A/N: Long time, no see. I've missed you! May was my travel month and I'm moving at the end of June. I should be packing now, but needed to get this chapter out of my head. Also, all of your fics are major distractions as well, but distractions I am happy for—keep up the good work!

The next day, Veronica and Mac were sitting at an outdoor table outside the main cafeteria at Hearst. Mac picks at a peanut butter and jelly sandwich while Veronica looks at her watch and huffs.

"It's 1:02."

Mac laughs lightly. "Yeah, 'cause our crew is the punctual type."

"Some plan," Veronica sighs. She's starving.

"Your plans always work," Mac tells her. "Well," she amends with a shrug, "more or less." Mac sees Logan approaching loaded with take-out bags and points to him. After seeing him, Veronica relaxes and simultaneously sits up in anticipation.

"Good afternoon ladies," Logan says cheerfully as he places the bags on the table. "I've got some delectable choices from the Orient for your lunch-time pleasure. Are we hungry?"

Veronica rolls her eyes, "I haven't eaten since 10 o'clock. What do you think?"

Logan gasps mockingly. "Three whole hours! Wait, you had that cappuccino in History with me at 11."

"I said I haven't eaten since earlier. Just give me the food already," Veronica said rifling through her bag.

Logan turned to Mac, "We really need to make sure she's gets more protein in the AM. This ain't pretty."

"You're the one who was late. I've been listening to this for a while now," Mac said. "But you're right. I've already thought of places on campus she walks by where we can make high carb/high protein food drops."

"Mmm…" Veronica said digging in, ignoring them, "Thanks for the beef stir-fry, sweetie."

"Looks like I'm not the only one who was late," Logan says as he sees Wallace coming from one side of campus and Dick, loaded down with pizza boxes, coming from another direction. "And there's vegetable stir fry somewhere in all of this too, Mac."

"Thanks Logan, this PB & J isn't doing it for me."

"You didn't share with Veronica! You could have saved yourself some misery, friend."

"Oh, I tried it," said V with a look of disgust. "I wasn't hungry enough for her vegan bread."

"What! It's good!" Mac protested.

"Is it as good as vegetarian pizza from Antonio's?" Dick said coming up behind her.

"No way! " she said pushing it aside and smiling up at Dick. "Gimme!"

Dick sat beside her and handed over her pie.

Veronica whistled as Wallace walked up, "Lookin' fine Fennel!"

Wallace shook his head from side to side as if he was embarrassed of his friend's proclamation. "Yeah. So what's new with that? I always look good," Wallace said with a smile as he sat down at their table with his friends.

"No Wallace," said Mac, "You look really good. New haircut. Nice shirt."

"And you smell good too," Veronica said leaning in and sniffing her best friend.

"Why do you women keep smelling me?" He asked looking pointedly at Mac. "Can't a guy just want to look nice to go to class?"

"What's her name?" asked Logan with a smirk.

"You're text said '1 o'clock outside the caf. Bring Lunch' V," Wallace said, ignoring Logan. "If I had known this was going to be a catered event, I wouldn't have had Mom make me PB & J."

Mac held out her nibbled on PB & J in solidarity with Wallace, then she tossed it in the bushes behind them. "You've got to embrace the fact that Dick and Logan are always going to bring carry-out and they're always going to bring too much." She didn't mention that neither of them had mothers to pack their lunches for them.

"So what'll it be Wally? Chinese or pizza?" Dick asked him.

"I can't have both?" he asked with a smile.

"You can," said Logan, "As soon as you tell us her name."

Wallace looked a little embarrassed and then shook it off. "Well, I did meet a nice girl yesterday." Both Mac and Veronica leaned forward. "But I'm not telling you her name because you always snoop around in my business," he said looking directly at the small blond.

"But she's beautiful, and a pre-med student, and I may just be walking her to Art Appreciation in about 40 minutes," Wallace said with a smile, then scowled at Veronica, "Do NOT follow me."

