Title: Someone to Die For
A/N: Following 2x22. AU. I never bought the 'no signal' bit as a reason Veronica couldn't get in touch with her dad. I've been in craploads of airports and I've never had a problem with reception. Hell, you even get reception on the plane. Plus, I hated season 3. So in my pretty little world, none of it happened. I'd say this is a heavy PG-13 for some situations.
Again, this is dedicated to my sis, Tanya. I told you I'd write you something to cheer you up a month ago and I'm happy to say I've continued my streak of being late. Go me! Let's see how I do with your birthday present next month, lol.
Disclaimer: I don't own Veronica Mars. If I did, I'd be, you know, rich and stuff. Last time I looked at my checking account, I was hurting. So even if you did sue you'd get like $50 bucks from me. Plus, come on, I'm a freakin' social worker. I help mentally ill people for a living. Would you really want that kind of publicity? :) That's what I thought. The song lyrics used are from Jimmy Gnecco's beautiful song 'Someone to Die For'. I have no claim to that either. Go figure.
Please read and review. I think I'm starting to get a hang of writing VM, but I could be wrong, ha!
Linda
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Before you landed
I had a will but didn't know what it could do
You were abandoned
And still you're handing out what you don't wanna lose
You make me drop things
Like all the plans I had for a life without you
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Neptune, California
Veronica looked up at him and she bit her bottom lip, her expression one of elation. She couldn't help it. Things were going good right now. Really good. She and her dad were going to New York, she was with Logan again, and she was finished with the hell that was high school. Her smile wavered a bit when she realized it was time to go. "I guess I'll see you in a week, huh?"
Logan locked his arms around her waist and returned her smile. "Yeah," he sighed. "I'm gonna miss having you around here though. Who's gonna keep me out of trouble?"
"I think you can manage on your own." Her eyebrow quirked up. "Just don't do anything crazy."
"I'm not promising anything."
The other eyebrow went up.
"Ok, I promise I'll try not to do anything crazy."
"I guess that'll do," she grinned.
He leaned down and kissed her softly. "Call me when you land."
"I will," she murmured against his lips.
He held her gaze for a moment and she could see that he wanted to say something else.
"What is it?" she asked him quietly.
"Nothing," he answered after a moment. "Be safe."
She stood on her tiptoes and kissed him again. She was still holding his hand and they finally had to let go as she made her way towards security.
I love you, she thought to herself as she gave him one last look before winding her way through the security check point.
--------------
Logan waited until Veronica was past the metal detectors before he left. She turned back once more and waved to him before disappearing down the corner on her way to the gate. He stuffed his hands in his pockets and stared at the spot where she was once standing. He missed her already.
I love you, he thought to himself.
He was too scared to say it before when he had the chance. He over-thought it, worried that she'd head for the plane and never come back to Neptune if he told her. They had only been back together for a week, but it all still felt so new. And he didn't want to do anything to fuck it up this time. Being with Veronica was like coming home.
He sighed quietly, hating himself for being so attached to her. He turned and made his way back to the entrance of the airport. Without Veronica around he had nothing to do but think about what was going on in his life. No distractions. Just him and his thoughts. His mom had committed suicide. His ex murdered. He was accused of the crime, but it turned out that it was his dad who did it, who also happened to be screwing said ex. And now his dad was dead. Murdered. Not to mention one of his closest friends had somehow constructed a maniacal plan that consisted of purposefully crashing a school bus full of kids and who turned out to be his girlfriend's rapist. And oh yeah, he tried to kill her a week ago and then he did a freefall to his own death. All fun things to mull over.
He turned back one last time. Yeah, he was gonna miss Veronica.
--------------
Veronica couldn't believe it. She had been ditched by her own dad and it had been by voicemail of all things. She sucked in a breath trying to sort her thoughts. She contemplated her choices for a moment and decided to go to New York without him anyway. Just because he couldn't make it didn't mean that she had to miss out on a week of fun.
She picked up her cell again and dialed Logan. She waited for him to answer and was surprised when his voicemail picked up. What the hell? Was she destined not to speak to anyone? She hated technology sometimes. All she wanted was to talk to a real live person.
"This is Logan with today's inspirational message. 'Remember: Success is nothing but luck. Just ask any failure - Anonymous'. Leave a message."
"Hey, it's me . . . I just heard from my dad. He's on this case and he can't come to New York after all. I just wanted to let you know that I'm going anyway . . . you know, do some shopping . . . catch a show . . . Anyways, I'll see you in a week like we planned . . . Logan, I . . . ," she sucked in a breath. "I'll miss you."
She ended the call and stared at her phone for a moment. She had almost told him she loved him, but the words got stuck in her throat. She chickened out. Again.
She handed the airline attendant her boarding pass telling herself time away from Neptune was exactly what she needed.
"Have a nice flight," the man offered in a bored tone.
"Thank you."
Hey, at least he was a real person she told herself.
--------------
Manhattan, New York
She had taken a cab to the Hotel Pennsylvania where she and her dad were booked and checked into the double occupancy room. She sat on one of the beds staring at the walls as she contemplated her next move. Sightseeing? Shopping? What to do? She paced the room for a bit and finally opened the curtains. The back end of a brick wall greeted her in kind.
"So much for a room with a view," she muttered to herself and closed the curtains once again.
She was tired from the flight, but the time difference hadn't kicked in yet. She glanced at her watch and sighed. It was still early and she hated the thought of holing up in her room this early. She grabbed her bag and keycard and headed for the door. She'd figure out what to do once she hit the street. This week was going to be all about spontaneity she decided.
--------------
The city so nice they named it twice.
So far Veronica wasn't impressed. It was kinda dirty and crowded and in some places smelly. But it was New freakin' York. How could she not be impressed?
Veronica had spent the remaining light of day, which wasn't much, walking down Times Square, trying to decide what she wanted to do. She was watching a mob of kids her age when a short brunette elbowed past here.
"Watch it," she told Veronica. "Damn tourists," she muttered loudly as she passed by.
Veronica's eyebrows rose as she zoomed past her. She'd never seen people walk so fast before. This definitely wasn't Neptune. She shook her head and made her way back to the hotel deciding to forgo the crowds and take advantage of room service for dinner. The jetlag was starting to kick in anyway.
As she got off the elevator, her cell began to ring. She checked the caller ID and grinned when she saw who it was.
"Hey," she smiled.
"How's my very own Annie Hall?"
She laughed softly as she entered her room. "Yeah, I don't think so. But would that make you my own Woody Allen?"
Logan snorted in return. "I am much hotter."
She grinned in response. "And modest too, I see."
"Well that goes without saying."
"You can be John Travolta from Saturday Night Fever then. I think you'd be able to pull off the white polyester disco look," she teased.
"Kinky, Veronica. What other things would you want to see me in? Or out of for that matter?"
She couldn't help but laugh. "Hmm, I think you'd be able to pull off the Braveheart look - kilt no underwear."
"Only if you wear the same thing."
"Maybe," she sighed dramatically, "but I think the wool would be itchy."
"Hey, all the faster it would come off . . . you miss me yet?" he asked her, putting an end to their banter.
Veronica settled herself on one of the beds and leaned back against the pillows. "Yeah, actually. I'm kinda bored."
He smiled softly at her response. "You're just used to having too much excitement in your life, Veronica. You don't know how to act when you're not in crisis mode."
She snorted in amusement. She supposed he was right.
"What are you planning for tomorrow?" he asked her.
