FIC: YLD2 (88-94/151) (NC-17)

[vanessagalore]

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VERONICA MARS
10:00PM SHO ch: 340 60min 2009 TV-MA
Personally Motivated
Mac hacks; Logan and Veronica
compare notes.
Veronica: Kristen Bell. Logan: Jason Dohring.
Mac: Tina Majorino. Alan: Ned Vaughan.
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CHAPTER EIGHTY-EIGHT: "PERSONALLY MOTIVATED"

Sun. 3/15/09 evening: Hotel, San Diego, CA

Mac is hunched over Alan's Blackberry. It's one thing to hack into a Blackberry from a computer, and it's completely another thing to hack into a computer from a Blackberry. Still, she's making progress. Mac has cracked Alan's password through diligent effort and now has access to his emails, but she has still found it impossible to actually get into the FBI databases. She racks her brains, trying to remember all the hacker tips she used to find on her favorite "Blackjacking" websites.

Once again, she sends a BBProxy code as an email attachment to Alan's desktop computer; the code attempts to activate an unsecured channel that Mac remembers noting on the FBI intranet. The database portal has accepted that she is the user 'Alan' and allows her access, but the returning data streams have been interrupted by various firewall protections; one by one, she has tried to evade each in order to gain unfettered access to the databases. She has carefully attempted to disguise her tracks by using the encryption protocols of the Blackberry. Without having spent the past five weeks working with the FBI databases, she would have found this task impossible; as it is, she has tried and failed to gain access perhaps a hundred times.

Mac sighs as the latest attempt fails again. She interlaces her fingers above her head and stretches her shoulders. The miniature keys of the Blackberry are great for texting, but not so comfortable for long stretches of data input. She glances at the muted television; she has been keeping one eye on the screen, hoping that CNN will run a story on the Briar Hill Academy closing. After a puff piece on the latest gasoline-saving technology that promises to do almost nothing to actually end the oil crisis, she notes the closed-captioning: 'Assemblyman Frazzino arrested; denies all charges'.

Mac seizes the remote and turns up the sound.

"Vincenzo Frazzino, speaker of the California Assembly and a rising star in the Republican party, voluntarily surrendered into custody early this morning on felony child abuse, sexual abuse of a minor child, neglect, and aggravated assault and battery charges. His daughter, a minor child, was recently found to be confined at a restrictive therapeutic boarding school, Briar Hill Academy, of Manchester Center, Vermont. Speaker Frazzino has been raising funds and working with the California Republican party leadership for a presumed run at the state senate seat in the fall. He is the author of California's Parental Responsibility Act, which makes parents financially and legally responsible for the crimes committed by their minor children. A spokesman for Frazzino confidently assured the media that all charges would be dismissed when the evidence was examined. Governor Schwarzenegger, in a prepared statement, called for an independent prosecutor to oversee the investigation of the allegations. In a related indictment, Dr. Todd Swinney, of Sacramento, California, was also charged today with failure to comply with mandatory child abuse reporting statutes. Sources close to the investigation state that medical records and documents from the boarding school show a clear pattern of long-standing physical and sexual abuse; speculation in the state capital hints that the Sacramento District Attorney is likely to file conspiracy charges that will implicate several key members of the Speaker's staff."

Damn, Mac thinks. Way to take down the high and mighty, Veronica. She starts suddenly when there is a knock at the door.

"Mac, I'm coming in," Alan says, accompanied by the sound of a keycard unlocking the door.

"Hey, hang on, give me a second," Mac replies frantically, trying to shove the Blackberry under her mattress.

Alan walks in and extends his hand. "My Blackberry please."

Mac attempts to look confused. "Huh?" she says weakly.

"Yeah. I know you took my Blackberry...probably this afternoon when you fell. You really must think I'm stupid," he comments furiously. "And to tell you the truth, I am stupid, to try so hard to keep you safe, when you've been completely cavalier about your own welfare and that of your family. What the hell is so important that you would do something so incredibly foolish?"

Mac flushes a dark red and sits down on the bed. She fishes out the Blackberry and hands it to Alan without a word.

He sits on the other bed and looks at her. "What was so important?" Alan plays with the device, looking at the settings and trying to determine what she's been doing. "You had to know that I would figure out that you took it. And still...you took the chance to do something."

She replies quietly, "I wanted to do one last thing for my friend Veronica before I disappeared out of her life forever. I can't say goodbye, but she'll know, if I can get her this information, that I was thinking about her and trying to help her one last time."

"Help her with what?" he asks.

Mac motions at the television screen. One of the CNN talking heads is interviewing a child psychologist who is talking about the lasting traumatic effects of long-term child abuse. The graphic on the screen changes to a picture of Briar Hill Academy as the psychologist gives an overview of tough love schools.

"Veronica was investigating the last victim of the Saturday Night Slasher, Hannah Griffith. She went to school with us in Neptune." Mac decides to gloss over the connection with Logan. "She was sent away to that school that's been on the news, Briar Hill Academy, and then Hannah ran away. No one knows where she was before she turned up murdered in January. I think Veronica and maybe her dad too were undercover there at Briar Hill. There was a news story that attributed the school's closing to the work of private investigators."

Mac continues, telling Alan about Veronica's copycat theories and what Veronica had told her about Briar Hill before Mac was whisked away to witness protection subsequent to the first bombing attempt.

Alan asks, "This is your friend, Veronica Mars? The college student?"

"She's a criminology major, and she was also an FBI intern the last two summers," Mac says defensively. "And she's been a licensed private investigator for the last two years, and she helped her dad unofficially before that."

"Right, I remember reading something about her in your file. She also was not invited back into the FBI program this year, as I recall."

"Your loss," Mac retorts. "Besides–" Mac thinks better of what she was going to say and stops short.

"What?" Alan demands. "You realize that I'm going to have to make a report about this incident. I'll probably be demoted because of what you did."

Mac swallows. Alan really is an okay guy. "I'm sorry. I don't want you to get into trouble. I'll tell them I knocked you over the head to get your Blackberry," she offers.

Alan snorts. "That's not going to help me. Letting a civilian get the jump on me? C'mon, Mac. What were you going to say?"

"Veronica thought someone in the FBI might have been involved. Whoever killed Hannah Griffith knew a lot of the details of the other murders."

"Someone in the FBI? Doubtful." Alan considers this information, then asks curiously, "How did Veronica get onto the idea that this was a copycat murder? There's been no suggestion of that in the media."

Mac explains Veronica's theory about the full moon occurring on the dates of the real murders. "She just stumbled onto the connection. It can't be a coincidence. The correlation is too perfect."

Alan frowns. "Veronica is certain about this?" When Mac's dossier was being compiled, Alan read an FBI evaluation of Veronica Mars. Now he tries to remember exactly what the evaluation had said about her. He recalls that it lauded her investigative skills and her intuitive grasp on data and information, but reflected that her psychological profile revealed an alarming propensity for reckless and impulsive behavior that needed to be addressed if she was to continue in the program. All her instructors in the internship program seemed to be impressed with her skills and gave her high marks. Despite her personality flaws, she was preliminarily approved for a third internship until she was charged in the fatal shooting of Harmony Chase. An internal FBI investigation revealed that she had improperly gained access to FBI files through her boyfriend, and it was determined that she was possibly psychologically unfit for law enforcement and the rigorous chain of command demanded by the FBI.

"I remember something about Veronica improperly using FBI files last fall," he says. "Seems like she's been a bad influence on you, because that's pretty much what you're doing right now."

"After I helped you arrest fifteen Russian mobsters and put their identity theft scheme out of commission," she replies defensively. "And my reward is that I lose my life. Well, my life as I knew it."

Alan stares at her.

"What?" she asks.

He sighs. "You are not supposed to know this because of the security risk. And I was worried about getting your hopes up."

"What? Tell me," Mac says intensely.

"Based on the debriefings conducted with some of the persons we arrested last week, it seems as though the bomb attack on your house was personally motivated, rather than mob ordered," Alan explains.

Mac is totally confused. Personally motivated?

"The bombing was not retaliation for the work you did identifying the originating server. Someone is using that as an excuse to go after you personally."

"I don't understand, why would somebody come after me? The only things I've ever done are some minor hacking. Well, there is that website that Veronica and I created, YourCheatingHeart.com. Do you think I pissed somebody off by outing them as a cheater?"

"We investigated that pretty thoroughly. You remember that we got your client list before we shut the site down?"

Mac nods.

"All very small fish: no one with a reason to hate you that would be big enough to take out your whole family. We investigated your whole family as well, and after what you told me the other day, we looked at the Sinclairs too. We came up empty-handed. And the only other thing we found in your background was your trips to Las Vegas."

