Chapter Notes: *trigger warning: discussion of rape (canon)
Logan pulled the giant freight elevator doors open dramatically. "HEY HONEY, I'M HOME!" He bellowed into the loft.
Mac and Sandy waived from the kitchen island where they were eating their breakfast. "Hi honey!" They called back in unison and laughed.
Logan made a face and stepped out of the lift. He slammed the doors closed and kicked off his biker boots as he walked towards them. "Where's Veronica?" He said, concern in his voice.
Mac gestured towards the bathroom. "Barfing. Sandy made us all breakfast but something didn't agree with Peanut, so up it all came." She said and stuffed a big helping of pancakes in her mouth.
Logan sighed. "The morning sickness should wear off soon I hope. We still haven't found anything she can eat for breakfast that won't come back up on her." He looked at Veronica's plate and grabbed a half eaten pancake from it. He folded it like a taco and shoved it in his mouth.
"Did you get your guy, boss?" Sandy asked and took a sip of her coffee.
Logan nodded. "Yeah. He didn't put up a fight either. All in all an easy 50K." He looked towards the bathroom. "It may be the last one for a while though. I don't like leaving Veronica and the baby." He said quietly.
Mac reached out and patted his shoulder reassuringly. "Don't worry. I stayed over and helped her out last night. She had a rough day."
Logan frowned and turned back to Mac. "Why? What happened?"
Mac looked at Sandy. Sandy looked at Logan. Mac looked back at Logan and sighed, dropping her hand from his shoulder. "Fine. Duncan is back in town. And he dropped by the office to see her."
Mac watched as Logan's eyes changed. A cloud passed through them and he mood shifted. "What did he do?" He asked through gritted teeth.
"He didn't do anything. But just his presence freaked her out a bit." Mac looked towards the bathroom. "I slept over on the couch and Sandy brought me a change of clothes and fed us this morning."
Logan's knee started to bounce, channelling his agitation. "How was she last night?"
"Maybe you should ask her that." Mac said quietly and stood up. "Sandy and I will go downstairs and open up the office. We'll see you guys when you're ready."
Logan stood as well, looking between the women. "Thanks guys. I really appreciate you looking out for her." He took off his jacket and lay it over the stool, making himself more comfortable.
"Good luck." Said Mac, her eyes full of sympathy. She gestured to Sandy for them to go. Sandy came around and gave Logam a tight smile, not sure what tp say. She took her girlfriends hand and together they made their way out of the loft.
Logan approached the bathroom door cautiously. He put his palm on the wood for a moment, pushing his anger down deep so Veronica wouldn't see it. When he was sure he was composed enough to see her, he knocked gently. "Veronica?" He called through the doorway as he entered.
He was greeted by the sight of his wife laying on the floor, her long summer nightgown spread out around her, a towel rolled under her head for support. She opened her eyes and forced a smile. "Hey." She called weakly.
He walked next to her and lay down beside her; a position he was getting good at. "Hey. Pancakes were a reject?" He said and gently brushed her sweaty hair off her forehead. "Or rough night in general?" He pressed.
She closed her eyes and dropped her hands to her belly, cradling the bump. "Rough day. Rough night. Rough morning." She said, trying to push aside her emotions.
Logan dropped his hand to meet hers on her stomach. "The pregnancy book says that morning sickness can be made worse with stress. What happened?"
Veronica took a breath through her teeth as not to begin throwing up again. "Duncan showed up at the office. He's back in town. To stay. For good. With Lilly." She exhaled and kept her eyes closed, focusing on her breathing.
Logan felt his anger rise and he fought again to keep it in check. "What did he say? Did he upset you?" He probed, wondering if he needed to pay a visit to his old 'friend' later today.
"He didn't say anything that upset me. Actually, that's not true...he said he didn't think I wanted kids and was surprised I was having your baby." She confided, opening her eyes and turning her head slightly to look at Logan.
Her husband dug his finger nails into his palm in an effort not to stand up and punch the wall. "What business is it of his whether we have kids or not. I didn't see Meg handing him a '#1 Dad' shirt to wear around school when he knocked her up." He growled.
"Logan..." Veronica began before he cut her off.
"I'm sorry. The guy just has a lot of nerve showing up and making comments about our lives when he doesn't even know us anymore." Logan ranted.
