"What the hell was she doing?" Veronica sobbed angrily finally as she got back into her car and curled up into Logan's lap as her mind tried to absorb the latest fucked up details of the story developing in front of her and he wrapped his arms protectively around the petite blond teen detective. Even as his comforting warmth enveloped her, she knew that she couldn't walk away and deep down she didn't want to. Even Becca, who was beyond terrified after witnessing a brutal killing-hadn't been able to leave it alone like her step brother had begged her to. "I might need some serious hand-holding in order to finish this one.." she sniffed as she curled her arms around him and hugged him closer.

"You really think what happened to Daisy was some kind of vast conspiracy?" Logan asked softly.

"You mean like Lilly's?" Veronica replied quietly, glancing at him before resting her head on his shoulder. Musing to herself how different this was to the beginning of the school year. School administrators had separated their classes because their arguing was like verbal foreplay, and their reputation around town had been notorious because of the constant feuding. Metaphorically... She'd been the prettiest little girl that he'd ever seen and he just had to push her and pull on her pigtails… he'd been her nemesis and getting to their relationship had seemed endless… now it was almost a week and a half to Christmas and she didn't want to be anywhere but right here snuggled up in his arms.

I love you Logan Echolls…

"You're going to just leave this to your dad now right?" he pleaded, already knowing and dreading the answer. He would handcuff her to him and make her watch the Godfather trilogy on repeat until she realized just how stupid an idea going up against something like this would be.

"I haven't been able to think that far ahead just yet" she admitted, glancing down at the small gym bag in the backseat where she had stashed the tablet.

He wanted her to quit this investigation... and any sane person probably should…

"Do you still think it was anything to do with the Abel Koontz files?" he questioned.

"I did… but now there's all this new evidence… I don't know what my guts trying to tell me" she confessed as she turned and kissed his cheek, reaching up and taking the listening device from his ear. "You smell like a fruit salad" she smiled absently, inhaling his masculine scent and catching notes of the pineapple and coconut shampoo.

"Says the girl who looked like she should be flying off to Neverland" he quipped back, tucking a piece of her hair away from her neck and kissing her throat softly as his other hand wrapped underneath her shirt, caressing the soft skin at her lower back. She moaned and it was better than music. "All I want to do is protect you Veronica…" he breathed against her ear, his brows furrowing and she could almost see the gears showing in his head.

How could he make her understand? Daisy's story was a cautionary tale… not an instruction manual…

"Thanks… for trusting me to be in there… for having my back… I know it was hard..." she told him, her blue eyes pouring into his, he didn't say anything, he just nodded, his brown eyes searching hers.

You have no idea… I'm not built to sit on the sidelines... all he wanted to do now was fill up his dad's boat and run away with her someplace safe… with enough time for Stockholm Syndrome to develop... because ever losing her now made him feel like he'd lose his damn mind…

She smiled and played with the lapels of his suit jacket as if she'd just been entertaining the very same idea. But he knew she would never go for it. It wasn't who she was. Remembering their time together this afternoon he was coming to realise exactly what Veronica meant to him. And from that point on the poor girl had no chance, because he was never going to let her go.

"Yeah well... together. That's what we said…. And you are right… I do kind of look like a lawyer in this suit" he smirked, a smile curving one corner of his mouth.

"A hot lawyer if that helps" she said distractedly and then her cheeks reddened as she realized she'd said it out loud, and she pulled her hands away again.

Great... now he know's you are a pervert...

"I'm starting to think you have a thing for undressing me when I wear formal wear" he grinned as he caught her wrists and put them back where they had been playing with the buttons of his shirt just moments before.

"Well shocking enough, not everyone can afford to buy an entire store… I'm just preserving the clothes" she teased, embarrassed as her arms snaked around his neck and she sat up straighter in his lap and an image of her wearing nothing but his shirt the morning after Homecoming came to mind.

"Are you hungry?" he asked softly, his voice was strained as he felt himself hardening in his pants.

"We need to get you back to your car" Veronica reasoned, casting a quick look at the dashboard clock.

7.49pm

"Your dad's probably expecting you home soon" he nodded, tilting his head towards her ear and the scent of the unfamiliar shampoo brought back the memories of their shower together.

He hated leaving her…

"Yeah… Backup probably needs his walk… you wanna come with me?" she asked shyly.

They could grab something from that little Vietnamese place for dinner not too far from the school and eat together.

If Dad doesn't run Logan off with a Rifle on the porch… but hey… even the wheels of justice got to eat… right?

Logan regarded her with surprise seemingly weighing the wisdom of spending time with the Elder Mars.

"You sure he'd be okay with us fogging the house windows up?" he teased glancing at the car windows around them.

"Why would we be doing that? My heart's pitter-pattering and my head is still in lala land! A boy simply be coming a courting" Veronica said in a fake soft southern accent.

"Somehow I was thinking we'd end up looking more like a pro-wrestling couple" he retorted in a voice that could melt honeysuckle from a lime, kissing along her jaw and nibbling her ear.

"And with imagery like that my panties are in flames…" she chuckled, grateful for the moment of lightness breaking her thoughts over wondering if Sheriff Lamb had been involved in Daisy's investigation... or her murder. "I should call home" she sighed before she pulled him closer for a kiss and the taste of him was like unbridled energy pouring down her throat as she ran her fingers through his hair, feeling something deep in her core clench with awareness, remembering how they were joined together on a few hours ago. She whimpered against his lips, unused to this need that his expert mouth could elicit from her all too easily.

Logan pulled back and tried to slow his breath, looking at the wanton blond bombshell in his lap, she was petite but a handful in all of the right places. She was pure stardust and he could happily spend the night getting jubilantly drunk on her kisses.

