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Veronica climbed into her dad’s car after leaving Alicia alone to watch over him. She smiled softly that Leo would take the time to drive the car over instead of having it towed.
Grabbing her cell phone, she tried dialing Logan again. She needed to find him before he found out from somebody else what had happened that night.
“Pick up, Logan,” she whispered to herself. Getting his voicemail again, she sighed. She sat there for two minutes before pulling out her father’s laptop and tapping into Logan’s cell phone. She tracked him to the Coronado Bridge.
Starting the car frantically, she drove as quickly as she could to him, all the time hoping that nothing was wrong and he was just being an ass for not picking up. It wasn’t hard to spot his car pulled over at the middle of the bridge. It also wasn’t hard to see the bikers pulled up around it. Stopping the car, she jumped out, yelling, “Stop!”
Weevil looked up when the car had pulled up, wondering who the hell would be on the bridge at one in the morning. He wasn’t surprised to find that it was Veronica. “What the hell are you doing here?”
She ran with Backup at her side, pushing through the gang, “Stop. Don’t hurt him.”
Logan jumped down on to the ground, sobering up the instant that he saw her face. “What the hell happened?” He approached her, “Who did this to you?”
She threw her arms around his waist. “I thought something had happened to you. I was so worried when you didn’t answer your phone. I was afraid you did something stupid.”
“I’m fine, Ronnie.” Pushing her away by her shoulders, getting a good look at the bruise forming on her cheek. “Who did this to you?”
“It doesn’t matter.”
“It does matter,” Weevil said. “What happened, V?”
They had all taken in her battered appearance. Her seared clothing, the bandages covering her hands, her hoarse voice. They both wanted answers.
She let out an inappropriate laugh, “I’ve had a long night.”
“Are you going to tell us about it?” Logan asked calmly.
She took a deep breath. “They arrested Lilly’s killer tonight.”
“Who was it?” Weevil demanded.
Veronica looked up into Logan’s eyes, conveying her sorrow. “Lilly was having an affair… with Aaron Echolls.”
Weevil looked at Logan and found that he wasn’t as surprised as anyone else would have been. Logan seemed more focused on the tiny blond in front of him.
“He killed Lilly?” he said with deadly calm.
She nodded, not wanting to go into details.
“He did this to you?”
“Logan, it doesn’t matter now. He’s in the hospital under police custody. It’s over.”
“Tell me what he did.”
“It’s not important.”
“It’s important to me.” He almost yelled. He took a deep breath, “Please, tell me everything.”
She studied him worriedly. “Duncan and I found tapes of them together in Lilly’s room. I don’t know how Aaron knew, but he knew I had them. He hid in the backseat of my car.
“I slammed into a tree, knocking him unconscious – no seatbelt – I grabbed the tapes and ran.”
“Why didn’t you call the police?”
“I couldn’t reach my phone. It was underneath him.”
“He went after you?” Weevil asked.
She nodded, “He knocked me out and trapped me inside a freezer box.”
“How’d you get away?”
“My dad found me.”
Logan saw her flinch. “Is he okay?”
“He’s in the hospital.” Veronica looked up at him, “Second degree burns, a mild concussion, smoke inhalation…”
“There was a fire too?” Weevil said in disbelief.
She swallowed, “Aaron set the freezer on fire.”
“With you inside?”
Logan took her hands. “That’s how you got these. You were trying to claw you way out.”
“I’m alright. My dad got me out. I only have a few bruises and scrapes.”
“Only?” he said in disbelief.
She shrugged, “Dad beat Aaron up pretty badly, but he distracted dad by setting the fire. Aaron tried to steal my dad’s car, but Backup attacked him.” She patted the dog’s thick neck. “He was hit by a delivery truck.”
“So he’s in the hospital now?”
Nodding, she added, “With two deputies posted outside his door. No one’s allowed to see him until he wakes up… if he wakes up.”
Weevil raised an eyebrow, “If?”
“He’s hurt pretty badly. The doctors said he might not survive.”
He rubbed his bald head in relief, “It’s finally over.”
“The Kanes were arrested for obstruction of justice.” She figured she should finish the tale, “Jake Kane swore he’d ruin the Echolls family… and my dad and I are pressing charges against Mr. Echolls.” She looked apologetically at Logan.
He simply pulled her to him in a hug, “Don’t worry about it. I can handle it.”
“Trina’s been speaking to the press.”
He snorted, “Anymore good news?”
“I think that’s it.”
“Come on, I’ll take you home. You look like you’re going to collapse in exhaustion.” He took her keys and tossed them to Weevil, “Take care of the car for her?”
“I’ll take care of it,” Weevil nodded, knowing that Logan didn’t just mean the one she’d driven there tonight.
Logan picked her up in his arms and carried her to his yellow Xterra, getting Backup to follow him.
“Are you sure you can drive? You smell like scotch.”
“There’s no way anyone would have stayed drunk after hearing that little tale of yours.”
Pushing Backup into the backseat, he settled her in on the passenger side.
He buckled her in after climbing into the driver’s seat. Brushing the hair off her face, he touched her bruise gently. “Does it hurt?”
Turning her face into his hand, she said softly, “Not anymore.”
--
Lianne ran to the door when she heard it open. She frowned when she saw Logan carrying her daughter in. “What happened? What did you do to her?”
“Nothing. She’s asleep.”
Veronica stirred. “Mom?”
“Honey? What happened?”
She looked at Logan, “Put me down?”
He set her gently on the floor.
Veronica looked at her mom. “You need to leave.”
“What? Where’s your father?”
“I’ll tell you everything in the morning, but right now you need to pack your bags.”
“Veronica-”
“I know, mom. I know you’re still drinking, that you checked yourself out of rehab. That was my college money!”
“Honey-”
“No.” She shook her head, “I bet on you and I lost… and now you have to leave.” Veronica didn’t give her another look before she headed into her bedroom.
Logan stood there awkwardly. He’d heard rumors about Mrs. Mars’ drinking problem. He’d even mocked Veronica with the fact before, but to find out that the rumors were true and that they were destroying her family, added yet another thing for him to feel guilty about. He didn’t say anything as Mrs. Mars looked around worriedly and then disappeared into the other bedroom in the apartment.
