A/N: And chapter 13. Chapter fourteen is written and soon to be typed. Chapter fifteen which may be the last one is started. This will be coming to a close really, really soon. For those of you still reading and who have been from the beginning, thank you for sticking with it. I know I've been dragging on this story to the nth degree. Anyway, here's chapter thirteen. Enjoy! Vote in the poll! R&R! Thanks! –Mac
Disclaimer: I don't own.
Chapter Thirteen
Answers for the Long Unanswered Questions
The seconds ticked by, feeling like hours to Veronica, as she waited for Lilly to read the contents of the envelope. Veronica's stomach was tied in knots and she was close to passing out as her mind covered every possibility and what it could lead to in what had to have been thirty seconds or less. Then, finally, Lilly began to read.
"'Dear Miss Mars, after the completion of a standard DNA test our lab has concluded that the samples provided suggest a 99.98% positive genetic match to confirm paternity. If you have any comments or questions please feel free to contact our lab at the number below….' Then there are a couple pages of printouts of tables and graphs and data and stuff," Lilly said. "Veronica, what is this?"
"Oh thank God," Veronica breathed.
It was like everything she had ever worried about didn't matter anymore. She had been given this one thing to make everything okay—this, and having Logan and their trip would be enough to sustain her for the rest of her life. It wasn't until this moment of elation had overwhelmed her that she realized how devastated she would have been if it had gone the other way.
"Veronica, what is this?" Lilly repeated. "Why the hell did you need a paternity test done?"
"Lilly, I can't explain right now, but I promise I will tell you everything when I get home," Veronica hoped that would be enough to appease Lilly for the time being.
"You better," Lilly said firmly, "You owe me explanations for a lot of things Vee and there will be hell to pay if I don't get them."
"Just hold on to that for me Lilly and don't tell anyone about any of this until I explain everything," Veronica said. "I mean it Lilly, not even Duncan."
"I won't tell a soul," Lilly promised, "I'll talk to you when you get back."
"Oh, and Lilly?"
"Yeah?"
"Thank you so much."
"You're welcome, Vee. You know you're my BFF. I'd do anything for you. Even if you are off cavorting with Loverboy Logan, while I'm stuck here with like zero entertainment that doesn't involve Madison recounting her sexual encounters with Dick, ugh. Call me when you're back in town, or so help me I will hunt you down and show no mercy."
Veronica listened to the line go dead before she put down her phone. She remained perfectly still and calm for one short moment, catching sight of Logan's questioning gaze, before she let loose. She jumped up from the bed and squealed like a little girl.
"Jake Kane is not my father," Veronica called out, bouncing on her heels in front of Logan. "My Dad is my Dad, scientifically, undeniably proven."
"That's wonderful," Logan said and jumped up as well to hug Veronica.
"I know, I know. You have no idea how happy I am right now," Veronica responded as she wrapped her arms around Logan too, squeezing him tightly.
The feeling of being in Logan's arms only added to the giddy feeling exploding in her stomach and she blamed that for what she did next. As they pulled apart, Veronica acted on instinct and the rush of adrenaline from her elation. She framed Logan's face with her hands, pushing herself up onto the tips of her toes, and kissed him. It all happened in the span of a couple seconds. When they broke the kiss, she backed away abruptly, prepared to apologize profusely, only to be immediately pulled back in by Logan. The second kiss lasted longer and Veronica felt it from her head to her toes.
"What was that for?" Veronica asked when they finally broke apart, panting for air.
Logan rested his forehead against hers, "I could ask you the same thing."
"I asked you first."
"You kissed me first."
"Good point," Veronica took a step away from Logan in hopes that a little distance would allow for her to compose herself. "I got caught up in the moment and got carried away—"
"You wanna try that again without any more stock excuses?" Logan raised an eyebrow. "I think a straight answer is in order."
"I've wanted to do that for a long time and I did get caught up in the moment. I figured it was my opportunity," Veronica said. "I've had these feelings, that I haven't known what to do with, and this week only amplified them. And I guess it built up to this. How's that for a straight answer?"
Logan was quiet for a moment, staring down at his feet. Then he looked back at Veronica, a small smile forming on his lips. "So we're being completely honest then?"
"I guess so," Veronica nodded, swallowing hard.
"I told you about how I liked you freshman year," Logan began.
"Yeah."
"Well," Logan took in a deep breath. "I never stopped. It just got stronger over the years. When I said I had feelings for someone other than Lilly, I was referring to you Veronica."
"Why didn't you say anything?" Veronica asked.
"I was afraid. Afraid that you wouldn't be able to deal with all my issues, that for all your promises, you wouldn't be able to stick around when things got tough—even though I knew that could never be the case with you. I just really didn't want to ever hear you say out loud that you didn't feel the same way or that you never could," Logan explained, "but we've been through so much, together and apart, and we've survived. You've stuck by me in a way no one else has. I wasn't lying when I said you were the only person I could ever imagine having a real relationship with. I love everything about you. You are perfect in my eyes. I don't want to ever lose you. If you would have me, I would like to be with you, but for any reason, if you think trying to take this to that level would ruin what we have now, I need you to tell me."
"We have both seen pain and heartbreak in every relationship we've been exposed to. You said yourself that's all you know about love," Veronica said. "I don't want it to end up like that with us, not after we've just started to recover from everything else. I believe in you and this week has shown me what we can be like. Now that I know that we both feel the same way, I think we could really be something but you have to believe in it too or it will never work."
"You give me hope Veronica, that's why I know it will work with you while it will never work with anyone else. I know you would do everything in your power to make me happy and keep me from harm, the same way I would do for you. This, you and me, is perfect. We fit, there's no question about that."
"You're sure we can do this?"
"One hundred percent certain," Logan nodded, closing the distance between them. He wrapped his arms around Veronica's waist and pulled her close. "I'm not saying it's going to be easy, because it isn't. We both have trust issues and we both still have a lot of stuff to deal with when it comes to our families. It might get tough sometimes because we're not going to agree on everything. But we'll be okay, because we do agree on the things that matter."
Veronica let Logan lean down and kiss her once again, but after a moment she pulled back to say, "On one condition: the flirting from this week can stay, but you're going to have to learn how to go Dutch."
Logan laughed and grinned widely down at her, "That's going to be a challenge, but for you, I think I can manage it."
Veronica smiled, "Good."
In a moment, almost all of the questions she had about her life, her family and Logan had been answered and the few she had left would have to wait until they returned to Neptune. They would have to wait, because Veronica refused to let anything ruin the delirious happiness she was experiencing. So, instead of dwelling on the things she still had to deal with, she allowed herself to savor the warmth that had spread from her stomach to her head and to her toes. She pulled Logan back in with every intention of not emerging from his embrace until she had to surface for air. Everything else could wait until tomorrow, or the day after, or even the day after that. All that mattered was that she was a Mars through and through, and that she was in Logan's arms. In that moment, everything else was insignificant.