A/N This is on the shorter side, but I wanted to get something up before my wedding (which is a week from today, gah!).

Chapter 5

Veronica came down the stairs and rounded the corner towards the kitchen, stopping short when she heard her parents arguing.

"-just three days, Keith, what could possibly go wrong? I know you and I didn't grow up in the same circles, but trust me. These aren't the types of people you need to worry about!"

"Lianne they're strangers. I know Meg is a mature, responsible girl, but she's only eighteen years old-"

"Oh, but if it were Veronica, there wouldn't be any problem, right?"

Veronica listened intently, although she knew she shouldn't; she couldn't seem to step away. There was a pause in the argument, and when her father continued, his voice was much calmer. "Veronica is just a different sort of person than Meg, honey. She's very good at handling herself, no matter what the situation."

"Oh, please. That girl has you completely bewitched. She can do absolutely no wrong in your eyes."

"That girl? She's our daughter, Lianne!" Keith retorted, raising his voice in anger.

"Well so is Meg," Lianne replied defensively. "And I don't understand why you're even making this an issue!"

"Do you remember what I do for a living?" Keith demanded, voice thick with exasperation. "Every day, I do my best to try and protect the people of this town, especially our girls, from the individuals out there who want to do them harm. And believe me, there are a lot of them out there- and they come from all walks of life. You think these people can be trusted, based solely on the fact that they have money? If you knew half of the things that go on in Neptune, you'd realize that's more reason not to trust them. Not less!"

There was a long silence. When her mother continued speaking, her voice was much quieter. "Would it make a difference if Veronica went with her?"

Oh no.

She backed away from the kitchen quickly, afraid to hear her father's response. Her mother had been in an uproar for two days, appalled by Keith's decision not to allow Meg to take a boating trip with the Kane's. Veronica had been sad for Meg, who was truly disappointed about not being able to go. But she'd also been looking forward to today, when the ship took off and it became a moot point.

She headed up to her bedroom, changing quickly into running clothes and grabbing her iPod. If I can get out of here before Mom finds me, I'll be safe. I know Meg wants to go… but I just can't handle three days trapped on a ship with Logan Echolls and Duncan's horrible sisters. I'm liable to throw someone overboard.

Veronica crept silently down the stairs, pausing at the entrance to the kitchen to see if the coast was clear. Hearing nothing but silence, she walked rapidly across the tiled floor and over to the refrigerator. She'd just grabbed a bottled water and shut the fridge door when a voice behind her made her jump.

"There you are! Mom's been looking everywhere for you."

Veronica closed her eyes; she was too late. She turned around to face Gia, thinking quickly. "I'm actually just on my way out. Tell her I'll be back in a couple of hours, and I'll talk to her then, 'kay?" She attempted to move past Gia, but her sister grabbed her arm.

"But it'll be too late then. Okay, I'll just tell you myself. Dad said he'll let Meg go on the trip if you go with her!" Gia grinned at Veronica expectantly. "Isn't that awesome?" She sat down on one of the stools at the island, not waiting for a response, and sighed. "I wish I could go. Do you know how much it totally sucks being the youngest? Lilly and me don't get to do anything fun."

Veronica was just about to tell Gia to suggest that very idea to their parents, and then attempt her escape again, when Lilly and Meg entered the kitchen. And as soon as she saw the hopeful, happy look on Meg's face, Veronica knew her decision was already made. She exhaled quietly and forced a smile for her sister. "Guess we're going on a trip, huh?"

Meg's eyes lit up, and she smiled back. "You're really okay coming with me?" she asked anxiously. "I didn't even want to ask you. I know how you feel about Logan."

"And I know how you feel about Duncan," Veronica deflected. She clipped her iPod onto her waistband, and looked back up at her sister. "Well, if I'm gonna be cooped up on a boat for three days, I want to get a run in before we go. We're leaving from the Marina, right?"

"Yeah, the Albacore Club," Meg confirmed, looking a bit confused. "Slip five."

Veronica looked down at her watch. "And what time does the boat take off?"

"About 3."

"Okay. I'll meet you there."

"But what about your clothes?" Lilly spoke up, sounding slightly horrified.

"Just pack me whatever you think I'll need. I trust you."

Lilly stared at her sister, mouth agape. "But-"

"Oh, can I help?" Gia interrupted her.

"Sure," Veronica replied. She started walking away, but turned back before she left the room. "Just don't let Mandy see what you guys are doing, or it'll be nothing but pleated skirts and cardigans. I don't want to look like Librarian Barbie. Thanks, I owe you one!"

As soon as she was gone, Lilly turned to Gia and Meg with a devilish look on her face. "I'm totally packing that gold bikini she's too afraid to wear in public. Logan Echolls is gonna eat his words."

"Oh, and that black string bikini, too!" Gia added excitedly, always eager to assist in one of Lilly's plans. "And that hot little red dress you got her for her birthday."

Meg frowned. "I don't know if this is such a good idea, you guys."

