Greatly Exaggerated
A/N - Can barely keep my eyes open tonight, so forgive any typos I may have missed.
Chapter Five:
"So, here we are." Logan said with a sad smile as he pulled into Veronica's driveway and put the SUV in park.
"Come inside, Logan." Veronica commanded, opening her door and climbing out. Logan climbed out without any argument, and together, they let the twins out of the back seat.
Inside, Veronica wandered around turning on lamps.
"What time is it kids?" She asked.
"Shower time." The twins answered in unison, obviously not enthused.
"So then what are you waiting for?" Veronica asked.
Morgan headed up the stairs, and Lo headed for the downstairs bathroom.
"Have a seat, Logan. I have to turn on the water and adjust the temperatures." Veronica said.
She returned a moment later. "Once they're ready for bed, maybe we could split the kids? You can take Morgan, and I'll take Logan? We can switch later for a few minutes."
"OK." Logan said, uneasily.
"You don't know what to do, do you?" Veronica flashed a sympathetic smile at him.
"Not a clue." Logan admitted.
"Say goodnight. Read her a story."
"Read her a story?" Logan asked. "'1984' or '100 Brooding Comments'?"
"101." Veronica corrected, smirking. "And I think you'd have to pry that book out of Lo's hands. You don't have to follow a script, Logan. Just hang out with her 15-20 minutes."
Morgan's bedroom on the second floor was small, and did not appear to contain a single pink item. A distressed white bedroom set consisted of a bed, nightstand, dresser, desk, and bookcase. A shiny turquoise comforter rested on the bed, and matching drapes hung from the window. The only stuffed animals in the room - three stuffed dogs - sat on a high shelf. Lined white wicker baskets were tucked in everywhere, and the wall décor mostly consisted of daisies and dragonflies.
Morgan was sitting cross-legged on her bed, wet hair in a long braid. She wore footie-pajamas with a penguin print on them. Logan was surprised they even still made those things.
"Hi." Logan said, nervously.
"Hi dad." Morgan said, and then giggled. Logan had to admit, it was kind of funny. He sat down on the bed next to her. The bubble-gum smell of her shampoo was stronger now.
"So…" He said. "What now? I read you a story?"
"I hear stories every night. Let's just talk." Morgan said, solemnly.
"OK. What would you like to talk about?" Logan asked.
"Your adventures on the run?" Morgan asked.
Logan chuckled. "There's not much to tell. I surfed a lot, and worked on my computer a lot."
"What were you like when you were a kid?" Morgan asked.
"I was always good. I followed all of the rules, I ate all my vegetables, and I never talked back." Logan smirked.
"You're lying." Morgan giggled.
"Why? Did your Uncle Dick tell you I was bad?" Logan asked smiling.
"No, your eyes went the wrong way." Morgan said. "If you were remembering, your eyes should have looked up and to the left. When you look to the right, you're lying. Grandpa taught me that."
Logan laughed. "Wow! OK. I'll try not to lie to you anymore." He said. "Actually, I was kind of a bad kid. I was spoiled, and sometimes I threw tantrums when I didn't get my way. And sometimes I was mean to other kids for no reason."
"That time you were telling the truth." Morgan said. "Logan's just like that."
"That's what everybody keeps telling me." Logan answered, shaking his head.
"Do you have any more kids?" Morgan asked.
Logan choked. "No!" He said. "I didn't even know about you two until today."
"Would you have come home if you knew about us?" Morgan asked him.
"You want the truth?" Logan asked.
"I don't want a lie." Morgan said.
"No. I still would have stayed away, because I'd be even more afraid of the bad guys getting you and Logan, and your mom."
"The bad guys can't get us anymore?" Morgan asked.
"The bad guys are all gone, and I'll never go away again." Logan told her.
"Do you have a wife?"
"No." Logan said. "Why are you asking if I have kids or a wife?"
"Because I want a real family. Are we a real family now?" Morgan asked.
"I don't know yet." Logan answered. "I guess that's up to your mother. And me. We have to figure thing s out together."
"Do you want us to be a real family?" Morgan asked.
"Yes." Logan answered, and meant it with all of his heart.
This morning, all he could have ever wished for was to get Veronica back. Now, everything had changed. He wanted to be a father to these twins. He just wasn't sure he had a clue how to do it.
"Do you still love my mom?" Morgan asked him.
"You still want the truth?" Logan asked her.