"You know about Vegas?" Mac says, horrified.

"Yes. Again, very small time." At her insulted expression, he adds quickly, "I'm sure you're quite good at card counting, but I don't think the casinos put a hit on you."

Slightly mollified, she asks, "So what then? Why would someone come after me?"

"At this point, we've run out of leads. It's possible that someone unknown to us in the Russian mafia is pursuing a revenge scenario, although we're not sure how they would have determined that you were personally responsible for the arrests last week." Alan looks at her somberly. "I'm hoping for your sake that this person takes a big chance to try to get at you at this funeral, and we'll be able to arrest them. And then, maybe you and your family won't have to be in witness protection." At her expression, he rushes to qualify again, "Maybe. Don't count on it."

Mac completely forgets to breathe at the thought that she might not have to give up her life after all.

~ • ~

Sun. 3/15/09 very late: Southwestern Vermont Medical Center, VT

Logan is woken from his dozing sleep. He looks over to Veronica's bed and sees her struggling to sit up. He sits up and asks, "Hey. Are you okay?"

After a moment, she explains, "I'm just...trying to go to the bathroom. It's all the fluids they've been making me drink."

"Do you want me to get a nurse?" Do you want me to help? he wants to ask, but there's no way he'll say it. All he can think about is the bucket.

"No," she replies quietly, but firmly. "I can do it."

He looks at her, not knowing what to say. Finally he says, "Let me know if you need help." He swings his legs over the edge of the cot and sits up with his back to her, trying to give her as much privacy as possible. He listens to the quiet rustling sounds of her movements through the room, the subtle snick of the bathroom door being closed, and the rush of water as she finishes. Logan stays completely still with his back toward the bathroom; he tries to think about anything, anything except the way she looked when she was humiliated by Dave. And me. I helped. He closes his eyes, letting his own shame wash over him.

Suddenly he feels her weight on the mattress beside him. Logan opens his eyes and looks at her. "How's your shoulder?" he asks, trying to control a slight quiver in his voice.

"It hurts a little," she admits. "Dad went to the hotel?"

"Yes. He can be here in five minutes if you need him," he replies.

"No, that's all right."

"Is it...is it okay that I'm here?" he finally says. He looks at her face searchingly. "If you want me to go...."

She takes his hand and whispers, "No. I want you to stay. I like the sound of your breathing." I don't want to be afraid of you. I know...I KNOW that I love you. It's crazy to be afraid of you. I know that I love you. "I like knowing you're here in the room with me."

Logan says, "Come on, you should go back to bed. You need to sleep." He tries to pull her up from the bed, but she resists, and he sits back beside her.

"I've been awake for awhile, just thinking. I've been trying to understand what happened while we were undercover. Dad said you had to be tougher on me because the other guys were hassling you, and you were afraid you were going to get fired. And then you might not have been around when I really needed you. And he said...he said it was so hard on you to be tough with me, and you were very upset."

He doesn't know how to respond and looks at the floor.

"I thought you were upset with me. Maybe you were, because I wouldn't quit. But mostly I thought you were mad because I was acting out, making them be harsh with me. And I couldn't understand it, because you knew that I had to get proof of all the awful things that go on there."

He says quietly, "It killed me to watch you being hurt and attacked. And it was hard because I didn't always know everything that was going on. Then when I had to restrain you, I...Veronica, I can't even tell you what that felt like. I knew why we were there, but I'm not like you. I'm not good at this–I can't just shut it off the way you do. I don't know how you could go on after they hurt your shoulder. It must have hurt like hell, Veronica. I–I wanted to quit so many times, but I couldn't leave you there. There's no way I would have quit with you still there."

Stricken with remorse, she says, "I didn't know...I didn't think how...."

"Veronica, you were so brave. What they were doing to you...." He falters and stops.

She protests, "I don't feel brave at all. I still don't really remember the last day. I just remember wishing it would end; I was so scared when you didn't come. I know now why you didn't come, but at the time...." Her voice trails off. "I keep thinking, there's something I need to remember, but then I just feel exhausted and–" She exhales loudly. "I don't want to feel like this anymore. I don't want to be confused and frightened."

Maybe it's a good thing you don't remember that last day. "Veronica, I don't know how to help you. And I'm scared that I'll do the wrong thing, say the wrong thing," he admits helplessly. "We've already made so many mistakes."

"I know. I'm scared too," she replies. She grips his hand a little tighter and adds, "You were crying before...I heard you."

He scoffs a little and looks away.

Veronica tugs gently at his hand, and he turns back to her. Try to make him understand. "I'm so sorry I didn't quit when you asked me to, after the hike, when you drove us back in the jeep. I was just so angry at Klein. I wanted the whole world to see what a bastard he was, and that's all I could think about."

"I know. Everyone will see now. It's okay, Veronica," he reassures her.

Her voice trembling, she persists. "It's not okay. That's what you were there for...to watch over me and make sure I wasn't being affected, and I should have listened to you. I wanted you on this because I trusted you, and then when it was time for me to trust you, I didn't. I want you to stop blaming yourself, Logan. You're always so ready to take it all on, and you shouldn't. I see now how hard it was for you to hurt me; I never even thought about what that would be like for you. Especially...." she can't finish her thought, Especially after what your dad did to you. "I'm so sorry I made you be there."

He knows what she is saying, but he refuses to let her go there. "I just want you to be okay. I just want us to be okay." Logan's voice breaks as he adds, almost inaudibly, "And I'm really scared that we're not going to be able to figure it out."

"I'm going to be okay," she says quietly. I want to be okay again. "And we are going to be able to figure this out. Logan...we are going to figure this out."

They sit in silence for several minutes. Finally, he stands up. "Come on, you've got to get back to bed now. Dr. Arthurs will have my head if she hears you were up in the middle of the night."

Veronica lets him lead her back to bed. He helps her up and gets the covers settled around her.

She senses his hesitancy. She says, "Kiss me goodnight," and he bends and kisses her forehead. Veronica frowns and grabs the back of his head. She pulls him to her, and he kisses her mouth gently. She whispers, "I need you, you know."

"I need you too," he replies. "I love you, Veronica."

She smiles and closes her eyes. That's what I wanted to hear. "I love you too."

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VERONICA MARS
10:00PM SHO ch: 340 60min 2009 TV-MA
Arresting Developments
Complications from Klein's arrest;
Leo questions Greenblatt; Veronica
does some investigating.
Veronica: Kristen Bell. Logan: Jason Dohring.
Leo: Max Greenfield. Keith: Enrico Colantoni.
Wallace: Percy Daggs III. Agent Lynley:
James Badge Dale. Harvey Greenblatt:
Paul Ganus. Sacks: Brandon Hillock. Nurse:
Ellen Crawford.
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CHAPTER EIGHTY-NINE: "ARRESTING DEVELOPMENTS"

Mon. 3/16/09 morning: Southwestern Vermont Medical Center, VT

When Veronica wakes up, Keith and Logan are discussing something in a whisper. She observes Keith glancing in her direction, and she tries to hear what they are saying to no avail. Logan notices that she's awake and walks over. "How are you feeling this morning?"

She stretches as much as she is able with the sling trapping her right arm to her chest. "I think I might have rejoined the living." She gives him a quizzical look and adds, "What's going on?"

"Just figuring out when we should try to go back to Neptune," Logan replies.

"As soon as possible," she comments quickly. "I'd really like to go home."

Keith says, "Well, you know, you've been through a lot. It's a long plane ride. We're thinking maybe Wednesday morning."

Veronica notices that Keith is carefully avoiding looking at Logan. Something's up...something they don't want me to know. "Hey, have you heard from Wallace?" she asks. "Give me your phone, I want to let him know I'm okay."

"I talked to him a little while ago," Keith replies. "He's taking care of a few things for me in the office, and he was happy to hear you were doing better."

Okay, now I'm getting pissed. I'm not allowed to call Wallace? Veronica had noted the lack of a phone in her room previously and had assumed it was to prevent reporters from calling. She changes the topic and thinks that her dad looks relieved. "So, Logan, can we try breakfast again? Maybe...a breakfast sandwich this time? You know, for the klutz." She waves her left hand in the air.

"Of course," Logan answers. From his expression, Veronica decides that she is absolutely certain that something is up. He turns to leave the room but is intercepted by Agent Lynley and a uniformed police officer.

"Mr. Echolls," Lynley says in greeting. "Keith, Veronica."

Veronica tenses in anticipation. 'Mr. Echolls?' More questions? What's going on?

Keith nods at the officer and asks, "What's going on, Lynley?"

