Chapter 2

*Morning with the Echolls*

"MOMMY! Where is my baseball sleets?" Lo yelled from downstairs.

Veronica came downstairs. "Logan Keith Echolls! Where did you learn it was okay to yell through the house?"

Just as she scolded her son they heard, "Baby, where is my blue tie?" from the upstairs bed room.

Veronica groaned from the stairs and said to her son, "Here," and handed him his shoes.

Lo put them in his gym bag. "Thank you, Mom."

As he headed towards the door, Veronica said, "Your welcome. Wait for your sister."

At that moment Lynn came down stairs "Mom, Dad said he needs his blue tie like now."

Veronica smiled. "I know. Have a great day, guys. I love you." Then she walked back upstairs. "Logan, we're supposed to be teaching them better than that," she admonished when she walked into their bedroom.

He stuck his head out of their walk-in closet and replied, "Huh?"

She shook her head and said, "Never mind," and walked past him to grab the blue tie in question.

He grabbed it from her and said, "Thank you. If I don't leave soon I'm going to be late."

His wife smiled wickedly. "Well, if someone didn't start things this morning you would be early."

Logan smirked and kissed his wife. "Right because you were yelling 'Stop!'." He put his hand to his chin like he was trying to recall. "No, wait. It was, 'Oh my God, please, don't stop!'" He smirked at her again, "Yes, that was it!"

Veronica laughed and pushed him towards the stairs. "Go have a good meeting. Don't forget the doctor's appointment is at noon."

He waved. "Okay, love you!"as he walked to the door.

Veronica looked around and sat down on to the bed. "I hope you like crazy, kid, " she said as she put her hand on her stomach.

Morning with the Casablanca's:

Mac was getting her stuff together for her freshmen English class. She couldn't believe how much she loved teaching or that moment she knew her class got it and loved books as much as she did. "Cassie, you almost ready for school?"

The girl in question looked up. "No, Mom. I hate my hair. Look at it."

Mac picked up the brush. "I think it looks pretty."

She shook her head. "You're my mother, so you have to say that." Cassie thought for a second. "Mom, do you think Lo likes me?"

Just as Mac opened her mouth to say something her boys appears at the door and like any brother would, Ricky said, "God, no! And stop hitting on my best friend. It's just creepy."

Cassie glared at her brother and replied, "Right 'cause Lynn is in love with you."

Mackenzie being the peacemaker looked at his twin sister and said, "My friend Mark likes you."

Cassie screamed, "AHHHHHHH. I don't like Mark, and I'm telling you Lo will notice me before the year ends."

Mac looked up and sighed, "Okay, okay. Go to school."

As the kids left out the front door, Dick came downstairs. "Hey, Mackie. Aren't you going to be late?"

She smiled and said, "Yes," as she walked to her husband. "I thought you left early for the sale today."

Dick replied, "Nope. I had Travis open. I told Logan I'd go see Duncan with him after his book meeting."

Mac blinked. "What?"

Her husband nodded. "He's worried Veronica's going to get herself into trouble trying to help Duncan. Or that they will find out she was part of it and helped him leave with Lilly."

Mac shook her head. "Maybe we should all just stay away and let what ever happens to Duncan happen. He won't sell out Veronica."

Dick looked over at her. "I don't know, but Logan's worried about his wife. I know I would be if it was me." He kissed her and left to meet up with Logan.

*West Bridge Middle School*

Ricky walked into his homeroom and looked around for his best friend when he saw a group of kids, most of them girls, talking. He laughed to himself and said, "Lo!" out loud.

Just as he suspected, Lo walked out of the group and sat down next to Ricky and smiled. "Hey, dude, what's up?"

Ricky shook his head. "How do you do that?" he asked as he pointed to the group of girls who waved at Lo who was looking to where Ricky pointed.

Lo smiled at them and answered, "I don't know. Maybe it's confidence. Try it. Go talk to Amanda. She keeps saying she wants to go surfing. Tell her your dad owns a shop and take her there."