"I would never," she said in mock horror. "So is she a sophomore too?"

"No, she's a senior."

"Older woman—nice!" said Dick. "But she's pre-med, so she's probably a study nerd like you, huh?"

Wallace just smiled, "Well, she plays for the Hearst soccer team, so she's a jock-nerd like me, I guess."

If Dick hadn't been watching Mac so closely he would have never noticed the silent exchange going on between her and Veronica. After Wallace told them about the girl, Ronnie rubbed her eyebrow. Mac shook her head no. When they found out she was a senior, Ronnie rubbed her eyebrow again; Mac shook her head no. But after they learned she played soccer, Mac nodded yes one time even before Ronnie could raise her hand. Both girls smiled.

"Knee-socks—now that's what I'm talkin' about Wallace!" said Logan. Veronica laughed one time and placed a hand on his leg. Mac, Dick, and Wallace were used to their inside jokes by now and didn't even comment.

"Okay, now that we're all here," said Veronica, "I just wanted to let you know this is our spot. Tuesdays and Thursdays at 1 o'clock—come eat here if you're free."

"FYI: we know you're free since Veronica asked me to hack all of your schedules and find a lunch time that would work for everyone," Mac offered.

Veronica shot her daggers with her eyes and the boys just looked surprised at the pair of them.

"Don't be shocked," Mac told them with a smile, even as she looked at Veronica, "You know us better than that."

"And Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays we all have 12 o'clock open," Veronica said quietly and quickly as though she was ashamed of being caught. Her sneaky smile let them know she wasn't. "But it would be easier for Mac, Logan, and me if we ate somewhere on the east side of campus."

"Sounds good," said Wallace. All three of the guys were smiling and shaking their heads. Only Veronica Mars would use her spy tactics to arrange a standing lunch date. Most friends just asked.

"Any other confessions, hot lips?" asked Logan.

"Well, now that you mention it…"

Logan sighed and motioned with his hands for her to proceed. "I invited some other friends to join us." Veronica said almost cringing waiting for her friends to groan, but nothing came. Most of them shrugged and went back to eating.

"Sorry I'm late," a voice came from behind the table, "I just got off for lunch."

The group turned to see Eli Navarro standing beside their table. He was wearing his tan cover-alls and still looked authoritative and menacing.

Veronica didn't see this. She saw her slimmer and smiling 'Easy Like Sunday Morning' friend, "Weevil!" she exclaimed as she jumped up to hug him.

"Hey Chica! How's that shoulder?" he asked her smiling.

"Pretty great," she said showing off her range of motion. "How's that knee?"

Weevil kicked his right leg around a little then bent down, "Feelin' good V." He turned to the group and said, "Hey, what's for lunch?"

Wallace pulled out a chair for him and he started filling his plate with pizza. Everyone seemed happy to have Weevil join them for lunch, everyone except Logan.

"How did Weevil know about your shoulder?" he whispered to Veronica with his face tight, devoid of emotion as she slid back into her chair.

Veronica took a deep breath and whispered back, "Can we talk about this later, please?"

Logan put his arm on the back of her chair, but turned back toward the group and continued their lunchtime conversation happy and laughing as though the previous 30 seconds didn't take place. Veronica would have preferred a loud argument that disturbed everyone's lunch.

"Here they are," another familiar voice said and everyone turned to see Piz and Parker standing with lunch trays in hand. "We thought you guys were on the other side of the cafeteria," Piz told them, finally meeting Veronica's eyes.

Piz and Wallace were again rooming together this year as were Parker and Mac. These two non-Neptonians should have felt right at home with their roommates at lunch, but there were too many estranged exes for everyone to relax. Logan and Parker hadn't seen each other since the day he beat up Piz and they broke up. And Piz and Veronica's break up happened only a few days later.

"Hey guys," Wallace said breaking the ice. "There's plenty of food. Grab a seat."

"We picked up some food inside," Parker replied moving to sit next to Mac, "but thanks."