"For the record, I always want the truth." Morgan answered.
Logan laughed.
"So do you still love my mom?" Morgan asked.
"Yes." Logan said.
Morgan giggled.
"Do you want to kiss my mom?" Morgan asked.
Logan felt himself blush. Nosy kid! "Yes. Someday, if she'll let me."
Morgan giggled again, into her hands this time.
"Do you want to marry my mom?" She asked.
"Yes. Someday. If she'll let me."
Morgan broke out into hysterical giggles.
"Lilly will be so jealous!" She said. "She thinks you're so cute!"
"I am cute." Logan smirked at his daughter. "Everybody knows that!"
Morgan rolled on the bed in hysterical giggles. Logan couldn't help but join in; her laughter was infectious.
"What's so funny, you two?" Veronica asked, stepping into the bedroom, smiling.
"My dad says that everybody thinks he's cute!" Morgan barked out in laugher.
"Is that so?" Veronica asked,
"It is so. Tell her how cute I am, Veronica." Logan flirted.
"Cute?" Veronica pondered. "I guess some people might think so."
"Everybody thinks so." Logan disagreed.
"I'd say more pretty" Veronica said.
"You used to say hot." Logan said, eyes twinkling.
"Do you think my dad is hot, mom?" Morgan asked.
Veronica looked at Logan. "Yeah." She said, her voice slightly breathy.
Logan looked pleased with himself.
"Goodnight, Morgan." He said.
Morgan climbed onto Logan's lap and gave him a tight hug. "Goodnight, Dad." She said.
Veronica followed Logan out into the hall.
"I had a little talk with Lo." She said. "I'm not sure it helped much, but I made it clear that you're not going anywhere. He is going to have to learn to deal with it. Go take a few minutes. Talk to him, if he'll listen."
"OK. Dick invited me to go surfing with them tomorrow. Is Lo going to be ok with that?"
"He'll have to be. You're the adult, Logan. Be gentle with him, but don't give him too much power."
Logan looked at Veronica uncertainly. "Will you teach me?" He asked. "All I know about fathers is...well you know."
Veronica gave him a reassuring smile and squeezed his hand. "You could never be anything like him."
Logan brought her hand to his mouth and kissed it. "Thank you for believing in me." He said softly. He pushed a strand of hair behind her ear, and her eyes rose up to meet his.
"For the record?" Logan said, leaning in to whisper in Veronica's ear. "I think you're hot too."
He was gone before she could formulate a response.
Logan's bedroom was a bit larger than Morgan's was. He had the same furniture, but it was in a distressed navy finish instead of white. His comforter was ocean colored and his walls were covered in surfing posters. Several shelves on the wall were made from recycled surfboards. The remainder of the décor was made up of fishing nets and sharks.
"Hi." Logan said.
Lo, also wearing footy pajamas - in a camouflage print - looked up, but didn't say anything.
"So I thought I'd come and say goodnight." Logan said, nervously.
He wandered the room, examining the posters on the wall.
"Hey! This is about five minutes away from my house in Australia. I surf here all the time." Logan said, breaking into a small smile and pointing at one of the posters.
Lo almost showed interest, but managed to check it.
"I'll take you there someday." Logan said. "I have a beach-house. You can literally watch World Champion surfers right from my living room."
Lo was definitely trying to hide his interest now.
Logan sat down on the edge of the bed.
"Why are you here?" Lo asked.
"In your bedroom?" Logan asked.
"In Neptune?" Lo asked.
"I came back because it was finally safe." Logan said.
"If you surf at the best place ever, why didn't you just stay there?"
"Because Neptune is my home. All I've ever wanted was to come back here."
"Why?"
"I guess mostly because I missed your mom. I missed your Uncle Dick too." Logan answered. "And I missed Duncan, but I didn't know that he was here."
Lo didn't respond.
"Your Uncle Dick asked me to come surfing with you guys tomorrow."
"I don't want you to come." Lo said.
"I understand that, but your Uncle Dick wants me there. I'm his best friend. How can I say no?"
Lo shrugged. "Fine."
"Is there anything I can do or say that will make you not be mad at me?" Logan asked.
"Not really." Lo answered.
Logan nodded. "OK, but I'm going to keep trying. Goodnight, Logan."
Lo gave a dismissive wave.
Veronica was waiting for him in the hallway.
"I made up a bed for you in the spare room." She said.
