah, I was just avoiding some guys playing 'I'll show you mine, if you show me yours' in the bathroom. Why can't people just admire my endowments from afar?" he replies, trying for an insouciant tone.

Keith chuckles.

Veronica rolls her eyes and says, "Don't encourage him. How many times do I have to tell you, Logan, that there's nothing wrong with being average?"

"Average? Oh, you cut me, baby," he replies. He bends down and kisses her on the cheek. We're all trying here. I just hope it's enough.

While they wait for the flight attendant to check their boarding passes, she reaches back and grasps his hand for a moment. He realizes that, somehow, she knows something is wrong. He holds her hand tightly until he has to begin wheeling her into the jetway.

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VERONICA MARS
10:00PM SHO ch: 340 60min 2009 TV-MA
Situation Normal: All Frakked Up
Leo questions Duncan; Veronica pushes
Logan to tell her what's going on.
Veronica: Kristen Bell. Logan: Jason Dohring.
Keith: Enrico Colantoni. Leo: Max Greenfield.
Duncan 2.0: Chris Carmack.
•••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••

CHAPTER NINETY-TWO: "SITUATION NORMAL: ALL FRAKKED UP"

Mon. 3/16/09 late afternoon: Flight from Boston, MA to San Diego, CA

VERONICA

I hate this. I hate them protecting me, not telling me everything that's going on, treating me like I'm fragile, breakable. Fuck, I do feel fragile. I hate being carted around in a wheelchair. I'm fine. I can't get strong if they won't let me do anything.

Logan doesn't know I saw him. He wasn't in the bathroom. I think he was calling somebody. Something else is going on, something he doesn't want me to know about. He's keeping it from Dad too. I don't know if that reassures me or worries me.

Poor Mac. I wish I could talk to her. I can't believe I'm never going to see her again after tomorrow. At least...at least she'll see me at the funeral, one last time.

Mon. 3/16/09 evening: Duncan Kane residence, Neptune, CA

Duncan Kane looks at the video screen from the intercom at the entrance to his property. Shit. It's a patrol car from the Neptune Sheriff's Department. He's been expecting this visit since he read the news about Kendall's murder. He takes a moment to formulate a short prayer that somehow this won't destroy his custody case before he triggers the 'speak' button on the intercom. "Yes?" he says, trying for an innocent tone.

"Sheriff Leo D'Amato, Mr. Kane. Do you have a few minutes to talk?" Leo asks. On the video screen, Duncan stares at the face and remembers meeting this man with Veronica a long time ago.

"What's this about, Sheriff?"

"I have a few questions regarding your relationship with a woman named Katerina Beversdorf. You knew her as Kendall Casablancas," Leo explains.

'You knew her as Kendall,' Duncan thinks. He's asking about senior year...I hope. "Dick Casablancas' stepmother? I read something about her in the paper." Okay, technically, that was COMPLETELY the truth.

"Yes, she was found murdered five days ago. Are you going to let me in, Mr. Kane, or do we need to do this down at the Sheriff's department?" Leo requests brusquely.

"Of course...I'm sorry. I'll open the gate for you." Duncan triggers the automatic gate and watches as the police car drives up the driveway. He tries to breathe normally; he assumes that if the Sheriff really knew anything, this interview would be happening at the Sheriff's Department. Leo exits the vehicle and walks to the front door; Duncan opens the door, allowing Leo to enter.

Leo looks around at the relatively modest home by Neptune standards. Duncan leads the way to a living room filled with comfortable furniture. The large picture window faces a grassy backyard with an elaborate swing set highlighted by security lights. A tall privacy fence completely surrounds the property. The gate where Leo entered the property had closed again once the car has passed through; the security precautions are the most impressive feature of this otherwise unremarkable home.

"You have good security here," Leo comments as he takes a seat in the living room. He places several file folders neatly on the coffee table in front of him.

"I'm sure you know I've been trying to win custody of my daughter. The paparazzi are always trying to get a story on us, and I wanted to show the court that I could ensure her safety and privacy...You and I met with Veronica a long time ago, right?" Duncan asks, trying to change the topic. My resemblance to Howard Hughes is only coincidental, he thinks morosely. I hardly ever collect my urine any more.

"Yes, Veronica and I were on a date; I think you were with your parents, right?"

Duncan nods.

Leo continues. "I've heard from a witness that you might have had a relationship with Kendall Casablancas several years ago. A Ms. Madison Sinclair indicated that Kendall was the precipitating reason for your breakup from Veronica...uh, apparently that was your senior year in high school."

Fuck...another bad idea that's come back to bite us in the ass. "Veronica thought there was something going on, but there wasn't. Veronica and I had a huge argument over it, and I broke off my relationship with Veronica when she didn't believe me."

"Really? Why would Veronica think that you were having a relationship with Kendall Casablancas?" Leo presses. "I understand that Kendall had been sleeping with Logan Echolls around that time."

This guy knows a lot: be careful. "Logan was living with me after his house had burned down. He was having a casual affair with Kendall, so she was at my suite a lot. She wasn't exactly shy. She came on to me pretty obviously, and Veronica was understandably upset about it. I didn't handle it very well. My ex-girlfriend, the mother of my child, had just died, and that was all I could think about. It was just one more stress on our relationship, and it turned out to be the last straw for us."

"And then of course you left the country with your daughter," Leo points out. "But it's funny...the department's records suggest that the FBI suspected Veronica of helping you flee with your daughter."

"I think you missed the part about Veronica being pissed at me about Kendall. She wasn't inclined to help me with anything at that point," Duncan states.

"Right." Leo regards Duncan, certain that the Kane heir is obscuring something. "Mr. Kane, can I ask where you were living before you surrendered to the authorities last month?"

Duncan gazes at Leo, wondering what he knows. I can't take a chance. Somebody at the Neptune Grand has to have told him I was living there. "I was staying at the Neptune Grand under a false name. Daniel Gillman."

"That's quite a coincidence. Ms. Casablancas was staying there as well."

"Really?" Duncan tries but fails to sound surprised. He tries to recover. "I suppose it makes sense; it really it is the only decent hotel in Neptune. The Camelot is not much of an option."

"Why weren't you staying with your parents?" Leo asks.

"Have you met my mother?" Duncan retorts wryly. "Celeste Kane is best experienced in limited quantities. Of course, you must understand that while my attorneys were negotiating my amnesty agreement, I had to keep a low profile."

"Yeah, I get it; you had to hide while there were still outstanding warrants for your arrest." Leo extracts several photos from one of his file folders. "In case you haven't seen the photos in the paper, this is what Kendall looked like recently."

The first photo is a blowup of Katerina's passport photo; the next two are graphic photos of her body. The first shows Kendall sprawled on the ground, with a blood stain under her head and several markers indicating evidence around her body. The second is a close-up of her head, showing a large bullet wound on her left temple.

Duncan tries to maintain a poker face, but the photos are sickening. He realizes that Leo is trying to provoke a reaction. "My god. She doesn't look anything like she used to. But...she does look a little familiar," he finally says. "Maybe I did see her around the Neptune Grand." He hands the photos back. "Why was she back in Neptune?"

"That's what I'm trying to determine. Mr. Kane, if you're concealing a relationship with Ms. Casablancas, this could be very damaging to your custody case. I suggest you tell me everything you know about her, and we'll deal with it."

"I don't like what you're insinuating, Sheriff."

"I don't like unsolved murders, Mr. Kane. And there's too many questions about Ms. Casablancas' relationships with you and Logan Echolls in this case. If you have nothing further to add, I'll be on my way. But I have a feeling we'll be speaking again soon," Leo concludes, standing up.

Duncan silently escorts him out. He shuts and locks the door; he watches on the security screen as Leo leaves the property. Once the gate has shut behind the sheriff's car, he picks up the phone and calls Mars Investigations again. "Mr. Mars, it's Duncan Kane. I know you and Veronica are working on an important case. I hate to bother you, but if you get a chance, please call me before the hearing on Friday." He hangs up the phone, shaking with the effort to maintain a calm voice on the message. He stands by the phone, his fists clenched, his eyes shut, the anger building inside him. The situation seems to get worse every day, and with each new development, he feels less in charge of his destiny.

Duncan pounds his right fist into his left palm several times, trying to defuse the building tension within him. He realizes that he's actually panting with stress and fury; before he quite realizes what he's doing, he grabs a table lamp and throws it viciously across the room. The electrical cord pulls out of its socket, hardly delaying the lamp's trajectory, and the lamp crashes against the far wall. The bulb explodes with a 'pop' and a tinkle of glass; the lamp lands on the floor, with the shade bent out of shape and the base shattered into shards of pottery. Duncan lets out his breath heavily; a strangled sob escapes his throat. He goes over to inspect the mess and ends up sinking to the floor next to the ruined lamp. He drops his head into his hands and wishes desperately that he had someone, anyone, to hug him and tell him it was going to be okay.