Veronica looked over at Piz and shyly said, "Hey Piznarski," uncertain of his response.

"Hey Veronica," he said with the same smile she remembered him having in that fateful day in the cafeteria. Piz was a good guy and he shook his head as he gave a slight smile as if to say 'I should have known you two would be together.' Wallace warned him of recent developments, but seeing them together again still hurt as much as Logan punching him in the face. Veronica realized Logan's arm was around her now and was glad, even if she knew another fight was brewing because of what Weevil said.

"Hey Parker," said Logan, also looking for redemption.

"Hey Logan. How was surfing?" her voice was icy. Everyone could see she was trying to be kind, but her emotions were coloring her greeting.

"Great actually. Dick and I had a good time in South America. Thanks. How was home?"

Piz shot her an encouraging look, "It was fine," she replied, though no one was convinced.

Weevil watched all of this with curiosity. He stood and leaned toward Piz, "Hey. I'm Eli. I busted into your studio with V when you were interviewing the Sherriff." He didn't mention he had also seen him naked on the video that circulated with him and Veronica.

Piz replied, "Stosh Piznarski," and they shook hands.

"Piz, we all went to high school with Eli. And Piz is my roommate, Weevil," Wallace offered.

"And Parker is mine," Mac said.

Weevil turned toward the new girl.

"Weevil?" she asked as she shook his hand.

"Yeah or Eli. And you're Parker?" he asked with a smile. This picnic table held a strange collection of people with even stranger names.

She nodded yes. He knew something was off between Parker and Logan because of their awkward greeting. Eli could fill in the blanks for himself on the Piz-Veronica-Logan triangle: 3 months ago she was with one guy and now she was with the other. He would have to get the whole scoop from Veronica later. Or not. The soap opera dramas of this crew weren't really his thing. All he knew was that when this pair sat down, their group got much quieter.

Thankfully, after some food and some summer travel stories, everyone seemed to lighten up. When Piz commented on Wallace's spiffy look, Veronica, Mac, Logan, and Dick couldn't stop laughing.

"I didn't come here to get harassed," Wallace said, now annoyed. "In fact, before I saw you all I was having the best day ever."

"Best day ever, huh?" said Veronica. "What's so special about today?"

"Well besides having plans to meet my new lady friend—"

"For a walk," Dick said in a cough. The others stifled their laughs.

Wallace gave him a 'do you mind?' look "and besides the fact I knew I was lookin' good. I got an email from the bursar's office this morning saying someone donated a very specific $5,000 scholarship. The recipient had to be a varsity letterman who had at least a 3.5 GPA and was also involved in some kind of volunteer work. And they picked me!"

"Whoa, no way!" exclaimed Piz.

"Congratulations Wallace!" said Parker.

The rest of the lunch crowd gave cheers and hi-fives. Weevil thought their efforts were slightly cheesy and overdone.

"An email you say?" Veronica prompted.

Mac kicked her lightly under the table.

"Now don't go snoopin', V! The letter expressly said this donor wanted to remain anonymous. Don't mess this up or I'm coming to you for my five grand," he said with a smile. Wallace knew she was happy for him and wouldn't look any further.

Keeping her away from Celia would be another matter entirely.

Abruptly, Wallace stood looking at his watch.

"Oh man, I've gotta' hustle."

"Don't get all sweaty," Veronica told him teasingly, "you'll ruin your good smell."

"Go getcha' some!" Dick called after him and then the whole table proceeded to whistle or cat-call as he walked away.

"Smooth, real smooth," he muttered as he walked away quickly.

"Yeah, I've got a two o'clock class too," Mac said standing up.

"I'll walk with you," Veronica said in her 'you're in trouble' voice.

"Fantastic," Mac said sarcastically.

"Thanks for lunch, guys," Veronica said to Logan and Dick. She waved goodbye to Parker, Piz, and Weevil then bent down to kiss Logan goodbye.

