Title: Mutual
Author: Brendan/brencon
Pairings/Characters: Logan/Veronica, ensemble, VD, Logan/Lilly
Word Count: 2,044
Rating: PG-13, so far.
Summary: What if Logan and Veronica got together before everything went to hell?
Spoilers: Set pre-series, but will include some season one stuff soon.
Warnings: Minor cussing
Disclaimer: Veronica Mars belongs to Rob Thomas and the nice people at the CW
Authors Note: Thanks to Nikita for the beta. Italics represent Veronica's thoughts and/or voiceovers.

As happy as Veronica felt after her talk with Logan before going to bed, her dreams were plagued with flashes of Duncan attacking Logan again, or worse, Veronica herself. She woke every few hours, sweat matting her long, blonde hair which stuck to her forehead.

She took deep breaths to calm herself and reached for the glass of water on her bedside table. She took a few sips before placing it back on the table and exhaling heavily.

Her alarm flashed six AM every few seconds in a bright red glow. She lay down again, closing her eyes to the world, letting sleep take over. Any extra sleep she could grab would be a blessing in Veronica's eyes.

She would need to be well rested when facing the student body of Neptune High in just a couple of hours.

------

Veronica was just finishing her breakfast when a knock came at the front door of the Mars residence.

Keith, dressed in his sheriff uniform, reached the door before his daughter.

"Don't mention anything about guns or anything. Just be a normal dad for once, okay? Please?"

Keith gave her a look of angelic proportions that could rival her own. He opened door to find Logan facing the other direction, hand in front of his mouth, checking his breath.

Keith, stifling a throaty laugh, masked it into a cough, alerting Logan to his presence.

"Hello Logan," he said, once the boy had twirled around.

Veronica noticed that his face carried a hint of red.

Of course, there was no complete blush, because Logan Echolls, God-King of Neptune High, would never blush.

"Hi, Mr. Mars," Logan replied, his voice a few octaves higher that he liked.

Keith looked over the boy's face. He had been right when he said to the boy's parents last night that he'd be black and blue. His jaw was a dark purple, his cheek a light red, and around his right eye was a little blue.

"How do those feel this morning?" Keith asked, sitting at the breakfast table. He poured a cup of coffee for himself as Logan shuffled back and forth on the soles of his feet. The boy was nervous, and Keith hadn't even said anything threatening, subtle or otherwise.

He was kind of pleased with himself for that.

"It, uh, kinda stings, you know? But, it's not like I've never been in a fight before."

Before could Keith reply to Logan's answer, his daughter was already dragging her new boyfriend back out of the building.

"Bye dad, I love you, see you this evening!" she called out before slamming the door shut.

------

On the other side, Logan was beginning to breathe normally again. Being in the same room as his girlfriend's scary, gun-toting lawman of a father for just a couple of minutes made him nervous as hell. He could tell that Mr. Mars knew, but was grateful that he didn't comment on it.

"So, and be honest, how do those bruises feel?"

"They hurt like hell. But that's not unexpected. I mean, my best friend did just catch me making out with his girlfriend quite passionately on the couch."

"So, how about I kiss them better?" Veronica offered, smiling up at him. She wanted to move off that topic of conversation. The sight of Duncan throwing punch after punch at Logan was still too fresh in her mind.

"Just kiss them better?" Logan asked, waggling his eyebrows at her.

"Hey!" she laughed, lightly hitting his shoulder. "For the moment, yes. Anyway, what else could I do to your bruises on your face?"

"Who said anything about the bruises on my face?" Logan smirked at the blushing blonde.

She laughed as Logan opened the passenger door for her. She clambered in. Logan quickly kissed her before racing around and jumping into the driver's seat.

"So, how about we play hooky today, instead of going to school?" Logan asked, starting the car.

"Logan, we need to face them all sooner, rather than later."

"I know, I just want to spend some alone time with you, is all."

"And you will, just not right now, okay?"

I'm too nervous right now to think about doing anything with you.

"Excellent," he smirked, turning the radio on. Logan began whistling along to the song while Veronica looked out the window.

Suddenly, Veronica turned in her seat and looked at Logan.

"Did you call Duncan last night?" she asked, looking down at her knees.

"After you, I called the Kane house, yeah. Did I speak to Duncan? No. I did, however have a conversation with Ms. Kane. She asked me why Duncan was in his room, listening to some 'emo shit really loudly' after he came home from my place," Logan replied, turning the radio down.

"Oh? What else did she ask?"

"She asked if what Duncan said to that bitch they have to call a mother was true."

"And what did Duncan te-," Veronica started.

"What did Duncan tell Celeste?" Logan finished. "That we were seeing each other behind his and Lilly's back. I told her yes."

"And how did Lilly take it?" Veronica asked, finally looking up at Logan.

"I think badly, because a few seconds later all I could hear was dial tone."

"Great, just…great," Veronica said sarcastically, looking out of the window again.

------

Soon enough, Neptune High came into their sight. The dread Veronica had been feeling during most of the night and this morning returned, along with some stampeding elephants.

Logan and Lilly had shared a phone call, which seemed to have ended badly. Duncan fighting with Logan.

What else could happen to us today?

Logan parked the Xterra in the already crowded car park. The space beside them was taken up by a car that neither Veronica nor Logan recognised.

As they got out, Veronica nodded her head in the vehicles direction. "New student?" she asked.

"I heard a new girl would be arriving. I heard that her father is some almighty music producer…I can't remember his name."