He knocked softly on Veronica’s door, “It’s me.”
“Come in,” she said softly. She had changed out of the waitress uniform into sweatpants and tank tops, and was lying in bed.
He sat down beside her. “Are you okay?”
“I’m fine. I knew she had a drinking problem. I was naïve enough to think that because I wanted it, she’d stay in rehab and then come home… better… and we could be a family again. I was living a dream.”
“I know what you mean.”
She smiled at him, knowing that he wasn’t just saying that.
“Sleep.”
“Logan, we have to talk.”
“In the morning. Sleep now.”
“Stay?”
He nodded. “I’ll take the couch.”
--
Logan opened his eyes when he felt movement. He turned over and saw Mrs. Mars going through Mr. Mars’s briefcase. “What are you doing?”
She stopped and looked up with a ‘deer in the headlights’ look. She pulled her hands back, hiding them behind her back. “Nothing.”
He saw her luggage behind her. “What did you take?”
“Nothing.”
He stood, holding out his hand, “Give it back or I’m going to wake Veronica and she’ll be even more disappointed in you than she already is.”
Lianne’s shoulders drooped and she hesitantly handed the slip of paper to him.
Logan glanced down at the check in his hands. He shook his head in disgust, “You’re unbelievable, do you know that? Not only do you abandon your family, but you steal from them? Veronica will be a lot better without you in her life.”
“Logan, I-”
“Save it. There’s nothing you can say that will make this look better. Just leave.”
She hesitated once again, but grabbed her luggage and complied.
“Good riddance,” he muttered softly to Backup who had padded next to him. Logan deadbolted the door behind her, making sure she wouldn’t come back.
He slumped back on the couch, Backup laying his head on Logan’s knee.
“She doesn’t need anymore of this crap,” he muttered softly. “Neither do I.”
--
Logan was awakened again at three in the morning. He groaned and went to open the door.
“What the hell are you doing here?” Wallace demanded.
“I could ask you the same question.”
“I came to check on Veronica. Let her know her dad’s awake.”
Logan stepped back from the doorway, letting Wallace in. “She asked me to stay.”
“She’s sleeping?”
“Yeah.”
“Is she okay? My mom didn’t really go into details.”
Logan shrugged, “She says she is. A few bruises and cuts.”
“Are you okay?” Wallace didn’t really know Logan, but he didn’t think anyone would be okay with finding out his father was a murderer.
Once again slumping down on the sofa, Logan sighed, “I don’t think it’s all sunk in yet.”
“Tell me about it. I only know the parts that they’ve been saying on the news and I don’t know how to handle it.”
“What are they saying?” Logan asked curiously. He’d only heard the firsthand account from Veronica. He didn’t know what the news was reporting.
Wallace sat down on a stool. “Just that the real murderer has been arrested. They showed the scene where the arrest was made.”
“Have they said that Aaron is the murderer?”
“Yeah. I drove passed the hospital on my way over. Reporters are camped out outside.”
“They’re probably at the house too.”
Wallace said hesitantly, “Yeah… actually they’re outside.”
“Outside?” Logan’s sleep deprived brain wasn’t functioning properly. “Outside, as in here?”
“I think they spotted your car.”
“Great,” he said bitterly.
“And they might be here to get a statement from Veronica.”
“What? How do they even know she’s involved?”
“‘Local P.I. solves Kane murder. Debunked Sheriff vindicated.’” Wallace recited.
Logan swore, “It’ll get worse when they find out Veronica was attacked by Aaron.”
“I figured.” Wallace studied the white boy in silence as he seemed to be deep in thought. He didn’t say anything when Logan suddenly stood and headed toward Veronica’s room.
Logan sat down beside her. “Hey,” he called softly in a soothing voice. “It’s alright. It’s just a dream.”
She whimpered and tossed until Logan’s voice broke through her sleep. She blinked awake. “Logan?”
“You were having a nightmare,” he explained his presence.
She brought her hands to her face, rubbing away the sleep. “Did I wake you?”
He shook his head, “Wallace did.”
“He’s here?” She moved to sit up.
“He came to tell you your father woke up… and to warn you about the press that’s camped out on you lawn.”
She frowned, “You’re not serious.”
“They want my statement… and yours too.”
Swinging her legs around, she stood and went out to the living room.
Wallace stood, “Hey, BFF.”
She smiled softly, “You didn’t have to drive all the way over here at three in the morning.” She hugged him.
He shrugged, “After you called, I couldn’t get back to sleep anyway.”
“Sorry for asking your mom to stay with my dad. I would have done it myself, but the doctor told me to get rest.”
“You definitely need it, girl.”
She pouted playfully, “Are you saying I’m not pretty anymore?”
“I’m saying you look like you were run over by a truck.”
“Thankfully that wasn’t me.”
He frowned, “Are you saying someone was actually run over?”
Logan said grimly, “Aaron was hit by a flower delivery truck while he was trying to get away.”
“Man, that kind of stuff never happens in real life,” Wallace’s way of apologizing for being so tactless.
“Don’t worry about it. If it weren’t for the truck, my dad might have gotten away.”
“I would’ve got him,” Veronica muttered.
Both boys turned wide eyes on the blond.
“You didn’t go after him, did you?” Wallace asked, although he was pretty sure he knew the answer already.
She looked at their accusing gazes and said weakly, “I might have gone after him… with my dad’s gun… after I put my dad out.”
“Are you insane?” Logan yelled. “He almost burned you alive and you still went after him? He could have killed you.”
“Do you even know how to use a gun?” Wallace looked at her incredulously.
“No, I’m not insane and I was fine. He couldn’t have hurt me. He was barely able to stand after my dad got through with him. And yes, I do know how to use a gun.”
“Wait, did you say ‘put your dad out’?” Wallace needed clarification.
“His clothes caught fire when he lifted the freezer off me and got me out.”
“You were trapped in a burning freezer?” he said in horror.
“Sit down,” she gestured to the couch. “I’ll catch you up.”
--
Veronica settled into bed for the second time that night… or rather morning. She had pulled Logan in with her after telling Wallace to take her dad’s room.
“It’s been a really long night,” she sighed.
He laughed at her downplaying the evening, “Yeah.”