"I don't know," she told him honestly. "I've decided that this whole week is going to be completely spontaneous. I'm not planning a thing. I'm gonna go to bed, wake up whenever I wake up and just go out and do whatever comes to mind."
"Why, Ms. Mars, taking a walk on the wild side, huh?"
Her lips curved into a smile. "Just call me crazy. What about you? What are you doing tomorrow?"
"Um," he paused for a moment. "I don't know. I want to catch some waves, but we'll see. Maybe I'll take a lesson from you and be 'spontaneous'."
"You're mocking me, aren't you?"
"Never."
She laughed softly and Logan couldnt help but grin. "I miss you," she told him softly, seriously.
"Yeah?"
"Yeah."
"Ditto, Annie."
"I'll call you tomorrow?"
"I'll be waiting."
There was a moment of silence, both of them trying to form the words they both wanted to speak.
"Night, Veronica," Logan finally answered.
"Night," she replied softly and ended their call.
So much for spontaneity. She should have just told him then and there, but the fear crept through her veins like ice. What if it just blew up in her face again? She sighed tiredly and fell back against the pillows. What if it was a mistake not telling him? "I love you, Logan," she muttered aloud. Now if she could just find the courage to tell the guy himself. Consider that Strike 1, Veronica.
--------------
Veronica had spent the next day visiting the Museum of Modern Art. She traveled to Broadway afterwards to see if she could catch a show, but when she saw that most of the tickets for the matinee shows were close to $100, she decided to skip that all together. Strike 2 on the spontaneity card. She decided to head back to the hotel after her latest dejection when she ran into another problem.
She was standing on the outside of her hotel room, swiping her keycard to gain entrance to no avail. No matter how many times she swiped, the stupid little light wouldn't turn green. Frustrated beyond reason, she headed back down to the lobby to get a new card.
"Good afternoon, ma'am, how may I be of assistance?" the young desk clerk asked her.
She glanced at his nametag that read 'Logan' and she smiled. Whatever foul mood she was in soon dissipated. She decided to forgo the evil bitch routine and just be nice about the whole situation. The guy was lucky his name was Logan.
"Hi, I'm staying in room 430 and my keycard's not working."
He frowned slightly. "I'm so sorry about that," he told her sincerely. He typed in her account and his frown deepened. "Ms. Mars?"
"Yes," Veronica responded not liking the look on his face one bit. Please, God, do not let this be strike 3. The last thing she needed was a rejected credit card or something.
"I'm sorry, Ms. Mars, but it appears you've been checked out."
Her forehead crinkled in response. "What? That's impossible. Who checked me out?"
"It says here by your fianc."
She blanched at that. "My who?"
"Hi, sugarpuss," came the voice next to her.
Her mouth fell open. "Logan! What the hell--"
"Come on, sweetie," he smiled at her and the clerk. "I have a surprise for you," he told her as he led her through the lobby and towards the exit.
She stopped in the middle of the lobby and Logan smiled back at her. "Logan, what are you doing here?"
"I thought I'd join you in the Big Apple," he continued to grin.
An eyebrow went up. "Fianc?"
"It was that or brother. Fianc was less . . ."
"Creepy?" she offered.
He grinned at her and took her hand again, leading her to the waiting car.
"Where are we going? And why'd you check me out of here? What if--"
He leaned down and kissed her. "Shut up," he laughed. "It's a surprise."
She looked at him skeptically, but then shook her head and laughed. He was beating her in her own game of spontaneity. "Logan, what am I gonna do with you?"
"I have a list, but I left it in Neptune."
She wrapped her arms around his waist and looked up at him. "You're nuts," she laughed. "But I did miss you. No one's around here to keep me on my toes."
"Hmm," he lifted her up so that her feet no longer touched the ground. "You are short so it couldn't have been that hard to find someone."
She hit him on his arm. "Put me back down, jackass."
He laughed and opened the door to the black Nissan.
--------------
Veronica's eyes almost popped out of her eye sockets when she saw where they had ended up. "The Waldorf? Logan, why are we at the Waldorf?"
"It's obviously where we're staying for the next week," he told her in an amused tone.
Her mouth opened in disbelief. "How did you manage to get a room here? Aren't they always booked?"
"Hi, I don't think we've met. I'm Logan Echolls. Son of recently deceased found innocent movie star Aaron Echolls. How could I not get a room? Plus I slipped the guy a hundred."
"Logan you cannot seriously expect me to stay here."
He simply cocked an eyebrow at her.
"We can't do this. I can't do this! What about my dad?"
"Your dad's stuck on a case back home. He called me and told me so himself."
"Oh? And did he also tell you to come here to New York?"
"Hell, no," he grinned. "But you always tell me to seize the moment when I can. Carpe diem, baby."
"I never tell you that," she laughed.
"Well whatever. We're in New York, Veronica. The Big Apple. The city that never sleeps. What happens in New York stays in New York."
"That's Vegas."
He rolled his eyes at her. "That's not the point. The point is we're here together. Alone. Party time, Ronnie."
"Stop calling me that."
"Aren't you the same Veronica I talked to last night that told me this whole week was about being spontaneous?"
"You're mocking me again."
He growled in frustration. How could someone so tiny be so infuriating? "I am not mocking you. I'm trying to get you to realize what a kickass idea this is."
She continued to remain silent, arms crossed, chewing on her bottom lip.
"At least come and check out the room," he finally sighed.
"Ok," she agreed. "But I'm not saying I'm staying here." She tuned around and headed for the hotel as the concierge opened the door for her. She turned back around when Logan didn't immediately follow her. "Coming?"
He rolled his eyes and fell in step behind her. He had to figure out a way to keep her here.
--------------
The 'room' Logan had booked was actually a luxury one bedroom king suite. When Logan finally fessed up to the nightly rate, Veronica freaked out.
"$739 a night? Logan, are you nuts? One night here costs more than the entire week at the Pennsylvania. I can't stay here."
He grabbed her arm as she tried to flee. "Whoa, slow down. What's going on? Why are you making such a big deal about this? The Grand isn't renting me that room for free back in Neptune."
"I know that," she told him, calming down. "It's just that at the Grand I . . ."
"You could leave whenever you wanted," he finished for her.
She grimaced slightly at that truth. "Well yeah," she finally sighed.
"Veronica, I thought it'd be fun if we stayed here together. We can check out the sites, do some shopping." His eyes danced across her face in contemplation. "Are you worried that I'm gonna try to push you into something you're not ready to do?" he asked her quietly.
"What? No, of course not, Logan. It's just . . ."
His eyebrows knitted in concentration as he waited for her response.
She sighed as she watched him. "Ok, maybe I think it's too soon for us to be shacking up together."
He laughed softly as he ran his hands down her hair. "We're not shacking up. We're on a vacation. A much needed one at that. Come on, Ronnie, what do you say?"
She grinned at him, his excitement infectious. "Stop calling me Ronnie, Woody."
"Huh, if you only knew."
She laughed despite herself.
"If you want, I'll sleep on the couch."
"Dont be stupid," she told him with a grin. "It's not like we haven't been in the same bed before."
He leaned down and kissed her. "I knew you'd see things my way. Besides where else were you gonna go? I checked you out of your hotel remember?"
She rolled her eyes at him. "How the hell did you manage to do that anyway?"
"We all have our ways, Veronica," he laughed.
--------------
I'm drunk when sober
The room is spinning
You are what I hold on to
You're taking over
I find that giving in is the best I can do
--------------
Logan and Veronica had spent the rest of the day seeing the sites of New York. After having dinner in Little Italy and catching a show on Broadway, they had made their way back to the Waldorf to turn in for the night. Logan was expecting to catch up on some much needed sleep, but he should have known that nothing ever goes the way he had planned.
