Title: Mutual

Author: brencon

Pairings/Characters: Logan/Veronica, ensemble

Word Count: 1,785

Rating: PG-13, so far.

Summary: What if Logan and Veronica got together before everything went to hell?

Spoilers: Set pre-series, but is now including season one plot.

Warnings: Swearing.

Disclaimer: Veronica Mars belongs to Rob Thomas and the nice people at the CW

Author's Note: Italics represent Veronica's thoughts and/or voiceovers.

Veronica awoke with a start, her cell phone vibrating on her bedside table. She groaned, rubbing the sleep from her eyes as she sat up. She glanced at the clock to find it 11:30 in the morning. She sighed, grabbing her phone. She saw that she had 9 missed calls.

Wondering what drama had occurred when she was sleeping, Veronica dialled up her answering machine and entered her code when prompted.

Hearing her father's voice across the line and the message he was parting shook her quickly from her post-sleep state and she was a bundle of energy. Hanging up her phone, she tossed it on the bed and rushed to her bathroom, giving her face a quick wash and brushing her teeth.

She dressed in jeans and a pink t-shirt, forgoing breakfast, and, grabbing her keys, rushed to door and made her way to the hospital.

The time was 11:42 in the morning.

--

Arriving at the hospital, Veronica locked the LeBaron and rushed inside. Poking the button that called to the elevator repeatedly, Veronica became frustrated and headed for the stairs, taking them two at a time.

Reaching Logan's floor, a panting Veronica continued running for his room, waiting to see him smiling and laughing and talking to her.

She was so focused that she didn't see Duncan standing in front of her and ran into him, knocking him to the floor as she fell on top of him.

"Oh God, Duncan! I'm so sorry! I totally didn't see you," Veronica apologised, pulling herself back up to her feet. She offered her hand to Duncan to aid him up, but he ignored it and, placing his hands on the feet, pushed himself back to his feet.

"So, you heard, huh?" Duncan asked, staring out the window at the sun drenched world outside. He'd been inside the hospital so often the last three weeks that his eyes hurt from the sun's rays. He rubbed his eyes, trying to rub away the pain, before locking eyes with his ex-girlfriend.

"Yeah, dad left a message on my phone early this morning, but I didn't get it 'til twenty minutes ago. How is he?" She asked, looking around the Kane boy, trying to look into Logan's room.

Laughing bitterly, Duncan scratched at his upper arm, "I wasn't talking about Logan. Lilly's had some difficulties."

"Oh," came Veronica's reply, her mind quickly remembering to kick herself later for not thinking of her former best friend first. "Did the doctor's say what happened?"

"They told my parents… no ones told me anything. Always have to protect the golden son," Duncan commented snidely, crossing his arms defensively.

"Oh," she said again. She tapped her tongue against her teeth, wanting to get past and see her boyfriend but not knowing how to get free. She took the initiative and made to step around him.

"Wanna see lover boy? Go a head. Go a head and forget about my sister, you're best friend!" He shouted, his eyes closing to slits as he clenched his fists. He took a strong step forward, crowding her space.

"Duncan!" shouted the voice Celeste Kane. Her manicured hands clutched her hand bag as she stood in the door way, her salon styled hair in a perfect position to give the air of grief stricken mother to the public. "Duncan, come sit with your sister," she ordered, reaching into her purse and withdrawing his tablet container.

Duncan, appearing to have calmed some, with his head bowed, walked slowly to his sister's room, accepting the container and promising to take them right away.

Closing the door behind him, Celeste moved towards Veronica, her high heels echoing of the tiled floor. She stopped just before Veronica, eyeing her up with a hint of revulsion shining from eyes, hidden away behind all that sickening pride she always held.

"Veronica Mars, are you here to see my daughter?" Celeste asked, a false smile crossing her face.

"No, not today. I'm here to see Logan; he woke up during the night."

Blinking fast, Celeste glanced at the Echolls room, gulping, before returning to Veronica. "Well, I won't keep you," she said, smiling, before following her son into her daughter's room.

Shaking her head to rid herself of that odd meeting, Veronica stormed to Logan's room.

The time was 12: 09 in the afternoon.

--

"So, just a couple more days until you get out of here," Lynn said, returning his glass to the tray that was on across his lap. She drew his lunch tray closer to him and handed him his knife and fork.

Taking the utensils, Logan started cutting into his chicken… or was it beef? "I can't wait to have normal food, not this rubbery… thing."

Laughing, his mother sat back in her uncomfortable plastic chair and started reading her magazine once more.