"We'll talk tonight," she told him. It sounded as though he was in some trouble himself.

Although still upset about the brush-off about Weevil, Logan never missed an opportunity to kiss his girl. And show off in front of Weevil. And especially Piz. He felt a little guilty about laying one on Veronica in front of Parker, but not that guilty. He had earned his jackass reputation fair and square.

While this act of machismo was taking place, Mac slipped a thin, spiral-bound black notebook out of her stack of books and in front of Dick.

He glanced up at her with a quizzical look. She gave him a wink and walked away.

"Well, it wasn't quite as apocalyptic as I imagined," Mac told her friend as she caught up to her.

"Yeah," agreed Veronica hesitantly. "How dumb was I to walk away from Logan, Piz, Weevil, and Parker all sitting together?"

"Oh, someone's definitely going home with a broken nose," Mac teased. "I'm just glad it's not you or me."

"Amen. So, uh, Mac, it was pretty interesting that our pal Wallace got an email about his scholarship."

Mac was confused, Veronica knew she was going to do this; she had even planned it.

"Veronica, you told—"

"Seeing as how my Dad got a cashier's check for my conveniently specific scholarship this morning."

"Wait. What?" Mac stopped walking. "V, I didn't—"

"Ten thousand dollars Mac? That's way too much. I don't care how well the website is doing, money messes up friendships."

"Veronica! It wasn't me!" Mac told her, "I didn't send you a check!"

"Did you send one to my Dad?" Veronica said in full interrogation mode.

"No!" Mac said confused but adamant.

"You didn't send me any money?" Veronica clarified.

"Well," Mac hedged, "Define send."

"What did you do, Q?"

Mac sighed. "How often do you check your online bank account?"

"I don't know, about once a week," Veronica said after thinking.

"Notice anything different lately?"

"Um, there was a bank error this weekend," she said, the light was now dawning.

"How often do bank errors end up going in not-the-bank's favor?" Mac asked her as she resumed walking.

"Oh, I know this one: Never.". Then sincerely she asked, "You gave me two thousand dollars, Mac?"

"I did not give you anything, Bond. It was a payment. Well, a secret payment, but a payment."

"Payment? Payment for what?"

"Well, I owed you twenty bucks since I lost that bet," Mac said timidly.

"Mac! I—"

"And I was paying you back for the awesome silver dress you tricked me into wearing that I'm never giving back."

"Okay fine. You're still up $1,900 dollars."

"Oh that," Mac said with a smile. "That was your payment for solving the case of the douche-bag boyfriend."

Veronica laughed. "Wow, my rates have really gone up."

"Hey, it was job well done. Listen, I can't help that I'm raking in the dough because boys can't stop staring at asses, V. Can we be cool with this?"

Veronica thought for a second then said, "We're cool Mac. Thanks."

"Now that I'm a big shot, it's nice to know I've got a PI on retainer," Mac said with a smirk.

"I'm in your corner whether you're a princess or a pauper, Q. Remember that."

"Never doubted it. So what's up with the check for $10,000 then?"

"I'll give you one guess," Veronica said, sounding frustrated again.

"Oh," Mac said realizing who Veronica was thinking of.

"As soon as I knew it was a different method than Wallace's, I had an inkling it was him. I just had to make sure you didn't have anything to do with it either."

"And that's why I'm happy being single," Mac said as she walked toward her classroom building. "I'm sure it was all out of love, V. Go easy on him. See you later!"

"Yeah, later," Veronica said inattentively, already thinking about her upcoming conversation with Logan.

Right before she got to the door to her classroom, Mac's phone rang. She only had four minutes before her Programming class was supposed to start, so she was planning to shut it off. Instead, the call name that popped up on her screen made her laugh: 'For A Good Time Call.'

"Hey Dick," she said still laughing as she hit 'answer.'

"You got me a calendar Mackie?" his words were a mixture of awe and confusion.