Veronica had previously told him a little about the dream she had the morning Beaver had . . . jumped. He had been surprisingly happy that she had dreamt them being together. Veronica had wondered what it meant. If that was the life she would have had if things were 'normal'. He had tried to tell her that she was anything but normal and that she should relish that. Normal was boring and ordinary. And the last thing Veronica Mars was - was ordinary. She had only nodded, not really convinced on his take on things.
What Veronica had failed to mention was that she had nightmares every night since that night on the roof. It was never the same dream, but it was the same general principal. She was on the roof with Beaver. He would shoot her or he would shoot Logan or both of them. Or he'd jump and take her with him. She hated it. She had tried to keep it from Logan, but somehow he knew. Somehow he always knew when something was wrong.
So when she bolted up in bed in the middle of the night, he wasn't surprised. He simply ran a hand down her hair and gently tugged her back to bed, pulling her close into his arms.
"You ok?" he finally asked her when her heartbeat steadied to a normal rate.
"Yeah, just another dream," she murmured tightly.
"About Beaver?"
She sucked in a breath, surprised but not surprised at his question. "Yeah," she sighed.
"You wanna talk about it?"
She shook her head and readjusted herself in his arms. "It was just a dream," she muttered.
"It might help if you talked about it," he told her, kissing the top of her head. He didn't push her and simply ran his hand up and down her arm softly.
"He shot you," she finally murmured after a long moment. "You were fighting over the gun and he shot you . . . You died. Because of me."
His hand stilled and he shifted so that he could look at her. "I'm ok," he told her softly. "So are you. He can't hurt you anymore. He can't hurt anyone."
She nodded, consciously knowing he was right. But it didn't stop the oh so real images of her dream.
He tucked her head against the crook of his neck and Veronica tightened her hold on him. She would never admit it, but she was so freaking happy he convinced her to stay with him. She didn't want to think how she would have reacted to waking from that nightmare in a strange bed with no one around. She placed a soft kiss on Logan's shoulder and took a deep breath, his scent surrounding her.
She felt safe.
Logan ran his fingers lightly up and down her back and she quickly fell back asleep. He kissed the top of her head and soon followed her into a deep sleep.
--------------
The light stirring in his arms caused him to shift, but the extra weight anchoring his arm to the bed didn't let him get very far. He could already feel the tingling sensation alerting that his arm had fallen asleep. He wriggled his fingers, trying to get the blood flow moving again, but to no avail. He decided to let it go and enjoy the feel of Veronica in his arms instead. He sighed happily, the pull of sleep taking him back under. It wasn't until he felt her hands stroking his arm that caused him to wake again.
"Morning," she sighed, placing a kiss on his chest.
"Mmm," he merely mumbled still not willing to let the moment of contentment go.
"Any idea what you want to do today?" she asked placing a kiss along his jaw.
He was a little more awake now. "Mmm," he murmured again sleepily. "I wanna catch some waves."
She laughed lightly and the sound made his entire body ripple with desire.
"I don't know how to break it to you, Toto, but I've got a feeling we're not in Neptune anymore."
He grinned at her, letting his eyelids finally flutter open. "I know that, Dorothy."
"You keep calling me these strange girls' names: Ronnie, Annie, Dorothy. What are you gonna call me in a fit of passion?"
He smiled softly and ran a hand down her hair, cupping the base of her neck. "I'll call you whatever you want me to call you, Veronica."
She blinked at his turn in seriousness and cleared her throat. "Where do you expect to surf in New York?"
"I don't," he smiled.
"You want to go home?"
"Hmm, something like that," he told her.
She slipped away from his arms and settled on her left side to look at him. "Logan?"
"Let's go to Hawaii," he told her, propping himself up on his elbow.
"Wait, what?"
"Hawaii. Let's go. Now. Let's ditch New York and head for Honolulu," he clarified for her. "I can teach you to surf and what better place than Hawaii?"
"Logan, we just can't --"
"Since when do you say 'can't' so much?" he asked her seriously. "Come on we're only young once. You'll be at Hearst in the Fall and you won't have time for this again for four more years."
"My dad . . ."
"Your dad is on a case. But we can call him and let him know--"
"I just can't affor--"
"It was my idea, I'm paying. Come on, Veronica. It's a once in a lifetime opportunity. Just think: hot beach, cool drinks, awesome waves . . . it'll be perfect. Just what we need."
She looked up at him. His brown eyes watching her in anticipation. Maybe he was right. Maybe she'd be able to put the year behind her. And she was eighteen. What was her dad gonna do? Ground her? Kill her maybe, but that was beside the point. It's all about being spontaneous, Veronica, she told herself. When will you get the chance to go to Hawaii with your hot boyfriend? She refused to make this strike 3.
"You're not teaching me to surf," she finally grinned.
The smile on his face caused her stomach to turn inside out in anticipation. "Wanna bet?"
--------------
The Kahala Mandarin Hotel - Honolulu, Hawaii
Veronica watched him as he came up from the water and bit her bottom lip. Wet Logan was definitely beginning to be one of the highlights of this trip. He had unzipped and pulled off the top half of his wetsuit and his bare chest glistened from the water. She grinned as he made his way toward her, surfboard in hand.
"Ready for your lesson?" he asked her with a crooked grin, digging his board in the sand next to him.
She laughed lightly as he crouched on his haunches beside her. "You're getting me wet," she told him as cold droplets of water fell on top of her.
Her words caused his eyebrow to arch and she immediately scolded herself for her obvious blunder on her play of words.
"So we're goin' back to the room instead?" he asked her with a mischievous grin.
She rolled her eyes at him and tried to bite back her smile. "You're a pig," she snorted.
She playfully pushed him away and Logan lost his balance. She reached out a hand to him to stop his fall which he took and brought her along with him. He tugged her forward and she ungracefully landed sprawled out on top of him. She glared at him and he simply smiled gleefully at her as he crossed his arms behind his head.
"Nice, Logan," she told him, glaring up at him. "Now I have wet sand plastered all over."
"It's a good look for you," he grinned happily.
She scooted up so that she was eyelevel with him and he groaned at her shimming movement.
"What's the matter, Logan?" she breathed into his ear, wiggling her hips just a little more.
His eyes rolled upwards and his arms quickly came around to encircle her waist. "You're such a tease," he finally whispered with a grin on his face.
An eyebrow went up at that. "Really? You weren't complaining last night."
His smile widened as memories of the night before flashed through his mind. Hell, he was surprised he had the energy to wake up and go surfing in the morning.
"Mmm," he finally responded and brought his head forward to kiss her. "You're right," he murmured against her lips, "but maybe that was a one time fluke."
She snorted and kissed the underside of his jaw. "You're such a smooth talker, Logan. How could any girl resist you?"
"It is a lifelong dilemma I must suffer," he sighed. His hands made their way to her ass where he squeezed her to him even more.
"Mmm, I bet," she murmured, kissing him deeply.
"Hey, you two, get a room!"
Veronica pulled away and watched as a burly man walked away with a small child at his side. She started to blush when she realized where they were and how they looked. Logan simply laughed. She rolled her eyes at him and began to untangle herself from him.
"Aww," he muttered at the loss of contact and sat up when Veronica was out of his hold. She started to gather her things and Logan frowned. "I thought I was gonna give you your surfing lesson?" he pouted.