Lynley sighs. "Klein's attorneys have insisted on pressing charges against Mr. Echolls for assault and battery. Unfortunately, the video feed clearly shows him striking Klein, and Mr. Echolls does have a misdemeanor conviction on his record for vandalism. They've tried to make the case that it should be charged as a felony since the assault was committed on school grounds against a teacher, but the district attorney has refused and is charging it as a simple misdemeanor. If you'll come with us, Mr. Echolls, and surrender yourself into custody, that would be for the best. I'm sure that you can post bond and be released immediately."

Vandalism...that misdemeanor conviction is my fault, she thinks.

Logan tries to make a joke. "I knew there was a reason I keep my attorney on retainer."

"Don't joke," she retorts. "Damn it, Logan." She closes her eyes; she has a vague memory of Logan hovering over her, then standing up and striking Klein, screaming, 'You fucker!' She tries and fails to remember more clearly exactly what happened. Veronica hears Klein talking, seemingly unendingly, and she feels his hands holding hers, forcing her to listen, forcing her to tell him everything. 'Tell me what happened....Come on, Connie, you're never going to get better if you don't admit it....Tell me who else is undercover with you.' She shakes her head in distress, thinking, No, that's not right! Why can't I remember?

"The district attorney has indicated that he's not inclined to pursue this vigorously and will be looking to make a plea arrangement," Lynley explains.

"I'll follow you to Manchester Center and arrange for a bail bondsman," Keith says quickly. "And we'll get Epstein over there right away to represent you for now." He sees Veronica's agitation and tries to reassure her. "Veronica, don't worry; it'll be all right. This will be no big deal. Klein's just trying to make trouble with some desperate legal maneuvers. I'm not surprised he's doing this."

With difficulty, Veronica focuses on her dad's words and pushes away the images of Klein staring into her eyes. She nods at her dad. Just...don't think about it, for now. She forces the terrifying thoughts back into a corner of her brain, locking them away until she feels a little more courageous. Veronica tries to breathe normally and pretends to smile encouragingly at Logan.

The police officer takes out a pair of handcuffs, but Lynley waves him off. "I don't believe that's necessary, officer. I'll take the responsibility."

"Thanks for that small favor," Logan comments wryly. He looks questioningly at Lynley, "Can I...?" When Lynley doesn't stop him, he walks over to the bed and kisses her goodbye. He whispers in her ear, "It's not a big deal, Veronica. I'd do it again in a heartbeat. Besides, I've been a good boy for too long now. You know you have a thing for bad boys."

"I'm sorry," she breathes anxiously. "It's all my fault."

"Don't you dare," Logan says firmly. "My choice, to–" Mindful of the police officer, he stops just before saying 'to punch out the fucker.' Carefully, he amends, "To do what was right."

"Don't try to impress them with your wit, all right? You know, you have the right to remain silent." She looks at him sternly: I'm not kidding.

He nods. "Yes, Veronica."

Keith says, "Honey, we'll get this squared away, and we'll be back as soon as possible. Try not to worry."

Why would I worry? You're hiding something from me, my boyfriend just got arrested, and I still can't remember.... She plasters a smile on her face to reassure him and says merely, "Hurry back."

~ • ~

Mon. 3/16/09 morning: Greenblatt Talent Agency, Los Angeles, CA

"Mr. Greenblatt, I'm Sheriff Leo D'Amato from Neptune, California." Leo extends his hand in greeting to a dark-haired man wearing an Armani suit and sporting a Bluetooth headset in his ear.

"Call me Harvey," Greenblatt responds. He puts a finger in the air and says, "No, that's not acceptable....Thirteen five is as low as Harrison will go."

Leo realizes that Greenblatt has taken a call, and he fidgets waiting for the conversation to conclude.

"I'm sorry, I'm in the middle of a tense negotiation right now. How can I help you, Sheriff?" Greenblatt smiles, showcasing his perfect Hollywood teeth.

"I'm wondering what service you performed for Logan Echolls back in January for twenty thousand dollars and if you by any chance know his current whereabouts. There's some evidence linking him to a crime in Neptune last week," Leo says abruptly.

Greenblatt leans back and tents his fingers. "I consider Logan an old family friend. I represented his father from the very beginning of his career."

Leo stares back and raises an eyebrow questioningly.

Greenblatt stabs at the intercom on his desk. "Sylvia, hold my calls." He fusses with his tie for a moment, then directs his attention to Leo. "Logan came to me looking for help with the paparazzi. His old girlfriend had been murdered, and the paps were hounding him day and night. He begged me to help him. I told him it would die down soon, but he was insistent. He was worried that something might even happen to his present girlfriend. You remember that there was an incident last fall, when the paparazzi pursued him and his friend, and Logan was injured in a car wreck caused by a photographer?"

Leo nods that he's familiar with the story.

"So he wanted to hire someone to provide a little misdirection."

"An impostor, correct? Based on the Homeland Security databases, Echolls never left the country, despite the videos that were splashed all over the news."

"Yes. I'm representing the screenwriter who wrote the Aaron Echolls biopic, 'For the Love of Lilly,' that begins filming this summer, and I've recently signed a young actor who will be portraying Logan in the film. When I spoke to Logan around Christmastime, I told him that this kid has an uncanny resemblance to him, and Logan asked me to hire him to...well, to act out for the paps, somewhere far away from here. I suggested Madeira, knowing I could get my client Johnny Depp to play along and invite the kid to his party. I knew the paps would be there, and this actor, Jason Dohring, would show up in the press."

Leo replies, "So the idea was that Logan was going to hide somewhere else?"

"I don't know where he went. After I helped set it up, he said, 'thank you,' and I haven't heard from him since. I think he didn't want me to know. His girlfriend's a private detective. She's the one who–"

"Yes, I'm familiar with his girlfriend," Leo interrupts. "You do realize that what you did could possibly be construed as giving him an alibi?"

"An alibi?" Greenblatt says nervously.

"Yes. I think that would be aiding and abetting if Mr. Echolls is found guilty of a crime."

"There was no attempt to fool anyone other than the paparazzi. Jason flew under his own name, and he did not use Logan's identification. He used a cane and had his hair cut similarly to Logan's usual style, and the paparazzi assumed it was Logan using a false name. Jason was playing a role. To him, it was a job, and we told him it was going to be a publicity stunt for the movie. He was happy to get a paycheck for basically taking a vacation and hanging out with movie stars. Logan authorized him to use one of his credit cards that has a ten thousand dollar limit. Jason always used his own name on hotel registers or when signing the credit card charges; the paps just assumed that Logan was using a false name. I can provide a copy of Jason's contract to you. There was no attempt to do anything illegal," Greenblatt protests.

"It seems like a lot of trouble to go to just to escape the paparazzi."

"Yeah, well, the paparazzi have gotten incredibly intense lately. I tell all my young starlets to wear two pairs of underwear when they go out now." Greenblatt sighs. "I'm glad I'm not a publicist. Sheriff, I have to say I think you're underestimating how traumatic the paparazzi can be. The last time I saw him, Logan was beside himself over the death of his ex-girlfriend. What is this crime that Logan is accused of, anyways?"

"Another one of his former lovers was killed," Leo replies succinctly. "A Ms. Kendall Casablancas, although she was known by a few other names as well."

Greenblatt is shocked into silence. After a moment, he recovers and states, "I don't believe it."

"Yeah, that makes three of his ex-girlfriends now. It's pretty dangerous to fall in love with Logan Echolls, wouldn't you say?"

Greenblatt repeats, "I don't believe it. He's really turned his life around. I helped get him into UCLA film school, and he's done very well there. You know he made that donation to open the center for battered wives and children."

"'The Bridge'. Right, I remember."

"Have you considered that this could be one of Aaron's crazy fans?" Greenblatt suggests. "You know that over the years Aaron was stalked numerous times. Maybe one of them has transferred her attentions to Logan."

Leo nods thoughtfully. "Yes, I remember the stabbing incident at their Christmas party. That could be worth looking into."

Greenblatt helpfully adds, "I believe Veronica's father investigated that for the Echolls. He might have some more information on any stalkers who were a serious threat to Aaron. Sheriff, if you have any more questions, I'd be happy to answer them."

Leo places a business card on Greenblatt's desk. "I'd appreciate it if you gave me a call right away if you hear from Logan. I'd really like to clear this up quickly."

After leaving the building, Leo puts in a call to the department. Sacks informs him that he received a fax replying to Leo's inquiry to Homeland Security. "Logan Echolls traveled to Boston on March 4 on a ticket purchased by Mars Investigations. And that's not all; that flag you put on Echolls' name turned up an arrest warrant issued for him this morning in Vermont...a misdemeanor assault and battery charge."

