Chapter 28: I Found Love

An update so soon - yeah, yeah, I know you're shocked. Anyway - let me go ahead and give you a heads up on this chapter before you read it. There's a lot of back and forth. It flip flops between the present and the not-to-distant past. Sorry about that, but I think you'll be able to follow it. The formatting looked much better before I uploaded, but somehow all the spaces and breaks got lost, so maybe it will come across ok. Thanks for hanging in there with me!

...I was so young and reckless

It was all a blur but there you were

And your love left me breathless

When the fairy dust fell over us

Yeah I, I felt like I could fly Cause I, I found love...

"Wow, these last nine months have flown by," Mac sighed.

"I know. I can't believe that we're almost done with school this year," Veronica agreed.

"Yeah, because that's the biggest highlight of your life right now. The end of sophmore year," Wallace smirked.

"Come on, Wallace. I have to focus on finals right now. That IS the only highlight for the next three days."

"Who are you kidding, Vee? Are we still doing the whole, don't talk about the "w" word or "L" word or "m" word until finals are over?"

"Yes, Wallace. That is exactly what we are doing. ALL those words and any words close to it are off limits until AFTER finals! And since you are struggling with that, I'm leaving."

Veronica pretended to huff and gathered her books and headed off in the other direction.

"This is driving her crazy, isn't it?" Wallace asked Mac.

"Veronica puts on a good show," Mac nodded. "She likes to pretend that she isn't completely freaking about about getting married in 3 weeks, but..."

"...But the girl is freaking out," Wallace said.

"I don't know how she is going to survive finals. She'll be lucky if she manages a C this semester," Mac laughed.

"Please..." Wallace laughed. "If that girl can solve murders, hold down a part time job, all while surviving high school..."

"Yeah, who are we kidding," Mac laughed. "She'll ace them all."

"So, what are we talking about?" Logan grinned as he headed towards them.

"Well, it's definitely not you," Mac replied.

"Yeah, because that would be off limits," Wallace laughed. "And what are you doing here, anyway? She would kill you if she saw you right now."

"Relax. I watched her walk away. I'm not that stupid. I don't have a death wish."

"Since when?" Wallace joked. "You know, it's kind of cute, Echolls. In all the years I've known Veronica..."

"Yeah, like all five of them? That's a super long time," Logan interrupted.

"As I was saying...the WHOLE time I've know Veronica...I have never seen her act this way. Even in high school she wasn't this. It's like you made her turn into some 12-year old girl dreaming of her prince charming."

"For the record, you didn't know Veronica before Lily died. She was that girl before all the sh!t happened in her life. Second of all, I AM her prince charming, so..."

"Gag me," Mac coughed.

Wallace just laughed.

"You know, Echolls, you have a point. We have ALL been through a lot of sh!t together in the few, short years we've all known each other. I guess that does change people. Some people turn into giddy school girls. Some people turn into goofy a-holes..."

"Oh, Wallace. I am so glad no one else would agree to be my best man," Logan joked.

"Lucky me," Wallace replied.

...So take my hand, and shed a tear

Before I'm gone, it's now or never

I'll hold you close, the end is near

But love goes on, and on forever...

"Finals are over now, Veronica. Come on. Are you seriously going to avoid me completely for two-and-a-half more weeks?"

Logan left the third message on Veronica's phone in the last 3 hours. He'd called every half-hour since her last final that afternoon at 3pm. She hadn't so much as texted him. He wasn't sure if he should be worried or pissed.

"What's eating you, man?" Wallace asked, slapping him on the back.

"Who do you think?" Logan huffed.

"Uh oh. Trouble in paradise? You two fighting over the cake topper?"

"I wish," Logan sighed. "I haven't talked to her. I've left her three messages and I haven't heard so much as a peep back."

"That's weird."

"Yeah. I don't suppose you know what's going on?"

"With Veronica?" Wallace feigned surprise. "We are talking about the same Veronica, right?"

"Ok, ok. I know. Stupid question. Look, I have one last final..."

"Tonight?"

"Yeah. Some conflict the professor had with the allocated time slot earlier in the week. The class agreed to move it to tonight. I think we all needed extra study time, anyway, so it's cool. But will you please try to find Veronica and at least let me know if she's planning to avoid me until the wedding or if she got cold feet and ran off somewhere?"

"Sure, man. I gotcha. And don't fret. It's Veronica. There's always some crazy explanation to her crazy *ss behavior. And you know she hasn't run off somewhere, Prince Charming. "

Logan grinned.

"Thanks, Wallace."

Logan patted Wallace's shoulder and slid his phone in his back pocket before heading off to his final.

Wallace dialed Veronica's number. Voicemail.

"Ok, Vee, I don't know what's up, but you need to call me ASAP before your boy has a meltdown."

He dialed Mac.