"Yeah," she replied, "I thought it might come in handy this year."

"I like that you put your phone number in the address book in the back."

"Well, I figured if we're going to be real friends then this should probably be a two way street. I can't be calling you all the time."

"I especially like that you got me the kind with dirty jokes on every page," Dick continued. Mac smiled, knowing he was smiling his lascivious grin somewhere across campus.

A tall dark haired boy walking into her class thought this smile was for him and smiled back. Mac blushed and turned away, facing the wall.

"Yeah, well, I knew if I wanted you to actually open it now and then, you'd have to have another incentive."

"It's working. I've already read August and September. So, my favorite is—"

"Dick, I'm about to walk into class. Let me stop you there."

"Okay, one more thing, so I saw you and the pixie doing some covert-ops at lunch. What do you and V have planned for Wallace's girl?"

"You saw that?" Mac asked, not even bothering to deny it in her rush. She'd have to tell Veronica they were getting sloppy if even Dick noticed. "We don't have anything planned for her. We just like to do a thorough background check on anyone who tries to get close with our friends. She was making sure we had enough info to get started."

"You sneaky little paranoid minxes!" Dick said slowly emphasizing each word.

"Don't hate! We've done it for you at least a dozen times. You'd thank us if you knew how many money-grubbin' con-artists she's scared off for you. She may not say it, but this is how I know she cares about you."

Mac turned back around to walk inside and was shocked to find herself face to face with Max. Dick was saying something, but she didn't catch it.

She bristled and her ex turned away and walked into her classroom too. "Gotta' go, class is starting," Mac, distracted, told her friend on the phone.

"Later Mackie."

"Yeah, later." She sighed as she walked through the doorway to a semester of hell.

Later that night at the Grand, Logan and Veronica were already at each other's throats.

"So you'll take money from Mac but you won't take money from me?" Logan practically yelled at her.

"I didn't want to take anything from anyone, but Mac fessed-up to hers before I even caught on, she at least made up a reason for doing it, it wasn't nearly as ostentatious an amount, and she didn't involve my father. "

When it looked as though Logan was going to respond, Veronica cut him off, "But the kicker here Logan is that I am not sleeping with Mac. There's a difference and I know you're smart enough to see that or to at least acknowledge that's how I see it. Accepting money from your friend who just won the dot com lotto is a hell of a lot easier than accepting money from the man whose bed I occupied all weekend."

Logan looked as though he had been punched in the stomach. He let that emotion pass, then his eyes narrowed on her and in a deep voice he said, "You know that's not what it's like between us."

"I know that's how it is now," said Veronica, "but what if things change between us Logan? What if things change because of money or what if we screw it all up again and then have to figure out how I can pay you back?"

"You know I'm never going to miss that money. That I would never hold it over you. You know that I never expect to see it back again and, damn it you know that I don't expect anything in return for it," he said as he banged his fist on the counter where they were standing. "And you know that I love you, Veronica. You know this. So why is it so hard for you to accept some help from me? I only want your life to be easier. I hate that you bust your ass at school all day and then work all night too and it still never seems to be enough."

"I know all of this," she said, forcing herself to be more calm. "And I love you too Logan. I do. I just can't take your money. I'm scared of what it will do to us; what it is doing to us. Please let this go."

After a prolonged exhale, Logan wrapped his arms around her waist. It had been too long since he held her. "I'll let it go on one condition," he offered.

"What's that?" Veronica said, now wrapping her arms around his neck and leaning into him fully. She hoped the fight was over for tonight.

"Shred the check. I'll tell your Dad it was my dumb idea. Then fine, spend the next few years working yourself to the bone. Get covered up in student-loan debt. Take out bank loans too. But the second you marry me, I'm paying off all of it and helping out your dad." His forehead was pressed against hers.

"Helping out my Dad?" Veronica questioned, jumping over the land-mine.

"Well, he has had to feed you all these years. I can't imagine what his grocery bills might be," Logan replied lightly. If she could dodge it, so could he.