“We still haven’t talked.”
“We have time. There are other things that we need to deal with first. The most important of which is to get you some sleep. You’re dead on your feet.”
“Promise you won’t leave?”
“I promise.”
“You have to be exactly here when I wake up.”
“Exactly here? I can’t be two centimeters over?”
“Exactly here.”
“I think I can manage that.”
--
Logan never got to sleep that night. He had laid their quietly listening to Veronica’s slow, steady breathing. His dark thoughts of anger, betrayal, revenge and guilt sailing through his mind not letting him rest.
As he studied her marred face, he could feel the anger roiling inside him. He would like nothing more but to return the favor. He hoped that one day he would get the chance.
Through the night, Veronica had slowly shifted closer to him, seeking the warmth and comfort his body represented. By morning, she was pressed solidly against his side, her head resting on his shoulder, an arm and a leg thrown across his body.
She slowly roused from sleep and smiled, “You’re still here.”
“I promised that I would be exactly here.”
“You didn’t move? Not even two centimeters?”
“Not even one.”
She shifted so that she was fully on top of him, kissing him soundly. Their exchange was slow and deep, almost healing. When she pulled away, she rested her ear over his heart, “We still have to talk.”
“Yeah.” His hands settled on her back. “Go shower. I’ll get breakfast.”
“And we’ll talk?”
“Eventually.”
--
Logan looked up when he heard a shriek coming from the bathroom.
Wallace chuckled. “Cold shower. The hot water in this building doesn’t last.”
“I’m surprised they haven’t moved.”
“They’re planning on it. As soon as they save enough money.”
Logan shook his head in dismay.
“What?”
“Not to be a snob, but that sounds so weird.”
“What does?”
“Saving money. I’ve never had to worry about not having enough.” He glanced around the tiny apartment, “Especially not having enough money to pay for this place. My bathroom is bigger than this.”
“Is someone casting dispersions on Casa de Mars?” Veronica stepped out of the bathroom in her robe, running a comb through her wet hair.
Logan grinned, “Of course not. This tiny apartment is perfect for a tiny person such as yourself. I mean how much space could you possibly need?”
“As opposed to the huge mansion you need to accommodate your ego?”
“Exactly.”
“You made breakfast,” she said in surprise as she padded barefoot into the kitchen/living room area.
“Those are some great detective skills of yours.”
“When you said you’d get breakfast I thought you were going to order in or get takeout. I didn’t think you’d make it. I didn’t think you knew how to cook.”
“I,” holding his hand against his chest, “have many talents that you are not privy to.”
“I’m sure,” she said wryly. “So Wallace, is it edible? Or did he poison us?”
“It’s delicious.”
“Really.” She was about to walk around the counter, when Logan stopped her. “What?”
“Get dressed or no food.”
“Why not?”
Logan looked her over slowly and then gave her a look.
She caught on, “Oh. I’ll be right back.”
Wallace latching on to any subject that would distract him from the pair's obvious sexual attraction. “So where’d you learn to cook?”
Grabbing an empty plate, he served himself some eggs, bacon and pancakes. “Necessity. If I hadn’t learned I would have starved.”
“You could have eaten out.”
Logan shrugged, “Not a big fan of take out… and the housekeeper was only there to make lunch.”
“Did your mom cook?”
“She did when I was younger. She was always trying something new. She was a normal mom, you know? Always forcing me to eat my fruits and vegetables. Later… the only things that passed Lynn Echolls’ lips were alcohol and pills,” he said bitterly. “Aaron screwed up her life.” Logan frowned, wondering why he’d revealed so much.
“Must be tough,” Wallace said sympathetically.
“What? Being a poor little rich boy?” he sneered
“Being alone.”
“You get used to it.”
Wallace shook his head, “I don’t think you do.”
Logan was going to make another sarcastic remark, but curbed the reflex. He simply glared at the boy.
“I never thought I would say this, but you and Veronica are a lot alike.”
“Yeah? How so?” His sarcastic edge not quite under control.
“You like to pretend to be tough, but in reality, you’re a marshmallow.”
“So what? We’re all soft and gooey?”
“Basically.”
Logan scoffed, “You don’t know what you’re talking about.”
“Hey, I might be wrong about you, but I’m definitely not wrong about Veronica.” Wallace added, “I mean, if she wasn’t soft, she wouldn’t have gone out of her way to prove you were telling the truth.”
“What?”
“Why do you think she went to the Kanes’ in the first place?”
He shook his head. He’d never really thought about it.
“She was there to find your letter.”
“She told you about that?”
“Among other things.” Wallace glanced at the closed bedroom door, making sure she wasn’t coming out. “Veronica likes you and you are one of the few people she trusts. And no, she didn’t tell me that. She didn’t have to.”
Logan was about to ask him more, but Veronica’s timing was impeccable. The boys shared a glance before turning back to their breakfast.
She eyed them suspiciously, “What were you talking about?”
Wallace smiled, “Logan here was just telling me how he learned how to cook.”
“Self-preservation,” he mumbled while taking a bite of his eggs.
“Uh huh,” she said disbelieving. Not pursuing the subject, she spun around. “How do I look? Am I ready to take on the vultures?”
She was dressed in tight blue jeans, her gray hoodie sweatshirt and a baseball cap. Her hair was done in pigtails.
“You look like you’re twelve,” Logan smirked, all the while thinking that she looked really cute.
Wallace shrugged, “I didn’t know there was a specific look for that.”
“Boys,” she scoffed playfully, “useless.”
Logan handed her a plate. “Eat. No one cares what you’re wearing.”
“I beg to differ.” She grabbed a fork, keeping the conversation light, “They might put out an issue of People Magazine with a best and worst dressed victims list. I’m aiming to be one of the best.”
“Nice,” Wallace laughed.
“Then I guess I’ll be worst dressed murder suspect.” Logan gestured to his wrinkled attire.
She sighed in relief that he could still joke about the situation. “Are you kidding me? The rumpled look is in.”
--
“Where’d you park your cars?” Veronica looked out the window at the crowd of reporters that were standing just outside the gate to the complex.
“I took your spot,” Wallace said. “It’s how I noticed all the reporters.”
“They’re not hard to miss.”