"That sounds like Echolls," Leo comments.

"No, you're not going to believe it, Sheriff. The charges against Echolls were filed by Peter Klein, the headmaster of that school that's been on the news: the one where Frazzino's daughter was. The news has been saying that private investigators were involved in exposing what was going on there; I bet it was Keith and Veronica. You know that school is where Hannah Griffith was sent."

Leo is silent, processing this new information. "Call up the department that issued the warrant and get some more of the details."

"You got it, Sheriff," Sacks replies.

"What about that fingerprint? What did the techs say?" Leo asks.

Sacks is silent for a few seconds. "They um...they said it could be a match for Veronica Mars. But Sheriff, I really don't–"

"Interesting. We'll have to see what Veronica has to say about that. And Sacks? I'd also like you to pull the files on Aaron Echolls' stabbing at that Christmas party...I think it was four years ago. It was right when I first joined the department. I don't remember the details."

"You know who worked on that investigation? Keith Mars," Sacks offers helpfully.

"Right. It looks there's a few things I'll need to speak to Keith about as well."

~ • ~

Mon. 3/16/09 morning: Southwestern Vermont Medical Center, VT

After her dad and Logan leave with Lynley and the police officer, Veronica desperately tries to be brave and think positively. But when the nurse walks in, she takes one look at Veronica's face and says, "Are you hurting more, honey?"

Veronica begins to cry profusely. Damn it. Damn it! I hate feeling like this. I hate it I hate it.

The nurse asks anxiously, "Do you want me to get the doctor, Veronica?" She bustles around, checking Veronica's temperature and taking her pulse.

"No, no. Please, I'm just...it's been such a long week," she finishes lamely. Got to keep it together, Veronica, or they'll never let you go home. She wipes her eyes and resolves to stop crying right. this. moment. Goddammit! Veronica smiles a little and says, "You know we were doing an investigation, and there's a lot of legal stuff going on. And I'm stuck here, and I don't know what's going on."

"I know there's orders for you not to receive any phone calls or visitors, and all access to this area has been secured. You must be an important young woman," the nurse replies. "Are you sure you don't want me to get the doctor?" She looks at Veronica's chart. "You could have more pain meds if you'd like. And they would help you get some more rest."

I'm SICK of resting. I don't like feeling spacey from the pain meds. I want to get back to my life. "No thanks. Really, my shoulder doesn't hurt that much."

"Okay. If you change your mind, you know how to ring the nurses' station." The nurse makes another note on Veronica's chart and leaves the room.

Veronica tries some of the breathing exercises that she used at the school, and she forces herself to resume control. This is not going to beat me. She pictures herself gritting her teeth in determination, rolling up her sleeves, and getting to work on making herself strong again, and she laughs a little at the mental image. I really want to know what's going on. Why won't they let me call Wallace? Suddenly, she is overwhelmed by panic. Did something happen to Wallace? Is that why they don't want me to call him?

She throws off the blanket and cautiously gets off the bed, favoring her injured shoulder. Veronica walks toward the door, cursing the hospital gown that flaps open in the back. She tries to keep it secured with her left hand but has to give up when she gets to the doorway. She cracks open the door and scouts the hallway. Nurses are moving around; two are sitting behind a high counter. Veronica continues to watch for several minutes, debating if she can leave the room to search for a phone without being observed by the nurses.

An insistent alarm begins to sound from a room at the far end of the hallway, and several nurses head in that direction. Veronica goes for it; she slips out of her room and stealthily moves down the hallway to the next room. She peeks in and sees a patient along with two visitors. She continues to the next room. It is empty, and the sheets have been stripped off the bed, presumably in preparation for the next patient. There is a phone on the table next to the bed. Veronica enters, carefully shutting the door behind her soundlessly.

She picks up the phone and dials '0-619-555-0189'. She waits with her heart pounding until the operator comes on. "Collect call for Wallace Fennel from Veronica Mars," she says with a shaky voice. The operator places the call.

"Yo." She hears the familiar voice and smiles in relief.

"Is this Wallace Fennel? Will you accept a collect phone call from Veronica Mars?" the operator asks.

"Of course."

"Wallace!" she says excitedly before she remembers to keep her voice down.

"Veronica, are you okay? Why are you calling collect? What happened to your dad?" Wallace asks.

"He wouldn't let me call you. Wallace, what's going on? Why won't Dad let me talk to you?" Veronica says frantically. She hears him breathing on the line, but he doesn't answer. "Wallace, tell me what's going on. I'm imagining all sorts of crazy things. Did something happen to you? Are you all right?"

"I'm fine, Veronica." Wallace keeps his voice steady, but he's shocked by her obvious emotionality. He's never really seen her like this before.

"Then what is it? What doesn't he want me to know?" she persists, her voice rising in panic. "Wallace, tell me."

He considers and discards a few feeble lies that he knows she'll see right through; Wallace gives up and tells her the truth, hoping it's the right thing to do. "There was...well, some crazy person blew up Mac's parents' house."

Veronica is stunned into silence.

Wallace continues. "Mac's parents and her brother were killed."

"What about Mac?" Veronica asks tremulously.

"She was still in witness protection, I guess. The papers just said that she wasn't at home."

"Nobody's talked to her? Oh poor Mac."

"The funeral's tomorrow afternoon. I guess she'll be there. When I see her, I'll tell her you wished you could be there."

"I'm going to be there," she decides suddenly. "They must think it's the Russian mafia that blew up the house, right? Right?"

Wallace sighs. "Yeah. No one's saying it in exactly those words, but I guess that's what they think. I did some checking, and the day before the bombing, the FBI arrested fifteen Russian guys in Florida on multiple charges of identity theft, racketeering, conspiracy, and fraud. There wasn't a lot of details, but it sounded like computer crime, and I'll bet Mac had something to do with the arrests. Veronica, if your dad didn't tell you about this...." Wallace pauses, then plunges in. "When I talked to him this morning, he sounded pretty worried about you. Are you all right?"

"I'm going to be fine. I'm just tired."

"Your dad said you had a kidney infection and a dislocated shoulder." Wallace omits what Keith had told him about Veronica's disorientation. "Maybe you should just be resting in the hospital. You know you're not going to be able to get close to Mac. If she really is the target of the Russian mob, there's going to be a million FBI agents and US Marshals making sure that she's safe."

"I'm coming to the funeral, Wallace. This might be the last time we ever get to see Mac. Even if we can only wave at her across the room, I want her to know that we're there for her. You know if this was the mafia, there's no choice: she'll have to go into Witness Protection for the rest of her life."

"I know," Wallace mumbles. "Your dad's going to kill me for telling you, isn't he?"

"No, he's not." Because I'm going to kill him first...after I make him take me back to Neptune.

"Veronica...." Wallace knows from Keith's phone call that somehow Veronica's rape became an issue during the operation. He doesn't know whether to apologize for telling her dad about it. "Are you really okay? Weevil has been worried about you too. I told him the operation was over."

"I'm just tired," she lies. "But it was hard...the hardest undercover job I've ever done."

"Keith said you did a great job, and for sure everyone's going to jail for a long time."

"I hope so," she muses. "It was a lot worse than I thought it would be. Wallace, you know I love you, right?"

"Okay, now I'm really worried. Where's my BFF's hard shell exterior?" he kids lightly.

"Hey, even the tough girls say I love you once in a while," she replies. "I miss you. It's only been a week, but I feel like I haven't seen you in years." Her voice trembles as she continues, "Tell Weevil I love him too, okay?"

"Veronica. You're scaring me. Are you sure you're okay?" When she doesn't reply, he goes on, "I love you too, Vee. I'm glad you're out of there. Call me when you know what flight you're on."

Fighting back tears, she says, "Okay. I'll see you soon." She cradles the phone and sits on the bed for a long time staring into space.

•••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••
VERONICA MARS
10:00PM SHO ch: 340 60min 2009 TV-MA
Exposing the Soft Underbelly
Leo interviews Madison; Veronica
vows to avenge Hannah.
Veronica: Kristen Bell. Leo: Max Greenfield.
Madison: Amanda Noret. Gracie Jane: Jill
Brennan. Dr. Griffith: Rick Peters. Nurse:
Ellen Crawford.
•••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••

CHAPTER NINETY: "EXPOSING THE SOFT UNDERBELLY"

Mon. 3/16/09 late morning: near USC, Los Angeles, CA

Madison Sinclair opens the door to Sheriff D'Amato.

"Thank you for seeing me, Ms. Sinclair," he says.