Ricky hook his head no. "Amanda Wentworth likes you not me, and I hate surfing."

Lo smiled. "My mom would have a cow. You know her and Amanda's mom hate each other for some reason. Beside she's not my type."

Ricky nodded his head toward her. "I don't think that's going to stop her." Lo looked back over at her, and she smiled at him.

Lynn, on the other hand, was in her first period computer class. She loved computers, and it was her favorite class. Well, other then her math class with her Uncle Charlie. She was typing away on her tablet when the twins sat down next to her.

Cassie put her hand on the tablet and said, "Your brother looks so hot today."

Lynn scrunched her nose. "You need a exorcism."

Mackenzie laughed out loud as the teacher came in.

Cassie sent Lynn a text message –can I come over after school to day?-

Lynn sent her a text right back –sure but your boyfriend has baseball 'til 5pm.-

Cassie shrugged her shoulders and replied –so. we can hang with your mom. She's so cool-

Lynn nodded her head yes and tried to listen to the teacher.

*LOGAN*

Dick walked into Apollo Publishing and walked up to the receptionist. "Good morning. Can you tell me if Logan Echolls is done with his meeting yet?"

The women looked up and replied, "Almost. He should be out soon. You can take a seat."

Dick said, "Thanks," and turned around to sit down and picked up a magazine. Just as he began flipping through the magazine, he heard Logan and Apollo walk out laughing. Dick got up as Logan was shaking his hand.

Logan walked towards Dick. "Hey, Dick. Thanks for coming with me. I don't know what I might do if I go alone," he said as he looked at his watch. "But we have to hurry. It's ten now. I have to meet V at 12."

Dick walked outside with him and asked, "Where?"

"Dr. Camden's office," Logan answered getting into his Land Rover.

Dick got in and said, "Dude, she's a women doctor, right?"

Logan laughed. "Yes, Dick."

Dick looked shocked. "Why didn't you guys tell us?"

Logan looked at him quickly. "We just found out. It's not even confirmed yet by the doctor. And Veronica wanted to tell her dad and Alicia first."

About ten minutes later Logan was pulling into the Sheriff's station. Logan looked over at Dick and said, "Okay, let's get this over with."

They walked into the station and saw Leo and some other deputies staring at a door. Logan taped him on the back and Leo jumped. "Dude, I just lost five minutes of my life."

Logan smiled. "Sorry. Do you know were my father-in-law is?" Leo pointed to Keith's office.

Dick looked at Leo. "Why are you watching that door?" he asked.

"Kane and his lawyers are in there," Leo replied as Logan dragged Dick with him to Keith's door.

Keith looked up from his desk and smiled. "Logan, Dick, what are you doing here?"

Logan sat down on one of his chairs. "I kinda wanted to see Duncan."

Keith looked at his son-in law and asked, "Why?"

Dick not being able to stop himself answered, "He thinks he's going to drag Ronnie down with him."

Logan punched Dick's shoulder in annoyance.

Dick looked surprised and asked, "What, dude? We all love her here. Besides, he's her dad Maybe he can help."

Keith looked at them worried. "That never crossed my mind. I forgot How involved was she in all this?"

Logan looked him in the eyes " Ya A lot."

Keith got a weird look on his face. "Duncan has been with his parents, wife, and lawyers all morning. Then he has court, but he's going to be released into his parents' custody with a monitor on his leg. Why don't you guys come over tonight? Alicia is dying to hear about the doctor's visit. She's so excited about being a grandma again. Wallace will be there with his two kids. Anyway the four of us can talk in a more private place."

Logan nodded, and he and Dick got up from the chairs as a blond woman and a girl walked in. The women looked at the guys and said, "Oh, I'm sorry to disturb your conversation, Sheriff."

Keith smiled. "Not a problem. These are actually your husband's best friends from high school," Keith pointed to them both and introduced them.