Duncan sits there feeling sorry for himself for perhaps half an hour. Finally he stirs himself; he gets up and finds a broom and dustpan and cleans up the mess he made. He disposes of the remnants of the lamp in the garbage and returns to the living room. He turns on the television to watch the evening news. The featured story is yet another exposé on Vincenzo Frazzino and the legal troubles resulting from the abuse of his daughter. Duncan watches, his mind wandering. How could you do that to your daughter? he thinks absent-mindedly. He smiles, thinking about playing with his daughter on the beach in Australia.

Suddenly, he sits bolt upright as a picture of Veronica and Keith Mars flashes on the screen. He turns up the volume as the announcer explains that the two private investigators were involved in an undercover operation in cooperation with the federal authorities. Logan's picture replaces the Marses, and the announcer adds that 'reputed bad boy' Logan Echolls appears to have been assisting in the investigation. Duncan stares at the photo; it seems to be an old stock photo and does not resemble Logan as Duncan last saw him in his suite at the Neptune Grand. The report states briefly that Veronica was injured, though not seriously, and was released this evening from Southwestern Vermont Medical Center.

The report turns to a summary of the federal investigation into Briar Hill Academy. Duncan has not paid a great deal of attention to this story up until now, preferring instead to concentrate on his own difficult custody battle. The story continues, focusing on the different aspects that have come to light since the school was closed.

Duncan stares in bewilderment at the television screen. No way. He stands up, intending to get his cell phone, until he remembers that he erased that photo of Kendall meeting someone in the playground from his phone. He sits back down to watch the conclusion of the report. No fucking way. He remembers that he had sent a copy of the photo to Veronica's email; maybe that photo still exists on a server somewhere. Duncan allows himself a small measure of hope, but overall, he keeps thinking, no fucking way. Hurry up and get home, Veronica; help me figure out what the hell is going on here.

Mon. 3/16/09 evening: Flight from Boston, MA to San Diego, CA

Once they are settled in their seats on the plane, the conversation lulls. Logan, seated on the aisle, seems distracted; Keith, next to the window, opens one of the magazines and begins to read. In the middle, Veronica leans against her dad's shoulder and closes her eyes, trying to sleep. He puts his arm around her and cuddles her to him. Out of the corner of his eye, Logan watches, thinking it's ridiculous to be jealous of his girlfriend's good relationship with her father. He dismisses the thought, excusing it by saying 'of course she can't lean her injured shoulder against me'; he finds a flight attendant and obtains a blanket for Veronica, tucking it around her. She smiles in gratitude, and Logan returns the smile, hoping against hope that whatever the hell is going on with Kendall isn't going to make things even worse between them.

Surprisingly, it is Keith who drops into a doze, his eyes fluttering closed and finally staying shut. He snores quietly with his head propped against the plane's bulkhead. Veronica opens her eyes, giving up on napping for now. She watches Logan as he stares into space, obviously lost in thought about something. Veronica looks around, and everyone around them seems to be absorbed in the movie, 'Nights in Rodanthe'. On the screen, Richard Gere and Diane Lane appear to be discussing something very seriously. Veronica carefully pulls her dad's arm off her shoulder. He mumbles something and immediately fall back asleep.

She looks at Logan. "He's pretty tired."

"He probably hasn't slept more than a couple hours a night since the undercover operation started," Logan comments.

"Are you going to tell me what's going on?" Veronica asks quietly.

"What are you talking about?" he replies, evasively. Dammit, she does know something's going on.

"Are you worried about the arrest? You heard what Dad said, you'll be able to plead 'no contest' and–"

"I'm not worried about it. The arresting officer said he thought they might even drop the charges once they hand down the indictment against Klein," Logan says brusquely. "Come on, you should be trying to rest, Veronica." He tucks the blanket around her, trying to avoid the issue.

Veronica impatiently pulls the blanket free, wriggling in her seat to turn and look at him more directly. "Then something must have happened. If you're not worried about the arrest, something new happened. Tell me."

He glares at her. "There's nothing going on."

She turns forward, avoiding his angry gaze. "Well, then I guess you're pissed at me again," she says sarcastically. "How refreshingly different for you," she adds before she can stop herself. The slight quiver in her voice is masked by her angry tone. I will NOT cry again. Damn you, Logan. Tell me what's going on!

"Yeah, I'm pissed at you, because you're supposed to be resting and following your doctor's orders," he mutters. "I'm sorry that I care about your health, Veronica."

Keith stirs. "What's going on?"

"I'm sorry, Dad. Go back to sleep," Veronica says apologetically.

"Logan, what's going on?" Keith replies.

Logan stays silent. Veronica takes a breath, defiantly keeping control of her emotions. Quietly but intensely, she says, "I hate that you guys are keeping stuff from me. I know you're upset about something, Logan. Goddammit! Stop treating me like I'm an invalid."

"You are an invalid," Logan answers. "You're supposed to be resting and taking it easy."

Obstinately, Veronica retorts, "Well, I'm feeling kind of stressed, because I think you're keeping something from me again. It's hard to rest under these conditions," she hisses.

Keith chuckles. "I think she's feeling better. She can pick an argument again."

Logan laughs halfheartedly. He's actually right. She's not crumpling into a ball; she's fighting back. Still...can't she just leave it alone? He realizes that, at least partially, he's avoiding telling them the news because he's petrified of their reaction. It will be just another reminder of a time when I let her down before, just like I let her down in the undercover operation.

Veronica frowns at her dad; she turns to Logan again and fixes him with a steady stare. "I want to know what's going on."

Keith puts his fist to his mouth to cover up a chuckle. "Logan, I think you better tell her. No one can resist the Veronica stare."

Veronica looks at her dad peripherally, narrowing her eyes in displeasure, then returns her gaze to Logan. She tilts her head a little and says pleadingly, "Please tell me what's going on?"

Logan leans back and catches Keith's eye behind Veronica's head. "She's definitely feeling better. The head tilt, too."

"All right, fine, don't tell me," Veronica says with a huff. She leans back against her seat, face forward, wishing she could cross her arms and communicate her disdain for their double-teaming effort.

"Do you want one of the sandwiches?" Logan asks.

Veronica ignores him. "Dad, are you done with the magazine?" She takes it from him before he can answer. She rests it on her lap and flips the pages, obviously not reading.

"Veronica, would you like a sandwich?" Logan repeats.

She exhales, "Humph," and pays him no attention.

Logan stares at her. Stop this. Don't fucking do this. He wants to scream at her. Sometimes you don't know what's best for you, goddammit. "Veronica."

Veronica says quietly, "What I would really like is for you to treat me like an adult."

"Fine; you're an adult, Veronica," he replies in defeat. He bends down to his carry-on stowed under the seat. He pulls out the Wall Street Journal and hands it to her. He unbuckles his seat belt and visits the restroom.

When he returns, Veronica and Keith look at him with worried faces. Logan takes his seat and faces forward. He says quietly, "I talked to Dick. Leo is asking a lot of questions. He found out that Kendall and I were sleeping together senior year." He steals a glance at Keith, expecting a reaction to the reminder of Logan's salacious behavior that year; to Logan's surprise, Keith only looks concerned. Logan continues, "There's a security video of you and me...kissing in the Neptune Grand elevator, that night when we questioned..."

"Right," Keith says, cutting him off. "Is Leo implying–"

"He's trying to connect me to Kendall's murder."

Veronica says impulsively, "But that's ridiculous. You were undercover with us that day...on the other side of the country."

"He can make a lot of trouble for us, Veronica. That fight you had with Duncan before Duncan ran with Meg's baby...it could lead to questions about you helping-" Logan looks around, making sure they cannot be overheard. He whispers, "There could be speculations about your role in the kidnapping, Veronica. What about what we did to Kendall that night at the Neptune Grand when we questioned her? And there will be paparazzi interest in yet another one of my girlfriends being murdered. This time, Leo's got a video to leak to the press."

"How bad is this video?" Keith asks, worried.

Veronica considers for a minute, then replies, "It's not that bad; this is ridiculous. So what? We kissed a little. Some PDA in the elevator."

"Except that I was supposedly in Europe at the time. Leo's asking a lot of questions about that too. He implied that it looks suspicious–that I was creating an alibi for myself, and the video is absolute proof that I wasn't in Europe."

"Does he know about Duncan?" Keith asks. "The custody case is–" He stops short.

"Now what?" Veronica says in exasperation.

Keith sighs. "You've been subpoenaed in a hearing on Duncan's custody case. I talked to the family court judge and convinced them to push it back a day until this Friday. I said you needed at least that long to be rested enough to testify."

"Testify to what?"

"Mrs. Manning subpoenaed you, honey. I think they're going to ask you about breaking into the Mannings' house. They must be trying to cause trouble for Duncan that way. He's still on the hook for felony breaking and entering."