"Of course, I'm eager to help. Please call me Madison." There's definitely something about a man in uniform, she thinks as she escorts him to her living room. When Leo takes a seat on her couch, she sits down quite near him and crosses her legs, hoping that he'll notice the fabric of her skirt sliding a little higher on her thigh. "How can I help you Sheriff?"

Leo does in fact notice Madison's thigh, and he wisely hitches himself a few inches away from her. "Madison, I'm investigating the murder of Kendall Casablancas, and I'm trying to get some background information. When I was doing some research, I found an interview you gave regarding Logan Echolls back in January. You said," Leo says reading from his notes, "'Logan Echolls was involved romantically with his best friend's stepmother. He was an emancipated minor living alone in the Neptune Grand Hotel, with no parental supervision.' I'm assuming, by best friend's stepmother, you are referring to Ms. Casablancas, yes?"

"Yes. I was quite close with Logan's best friend Dick Casablancas at one time. Dick told me that Logan was 'doing' her," Madison says superciliously. She laughs. "Logan always did have a death wish."

"What do you mean?" Leo asks.

"Well, Dick didn't care. But if Mr. Casablancas had found out...I think Logan would have ended up six feet under."

"Do you know when this relationship started? I'm wondering if perhaps this affair was what led to the breakup around that time between Echolls and Veronica Mars."

"Oh, you heard about that. Well, Duncan Kane and Logan both had a thing for that skank...I have no idea why, to tell you the truth. I heard she dumped Logan, and he was wandering around moping after her at the beginning of senior year."

"Did Veronica dump him because he was fooling around with Kendall?"

"Ooh. That would be delicious." Madison thinks a bit. "But I don't think so. Most people thought she dumped him to get back together with Duncan." She stands up. "Would you like a drink, Sheriff? I'm going to have some iced tea."

Leo writes 'Duncan Kane' in his notebook. "Yes, that would be fine." While Madison goes to the kitchen, Leo tries to remember the details of his and Veronica's first date. Everything was going really well that night, until we ran into her friend Meg and...yeah, that was the guy, Duncan Kane. There was a lot of tension there. And then last fall, there was all that publicity about the supposed conspiracy between Veronica, Logan, and Duncan in Clarence Wiedman's death.

Madison comes back in and sets a tall glass of iced tea on a coaster in front of Leo. She sits down, again positioning herself just slightly too close to him.

He takes a sip of iced tea and coughs a little. "That's quite an unusual recipe for iced tea," Leo comments, placing the glass back on the coaster. Bourbon, he thinks, and quite a bit of it.

"Old family recipe," Madison says. Her mind wanders to a memorable night with Don Lamb that started with a quick hand job in his cruiser and ended with handcuffs and champagne at the Neptune Grand. Madison wonders if Leo has his handcuffs with him.

"Tell me about Duncan, Logan, and Veronica," Leo says. "From the beginning."

Madison tears her mind away from her thoughts of a naked Leo D'Amato in her bedroom. "Duncan hooked up with Veronica in ninth grade. His sister Lilly had been seeing Logan for a while, and Veronica was always around because she was Lilly's best friend. The four of them hung out all the time, and I guess Veronica kind of latched onto Duncan, you know, kind of like a leech? Then one day early in the fall sophomore year, Duncan just broke it off. Veronica was wandering around school looking like she didn't know what hit her. Of course, it's always hard if you're not really in the 'in' crowd. And Duncan was the only reason Veronica Mars was allowed to hang with the '09ers. Duncan was definitely acting strange around that time," Madison muses. "There was a rumor that he tried to choke his father, but Duncan always denied it. Then of course his sister Lilly was killed."

"So at this point Duncan and Veronica are broken up, and Logan's girlfriend is murdered?" Leo clarifies, taking notes.

"Right. After Lilly's murder, Veronica's father began to investigate the Kanes, and it was decided that Veronica needed to make a choice."

"Excuse me? A choice?" Leo asks.

"It was obvious to all of us that Veronica's father was investigating the Kanes in some crazy witch hunt. That guy, Abel Koontz, admitted to the murder. But Veronica's father wouldn't let it go. When Veronica stood up for her father, that was it."

"What was it?"

"Logan put out the word to make her life hell. She wasn't to be invited to parties, and no one was allowed to talk to her or sit with her at lunchtime. Anytime she did anything wrong, we made sure to broadcast it to the whole school. And Veronica didn't make her life any easier. She had sex with the whole swim team, you know. She was totally high and probably didn't know what she was doing, but still...what a whore."

Leo, despite himself, feels sick to his stomach thinking about the nice girl he had had a crush on at that time. "But wasn't Veronica's father justified in investigating Lilly Kane's murder? Abel Koontz wasn't the murderer."

"It wasn't the Kanes either, and any moron should have known that. Veronica totally got what was coming to her."

Leo stares at Madison. This is not an impartial witness. She hates Veronica. "Logan Echolls was the ringleader of this vendetta against Veronica?" How could Veronica have been willing to help Logan at the eighties dance if he did that to her? It sounds like he succeeded in making her life hell.

"It wasn't a vendetta, you're not listening to me," Madison replies pettily. "Veronica was a slut, and she was telling anyone who was stupid enough to listen to her that her dad was going to nail the Kanes for killing their daughter. How could she do that to her best friend?"

All right, somehow we have to get her to stick to the facts. "So how did they go from sworn enemies to boyfriend and girlfriend?"

"They hooked up at the end of junior year. Logan was a mess after his mother killed herself, and Veronica was there to take advantage of it. They were together for most of the summer, according to what Dick said."

"That was when Logan was arrested for the murder of Felix Toombs?" Leo adds.

"Yes. She stuck by him throughout the hearing, amazingly," Madison says sarcastically, "and then she dumped him like a hot potato and went back to Duncan."

"I'm surprised she forgave Logan for the way she was treated after Lilly's murder," Leo comments.

"Are you kidding? She was ecstatic to get back into the inner circle again. And for some reason, over the summer, Duncan started pursuing her again, and she went back to him. I guess she thought Duncan was a better catch than Logan."

"And this is when Logan took up with Kendall Casablancas?"

"Apparently. Dick said he found Kendall in Logan's suite one morning when he picked up Logan to go surfing. That was maybe November? And Logan admitted that it had been going on for a while. Oh, but that's not the best part." Madison grins, knowing that she's saved the best for last.

"The best part?" Leo asks.

"Dick said that Kendall was hitting on Duncan while she was sleeping with Logan. I guess after Dick Sr. took off, Kendall was left without any money in her own name. And Logan was willing to give it to her in the sack, but that's it. Logan definitely wasn't in the market for a trophy wife. So Kendall looked around and saw that Duncan was doing it with Veronica. I can't imagine that Veronica would be much competition for a woman like Kendall."

"I thought you said Veronica did the whole swim team. She must have learned a few tricks," Leo comments wryly.

"Spreading your legs isn't much of a trick. Anyways, Kendall finally wore Duncan down and nailed him. Veronica walked in on her in Duncan's bedroom; Logan witnessed the whole thing and told Dick."

"And I'm assuming Dick told everyone."

"Of course. The next day, Veronica and Duncan had a very public fight at school, and they broke it off. If you ask me, the only thing that was surprising was that Duncan had stayed with Veronica for as long as he did. Everyone thought that he was going to get back together with his old girlfriend Meg anyways, since she was pregnant with Duncan's child."

"That's right. And then Duncan took off with his daughter after Meg died." Leo makes a note to look up the case files from the kidnapping incident that had occurred shortly after his dismissal. At the time of the manhunt for Duncan Kane, Leo remembers being completely depressed and unwilling to listen to any of news reports that involved the Neptune Sheriff's Department. He was going on multiple job interviews, trying to find a job, any job, that would cover his sister's expenses; finally, he found a job selling insurance with no benefits, and he took a security guard position on the weekends for extra money. The shenanigans of the richest family in town barely registered on his radar at that point.

"And I think Veronica's been trying to get back in the spotlight ever since Duncan came back," Madison remarks cattily.

"What?" Leo replies, startled out of his musings.

"I saw her hanging onto his hand last month at his press conference announcing his amnesty agreement in the kidnapping case. I bet she'll be hooking up with him again. Veronica's always chosen Duncan over Logan," Madison confides. "Personally, I don't get it. I mean, I've never been with Duncan, but Logan is...a spectacular lover. Even drunk off his ass."

"You...and Logan?" Leo can't resist asking.

"Just the one time." Madison smiles prettily.