She shook their hands. "It's nice to meet you both. I'm Isabella Kane, and this is our daughter Lilly."

Then she looked at Logan. "Your married to Veronica, right? Duncan has talked about you guys a lot. I know missing your wedding really killed him. His dad would keep him informed all the time."

Logan, looking uncomfortable answered, "Really? I think that's great. We really should be going now though. Can you tell Duncan we will try and see him soon?"

Dick looked at her and said, "It was nice to meet you."

As they both left Keith's office, Keith waited to the door was closed and said, "Mrs. Kane. What can I do for you?"

"I need to find Lilly a school since were stuck here 'til all this gets fixed," she told him.

Keith nodded. "Well, my grandkids go to a private school called West Bridge." He picked up his cell and called Veronica to get the number for her.

Isabella took the number, and they left his office. Keith slummed back in his chair and said out loud to himself, "Veronica, what did you do?"

*At the Doctors *

Logan and Veronica were sitting in Dr. Camden's waiting room. Veronica was filling out paper work. Logan, on the other hand, was thinking about his encounter with Duncan's wife. It was so weird because they had been best friends since they were twelve. Nothing could come between them. He couldn't believe that they were total strangers now. He knew nothing about Duncan's life now or how much Duncan knew of his. Lost in thought, he didn't hear that his wife was talking to him.

"Earth to Logan!" When he ignored her again, she smiled. "I should tell you Dick and I are having an affair, and the baby's his. Damn Mac's going to be mad."

Logan looked at her blankly and said, "Yeah that's great... Wait, what?" Veronica laughed as the doctor called her name. He got up confused. "What about Dick?"

Veronica smiled at him. "Was your meeting with Apollo that bad?" she inquired.

"No, it went fine. He and Athena want to go out sometime with us. I told him you'd call her," Logan replied.

She looked at him again and said, "Okay, I'll call her later. You going to tell me what's bothering you."

"Nothing, baby, I'm fine," he answered she looked into her husband's eyes.

"Logan, I know you completely, and you're not fine."

He walked over to her on the patient's seat and exhaled. "Okay, Dick and I went to the Sheriff's Department to see Duncan."

Her expression went darker. "Okay, what did he say?"

Logan shrugged. "Nothing. I didn't get to see him because he was in court, but we did meet his wife."

Veronica opened her mouth to say something when Dr. Camden came back into the room. "Okay, Veronica, it looks like you are pregnant and almost two months along. The tests look good so far. How about we take a look at the baby and hear the heart beat," he said as he walked towards her. "Lay back. " He put the jelly on her stomach and then the wand.

Veronica looked up at Logan, who grabbed her hand as the strong beat of their baby's heart came through loud and strong. She knew that their kids and their family were his reason for living. And that this was the part that always made him tear up. She tugged on his hand to get his attention, her eyes tearing up, too and said, "I love you."

He wiped his eyes, and bent down to kiss her. "I love you, too. More then anything."

Dr. Camden cleaned her off and handed Logan the ultra sound pictures. He said, "It looks and sounds good. We will set up another appointment for next month, and I'll call in the prenatal vitamins."

Veronica looked at the doctor and said, "Okay, thank you."

As they were waiting for the nurse to finish finalizing the next appointment, Logan grabbed her and pulled her to him and kissed her hard. When they stopped kissing, he pulled out the pictures Dr. Camden gave him and pointed to the little peanut and said proudly, "We created that."

Veronica leaned up to kiss him again and said, "Yes. And it was really fun doing it!"

He laughed as they left. " Oh, I told your dad we'd come by at like six tonight. He wants to have a party tonight to celebrate."

Veronica frowned. "Tonight?" She got on her tip toes to whispered, "I had other plans for tonight."

Grinning, Logan opened her car door and replied, "Oh, trust me. We will be revisiting your plans after the party!"

Veronica laughed as she got into their car.

*Wallace*

Wallace walked into his house and was met by his little five year old daughter. "Daddy, daddy!"