She turned her head to look at him and Logan's eyebrows rose at the expression on her face. "You heard the man, let's get a room."
Logan growled softly and got to his feet just as Veronica finished packing. He grabbed her by the waist and tucked her to his left side and his board on the right. "Ready when you are, bobcat."
She laughed at his new nickname for her. "Let's go surfer boy. Maybe we can practice a different kinda surfing."
His laugh made her grin and they walked faster back to the hotel.
--------------
Veronica watched as the sun began to set over the ocean. She sighed happily and soaked in the environment. The hotel's beach was practically empty as most of the other guests headed over to the complimentary luau. It was their fourth night there and a part of her never wanted to go home again. She was happy and sated. And she hadn't had a single nightmare since they had gotten there. She was convinced that it was Logan who was keeping the nightmares away.
Their first night there, they had slept as they did in New York. In each others arms without any worries. By the second night, whatever fears Veronica had had disappeared. She had initiated the whole encounter and Logan had stopped her every now and then to check if she was sure.
She sighed happily as she remembered their time together. It couldn't have been better. She rolled her eyes at how girly she was being, but she couldn't help herself. With Duncan it had been sweet and nice. But with Logan . . . with Logan it had been hot and passionate and wild and . . . she stopped her thoughts when she felt the tips of her ears burning. She snorted to herself remembering something Logan had once told her about Duncan when he was being a bastard. 'If the cuddling is the best part, he didn't do it right'. Oh, God, if Logan only knew how right he was.
She settled her head on her pulled up knees and smiled when she felt him come up behind her.
"I thought I'd find you here," he told her and sat down behind her.
"What makes you say that?"
"Beautiful view, beautiful girl, they go hand in hand."
"You're such a sweet talker, Logan Echolls," she sighed dramatically.
"I try," he grinned.
"You were right, Logan," she murmured as she leaned back against him enjoying the sunset.
"I'm sorry, could you repeat that?" he asked her teasingly.
"I said," she grinned as she looked up at him. "You were right. Coming here was the best thing I could have done."
"No more nightmares?" he murmured against her hair.
"No," she sighed. "I can thank you for that too."
He tilted his head to try to catch her eyes. "What're you talking about?"
"I haven't had any nightmares since we got here and I think it's because of you."
"Maybe it's the island. Or did you somehow find a lucky tiki idol like on the Brady Bunch?"
"The tiki idol was cursed remember?"
"Hence why I said 'lucky', duh."
She laughed softly and he kissed the top of her head. "I'm serious, Logan. You chased the nightmares away."
"Well, even if I think it was you and not me, I'm glad that they're gone." He paused for a moment. "I wish you would have told me about them before."
She sighed softly and he brought his arm around to wrap around her shoulders. "I know . . . I was hoping that they would go away and you never would have known about them."
"Why?"
She shrugged again. "It's stupid. I shouldn't be having nightmares about something that can never happen. Cassidy's gone. I shouldn't let it get to me."
"You're human, Veronica. You talk about wanting a normal life, nightmares come with that territory."
She frowned at that thought. "Is almost being killed by your rapist because you figured out his nefarious plan to cover up the fact he was molested by the creepy mayor when he was a kid, part of that normal life too?"
"In Neptune? Yep."
"I'm serious, Logan."
"So am I," he told her tightening his hold on her. "You remember that dream you told me about? The perfect little world if Lilly hadn't died?"
"I never said it was perfect," she muttered.
"Tell me what was so great about it? Other than me of course."
She rolled her eyes. She had been trying to figure out that dream for days now. "I don't know," she finally answered. "Maybe it was a glimpse of what my life coulda been."
"Tell the truth, Veronica. Would you trade what you had in that dream for what you have now?"
She crinkled her brow in thought. She'd have Lilly, but no Wallace. She'd have her mom as opposed to none. She'd have Logan either way . . . she'd be more nave. She'd be one of those 09er kids she'd come to hate . . .
"How many people's lives have you changed and helped, Veronica? Think about all those people. If you weren't who you are, who would have been around to help them? "
She frowned never had looking at it from that point of view. "I don't know," she finally whispered.
"You still wish you had a normal life?"
"It is normal according to you," she snorted.
"True enough."
They continued to watch the sunset. "I had a few nightmares about Beaver too," he finally acknowledged.
Veronica whipped her head around to look at him. "Why didn't you say anything?"
He shrugged slightly. "You had your own to deal with. No sense in adding more stress."
Veronica turned her head back to face the horizon. "What were they about?"
She felt him shrug. "Mostly not getting to you in time. I'd wake up and lay awake thinking how if things hadn't happened they way they did that night, I never would have known you were in trouble."
"What do you mean?"
"You stopped me at the party to check if I had seen Mac and Beaver. If I was drunk I never would have noticed how worried you were. If you didn't have your phone close to you, you wouldn't have been able to forward me that text. And if I hadn't gone home when I did, I probably never would have known you sent it. All a bunch of little things if you think about it, but if just one of them hadn't happened . . ." he trailed off and he felt Veronica shiver. He sucked in a breath and let it out. "Sorry, I shouldn't have said all that."
"No," she interrupted. "I'm glad you did. I'm glad I wasn't the only one who thought the same thing."
"If you have another nightmare tonight, we both know who to thank."
"You'll just have to keep me occupied so I don't think about it," she grinned.
"I'll try my best," he grinned back.
The sun was barely visible along the horizon and Veronica's mind couldn't help but reel. "Logan?"
"Hmm?"
"Why didn't you ever tell me about your dad?"
"You mean what a twisted bastard he was? Never would have known. They always say it's the quiet ones. I guess that theory doesn't work out so much in this situation, huh?"
She ran her hand up and down his arm, contemplating whether she should push him. "I wish you would have told me about . . . what he would do to you," she finally clarified.
She felt him stiffen behind her, but she didnt dare look back at him. Neither spoke for a while, but he finally broke the silence.
"How'd you know?"
She mulled over his question. "It took me a while. Maybe I just didnt want to see what was in front of my face. I heard what Trina said when we found her and I let it go. But when I saw him beat Trina's boyfriend to an inch of his life . . . it kinda just fell together. The long shirts, the winces when one of your friends slapped you on the back. It kinda just hit me." She winced at her own words.
"I'm surprised you never said anything before," he finally told her softly.
She shrugged lightly. "I almost did a few times, but then everything about the party and Lilly came out and . . ." She stopped for a moment, trying to collect her thoughts. "He's gone now so there was no reason for me to bring it up. I guess it's the same way you felt about my dreams. I was hoping you'd bring it up one day."
He took in a deep breath and she finally felt him relax again. "Maybe one day. But not now."
She nodded her head silently, understanding where he was coming from. "Yeah?"
"Yeah," he repeated softly.
A small stint of comfortable silence engulfed them.
"There's one thing I'd keep from my dream," Veronica finally told him.
"What's that?"
She sighed a little. "You loved me. In my dream you told me you loved me."
Logan's brow rose at that. That was something she had left out when she told him about the dream originally. He couldn't help but grin and kissed her temple. "How bout that? Real Logan agrees with dream Logan. We obviously have the same great choice in girlfriends."
She smiled in return. "I love you, Logan," she told him softly.
He sucked in a breath and caught her eyes with the remaining light of day. "I love you too, Veronica."
She grinned happily as they sat and watched the last light of day disappear over the horizon.
"Wanna have sex on the beach now?"
Her laughter carried off down the beach and for the millionth time was thankful that no one was around to hear them.
FIN
Feedback fuels the mind...