"Mac, it's Wallace. You talked to Veronica since her final?"

"No. I tried calling a couple of times, but just got voicemail," Mac said.

Wallace glanced up and saw Veronica's car parked a few rows ahead of him. And no Veronica.

"Sh!t. Meet me in the parking lot in 10 minutes. We may have a problem."

...It's so dark in my mind I cross my heart and hope to die

I'm so bad, at goodbyes

I hold my breath, and close my eyes

I don't have a lot left Oh, how did it end so fast?

I say, with my last breath It's a perfect day, to float away...

(Nine months earlier)

"How you feeling, Sunshine?" Keith asked as he was flipping pancakes.

"A little less sunny than usual, but I'll live," Veronica replied, wiping sleep from her eyes.

"The bruises are fading, at least."

"Well, there's one thing," Veronica smirked. "Have you seen Logan this morning?"

"Something about a run to clear his head or something. Left pretty early this morning."

"He's still beating himself up over all this. I can't seem to make him understand that his involvement with the CIA had absolutely zero impact on me getting beat up. Unfortunately, that would have probably happened anyway."

"Actually, Veronica. I'm pretty sure that's the problem."

"Huh?"

"Baby, Logan's a smart guy. He gets that his 'involvement' with the CIA was basically trivial. His problem is how to deal with a lifetime of you getting beat up. And frankly - I'm with him on that."

"Dad..." Veronica began.

"Look, honey. We both get that the FBI is your future. And we also understand there will be some dangerous work involved for you. You'll spend years in the field before you get a shot at a desk job, and we both know you're not cut out for a desk. And both Logan and I know that we have to find a way to deal with all that because we accept you for who you are - and this," he gestured at her fading bruises, "is, unfortunately, who you are. It's just going to take some work to swallow that elephant, babe."

"I...I don't know what to say," Veronica stammered.

"Honey. Let me be honest with you." Keith wiped his hands on the kitchen towel and sat down on a bar stool next to Veronica. He placed his hands on her shoulders and looked directly in her eyes.

"Six months ago, I let myself believe that Logan Echolls was basically out of your life for good. I imagined you'd stay in contact for another year or so, and eventually your 'friendship' would fade and he would be just a distant memory. Then he walked back in my door. And I grudgingly accepted the fact that I had known all long - I would never be rid of Logan Echolls. He's like a misspelled tattoo you got one night while you were drunk and laser removal isn't an option-"

Veronica gave him a very questioning look.

What the hell was THAT analogy?

"Anyway - I realized Logan was here to stay. Then I started to realize that the Logan Echolls I had watched grow up had done just that - grown up. He realized that in order to be with you he had to. And his love for you was so much stronger than his need to be an immature jackass for the rest of his life. So he put all that aside and decided to make something out of himself. And part of that growing up means accepting you for who you are-all of you. And all the stupid things he's done in the past to change you have to stop."

"Are you talking about Logan - or are you lecturing me?"

Keith smiled and winked at his daughter.

"Want some pancakes, Pancake?"

"Suddenly I'm not all that hungry," Veronica smiled. "But since you went to all the trouble...do I smell bacon?"

...When the sparks, flew between us

I saw you glow, and had to know

Where our journey would lead us

Til' the story end, and back again

Yeah I, I felt like I could fly

Cause I, I found love...

(back to the present)

"Wallace and Mac...to what do I owe the pleasure?"

"Sheriff Mars, have you heard from Veronica today?" Mac asked.

"No. Not since yesterday afternoon. Since she's avoiding Logan until after finals, I haven't seen or heard from her much in the last week and a half."

Veronica had been staying with Mac the past few days so she could avoid Logan and wedding plans.

"I haven't talked to her since before her last final. We ate breakfast together this morning and I told her we'd see her for dinner tonight and celebrate being done," Mac explained.

"Ok, ok, I'm starting to sense some urgency in your visit? What's wrong?"

"Well, Sheriff, I don't want to sound all chicken little or anything, but none of us have heard from Vee. We've all called. Left messages. I'm just a little concerned that we haven't heard a peep from her," Wallace chimed in.

"I'm sure there's a perfectly reasonable explanation," Keith said, trying to sound calm.

"Her car is still at Hearst," Mac said. "I pinged her cell and I'm not getting a response. That means it's turned off...or something."

"And it's the 'or something' that brings you two here?" Keith asked rhetorically.

"Logan had one last final this evening. I tried to reassure him that there was a reasonable explanation and sent him off. But if she's still AWOL when he get's finished...he's gonna go ape sh!t," Wallace added.

"Let's not panic. I'll get a few guys and we'll head over to Hearst. Do you know what class the final was for? How about anyone else in the class?" Keith questioned.

"It was a criminal psychology class, so, yeah...don't really know anyone else in that department," Mac sighed. "But I know where the prof's office is - went there with Veronica one time to drop off a paper. I doubt he's still there, but maybe there's a teaching assistant lurking around somewhere grading finals. Maybe we can find something."

