Disclaimer: Not mine….Owned by CBS….WB and I think a few others….Love both shows…just want to have some fun.

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Back to the here and now.

Mick has all the pictures Beth took laid out on the desk. Unfortunately, he has none of Josef for comparison and he can't exactly do surveillance on Josef to get any. If Josef found out it would possibly be the end of their friendship and as angry as Mick is at Josef, he can't take that kind of risk. Mick has known Josef for decades and he could swear that this kid has to be the impossible…. a blood relative of Josef's.

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Last Wed Afternoon.

Beth throws the suitcase in trunk of her car and shuts the lid. Now only one thing left to do. She gets in to the car and pulls out her phone. She listens to it ring taping her fingers on the steering wheel.

"Kostan Industries."

"Hey Rose, this is Beth Turner I'd like to speak to Mr. Kostan if he has a minute."

Rose nods knowing Josef will take the call. "One minute Ms. Turner." She calls into Josef's office phone. "Sir, Beth Turner is on line one. She would like to speak to you."

Josef growls into the phone. "If that human is in trouble…."

Rose stifles a chuckle. She knows Mick always asks Josef to watch over his human when he's out of town. "Doesn't she have your cell number?" Rose asks.

"Yes, she does." Josef relaxes. "And she's been told to only use it if it's an emergency, if she or Mick is in trouble so this must be something else. Put her through."

Rose clicks Beth over to Josef's office phone.

"Josef?" Beth asks.

"Yes, Beth. What can I do for you?" he asks.

Beth grins into the darkness of the parking garage. "You can call off your men."

Josef scowls into the phone. "I don't know what you're talking about."

Beth laughs. "Josef I know that Mick has your men watching me when he leaves town."

Josef tries to protest until he hears Beth's laughter through the phone.

"Don't even bother. I know Mick, and I know you and besides Mick taught me what to look for when someone is following me. They're good but Mick is a good teacher. Look, I don't really care about them following me. If that's what it takes for Mick to leave town and keep his mind on what he's doing instead of getting distracted worrying about some vamp hurting me then it's okay with me."

Josef can't fault her logic. "Thanks Beth. If that's the case then why tell me to call them off now?"

"Because Mick called and I'm going to meet him so there isn't any reason for them to follow me. I've got gas and I won't stop until I see Mick." Beth says.

"Okay but if you have any trouble…" Josef trails off.

"If I'm closer to you then Mick I'll call right away. Okay?"

He nods to himself. "Okay. Have a safe trip and say hi to Mick."

"Will do, thanks Josef." Beth disconnects and smiles in anticipation as she starts her car.

Mick opens the door before Beth even has a chance to knock. He's so happy to see her. He sweeps her up into his arms and kisses her. Beth tries to tug them away from the open door and Mick kicks it closed with his foot. She puts her arms around his neck and brings him back to her, kissing him deeply. They slowly break the kiss smiling at one another. "I just got here. I just put Hannah on a plane back to her mother. I haven't even had a chance to check my messages." He smiles at her glancing down at his watch. "You're way ahead of schedule. How did you get away from work so early?" He kisses her again. "Not that I'm complaining."

Beth rolls her eyes. "When I told Mo I was coming to Neptune to meet you, she almost openly drooled. It was gross. Apparently a bunch of bad things happen in this town and almost all of them center on a few people." Beth goes to her purse and takes out her notes. "Let's see…she said something about Aaron Echolls, the actor, who was murdered not long ago…. his son Logan…. Aaron's wife committed suicide…. the Kane family, of Kane Industries fame had a daughter who was killed by Aaron Echolls…Oh, and a girl by the name of Veronica Mars who fits in with this because she's involved with both the Kane kid and the Echolls kid who were or are best friends. Mo pushed me out the door and her words were 'it has it all.'"

When she looks up from her notes, she sees the look of apprehension on Mick's face and sighs. "I'm not going to like what your about to say, am I?"

"Er…no, your not. This is probably not a story you're going to be able to report on. Let me show you something." Mick sits on the couch and flips open the file on the coffee table. Beth sits down next to him. She picks it up, glancing at it and then at Mick. She reads the name on the photo and frowns. "Why is Josef using the name Logan Echolls and why was he busted? Why does he have visible bruising and a black eye? When was this picture taken?"

Mick leans back and cuts off her questions. "This isn't Josef. This is Logan Echolls."

