A/N: So, now for the continuation of that... are they or aren't they? You're about to find out. I kind of like the parallels of Logan and Veronica in this chapter. While they haven't had the same experiences, they still can share in the fears of being a bad parent, given that they've each had their share of bad parents. I also got to address another (little?) thing that I thought may have been a crack in the foundation of their relationship, so I hope I did them justice. Enjoy!

Chapter 9: Finally.

After a quick trip to the drugstore, they were back at her apartment, waiting. The package said that it would take three minutes, but to the pair of them, it felt much longer. This could be one of those moments, the moments that change lives.

"Do you want kids?" she asked, barely above a whisper as she hugged her knees closer to her body. It seemed like as good a time as ever to ask.

Logan was taken off-guard by the question. He had never really thought about the possibility of having children. Did he want kids; little humans running around calling him 'daddy?' He thought to his own father, a very troubled man. Could he ever do a thing like that to his own child? His father, after being beaten himself by his father, certainly could.

The thought terrified him. What if one day he just lost control of himself? Logan didn't think he would ever be able to forgive himself if he laid a hand on his own child. No, he couldn't have children. He simply couldn't risk becoming the monster that his father was.

Yet, thinking about a blonde-haired, blue-eyed little girl with all of the sass of her mother warmed his heart; a promise that he would never have to be alone again. He could begin to rebuild his family on his own terms, starting with a strong foundation and completely changing the connotation of the Echolls name. However, the fears still outweighed the possibilities.

"I wouldn't be a good father," he finally answered, looking away. Well, it was more of avoiding the question than answering, but he couldn't bring himself to admit that he might want something that could never happen.

No sooner had he said those words than she was by his side, "Logan, that's not true. I know you would never hurt your own child. Look at me," she demanded, sensing all of his fears, all of his doubts. She had known him since they were twelve years old, though good and bad, and knew the difference between the real Logan and the Logan he showed the rest of the world. "How many times have we fought? Where I've just been so stubborn and refuse to back down, putting myself in dangerous situations, not listened to you. We fight, we yell, but you've never once raised a hand in anger towards me. You would do anything to prevent someone from hurting me. I know that you would do the same thing for your child, too," Veronica calmed, taking his hands and smiling, "Plus, having a kid might give you a healthy outlet for all of those protective tendencies that you have."

She thought about a strong little boy with his loving heart. With his father's good looks and charm, he could grow up to be a real heartbreaker. With her input, however, no one would call him a "psychotic jackass," but would she always be there to guide him along? Her own mother had left her, choosing the bottle above her own child, lost in the past of a first love. What if she had those same flighty genes? Would her child grow up to hate her too?

"Do you?" he asked, noticing her lost in thought. They might as well get this conversation out of the way. Didn't all girls decide when they were like ten how many kids they wanted and what they were going to name them? He was sure that Lilly and Veronica must have talked about this at least once over playing dolls or something.

Veronica couldn't meet his gaze, "at this moment in my life, I know that I don't. I still want to do things; see the world. I can't help but think that if I have a kid right now, that my need to get out might overpower me and I'd turn into my mother. God, what a pair are we?" she laughed at the absurdity.

"Do you still love Duncan?" he asked quietly.

She pulled back from him, "What? No! How is this related?"

"Your mom, the reason she left was because she never really got past Jake Kane. It was always him, for her, you know? The one. And it drove her crazy. And that unhappiness led her to drink and ultimately leave. Duncan's the only other guy you've ever loved, if you were going to abandon your kid for someone, it would be for him, wouldn't it?" he explained, hoping she didn't take it the wrong way.

For a long time it had been a weird tennis match between the pair. She was with Duncan first. Then, Duncan left town and she was with him. Duncan came back and they got together. Duncan fled again, this time it seemed permanently and suddenly she was back in his arms. Back and forth. Why wouldn't Logan think that if Duncan ever came back to town, Veronica would run right back to him? It was, after all, Duncan's turn.

The realization hit her. Had Logan always felt that he came second to Duncan? That given the chance, she would go back to him? "Not Duncan. It was never Duncan. Logan, I'm not here, with you, because I can't have Duncan. I chose to stay. If I was going to abandon my child to be with anyone, it would be you," she was crying now and Veronica Mars rarely cried.

Logan pulled her into his arms and held her, no longer caring what the little stick of plastic said. If it was positive, they would figure it out. If it was negative, well, they certainly had gotten something from this experience: another potential fight resolved. Maybe if they solved everything before getting back together, they wouldn't have anything to fight over. Though, knowing Veronica, she'd find something: what's for dinner or what to watch on television, but he could handle those fights.

"I think maybe I should move out of the Grand," he said after a thought, "Not because of this, I mean this would be a very compelling reason to, but I can't live in a hotel forever." He was about to be a junior in college and had zero life plans. Only last semester had he finally declared a major, and that was more because he had to than he had decided. How was college going by so quickly? How was life going by so quickly?

Veronica nodded, "that might be a good idea, probably more financially responsible as well. I can't imagine the rent on your own apartment to be more per month than what you're already paying at the Grand."

Logan laughed: Veronica, always the sensible one. "Actually, I was thinking more of a house, near the beach, with like plenty of open space for partying and poker nights. I'll have to talk to Dick when he gets back," he said, thinking of how lonely the suite was without Dick there. Logan quite liked having a roommate and Dick filled that spot nicely.

However, that was not the moment to be making plans. Their future was still in the air for a few more seconds. Logan gave her a quick squeeze as the final seconds ticked down. Tick. Tick. Tick.

The timer dinged and they shared a look before Logan released Veronica from his arms. She walked into the bathroom, where she left the test on the sink and looked at it. Logan was right behind her.

Veronica turned to him with a huge smile on her face, "it's negative. Negative!"

Relief washed over both of their faces, "so, that night, officially and completely forgotten?" he asked now that it was over. It wasn't meant to happen.

She put a finger to her chin as though she had to think about it, "If you buy me dinner."

"Of course," Logan smiled, happy that nothing had changed and she was making his plan so much easier. Veronica had pretty much asked him to take her out on a "date" somewhere.

A/N: I just couldn't do it. I had some other things I could have done, other options I had written and ultimately, this one won out. I thought of going positive and having a false positive, but that really isn't realistic. It is more common to get a false negative than a false positive on those tests, not that I'm saying it's a false negative. It's a real negative. I also thought about a miscarriage, but that's pretty dark and I think given the fragile state of their relationship at this point, it would break them. I thought about abortion, but I just couldn't see Veronica doing that. I'd bet money on her being pro-choice, but I think she would choose life for herself. Just a thought. I also thought about giving them a baby, but putting them together out of obligation didn't seem right for them either. So, no baby. I liked this resolution because it gave them an excuse to talk about things (fears) that they had and their relationship can come out stronger because of it. Anyway, I would love to hear your thoughts instead of just my own, so if you feel so compelled, type away in the little box below and hit some button down there that sends them to me. I love... uh... rapture you guys lol