A/N – ahh the very sappy part! Hopefully you don't think it's too over the top and off character, I wanted Logan and Veronica to be more vulnerable and open than they were on the show. I always thought that if the just sat down and talked instead of running away it would all work out for them – guess that probably doesn't make good tv though :-) . I'm thinking all the dialogue is a little monotonous, but I wanted to get this chapter finished tonight.

P.S Thanks for all the fantastic reviews!!!! I'm just happy there are a few people out there who don't think my story is too terrible!

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Veronica unlocked the door and flipped on the lights, as Logan followed her, only to be attacked by a large dog intent on licking his face. "Well good to know Backup still likes me"

Veronica heads to the freezer to pull out a pint of ice-cream, and he laughs "I thought you were joking" "You should know I don't joke about food Echolls"

She hands him a spoon and plops down on the couch next to him "I know we tried to do this whole honesty thing before, and it backfired, but I can't keep going on this rollercoaster with you. Either we can get over the past and learn to love each other despite everything, or we accept that it's really over and we move on" Logan whispered not looking at her "Well I'm voting for the loving each other option" Veronica grabbed his chin and made him look at her "I love you, you know, I have ever since that disastrous surprise party your Dad threw. When you held out your hand and told all of your friends to accept me or leave, I thought I would never be any happier. Even when we had broken up, I could still feel it, that pull towards you like you were the only one in any room that mattered. I'm sorry I was too much of a coward to tell you"

"Why Ronnie, why was it so hard to tell me? I always felt so inadequate when I'd put myself out there and you would make jokes, or just agree. I always hoped you felt the same way, but there was that niggling feeling, especially about Duncan, I mean I'm always waiting for him to come back and take you away from me, or ask you to go to him."

"Duncan?" Veronica looked surprised, then grabbed his hands and laced their fingers together "I guess we're both insecure – I always wondered if I was just a placeholder for Lilly. I mean I loved her, but I was always in her shadow and no matter how many times she cheated on you, you always took her back"

"I was young Ronnie, at the time I thought I loved her, but now I think it was lust. You remember her, she was just so full of light she blinded you to everything other than her, but it doesn't compare to how I feel about you"

Veronica just nodded then quietly confessed "Duncan was a mistake. Not the first time – when I was young and naive, he was perfect for me, my knight in shining armour. But after Lilly......after that night...... I changed, I wasn't that girl anymore. I didn't believe in fairytales anymore. But I thought I could go back, I thought that if I could just stick with him I would be that old Veronica, the way he still saw me. I guess I was trying to do the same thing with Piz. I thought that by picking the nice, safe guy, that my heart would be nice and safe too. It just made it worse though, the pretending. Seeing you without me was just a knife in my gut every time, especially when you were with someone else, Parker, Hannah, Kendall......." She paused for a moment her eyes glistening

"I guess I never told you I loved you because I did. Because I loved, love you more than anyone else except my Dad. It seems that everyone I love eventually leaves me. I thought that it would hurt less when you left if I hadn't admitted my feelings, If I pretended that I didn't need you"

Veronica broke down at this last admission and started sobbing. Logan just held her and let her cry into his chest. She started speaking again after a moment

"I have always been amazed at how you can put your feelings on the line time after time. My instinct is always to run, to hide in my protective shell, but even after everything with your mum, and your dad beating you, and lilly........ and me" She trailed off for a few seconds then picked up again "You were still brave enough to love openly, to risk your heart getting stomped on"

"Well I always did have a masochistic streak" He grinned at her and she retaliated by elbowing him "That's not funny Logan"

"I didn't know you knew about my father??"

"Not everything, just hints, and I've seen the scars – why didn't you ever tell anyone?"

"Who would have believed me? Trust me my father saved his acting talent for when he was off camera....... I'll always regret not trying though, maybe if I had, he wouldn't have the chance to kill Lily, maybe my mother wouldn't have killed herself out of guilt"

It was Veronica's turn to comfort him "Logan none of that is your fault"

They sat in silence for several minutes. Veronica finally worked up the courage to ask "Can I ask some things about Madison" Logan sighed, and nodded. "What exactly happened that night, I know I have no right to be upset since we were broken up, and I know I am irrational about her, I guess it's just after her involvement with my rape, and the way she treated me all through high school I just can't stomach the thought of you with her, she made it seem like you did the whole romantic seduction for her?"

He looked at her sadly "I don't remember that night. I know I was in the bar with a few of the '09 ers till about 3, when I woke up later that morning she was in my bed. I don't even remember her being in the bar, so definitely no romantic hookup"

"Do you believe me?"

Veronica just looked in his eyes and nodded "Really, you trust me??" he said with a childlike grin. "I know you wouldn't lie to me about this now Logan" Veronica leaned over and lightly kissed him on the lips "I trust you". His grin got even wider at that and he pulled her into a more passionate kiss.

"Ah I was pretty sure we had this unspoken agreement – I would pretend that you didn't ever touch my daughter, and you in return wouldn't do it in front of me. Don't make me get my gun"

Logan and Veronica sprang back guiltily from each other, then looked up at his laughing face and relaxed. Veronica jumped up and gave her Dad a bear hug "Good first day Dad?"