“My car’s on the street. It’s probably how they all knew I was here.” Logan backed away from the window. “Maybe I should call my lawyer. Get him to send a car over.”
“You mean the lawyer that also works for the Kanes and is probably working on getting Jake and Celeste out of jail?” Veronica knew that Barry was on retainer to both families.
“Right,” he sighed. “Which car is our best chance?”
“Yours.” She took Logan’s keys and handed them to Wallace, “Meet us a block over.”
“So I’m reduced to walking,” Logan said woefully.
“We can avoid the press here, but definitely not at the hospital,” she reminded.
Wallace waved as he climbed out her bedroom window, “Here I go.”
Veronica watched as no one paid attention to Wallace leaving the complex. All the cameras were aimed on her front door.
“What a wonderful way to start the morning.” Logan sat down on her bed.
“What? You don’t usually start your day by climbing out of a girl’s bedroom window?”
He let out a small laugh as he remembered the last time. “I haven’t done that since Lilly.”
She smiled, “I remember. She told me Celeste almost caught you.”
“I walked passed their bedroom window.” He thought for a moment. This was the first time he’d been able to think of Lilly without feeling the guilt and pain that usually went along with her memory. “She was one of a kind.”
“That she was.”
“She would have destroyed me.”
Veronica looked at him in surprise at how ‘matter of fact’ his tone had been. She was about to say something to defend her best friend, but he’d stopped her.
“Wallace is waiting.”
--
Logan pulled his car into the hospital parking lot.
“There’s more than I expected,” Veronica commented.
The press was blocking the main entrance to the hospital. There was no way to get around them or even sneak through them.
“I’m surprised they haven’t noticed us yet,” Wallace remarked from the backseat.
“You mean because of this yellow monstrosity?”
“Hey, don’t make fun of the car.” Logan pointed at her in warning.
“How are we going to do this?” Wallace asked.
Having the most experience with the press, Logan instructed, “Keep your head down and your mouth shut.” He looked at Veronica, “You ready?”
“As I’ll ever be.”
The boys got out of the car first and went around to join Veronica. Logan took her hand as she got out, wrapping an arm around her shoulder. Wallace walked ahead of them to make a path through the swarm. They shoved their way through, Logan keeping Veronica close in front of him, so that he could swat the microphones away from her. Wallace doing the same ahead of them.
They sighed in relief when they entered the hospital. The press were barred from entering.
“Woo,” Wallace sighed, “I never thought I’d have to do that.”
“It’s a life altering experience,” Logan said grimly. He looked over Veronica, “Are you okay?”
“I’m fine,” she smiled. “You kept me sandwiched between you. One of the perks of being small.”
“Come on,” he tugged her hand, “let’s go see your dad.”
Leading the way, Veronica ushered the two boys to her father’s room.
Wallace and Logan were horrified to see the condition that Keith Mars was in. Hands and arms bound in white bandages, more bandages around his head. Whatever they’d imagined had happened the previous night, did not compare to the reality.
She pulled Logan with her, as she sat down by her dad’s legs. “Hey.”
Keith opened his eyes and smiled at her. “Hey.”
“How’s it going in that head of yours?” she touched his face.
“I’m fine, Veronica. The doctor said I’ll make a full recovery. I just have to stay here for a couple weeks.” He reached out and touched her cheek, “How are you?”
“I’m fine.” She touched his hand in reassurance.
“That shiner of yours says otherwise.”
“It’s a little tender, but it doesn’t hurt anymore.”
“And your hands?”
“I’m fine, dad. The doctors looked me all over and made sure I was okay before sending me home. You’re the one that has to stay in here.”
“You’re sure?”
“I’m sure. Are you sure?”
“I’m sure.” Keith wasn’t surprised to see Logan standing behind his daughter. He repeated a question that he’d just asked the day before, “So you two are dating?”
Veronica looked up at Logan, then back to her dad, “We still have some things to discuss… but yeah. We’re dating.”
Keith said to Logan, “Sorry I accused you of murder.”
He shrugged, “Sorry my dad beat you up and set your daughter on fire.”
“That wasn’t your fault. What Aaron did had nothing to do with you and entirely to do with him. You did nothing wrong.”
“Except lie about my alibi and hide the fact that Aaron had violent tendencies.”
“There was no way you could have known that he would kill anyone.”
“I’m beginning to wonder,” he commented bitterly.
“Hey,” Keith said, “you’re not to blame.”
Veronica patted Logan’s arm. “You can’t argue with him when that vein pops out,” pointing to her father’s head. “That’s when he means business.”
“Right. Obey the vein,” Keith smiled.
Logan let out a laugh and nodded.
Keith sobered, “How’s Aaron?”
“Don’t know,” Logan answered. “I haven’t been by to see him. We were too busy trying to avoid the press. Not that I care how he is.”
“The news said he’s in intensive care,” Wallace informed.
Veronica added, “He was just coming out of surgery when I left last night. From what I heard, he might not make it.”
“Hallelujah.” Logan muttered bitterly.
“Logan-” Keith started.
“No, don’t say it. That man killed my last girlfriend and then tried to kill my current one. Everyone would be better off if he didn’t survive.”
“He’s still your father,” Alicia pointed out.
“And what a great father he was. He abandoned his family for his movie career, beats and belittles his son, had numerous affairs and drove his wife to commit suicide. Yeah, he was the best father.” Logan nodded, “I won’t just be happy when he’s dead, I’ll be the one dancing on his grave.”
--
“Come in,” Veronica took his hand and pulled him into her apartment after their visit to the hospital.
“You want to have that talk now, don’t you?”
“It’s time.”
Sitting down on the couch, facing each other, they both struggled for the right words.
“I believed you,” Veronica started. “When you said that you would never hurt Lilly, I believed you.”
He nodded, “I know. Wallace told me.”
“I’m so sorry I ever accused you.”
“I hid the truth… I understand now that it didn’t look good for me.”
“Why did you lie?”
“I didn’t. Dick and Beaver both said I was with them in Mexico before I could say anything. Everyone believed them and didn’t bother questioning me.” He shrugged, “I never bothered correcting them.”
She nodded her understanding. Her father had fixated on Jake Kane, because Keith knew that Jake was hiding something. While he was trying to find out what, he was removed from the office of Sheriff. He never got the chance to pursue other avenues.