"Right, the statute of limitations hasn't expired for him. But that's nothing compared to a relationship with you-know-who. If the media gets hold of that story, Duncan will look like a rich playboy who's a possible murder suspect," Veronica muses sorrowfully. She sighs loudly. "He's such a good father. He threw his life away to save Lilly, and now they'll try to take her away from him."

Keith comments, "Veronica, if Leo hasn't found out about Kendall and Duncan yet, I'm sure he will. He's a good investigator. Somebody will have seen them together at the Neptune Grand."

"And he's pissed at us," Veronica observes. "Dad, he was very angry when we–"

Keith places a hand on her arm to stop her; he nods that he understands. I don't want to know the details; damn it, my daughter had to stoop to blackmail. "Of course, it was probably the Fitzpatricks who killed Kendall. There must not be any forensic evidence."

"Or Leo is ignoring it." Logan notices a passenger staring at them. "I think we need to save this discussion for later," he says quietly. Logan gives a little wave and a meaningful look to the passenger, who has the grace to appear embarrassed and faces forward again.

Veronica whispers under her breath, "Please...promise me you won't keep any more secrets from me. I can't take it, thinking that you're not being honest with me." She looks from Logan to her dad and back. "Please promise me!"

They both nod reluctantly.

Keith blows out a breath and says with finality, "We'll talk about this when we get back to Neptune."

After finally agreeing to eat one of the sandwiches, Veronica admits that her shoulder is hurting quite a bit, and she swallows two of the Percocets that were prescribed for pain management. She falls asleep against her dad's shoulder, and he conks out against the bulkhead again. Logan watches as they sleep together. Veronica begins to snore quietly along with her father, and, smiling, he wishes he had a way to record their duet for posterity. The slight twinge of jealousy he felt before at their closeness has completely dissipated. Logan reviews the conversation about the latest revelation: during their discussion, neither Keith nor Veronica expressed any disappointment in his behavior with Kendall. They acknowledged the difficulties of the situation and included him in their discussion without reservation.

He exhales; he realizes he had been expecting a lecture or recriminations, especially from Keith, but also from Veronica. Unconsciously, he had been cowering, waiting for Keith to spout off like his dad had: 'What do you think? You're boneheaded! You really screwed up this time, Logan.' He wonders what it would have been like to grow up in a family that tolerated mistakes and worked together to overcome difficulties. Even Veronica's exasperation at his obfuscations no longer feels upsetting; he knows she's struggling to feel strong and healthy again, and it was his concealment of the truth that hurt her rather than the remembrance of his prior actions.

Like Keith, she had accepted the news of Kendall's murder calmly and had included him in their discussion. He reconsiders what she had said, and he is convinced that Veronica no longer appears to be devastated by or ashamed of his relationship with Kendall. Could she have finally forgiven me for Alterna-Prom? he wonders.

Logan closes his eyes; that betrayal was the one thing he never expected her to forgive. He had vowed to spend the rest of his life making that up to her. He revisits the memory of her desolated expression the morning after the Alterna-Prom; he usually cannot bear to picture Veronica's face that day, but now he forces himself to remember. The whole night had been a haze of alcohol and bong-hits; he doesn't remember calling Kendall, but somehow she had ended up in his bed in the morning. It doesn't really matter what had happened that night; whether he had made the booty-call or Kendall had decided on her own to look him up, he was ultimately responsible for breaking Veronica's heart and for letting her think that the whole epic speech was just more Echolls bullshit. The look that Veronica gave him that morning wounded him in a way that Aaron could never have hurt him: her pain at his perfidy was a far greater blow than any sick punishment–a pain that resonated deeply, acutely, and, he had thought, permanently.

The tremendous burden he has been carrying around since he learned of Kendall's murder seems to ease. He decides that somehow they will figure it out, together, as a family; such a comforting word, family, he thinks. Even his guilt about the disastrous end of the undercover operation feels...manageable. If she can forgive me for Kendall, then maybe she can...maybe we can figure it out.

Logan turns to look at them sleeping beside him. He strokes her hair gently; she may be fragile and wounded, but her strength and courage are still remarkable. He is still in awe of her capacity to love and forgive him; he knows they will both need every bit of their strength and love for each other to continue on. She stirs a little, her eyes fluttering open; he reassures her, "Shh, go back to sleep, everything's okay, Veronica." She smiles up at him and closes her eyes again. Logan leans back against his seat and, somewhat more reassured, tries to join them in sleep for the rest of the flight.

•••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••
VERONICA MARS
10:00PM SHO ch: 340 60min 2009 TV-MA
Homecoming
Complications on the last leg of their journey
back to Neptune.
Veronica: Kristen Bell. Logan: Jason Dohring.
Keith: Enrico Colantoni. Wallace: Percy
Daggs III. Deputy Sacks: Brandon Hillocks.
Flight Attendant #1: Jen Johnson.
Flight Attendant #2: Janelle Pierzina.
Police Officer: Colby Donaldson.
•••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••

CHAPTER NINETY-THREE: "HOMECOMING"

Mon. 3/16/09 evening: San Diego International Airport to Neptune, CA

When the plane lands in San Diego, most of the passengers start bustling to collect their belongings as soon as the 'fasten seat belts' has gone off. As usual, the passengers scurry to leave but are trapped by a bottleneck leaving the plane. Keith puts a restraining hand on Veronica's arm. "I don't want some doofus knocking into your bad shoulder. Let's wait until everyone's off the plane."

"'Doofus?'" Veronica rolls her eyes. "C'mon, let's book, dad."

"Just cool your jets, Veronica. I know you're eager to get home, but you're not going to get there any faster if we hurry up and wait in line."

"You don't know how much I'm looking forward to getting home. Sleeping in my own bed, eating my own food..." She flashes back to Briar Hill; she remembers daydreaming about sleeping in her old waterbed with her dad and Backup standing guard. I'll never take that for granted again.

"Just take it easy, okay?" Logan asks. "You just got out of the hospital."

She glances at him and smiles wanly. "I'm okay. No more bad news today, all right?"

When almost everyone has departed from the plane, they get up and move to the front where they had stored the collapsible wheelchair for the flight. Once again, Veronica protests, "You know I really don't nee-"

"Veronica," her dad warns, and she lapses into silence. When the wheelchair is folded out and the frame secured, she carefully lowers herself into the chair, supporting herself with her good arm. Logan rolls her into the jetway, and the three of them exit into the terminal. They join the throngs of people, all seemingly in a hurry to get to their destination.

They see a commotion up ahead just past the security checkpoint. Two flight attendants approach from the opposite direction, wheeling their bags and talking animatedly.

"Excuse me," Keith asks, putting up a hand to stop them. "What's going on up there?" He motions to the security checkpoint from where the distant sounds of a disturbance can be heard.

"It's a bunch of reporters, looking for someone who just landed," one of the attendants replies.

The other adds, "Probably some Hollywood bigwig."

Logan and Keith exchange a glance. "I'll go check it out," Logan announces. Keith takes over on the wheelchair; he wheels Veronica into a deserted gate while Logan walks through the terminal. Just past the lines at the security checkpoint, there are perhaps ten paparazzi swarming around a young blonde woman who had been on their flight. The photographers are yelling questions and jostling to get a shot of the bewildered woman. Logan looks around. He sees a flight attendant working alone behind the check-in desk at a nearby gate. She appears to be watching the scene with interest. Logan approaches the check-in desk. "Could you do me a huge favor?" Logan asks, in his most ingratiating voice. He nods toward the paparazzi. "Those guys are looking for me and my friends."

"How can I help? They're not going anywhere," she replies.

"Can you call in a page? Ask for Veronica Mars to report somewhere really far from here. Maybe ask her to meet her party at the baggage claim; we didn't check any bags, and we could try to get past these guys. My friend's been in the hospital, and she doesn't need this right now. Please. The name is Veronica Mars," he repeats slowly.

The attendant stares at him for a moment, debating. She picks up a handset and makes the call. A few seconds later, they hear a page on the loudspeakers overhead. "Veronica Mars, please meet your party at the baggage claim for United."

The reporters immediately take notice and begin to hustle through the terminal toward the baggage claim. The blonde woman who had been the focus of their attention shakes her head in confusion.

"Thank you," Logan tells the attendant. He returns to the gate where Keith and Veronica are waiting. He explains quickly, "Let's go. I got someone to page you to the baggage claim, and the paparazzi took the bait. Where's Wallace picking us up?"

"Outside the United baggage claim," Keith replies. "I'll tell him to go up to departures and meet us there." He pulls out his cell to make the call. Logan hoists his carry-on over his shoulder and takes over pushing the wheelchair.

Veronica turns around slightly and comments, "Someone spilled the beans about the undercover operation. I guess it was only a matter of time."

They cautiously head for the security checkpoint; by now, the exit line has diminished, and they pass through without notice. They make their way through the terminal; no one gives them a second glance, and Veronica is glad that her appearance is still altered.