Beth kicks her shoes off, tucking her feet under her and leans back against Mick. She studies the picture. "You're sure this isn't Josef? How can that be? I mean if you really study it, you can see some small differences. He does look younger but this kid is damn near a dead ringer for Josef. Are you sure it's not just Josef playing a trick or a prank or something?"

Mick shakes his head. "No, Logan and Veronica, the girlfriend you mentioned, were in this room yesterday for about two hours. Believe me, this is not Josef. This kid is just a regular human. It's very freaky until you spend enough time with him to get use to the personality differences. As far as I can tell Logan is very different from Josef."

Beth smiles, "You must have gotten one heck of a jolt the first time you saw him."

Mick shakes his head and thinks of the implications of Josef's twin. "Luckily I saw the booking photo first so I was a little prepared or I'm sure I'd have said something that could have been disastrous."

Beth snickers "He can't be too much different from Josef in some respects if he has a booking photo."

Mick starts to get indignant in his friends defense and realizes Beth is teasing him. "Josef doesn't break the law…. he's just a little morally challenged."

Beth laughs. "Josef just doesn't get caught. You cannot imagine all the questions I have in my head. You can not even imagine."

"That's exactly why I asked you to come down here. Well, and I really wanted to see you. I need that reporters curiosity and I need you to help me do some background on this kid. The problem is this town is small and the girl friend is a P.I. and a very over protective P.I. to boot. If I start making enquiries, she's going to go into over drive to shut everything down. I have a hunch that she can probably do it and get me thrown in jail to boot."

"Is there any angle you can think of that the two of them would agree to give you information, instead of having to do this the sneaky way?" Beth asks

"Only one and if it didn't work out like I thought it would, it would hurt Logan...a lot…" Beth can tell Mick doesn't like the prospect of whatever he's thinking. "Veronica let it slip that Logan's had a rough child hood. I get the feeling the family dynamic was bad, like abusive bad. Odds are his father abused him. From what I gather from your information and the deputy I spoke to, the father also murdered Logan's first girlfriend. I'm guessing if this kid thought there was a chance that this monster wasn't really his father…he might talk all he could to find a new one."

Beth shakes her head. "Oh, Mick…no…. that would be just cruel. There's no way Josef could be the boys biological father…is there?"

Mick thinks about how little he knows about the tribe. Coraline wasn't exactly forth coming and truthfully, for many years he didn't want to know anything about vampires since he didn't think he'd live long enough to care. "I don't think it's possible. I've never heard of it happening and if it were possible, you'd think Josef would have mentioned it. As for telling Logan, Josef might be his father, I know it's a bad idea but I can't think of another way to open him up."

"Do you think there is a way to get the girlfriend to open up to you?" Beth asks.

Mick thinks of the small blond. "No, and if even if she did, if it turned out badly the betrayal might fracture them. I take it from some things said at our meeting that as much as they seem to love each other they've had a rocky go of it and I get the sense Logan needs Veronica, she's his stabilizer."

Beth thinks about how she'd do this back in L.A. "Maybe if I asked around. If they don't know who I am, that you and I know each other maybe I can get an angle on them?"

Mick laughs. "They know who you are. Veronica said she read that we are an "item" is the word she used and Logan told her that he watches you do the news because if he has to watch the news he is going to indulge his weakness for hot blonds. So, I think the idea of you sneaking up on them is not going to work and we sure as hell can't go to them with the truth."

"Not the truth but maybe you could call and ask about local attractions, find a way to get them to spend an afternoon with us, showing us the local sites?" Beth says.

Mick nods thoughtfully as he reviews the time he spent with the pair. "That might not be a bad idea. Once I got the thumbs up from a local deputy that Veronica trusted, they were very helpful, and they already know who you are…"

Beth nods in agreement. "I've found that once you get people's help, once they let their guard down, it's not that hard to get their help again, and I still have to write some kind of story for Mo. Maybe if I promised not to write anything about either of them, they could point me in the direction of someone or something I could write about. If we could just spend some time with them we might get a little clearer picture."

Veronica and Logan sit in front of the forms for applying to college. They have decided to take this year after high school off. Both of them need a breather after the last year, but to get a jump on things they have started filling out applications way ahead of time. Veronica knows Logan's heart isn't really into the idea of more school but she is hopping with a year off he will be more receptive. She is worried that if his trust fund ever falls out from under him he will have no way to get through life. He is far to use to money being at his fingertips.

Something occurs to Veronica…."Logan, who's managing your money?"