Logan finished his meal and sought his plastic cup, the tips of his fingers brushing against it, rocking it. He gasped as the cold liquid fell spilled onto him.

Laughing at his actions, Lynn tossed her magazine on the end of the bed before standing up. She moved into the bathroom and grabbed a few paper towels before returning to his side.

She was busy helping her son dry up his spillage, when the door to his room opened and the petit blond girl stormed in.

"Logan," she cried; her voice barely above a whisper. She began playing with her cuticles as she watched him and his mother.

"Ronnie," he replied, smiling as she slowly walked to his bedside.

Watching the couple, Lynn decided to give them a moment alone. She passed the unused towels to Veronica and threw the sopping wet ones into the trash before making a speedy exit, smiling at her son as his eyes danced with love for Veronica.

The time was 12:16 in the afternoon.

--

Veronica and Logan just stared at each other for the longest time, taking in the sight of each other. It was ten minutes later when Veronica sat with Logan, taking his hand in hers, she continued Lynn's task of drying up his mess.

"What would you do if I wasn't here?" Veronica joked, dabbing at his wet bed clothes. When he grabbed her busy hand, he crashed his mouth to hers and kissed her with all the love, with all the passion he felt for her.

It was merely minutes later when he moved away from her, smiling up at her when she licked her lips in appreciation of the kiss.

Veronica kissed him chastely before getting off the edge of the bed and tossed the wet paper into the bin. She returned to his side and just stared at him, taking in his beauty.

"I've missed you," she breathed, kissing his cheek.

"All I've dreamt of is you," he promised, losing himself in her eyes; in her touch. He fought to control the tears that seemed to be on tap for the past few hours.

"I heard that you've been a constant fixture at my bed of late," he said, rubbing his thumb over the back of her hand.

"I didn't want you to be alone," she said, smiling at his touch. She swallowed as she tried to fight tears, "I thought you'd never wake up," she whispered, turning away as she began to cry.

"Hey, Veronica, don't cry. I'm fine, hey," Logan said, taking hold of her shoulder and swirling her to face him again.

"Logan, you almost died!"

"But I didn't, and I'm going home in a couple of days, and everything will be fine."

"How can it be fine though… Logan, you're dad nearly killed Lilly and you and she's having complications," Veronica explained, looking at him with deep sorrow.

"Have you heard what kind of complications though? A nurse went to check it out for me and all they said was that she was going to have immediate surgery and couldn't tell us anymore."

Logan was about to continue when the door opened once more. His mother returned and she was carrying fresh scrubs, as a nurse behind her carried fresh sheets. Veronica climbed off the bed.

"I thought you might like to have dry clothes," she said, pulling back his sheets and helping him out of his bed.

The time was 12: 37 in the afternoon.

--

Duncan was sitting in his sister's room, waiting to hear from the doctors the result from the surgery. She had been undergoing this operation for the past 9 hours, having been carted off in the minutes before 4am, having been unconscious and unwoken for three weeks.

His mother had left him in the room, claiming a meeting with the sheriff over the charges to be placed against Aaron Echolls. He'd been playing with a thread in his t-shirt for the past five minutes, trying to rid himself of his boredom.

He ignored the knocking of the door. When it squeaked and creaked open, he didn't look up.

"What?" he asked his visitor, ripping the loose thread from his shirt.

"I just wanted to check in on you, see if you were okay… where'd your mom go?" Veronica asked, leaning against the door.

"She's gone to see your dad, she's asking about the charges against Logan's dad."

"And… and how's Lilly?"

"I have no idea… still. Mom just said to wait here for when the doctors come back," Duncan said, standing and moving to the window.

"How are you doing?"

"What do you think?"

Looking to her feet, Veronica sighed, turning to leave the room. As she reached for the door knob, she was slammed against the door and Duncan's hands were tangled in her hair as he forced his lips on hers, his tongue opening her lips.

"Duncan, mph, no, Duncan!" she groaned, trying and failing to push him away, losing ground as his lips moved to her neck, kissing her pulse point.

"NO!" she cried, successfully pushing him away. She panted in anger as he blinked away his confusion.

"I'm with Logan, Duncan, we're together. What the hell were you thinking?!"

"I don't know, Veronica! I just don't know! I've loved you since I've known you and I don't wanna lose you! When you came here, I thought it was 'cause you had broken up with Logan, that you'd chosen me!"

Aghast, Veronica swung open the door before facing against him once more.

"I can't believe that Duncan, I can't believe you thought I could just suddenly switch back to loving you! I'm with Logan, and that's the end of it!"

She slammed the door shut behind her, the glass pane shaking in its slot.

The time was 12:58 in the afternoon.