As if reading her mind, Logan says, "They must not know you were in disguise at the school. The reporters were hassling a blonde woman from our flight."

Keith adds, "Let's hope they don't find out."

"You mean, you want me to stay like this?" Veronica motions to her red curly hair. "Yuck."

"For a day or two, until the commotion settles down," Keith replies.

"Fine," Veronica agrees reluctantly.

At the departures level of the airport, they see Wallace, standing on the curb beside Veronica's Saturn and arguing with a police officer.

"Wallace!" Keith calls.

"There they are, Officer," Wallace says with relief. "As soon they can get loaded up, I'll move the car."

"Officer, if there's a problem...this is my daughter's vehicle, and I'll take the responsibility for any violations," Keith says as he walks over to the police officer. He takes out his wallet and shows his identification. "Mr. Fennel is my employee, and he's helping me out."

"Keith Mars? The Keith Mars who wrote 'Big Murder, Small Town' and 'Neptune Undercover'? I love those books." The officer grabs Keith's hand in a firm handshake and begins to talk garrulously about the two books.

Wallace sighs and turns to Veronica. "You guys are just in time. Veronica...I thought you said you were doing okay. Why are you in a wheelchair? And...damn! girl, you're too skinny."

"I know, don't remind me. They made me promise to use the wheelchair today so I wouldn't get overtired. I'm fine, really I'm fine. Help me out of this thing," she asks Logan, who gives Wallace a look: 'See what we've been dealing with?'

"Yes, dear, especially when you ask so nicely," Logan replies, getting a chuckle from Wallace.

"Please," Veronica adds. Logan helps Veronica to stand up and get out the chair; even with his great care, she winces when she twists her torso a little upon standing.

"I brought a surprise for you, Vee. It's in the backseat of the car," Wallace says. He opens the rear door for her, and Backup begins to bark at his mistress.

"You brought Backup! Oh I love you so much, Wallace. I missed you guys!" Veronica says delightedly. She surprises Wallace by kissing him on the cheek. He helps her get into the back seat while Logan folds up the wheelchair and stows it in the rear of the car. Veronica is awkwardly hugging Backup with her left arm while trying not to let him jump on her.

Logan gets in the other side and pets Backup as well. "Who's a good boy? Now, sit and be calm. Good boy." Backup complies immediately, sitting down and wagging his tail.

"I hate that he behaves better for you than for me," Veronica says with a frown.

"It's not a competition, Veronica. He just knows I have your best interests at heart. Don't you, boy?" Logan ruffs the fur on Backup's neck, and the dog whines happily.

Wallace slides into the driver's seat, and Keith gets in the passenger seat soon thereafter. As Wallace pulls out into the traffic, Keith says, "That was a lucky break. I think that guy's my biggest fan."

"Why the last minute change?" Wallace asks.

"Paparazzi were waiting for us at the gate," Keith replies tersely. "There must have been a leak about the Briar Hill case. I know the US Attorney wasn't planning on revealing any details until the indictment is handed down against Klein and the school."

Veronica thinks, If they knew what flight we were on...they're probably going to waiting for us at home. She decides not to think about it just yet and changes the subject. "Wallace, tell us about the playoffs. How did Hearst do?"

Wallace spends the next twenty minutes regaling them with stories of the playoffs; Hearst was eliminated in the third round in a heartbreaker.

"That's the best Hearst has done in years," Veronica comments. Innocently, she adds, "I don't know how you managed to do so well without any snickerdoodles to fortify you."

"Yeah, it's a funny thing; a couple days after you left, I found that cookie tin you hid in my room. I had a hell of a time explaining it to Candice," Wallace teases.

"I wrote 'Go, Rough Riders' on it!" Veronica says indignantly.

"Well, she thought it was a secret admirer and was pretty jealous...she practically ripped my head off. I don't think our relationship is ever going to be the same," Wallace says mock-solemnly.

Veronica smiles in response, imagining Wallace finding the snickerdoodles.

Throughout the rest of the ride, they talk about everything except what's really on their minds. Wallace wants to know what the hell happened on the undercover operation; it's obvious that Veronica is trying to act normal, but she seems more than just tired to him. And he sees the worry on Logan's face. He wonders if they've heard about Kendall, but he hesitates to bring it up until he can get Keith alone to ask him about it. Veronica looks stressed, and the last thing Wallace wants is to add to it. Even worse, she looks afraid, and Wallace thinks he's never seen her look scared before.

For her part, Veronica keeps obsessing about the funeral. I've had to go to too many funerals already in my life. She remembers how hard it was for her at her mother's funeral six months ago; Mac and Wallace had been her constant support during that time. They had practically dressed and bathed her and had made sure she was eating. Who's doing that for Mac? And the old feelings of guilt that she should have looked more vigorously for her absent mother start to assail her. In the turmoil after her mother's death and Veronica's subsequent arrest, Veronica had never really given herself time to process her own role in Lianne's death. What if Dad and I had really dedicated ourselves to finding her? She shakes herself, trying to push the feelings away again. Mac must be feeling so guilty about her family. It's not her fault, but I know she'll think it is. I hope she knows how much I wish I could be helping her through this. She sighs, and Logan takes her hand.

Then she thinks about the last funeral she attended: Hannah's memorial service. Logan had been miserable and guilty, morose about his role in her death; something had snapped after the altercation with Dr. Griffith, and he had run away from his life–had run away from her. Suddenly she feels completely afraid: these new revelations about Kendall will surely be as destructive to his ego as the stories about Hannah. I don't want to lose him...I'm so scared I'll lose him. She resolves to bury her trepidations and to try to get their relationship back on track, no matter how hard it is, no matter how painful the memories from the operation. Veronica strokes Logan's hand with her thumb, trying somehow to show him that she wants to love him again and be there for him. I can do this. I can do this so I won't lose him. He seems completely lost in thought, and she wonders what he's thinking about.

Logan is remembering his conversation with Dick from earlier in the day. 'The sheriff implied that Veronica dumped you because she found out you were screwing Kendall...He friggin' wants to crucify you, Logan...It's like his personal mission to fuck you over, but good.' He wishes there had been some other way to save Keith from prison; it's obvious that Leo intends to make this a personal vendetta against him. But Logan doesn't regret putting himself in the crosshairs; he would do it again in a moment to save Veronica's dad.

What kills Logan is the knowledge that his affair with Kendall might become tabloid fodder. The speculations about his relationship with Hannah were bad enough; he knows this will be a hundred times worse. All the clandestine meetings and late-night hookups with her that seemed sexy and exciting at the time now just feel sordid and shameful. She led me around by my cock and reported back to Liam about it. The thought of Veronica having to read about his misbehaviors in the paper makes him nauseous. When Veronica sighs next to him, he takes her hand, hoping that by some miracle she'll still want him in her life when this is all over. She smiles at him, and he wonders how she can look him in the eye when all he does is fail her. Please...somehow...let us get through this. She begins to stroke his hand with her thumb, and he closes his eyes, trying to imagine a time when they could possibly be okay together again.

Keith asks some questions about the business; Wallace updates him on a personal injury investigation that he completed in the last few days. Keith is having a hard time focusing on the minutiae of Wallace's conclusions; he realizes that he's exhausted from worrying about Veronica. I hope I don't regret letting her come home...I just have to concentrate on helping her through the next few days. He knows that the paparazzi at the airport mean that they are likely to be ambushed at their apartment as well. He makes a decision and turns in the seat to look at Veronica. "You know, there might be photographers at the apartment."

Veronica nods. She looks out the window and starts petting Backup to distract herself.

Keith asks, "Do you want to go to a hotel for the night?"

She turns back and replies quickly, "Dad, no. I really want to be home tonight. We're going to have to face them sometime. We got through it before, when..." She looks at Logan, who squeezes her hand.

"Maybe..." Keith muses, formulating an idea. He pulls out his cell and dials the home number of Deputy Sacks. He has a short and hushed conversation before terminating the call. "Sacks is going to meet us at the apartment in a squad car. He said not to worry; he's going to make sure we're not bothered tonight." He doesn't relay that Sacks had also said that he needed to talk to Keith anyway.

The conversation lulls. Veronica suddenly says, "No one's heard from her at all?" Everyone knows that she means Mac.

Wallace shakes his head 'no'. "I ran into Dick yesterday. Everyone's been speculating that Mac must be in witness protection or something, and Dick is really upset. He was kind of a mess about it, saying that he really loves her and this was all his fault for getting her to fix his computer."

Veronica glances at Logan questioningly.

Logan shrugs. "She's the only girl Dick ever went out with who had a brain. Actually she's the only girl who even had a personality."

"But you don't think he really loves..." Veronica asks.

"I'm sure he thinks he loves her. But you know that it didn't work for her. At all."

"Yeah, I know. She had some fun with him, and then as soon as he started acting like...well, like Dick again, that was it," Veronica muses. "Do you remember how much trouble Mac caused with the purity test in high school?"