A/N: Following 2x22. AU. I never bought the 'no signal' bit as a reason Veronica couldn't get in touch with her dad. I've been in craploads of airports and I've never had a problem with reception. Hell, you even get reception on the plane. Plus, I hated season 3. So in my pretty little world, none of it happened. I'd say this is a heavy PG-13 for some situations.
Again, this is dedicated to my sis, Tanya. I told you I'd write you something to cheer you up a month ago and I'm happy to say I've continued my streak of being late. Go me! Let's see how I do with your birthday present next month, lol.
Disclaimer: I don't own Veronica Mars. If I did, I'd be, you know, rich and stuff. Last time I looked at my checking account, I was hurting. So even if you did sue you'd get like $50 bucks from me. Plus, come on, I'm a freakin' social worker. I help mentally ill people for a living. Would you really want that kind of publicity? :) That's what I thought. The song lyrics used are from Jimmy Gnecco's beautiful song 'Someone to Die For'. I have no claim to that either. Go figure.
Please read and review. I think I'm starting to get a hang of writing VM, but I could be wrong, ha!
Linda
--------------
Before you landed
I had a will but didn't know what it could do
You were abandoned
And still you're handing out what you don't wanna lose
You make me drop things
Like all the plans I had for a life without you
--------------
Neptune, California
Veronica looked up at him and she bit her bottom lip, her expression one of elation. She couldn't help it. Things were going good right now. Really good. She and her dad were going to New York, she was with Logan again, and she was finished with the hell that was high school. Her smile wavered a bit when she realized it was time to go. "I guess I'll see you in a week, huh?"
Logan locked his arms around her waist and returned her smile. "Yeah," he sighed. "I'm gonna miss having you around here though. Who's gonna keep me out of trouble?"
"I think you can manage on your own." Her eyebrow quirked up. "Just don't do anything crazy."
"I'm not promising anything."
The other eyebrow went up.
"Ok, I promise I'll try not to do anything crazy."
"I guess that'll do," she grinned.
He leaned down and kissed her softly. "Call me when you land."
"I will," she murmured against his lips.
He held her gaze for a moment and she could see that he wanted to say something else.
"What is it?" she asked him quietly.
"Nothing," he answered after a moment. "Be safe."
She stood on her tiptoes and kissed him again. She was still holding his hand and they finally had to let go as she made her way towards security.
I love you, she thought to herself as she gave him one last look before winding her way through the security check point.
--------------
Logan waited until Veronica was past the metal detectors before he left. She turned back once more and waved to him before disappearing down the corner on her way to the gate. He stuffed his hands in his pockets and stared at the spot where she was once standing. He missed her already.
I love you, he thought to himself.
He was too scared to say it before when he had the chance. He over-thought it, worried that she'd head for the plane and never come back to Neptune if he told her. They had only been back together for a week, but it all still felt so new. And he didn't want to do anything to fuck it up this time. Being with Veronica was like coming home.
He sighed quietly, hating himself for being so attached to her. He turned and made his way back to the entrance of the airport. Without Veronica around he had nothing to do but think about what was going on in his life. No distractions. Just him and his thoughts. His mom had committed suicide. His ex murdered. He was accused of the crime, but it turned out that it was his dad who did it, who also happened to be screwing said ex. And now his dad was dead. Murdered. Not to mention one of his closest friends had somehow constructed a maniacal plan that consisted of purposefully crashing a school bus full of kids and who turned out to be his girlfriend's rapist. And oh yeah, he tried to kill her a week ago and then he did a freefall to his own death. All fun things to mull over.
He turned back one last time. Yeah, he was gonna miss Veronica.
--------------
Veronica couldn't believe it. She had been ditched by her own dad and it had been by voicemail of all things. She sucked in a breath trying to sort her thoughts. She contemplated her choices for a moment and decided to go to New York without him anyway. Just because he couldn't make it didn't mean that she had to miss out on a week of fun.
She picked up her cell again and dialed Logan. She waited for him to answer and was surprised when his voicemail picked up. What the hell? Was she destined not to speak to anyone? She hated technology sometimes. All she wanted was to talk to a real live person.
"This is Logan with today's inspirational message. 'Remember: Success is nothing but luck. Just ask any failure - Anonymous'. Leave a message."
"Hey, it's me . . . I just heard from my dad. He's on this case and he can't come to New York after all. I just wanted to let you know that I'm going anyway . . . you know, do some shopping . . . catch a show . . . Anyways, I'll see you in a week like we planned . . . Logan, I . . . ," she sucked in a breath. "I'll miss you."
She ended the call and stared at her phone for a moment. She had almost told him she loved him, but the words got stuck in her throat. She chickened out. Again.
She handed the airline attendant her boarding pass telling herself time away from Neptune was exactly what she needed.
"Have a nice flight," the man offered in a bored tone.
"Thank you."
Hey, at least he was a real person she told herself.
--------------
Manhattan, New York
She had taken a cab to the Hotel Pennsylvania where she and her dad were booked and checked into the double occupancy room. She sat on one of the beds staring at the walls as she contemplated her next move. Sightseeing? Shopping? What to do? She paced the room for a bit and finally opened the curtains. The back end of a brick wall greeted her in kind.
"So much for a room with a view," she muttered to herself and closed the curtains once again.
She was tired from the flight, but the time difference hadn't kicked in yet. She glanced at her watch and sighed. It was still early and she hated the thought of holing up in her room this early. She grabbed her bag and keycard and headed for the door. She'd figure out what to do once she hit the street. This week was going to be all about spontaneity she decided.
--------------
The city so nice they named it twice.
So far Veronica wasn't impressed. It was kinda dirty and crowded and in some places smelly. But it was New freakin' York. How could she not be impressed?
Veronica had spent the remaining light of day, which wasn't much, walking down Times Square, trying to decide what she wanted to do. She was watching a mob of kids her age when a short brunette elbowed past here.
"Watch it," she told Veronica. "Damn tourists," she muttered loudly as she passed by.
Veronica's eyebrows rose as she zoomed past her. She'd never seen people walk so fast before. This definitely wasn't Neptune. She shook her head and made her way back to the hotel deciding to forgo the crowds and take advantage of room service for dinner. The jetlag was starting to kick in anyway.
As she got off the elevator, her cell began to ring. She checked the caller ID and grinned when she saw who it was.
"Hey," she smiled.
"How's my very own Annie Hall?"
She laughed softly as she entered her room. "Yeah, I don't think so. But would that make you my own Woody Allen?"
Logan snorted in return. "I am much hotter."
She grinned in response. "And modest too, I see."
"Well that goes without saying."
"You can be John Travolta from Saturday Night Fever then. I think you'd be able to pull off the white polyester disco look," she teased.
"Kinky, Veronica. What other things would you want to see me in? Or out of for that matter?"
She couldn't help but laugh. "Hmm, I think you'd be able to pull off the Braveheart look - kilt no underwear."
"Only if you wear the same thing."
"Maybe," she sighed dramatically, "but I think the wool would be itchy."
"Hey, all the faster it would come off . . . you miss me yet?" he asked her, putting an end to their banter.
Veronica settled herself on one of the beds and leaned back against the pillows. "Yeah, actually. I'm kinda bored."
He smiled softly at her response. "You're just used to having too much excitement in your life, Veronica. You don't know how to act when you're not in crisis mode."
She snorted in amusement. She supposed he was right.
"What are you planning for tomorrow?" he asked her.