Sacks had intimated to Leo that Don Lamb had been sneaking around with Madison three years ago, and, with this new information, Leo is tempted to ask her who does she think she is, calling Veronica a slut. He refrains, deciding to focus on the case, although at this point he's decided that Madison is a completely unreliable witness. "So you're confirming that Duncan definitely had a relationship with Kendall at one point?"

"When they argued at school, Veronica screamed at him that she found Kendall in his shower. Then she said, 'I trusted you the first time, but not anymore. I'm nobody's fool.' And Duncan told her that was it–they were over," Madison says triumphantly.

"That's not exactly proof that Duncan slept with Kendall. It's just evidence that Veronica didn't trust him," Leo points out.

"What do you need, a diagram? Of course he slept with Kendall. Are you telling me that you believe a guy would turn down the hottest woman in Neptune to be faithful to," she shudders, "Veronica Mars? You heard that she had chlamydia, right? They said it in open court at Aaron Echolls' trial. Veronica is a diseased skank who will do anything to get in with the 'in' crowd," Madison concludes triumphantly.

"Wow, sounds like you were putting your genital health in risk by sleeping with her lover, Logan," Leo retorts, disgusted with Madison's observations.

"What?? Eww. I'm sure he wore a condom when he was with her," Madison says, alarmed.

"Better get that checked out," Leo adds. "Thank you, Ms. Sinclair, you've been very helpful." He stands up and shakes her hand. "I can see myself out." He leaves Madison sitting on the couch, wondering if she needs to get tested.

Leo shuts Madison's door behind him and walks to the elevator. He punches the button and finds himself doubting his original theory. A small voice inside him is prodding him, 'You know your theory doesn't make any sense.' Madison's nasty insinuations have had the opposite of their intended effect, and he finds himself thinking about the Veronica he first met four years ago and what was so attractive about her at the time. He tries to reconcile that girl with the tough young woman who so coolly and effectively shut down his arson investigation. Still, despite his doubts, he decides there has to be something going on with Logan and Veronica vis-à-vis Kendall. Why was Veronica's fingerprint in Kendall's room? I've got to find out what's going on here if I want to break this case.

The elevator arrives, and Leo gets in. He mulls over Madison's story. The only new information she gave me was that Duncan Kane was sleeping with Kendall before he ran away with his baby. His head hurts a little, trying to make sense of all the romantic entanglements. Maybe it's not a coincidence that Kendall came back to Neptune the same time that Duncan did.

~ • ~

Mon. 3/16/09 morning: Southwestern Vermont Medical Center, VT

Veronica is still staring into space thinking when her nurse comes in the room where she had phoned Wallace. "Veronica! I've been looking for you. What are you doing?"

Veronica turns to her. She wipes her eyes and says, "I needed to call someone."

"Honey, I think the doctor and your dad thought you should rest–"

"I know. I'll go back to bed, if you get my dad on the phone for me," she interrupts.

"I think he said he'd be back this afternoon," the nurse replies.

"No, I need to talk to him right away. We have to go back to California. Can you get a phone for my room?" Veronica looks at the nurse obstinately. "Just for outgoing calls, if they're worried about reporters."

The nurse sighs and nods her head in agreement. Veronica slides off the bed and leaves the room, with the nurse directly behind her. When they pass the nurses' station, Veronica notices that the other nurses have gathered around a television and are murmuring comments. When they see Veronica, they quickly pretend to look busy.

The nurse helps Veronica back into bed and promises to get a phone installed immediately. After she leaves, Veronica grabs the remote and turns on the television. She flips through channels until she suddenly see Tom Griffith talking with Gracie Jane.

"It's incredibly hurtful what people are saying," Dr. Griffith comments in a mournful voice. "I tried to do the right thing for my daughter and now I'm being accused of...well, I don't know what they're saying, but I know I wanted my daughter to get the best treatment possible."

Gracie Jane replies, "So you believe the news stories about Briar Hill are exaggerated?"

"Of course they're exaggerated. These are kids in trouble, and the school has to make sure that they won't relapse into drinking and drugging. It's so distressing to be accused of abusing my daughter when all I wanted was for her to be safe," Griffith replies.

"What about these stories that are coming out about Vincenzo Frazzino and his daughter? There are a lot of questions being raised as to why Briar Hill Academy didn't report the suspected abuse."

Griffith shakes his head, dismissing Gracie Jane's objections out of hand. "I understand that Assemblyman Frazzino may have misled the school about his daughter's condition, but that has nothing to do with my daughter's case. She was hanging out with a dangerous boy and was in danger of ruining her life. My ex-wife is consumed with guilt about Hannah's murder and is trying to find someone, anyone, to blame, when the truth is that the real villain in my daughter's case is the boy who introduced her to drinking and drugging. We absolutely did the right thing by sending Hannah to Briar Hill. The school has an effective program of rehabilitating kids in trouble, and when this is all sorted out, I know Peter Klein and Briar Hill will be completely vindicated. I've never met a man who cared so much about the welfare of teens. Mr. Klein was beside himself when Hannah managed to run away from the school, and he personally telephoned me to offer his condolences for my loss."

Veronica is consumed by anger over Griffith's callous words. Oh, you bastard. I swear I'm going to hunt you down and put you in restraints so you can experience Briar Hill for yourself.

"Of course the boy who introduced her to drinking and drugging would be Logan Echolls, son of Aaron Echolls, the accused murderer and statutory rapist."

Tom Griffith's face twists into an irate grimace. "Yes. Logan set out to corrupt my daughter. He mocked me and told me there was nothing I could do to keep him away from her. I knew my only choice was to get my daughter as far away from him as possible."

Gracie Jane looks sympathetically at Griffith. "Did you ever consider filing statutory rape charges against him?"

"My daughter would not have cooperated, and, as you can imagine, I was not eager for her to suffer the publicity that would have resulted. I knew Echolls would use his millions to hire the best attorneys and would never see a day of jail time."

"It's true that there is a double standard for Hollywood–"

Sickened by Gracie Jane's smug statements, Veronica clicks off the television mid-sentence. I've got to hold it together; I have to be strong. The media is going to drag Hannah's death back into the spotlight again, and Logan's going to need me. And I'm not done with Briar Hill yet, she thinks. It was worth it...it was worth it to show these assholes just what the school was really like. I'm going to have to be the best witness in the world to convince these people that there's nothing loving about tough-love schools.

•••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••
VERONICA MARS
10:00PM SHO ch: 340 60min 2009 TV-MA
Besieged
Alan questions Mike Fields and probes the
possible motives for the MacKenzie bombing;
Veronica, Logan, and Keith head home.
Veronica: Kristen Bell. Logan: Jason Dohring.
Keith: Enrico Colantoni. Dick: Ryan Hansen.
Mac: Tina Majorino. Alan: Ned Vaughan.
Mike Fields: Michael Trucco.
•••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••

CHAPTER NINETY-ONE: "BESIEGED"

Mon. 3/16/09 afternoon: San Diego RCFL, CA

Mike Fields taps nervously on the half-open door to Alan's office. His direct supervisor had called first thing this morning, ordering him to drop everything and proceed directly to the Regional Computer Forensics Laboratory in San Diego to speak with Alan Sheffield.

"Come in," Alan says brusquely. "Have a seat, Agent Fields."

Mike sits down; he glances sideways at Mac, already seated in front of the desk, who looks tired and stressed compared to the last time he saw her. "What's this about, Agent Sheffield? My supervisor didn't give me any details."

Alan stares at Mike. "It's amazing. Everyone who has a relationship with Veronica Mars seems to be incapable of full disclosure. Of course you know what this is about."

Mac says quickly, "I'm sorry, Mike. If there was any other way, I wouldn't have–"

Alan shakes his head. "Agent Fields, you've already been disciplined once in the last year for allowing Ms. Mars access to your passwords."

"Veronica did that without my knowledge. I would have encouraged her to take any evidence to the Bureau if she had confided in me," Mike explains.

Mac rolls her eyes. Way to have Veronica's back, you douche.

"That's an interesting observation. In my file, it says that after she accessed the databases with your password, you subsequently helped her by providing background information on Marvin Chase. And you admitted as much to your supervisor," Alan retorts.

"She has a way of asking you to do things," Mike replies feebly. "I don't know why I agreed...I have a lot of respect for her investigative abilities." He tries to muster additional courage. "I've already been disciplined for that breach, as you know."

"And you didn't learn anything from it, apparently. I'd like to know everything you've done for Ms. Mars in the past few months. Everything, no matter how small or large. I'll be comparing what you tell me now with the records on your computer, so I suggest you be completely forthcoming. Or I'll be recommending that you immediately be terminated from the bureau."