Lilly flashed Meg her most charming smile. "It's not a good idea. It's a fantastic idea." She walked over to her oldest sister and put her arm around her shoulders. "He thinks he just can say nasty things about Veronica like that, and there won't be any consequences? No one talks that way about a Mars girl and gets away with it."

xxXxx

Logan was walking leisurely along the dock, glancing around at the various boats, when he stopped short at the unexpected sight in front of him. Veronica Mars. What the hell is she doing here? She didn't appear to have seen him yet; and once he got over his initial surprise, he took the opportunity to study her.

Veronica was dressed in black leggings and a grey tank top, her black sports bra visible beneath her shirt. Her hair was up in a ponytail, and she wore an iPod clipped to her pants. She had one leg propped up on a nearby wooden railing, and the other stretched behind her. As she bent her body, reaching forward with her hands, he was once again taken by her gracefulness and flexibility.

Her tight clothing left little to the imagination, and her stretches showed off her body nicely. Logan found his mind wandering as he watched her, considering the various ways that her flexibility might come in handy. Unconsciously, he shifted his body to face her, losing focus of everything around him except for Veronica.

It took several minutes for him to become aware of his surroundings again- to realize that he was, in fact, staring at her. Aside from that, he was having a physical reaction to her presence. Again. He shifted uncomfortably, and she chose that moment to turn around. Completely caught off guard, Logan struggled to compose himself as she headed in his direction. He stuffed both hands in his pockets and searched his mind for a less arousing subject matter to occupy his thoughts.

But Veronica was walking toward him quickly and decisively, as though she'd known that he'd been standing there the whole time. As she got closer, Logan could see that her skin was glistening slightly with perspiration, and her cheeks were flushed pink. He tried very, very hard not to think about what other activities would give her skin that same glow.

She stopped a couple of feet away from him and pulled her ear buds out, tossing the wires casually over her shoulder. Then she put both hands on her hips and looked up at him. When her eyes met his, Logan noted that they matched the water around them exactly- pale blue, with hints of grey and darker blues at their center.

"What are you doing here?" Logan asked. It came out sounding accusatory, although he hadn't meant for it to. He was still trying to come to terms with the fact that the girl he'd spent the last two days trying desperately not to think about was now standing directly in front of him.

Veronica chose to ignore his tone, and the fact that he'd skipped "hello". She'd been expecting an unenthusiastic greeting from all of them, except for maybe Duncan, so she wasn't surprised by Logan's reaction at seeing her. But still. He could at least fake it better. Meg seriously owes me for this one. "It was a last minute decision," she explained. "My dad didn't want Meg to wind up on the front page of the paper."

Logan looked at her in some confusion. "So you're… coming with us?"

She gave him a wry smile and gestured to the enormous boat behind her. "What, are you worried there's not enough room for me?" she joked.

Logan's lips curled up in an answering smile, as he crossed his arms over his chest. "I suppose we could set up a cot in the engine room."

"Aw, you're too kind."

"We do our best to try and accommodate stowaways. It's only charitable." Logan's eyes swept quickly down her body, and he cleared his throat. "So, what, did you run all the way here because you were afraid we'd take off without you?"

"Not quite," she replied, making a face. "I wanted to get a jog in before we left. I'm not a big fan of being cooped up inside for days on end."

Logan laughed easily, nodding to the yacht behind her. "I'm pretty sure you won't feel cooped up on that ship. Besides, there's a workout room on board."

"Of course there is." Veronica turned her body around, so they were both facing the ship. "Well, if you were trying to prove to the town that yours is the biggest, I think you won."

Logan glanced down at her with a smile, pleasantly surprised at the suggestive undertones of her joke. "Oh, I don't need confirmation on that," he returned playfully.

"And yet you still felt the need to push this monstrosity into the narrow walls of our little harbor?" she asked. Veronica glanced up at him, the mischievous look in her eyes belying her innocent expression. She wasn't sure how the conversation had taken this turn, or why Logan was playing along, but she had to admit- it was entertaining.

"No, actually," he corrected her, raising an eyebrow. "That monstrosity isn't mine. It belongs to a good friend of Duncan's father. He lets us take it out from time to time, when he's not using it. It's pretty wild inside. I think even you'll be impressed."

Veronica wasn't sure exactly what he meant by that; so she stayed silent, choosing instead to study the ship before her. Secretly, she was very impressed. She'd been on her share of yachts- her family had even owned one, once upon a time- but this ship was something special. Sleek and glossy, black and white, she estimated that it was well over two hundred feet long. She was itching to get on board, so she could explore the inside.

Logan watched her as she looked at the ship, still trying to wrap his mind around the sudden, indisputable fact that he was going to be spending the next three days with her. Two of only seven passengers on board. While it was a large ship, it was still a ship. He was certain to be seeing a lot more of her, and he wasn't quite sure how he felt about that yet. I'd just managed to push this girl to the back of my mind, and now here she is again. No matter where I go lately, she always seems to be around. Why? And why am I still reacting to her like this?