She sighed deeply and felt her stomach turn. Veronica closed her eyes again, trying to keep herself from throwing up from the anxiety. "Please, for me...can we just leave it alone?" Tears sprang through her lids. "I just want to pretend he isn't here and go on with our lives, okay?" She raised one hand from her belly and wiped her face.
Logan reached out and brushed her hair with his fingers. "I'm sorry I got upset. I just hate seeing you like this. I'll leave it alone...I promise." He kissed the side of her head again. "But you have to let me in. We need to talk about how you are feeling. Bottling it up isn't good for you or the baby." He said and slid closer to her so she was now pressed against him slightly.
Feeling him near, she rolled on her side with a groan and tucked herself into his arms. He heard her suck air through her teeth again as she rode a wave of nausea and he tenderly rubbed her back until it subsided. After the barfy feeling subsided, she finally spoke. "I keep dreaming about the night...the night of Shelly's party." She said in a whisper. "Terrible dreams where I'm pregnant after..." She fought her brain for control of her words. "...after Duncan raped me."
Every muscle in Logan's body tightened. She was finally calling it what it was, what he had always thought had happened. Rape. The word hung over their heads like a weight, threatening to crush them both. He held her protectively. "Are you ready to admit to yourself that is what happened?" He asked softly.
Veronica nodded into his body. "I don't remember anything. He remembered it all in detail. How could I have said 'yes'? But worse...how could I have believed him?" She said, tears escaping again. "When I saw him again, I was actually scared. It was like a switch in my brain turned on and released all this anxiety and fear into me." Her small body shook as she cried in his arms.
Logan put his head down and planted his face in her hair. "I'm sorry. I'm so sorry. I never should have given him some GHB that night. He never would have done this to you if I didn't." He murmured, hoping to god that she wouldn't lash out at him.
But there was no anger. Instead she pulled back to look him in the eye. "Not a smart move, but you're not to blame. Sane people don't get stoned and think it's a good idea to rape someone. It may lower their resistance, but the idea - the want or drive - still needs to be there." She rubbed her eyes again, clearing out the tears. "And the truth of the matter is, Duncan just saw an opportunity and took it, just like Cassidy did."
Logan let out a deep breath and pulled her even closer to him. "Are you going to be alright?" He asked.
Veronica shifted and gently hoisted herself to a seated position. She crossed her legs so her little belly hung down. Even though she was puffy from crying and her breath was horrendous, Logan was sure she was most beautiful sitting just like that. "I'll be fine. For now. But I reserve the right to not be fine at some other point." She said and looked down at her stomach. "For now, I need a shower and a big slice of leftover pizza. The cheese and crust seemed to keep the Peanut satisfied last night."
Logan chuckled and rose from the floor to stand. He offered his hand to Veronica and hoisted her up. When she joined him, he kissed her nose. "You shower. I'll clean up breakfast and reheat some pizza for you." He said as he held her hand.
Veronica reached up and touched Logan's face. He hadn't shaved before coming home and he had a wonderful shadow of stubble beginning to fill his face. It always made Veronica remember when she found him hiding out in Mrs. Navarro's house; his beard, tattoos, boxers... She licked her lips slightly, her nausea miraculously disappearing. She raised up on her toes to kiss him, but he dodged her at the last minute.
"Barf breath." He muttered and scrunched his nose.
She covered her mouth with her hand. "Sorry." She said through her skin. "I got lost in a memory. Thinking about you is my default 'happy place'."
Logan kissed her forehand again. "Would you be very offended of I asked you to press pause on your 'happy place' memory until AFTER you brush your teeth?" He asked sheepishly.
She laughed behind her hand and closed her eyes, conjuring up the image of Logan in his thick, shaggy beard again. She squinted and then opened her eyes. "Okay. Image on 'pause'. I'm going for a shower AND I will brush my teeth."
"See. It's the simple things that make a marriage work." He responded and he turned and left the room.
Veronica wasted no time in showering, making sure to wash any residual puke from her hair, and brushing her teeth. She emerged from the bathroom, wrapped in a large towel, now sparkling fresh and ready for the day. She found Logan sitting at the kitchen table, flipping through the newspaper and eating her leftover pancakes. A plate with two slices of pizza and a tall glass of water sat across from him. She slipped herself onto her chair and reached for the water, drinking half the glass in one big gulp. The pizza actually smelled delicious and she wasted no time diving into it. Across the table, Logan gave her a goofy smile.