"You… you want to marry me Logan?" Veronica said now looking in his eyes.

After a beat, Logan said, "You seem to be under the impression, Miss Mars, that there is even the slightest chance I could give you up again. I couldn't. Not Ever. Obviously, this isn't my proposal—I am an Echolls after all, and we're much more ostentatious than this," he said using her word. "But yes, more than anything, I want to be with you forever. Whatever that looks like."

"I want to be with you forever too," she said in the feminine voice she reserved only for him. "I never want to know what it's like to be without you again. But it's not like either of us have been witnesses to good marriages, Logan. " Then her voice turned mildly sarcastic, " What do you think about just being together forever and forgetting about all the pomp and circumstance of a formal title?"

"I think a few things about that, Veronica," he told her as he moved them steadily to the couch. He had a confident grin. "I think 'life partners' or whatever people say is too confusing for friends, for kids, for insurance companies, for guys who want to hit on you. I want you and everyone around you to know I'm yours and you're mine forever, and in the world we live in, marriage is how this is accomplished. More importantly, I want you to be my wife and I want to be your husband."

"Logan…" Veronica started, unable to say more, but Logan was pleased with the shock and happiness in her voice.

"And as far as the thing with our parents goes, at least be an optimist about it. We have some stellar bad examples not to follow. I'll work on my psychotic violent tendencies and you work on curbing your desire to run. Nobody cheats and we'll be golden."

Veronica laughed though she felt like she was admitting how right he was, how awful their gene pool could be, with each sound she made. Instead of replying, Veronica straddled him on the couch. "Mrs." she whispered as she kissed behind his ear. "Veronica" she kissed his jaw. "Echolls?" she slowly kissed his ready and waiting lips. "That would take some getting used to," she whispered.

"Mmm…I think it sounds nice. I've got all the time in the world, Love," Logan whispered back as he held her hips and kissed her deeply. After a few minutes of Veronica making soft happy noises and passionately responding, Logan firmly pushed her body away from his, but still held onto her waist tightly.

"I am so going to regret this," he murmured.

"Something on your mind?" Veronica asked, still a little giddy.

Logan exhaled deeply and looked away from her. "I need you to tell me about Weevil."

"What?"

"About Weevil. Your shoulder. Your little shoulder/knee inside baseball riff earlier. I really want to get back to kissing you, but there's this whole don't go to bed angry thing that's keeping me from sweeping you up and holding you hostage in my bedroom all night."

"You're angry?" Veronica asked uncertain. She'd seen angry Logan and this wasn't him.

"No, not really," Logan said shaking his head. "I'm just curious." He smirked and tapped one finger lightly on her nose, " Surely you can relate to that, Veronica."

Veronica relaxed slightly. "Dad saw Weevil somewhere in town on crutches. It was soon after I left for the summer. When I talked to him next, he said Weevil had just had knee surgery and I should call him to cheer him up or wish him well or whatever."

Logan nodded, catching on, "What the Sherriff didn't know was that his little girl had just had surgery too and some cheering up or well wishing might also do her some good." He took a deep breath and asked, " So Weevil knew your secret?"

Veronica sighed. "Yes. His worker's comp came through and it turned out he tore his PCL. We'd call after physical therapy or to brag about how much we were lifting that week. I knew it was unlikely he'd run into you guys and it wasn't like hop-along could zip out to Virginia to baby me. He was an encouragement Logan. A comfort."

"Don't you know that's what I want to be for you too?" Logan asked sincerely.

"I do. And you were a comfort and an encouragement, even more than him. I've explained my reasoning for not telling you about my surgery the best I know how. But Weevil's my friend and he needed me too. He helped me get stronger. You helped me keep it together. Okay? Believe me? There's no conspiracy; that's the whole story."

"Kind of a boring story," Logan said with a fake yawn. And then, in a sneak-attack, Logan picked her up and began to carry her off to his room.