Logan took Veronica's hand in his, knotting their fingers together in the process.

They headed for the front entrance. Veronica was trying to ignore all the staring and whispers that she could hear spreading around them. Logan, on the other hand, had his head held high, a shit-eating grin spread wide on his face.

A silver SUV stopped in front of them, blocking their way. The window scrolled down and the smirking face of the one and only Lilly Kane appeared.

"Well, well, well. Look what we have here, ladies. Logan Echolls, my dear ex, and Veronica Mars, my brother's ex. Who would've known we'd throw those two together so quickly? Am I right, girls?" Lilly smirked, turning her head to face Madison, Shelley and Meg.

Madison and Shelley were laughing as if it was the funniest joke they'd ever heard. Meg, however, looked a bit pale and quite uncomfortable.

"Shut the fuck up, Lilly. We don't care about whatever you want to say to us." Logan snarled, throwing his arm over Veronica's shoulders protectively. He then led them both away from the SUV.

Lilly reversed her car, blocking them once again.

"Now Logan, I wasn't done talking yet."

"Fine, Lilly, say whatever you want and leave us alone," Veronica shouted, glaring at her former best friend.

"Wow, a backbone. When the hell did you get that, Ver-on-ica Mars?"

"When I stopped hiding in your shadow."

Lilly looked at Veronica, from the long blonde hair that was a mirror image of her own, to the pink blouse that Lilly had chosen for Veronica, and finally the pink skirt that she'd given to Veronica on her last birthday.

"Hmm. Well, it looks to me that you don't actually know the meaning of 'stopped'."

"Screw this, Lilly. Leave us the fuck alone," Logan growled. Again he led Veronica around the SUV. This time, Lilly didn't try and stop them.

Finally inside the school, Logan noticed the tears forming in Veronica's eyes. He gently squeezed her hand and led her to the girl's bathroom. Checking that no one else was in there, he blocked the door and grabbed some tissue. Handing it to Veronica, he kissed her forehead and smiled.

"You handled yourself really well back there, Ronnie."

"I'm just sick of agreeing to everything she says as if it's the law of the land."

Veronica walked over to the counter and looked herself over in the mirror as she dabbed at her eyes. She snorted at her own reflection.

"I look like a Lilly doll," she commented, throwing her hair over her shoulder. "Maybe it is time to get out of her shadow, in the actual sense of the word," Veronica thought out loud.

"Everyone knows a shorter haircut is hot," Logan said, trying to lift the mood of the situation.

He twirled her around so she was facing him and quickly pecked her on the lips.

"You ok?" Logan asked, smiling at her.

"Thanks to you, I am."

"Ready to face the world again, girlfriend?"

Veronica smirked and took his proffered arm.

"As ready as I'll ever be," Veronica said, as they both headed to the door. Veronica kicked the door stop away and was about to open the door when Logan twirled her around again.

"What now? Do you want another kiss?"

"It's like, I dunno, you know me, or something," Logan snarked sarcastically, kissing Veronica again, this time with a little more passion.

Before it got too heated, Veronica pulled back and placed her hand on his chest, stopping him in his tracks.

"If you do that again, neither of us will be facing the world."

"Fine. Let's head out then."

------

Still with ten minutes to go before the first class of the day, Logan and Veronica went to their lockers. Logan clenched his fists when they had to walk past Lilly and her clique.

At her locker, Veronica saw a girl she'd never seen before, looking at map of Neptune High. The unknown girl checked the map one more time and was about to enter the teachers lounge before Veronica saved her.

"Thanks," the girl started, shaking her head in relief at not walking into the forbidden room. "I'm glad you stopped me before showing my idiotic side too quickly. I'm Yolanda," the girl said, offering her hand to Veronica.

Smiling, Veronica took her hand and shook it. "Veronica. And this is Logan, my boyfriend," she replied as Logan shook Yolanda's hand.

"Hey. So, anyone know where Mrs. Murphy's room is?" Yolanda asked, looking up at her newfound friends.

"As a matter of fact, I do. Lemme take a look at your schedule," Veronica requested. Yolanda handed her the sheet of paper. Quickly checking it, Veronica handed it back to Yolanda.

"We have the same first few classes, and then you have some with Logan."

Grateful, the girl put the paper back in her shoulder bag and followed Veronica. "So, what is there fun to do here?"

Logan and Veronica just glanced at each other in reply.

"Surfing springs to mind," Logan said, taking Veronica's hand in his as he walked her to her first class of the day.

"Of course it does. Logan spends more time on his stomach that on dry land."

"Don't you mean I spend more time on my back?" Logan smirked, waggling his eyebrows suggestively.

"Shopping is also a big attraction. In fact, I wanted to have a little retail therapy after school. You want to join me?" Veronica asked, ignoring her snickering boyfriend.

"Sure. When do you want to leave?" Yolanda asked.

"How 'bout when school lets us out?"

"OK, great."

Reaching Mrs. Murphy's room, Veronica kissed Logan goodbye as she and Yolanda entered the room. It was reasonably empty at the moment and, thankfully, Duncan wasn't there.

Come to think of it, I haven't seen Duncan at all this morning. I wonder if he'll be coming in anytime soon?

Yolanda and Veronica took two seats beside each other near the centre of the room. As the room filled up, Veronica received some glares and muttering.

"So, why do you seem to be the most hated person in this room?"

Sighing, Veronica answered, "It's a long story."