"Wh-ut?" She asked, her mouth full of pizza.
"Nothing." He said, leaning his elbow on the table and his face in his hand. "Just basking in the joy of domestic bliss." She rolled her eyes at him and took another bite of her pizza. "So, I was thinking...that's the last of the bounty hunting for me for a while." He started, his smile dropping slightly.
Veronica frowned. "Why? You love it. The thrill of the chase, and all that stuff." She replied.
Logan shrugged. "I think I'm done. All I could think about this time was you and the baby. Besides, nothing gives me a thrill like you do, Bobcat." He wiggled his eyebrows suggestively at her.
Veronica stuffed the last of the pizza in her mouth and shook her head. The man had found her smelling of puke, laying on the floor of a bathroom and he still found her desirable. The first few weeks of her pregnancy made her feel terrible. She was hoping that, as her first trimester ended, she would get back to feeling better about herself.
"Well, you know...I may have to work at keeping things 'thrilling' for you." She said in a husky voice. The pizza seemed to squelch her nausea and the carbs made her feel almost euphoric. She stood from her chair and began walking towards the bed. As she walked, she dropped her towel. Giving her hips a bigger swivel, she continued on her path through the loft, completely naked. She heard the sound of Logan pushing his chair back, wood against wood, and smiled to herself.
By the time she was at the foot of the bed, he had caught up behind her. Pressing his front to her back, he snaked one hand down her front, cupping her pussy gently. The other hand crossed to take a handful of her now swollen breast. She let out a contented grown and dropped her head. He bent and began sucking on her neck. She felt the scratch of his stubble on her skin and giggled as it tickled her skin. His middle finger sought out her clit, through her wet folds and he began to rub it gently, knowing by now that everything on her was extra-sensitive. His hand changed on her breast to cup it from underneath, allowing him to take her nipple between his thumb and forefinger, twisting and turning it gently. Veronica leaned against him and began to move her hips, creating the friction she wanted. He bucked his hips in response to her and she felt his hard-on through his jeans, digging into her. Lolling her head back, her caught her lips and she continued to ride him until she came, calling his name.
When she felt she had her footing again, she broke from his embrace and gave him a wicked smile. She climbed onto the bed on all fours, leaving her ass high in her air, over the edge. She flicked her hair up and looked over her shoulder with devil eyes. Logan gave her a lecherous look and began undoing his belt. He opened his button-fly jeans slowly, knowing the wait was making her antsy. He moved closer to her beautiful, white, round bottom and caressed one cheek with the palm of his hand. She watched as he dropped his pants and boxer-briefs around his knees, taking his cock in his hand and positioning it at her lips. Gently, he spread her folds, giving her the tip of his dick. She wiggled teasingly and was rewarded with a deep thrust, burying himself inside of her.
Since getting pregnant, this was Veronica's favourite position and she expertly rocked back and forth on her husband. She felt like she could do this for hours, and Logan wished she would. Slowly, she brought her knees together, tightening herself around him, and creating a wonderful friction deep inside of her. Logan let lose a string of profanities and began thrusting harder into her. She felt him begin to shake and she let go, pulsing against him as she felt him come deep in her core.
Logan pulled out and she dropped onto her side on the bed. He fumbled off the rest of his clothes and dropped down next to her. Both of them were breathing hard.
She reached out and rubbed the stubble on his face. "But if you quit bounty hunting, how will we have 'I missed you' sex?" She teased.
He wiped the sweat off his forehand and laughed. "We're about to be parents. From what I've heard, we'll be having 'we haven't had sex in weeks' sex from now on."
Veronica nodded and laughed. "That's okay...we'll just enjoy it while we can."
Logan put his hand lovingly on her belly; it was his new favorite way to lay with her. They stayed like that for a few moments, lost in their thoughts of what was in store for them both in the coming months. Logan's eyes began to cloud, his emotions bubbling up. "I won't let him hurt you again." He said quietly, catching her gaze. "I won't let him hurt either of you. If we have to pack up and move to our own island, I won't let Duncan come between us again."
Veronica shuffled closer to him. "He can't hurt us. He doesn't realize that we are more than husband and wife...we are partners. He can't come between that."
Logan wrapped himself around her protectively. He wanted to believe her, but his instincts were telling him otherwise.