“I guess it kind of made things worse, didn’t it?” he said sheepishly.
“A little, but everything was cleared up quickly.”
“Because you found those tapes.”
“If you hadn’t told me about you letter, I never would’ve found them.”
“And if you hadn’t believed that I wrote a letter, you never would’ve looked.”
They smiled at each other.
“So are we good?” she asked him.
He shook his head. “Not quite.”
“What more is there?”
“I’m sorry… for what my father did.”
She cupped his face, insuring his attention. “That has nothing to do with you. I want you to believe that. You are not to blame for Aaron’s actions. I never even considered the idea.”
“But-”
“Do you know what the first thing I did after telling my dad about the tapes was?”
He shook his head.
“I tried calling you. I wanted you to know that I believed you… and I wanted to make sure that you didn’t find out from anyone, but me. Most of all, I wanted to make sure you were safe. You looked so… lost the last time I saw you. I knew I hurt you… I just wanted to make it better.”
He kissed her forehead. “You did. You believed me. You believed in me when no one else did.”
“I’ll try not to accuse you of anything again,” she promised.
“‘Try?’” he smirked.
She smiled, “I have to keep my options open.”
“Just promise me that you’ll give me a chance to explain before you persecute me.”
“I can do that.”
--
“Are you sure you don’t want to stop by and see your father?” Veronica asked, as visiting hours were ending. It had been a week since everything had happened and Logan had yet to see his father.
Logan huffed, “I’d rather not.”
“Come on,” she tugged his hand, dragging him toward the elevators. They got off on the intensive care ward and stopped at the nurses’ station. “We’d like to see Aaron Echolls?”
“Only family,” the harassed nurse said without looking up.
“He’s my father,” Logan tried hard to keep the angry edge off his voice.
The nurse finally looked up. “Around the corner. You won’t miss him with the cops standing around.”
“Thank you,” Veronica said softly and then led Logan over.
They found Trina sitting on a chair outside the room, compact in hand, redoing her makeup.
“What are you doing here?” Trina frowned at Veronica.
“She’s with me,” Logan glared at his sister. “Shouldn’t you be outside with the media circus?”
“I’m just leaving.” She closed her compact and left.
He scoffed and went to stand by the glass window, looking in on his father. He felt Veronica move to stand beside him. “He looks old… weak.”
“I guess being in a coma does that to a person.”
“Every time I think about him, this rage builds inside me. He killed Lilly. He hurt you. All I can think is that if he wakes up, I’m going to hurt him.”
“You don’t mean that.”
“I do. I look at your bruise and I want to put one on him. An eye for an eye.” Logan looked away from the hospital bed. “He ruined everything in my life.”
She touched his face, making him look at her. “Not everything. I’m still here.”
“Yeah.” He wrapped his arm around her waist. “I don’t think I could have handled this without you.”
“You don’t have to. I’m here for you. Like you were there for me.”
The doctor walked up behind them. “Logan?”
“Hey, Walter,” he said cynically, “trying to save my dad?”
“He’s in bad shape.”
“I can see that.”
“I spoke with Barry. Your father left papers that say your mother had power of attorney if he were ever incapacitated. I won’t go into all the legal mumbo jumbo, but without your mother… you have to decide whether you want to keep him on life support.”
Logan and Veronica looked at each other in disbelief. He took a minute and looked back at the doctor. “Take him off.”
--
Logan scoffed as he pulled the keys from his ignition. “Why are we here?”
“Because we still have classes,” Veronica reminded. “You don’t want to be stuck in the eleventh grade for another year, do you?”
“I could care less.”
“Come on. You’ve missed two weeks of school already.”
“What about you?”
“What about me? I only missed two days of class.”
“What? Why didn’t I know about this?”
“Because you were always AWOL during the day.”
“I was sleeping.”
“And don’t you look so pretty now,” she teased.
“Watch it, Mars.”
She grabbed both his hands and pulled him out of his car. “So how does it feel to be a millionaire?”
Aaron Echolls had passed away almost a week ago. He hadn’t survived for very long without life support, as Trina and Logan watched his last breaths. His funeral had come and gone, as did the reading of his will.
Since he had not updated his will since before his wife died, the bulk of Aaron’s estate had been left to Lynn. Logan, the only surviving heir to his mother, inherited all but ten million dollars of his father’s fortune, of which six million went to his half-sister and the other four went to various charities.
Trina had packed her things and left in a huff that her father hadn’t left more to her. She jumped in her car and drove straight to LA with her inheritance.
Logan was left alone in Neptune to handle the fallout of his father’s crimes. His first action was to apply for emancipation so that he didn’t have to wait ten months for his eighteenth birthday before he could gain access to his wealth. Once that happened, his first order of business would be to sell his mansion. Logan wanted to start fresh in a house that did not haunt him with bad memories.
Having avoided school for so long to deal with his family ‘issues,’ Veronica had gone over to his house that morning and dragged him out of bed. She was strong for someone who stood just over five feet.
He smiled down at her. “I don’t know. How does it feel to be dating a millionaire?”
She stood on tiptoe and kissed him. “I’ll have to get back to you on that.”
Logan knew that only her sweet smile would have coaxed him back to school so soon.
“Are you coming?” She tugged on his hands. “Remember, you have to prove that you can take care of yourself. Which means you have to go to school regularly or they’ll assign you a guardian.”
“I know,” he sighed, “I’m coming.”
They reached the quad, when she asked, “Ready to face the stares and rampant gossiping?”
“Why don’t people have anything better to do?”
“Because we’re famous.”
“How do people react to you?”
She shrugged, “Nothing’s really changed. My first day back, I got a lot of stares and whispers. The usual asinine ‘did you walk into a door?’ comments, but other than that, it was pretty par for the course.”
“Have you seen Duncan?”
Veronica nodded, “He told me that the charges were dropped on his parents.”
“No big surprise there.”
“Money is power and the Kanes have an abundance of it.”
“Did you mention,” he waved a finger between the two of them, “to him?”
“I think he already knows.” Reminding Logan of his announcement at his surprise party a few weeks ago.
“Except that you told him that you thought I killed Lilly.”