"I don't know," she told him honestly. "I've decided that this whole week is going to be completely spontaneous. I'm not planning a thing. I'm gonna go to bed, wake up whenever I wake up and just go out and do whatever comes to mind."
"Why, Ms. Mars, taking a walk on the wild side, huh?"
Her lips curved into a smile. "Just call me crazy. What about you? What are you doing tomorrow?"
"Um," he paused for a moment. "I don't know. I want to catch some waves, but we'll see. Maybe I'll take a lesson from you and be 'spontaneous'."
"You're mocking me, aren't you?"
"Never."
She laughed softly and Logan couldnt help but grin. "I miss you," she told him softly, seriously.
"Yeah?"
"Yeah."
"Ditto, Annie."
"I'll call you tomorrow?"
"I'll be waiting."
There was a moment of silence, both of them trying to form the words they both wanted to speak.
"Night, Veronica," Logan finally answered.
"Night," she replied softly and ended their call.
So much for spontaneity. She should have just told him then and there, but the fear crept through her veins like ice. What if it just blew up in her face again? She sighed tiredly and fell back against the pillows. What if it was a mistake not telling him? "I love you, Logan," she muttered aloud. Now if she could just find the courage to tell the guy himself. Consider that Strike 1, Veronica.
--------------
Veronica had spent the next day visiting the Museum of Modern Art. She traveled to Broadway afterwards to see if she could catch a show, but when she saw that most of the tickets for the matinee shows were close to $100, she decided to skip that all together. Strike 2 on the spontaneity card. She decided to head back to the hotel after her latest dejection when she ran into another problem.
She was standing on the outside of her hotel room, swiping her keycard to gain entrance to no avail. No matter how many times she swiped, the stupid little light wouldn't turn green. Frustrated beyond reason, she headed back down to the lobby to get a new card.
"Good afternoon, ma'am, how may I be of assistance?" the young desk clerk asked her.
She glanced at his nametag that read 'Logan' and she smiled. Whatever foul mood she was in soon dissipated. She decided to forgo the evil bitch routine and just be nice about the whole situation. The guy was lucky his name was Logan.
"Hi, I'm staying in room 430 and my keycard's not working."
He frowned slightly. "I'm so sorry about that," he told her sincerely. He typed in her account and his frown deepened. "Ms. Mars?"
"Yes," Veronica responded not liking the look on his face one bit. Please, God, do not let this be strike 3. The last thing she needed was a rejected credit card or something.
"I'm sorry, Ms. Mars, but it appears you've been checked out."
Her forehead crinkled in response. "What? That's impossible. Who checked me out?"
"It says here by your fianc."
She blanched at that. "My who?"
"Hi, sugarpuss," came the voice next to her.
Her mouth fell open. "Logan! What the hell--"
"Come on, sweetie," he smiled at her and the clerk. "I have a surprise for you," he told her as he led her through the lobby and towards the exit.
She stopped in the middle of the lobby and Logan smiled back at her. "Logan, what are you doing here?"
"I thought I'd join you in the Big Apple," he continued to grin.
An eyebrow went up. "Fianc?"
"It was that or brother. Fianc was less . . ."
"Creepy?" she offered.
He grinned at her and took her hand again, leading her to the waiting car.
"Where are we going? And why'd you check me out of here? What if--"
He leaned down and kissed her. "Shut up," he laughed. "It's a surprise."
She looked at him skeptically, but then shook her head and laughed. He was beating her in her own game of spontaneity. "Logan, what am I gonna do with you?"
"I have a list, but I left it in Neptune."
She wrapped her arms around his waist and looked up at him. "You're nuts," she laughed. "But I did miss you. No one's around here to keep me on my toes."
"Hmm," he lifted her up so that her feet no longer touched the ground. "You are short so it couldn't have been that hard to find someone."
She hit him on his arm. "Put me back down, jackass."
He laughed and opened the door to the black Nissan.
--------------
Veronica's eyes almost popped out of her eye sockets when she saw where they had ended up. "The Waldorf? Logan, why are we at the Waldorf?"
"It's obviously where we're staying for the next week," he told her in an amused tone.
Her mouth opened in disbelief. "How did you manage to get a room here? Aren't they always booked?"
"Hi, I don't think we've met. I'm Logan Echolls. Son of recently deceased found innocent movie star Aaron Echolls. How could I not get a room? Plus I slipped the guy a hundred."
"Logan you cannot seriously expect me to stay here."
He simply cocked an eyebrow at her.
"We can't do this. I can't do this! What about my dad?"
"Your dad's stuck on a case back home. He called me and told me so himself."
"Oh? And did he also tell you to come here to New York?"
"Hell, no," he grinned. "But you always tell me to seize the moment when I can. Carpe diem, baby."
"I never tell you that," she laughed.
"Well whatever. We're in New York, Veronica. The Big Apple. The city that never sleeps. What happens in New York stays in New York."
"That's Vegas."
He rolled his eyes at her. "That's not the point. The point is we're here together. Alone. Party time, Ronnie."
"Stop calling me that."
"Aren't you the same Veronica I talked to last night that told me this whole week was about being spontaneous?"
"You're mocking me again."
He growled in frustration. How could someone so tiny be so infuriating? "I am not mocking you. I'm trying to get you to realize what a kickass idea this is."
She continued to remain silent, arms crossed, chewing on her bottom lip.
"At least come and check out the room," he finally sighed.
"Ok," she agreed. "But I'm not saying I'm staying here." She tuned around and headed for the hotel as the concierge opened the door for her. She turned back around when Logan didn't immediately follow her. "Coming?"
He rolled his eyes and fell in step behind her. He had to figure out a way to keep her here.
--------------
The 'room' Logan had booked was actually a luxury one bedroom king suite. When Logan finally fessed up to the nightly rate, Veronica freaked out.
"$739 a night? Logan, are you nuts? One night here costs more than the entire week at the Pennsylvania. I can't stay here."
He grabbed her arm as she tried to flee. "Whoa, slow down. What's going on? Why are you making such a big deal about this? The Grand isn't renting me that room for free back in Neptune."
"I know that," she told him, calming down. "It's just that at the Grand I . . ."
"You could leave whenever you wanted," he finished for her.
She grimaced slightly at that truth. "Well yeah," she finally sighed.
"Veronica, I thought it'd be fun if we stayed here together. We can check out the sites, do some shopping." His eyes danced across her face in contemplation. "Are you worried that I'm gonna try to push you into something you're not ready to do?" he asked her quietly.
"What? No, of course not, Logan. It's just . . ."
His eyebrows knitted in concentration as he waited for her response.
She sighed as she watched him. "Ok, maybe I think it's too soon for us to be shacking up together."
He laughed softly as he ran his hands down her hair. "We're not shacking up. We're on a vacation. A much needed one at that. Come on, Ronnie, what do you say?"
She grinned at him, his excitement infectious. "Stop calling me Ronnie, Woody."
"Huh, if you only knew."
She laughed despite herself.
"If you want, I'll sleep on the couch."
"Dont be stupid," she told him with a grin. "It's not like we haven't been in the same bed before."
He leaned down and kissed her. "I knew you'd see things my way. Besides where else were you gonna go? I checked you out of your hotel remember?"
She rolled her eyes at him. "How the hell did you manage to do that anyway?"
"We all have our ways, Veronica," he laughed.
--------------
I'm drunk when sober
The room is spinning
You are what I hold on to
You're taking over
I find that giving in is the best I can do
--------------
Logan and Veronica had spent the rest of the day seeing the sites of New York. After having dinner in Little Italy and catching a show on Broadway, they had made their way back to the Waldorf to turn in for the night. Logan was expecting to catch up on some much needed sleep, but he should have known that nothing ever goes the way he had planned.