Wallace picked her up. "Hey, sweet heart. Where is your brother?"

She looked around and said, "Oh in the kitchen."

Wallace walked into the kitchen. "Hey, T. Go get ready. We're going to grams n gramps house." He stopped in his tracked when he saw Jackie. "What are you doing here?"

Jackie got up and said, "I missed you guys. I wanted to see the kids."

Wallace looked pissed and said, "I thought I told you we'd figure out a time and place for you to see them."

Jackie looked hurt. "Wallace, can't we please just try and work this out."

He replied angrily, "Oh, now you want to work things out? I tried and tried to before you walked out on us. How is your modeling career going?"

Jackie looked at him sadly. "It's good, but I missed you every-second. "

Wallace was still incredibly mad and answered, "Feelings all yours. Now leave, please. I have to get to my parents' house. "

"Okay, but why on a Monday? I thought you had family dinner on Sundays?" she asked.

He shrugged. "We do normally. We're celebrating V being pregnant again."

Jackie smiled. "Oh, that's awesome! They must be thrilled."

Wallace walked to the door and opened it, making a swapping sound with his hand to indicate it was time for her to go. "Yes, they are. Now if you don't mind."

Jackie looked down a moment before getting up to leave. She stopped at the door and kissed his cheek. "I'm not giving up, Wallace."

Once she was gone, Wallace put his head down and said, "You're killing me." Then he pulled himself together and yelled, "Let's go, guys!"

*Casablancas*
Mac was on the phone with Parker, walking upstairs to get her three kids ready. "Everyone's going to be there. Even Weevil... That sounds great. Ya, we're on our way... Like half an hour...Bye." She knocked on Ricky's door. "Hey, you almost ready?"

Her son looked up from his book. "Yes, Mom. Whenever you are."

Mac looked around the room. She never really noticed before how much his room looked like her room at his age. The fact that he loved books like she did was obvious. She smiled to herself, lost in her own thoughts. She remembered reading to him as an infant and swearing he understood. Even then he loved books.

Mac's musings were interrupted by her daughter. "Mommy, can we go now, please?"

Mac jumped startled. "Yea. Your dad will be back in five minutes. He had to close the store."

As she said that, McKenzie came walking in. "She just can't wait to see Lo," he declared with a smirk.

Cassie glared at her brother as the group heard their mom say, "Let's get a move on downstairs. "

*Weevil*

Weevil stopped his bike right out in front of Keith Mar's house. His mind went back to a time were he would never be going to the sheriff's house for dinner. He would likely be going to jail in the back of Keith's squad car, and he had. However, back then he could never have guessed that he would be an owner of his own car shop and doing his own books. Thanks to Veronica, who helped him set up his uncle's shop. That was back when she needed a project after quitting the FBI. She and Logan had been in the middle of a really big argument. Weevil really thought they would get a divorce. He even had her served with divorce and sole custody paper's. He cringed a little as he remembered one of his best friends break down to where she couldn't even move. "Where is Veronica Mars? The girl that would fight for what she wants," he had said to her.

Veronica looked up with tears pouring out of her eyes. "Lynn could have died because I had to get that serial bomber terrorist in L.A. My one year old, Weevil. It was all my fault. He wanted to hurt me and make me pay."

Weevil had hugged her and said, "You couldn't have seen any of this, V. You were going your job." He watched her cry more.

"Logan says I don't love them enough to put them first and that he has to."

Weevil had heard enough and replied, "Veronica, if you want Logan and your family back, fight for him. Make him see it. Tell him you quit, and you're fighting the divorce. Girl fight. "

He was jarred from his thoughts by the two arms of his date who said, "I can't believe you know the Echolls. I loved Aaron Echolls!"

Weevil shook his head. "This was so our last date," he thought as he knocked on the door.

Daryl opened it and hugged him."Hey. You brought a date. My sister's going to kill you. She invited Carmen for you."

Weevil looked angry. "She what? Why?"