"I have a room at the Neptune Grand." Logan said.
"That's nice, but if you're surfing with Logan and Dick tomorrow, you might as well stay here tonight."
She opened a door in between Morgan's room and Logan's.
"Oh, I thought this was your room." Logan said.
"No, my room is downstairs, by my office." Veronica answered.
The sparsely decorated guest room contained only a twin bed, nightstand, and dresser. An alarm clock and a lamp sat on the nightstand. The bed was made up with a plain navy blue comforter, and two fluffy pillows. The white walls were bare and the sliding closet doors were mirrored.
"Sorry, it's not what you're accustomed to." Veronica said, self-consciously.
"Hey! It's fine, Veronica. Really!" Logan answered plopping down onto the bed. The bedsprings made a squeaking sound.
Logan felt a tug at his heart when he picked up articles of clothing sitting at the bottom of the bed - a pair of black sweatpants and a sleeveless T-shirt.
"You kept my ratty t-shirt and sweats all of these years?" Logan asked, his voice hoarse.
Veronica did not meet his eyes. Instead, she crossed to the window and closed the curtains.
"Feel free to take a shower. I set out a toothbrush for you too." Veronica said. "And if I don't see you before you and Logan leave in the morning, have a great time."
"Thanks Veronica. For the bed, but also for not hating me." Logan said quietly.
"We can talk tomorrow." Veronica said with air quotes and a small smile.
And she was gone.
Logan took a quick shower in the upstairs bathroom, unfortunately having to wash his hair with bubble gum scented shampoo. The sweats and T-shirt Veronica laid out for him smelled of fresh fabric softener. Guess they hadn't been sitting around in a musty box all this time. Sliding in-between the crisp sheets, Logan expected it would take hours to fall asleep after everything that had changed in the past twelve hours. He was fast asleep within fifteen minutes.
Logan opened his eyes warily. Something was off. This wasn't his bed. By the time his eyes had focused, he realized that a pair of brown eyes were peeking over the edge of the mattress at him.
"Hi dad." Morgan said, giggling. "I didn't know you were going to stay here."
Dad? This is going to take some getting used to.
"Hi Morgan. Where's your mom?"
"She's still sleeping. I always wake up first." Morgan said.
Logan climbed out of bed and stretched.
"So what do you usually do when you wake up?" He asked.
"Try to get mom to wake up and make me breakfast."
"Bet she gets cranky." Logan said.
"Totally." Morgan agreed.
"Come on. Let's see what we can get you for breakfast."
Logan and the twins were eating cereal at the kitchen table, when he heard a key in the front door lock.
Moments later, Keith Mars stepped into the kitchen. "How's my babies…."
He trailed off at the sight of Logan.
"Logan?"
Logan raised his eyebrows and gave a little wave. "Mr. Mars."
Keith rubbed his forehead and leaned back against the counter. He had not been prepared for this.
"Veronica's still sleeping." Logan said, rising.
He walked over to Keith, leaning against the counter next to him.
"You might want to give her some time." Logan said, lowering his voice. "She's really angry right now."
"I thought I'd have time to break it to her gently." Keith said, still rubbing his forehead. "I planned to tell her today."
"I know. You did what you had to do." Logan said. "But you could've at least warned me. I almost gave your daughter a heart attack."
Their conversation was interrupted by the sound of Veronica's voice. "Get out of my house." She said icily, standing in the kitchen doorway.
"Veronica…" Keith started.
"I want you out of my house." Veronica cut him off. "I have nothing to say to you right now."
Keith winced at her words. He pulled a thick envelope from his pocket and handed it to her, then turned and headed for the front door. Logan followed.
"Hey, just give her time." He said to Keith. "I'll talk to her, and try to help her understand."
Keith squeezed Logan's shoulder, said thanks, and then left the house.
"I sent the twins off to get ready to leave. I'm taking Morgan out for a bit while you guys surf." Veronica said when Logan returned to the kitchen. He noticed she had tears in her eyes as she cleaned up the cereal bowls.
"Hey." Logan said putting a hand on her arm. Veronica looked up at him, but he wasn't sure what to say. He felt that he should hug her, but maybe it was too soon.
At that moment, Lo returned.
"You two should get a move on." Veronica said with a faint smile. "Have a great time surfing today guys."
Logan gave Veronica one more searching look, and then led Lo out to the SUV.