Veronica had previously told him a little about the dream she had the morning Beaver had . . . jumped. He had been surprisingly happy that she had dreamt them being together. Veronica had wondered what it meant. If that was the life she would have had if things were 'normal'. He had tried to tell her that she was anything but normal and that she should relish that. Normal was boring and ordinary. And the last thing Veronica Mars was - was ordinary. She had only nodded, not really convinced on his take on things.
What Veronica had failed to mention was that she had nightmares every night since that night on the roof. It was never the same dream, but it was the same general principal. She was on the roof with Beaver. He would shoot her or he would shoot Logan or both of them. Or he'd jump and take her with him. She hated it. She had tried to keep it from Logan, but somehow he knew. Somehow he always knew when something was wrong.
So when she bolted up in bed in the middle of the night, he wasn't surprised. He simply ran a hand down her hair and gently tugged her back to bed, pulling her close into his arms.
"You ok?" he finally asked her when her heartbeat steadied to a normal rate.
"Yeah, just another dream," she murmured tightly.
"About Beaver?"
She sucked in a breath, surprised but not surprised at his question. "Yeah," she sighed.
"You wanna talk about it?"
She shook her head and readjusted herself in his arms. "It was just a dream," she muttered.
"It might help if you talked about it," he told her, kissing the top of her head. He didn't push her and simply ran his hand up and down her arm softly.
"He shot you," she finally murmured after a long moment. "You were fighting over the gun and he shot you . . . You died. Because of me."
His hand stilled and he shifted so that he could look at her. "I'm ok," he told her softly. "So are you. He can't hurt you anymore. He can't hurt anyone."
She nodded, consciously knowing he was right. But it didn't stop the oh so real images of her dream.
He tucked her head against the crook of his neck and Veronica tightened her hold on him. She would never admit it, but she was so freaking happy he convinced her to stay with him. She didn't want to think how she would have reacted to waking from that nightmare in a strange bed with no one around. She placed a soft kiss on Logan's shoulder and took a deep breath, his scent surrounding her.
She felt safe.
Logan ran his fingers lightly up and down her back and she quickly fell back asleep. He kissed the top of her head and soon followed her into a deep sleep.
--------------
The light stirring in his arms caused him to shift, but the extra weight anchoring his arm to the bed didn't let him get very far. He could already feel the tingling sensation alerting that his arm had fallen asleep. He wriggled his fingers, trying to get the blood flow moving again, but to no avail. He decided to let it go and enjoy the feel of Veronica in his arms instead. He sighed happily, the pull of sleep taking him back under. It wasn't until he felt her hands stroking his arm that caused him to wake again.
"Morning," she sighed, placing a kiss on his chest.
"Mmm," he merely mumbled still not willing to let the moment of contentment go.
"Any idea what you want to do today?" she asked placing a kiss along his jaw.
He was a little more awake now. "Mmm," he murmured again sleepily. "I wanna catch some waves."
She laughed lightly and the sound made his entire body ripple with desire.
"I don't know how to break it to you, Toto, but I've got a feeling we're not in Neptune anymore."
He grinned at her, letting his eyelids finally flutter open. "I know that, Dorothy."
"You keep calling me these strange girls' names: Ronnie, Annie, Dorothy. What are you gonna call me in a fit of passion?"
He smiled softly and ran a hand down her hair, cupping the base of her neck. "I'll call you whatever you want me to call you, Veronica."
She blinked at his turn in seriousness and cleared her throat. "Where do you expect to surf in New York?"
"I don't," he smiled.
"You want to go home?"
"Hmm, something like that," he told her.
She slipped away from his arms and settled on her left side to look at him. "Logan?"
"Let's go to Hawaii," he told her, propping himself up on his elbow.
"Wait, what?"
"Hawaii. Let's go. Now. Let's ditch New York and head for Honolulu," he clarified for her. "I can teach you to surf and what better place than Hawaii?"
"Logan, we just can't --"
"Since when do you say 'can't' so much?" he asked her seriously. "Come on we're only young once. You'll be at Hearst in the Fall and you won't have time for this again for four more years."
"My dad . . ."
"Your dad is on a case. But we can call him and let him know--"
"I just can't affor--"
"It was my idea, I'm paying. Come on, Veronica. It's a once in a lifetime opportunity. Just think: hot beach, cool drinks, awesome waves . . . it'll be perfect. Just what we need."
She looked up at him. His brown eyes watching her in anticipation. Maybe he was right. Maybe she'd be able to put the year behind her. And she was eighteen. What was her dad gonna do? Ground her? Kill her maybe, but that was beside the point. It's all about being spontaneous, Veronica, she told herself. When will you get the chance to go to Hawaii with your hot boyfriend? She refused to make this strike 3.
"You're not teaching me to surf," she finally grinned.
The smile on his face caused her stomach to turn inside out in anticipation. "Wanna bet?"
--------------
The Kahala Mandarin Hotel - Honolulu, Hawaii
Veronica watched him as he came up from the water and bit her bottom lip. Wet Logan was definitely beginning to be one of the highlights of this trip. He had unzipped and pulled off the top half of his wetsuit and his bare chest glistened from the water. She grinned as he made his way toward her, surfboard in hand.
"Ready for your lesson?" he asked her with a crooked grin, digging his board in the sand next to him.
She laughed lightly as he crouched on his haunches beside her. "You're getting me wet," she told him as cold droplets of water fell on top of her.
Her words caused his eyebrow to arch and she immediately scolded herself for her obvious blunder on her play of words.
"So we're goin' back to the room instead?" he asked her with a mischievous grin.
She rolled her eyes at him and tried to bite back her smile. "You're a pig," she snorted.
She playfully pushed him away and Logan lost his balance. She reached out a hand to him to stop his fall which he took and brought her along with him. He tugged her forward and she ungracefully landed sprawled out on top of him. She glared at him and he simply smiled gleefully at her as he crossed his arms behind his head.
"Nice, Logan," she told him, glaring up at him. "Now I have wet sand plastered all over."
"It's a good look for you," he grinned happily.
She scooted up so that she was eyelevel with him and he groaned at her shimming movement.
"What's the matter, Logan?" she breathed into his ear, wiggling her hips just a little more.
His eyes rolled upwards and his arms quickly came around to encircle her waist. "You're such a tease," he finally whispered with a grin on his face.
An eyebrow went up at that. "Really? You weren't complaining last night."
His smile widened as memories of the night before flashed through his mind. Hell, he was surprised he had the energy to wake up and go surfing in the morning.
"Mmm," he finally responded and brought his head forward to kiss her. "You're right," he murmured against her lips, "but maybe that was a one time fluke."
She snorted and kissed the underside of his jaw. "You're such a smooth talker, Logan. How could any girl resist you?"
"It is a lifelong dilemma I must suffer," he sighed. His hands made their way to her ass where he squeezed her to him even more.
"Mmm, I bet," she murmured, kissing him deeply.
"Hey, you two, get a room!"
Veronica pulled away and watched as a burly man walked away with a small child at his side. She started to blush when she realized where they were and how they looked. Logan simply laughed. She rolled her eyes at him and began to untangle herself from him.
"Aww," he muttered at the loss of contact and sat up when Veronica was out of his hold. She started to gather her things and Logan frowned. "I thought I was gonna give you your surfing lesson?" he pouted.