"Yeah, that was great," Wallace chimes in.

Keith says, "Purity test? Do I want to know about this?"

"Don't worry, Dad. I was as pure as the driven snow...well, unless you count my videos on Porntube. What was your score on the test again, Wallace?" Veronica asks.

"Seventy...sixty-eight if you count the bonus points for getting a hot detective chick to flash me. I was practically a horndog," Wallace says proudly.

"It was totally worth pissing off your mom. And I know you were really looking for a sixty-nine. You're such a playa, Fennel," Veronica teases. Keith glances back with a pained expression.

"You flashed him?" Logan asks. "Maybe Candice should be jealous. Maybe I should be jealous."

Veronica smiles at him. I can do this.

Logan says, "What?"

"It's just...it's really good to be back home. I feel so much better already. I know, it's going to be so sad tomorrow, and the paparazzi are going to make our life hell, but still...it's really good to be home."

When they pull into the parking lot at the Sunset Cliffs apartment, they are greeted by a squad car with its flashers alternately blinking blue and red. Sacks gets out of the vehicle to greet them. Wallace parks the car, and Keith exits the Saturn to talk to Sacks while Logan and Wallace help Veronica to the apartment.

"Jerry," Keith says, grasping Sacks' hand.

"It's a good thing you called," Sacks replies. "There were probably twenty asshole paparazzi here waiting for you. I started writing summonses for disturbing the peace and trespassing, and they disappeared. But they'll be back. I'm going to hang out here for a few hours, and then some of the other guys from when you were sheriff two years ago said they'd take a shift watching. Hopefully the paparazzi will give up in a day or two. You know, you were always a good sheriff, Keith. Fair to the guys and honest..."

Keith winces, thinking about the evidence on the DVR that he erased.

Sacks continues, "...Some of us were talking, and I think you ought to know what's going on. Sheriff D'Amato's convinced your daughter and Logan Echolls had something to do with Kendall Casablancas' murder. I think he's pissed about the botched arson investigation. There's been a lot of jokes about the latest incompetent Neptune sheriff down at the county courthouse, and I know it really hit the sheriff hard. He's been trying to clean up all the messes Vinnie left behind and mostly doing a great job."

Keith comments, "Yeah, I always thought Leo would be a good sheriff." He purposely omits referring to the arson investigation.

"The crime scene techs found a partial fingerprint in Kendall Casablancas' hotel room at the Neptune Grand. It's not a great print, but what there is is consistent with Veronica's prints."

Keith says without thinking, "Shit."

"Sheriff D'Amato would have my badge if he knew I was telling you," Sacks adds. "I bet he thinks he's going to get a confession by surprising her with it. He's been interviewing witnesses the last few days: Dick Casablancas and Duncan Kane here in Neptune, and up in Los Angeles, he talked to Logan's agent and some girl named Madison Sinclair."

"How did he get on this track anyways?" Keith asks.

Sacks explains, "Someone who works at the Neptune Grand told him about Logan's affair with Kendall three years ago, and then he discovered security footage with Veronica and Logan on it. ...Keith, they found Veronica's print inside a drawer. Maybe that will help her to remember why it was there, and she can explain it away."

"You said it's not a good match?"

"No, only three points of comparison. Still, combined with Logan's history, it doesn't look good," Sacks concludes.

"Right. But Leo knows we've been in Vermont the last ten days, right?"

Sacks nods. "I guess he's thinking some kind of conspiracy. None of it makes sense, to tell you the truth. I don't think he's thinking clearly. He's barely spoken to me in the last few days except to bark orders at me."

"I appreciate the heads-up, Jerry. I know...you took a big chance telling me this," Keith notes.

Sacks asks worriedly, "Is Veronica all right? We had an alert on Echolls' name, and we were notified when the assault warrant was issued in Vermont. We got a copy of the police report from Briar Hill; it said that she and Logan were both undercover, and that Veronica had sustained injuries during the investigation."

"She's going be okay," Keith replies. "I'm not going to lie; it was a hard operation, and we should have ended it a day earlier than we did. The timing of Leo's investigation couldn't come at a worse time, though. Veronica needs to rest and not be stressed."

Sacks shakes Keith's hand again. "I'll do what I can for you."

"Don't lose your job over this," Keith warns. "Let me handle it."

Keith heads up to the apartment. Wallace and Veronica are sitting on the couch; Wallace is holding a large bowl and spooning ice cream into Veronica's mouth. Wallace says, "Hey, Keith, I'm force-feeding her. Girl needs to eat!"

"They've been bugging me to eat all day. I'm stuffed, Wallace," Veronica protests. She pushes away the spoon, and Wallace looks at her sternly. She sighs and manages another bite.

The phone rings, and Veronica grimaces. Wallace comments, "That's the third time the phone's rung in five minutes."

Keith walks to the phone; he notes the unfamiliar caller ID and turns the ringer off. "Let's just let the machine pick up," he suggests, and Veronica nods in relief. She turns back to Wallace and asks him a question about the last playoff game; Wallace tells her an animated story while demonstrating his fadeaway ball-handling technique.

Keith pulls Logan aside to talk. "Sacks told me what's going on in Kendall's investigation." He quickly summarizes what Sacks had told him. "I'll give Cliff a call and fill him in. If Leo tries to question either of you, I'd like Cliff to be there."

Logan nods. Shit...a fingerprint. It's worse than we thought.

"And Logan..." Keith sighs, uncertain how to broach this topic. "I know before the operation, you and Veronica were sleeping together in her bedroom. I think it might be best–"

"I know. I'm going to sleep on the couch. I don't want to push her." He meets Keith's concerned gaze. "I don't know how to do this. I...I love her so much..."

"Just take it slow. You saw how she was today. She's trying so hard to be strong."

"Maybe too hard," Logan comments. "It's impossible for her to admit that she needs help."

"But it's a good sign. She's fighting back again. I know if she just gave up and completely let us take care of her, I'd be even more worried. She's trying to get back to the way she used to feel, about you, about herself. Just take it slow," Keith repeats.

"Okay, you're right."

"Why don't you drive Wallace home, and I'll get Veronica ready for bed?" Keith suggests, and Logan nods his agreement.

Logan walks over to Veronica and Wallace. "I hope you finished that ice cream, missy," he says sternly.

"God. You guys aren't going to let up," she retorts. She takes one more bite and pushes the bowl away. "Seriously, enough. I'm going to be sick."

"Come on, Wallace, I'll give you a ride home," Logan adds.

"Logan?" Veronica asks, beckoning him to come closer. She whispers, "Hurry back." She touches his cheek. "I'm looking forward to sleeping in your arms again."

"Veronica." Logan swallows. "I think I should sleep on the couch tonight. I'm worried I'll bump into your shoulder in my sleep."

"I don't care. I want to get back to normal again," she says, controlling her voice which threatens to reveal her fears. Please...hold me again. I don't want to be alone. Please don't make me sleep alone. Please...we have to figure this out.

Before she can express her feelings, Logan suggests, "Let's take it slow, okay? You just got out of the hospital."

Why is he pulling away? She tries to recover. "Okay, you're right. We have all the time in the world," she lies. He's barely even hugged me since...why won't he... "Raincheck," she says, trying to sound unconcerned. He's avoiding me. Everything's changed. He doesn't want to sleep with me any more. It's too late. When I was scared of him...it hurt him too much.

•••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••
VERONICA MARS
10:00PM SHO ch: 340 60min 2009 TV-MA
Taking Back the Night
Veronica is persistent, as usual.
Veronica: Kristen Bell. Logan: Jason Dohring.
•••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••

CHAPTER NINETY-FOUR: "TAKING BACK THE NIGHT"

Mon. 3/16/09 very late: Sunset Cliffs Apartment, Neptune, CA

Logan is dozing on the couch when he hears quiet sobs coming from Veronica's room. He quickly gets up and goes to her. "Veronica, what's wrong? Are you hurting? Do you need some of the pain meds? I'll go get them."

"No, don't," she says desperately, grabbing his hand with old-Veronica strength. "Stay." She tugs at his hand, and he tentatively sits down on the bed. Her eyes are red and teary, and the bedcovers are rumpled around her.

He smooths her hair from her face. "Veronica, what's the matter? I thought you were happy to be home at last."

"Don't you...aren't you...attracted to me anymore?" she finally mumbles. "You haven't even tried...anything since... I thought you would want to sleep with me tonight. I mean, at least...sleep in the same bed and cuddle with me. I know it's because you saw me...humiliated...you saw me when Dave and you...you don't think I'm...sexy any more." She stumbles over the words, unable to adequately express her doubts.

"Oh Veronica," he protests, aching to hear her acknowledge her fears.

She whispers, "I need you to hold me. Please. Even if you can't bear to make..." she whimpers, unable to finish the sentence, even if you can't bear to make love to me any more. "I know I upset you...when I was scared of you. I should have known that you would never hurt me on purpose."