He waves at her absently. "I am, why?"

She is staring at him when he looks up at her. "Logan how much money did your parents leave you?"

Logan looks at her quizzically. "Veronica, since when did you care about how much money I have?"

"Just humor me." She says.

Logan shrugs. "Sure. I had the art and mom's jewelry appraised and between that and the cash it was a little over half a million dollars from her. Thank goodness, I had it appraised because the insurance paid up full value when the house burned. Then when…well, someone offed Aaron I bought Trina out of her half on the property the house was on, we split the residuals from Aaron's movies and the stocks and bank accounts, after taxes 1.5 million is what I had after it was all said and done. It cost me a good deal to get Trina to sell me her half of the property but real estate in this zip code is always a good long term investment."

"Logan what do you have now, 6 months later?" Veronica is fearful he will say he's blown most of it.

Logan smiles at her and cocks his head to the side. "You think it's gone, don't you?"

Veronica looks a little embarrassed. "Well, lover boy you do like to spend money."

"Damn Veronica, give me a little credit. If you have to know, I've taken that 1.5 and turned it into 2.5 and paid for my expenses."

Veronica sits there looking at Logan taping a pencil on the desk. "Logan, don't take this wrong I'm just trying to understand something. If you can turn 1.5 million into 2.5 million, why aren't you taking business classes or something? Obviously you must have a talent for this sort of thing."

Logan looks at her and shakes his head. "You just can't stand the idea of me being idle my entire life, can you? Even if I could snap my fingers and assure you I'd never starve and I'd have all the money I needed you would still wonder why I wasn't working."

"Sorry Logan, Idle rich doesn't compute for me. It just seems like a damn waste to go through life with no goals."

Logan laughs silently. He leans over to Veronica and brings her into a deep kiss. Kissing her is hardly the reaction she expected from him, but it is a nice one. He stops and gives her that half smile. "Now you know what my goals are. Doesn't seem like a waste to me."

Veronica swats at him. "Logan I just worry about you getting bored and…. getting off track."

He smiles and rolls his eyes. "Which means in Veronica speak you're worried I'll do something stupid and end up in jail?"

She silently nods.

"I'll tell you what…I'll make you a deal. I'll take my 2.5 and I'll double it in say a year. If I can do that, I don't have to go to school, I don't have to work, I get to while away the hours however I choose and you realize that I can take care of myself financially and leave it alone. In fact I'll tell you what, even with that I'll go to school but I'll take what I want, not what's required."

Veronica considers it. "Logan, it's not just about the money it's about being productive, but what the heck maybe you'll get more out of it than the 5 million. Okay, I'll bite, but the conditions are as follows, it has to be gotten legally, no gambling, no gun running," Logan snickers and she continues. "You can't get any extra help from friends, meaning nobody can loan you the balance and 10 percent of what you make has to go to some sort of good cause…environment, poverty…I don't care but some of it goes to help someone besides you and the boys with your booty calls."

He smiles at her. "You're my only booty call." Logan thinks about it for a couple minutes…"I can do that. It means of course that I have to earn more than 2.5 to double down and cover expenses and the 10 percent. I can do that, but I have some conditions of my own. If I should agree to this little experiment in you trying to alter my slide through life, I shouldn't have to be the only one to work on my issues."

Veronica snorts. "I have no issues."

Logan laughs and she just smiles at him sheepishly. "Ok, what do you want me to do?"

"Once a day for the next year you have to look me in the eye and tell me you love me. You have to admit out loud when you are wrong," Logan taps her on the hose. "And most importantly you have to stop expecting every person in your life to let you down."

Veronica just stares at him. "You don't want much do you?"

"So, what do you think? Deal or no?" he asks.

Veronica leans over and kisses him. She looks him in the eyes. "I love you."

He smiles softly at her. "Was that so hard?"

"Yea, …..but hopefully it will get easier." She waves her hand dismissively. "Yea, it's a deal."

Veronica leans back into the kisses, when her phone starts to ring. Logan sighs as she flips it open.

Weevil parks his Harley behind the diner and taps on the back door.

Pete peaks around the door and smiles when he sees Weevil. He opens the door wide and lets him in. "Hey man, you come to see the reporter? She's prettier in person than on the net."

Weevil nods. It didn't take long for word to work its way back to him that there is a reporter in town. He'd been trying to track her down all day when one of his boys got a phone call from his brother telling him she and a friend are at the diner. "Yea,"

"Look through the window on the swinging door. They took a table right in front." Pete says excitedly.