She turned her head to look at him and Logan's eyebrows rose at the expression on her face. "You heard the man, let's get a room."
Logan growled softly and got to his feet just as Veronica finished packing. He grabbed her by the waist and tucked her to his left side and his board on the right. "Ready when you are, bobcat."
She laughed at his new nickname for her. "Let's go surfer boy. Maybe we can practice a different kinda surfing."
His laugh made her grin and they walked faster back to the hotel.
--------------
Veronica watched as the sun began to set over the ocean. She sighed happily and soaked in the environment. The hotel's beach was practically empty as most of the other guests headed over to the complimentary luau. It was their fourth night there and a part of her never wanted to go home again. She was happy and sated. And she hadn't had a single nightmare since they had gotten there. She was convinced that it was Logan who was keeping the nightmares away.
Their first night there, they had slept as they did in New York. In each others arms without any worries. By the second night, whatever fears Veronica had had disappeared. She had initiated the whole encounter and Logan had stopped her every now and then to check if she was sure.
She sighed happily as she remembered their time together. It couldn't have been better. She rolled her eyes at how girly she was being, but she couldn't help herself. With Duncan it had been sweet and nice. But with Logan . . . with Logan it had been hot and passionate and wild and . . . she stopped her thoughts when she felt the tips of her ears burning. She snorted to herself remembering something Logan had once told her about Duncan when he was being a bastard. 'If the cuddling is the best part, he didn't do it right'. Oh, God, if Logan only knew how right he was.
She settled her head on her pulled up knees and smiled when she felt him come up behind her.
"I thought I'd find you here," he told her and sat down behind her.
"What makes you say that?"
"Beautiful view, beautiful girl, they go hand in hand."
"You're such a sweet talker, Logan Echolls," she sighed dramatically.
"I try," he grinned.
"You were right, Logan," she murmured as she leaned back against him enjoying the sunset.
"I'm sorry, could you repeat that?" he asked her teasingly.
"I said," she grinned as she looked up at him. "You were right. Coming here was the best thing I could have done."
"No more nightmares?" he murmured against her hair.
"No," she sighed. "I can thank you for that too."
He tilted his head to try to catch her eyes. "What're you talking about?"
"I haven't had any nightmares since we got here and I think it's because of you."
"Maybe it's the island. Or did you somehow find a lucky tiki idol like on the Brady Bunch?"
"The tiki idol was cursed remember?"
"Hence why I said 'lucky', duh."
She laughed softly and he kissed the top of her head. "I'm serious, Logan. You chased the nightmares away."
"Well, even if I think it was you and not me, I'm glad that they're gone." He paused for a moment. "I wish you would have told me about them before."
She sighed softly and he brought his arm around to wrap around her shoulders. "I know . . . I was hoping that they would go away and you never would have known about them."
"Why?"
She shrugged again. "It's stupid. I shouldn't be having nightmares about something that can never happen. Cassidy's gone. I shouldn't let it get to me."
"You're human, Veronica. You talk about wanting a normal life, nightmares come with that territory."
She frowned at that thought. "Is almost being killed by your rapist because you figured out his nefarious plan to cover up the fact he was molested by the creepy mayor when he was a kid, part of that normal life too?"
"In Neptune? Yep."
"I'm serious, Logan."
"So am I," he told her tightening his hold on her. "You remember that dream you told me about? The perfect little world if Lilly hadn't died?"
"I never said it was perfect," she muttered.
"Tell me what was so great about it? Other than me of course."
She rolled her eyes. She had been trying to figure out that dream for days now. "I don't know," she finally answered. "Maybe it was a glimpse of what my life coulda been."
"Tell the truth, Veronica. Would you trade what you had in that dream for what you have now?"
She crinkled her brow in thought. She'd have Lilly, but no Wallace. She'd have her mom as opposed to none. She'd have Logan either way . . . she'd be more nave. She'd be one of those 09er kids she'd come to hate . . .
"How many people's lives have you changed and helped, Veronica? Think about all those people. If you weren't who you are, who would have been around to help them? "
She frowned never had looking at it from that point of view. "I don't know," she finally whispered.
"You still wish you had a normal life?"
"It is normal according to you," she snorted.
"True enough."
They continued to watch the sunset. "I had a few nightmares about Beaver too," he finally acknowledged.
Veronica whipped her head around to look at him. "Why didn't you say anything?"
He shrugged slightly. "You had your own to deal with. No sense in adding more stress."
Veronica turned her head back to face the horizon. "What were they about?"
She felt him shrug. "Mostly not getting to you in time. I'd wake up and lay awake thinking how if things hadn't happened they way they did that night, I never would have known you were in trouble."
"What do you mean?"
"You stopped me at the party to check if I had seen Mac and Beaver. If I was drunk I never would have noticed how worried you were. If you didn't have your phone close to you, you wouldn't have been able to forward me that text. And if I hadn't gone home when I did, I probably never would have known you sent it. All a bunch of little things if you think about it, but if just one of them hadn't happened . . ." he trailed off and he felt Veronica shiver. He sucked in a breath and let it out. "Sorry, I shouldn't have said all that."
"No," she interrupted. "I'm glad you did. I'm glad I wasn't the only one who thought the same thing."
"If you have another nightmare tonight, we both know who to thank."
"You'll just have to keep me occupied so I don't think about it," she grinned.
"I'll try my best," he grinned back.
The sun was barely visible along the horizon and Veronica's mind couldn't help but reel. "Logan?"
"Hmm?"
"Why didn't you ever tell me about your dad?"
"You mean what a twisted bastard he was? Never would have known. They always say it's the quiet ones. I guess that theory doesn't work out so much in this situation, huh?"
She ran her hand up and down his arm, contemplating whether she should push him. "I wish you would have told me about . . . what he would do to you," she finally clarified.
She felt him stiffen behind her, but she didnt dare look back at him. Neither spoke for a while, but he finally broke the silence.
"How'd you know?"
She mulled over his question. "It took me a while. Maybe I just didnt want to see what was in front of my face. I heard what Trina said when we found her and I let it go. But when I saw him beat Trina's boyfriend to an inch of his life . . . it kinda just fell together. The long shirts, the winces when one of your friends slapped you on the back. It kinda just hit me." She winced at her own words.
"I'm surprised you never said anything before," he finally told her softly.
She shrugged lightly. "I almost did a few times, but then everything about the party and Lilly came out and . . ." She stopped for a moment, trying to collect her thoughts. "He's gone now so there was no reason for me to bring it up. I guess it's the same way you felt about my dreams. I was hoping you'd bring it up one day."
He took in a deep breath and she finally felt him relax again. "Maybe one day. But not now."
She nodded her head silently, understanding where he was coming from. "Yeah?"
"Yeah," he repeated softly.
A small stint of comfortable silence engulfed them.
"There's one thing I'd keep from my dream," Veronica finally told him.
"What's that?"
She sighed a little. "You loved me. In my dream you told me you loved me."
Logan's brow rose at that. That was something she had left out when she told him about the dream originally. He couldn't help but grin and kissed her temple. "How bout that? Real Logan agrees with dream Logan. We obviously have the same great choice in girlfriends."
She smiled in return. "I love you, Logan," she told him softly.
He sucked in a breath and caught her eyes with the remaining light of day. "I love you too, Veronica."
She grinned happily as they sat and watched the last light of day disappear over the horizon.
"Wanna have sex on the beach now?"
Her laughter carried off down the beach and for the millionth time was thankful that no one was around to hear them.
FIN
Feedback fuels the mind...