"I did hurt you, Veronica," he says. "I'm ashamed of it. I should have found a way to restrain you without hurting you. And Veronica...you did nothing to be humiliated about. You were so brave. I'm so proud of you."

"Please...lie down with me. Prove to me that I'm still..." she chokes on the words.

Logan straightens out the covers a little and carefully lies down next to her on her good side. She turns on her side and snuggles into his shoulder. He puts his arm on her waist, gingerly avoiding her injured arm.

"I'm so scared I've lost you," Veronica says quietly.

"How could you say that? I'm right here. I'm not going anywhere."

"Don't you want to..." She sighs loudly.

"Veronica, you're injured, you're exhausted, don't you think..." He can't bear to say, you were mind-raped by that fucker. "I don't want to push you, and I'm worried it's too soon. Veronica, of course I want to..."

"It's just that you're always the one to...start things and–"

"I am not. What about that blowjob in Texas?" he chuckles softly, stroking her chin. "I'll never forget waking up to that."

"I thought I'd lost you then, too," she admits.

"Don't you know that you can't get rid of me now?"

"No, I don't know it. You ran away from me then. How could you do that? I was so worried about you."

Realizing that the funeral tomorrow is bringing up bad memories of Hannah's memorial service and its aftermath, Logan says honestly, "I wish I could go back and change what I did. I was scared and...I don't know, maybe a little crazy. Part of me did think I was protecting you, but mostly, it was just so intense, and I couldn't handle it. I know, we have to find a way to get through the bad times together. I promised to try and work on that with you, and I meant it." He caresses her hair, trying to reassure her and calm her anxieties about Mac's funeral. "Veronica, it's going to be okay tomorrow. I'll be with you the whole time, I promise. Even if you can't talk to Mac, she'll see you, and she'll know you're saying goodbye."

"I don't want to say goodbye," she cries tearfully. "Everything's changing."

He puts his hand on her waist, hugging her tentatively. There's nothing I can do about Mac leaving. "Everything's not changing. I'm still here."

"Prove it," she says, daring him.

"Veronica..." He kisses her, not intending for anything more than reassurance, but she surprises him. She presses her mouth against him strongly and forces her tongue between his lips; she refuses to release him, even as he struggles to catch his breath.

"Damn this sling," she says, pulling away slightly in exasperation.

"Now you know how I felt with my cast."

"We've got to stop getting hurt," she mumbles against his lips.

The soft brush of her lips against his and the gentle rush of her exhalations are tantalizingly familiar and promising. Logan tries to shift subtly away from her to keep his growing arousal from becoming apparent, but she notices and follows him, hitching herself toward him and trying to press herself against him again. "Veronica, I don't want to do this too soon...you don't have to. I'm right here, I'm not going anywhere."

"Dammit! Why won't you–" she answers in frustration. She rolls away from him and accidentally knocks her shoulder. She gasps, "Fuck." Veronica lies on the bed, breathing heavily, waiting for the pain to subside.

"Shit, Veronica, I knew you were going to get hurt."

"You're hurting me right now," she says intensely. "You've got to stop treating me like I'm fragile and broken. I'd rather try and get hurt. I can't stand it. You make me feel like I'm never going to get better...like I'm never going to be strong again."

"Veronica," he tries.

"Go back to the couch. It's all right. Just leave me alone," she says dully. "I'm sorry I woke you up. You must be tired too. I almost forgot." She laughs without humor. "You got arrested today. You've got a lot on your mind without having to service your damaged girlfriend."

"I don't know how to do this, okay? I don't know what I'm supposed to do, Veronica," he says, allowing his anger and frustration to show. "I don't want to fuck it up worse than it is." He rolls onto his back; together they stare up at the ceiling as the silence between them lengthens.

"Why can't we just fall into each other's arms and be normal again?" she asks bitterly. "We're always so good at arguing and sniping at each other."

He huffs a laugh.

"What?" she says, turning to him.

"I was just thinking about that today, after I found out about Kendall: the way you used to just blow me out of the water senior year with your zingers. 'Liquid evil', remember? You know, you haven't called me a jackass in forever."

"Jackass," she replies.

"Ah, that's good to hear. Just like old times."

"Blow you out of the water? I think you held your own in our fights. What was that one about why we broke up? Oh yeah, I remember now, 'It was you, you were too much man,'" she says sarcastically.

"Well, you were."

"Jackass," she repeats.

"Now that's just pathetic...repeating an insult," he chuckles.

"Asshat, is that better?"

"Barely. Snookums," he adds sardonically.

"What the fuck is wrong with us?" she asks.

"I'll take you sniping at me over crying any day," he replies, completely truthfully.

"Well, when you give me an opening, the way you always do, I've got to take it."

He rolls over and looks at her. "That whole year...I was trying to avoid you, but for some reason, every once in a while we'd bump into one another and just bitch at each other like crazed lunatics. But Veronica, some part of me lived for those moments. I think I wanted to fight with you, if that was the only way I could be with you."

"I always thought you were sitting at home, thinking up things to say to me. 'Annoy like the wind': come on, are you kidding me? You really just thought that up on the spot?"

"That was junior year, silly, and I'm really proud of that one. What can I say? You inspired me like no one else could," Logan admits. "If I had known..."

"What?" She looks over at him.

"If I had known how much I was getting under your skin...if I had known that was how to get you back in my bed, I would have worked on my lines night and day."

"You are so smug. I chose to come back in your bed, you didn't get me back in your bed," Veronica retorts.

"You can think of it that way if you want," Logan laughs. "We know the truth though."

"Yeah, that it makes you horny when I call you a jackass."

He moves over on the bed next to her, coming to a decision. He nuzzles against her ear, "Yes, it does." Logan bites her earlobe gently and whispers, "Promise me, you'll say stop if you want me to stop." She closes her eyes and breathes in deeply as his tongue flutters against her ear. "Promise me?"

"I promise, just...keep doing that," she exhales, arching slightly when he kisses her neck. "Oh, god. I've missed you."

"Mmm. It's about time you admitted I'm a god." Take it slow, don't rush her. Don't get too excited, even if...she keeps pressing against you like that. Oh...fuck! I've missed her. He cautiously reaches one hand to stroke her cheek with the back of his fingers; he knows it drives her crazy when he touches her lightly.

"Ohhh," she moans. "Damn you. You know just how to..." and her voice trails off as he sucks on her neck.

"Hmm. Let's see, didn't you say you had a list? I didn't forget about that, you know. What else could you have had on there?" he murmurs, nuzzling her under the jawline. He sits up a little, so he can look at her.

"What now?" she says, opening her eyes.

"Just thinking." He trails a single finger along the outside of her thigh, enjoying her compulsive shiver. "Just deciding how to drive you crazy." She's not broken, he thinks resolutely. She wants this, she wants to feel whole again.

"That's pretty good, I just wish I was...ahh," she gasps slightly, "naked."

"But taking off your clothes is part of the fun," he comments. "Your pajamas, I mean."

"Not exactly delicate lingerie, huh?" she asks, looking at the sensible nightwear that her dad had picked out.

"No, they're awesome," he leans into her ear and whispers, "because you're wearing them." Logan kisses her neck again, and she strokes the back of his head. He rubs his cheek against hers, and she cries out slightly. "What?"

"Stubble...oh god, it's so good to feel that again," she giggles. "I hated that beard."

"I'll be careful. No beard burn," he promises. He lays his cheek on hers and watches her as he opens the top two buttons of her pajama top. Logan runs his fingers gently up and down her sternum, titillating her with his restraint. She hums in pleasure and anticipation, and he wishes she could understand how her arousal is the best aphrodisiac he could ever have. The sling encasing her arm is strapped tightly to her chest, concealing her right breast from him. He unbuttons two more buttons and pulls her top open to reveal her left breast. She breathes out, eager for his touch, but he just stares at her nakedness, loving the perfection of her and the luscious temptation of her pebbled nipple beckoning to him. "I love to look at you, Veronica," he mutters.

"Keep talking, keep saying my name," she begs him. Make me feel like Veronica again.

"I love your breasts, Veronica. Oh, this breast is going to get a lot attention. Your right boob is going be so jealous." He bends over her and blows softly across her nipple, and she catches her breath compulsively. "I hope I don't wear it out," he comments, flicking his tongue just once against her.

"Ahh," she moans, "please..."

He kisses all around the aureola, avoiding the pink tip that is so inviting, trying to drive her completely insane before he licks her, again just once. Remembering her request, he murmurs against her, "Love your breasts, oh my god, there ought to be a law, that you're not allowed to wear clothes ever. Oh, Veronica, you're so beautiful." He loses his words for a second, then resumes, "You're so fucking beautiful. I can't keep my tongue off you." He begins to flick his tongue against her. I want to make her come, just from this. He sucks her nipple into his mouth, delicately pulling it into a sharper point, drawing air in around her. Logan feels her writhing a little against him, and he reaches down to the inside of her thigh and pulls her leg against him. He strokes her thigh softly, keeping it pressed against his growing hardness. "After I make you come by fucking your nipple, I'm going to do it to your pussy," he whispers, his lips dragging across her hardened flesh.