Weevil moves farther into the kitchen and even before he looks, he knows they've got trouble. Besides a reporter, he senses a vampire. He takes a quick look and then moves back to the exit door. He takes out his phone and punches in Veronica's number. "Hey V I think you and Logan may have a problem."

Veronica tenses up. "Now what Weevil?"

"I'm over at the diner on 5th meeting one of my boys."

"The one with a job?" Veronica interrupts.

"Yea, smart mouth and there is a woman in the diner that I recognize. She's that reporter from BuzzWire, Beth something. I figure she's in town to do a story on your boyfriend and just wanted to give you a heads up."

"Is she with a tall dark handsome man who looks like he invented cool?" Veronica sneaks a peak at Logan who is scowling. That's what he gets for telling her he thinks Beth is hot.

"Yea, that sounds like a fair description."

"Well, Logan and I met him a couple days ago and we met her today. He's a P.I. out of LA. We helped him with a case he was working on. He invited her down for some R&R. We spent some time late this afternoon with them down at the beach. They are both nice people. She's not going to write about Logan. She's doing a thing on Terrance Cook.

"You and Logan helped him with a case and you went to the beach with them?"

"Yea, why?" Veronica asks.

"Shit." Is all Veronica hears and the line goes dead.

Veronica looks at the dead phone. She wonders what that was about goes back to kissing Logan.

Weevil turns to Pete. "She's with a friend of mine. I'm going to go out there and sit with them for a bit."

Pete nods. "Cool."

Weevil walks over, and moves a chair from the table next to them and sits down straddling the chair backwards. If he has to get out of there in a hurry, he doesn't want the chair in his way.

As Weevil approaches, Mick can sense him. Mick guesses Weevil is somewhere between 200 and 300 years old and of course a Vampire. They sized each other up. Mick nods slightly as Weevil grabs a chair and sits down. Beth watches the interplay between them. She knows immediately this is another vampire.

Weevil figures he better break the silence first since he is the interloper. "I hear you met Logan."

Mick nods. "Yes, we met a couple of days ago. He's an interesting kid. I'm going to have to keep an eye on him. Find out all I can."

Weevil sighs. "That's what I was afraid of. Did you just come down here and find the kid on accident or did you come looking for him?"

"It was purely accident. I was down here on a case and he was slightly involved." Mick says.

Weevil nods. "Good then there hopefully are no leaks." Weevil turns to Beth. "You know you can't write anything about him, right? No stories about Logan."

Beth smiles and waves her hand dismissively at him "Of course. I've already had this discussion." She smiles at Mick.

Weevil takes out his cell and punches up a number. "I have someone who you need to talk to."

He hands the phone to Mick who already knows who is on the other end. "Hello Josef."

Josef sighs. He should have asked Beth where she was going because there is only reason Weevil would be calling him. "Hey Mick. I think it's time to come back to LA. I think we need to have a chat, oh and of course bring Beth."

Mick doesn't say anything for a minute. "Mick? Did you hear me?"

Beth narrows her eyes when she hears Mick growl.

"Yes, Josef I heard you but I think we need to meet somewhere besides your office or house."

"So, now you don't trust me?" Josef asks.

"Josef you didn't trust me enough to tell me about this and no I'm not going to gamble Beth's life that you won't take security on this matter to an all-time high."

Josef sighs. He can't really blame Mick. "All right, where and when?"

"I'll think about it and call you back. In the meantime, make sure your watchdog understands to behave himself as we leave town. I don't want any trouble…"

"Put Weevil back on the phone." Josef says.

Weevil takes the phone from Mick, and gets his instructions from Josef. Weevil looks at Mick. "Boss says you're a good friend and not to hassle you but I'd just as soon you were out of town. You could draw attention…. she could really draw attention." He says nodding towards Beth.

Mick nods. "Agreed, I didn't fully realize the situation until this minute. We'll leave tonight."

Weevil gets up. He moves the chair back where it belongs and leaves.

Beth looks at him and sees the disappointment in his face. "I take it we're going home to see Josef." Mick nods and Beth sighs, "It's been awfully nice down here the last couple of days. I'm glad I got my story with Terrence Cook." Since his troubles with the law, he was more than willing to talk, and gets some good press. Beth had assured him she would play up the good stuff and not so much the bad. "Mo will love the whole reformed, fallen hero crap."

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As always comments always welcome :)