"Very boring," she agreed exaggeratedly after giggling. "Nothing to go to bed angry over."

"Oh shit," they heard a voice say across the suite.

Logan stopped his forward progress and turned, Veronica in his arms, to see Dick standing in the doorway to his bedroom.

Veronica shielded her eyes as Logan said, "Dude. Clothes."

"Dude, I put on boxers," he said as though this was a stupendous effort. Then he observed, "You two changed up your routine."

"I'm sorry. Come again?" Veronica asked dangling from Logan's arms.

"Dick, you're breaking some major bro code rules trying to have a conversation right now," Logan told him severely.

"Dude, I'm not trying to have a conversation. I'm trying to get some sleep. You guys used to be so, like, predictable: fight, fight, fight then Ronnie would leave. Or fuck, fuck, fuck and Ronnie would stay. If you're having a combo night I just missed my window to fall asleep between all the yelling."

"You need to get away from me right now," Logan said, though he was amused by his friend's assessment of their relationship. Veronica tucked her head into Logan's chest. The idea of Dick hearing them had never crossed her mind before; she was always too preoccupied.

"Absolutely. I've been waiting for the shrieking to die down to sneak out and get a brewsky. Carry on. I'll find my headphones."

Later that week on campus, Mac saw Dick with 6 or 7 guys and girls. She was about to pass him on her way to work and it appeared that he was enjoying the nice weather with some friends.

"Hey Macaroni," he said happily. How everything he said could be heard as suggestive, Mac would never understand.

"Hey Dick," she said sweetly as she kept right on walking.

"What! Too good for me?" he yells to the light laughter of his friends.

Mac smiles and waves and walks on.

Seconds later, an out of breath Dick runs up beside her. "Seriously? You mad at me?"

"Dick!" Mac exclaimed surprised to find her friend right next to her. "No, I'm not mad. I didn't mean to be rude. It's just—"

"It's just what?"

"Nevermind," she says nervously, unsure of how she would even phrase it.

"No way. Spill."

"Honestly?" she begins, looking up at him. "I just didn't want to embarrass you."

"What? Are you kid—"

"Look at those guys," Mac said stopping and turning back towards Dick's friends. "They all look…" cool…like models…confident…. "like you," she finally decides on. " I just didn't think I'd fit in."

Dick thinks for a second. "You took me to meet your friends at work. Did I fit in with them?"

"No, but they didn't care."

"Right. But what if they had? What if they had used all their smarts to make me feel dumb or talked about stuff I didn't understand just to leave me out?"

"I wouldn't let them do that. And besides, you guys all started talking about Halo and Call of Duty. It went fine."

"Okay, well you gotta' trust me that I wouldn't let my friends dis you and that you'd find your own Halo moment with them. And you weren't rude Mackie," he said with a smile, "but don't snub me again."

Mac was genuinely impressed with her new friend. "Okay Dick."

He turned back to walk towards the group . "Lookin' fine in that polo, Mackenzie. Have fun at work!"

His constant string of compliments and flirting was finally beginning to just roll off her back. Everyone without a Y chromosome and a pulse got the same treatment. "Bye Dick!" she called after his retreating form.

When Dick got back to his fraternity brothers and the girls, a tall dark haired boy named Simon said to him, "I think I know that girl. I'm pretty sure she's in one of my classes."

"Oh yeah?" Dick asked, watching her walk away, "Do me a favor…"

A/N: I didn't remember if Weevil had ever really met Parker or Piz. If he did, I apologize for the continuity error. (and I'd love to be reminded of which episodes those meetings were in.) AND, I'm pretty sure he got fired from Hearst in 'Weevils Wobble' but was wearing those school coveralls in the finale, so who knows. (If you do, let me know). Next chapter will be a long time coming but it is my longest—by about 4x! it just won't end—and my favorite to write so far. (unsplitupable, not that this is a word, but i really have tried) Thanks for being patient! Yay for all the new followers!