Mike sighs. "Veronica came to me in early February." He consults his Blackberry and specifies, "February 6. She asked if she could review the case files for the Saturday Night Slasher. She explained that the latest victim was an old girlfriend of her current boyfriend, Logan Echolls, and that the media was spinning the story to blame him. I gave her unofficial copies of the case files for each victim and made her promise to bring anything she found out to me."

"How much of the case files did you give her?" Alan asks, making a note on a piece of paper.

"The biographical summary, autopsy and tox reports, crime scene reports, and photos, before and after, for each victim."

"Pretty much the whole file then?"

"I didn't give her any of the interview transcripts, just the raw data. She does excel at discerning patterns, and as long as she brought her ideas to me, I really didn't see the harm of a fresh pair of eyes looking at the data."

"Didn't see the harm," Alan comments sarcastically. "Anything else from that meeting?"

"She asked me to run Logan Echolls' passport number through Passport Control to see if he had actually left the country as the press was reporting," Mike replies. "Veronica explained that she thought the video of him circulating on the internet was a fake, intended to get the paparazzi off his trail."

"That's true," Mac chimes in. "Alan, she was just trying to help in the investigation in order to get the media to leave Logan alone. She thought it didn't make sense that Hannah was supposedly high on heroin at the time of her death, but hadn't been a long time user. Veronica wondered what other discrepancies there might be between Hannah's case and the others. She was suspicious that the FBI might be missing something."

Mike adds, "She told me what she had discovered the next time I spoke to her."

"Which was?"

Mike consults his Blackberry again. "March 2. She told me her theory that the serial killer was committing the murders on dates when Saturday nights coincided with a full moon."

Alan frowns. "Mac mentioned that yesterday. I believe the serial killer task force is working in a completely different area. Is there any evidence to support this theory other than Veronica's guesswork?"

"If you run the dates of the murders and compare them to the dates of the full moon, you'll see that every Saturday with a full moon has a corresponding victim. Except it wasn't a full moon when Hannah Griffith was murdered. And Hannah Griffith had never been arrested for prostitution. The only evidence that she was a prostitute was the fact that she was murdered by a killer who targets hookers," Mike explains.

Alan types on his computer, scowling at the screen. Mike looks at Mac, who shrugs and mouths, 'Sorry'. Mike nods resignedly. Alan finally looks up and reluctantly admits, "She's right. This does seem to indicate that the last victim was killed by a copycat. Did you report this to the agents in charge of the Slasher case?"

Mike stares back. "You see, that's the thing. How did a copycat killer know all the details we withheld from the press? The symbol that was carved into the victims? Only the police and the FBI knew about that. Veronica was convinced this was someone in law enforcement or someone who had access to law enforcement."

Alan frowns. "You know that there are always leaks in investigations. Perhaps someone briefed the governor, or the mayor of Los Angeles, and the information got out that way."

"Someone in the government, like perhaps the speaker of the state assembly?" Mac suggests.

"Veronica wondered if Hannah was killed to cover up something that she witnessed at Briar Hill Academy," Mike explains. "She was about to go undercover there to gather evidence for a lawsuit against the school. Apparently, Veronica was successful, going by all the news reports over the last few days. There certainly have been revelations about Assemblyman Frazzino and his daughter and what was going on at the school. There were also allegedly payoffs to the commissioner of the Vermont Department of Education for early warnings about surprise inspections."

"Right, that's what you implied last night, Mac," Alan muses. "So Veronica thought Hannah was blackmailing somebody?"

"Not necessarily. It could have been someone trying to eliminate witnesses that took advantage of the Slasher's modus operandi," Mike replies.

"You took these suspicions to the agents in charge of the Slasher case, of course," Alan says.

"If I took Veronica's suspicions to the Slasher task force, I could have alerted the murderer," Mike answers. "She told me to try to get in touch with Mac. Veronica thought Mac had uncovered something about the case."

Mac explains, "After I entered Witness Protection, and I was working with you on the identity theft programs, I learned enough about the FBI databases that I was able to compile a list of everyone who had access to the Slasher's victim files. I sent Veronica a coded email, telling her to get Mike to make contact with me, and I gave him the list."

Alan looks pissed. "You're incredible, Mac, and that's not a compliment."

Mac flushes.

"Why is this so important now?" Mike asks curiously. "What's happened? Did Mac come up with some new information?"

Alan looks at him stonily. "You heard about the attempt to murder Mac's family?"

"Wait...the MacKenzie family in Neptune...that's your family? Oh, Mac, I'm so sorry," Mike says sympathetically.

"Mac's family was not at home when the bomb went off. They've now been inducted into the Witness Protection program. At first, we assumed it was retaliation for Mac's computer forensics work here at the Bureau. She was able to reconstruct a method for identifying the originating server for a massive identity theft program, and we were able to arrest the perpetrators, who were Russian mafia."

Mike looks at Mac. "That's great, Mac. We've had to devote more and more of the Bureau's resources to computer crime. Veronica always said you were an amazing programmer."

"Except we don't think the Russian mafia was behind the bombing after all," Alan replies. "How would they know that Mac was responsible for finding that server? There was no press reports of her involvement. The Bureau's Computer Forensic Team took the credit for the bust. There was no mention of Cynthia MacKenzie in any of the publicity. At first, we just assumed it was a continuation of the hit that was placed on her, Max, and the other hacker who was murdered, Rick Picket. But our informants in the Russian mafia say there is no hit on Mac. And there was no attempt on Max's or Picket's family, either. Why your family, and not theirs?" Alan sighs. "I'm wondering if it was Mac's other activities with us here at the FBI that made her a target. Maybe someone found out about your research into the serial killer case and decided to stop you before you told someone what you knew. They couldn't get to you personally because of our security, so they're trying to get you out in the open at your family's funeral."

"I've told you everything I know," Mac protests. "And I was very careful when I was snooping into files."

"You're absolutely certain no one could know you accessed those files?"

"No, of course, you can never be absolutely certain; someone could have installed a program that would surreptitiously gather data on everyone accessing the files. But I was watching for that, and I don't think there was anything like that," Mac replies thoughtfully.

"Agent Fields, you said you saw Veronica on March 2. You got the list from Mac on..."

"The next day, March 3. I started working on the names on Wednesday, March 4."

"What exactly have you been doing with the list Mac gave you?"

"I haven't made much progress with it. I'm doing a basic alibi check. I've eliminated maybe half of the agents listed, because they were working shifts at the time," Mike explains. "I structured it as an Accounting Department query verifying timecards. I included agents who weren't on Mac's list to avoid raising suspicion."

Despite himself, Alan nods, appreciating Mike's cautious investigative techniques. "I'm trying to understand the timeline here. Do you know when Veronica's undercover operation started?" Alan asks.

Mike looks at his Blackberry and tries to recall their conversation. "I met with her on Monday the second, two weeks ago. I think she said she would be starting on Friday."

Alan looks at his own calendar. "Friday, March 6. About ten days ago. And the bombing occurred late on Sunday, March 8."

"You think there's a connection?" Mac asks dubiously.

"I don't know what to think." Alan starts to pace around the office and muses out loud. "Veronica meets with Mike on March 2. Mike gets the list from Mac on the third, and begins checking alibis on the fourth. Two days later, Veronica goes undercover, at the place where she suspects Hannah witnessed something bad enough to commit murder. She starts asking questions at Briar Hill, snooping around, and somebody gets suspicious. Let's say for argument's sake that someone at the school has a contact in the FBI. This FBI agent digs around and finds out that Mac is snooping here in San Diego, and they decide that Mac might really know something. They've already killed Hannah to cover up something; they decide to try to get at Mac to keep her quiet. But she's protected by intense security here at the Bureau, and they can't get to her without revealing themselves."

Alan continues, "They know Mac is helping investigate the Russian mafia, and they try to get Mac out in the open by making it look like the mafia took out her family. There have been several incidents in the last few years where FBI agent's families were targeted by the Russian mafia, and everyone's hyperalert about it. Of course we would assume it was retaliation for the arrests. At the funeral, they would get assigned to the detail and make sure that Mac gets taken out."

"Lots of ifs," Mike says dubiously. "If it's an FBI agent, why not just try to get at Mac once she's in Witness Protection and away from all this security?"

"I don't know. Maybe the agent doesn't have clearance for WitSec files. Or there's a reason to move quickly that we're not seeing," Alan theorizes.

"So you're assuming that Veronica made somebody nervous in Vermont?" Mike asks.

"Or maybe your alibi checks alerted somebody," Alan replies. "I guess the real question is, is there something that you know that's worth all this trouble, Mac?"

"What?" Mac asks. "I don't know anything."

