A/N: Just be thankful it hasn't been a year. :) I just started college, so updates will still be on the slow side. I'll try to do better, though! Leave a review for encouragement, please!

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At the end of the aisle, Veronica turned the corner and, not paying much attention to her surroundings, ran straight into Logan Echolls.

The impact knocked her back a few steps, but she thankfully held onto the food she was holding and remained on her feet. She regained her balance and looked up, trying to tell herself that the feeling washing over her was absolutely nothing to worry about. Nothing at all. It didn't mean something bad would happen just because she was seeing her ex-boyfriend for the first time in almost three years. Really, it didn't.

Steeling herself for whatever awkward conversation was about to occur, Veronica glanced up at Logan. He looked almost exactly the same as he had the last time she had seen him. He seemed more tired, though, with hints of dark circles showing under his eyes. After a moment that seemed frozen in tim, her eyes caught his, and a flicker of surprise registered on Logan's face before his features slid seamlessly into a smirk that was all too familiar.

"Gee, Veronica," he drawled, "I know you've made it a habit of pretending I don't exist, but you can't actually walk through me like I'm not here."

She smiled sweetly and replied without missing a bit. "Hmm, I guess I'd just gotten so used to you not being there, that I'd forgotten you could actually appear in person. Funny how that works."

Well, way to go, Veronica. Just skip civility and go straight to the sarcasm. Forget all that stuff about letting bygones be bygones. Forget about being the bigger person. Forget about trying to act like running into Logan Echolls doesn't affect you at all.

He didn't respond to her comment, instead allowing a strained silence to fall between them. She shifted from foot to foot, glancing nervously down the baked good aisle (which they were standing in front of), trying to find something to focus on other than Logan's eyes. Which seemed to be intent on staring directly at her. Eventually, the lack of conversation became something close to unnerving, so Veronica filled it with the first question that came to mind.

"Why - what're you doing here?" She'd meant it as a simple question, something to make up for the barbs they'd already started to trade, but it came out sounding too much like an accusation. Logan, of course, noticed it, too.

"Well," he began slowly, "I still live in Neptune, so I'm here to do some grocery shopping. Like a normal resident. Why are you here?"

Veronica held up the chocolate syrup and ice cream. "Because I'm addicted to Rocky Road and Magic Shell. We all have our vices, right?"

"I meant why are you here in Neptune. The last time I checked, you were off investigating the cheaters and stealers in New York. Were there not enough lives to ruin in the Big Apple?"

Actually, that's a a good question, Logan. Why am I here again? I can think of about a million other things I'd rather be doing, which would include being in the presence of Dick Casablancas.

She could lie, of course, and say something about visiting her father or that she was just passing through, but Veronica figured that if the investigation went anywhere, he'd find out the truth at some point.

"The Albright murder," she said finally. "The parents requested I look into their daughter's death. Apparently they remembered everything that happened with Aa - with Lily. And that I was involved in figuring out what really happened."

It didn't come as much of a shock when understanding flashed briefly across Logan's face. In fact, Veronica thought she might actually have been disappointed if he hadn't followed the case. It was just too similar to what had happened years ago for it not to be affecting.

"They don't think the man who was arrested did it?" he asked.

Veronica shook her head.

Logan's gaze darkened slightly. "Well, this all sounds alarmingly familiar. Do I need to call the cemetery and ask if Aaron's been body snatched?"

Had the circumstances been any different, Veronica probably would have laughed at that one. But as they were seeing each for the first time in what felt like forever at a Sac 'N Pac, she ignored the joke. "Well, the mother's insistent that the sheriff arrested the wrong guy; she's afraid he's still out there and might come after the rest of the family," she said.

"Well, I'm sure Hank will clear this mess right up," Logan said, smiling brightly. The grin, however, didn't come close to reaching his eyes.

Through conversations with her dad, Veronica knew Logan was talking about the sheriff who had taken over after Vinnie had left office. "From what I've heard, Hank Roberts is almost as bad as Lamb," she said.

"Then you've heard correctly," Logan said. "Let's see. Combine the dearly departed Don's stupidity with Vinnie's taste for corruption and you've got the sheriff pegged."

Veronica sighed. "That's what I was afraid of. I should have figured I wouldn't be getting much help from anyone in Neptune."

"Well, I can save you some time," Logan said. His voice was dripping with sarcasm, but there was a hint of bitterness in his eyes that spoke volumes. "I was in a business meeting that night. There's security footage, witnesses – the whole nine yards."

"Wow, I'm shocked," Veronica replied.

Logan's eyebrows shot up. "That I'm innocent for once? Me, too."

"No," Veronica explained, shaking her head, "that you've managed to find a job."

"Oh, you haven't heard? I took over for Miss James when she retired," Logan said. "Angsty teenagers are my calling. Apparently it's encouraging when they find out their lives aren't nearly as messed up as mine was at that age."

Veronica's eyes widened. "You've got to be kidding me."

He grinned. "Yeah, I am."

Thank God. It's not like the children of Neptune's finest need to know how to organize bum fights.

"So what do you really do, then?" she asked. The last time she'd been in the same state as Logan, he'd been deciding on whether or not to attend grad school. She obviously hadn't stayed around long enough to find out what he'd chosen.

"I'm an investor." Logan reached inside one of his jacket pockets and pulled out a business card, flourishing it at her.

"Ah, I should have known; only you would make money by doing nothing." Veronica took a step forward and grabbed the card, not bothering to look at it before shoving it into her purse.

"True, but I do nothing so well."

"I bet," was her bored response. Another few moments passed, the silence falling once more. Feeling unsettled again, Veronica glanced at her watch, only to find that she was running much later than she'd meant to. "Anyway, I should probably get going. I don't want to keep my dad waiting."

"Of course not."

"Well, goodbye, Logan," she said. "It was, um, nice to see you."

Nice? God, Veronica, tortuous would probably be a more accurate description. Or maybe traumatizing would be better.

Logan nodded. "Good luck with the case."

"Thanks," she said shortly. Then, after a small pause, she turned on her heel and walked away, heading toward the checkout lane. She had only taken a few steps when she heard him call out.

"And hey, Veronica?"

She spun back around and found that he was watching her closely, an emotion flashing across his face that she didn't care to identify. "Yeah?"

"Try to avoid getting stuck in a fridge this time, okay?" Logan smiled lopsidedly.

"But it's just so much fun to be trapped inside burning kitchen appliances," she said in mock-cheery voice, mirroring his expressing.

"Veronica," he ground out, looking exasperated. "Just promise, all right?"

"I'll do my best," she replied grudgingly.

"See you around, then." And without waiting for a reply, he turned and walked the other way.

Logan's long strides took him out of her sight almost immediately, leaving her standing in the middle of the Sac 'N Pac, holding a bottle of Magic Shell and a carton of ice cream. And feeling completely lost.

Welcome back to Neptune, all right. Won't this be fun?

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A/N: Next chapter = more mystery (I promise there's a legitimate one)! I just figured a bit of Logan might be nice, since he'll probably be a bit elusive in the next two chapters.