"You could say that, thanks to whatever hold you have over Jake Kane, anyway I've got to have dinner with the mayor, so I should be a few hours. I just wanted to check in "Keith paused at the door "And Kids, try to break apart every so often for air and food, and remember Backup's in charge"

"Now I really want to know what happened with Jake Kane"

"Ok Ok, you order us some Italian, and I'll give you the synopsis"

"Basically after I overreacted and told you something I will regret forever" Logan grabbed her hand and murmured "It's all right V" "I made Dick show me the email, traced it via Chip and a guy named Domonick to Gory Sorokin. I went over we had a chat, I bugged his room, the usual" Logan just rolled his eyes "Anyway I overheard him talking about pledges, and a newspaper box where they were supposed to get there instructions. Long story short, Wallace was one of the pledges, and he told me about The Castle, a Skull and Bones type secret society at Hearst. He infiltrated their initiation, but got caught. I took some drastic .... and stupid measures, and broke into the house that I had followed one of the other pledges to, which was of course Jake Kane's. Only found that out when I saw the pictures of Lilly. Anyway I stole his hard drive with all the pledges details, and Mac and I broke into the supercomputer on campus to crack the security. So basically I now have a copy of all the confessions – it's pretty seamy; murders, fraud, sex scandals you name it. Anyway I figured out that Gory had released the tape on his own, it wasn't anything to do with the Castle, but I was caught on surveillance tapes, and Dad had erased the tapes in the evidence room to protect me. I took the hard drive back to Jake and let him know that I had found out what was on it. He claimed it was too late, but I knew he couldn't risk that info getting out, so I guess he influenced the prosecutor to drop all the charges."

"So how did you find out that Gory was connected?"

"His confession tape, he witnessed his Dad and Uncle disposing of bodies at their cabin" After hearing that I decided to turn over a new leaf and learn to let things go" She smiled. "Apparently you weren't quite on board with the plan yet though"

"I've got a reputation to uphold Mars"

"Yeah well I'd rather you were alive"

"Awww you do love me"

Veronica laughed "Yes I do love you........ some of the time" she replied playfully

Veronica and Logan fell into their usual banter over dinner, but once they had finished she turned serious once more.

"I feel like this afternoon has been all about my issues – so lay it all out there Logan, what are your thoughts on our relationship?"

"I only ever wanted you to love me Veronica. Really love me with trust and everything. I knew you had all these walls up to stop me from getting in, and I understood. I mean I was a jackass to you when you needed me when Lilly died, your mum abandoned you, my dad tried to kill you..... and worst of all, I was the reason you were raped." Logan slumped back on the couch crying softly, he spoke again "I know you tell me that you don't blame me, but I know how you blame Madison and I am much more to blame than she was" They sat silently for a few minutes.

"Logan" Veronica started "I'm not sure how I can make you believe that I don't blame you, any more than I blame Dick. You made mistakes, I know, but you weren't the one who raped me – that was all Cassidy. I know that I have been really unfair about Madison's involvement, I know she didn't intend to drug me, she just brings out all my insecurities and I hate her for that."

"I'm not sure anyone else would have been as patient with me as you were. I'll always be grateful for how you never pushed me and always made sure I was comfortable with what we were doing. I know it took me a long time to be okay with sex, after I found out the truth, and again after my run-in with Mercer. I just wish that I knew sex could be that good back when I did it with Duncan"

Logan smiled cautiously "You wouldn't be shamelessly trying to boost my ego would you bobcat?"

"Maybe" Veronica grinned impishly "It's true though, that's why your comment in the hallway of the Grand go to me so much"

Logan just smirked.

"How about we make a deal V, I'll love you forever, protect you and accept all your faults if you do the same for me"

"Who's turning into a girl now Logan"

She laughed then sighed "I'll admit that this Castle thing scared me, I'm starting to think the case of the missing monkey is really more the level I want to work at. How about we agree that you try to not be too overprotective, and I'll try not to get myself into any more dangerous situations. Well, maybe I'll try to at least tell you first" she amended

"But will you love me forever, Veronica"

"Yep, like you could get rid of me if you tried, I'm a parasite remember"

Logan laughed "What about if I want to marry you and have lots of kids"

Veronica pretended to think seriously about it "Ok well I'm thinking we should see if we can get through a few months straight before we get hitched, and how many kids are we talking?"

They cuddled happily on the couch and spent the evening till Keith came home laughing and making up horrible names for their as yet theoretical babies.

"Glad to see everyone is still looking happy, but don't you both have classes tomorrow?"

"Yeah I guess I should get some sleep" Veronica said sadly looking at Logan and pouting

"Fine Veronica, Logan can stay – but he's sleeping on the couch"

"Thanks Daddy"

"It's hard to believe you are an adult sometimes Veronica" Keith said shaking his head

Veronica just tossed her head as she went to her room after kissing Logan goodnight "I perfected my manipulation techniques in childhood, and why change what still works".

Logan and Keith just looked at each other and laughed. Keith grabbed Logan a blanket while he tried to get comfortable on the couch.

"Fine you can stay in her room, but just remember the walls are paper thin, and I keep my gun under my pillow"

"Yes sir"

Veronica smiled as she felt his arms slip around her in bed. "Is this a clandestine or an approved snuggle" she asked.

"You know I'm an angel"

Veronica laughed and whispered "I love you Logan"

"I love you too Veronica"

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A/N – I originally planned to end the story here but I finished this a lot quicker than I expected – I'm kind enjoying all the sappiness, so I might do a few more future chapters, just to show it all works out etc.