"I take it Meg's already on board?" Veronica asked, pulling him out of his thoughts.

"I don't know," Logan replied. He cleared his throat. "I, uh, just got here myself."

They both began walking forward, watching as two men dressed in identical suits exited the ship before them. As the men walked across the metal plank toward the dock, Logan turned back to Veronica. "Here, let me get someone to help you with your bags," he offered, gesturing to the them with a wave of his hand.

"I don't have any."

Logan glanced down at Veronica with a raised eyebrow and a wry smile. "So… you were just planning on wearing that outfit the whole time?"

She made a face. "Not quite. Meg brought clothes for me."

"I see."

Logan and Veronica stopped walking as the two suited men reached them. One of them addressed Logan with a polite smile. "Did you need something, Mr. Echolls?"

"No thanks, Henry. We're all set."

Veronica watched Logan slip some folded bills into the man's hand, slightly surprised that she hadn't seen where he'd produced the money from. Well, at least he tips, she thought grudgingly.

"Thank you, sir. All of your bags are on board. Have a safe trip."

Logan nodded at him, and the two men took off down the dock. But instead of continuing forward himself, Logan turned back to Veronica. Now that they'd almost reached the ship, he felt reluctant to board. He wasn't sure when he'd get to talk to her alone again. He felt like he should seize the opportunity to get to know her a little bit better, but he wasn't sure why he even cared. Noticing that Veronica was starting to look at him strangely, he pointed quickly to her iPod. "So, who are you listening to?"

"Someone you hate, I'm sure," she retorted.

"Try me."

Veronica raised an eyebrow at Logan, but decided to humor him. "The Horror Pops."

Logan gave her a somewhat smug smile, and Veronica didn't bother to mask her look of disbelief. "What, you've heard of them?" she asked sarcastically.

"Not only have I heard of them, I've actually seen them play a couple of times," he replied.

"A rockabilly punk band with a female lead?"

"Yes," Logan laughed. "We're talking about the same band. I live in New York. I see a lot of bands. Why is this so hard for you to believe?"

Veronica tilted her head to one side, studying him. "I don't know. I guess I just took you for more of a mainstream music kind of guy."

"Well you took me wrong, then," he said. Although Logan had been going for light and playful, his sentence somehow came out sounding serious and intense. When he saw Veronica's eyes widen slightly in surprise at his words, he took a breath and continued in a more relaxed tone. "A cousin of mine works for the Bowery Presents. He's always inviting me to shows at the Bowery, Terminal 5, Webster Hall…"

Logan trailed off. He couldn't place the look on her face, and it was making him feel off-balance. Everything about this girl makes me feel off-balance. The fact that she was going to be on a boat with him for the next three days was still driving him to distraction. He was struggling to keep his cool, but his mind was racing. He ran a hand through his hair. "Anyway, those guys are pretty good."

"They are," she agreed. "And they keep my heart rate up, so…" She paused, not sure what to say next. She was feeling a bit flustered. Veronica had a knack for sizing people up easily, and then fitting them into neat little groupings in her mind. It was an ability she'd inherited from her dad, and she'd always been a little proud of it. But Logan wasn't co-operating; he wasn't staying in the spot she'd prepared for him.

Veronica realized that she was still staring at him. She looked down quickly and busied herself with turning off her iPod, which she'd left on after her run. She unclipped it from her waistband and wrapped the headphone wires around it. When she glanced back up at Logan, he was still watching her. She was starting to find the intensity of his gaze a little unnerving. But before she could think of anything to say, he spoke up.

"We should probably get going."

She nodded, and they started walking towards the yacht again. "You guys have a shower on board, right?"

"No. We just hose each other off, prison style," he replied dryly.

Veronica grinned despite herself, as she followed him across the metal plank. He's a witty one. I'll give him that. "Well in that case, I hope Meg remembered to pack me a bathing suit and a bar of soap."

Logan stepped over the gap between the plank and the ship, then turned around to offer his assistance to Veronica. She hesitated briefly, but took his hand and crossed the gap quickly. Logan's fingers closed over hers tightly as he supported her weight. His hand was warm and strong. When she was safely on board the ship, she felt him resist slightly before allowing her to let go of his hand.

Veronica glanced up at him, not bothering to hide her surprise. But Logan only grinned back at her. "Well don't worry; if she forgot, I'm sure we can scare up something for you. Just remember to keep your wits about you. There's no telling what'll happen if you drop the soap." He winked at her and headed down the passageway.

Veronica rolled her eyes at him, even though his back was to her and he couldn't see. What is it with this guy? One minute he's insulting, the next he's charming. First he acts like he's disgusted by me, now he's almost… flirting. After a few seconds, she sighed and began to follow him. Well, at least he's not boring. Trying to figure him out may actually make the next few days more entertaining than I'd expected.

A/N If you're still into this, please review. Been feeling pretty unmotivated to write fic lately, to be honest. But I did have fun writing these two.