"Is it always like this?" she whispered, her words betraying just how innocent and inexperienced she still was as his thumb traced the outline of her smooth, full, provocative mouth.

"No…" he admitted as he stared in stupefaction. "Only with you…" he brushed back the heavy swathe of blond hair, smoothing it behind her ear. His fingertips tracing the outline of the small scar from the day of her accident when she'd fallen and had her seizure. "Does that scare you?" he asked quietly and those blue eyes fastened on him. She frowned as the thought took foot and flourished, Logan had ignored all of her defensive barricades and steamrolled right over them. Having him near her now was like a fundamental need. She craved it.

It terrified her…

Veronica had always been like a lone wolf and she had found a home in him. He'd tamed that part of her that had always snarled and fought to protect itself, to stay free… and she was still worried that he'd wake up one morning and sleep her off like a hangover.

"Good girl falls for bad boy…" she shrugged drawing in a breath and glancing away.

"Very different people who have a kindred soul" he said, turning her chin back to face him.

"Did I not mention his boyband hair and dark brown eyes, seductive smile, and a hard-body?" she smiled weakly.

"I know I hurt you Veronica. You have no idea how much I wish I could take it all back and have you look at me that way again…" he sighed, his soulful brown eyes were so earnest as they poured into her and she could almost feel his ache. "Back to when you trusted that I would never hurt you…"

Back to when you didn't battle yourself for loving me…

"I do trust you" she told him truthfully and kissed him. "I love you" she murmured and she felt his hands squeeze her ass as her tummy rumbled before she pulled back and giggled.

"Please don't eat ice-cream at me in front of your dad" he pleaded as she climbed over into her own seat.

"Have you never seen me seductively eat noodles?" she mocked as she turned the ignition and the radio blared to life. "Hey… at least you are dressed to impress?" she winked.

The short drive to Neptune High didn't take long and they both agreed that Logan would pick up the food while Veronica headed home to see her father and warn him that they were having company for dinner. She was immediately panicked by the sight of blue flashing lights of police and ambulances outside the Sunset Crescent Apartments where she lived with her dad, she couldn't park in her usual spot near the entrance because of the News van's starting to gather.

Had someone seen her at the Laundromat? Was this Them? Where was her father?

"What's going on?" she asked Gladys, one of her neighbours who was standing in the street outside.

"I'm not sure… I was just on my way home…" she replied.

Veronica hurried to the stairs to the apartment complex and her heart nearly stopped when she saw the gurney with the body being wheeled into the back of the County Coroners van. Bright red blood stains seeping through the white towel they'd used to cover the body.

"Oh God…" she gasped, reaching into her pocket and dialling her dad desperately.

"Veronica?" his voice called from the top of the stairs.

"Dad?!" she exclaimed, her heart thundering with relief as she leapt up into his arms. "What happened?"

"There was a shooting… do you remember the pregnant girl from upstairs?" he asked as he finished descending down the staircase.

"Umm Sarah I think?" she nodded. She'd briefly been getting to know her around them complex before her amnesia, but they'd never really gotten a chance to get too close. "She lives with that painter?"

"Well it seems her parents came to try and take her home… there was a struggle involving a gun and both she and her stepfather were shot" he sighed pointing at the gurney, it was obviously a male victim, given the size of the shoes.

"And Sarah?" she asked quietly as he draped an arm protectively over her shoulder.

"She's on her way to Neptune Memorial now… but they aren't sure if they will both make it" he answered grimly as they both looked over at what Veronica assumed was Sarah's mother sitting in shock, wrapped in a blanket being asked questions by Sheriff Lamb.

Her husband had just been killed, and her daughter and grandchild were fighting for their lives on their way to hospital...

Her fathers answer felt like someone had cut through her lighter mood after the meeting with Becca and Weevil with a guillotine.

There was no way she could discuss the contents of the tablet with him tonight... Not now...

"Let me guess… the Butler did it?" Lamb asked as he wandered over towards them and nausea swamped her senses as she noted his smug expression.

"I'm sure if you do some fine detective work Donald, you could figure it out" Keith replied coldly.

"Every time I get a case involving far too much damn paperwork… it's usually got your name all over it Mars" the Sheriff glared.

"What can I say? I like to heed my convictions and close cases" Keith said derisively.

"Open and shut case. Domestic gone wrong" Lamb smiled, his hideously handsome face sickened her.

Of course Daisy wouldn't have asked this jackass for help… he didn't know the first thing about being a real Sheriff…

"Look at this one… trying to act all grown… shouldn't you be off doing homework somewhere?" he said with wry amusement as he glared at Veronica who was throwing daggers at him. "You know Keith… Hell of a neighbourhood to be trying to raise a family… maybe you should go see the Wizard… ask for a safer postcode" he added mockingly before he nodded at Deputy Briar to take the mother down to the Sheriff's Department for questioning. "Starting to think you Martians need to come with a Government Health Warning" he said finally before he climbed back into the squad car.

How could such a beautiful face be attached to someone filled with such spite and malice?

"Veronica?" a familiar voice called from behind her.

"Hey…" she offered weakly, stepping away from her dad to see Logan standing observing the scene, his eyes scanning over her in relief.

"Logan.." her father greeted sternly as he glanced over at his daughter and back at the boy in front of him.

"Tafelspitz?" she shrugged awkwardly.

(A/N I thought it would be fun to add in a few AU impacts with how Veronica's lack of case solving would affect the storylines we have seen in Cannon. In this case... Sarah was the girl who Veronica was investigating for going missing during the show... as we can see... no Veronica investigation had this story end quite differently)