She shivers and arches her chest into him, urging him to continue. "Loh-gahn," she breathes. "I don't think it's– Ahh...ahh..." she cries, as he flicks his tongue hard against her and grabs her ever-so-gently between his teeth. He releases her with a hard swipe of his tongue and looks up at her mischievously. Panting a little, she tries again, "I don't think it's possible to have an orgasm like that, Logan."

"You don't mind if I try, do you?" he laughs. He flicks her overstimulated nipple again, and she jumps in response. "I think you like this."

"You are my absolute favorite jackass," she mutters, and he chuckles a little against her chest.

Logan carefully clamps down on her nipple, working the tip of his tongue furiously, wishing he could touch her other breast. "Mmm," he groans in the back of his throat.

The guttural sound of his aroused groan assails her in her core; she knows that, were he to reach under her pajama bottoms, his fingers would easily find their way inside her wetness. She reaches down to his hand trapping her thigh against him and tries to nudge him to touch her, to spread that dampness back and forth, up and down, the way she longs for him to do.

"You want me to touch you, don't you?" he murmurs. "You really love it when I kiss your breast." He tugs inexorably on her, using the rough friction of his tongue to abrade her nipple. Logan bites her a little harder and groans again, animalistic, suddenly unafraid to possess her. He traces his finger along the inside of her thigh, the light touch coming close, but resolutely avoiding her center. She arches again, trying to urge him on, but he resists, knowing that he's driving her crazy. "I know you like this, Veronica, you're going to come for me, this is just the beginning for us," he whispers, gently dragging his stubble across her titillated skin. He assaults her with his tongue, flicking and punishing her nipple.

She moans, trying to keep quiet, knowing her dad is just next door, but she wants to scream, wants him to keep doing it, do it everywhere, do it until I can't think any more. She bends desperately against him, and he sucks hard, and nips her again and again as she claws underneath him. He relents just for a moment and strokes her clit once through her pajamas, and she knows she's going to have to scream; but he senses it and slides up to kiss her. He teases her with gentle caresses as she spreads her legs and rubs herself against his hand.

Logan knows the best way to really get Veronica Mars off is to stimulate that brain of hers that's always working overtime. He whispers again, punctuating his words with licks of his tongue against her ear, "I'm going to suck on you all night, every night, until you're raw and sore. You're going to come for me, and you'll be begging me to do it again and again, because only I can make you come like this. Just when you think there can't be more, I'm going to show you that there is," he promises, and he slides down and tongues her nipple again to demonstrate what he means. He presses his hand firmly into her pussy, and she shakes against him, writhing helplessly, desperate for his hand's attention, his cock's attention.

He kisses her nipple, bites her, licks her over and over, thinking how he almost lost her and how he's going to make her feel whole again if it's the last thing he does on this earth. "So beautiful...I missed you, Veronica," he growls. He feels her pressing against him, vibrating urgently with the need for all of him. "I want to lick your pussy, Veronica."

She whimpers and pants her surrender, and he feels a surge of power, I did this to her...and she loves it. He kisses her breast gently one last time and stands up; she reaches to him, trying to clasp him to her. She lets her hand fall to the bed as he avoids her grasp. He throws off the covers, kneels over her legs, and gently hooks his fingers over the top of her pajama bottoms; she sighs deeply, anticipating.

As Logan draws the pajamas down her legs, he trails kisses down her body: on that sweet spot where her leg joins her pelvis; on her thigh, rounded and fleshy, just curvaceous enough; on the inside of her knee where he knows she is ticklish; down her calves, unshaven since the undercover operation, but he doesn't care, and he brushes his lips against the prickly evidence that she is still alive, still okay, dividing cells and sloughing skin, here in his arms. He lavishes kisses on the lovely geometry of her slender ankles, sucking gently on the bony protrusions and licking that slight hollow framed by her Achilles tendon. As the pajama bottoms finally clear her feet, he kisses her toes, one by one, making sure that every bit of her is safe and perfect.

Logan sees that she has calmed a little while he was lavishing attention on her legs. Her desperate arousal has been replaced by a relaxed and peaceful anticipation, and that is perfectly fine. There's no earthly reason to hurry; he can do this all night if she wants, and, truth be told, he's looking forward to driving her into a frenzy again. He settles himself between her feet, and takes her left foot in his hands. He begins to caress her, massaging the foot delicately, smoothing the skin and kneading the multitude of tiny muscles within. He kisses her smooth instep and presses her foot against his face. As he strokes her foot, Logan watches as she exposes herself to him, the beautiful, inviting slickness of her folds and entrances tempting him. Down, boy, he thinks, trying to exert some control over his growing erection; it's all about her tonight. And it's not like you're not enjoying this. He muses that most of the time he'd really rather watch her get off: orgasms are cheap compared to the thrill of her wild abandon at my hands. Logan whispers, "Remember...you promised to tell me to stop if you need me to. Right?"

"You better not stop," she answers. "But Logan? I think you've kissed my foot enough."

"Bitch, bitch, bitch." He makes a show of gnawing on her ankle. "Careful, or I'll have to tickle you."

"No, please, I'll behave," Veronica pleads, laughing quietly...until she realizes what she said. She freezes, suddenly completely tense, remembering the bucket, and pulls her legs together, closing her eyes against the memory.

No...no...fuck! he thinks. He crawls up her body and kisses her. "Veronica, you're here with me, you're safe, we'll stop. I promise, you're safe, I love you so much, god, you're so beautiful." He murmurs into her ears, trying to drown out the thoughts he thinks she's thinking. Logan reaches down and pulls the covers over them, covering her and hiding her. He carefully reaches around her bad shoulder and gently hugs her to him.

She breathes into his ear; he thinks she must be the strongest woman in the world not to begin sobbing and screaming to have the man who helped do that to her lying on top of her. He feels her heart thudding against his chest. Finally she takes a deep shuddering breath and whispers, "What are you doing up here?" Veronica takes his hand and pulls it down under the covers to her crotch. "I don't want you to stop," she mutters fiercely. "Don't stop, Logan. They don't get to own every word I said while I was there. I know I love you. I know I love you. Damn them, they even tried to take 'love' away from us. Love you, Logan," she says defiantly. "Did you hear me? Love you, Logan. I'm not fragile and broken. They didn't break me." Her voice almost quivers, but through sheer force of will she holds it steady, declaring her intention to make it through.

He is scared despite her strong words. Feeling utterly useless and bewildered, he says, "Veronica, I just...I just love you so. I know you're not broken. But I want everything to be okay again, and I don't know how to do it. I fucked up. It was too intense, too soon."

"No..." she cries. "Please...I know I love you. I love this. I love you making me crazy. Please don't stop!"

Logan tries to control his trembling; he is completely petrified of making a mistake with her that will ruin them forever. He attempts a middle ground that doesn't feel so dangerous; he strokes her hip, not lightly and teasingly–the way that drives her crazy–but comforting, the way you would reassure a child or an animal in a thunderstorm.

"That feels nice, don't stop," she encourages him quietly, throwing off the covers to watch his hand.

Logan suddenly says without thinking, "How can you be so strong? How can you..." He stills his hand, completely afraid and worried he's screwing it up again.

"Don't. DON'T. Just keep doing that," she replies. "Don't say it. I can't bear it. Tell me I'm beautiful again and...make love to me." Under her breath, she says, "I want to feel...like I used to feel." She interlaces her fingers with his and pulls his hand from her hip to her center. She holds their hands there, just resting together in an intimate place, just getting used to being there again. When it feels familiar and safe, she urges his hand, and together they caress her fine curled hair gently, sweeping back and forth to reacquaint themselves with the landmarks of her body. She sighs happily; this feels so easy and gentle, so right again, with his hand guided by hers.

Logan repeats her name over and over, as she wants. "Veronica...Veronica...so beautiful, oh I love the way you feel, Veronica." He lets her lead the way; gradually she urges him lower and further, until he brushes against her most sensitive spot, and she gasps softly. He hesitates, waiting for a long moment; finally she breathes, "Yesss," and he exhales with her again as he gently caresses her, listening carefully for her cues.

She pulls her hand away and reaches down to touch him; he groans aloud when she cups him softly in her palm. His cock, with a mind of its own, pulses against her hand, begging for more of her attentions. Veronica strokes his length, and he almost loses his words at the intensity of his desire for her. "Oh, Veronica. Can you feel what you do to me? I lose myself when you touch me." He tries to keep his caresses on her clit undemanding and subtle, but she arches into his hand, defeating his noble intentions.