"You know Ronnie. She thinks you still love her, and she wants you happy, bro. We all do," Darryl said.

*Parker*

Parker loved her boyfriend, but she longed for what Veronica had. A man who loved her more then his own life and almost three adorable children. She couldn't wait until she had their own little one in her class. She loved teaching kindergarten and all her students. Wallace daughter was in her class now, but she has taught all her friends kids. As she drove to celebrate her good friends' great news, she couldn't help but look at Piz, her loving radio personality boyfriend, who always said that they had time. Dissatisfaction filled her. She was tired of waiting.

She didn't know we're it came from but found herself saying, "Are we ever going to get married and have kids? I can't keep doing this. Logan and Veronica are on their third, and Mac has three. Even Wallace had two. I want a family. Piz I want what Veronica has."

Piz let his anger get the best of him and said,"Then you should of stayed with perfect Logan. I hear he loves being a dad. I, however, don't want kids."

"And you just now thought of telling me that little fact? Instead of putting me off, you couldn't just be honest?" she demanded in anger, her mind whirling at his pronouncement.

Piz didn't reply. He just parked the car, and they both walked to the door with out another word.

*Duncan*

While everyone was going to celebrate at the Mars' house, Duncan was at the Sheriff department being fitted for an ankle monitor. His trial was set for six months away. However, even that wouldn't be the hardest situation for him. That spot was filled with watching the love of his life with his best friend. He laughed to himself. Logan Echolls was at one time his best friend. Duncan never would have thought Logan would steal his life. That should be his two kids and his baby she's pregnant with. Thinking about it, he now understood why she didn't run with him. His answer: Logan-freaking-Echolls had stolen her heart from him back in high school, and no matter how he tried, he couldn't get it back. She had given him a reasons back then. The FBI was her dream. She wouldn't give it up for him.

He grew a little colder whenever his dad called him to keep him informed on her. He had told Duncan on the day Lo was born that she had given Logan a son. The next call was that she married him. His Veronica was now Logan's and an Echolls. Once again his dad called and again informed him that they were back together. No divorce. However, what had killed him the most was that she chosen Logan over her beloved FBI. She hadn't loved Duncan enough to do that, but she did Logan. As he was lost in thought, he glanced up and saw his wife chatting amicably with his mom in the next room. Duncan smiled. They had been getting along so well. Almost like they are the same person. He lost his smile. That thought kind of scared him.

"Izzy, what are you two talking about so intently? " he asked, getting her attention.

She came over and kissed him. "Your case, of course."

"What about it?" Duncan asked.

She touched his arm. "Your lawyer can make a deal for you. Tell them she was the master mind of it all," his wife slowly suggested.

Duncan jerked his arm away from her and yelled, "No! Stay way from Veronica!"

Isabella got angry and walked her way to the door yelling, "Veronica, Veronica! Get over her, Duncan! I'm tired of this. I mean, come on, she's probably fucking your best friend, her husband, right now. I'm your wife. Think of me and Lilly!" She gave him an angry look and left, slamming the integration room door.

As she left, Duncan realized that she was half right. They were over. Veronica was Logan's. She married him, and they had kids. But he also knew that if they would ever be friends again, they would have to hear each other out. How do you tell your best friend since the age of twelve that he stole your life and your dream?

Outside the door, she went over to Celeste. "I don't care what he says. I'm going to make that bitch Veronica pay. When she's gone, I'll finally have his heart. Duncan won't figure out I'm the one who called the cops on him in Australia. When she's gone, our plan will be all set," she said to Celeste.

Isabella Kane was so involved in her conversation that she didn't notice Leann Mars was listening to her every word. She had been looking for Keith and heard the yelling. She wanted to talk about her trying to get back into her daughter's life. She knew getting her daughter's trust back was going to be the hardest thing she ever did. But if it was the last thing she did, she'd make Celeste paid for what she did back then and what she's trying to do now. Leann would finally get her revenge.