She frowned, “I forgot about that. It doesn’t matter. He’ll know when he sees us together.”
“So, no secrets?”
“No, but I wouldn’t mind hiding in a few broom closets.”
He stopped to study her. Finding her expression open and honest, with just a hint of teasing, he smirked, “I’ll pencil you into my daybook.”
“Your daybook? Since when do you have one of those?”
“Because I’m legally a responsible adult. So as a responsible adult, I keep a daybook to track all my responsible adult things.”
“Well, then pencil me in.”
“I’ll even use pen.” He lent down and kissed her, pulling apart just as then reached the front doors. He put his angry outer facade up and stepped into the school.
All sound in the hallway stopped. Whether it was because it was Logan, Veronica, Logan and Veronica together, or a combination of all three, they didn’t know. They simply held hands and made their way through the school towards their lockers.
Vice Principal Clemmons stood outside the main office watching the hallways. When he spotted Logan, he called, “Mr. Echolls!”
Veronica held her smile when she saw Logan roll his eyes and spin around.
“Yes, Mr. Clemmons?” he asked with false cheer and just a touch of annoyance.
“There are several things that need to be cleared up. If you would just join me in my office,” he gestured behind him.
Logan turned back to Veronica. “I’ll catch you at lunch?”
“Your table or mine?”
“Yours. I don’t think I want to sit with the 09ers today.” He kissed her cheek and went with Clemmons.
Veronica turned around and almost ran into Meg. “Meg, hi. Sorry. I didn’t know you were behind me.”
“So you’re dating Logan?” Meg asked with a smile plastered on her face.
“Yeah,” she had a confused look on her face, “weren’t you at his surprise ‘birthday’ party?”
Meg nodded, “I’ve just been hearing differently and was wondering.”
“What’s this actually about?” she asked softly. “Is this about Duncan?”
“No, of course not.” At Veronica’s look, she caved. “He still loves you.”
The shorter blond shook her head. “No, he doesn’t.” She pulled Meg into the deserted newspaper room. “Our relationship – Duncan and I – ended because of something that we recently learned was a lie. I think, if he had known the truth back then, he wouldn’t have had a reason to break up with me.” She held her hand up to stop Meg from interrupting, “but that doesn’t mean we would still be together now. So much has happened since and we’ve both changed so much. We’re not the same people anymore.”
“So, you don’t love Duncan?”
“I’ll always love him… but I’m not in love him. Sorry to sound so sappy, but he was my first love, I’ll never forget that.”
“He wants you back,” Meg said sadly.
“He wants who I was back. The innocent girl that never drank during ‘I never.’ The girl that joined the pep squad and talked about boys, clothes, and everything else girls talk about. I’m not that girl anymore.” She smiled, “Actually, you’re that girl.”
“So I’m just your replacement?” she frowned.
“You’re Meg. I can say with certainty that he honestly likes you. He’s just too blinded now to realize that. You need to realize that the reason he broke up with me was big… life altering big… and to find out that it was all a lie?
“I’m not saying the way he reacted was right, but you have to understand that he needs time to get over it. He’s smart. He’ll realize it soon enough.”
“And you can’t tell me what this life altering thing is?” Meg asked hopefully.
“I don’t mind you knowing, but I think Duncan should be the one telling you.”
The bell signaling the start of classes rang.
“Thanks, Veronica.” Meg smiled and turned to leave. She stopped and looked back at her. “You’re really dating Logan?”
Veronica laughed and nodded. “Yes… I am.”
--
Logan snuck up on Veronica at her locker. Wrapping his arms around her from behind, he was surprised when she wasn’t surprised. “How’d you know it was me?”
“Wallace gave you away. He had a funny look on his face.”
The boys exchanged a look not knowing what she was talking about.
“So, what did Clemmons want?”
“Administrative crap and I have to see Ms. James this afternoon.”
“Fun,” she turned around in his arms and kissed him ‘hello.’ “Give me two minutes. I just need to stop at the girls’ bathroom.”
“Business or personal?”
“Business.” She closed her locker. “I’ll be right back.”
Logan watched as she disappeared inside the restroom. “Does everyone know that that’s her office away from her office?”
Wallace shrugged, “It’s gotten around, but I don’t think it’s public knowledge.”
“What’s she working on now?”
“I don’t know and I don’t ask. Not unless she needs my help.”
“Which I assume is often.”
“Often enough.” One of the members of the basketball team walked by. “I’ll catch you later. Tell, V, I’m eating with the guys.”
“I feel so abandoned,” Logan said deadpan.
He leant back against the lockers as he waited for his girlfriend to reemerge. As promised, she came out after two minutes and headed back to him. “What was that about?” he asked as he watched the girl that stepped out of the bathroom behind her.
“Come on,” she pulled him out to the quad, “let’s sit down and I’ll fill you in.”
They sat at an empty table and not two seconds later, half the 09er crowd migrated to join them.
“What the hell?” Logan asked Dick.
“What, man?”
“What are you doing sitting here?”
“It’s lunch. We sit together at lunch.”
Logan forced himself not to scoff. “Well, get out of here. Veronica and I are talking.”
“Your girlfriend doesn’t mind, does she?” Dick looked at her.
She tried hard to contain her disbelief. “Logan, let them stay. I’ll tell you later. I don’t mind your friends joining us.”
Logan frowned.
She smiled and leaned close enough to him, speaking directly into his ear so that no one could hear what she said. “It seems you have an abundance of power now too.”
He frowned and then remembered their earlier conversation. He rolled his eyes in disgust.
“Come on, they’re your friends,” she urged. “You don’t want your senior year to be like mine was last year. And it’s not like your opinion of them has really changed, has it?”
She had a point. He’d never thought highly of the 09er crowd. It’s why he was their reigning leader. He could manipulate them all so easily. “And you?”
“I can keep my snide remarks to a minimum. As long as they don’t expect me to braid their hair or anything, I’ll be fine.”
“You sure?”
“I’m sure that I can try,” she said. “I’m not programmed to forgive and forget, but I can tolerate the masses if it makes your life easier.”
He studied her suspiciously.
She grinned and whispered, “Plus, they can’t do anything to me. I know all their secrets.”