"Ok, you two start there. I'll take a couple guys and do a quadrant search. Let me know if you find anything, ok?"

...So lead me home, and lift me up

Above the stars, and even higher

I'm not afraid, because your love

It falls like rain, and burns like fire...

(Nine months ago)

"Well, this has certainly been a nice night. What's all this about?" Logan asked as he walked hand-in-hand down the beach with Veronica.

They had gone to dinner at a nice restaurant, a little dancing at a local club, and now they were walking on the beach. It had all been Veronica's doing, and Logan was quite surprised by it all.

"I just thought we could use a night out," Veronica answered with a coy smile.

Logan stopped and turned to face her.

"What's really going on, Veronica?"

"Well...I've been doing some thinking," she started.

"About?"

"About that question you asked me in Virginia a few months ago..." she said softly.

Logan felt his heart was going to pound right out of his chest. He swallowed hard, hoping his stomach would fall back into place.

"And?" he asked, trying to sound calm.

"I wasn't ready to answer you then. I think you grew up a little faster than I did this past year."

"Whoa," Logan nearly choked. "I'm...I'm speechless."

"Yeah, well, imagine my surprise," Veronica grinned. "But I realized that I had to do what you've been doing. I had to put the past behind me and look towards the future."

"Yeah?"

"Yeah," Veronica grinned. "And I've realized that the only future I want...is with you."

"Really?" Logan asked, hoping this meant what he thought it meant.

"Yes, Logan."

"So, this is yes. This is a yes?"

"This is a yes. Sorry I couldn't say it when the proposal was perfect and you had the ring and all that..."

Logan reached into his jacket pocket.

"It's okay. See...I carry this around just for such occasions..."

Veronica's mouth gaped open as Logan knelt in front of her.

"Veronica Mars...will you make me the happiest man alive and be my wife?"

"Yes, Logan," Veronica smiled. Tears formed in the corners of her eyes. She felt like a school girl again. She felt like she did before Lily died, when she was young and carefree. It felt good.

Logan slid the ring on her finger and stood holding her hands. She wrapped her arms around him and lifted her in the air.

"I love you Veronica Mars!" he shouted for all to hear.

"I love you, Logan Echolls," she laughed as he spun her around and around.

When he finally put her down he kissed her. When they finally broke apart he whispered, "Always."

...It's so dark in my mind

I cross my heart and hope to die

I'm so bad, at goodbyes

I hold my breath, and close my eyes

I don't have a lot left

Oh, how did it end so fast?

I say, with my last breath

It's a perfect day, to float away...

(back to present)

"Yeah, she was in the final. And, of course, she aced it. Teacher's pet. I heard she did some internship for the FBI this past summer. Is that true?"

Mac was annoyed by the jealous TA who was all too short with answers.

"Look, have you seen her recently?" she asked.

"No. She finished with about twenty minutes to spare and left the room. She looked fine and smiled when she handed in her book. I didn't see her once she walked out of the room."

"Do you know anyone else in the class who might have?" Mac asked.

"I've never seen her real chummy with anyone, but the type of person in these classes are always sort of loners, you know? There is one girl she talks to now and then. Here..."

He scribbled a name down on a scrap of paper.

"That's the best I can do, sorry," he said.

"This works. Thank you," Mac said. "Oh-which room was the final in?"

The TA pointed down the hall to the lecture hall on the right.

Mac and Wallace nodded their thanks and walked down the hall.

"Maybe we can retrace her steps?" Mac wondered out loud.

"Ok, so if she came out of this room ... she would have gone out that door, right? And headed through the center of campus back to the parking lot," Wallace commented.

"Unless..." Mac countered, "...she went down the stairs to the basement-which would lead her out to the botanical gardens."

"Why would she go that way? That would add a whole lot of extra walking to get back to the parking lot," Wallace disagreed.

"Yeah, but she liked going through the gardens sometimes," Mac answered. "She said it helped her clear her head and calm down when she was stressed."

"And she is definitely stressed. Ok, let's check out that way first," Wallace agreed.

They headed through the nearest stair door and towards the basement. It didn't take them long to realize they were headed the right direction.

Just at the bottom of the stairs they found Veronica, collapsed against the wall.

She was unconscious.

Mac quickly pulled out her phone and dialed 911. While she got an ambulance on the way, Wallace dialed the Sheriff.

"Mr Mars, we found Veronica..."

...I'll love you forever

And you were my dream come true

I say, with my last breath

It's a perfect day, to float away

Yeah I, I felt like I could fly

Cause I, I found love...

"Keith...Keith...where is she? What's going on? Can I see her?"

Logan's questions flooded Keith as he ran through the doors of the emergency waiting room.

