Chapter Nine

Two words and Veronica's world was turned upside down. On the inside, her heart raced while her lungs stopped circulating air. She felt like she was going to hyperventilate or pass out or do what she always did: run. On the outside, though, as usual, every muscle in her body - including her tongue - reacted before she could truly think.

"Logan Echolls. What brings you to the right side of the wrong side of the tracks?" Veronica quipped.

Wallace, Mac, and Veronica had been wandering shops, catching up and checking out all the changes that had taken place in Neptune over the years. None had really been paying attention to where they were at the particular moment that Logan had found them. Wallace and Mac had been completely caught up in listening to Veronica as she animatedly told a tale of how she had one upped her criminal law professor in a mock trial where the professor was acting as judge and she was acting as a jury member. They'd stopped walking when Veronica got to the part where she threw the book at the judge rather than the accused.

"Can't be the wrong side of the tracks if you're on it," Logan returned with a guarded smile before gesturing toward the building behind them and saying, "Behold my life's work. Kinda cheesy, I admit, but at least now no one can say I'm just another pretty face."

If Veronica thought she was shocked before, when she turned to see what it was that he was claiming as such an accomplishment, she was stunned after. The entryway to the older but restored building had a very warm and welcoming sign that read, 'Casa de Caring: A Safe House for Misanthropic Teens.' She took this in just moments before catching sight of the dedication plaque fixed to the side of the building: 'In Loving Memory of Lynn Echolls, Founded 2012.'

Again, she innately struggled to not let her reaction show. In the end, though, she couldn't help the gleam of pride in her intense blue eyes as they turned to meet his all-consuming liquid brown stare. "Impressive!" she exclaimed in the understatement of the year, while thinking to herself, 'Logan Echolls, humanitarian?! When the hell did that happen?'

"Thanks," he responded modestly before turning the attention back to her, "So what, pray tell, has caused the dubious and unparalleled Veronica Mars to return to her old stomping grounds?"

"Oh," she quipped carelessly with a shrug of her shoulders, "A tiny little thing called a ten year reunion. I hear it's supposed to be the party of the century."

"Ah," Logan answered with a slight nod of his head before narrowing his eyes at her with knowing humor, "The Veronica Mars that I used to know would never have come for such an event willingly."

"Touche," Veronica grinned, "I was tricked into attendance by my wickedly plotting fan club," she said as she motioned to Wallace and Mac who had been standing back simply taking in the exchange, sharing a meaningful and smug look between them.

Veronica continued talking, oblivious to the silent conversation between the two co-conspirators, turning back to Logan before saying, "Mac, Wallace, and Piz even got Dad in on getting me here." She paused long enough to throw a glare over her shoulder at her companions, "One of these two must have tipped him off that I was getting ready to bolt and take the next plane back to New York. Little did I know, Dad was already at the airport to meet my plane. I was grabbing my things and plotting my exit strategy when the next thing I knew, Dad was on the plane, hauling me out in handcuffs."

Logan laughed, a true sound of joy and delight that warmed Veronica from the top of her head to the tips of her toes. When he found his voice again, he shook his head, his eyes filled with admiration as he said teasingly, "Now that I would have paid to see!"

She scowled and leaned in to punch him in the shoulder like she used to do while he smiled gleefully down at her. It was just like it had always been between them: intense and private, to the exclusion of everyone and everything else. She'd forgotten how it could be, or at least she'd tried desperately to convince herself that what she'd thought existed between them wasn't nearly as epic as he'd made it out to be. How could it? Spanning years and continents...lives ruined, bloodshed...that stuff only happened in movies, right?

Her thoughts were interrupted by a light touch on her shoulder and Wallace's quiet words gradually breaking through the internal dialogue she was having with herself while staring unwaveringly into that familiar smoldering gaze, "Hey V, we better get going. Your dad's gonna be expecting us soon."

"Right, sure," she said distractedly as the spell was broken. Impulsively, she gave Logan a quick hug and a kiss on the cheek, saying affectionately, "It was great seeing you, Jackass. Maybe I'll catch you around sometime before I go."

"You too, Bobcat," Logan returned with a grin, adding on a whim, "You guys should stop by the club sometime. I'll make sure Dick gets you all the VIP treatment."

"That would be bitchin'!" Mac beamed, her dimples showing as she grabbed Veronica's arm and started to drag her away, "We'll be sure to take you up on your offer!" she called over her shoulder, knowing that Logan would be standing there watching them until they were long out of sight. It was just the way things were, she thought to herself, when you're dealing with Epic LoVe.