That made Logan smile and they pulled away from each other to eat their lunch.
Veronica reached into her bag, pulled out a box and set it in front of Logan.
He laughed, “What’s this?” He turned the box around, reading the phrases ‘#1 Boyfriend’ and ‘I <3 Logan.’ He opened it to find homemade chocolate chip muffins.
“Thought I’d try one of those ‘normal’ boyfriend-girlfriend things,” she grinned.
“I thought it was supposed to be snickerdoodles?”
“Wallace told you?”
“No. I did know you when you were in pep squad, remember?”
“I didn’t want my boys to be jealous. So Wallace gets snickerdoodles and you get muffins.” She pinched his cheeks and said in her best cutesy voice, “Because you’re my little muffin.”
He snorted with laughter. “Stop before I yak.”
Her eyes sparkled. “Yeah, but you still owe me a bear.”
“I do, don’t I?”
The 09ers looked at them as if they’d gone insane.
Dick tried to sneak a muffin from the box, but Logan slapped his hand away.
“What do you think you’re doing?” Logan frowned.
Veronica watched as Dick kept trying to steal a muffin, but Logan held the box away from him.
“There’s a whole box, man,” Dick complained. “Share the love.”
“Get your girlfriend to make you your own muffins.” Logan took one out and had a bite to rub it in Dick’s face. “These are delicious.” He gave Veronica a kiss on her cheek. “Thank you.”
She pulled away. “Stop,” she giggled, “you’ll get chocolate all over me.”
“I’ll help you clean up,” he leered.
“Behave.”
“Yes, Mr. Echolls,” Clemmons walked up behind them. “Behave. This is a school, not mating grounds.”
Logan saluted, “Aye, aye, Captain!” and went back to savoring his muffin.
Clemmons glared and continued his patrol.
“So, Logan, when are you going to host your next party?” Madison asked, flirtatiously.
Veronica rolled her eyes.
Logan narrowed his. “I don’t know, Madison. Probably after I move.”
“You’re moving?” Dick asked.
“Yup.”
“Where?”
“Haven’t decided yet.”
Seeing that Logan wasn’t going to be anymore forthcoming, they changed the subject to the upcoming dance.
--
“I think I would’ve preferred ostracism,” Logan sighed as he slumped against the lockers.
Veronica smirked, “You’re too rich and famous. Plus I don’t think you could pull it off like I did.”
He turned to face her, “I’m sorry I was such an ass to you last year.”
“I hated you,” she admitted truthfully, “but I understand. You needed an outlet.”
“That doesn’t make it right.”
“No, but it makes it forgivable.”
“I’ll make it up to you.” He kissed her temple.
“How do you plan on doing that?” She turned toward him.
“I don’t know, but I will.”
“Logan,” she slid her arms around his waist. “You don’t have to worry. I’m not mad at you… and it’s not like I didn’t do my fair share of payback.”
“God, we’re so messed up,” he laughed.
“That’s probably what makes us perfect for each other.”
Wallace walked up beside them. “Girl, do you know what they’re saying about you?”
She leaned back to face her best friend. “Let’s hear it.”
“Well, let’s see. Some people are saying that you’re an opportunist and you’re just dating Logan for his money and to get back in with the 09ers.”
“Why you bitch,” Logan teased.
“I also heard that you’re just biding your time to screw the 09ers over, because you have too much integrity to accept them again.”
“Ulterior motives abound,” Veronica said dryly. She looked up at Logan, “You better watch out, I’m gonna get you.”
“Guess, I’ll just have to lay low, but I think you’d find me.”
“Are you saying I’m short?”
“Can’t help it if it’s true.”
“Wait,” Wallace interrupted their flirting, “you haven’t heard it all yet.”
“Spill,” Veronica demanded.
“That you two are this years ‘it’ couple.”
“What?”
“Apparently, you are the example of the perfect couple.”
Logan smirked, “It’s the muffins. No other girl bakes for their boyfriend.”
“Well, then aren’t you lucky.” She closed her locker.
“The perfect couple.” Logan tested the idea and shook his head not grasping the concept. “Where the hell did they get that idea?”
Wallace shrugged, “Beats me. Last I heard, Duncan and Meg were supposed to be the fairy tale couple.”
“Who decides these things, anyway?” Veronica wrinkled her nose in displeasure.
She shrieked, wrapping her arms around his neck in reflex, when Logan picked her up.
“Come on, girlfriend,” Logan smirked. “We’re supposed to go visit your dad.”
She waved over his shoulder, “See you later, Wallace.” She turned her attention back to Logan. “You know I can walk.”
“I know, but being you boyfriend, I feel that you shouldn’t waste your precious energy on such a menial task,” he said with his best syrupy voice.
“Then as my mode of transportation, I’d prefer to be piggy backed.”
He set her on her feet and gave her his back.
“Yay,” she clapped her hands and then hopped on.
“I’m only carrying you to the car,” he informed.
“But you’re my mule.”
“I’d rather be your stallion,” he smirked.
She leaned forward and said huskily by his ear, “Does that mean I can ride you whenever I want?”
He groaned as his body reacted in response. He swung her on to the passenger seat of his car, bracing his hand on the headrest above her. “Don’t tease me like that,” he complained.
Cupping his face, she leant up and kissed him. “Who said I was teasing?”
--
“Mr. Logan, you have a visitor,” Mrs. Navarro informed.
He looked up from his game and asked, “Who is it?”
She stepped back to let Duncan through.
His game abandoned, Logan stood to face his best friend. “Duncan.”
Seeing their awkward face-off, Mrs. Navarro quietly disappeared.
Left alone, the boys stood at opposite ends of the room. Neither said a word.
Logan broke the silence. “Duncan, I’m sorry.”
“What are you sorry for?” he demanded. “Are you sorry for not telling me you liked Veronica? Are you sorry that you’re dating her? Or are you sorry that I found out?”
“I’m sorry that my dad killed Lilly.” Logan looked up at him from beneath his lashes.
Duncan frowned, stunned. “That wasn’t your fault. You had nothing to do with it.”
He laughed, “Really? Because I feel like I do.”
“There was no way to know that Mr. Echolls would… do what he did. No one even knew that Lilly was… with him. Not even Veronica.”