"Logan, Logan, calm down."

Logan's eyes were red, his whole face looked like it was on fire. His breathing was rapid and Keith could feel his heart racing even in his shoulders where Keith placed his hands firmly.

"Logan, look at me. Breathe. She is going to be okay."

"Wha...what happened?" he stammered.

"Low blood sugar. She passed out. Apparently she'd been so stressed..." Keith paused and chose his words carefully. "...with finals...that she hadn't been eating properly. She hadn't eaten in a day and a half and finally her body just gave out. She passed out, and if Mac and Wallace hadn't found her when they did...well, it would have been worse."

"But she's ok?" Logan asked, barely above a whisper.

"Yes," Keith smiled. "She's going to be fine. She's Veronica Mars. She's always fine."

A nurse walked in and called, "Mars?"

She explained to Keith and Logan that Veronica was now conscious and stable, but they wanted to keep her overnight just for observation. She told them that Veronica would be moved upstairs to a room, but if they wanted to see her now they could.

"Go ahead, Logan," Keith said.

"You sure?"

"Yes. Tell her we're here and we love her."

Logan nodded and headed back to see Veronica.

"We really have to stop meeting like this," Veronia smiled. "What is it with us and hospitals lately?"

"This is not funny, Veronica," Logan answered sternly as he reached to touch her.

"It has to be funny, Logan. This is the romantic comedy portion of our epic tale," she grinned.

"You see this look?" Logan asked, borrowing a line from Veronica.

"Your 'I'd rather be spelunking' look?" she joked again.

"No, it's my 'This sh!t is no longer funny' look," Logan said.

"Lighten up, Logan. I'm fine. You're fine. We're all fine..."

"No, Veronica. Stop. I ... I can't do this."

Veronica lost all humor.

"What...what do you mean, you can't do this?"

Veronica was afraid of what Logan would say next.

"Pretend that I'm not going to completely flip out every time I go more than an hour without talking to you or seeing that you're ok. I tried. I really tried to overcome this fear I have of losing you. But I can't."

"Logan..."

Logan sat on the bed beside Veronica and placed his hands on either side of her face.

"You are my life, Veronica. You are the reason I wake up in the morning, and the reason I go to bed at night. You are the reason I breathe. You are the sole reason I exist. If anything happens to you, I will cease to do so. I am going to try very hard to deal with the fact that you are going to be in harm's way more often than not. But, please, please forgive me if I don't always act like an adult when you are."

Well, that's not what I was expecting.

Veronica burst out laughing.

Logan was taken aback.

"What exactly was funny about that?" he asked rather angrily.

"No, Logan, I'm not laughing at what you said. I'm laughing because it wasn't that long ago that this would have been another breakup. I get hurt, you get mad, we argue...but, this..."

"What?"

"This is different," she said, suddenly very serious.

"How?"

"This is grown-up stuff. You're handling this like a mature adult. I messed up. I stressed myself out and didn't eat so I collapsed and scared you all half to death. A year ago, you would have yelled...I would have yelled back. But now, here you are, asking me to understand that you are going to flip out when things like this happen and then we just move on. I'm not laughing because it's funny. I'm laughing because we're adults now Logan. I did NOT see that one coming."

Logan smiled and relaxed for the first time in too many hours.

"Veronica, I was scared. I panicked. I thought maybe some leftover goon from the Russian mob had gotten to you and..."

Veronica pressed her finger to Logan's lips.

"I can only imagine what you thought. I'm sorry. I shouldn't have gone without eating."

"It's not just finals, is it?" Logan asked, solemnly.

"No, I guess not. Actually, it was never finals. I aced them all."

"Do you not want to marry me, Veronica? I mean, it's ok. We don't have to get married. We can just be us. I mean, your dad might not be too thrilled with us all shacked-up, living in sin. We might have to get our own place, but..."

"No, Logan. It's not that...I want to marry you. Of course I want to marry you. It's just..."

"What?"

"It's just that getting married means we really have grown up. We've put all that stuff in our childhood away. It kind of makes me feel like we're...like we..."

"Are forgetting?" Logan asked.

"Maybe," Veronica admitted.

"We don't have to forget what we've been through. We don't have to forget Lily. or Duncan. or any of the other stuff that we've been through. Good or bad. We just have to move on from it. That's our past, Veronica."

"I know you're right. It's just..."

"It's just so 'grown up' ? "

"Yeah," Veronica smiled. "Maybe that's it."

"And I'm the one who was Peter Pan?"

"Yeah, yeah. Who knew you'd turn out to be the mature one in this relationship?"

"Um...me." Logan smiled, raising his hand wildly.

"You see this look?" Veronica asked.

"You're 'I'd rather be strapped down on an ant hill' look?" Logan guessed.

"You do know me," Veronica smiled.

* Song lyrics are "I Found Love" by Owl City