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Thursday, 12:31am: Post-epiphany
“Thought that part was yours, but it might just be mine.”
*~*~*~*
Logan’s phone lights up. The blank face icon that appears next to “Veronica Mars” seems somehow metaphorically resonant in his current frame of mind. Maybe you shouldn’t pick up, Echolls. Your mood is a little bleak for another round of goodbyes with Veronica. His mouth tightens grimly. Should I go back to “Her?”
The phone shrills again. It’s not going to get any more stable than “Take care of yourself, Veronica.” That’s it. That’s all I have in me.
Logan stares at the phone, now one ring away from going to voicemail. Who the hell am I kidding? He lunges for the phone and taps “Answer” just in time.
Stable. “Hi Veronica, what’s up?”
“Really? No snarky line? Calling at this time of night, I was expecting to be greeted with a booty call and/or phone sex hotline joke. Going soft in your old age?”
“No, just—” He runs a hand through his hair, trying frustratedly to figure out what the right words are for … whatever this situation is “—just, what’s up?”
Her teasing tone sobers and she is suddenly brisk and businesslike. “Logan, I’m staying in town a few more days. I want to go scope out Ruby tomorrow. Are you free to give me a ride?”
Logan blinks hard and sinks back onto the couch. She’s staying. His stomach seems to be located somewhere in his throat. Yes! No. “Veronica. That’s not what I wanted. You don’t have to—”
She cuts him off. “I already got my flight moved. I’m staying. You’ll be doing me a favor, keeping me away from the evils of studying for the bar. Now, can you give me a ride?”
He is so overwhelmed with gratitude, with regret, with “yes, I knew it!” that his voice is strained. “Of course. No problem.”
“Excellent. I have some questions I want to ask you, too.”
Of course she does. Is it completely sick that that statement turns me on? Yes, yes it is. Down boy. She’s just staying because … why is she staying?
He is hesitant. “Veronica?” What happened in the last hour to turn “take care of yourself” into this? “What made you decide to stay?”
Logan knows his tone made it clear that that was a serious question, so of course he isn’t even remotely surprised when she quips in response. “You know me; I’m the cat that curiosity killed.”
_____________________________________
Friday, 3:42pm: Post-B&E arrest
“I could share it with you, if you gave me the time.”
*~*~*~*
Logan drums his fingers on the tabletop, staring fixedly at the phone that refuses to ring. What happened at Ruby’s? She should have called with an update hours ago. He’s already left a message and sent two texts. Desperate much, Echolls? What if something—He shakes his head, cutting off the thought. Veronica is ferociously competent and this was a pretty low risk maneuver. She can handle herself. I wish she’d let me go with her. Stupid conspicuous car.
He fiddles with the hunk of coral on the table to give his hands something to do, straightening the angle, and then nudging it back askew.
The phone rings and he grabs for it, quickly accepting the call.
“Hi Logan.” Veronica sounds … guilty? What the…?
“How did it go at Ruby’s?”
“Yeah, about that…” Whatever it is, she can’t seem to spit it out.
“Veronica?”
Her words run together in a rush. “I need a favor.”
Silence stretches out for a beat before Logan responds, grinning like a fool. “Wait just a minute; I’m trying to visualize the head tilt. Okay, got it. What can I do for you?”
“So… I got caught in Ruby’s apartment.”
“By Ruby?” Shit. “Are you ok?”
“No, no, I’m fine. It was the police, actually; Deputy Sacks.” Veronica mocks herself. “Damn Clint Eastwood and his accountant.”
“You got busted by Sacks?” Logan can’t help it, he’s a little gleeful. “The great Veronica Mars, girl detective. Caught. I can’t believe I missed it.”
“Yes, well, have your fun now.” She mutters darkly.
“What do you mean?”
“Do you remember a girl named Della Pugh from high school?”
“Nope.” He pops the “p,” still having fun with her.
“Well that is Ruby Jetson’s real name.”
“Wait, Ruby went to Neptune?”
“Yep, a year behind us. Anyway, she may or may not be bonniefan23—I haven’t had a chance to check the info I downloaded from her computer yet—” Trust Veronica to get the intel before getting busted. “—but she is definitely Logan Echolls fan number 1.”
Uh oh. “Why is the hair standing up on the back of my neck?”
“She agreed not to press charges for B&E if…” Veronica draws out the last word, clearly stalling.
“If?”
“If I arranged a date for her…with you…tonight.”
Logan is stunned, but also somehow not stunned at all. He nods. “So I’m the Mac in this scenario, huh?”
“You remember that?” She sounds rueful; Logan imagines her chewing the side of her thumbnail. “Yeah, I guess you are. So…?”
“What time do I pick her up?”
Veronica exhales in a rush, clearly relieved. He can’t help but smile at the sound. She wasn’t sure I’d say yes. “I’m supposed to call her back to confirm. I’ll text you the details in a little bit.”
“That’s fine, but Veronica? One condition. You come too, or no deal. Tell her we need a designated driver.”
She’s back to flirtatious. “Psh. As if I’d let you go on a date with a suspect without me.” That is flirtatious, isn’t it? I’m not misreading this?
“I should have known.”
“Ok, I’ll text you soon with an update.”
“See you tonight.”
“Yeah.” She pauses and then breathes out softly with a slight hum. His eyes close. Why does she have to make that sound? “Logan…”
“Mmhm?”
“Thank you.” She still sounds guilty. Can’t have that after all she has done.
“No, thank you. I figured I was pretty un-datable after all of this. Leave it to the Veronica Mars Escort Service to find my perfect match.”