“That doesn’t make me feel any better.”
“It wasn’t your fault.”
He slumped down on his bed. “People keep telling me that.”
“People being Veronica.”
“People being everyone. Mr. Mars, Alicia, Wallace, Ms. James…”
“Could it possibly be because they’re right? There was no way you could have stopped it. No way that you could have stopped Lilly from being who she was.”
Logan shook his head, “No, there wasn’t.”
“No one blames you for what Mr. Echolls did.”
“Your father does.” Logan lifted his head and looked Duncan in the eye.
“He’s grieving.” Duncan leaned back against the wall. “For the longest time, my parents both thought that I had killed Lilly. That I had one of my fits and killed her. It’s why they covered it up. To find out that someone else was responsible destroyed him. Not just because a close friend of his killed Lilly, but because he believed that I could have done it.”
“You never would have hurt her. You loved her.”
“And so did you. That’s why I never accepted it when Veronica told me that she suspected you… and I don’t think she did either.”
“It’s why she went to your house.”
“She wanted to find proof that you were telling the truth.”
“Instead she found the real murderer and almost got killed herself.”
Duncan sank to the floor. “When my dad and I got there…” He shook his head trying to shake the image of the scene from his mind. “There were ambulances, police cars, a fire truck… I was so relieved when I saw her.”
“After hearing what she went through,” Logan shuddered, “I’m surprised she doesn’t hate me too.”
“She wouldn’t blame you for something that wasn’t your fault.”
“You’d be surprised how vindictive she can be,” he said proudly. “The girl can hold a grudge.”
“I’m beginning to see that.”
Silence fell again.
Once again, Logan was the first to speak. “I’m not going to apologize to you for dating Veronica. She’s the only good thing in my life and I’m not going to give her up. I am sorry that you found out the way that you did. Ronnie and I wanted to tell you ourselves when you got back. Obviously we never got the chance.”
“That doesn’t make it better.”
“What can I do, Duncan? What can I do to make it right?”
“Do you want to know why I broke up with her?”
Logan nodded.
“Mom told me that Veronica was my sister.”
“What?”
“My father and Mrs. Mars have been having an affair for years. They were high school sweethearts. Mom told me that Veronica was my half-sister. That’s why I broke up with her.”
Logan was shocked. “That’s unbelievable.”
“I didn’t want to believe it myself, but why would my mom make up a lie like that just to break Veronica and I up? It had to be true.” Duncan laughed, “Only it wasn’t.” He took a breath. “Veronica told me that her father had a paternity test done.”
“She’s not your sister.”
His expression was grim when he shook his head.
“You still love her.” Logan stated.
“Even when I thought she was my sister, I still loved her. I tried to stop, but I couldn’t.” Duncan was close to tears. “The night of Shelley Pomeroy’s party, I was drunk and I slept with her. That was the best and worst night of my life. I had sex with the love of my life… but she’s my sister. Even now that I now that she’s not, things haven’t changed. It was still the worst night of my life, because now I know that she was drugged and she doesn’t remember.”
“You weren’t drunk,” Logan mumbled.
“What?”
“You weren’t drunk. You were drugged.”
“What are you talking about?”
“The drink I gave you that night? I laced it with liquid-X.”
Duncan flew up to his feet in a flash, grabbing Logan’s shirt. “Did you drug Veronica too?”
“Duncan, stop!” Veronica arrived to come between the two boys. “Logan didn’t drug me. Madison Sinclair did.”
The boys turned their heads toward her. “What?”
“Dick Casablancas tried to drug his own girlfriend, but she didn’t drink it. Instead, she spat in it and gave the drink to me.”
“I’m going to kill him,” Logan growled.
“Not if I get to him first,” Duncan argued.
“Stop!” Veronica interrupted. “It wasn’t anyone’s fault. Dick didn’t know that Madison would give her drink away and she didn’t know that her boyfriend tried to drug her. It was an accident.”
“He still drugged me.” Duncan pointed the finger at Logan.
“He didn’t know what was going to happen,” she said softly. “You know Logan cares too much about you to hurt you like that.”
His anger deflated. “You’re right. I was drugged, but I still knew what I was doing. I passed by dozens of girls before I found you.”
“So our judgment was impaired for a night,” Veronica said with finality, “there’s nothing we can do about it now.”
All three accepted this statement.
“So where does that leave us?” Duncan asked.
She took his hands. “Duncan, I loved you. In a way, I’ll always love you, but we’re not together anymore. We haven’t been for a long time.”
“Not for the right reasons though.”
“No, but that doesn’t mean that we can just pick up where we left off. Too much has happened. Too much has changed. We’re both different people.”
“You love Logan,” Duncan accused.
“I do,” she answered honestly, “but even without Logan, I don’t think us – you and me – would work. I’ve moved beyond loving you as a partner. I love you as my friend.” She stared straight up into his eyes. “And I think you feel the same way.”
“That’s not true.”
“If it’s not, then why did you ask Meg out?” She smiled at him, “You went through some pretty elaborate planning to woo her.”
He smiled sheepishly. “I guess I did.”
“Don’t be jealous of Logan because of something that’s long passed, Duncan. Be happy for him.”
He looked over her head at his best friend and said, “Give me time?”
Logan smirked, “You don’t even need to ask.”
She stepped up to Duncan and hugged him. “I think you have a girlfriend to talk to. You have some explaining to do.”
“I do love you,” he whispered against her hair.
“I know.” She pulled away.
Duncan stepped away too. “I’m gonna go. I’ll see you guys later.”
“Definitely,” Logan waved.
Veronica walked up to Logan after Duncan left. “Are you okay?”
“Better. I’m glad that he doesn’t hate me.”
“He would never. You’ve been best friends for years.”
“But maybe what I did was unforgivable.”
“Not even. He wouldn’t let a girl come between the two of you.”
“If it were me?”
“You’d do the same thing that he’s doing.” She reminded him, “You let Lilly go when you realized that she wanted someone else. You know why?”
“Why don’t you tell me?”
“Because you wanted her to be happy.”
Logan carried her over to the bed, where he sat with her straddling him. He held her close. “What would I do without you?”
“You’ll never need to know,” she promised. “I’ll always be with you.”
--
The End