When she presses firmly against his hand, he makes contact roughly, strong enough to make her cry aloud. "Logan, you have too many clothes on again," she gasps. "What have I told you about that?"

She squeezes him harder, encouraging him, and he moans, "Fuck, Veronica." He pulls his shorts down, and she begins to massage his nakedness, unmistakably trying to bring him to a full and throbbing erection. "Veronica, I need to...you know we need a condom," he manages to say, his voice croaking with urgency.

She nods, and he pushes himself off the bed; Logan fumbles in the top drawer of her nightstand for the condom necessary because of her forced abstinence from the pill during the operation. He finds a foil package and lowers himself to her side again. He rips it open and sheathes himself quickly. "Tell me how to do it, Veronica, so we don't hurt your shoulder," he whispers intensely, bringing his hand back to stroke her again, now without any restraint.

Veronica pants compulsively, completely under the thrall of his ministrations on her. "I guess...face to face, help me, help me to turn on my side...oh Logan, god I've missed you." He gently grasps her hips and helps her to face him. He kisses her, pressing his body against her, slipping himself between her legs, striving to find her entrance.

She closes her eyes as she kisses him; the white-hot lust takes over and all her sensations seem focused on his cock and his tongue, pushing within her, struggling to become one with her. She manages to get her leg thrown up over his hip and tries to pull him in as he enters: he goes in farther than she thought possible, with the base of his cock propelling itself against her.

Without the advantage of leverage, he thrusts and angles himself, determined to explore new, incredible ways of fitting within her to substitute for gravity and strength. His hips flex and release compulsively; for once, he's glad of the latex barrier that delays his release. He pumps in and out, so grateful and insanely thrilled to be inside her again. She is breathing heavily, moaning her appreciation into his shoulder; he whispers breathlessly, "You're okay? You're okay? Goddamn, you feel so good, god, Veronica, I love you, tell me you love me."

"Ohhh, I love you too, Logan," she manages before losing herself again in the sensations. Feels so good, feels so incredibly right to have him inside me, don't want it to ever end, ohhh... He changes his angle again, and she moans loudly, completely oblivious to her dad not twenty feet away.

"Shhh..." he cautions her as he presses his thumb onto her clit, his quick flicking motion urging her ever closer to climax.

"Don't stop, please, Logan, god, I love you," she mutters again, "Ahhh...ahhh...ohhhhhhh." With a long breathy groan, Veronica lets herself go and lets him own her completely again. He kisses her, his tongue filling her so sweetly and desperately as she throbs and vibrates, her entire body humming with the electricity of their togetherness. She sighs, lolling and sated as Logan still thrusts, trying to catch up with her and join her on the other side of arousal. He kisses her neck, and she reaches to stroke his balls gently, trying to make him feel like she's feeling.

"Fuck, Veronica, oh, fuck," he says, the words coming out in staccato bursts as he begins to thrust hard, feeling the beginning of the end. He ejaculates and continues to plunge into her, not wanting this to be over yet. With a final surge, he buries his cock deep within her, struggling to be just a little bit more inside her. She hooks her leg around him and draws him in, pulling herself completely against him as he shudders and quiets within her. Veronica rests her head against his chest, and he holds her to him as tightly as he is able without causing her pain.

After a few minutes, he reaches down and holds the condom tight against himself to pull out, but she whimpers, "No, not yet."

"Come on, you know–"

"Just another minute. Just stay," she begs.

"One more minute. It's only for a couple months, until it's safe again," he reassures her. "Something to look forward to. You know we have to be careful until then."

"I know, I just–" She sighs. "I really like feeling you inside me," she whispers.

He strokes her hair, feeling the weight of her against of his chest, loving how relaxed she is right now. He feels her breath on his skin, the slight exhalations cooling the sweat from his exertions. Logan counts twenty breaths, remembering how he was counting her respirations in the hospital, before he kisses her gently. "I'm getting up now." He carefully extricates himself and gets out of bed. He disposes of the condom and pulls on his shorts. He goes to the bathroom, bringing back a glass of water. He offers her the water and takes back the glass when she finishes. "Veronica, you know you should go to the bathroom now," he suggests cautiously. Dr. Arthurs, in addition to making several dietary suggestions, had stressed in her discharge instructions that Veronica should be extra careful with hygiene and be certain to urinate after sex to prevent a recurrence of her infection.

Veronica nods and quietly says, "Help me, okay?"

Even though she is perfectly able to get out of bed herself, she lets him help her to the bathroom. He stays just outside the half-open door, ready to assist her if necessary. After urinating, she wets a washcloth and clumsily tries to wash herself; he sees her struggle through the door, and he steps inside the doorway. Logan extends his hand and whispers hesitantly, "Let me help you. You cleaned me up so many times when I had the cast...but it's okay if you don't want me to," he adds, shrugging.

She nods, biting her lip, concentrating on keeping tension at bay. She hands him the washcloth and looks up at him. "I want to feel like...like we used to, when you knew every inch of my body," she whispers. "I want to feel okay with you again."

He leads her back to the bedroom, helps her to lie down, and begins to gently wash her, constantly looking up at her to see how she's doing with this. Why is this harder than...I've had my mouth, my tongue on every intimate part of her, but this feels... She has her eyes closed, but she seems relaxed. Logan says quietly, "I used to love it when you did this for me. I liked watching you, trusting you to take care of me while I was injured. I want to take care of you too." She nods, keeping her eyes closed; she sighs a little as he works. He buttons up her pajama top for her, knowing it's almost impossible with one hand, and retrieves the bottoms from the floor where they ended up. He slips them over her feet and up her legs; she lifts her hips for him, and he pulls them up to her waist.

"Thank you," she says quietly when he finishes. Reluctantly, Veronica admits, "It feels strange to let you take care of me, but...I like it."

He takes just a moment to savor her admission. She needs me...she's letting me take care of her. He takes the cloth back to the bathroom and hurries back to her. Logan lies down next to her and pulls up the covers. He gathers her into his arms and whispers, "I love you, Veronica."

"I love you too." After a moment, she whispers, "Logan? I want you to help me with something."

"Of course."

"Don't agree until you hear it."

"What, Veronica? You'll know I'll do anything for you."

She scoffs lightly. At first, Veronica speaks slowly, trying to make herself sound perfectly rational and reasonable. "I want you to watch the videos from the operation with me. I want to remember everything." As she talks, her voice speeds up and becomes more urgent. "I need to remember everything, not just to get better, but so I can testify and put them away. And I want to try to understand everything that happened."

He kisses her forehead. "Veronica, I don't know. I think it's a bad idea. You don't have to testify about what you don't remember. They can just use the videos at the trial. And I'm not sure it's possible to understand what happened there. Those people are insane. I want to forget about it."

"You know that's not possible," she argues. "I think...I'll always wonder if I don't do this. It'll always be between us; it'll always have the power to make things wrong for us again. And what if something comes out at the trial? I don't want to find out what happened from some paparazzi screaming it in my face for a reaction shot. What do you know about that last day? I know he was..." She swallows, frightened but determined. "He was confronting me about my rape." It's not a question; she knows on some level that this is the truth. Her dad had told her in the hospital that she could tell him anything about that night, and she had known instantly that those vague, terrifying memories of Klein pressing her about Shelly's party were not her imagination or a particularly vivid nightmare but the horrible truth. It was all made even more appalling by the shock in her dad's eyes when she told him that Lamb had known and not done anything. Her flashes of the group therapy session have become a little more clear with passing time, but her greatest fear is that she'll never know exactly what happened...again.

Logan nods. "You know that I don't really know what happened either. I was outside the room, and I couldn't hear what was going on."

"I remember seeing your face when you came in; you were so upset. What happened that was so shocking?" she asks compulsively.

"Veronica...I'm not ready yet," he begs her. "I feel guilty about everything, I couldn't convince you to quit; I couldn't make them believe me that something was wrong...I let you down. And I let them get under my skin, when I had a job to do there; my job was to protect you, and I couldn't do it. I failed you." He smoothes her hair behind her ear, wishing it was just that easy to make things okay for her again.

"When we're both ready...maybe it would help you too. Logan, we can't spend the rest of our lives feeling bad about this," she replies. "Maybe your therapist would help us, together. Please. You know I'm having a hard time, feeling so weak and fragile. I think I need this."

"I need to think about it...for me, Veronica. Let's talk about it in a couple days." He glances at the alarm clock. "Veronica, it's three a.m. Let's try to get some sleep. I love you...I love you so much." He wants to somehow express how incredible it was to be invited back into her body. "Tonight was so...there's not a word for what it was: unbelievable, beautiful, amazing...I don't know. Tonight was...you gave me hope, Veronica, that we're going to be okay."

"Not just okay," she vows. "Epic, right? ...I love you too, Logan."

---

doofus-Seventies slang for 'oaf' or 'dumbass'
let's book-Seventies slang for 'let's get out of here'
cool your jets-Seventies slang for 'chillax' or 'take it easy'