He hangs up the phone with her laugh still ringing in his ears, throws back his head, and lets out a reluctant chuckle. I probably shouldn’t be having this much fun investigating my ex-girlfriend’s murder.
_____________________________________
Sunday, 1:22pm: Post-Reunion
“I'm all bloody knuckles…”
*~*~*~*
Logan lies on his bed, staring up at the ceiling. He lifts his hand above his face and gazes dispassionately at the bruises. Haven’t had these in a while. On the nightstand, his phone begins to buzz. His eyebrows furrow. That can’t possibly be… It is.
He picks up, tapping the “Answer” button with a little more force than strictly necessary. “Aren’t you supposed to be in the air right now?”
“I’m still in Neptune. I can’t leave this, Logan. We’re so close to figuring it out.”
“What about the grown up lawyering job?”
“They’ve agreed to give me a few more days.”
What about Piz? Logan sighs, his anger (unjustified and you know it) slightly deflated. “Sorry for dragging you back here. I know how hard you worked to get away from all of this.” He is genuinely grateful, but he knows his tone is curt. Hurt, if you’re being honest.
“Logan, is … everything ok?”
“I’m a little tired.” He responds, evenly, striving for normal. Failing.
Logan can practically hear her eyebrows lift. “Oh, I’m so sorry. Is my trying to get you cleared of a murder charge interfering with your beauty rest?”
“No. No, of course not. Look Veronica, I’m sorry. I’m just—” pissed off that you didn’t tell me you were dating Piz “—really worn out after last night.”
“Starting a gigantic brawl really takes it out of a person, huh?”
“I guess so.”
“I meant to—” She exhales through her nose. “You shouldn’t have done that, Logan. It wasn’t necessary.”
“It was necessary. It always has been.” I hate that fucking tape.
“Anyway, thank you. You’re a moron, but I appreciate the gesture.” She pauses, waiting for a response he doesn’t have. “I got the case file on Susan’s death from Lamb. I’m going to drive down to San Diego tomorrow to check on some things. I’ll come by Dick’s place afterwards to talk?”
“Yeah, ok.” God, get over this. You thought you were on the same page. You weren’t. She’s with Piz. But she’s staying; helping. Deal with it.
“All right, I’ll see you then.” She is off balance, clearly eager to get off the phone and away from the weird mood he has created.
Damn it. “Veronica, wait.”
“Yes?”
It pours out of him, as sincere and heartfelt as his earlier irritation. “Thank you. Thank you for staying. Thank you for working this case. Just … thank you.”
“No problem,” she replies softly and hangs up.
Logan stares at the home screen of his phone. He is still pissed.
_____________________________________
Tuesday, 4:15pm – Post-Piz
“… and longing for home.”
*~*~*~*
Logan pulls his buzzing phone out of his pocket and grins cheerfully, high on the conviction that they—well, Veronica mostly—have cracked this case. It is her on the line. I just dropped her off forty-five minutes ago, what could have…?
Veronica jumps right in without preamble. “My Dad is making lasagna tonight.” She sounds forcedly cheerful, like she’s covering something up. What happened?
“Ah, the Mars family specialty, as I recall. I bet you’re looking forward to that.”
“I am. Why don’t you come over so that we can discuss the case? We need to strategize how to use that tape of Lamb.”
Logan’s grin fades. “I don’t think that’s such a good idea.”
“What? Using the tape? Of course it is, we just need to decide—“
Seriously? “Come on Veronica, you haven’t said anything, but your Dad can’t be all that happy about any of this. I doubt he wants me bellying up to the family table for dinner.”
“He’ll be polite.” She is defensive. Definitely hiding something.
“Oh yeah, he’ll be politely assembling his rifle with the mounted telescope.” She laughs weakly.
Okay, that’s it. “What’s really going on, Veronica? You’re upset about something.”
She gives a shaky sigh. “You caught that, huh?”
“Always have, always will.”
“I really shouldn’t…”
“Veronica."
“I got dumped. I don’t want to talk to Dad about it; he really liked Piz—so I need a distraction.”
Logan is incredulous; gloriously exhilarated, heart pounding in his chest, but incredulous. “And you think my being there will help matters? Veronica he hates me. He’ll probably think—” That this is all my fault. That I broke you and Piz up. Did I? Please, dear God, did I? But she said she got dumped, so she didn’t do the breaking up. Logan’s head is spinning.
“He doesn’t hate you Logan, he doesn’t know you. You’re … not the same person any more. He’ll see that once he gets past—well, I want him to see that.” Her voice is diffident and uncomfortable but her words are heart searing. “You deserve that.”
Logan reels. Emotions are buffeting him; he can’t say what he really wants to say, not now, not yet, but there are so many other things she deserves to hear and suddenly he can’t hold back any longer.
“Veronica, I can’t believe you really did it. You figured out who killed Carrie.”
She is thrown off balance by his abrupt change of topic. “Well, we don’t know for sure it was Gia and Luke.”
“Oh, we know. We just have to prove it. You, Veronica Mars, are amazing.” His voice drops to a husky murmur; he is choking up. “Thank you so much. You are a literal lifesaver.” I love you. Still. Always.
She strives for jocularity. “So I guess that means you owe me one family dinner, huh?”
A slightly watery chuckle escapes Logan. “I guess so. I’ll always owe you. I don’t see how I could ever repay you for this.”
“I’m sure you’ll figure it out.”
*~*~*~*
“…. if it weren't for second chances, we'd all be alone.”
-- “Second Chances,” Gregory Alan Isakov