"If this theory's correct, somebody thinks you know something," Alan states. "Is there any chance that Veronica accidentally let something slip about Mac while she was undercover and that alerted someone?"

Mac says "No!" as Mike comments simultaneously, "I doubt it. She's a pro."

Mac adds, "So what about the funeral tomorrow?"

Alan sighs again. "I guess we go ahead with our plans. I don't know what to think. This Briar Hill connection seems pretty far-fetched. But I think the alternative is worse."

"The alternative?" Mac asks.

"The alternative is that someone in the FBI has a connection to the Russian mafia, and this truly was retaliation for Mac's help with the identity-theft ring."

Mike and Mac stare at Alan. Mac realizes if this is true, even Witness Protection might not save her life.

Alan begins to pace again. "I don't think we have a choice. We need to stick with our plan at the funeral. Brenda will take your place, and I'll ask for further security upgrades, strictly on a need-to-know basis. I've been setting up a video feed for you to watch everyone who is attending to see if you recognize someone who shouldn't be there, in case this is some personal vendetta that we haven't been able to discover. And I'll ask for any of the agents on the list you compiled to be transferred to other duties–in case there really is some connection."

He continues, "I'm going to have to discuss the whole operation with my direct supervisor. Agent Fields, I'm going to ask you to take a voluntary leave of absence until we determine how to handle this incident. Clearly, you should have brought this to the attention of your supervisor even if you were hesitant about contacting the Slasher task force directly," Alan states seriously.

"Sir...I fully intended to compel Veronica to discuss her theories with the appropriate personnel once she had finished her undercover operation," Mike protests.

"No, I don't think so, Agent Fields. I think Veronica knew she could trust you to work with her without informing other Bureau personnel. It was the right move for her, but not the right move for your career."

Mac interrupts, "Screw the Bureau, Mike." Alan frowns at her, and she makes a face back at him.

Mike shakes his head. "No, I'm not going to take this lying down. There were compelling reasons not to disclose this information until more data was known, not the least of which was Veronica's personal safety on her undercover operation."

"Suit yourself," Alan answers. "The ADIC will be in touch with your supervisor."

~ • ~

Mon. 3/16/09 late afternoon: Logan Airport, Boston, MA

For the hundredth time, Veronica protests, "I can walk. I don't need this wheelchair."

"You agreed, Veronica," Keith replies. "That was the deal. You agreed to use a wheelchair, avoid all stress, and comply with your doctor's orders if we would agree to take you back to Neptune. Dr. Arthurs wasn't too happy with us. First Logan gets arrested, and then you sneak out of your room, call Wallace, and insist on taking the next flight out. I think Dr. Arthurs wanted to put you on a psych hold and report me to the Department of Child and Family Services. Please, Veronica. Don't push it, okay?"

Veronica sighs as Logan continues to push her through the terminal.

Keith's phone rings again. "Hey...yeah...that sounds good. Thanks again for helping Logan today. I appreciate it, Jim." He terminates the call.

"Epstein again?" Logan asks.

"Yeah, he's packing up all the gear to ship back to Neptune and closing up the rented house for me. He and I are both retaining a copy of all the evidence on separate hard drives, and the FBI took possession of the computers we used as evidence for the federal case. Epstein's pretty happy right now. He's been working on this lawsuit for two years without much success, and he seems to think a substantial verdict is a lock."

"Maybe he can afford a secretary now," Veronica comments, remembering the disorderly state of Epstein's office.

"He'll need more than a secretary. He'll need several paralegals just to file all the paperwork for this case, and probably a second attorney to help prepare the lawsuit once the criminal charges have been resolved. Klein's attorneys are already filing motions to suppress evidence. I suggested that Epstein get a forensic accountant to trace all of Klein's and Briar Hill's assets before they have a chance to hide them."

"Is Klein still talking about suing us?" Veronica asks, looking up at her dad.

"Don't worry about it, honey. Ruggerio assured us that there's not much wriggle room on the federal charges. Klein's not going to have time to sue us when he's defending himself on all these charges," Keith replies, somewhat misleadingly. Truth is, I do expect a lawsuit. But there will be time enough to worry about that later. He continues, "And I don't want you to worry about Logan's arrest. Epstein said that Logan can plead no contest to assault and pay a small fine. It's just a misdemeanor, and we'll ask the clients to pay the fine for him."

Veronica glances at her dad. He smiles reassuringly at her, and she nods slightly.

They reach the gate, and Logan sets the brake on the wheelchair. He sets his carry-on down next to the wheelchair and suggests, "I'll go buy some food for the plane."

"Good idea," Keith agrees. "Peanuts aren't going to do it. See if you get a filet mignon, or maybe a lasagna for this one," he adds, nodding at Veronica, who sticks her tongue out at him.

Logan wanders down the terminal until he finds a sandwich shop. He orders six large sandwiches with various fillings, large containers of potato salad and macaroni salad, and chocolate chip cookies. He is still unaccustomed to how thin Veronica is; he didn't see it at the school, where all the girls were underweight, but now it strikes him as obscene. She has uncharacteristically pushed her food away more than once, and he worries that it's her emotional turmoil that prevents her from eating as she usually does. He picks up several sodas and a large water to share.

He starts back towards the gate carrying the large bags of food. He passes a store with newspapers, magazines, and books, and he stops, intending to find some light reading to pass the time on the flight. Logan grabs a copy of 'People', 'Entertainment Weekly', and a crossword puzzle book and gets in line to pay. There is a 'Wall Street Journal' on display near the cash register and, to Logan's surprise, he notices a headline reading, 'SEC Reopens Investigation Into Casablancas REIT Enterprises After Suspicious Death'. He adds the newspaper to his stack and waits impatiently to pay.

He takes his purchases and sits down to read the article. His heart hammers in his chest as he reads that Kendall Casablancas, née Priscilla Banks, was found murdered in Neptune, California on March 11. Logan checks the date on the paper and calculates that the eleventh was last Wednesday, about five days into the operation. He reads the article three times. It highlights Kendall's marriage to Richard Casablancas, Sr. and her disappearance shortly after the suicide of her stepson. Sheriff Leo D'Amato states the investigation is being pursued vigorously, although no arrest has been made. The article speculates that up to fifty percent of the assets of the Casablancas REIT were not recovered after Casablancas fled the country to avoid prosecution for real estate and stock fraud. The former CEO had no comment when contacted by the Wall Street Journal. The article notes that Casablancas is now living in the Cayman Islands after serving a one-year sentence in a federal penitentiary.

Shakily, Logan folds up the newspaper and returns to the gate. There's no way I'm showing Veronica this. She has enough to worry about; plenty of time to tell her about Kendall later. He hides the newspaper in the bag with the sandwiches, intending to transfer it to his carry-on when she's not looking. He offers her the magazines and the crossword puzzle book and kisses her on the forehead. "I'll be right back. I want to use the men's room before they start boarding." Veronica opens the 'People' magazine to scan the table of contents, and he quickly moves the newspaper to the outside pocket of his carry-on while she is distracted.

Logan walks a short distance to the men's room. When Veronica's and Keith's attention are elsewhere, he walks past the restroom to a deserted gate and pulls out his cell phone. He dials with trembling fingers. This isn't bad news: it's good news. That bitch is fucking out of our lives for good now. "Dick."

"Dude! Where the hell are you? I've been leaving messages at the Marses' apartment for days," Dick replies.

"I'm in Boston. We're on the way back."

"Did you hear about–"

"Kendall. Yeah, I just found out. We've been completely out of the loop. Veronica and I were undercover for a case. It was a mess. The FBI were involved, and Veronica got hurt. She didn't even know about the MacKenzies until today. She found out and insisted on coming home for the funeral, even though the doctor wanted her to stay in the hospital for another day."

"Is Veronica all right?" Dick asks anxiously.

"Yeah. She's going to be all right, I guess. She's...the fuckers really did a number on her. It was...fuck, I don't know how to say it. I'll tell you about it when we get back. Dick, what the hell is going on with Kendall?" Logan says nervously.

"I don't know. They found her last Wednesday. The sheriff has been investigating; he asked me a whole bunch of questions about you and her. Somehow he found out that you and Kendall had a thing senior year. And he's got a video of you and Veronica at the Neptune Grand where Kendall apparently was staying before she got offed. Better watch out for your nads, dude, that guy D'Amato wants to cut 'em off. What'd you ever do to him, anyways? He totally hates you," Dick comments.

"A video from the Neptune Grand?" Logan repeats. Did we miss a camera in Duncan's room? Fuck!!

"Security footage from the elevator. You guys are making out. Whoa, dude, pretty hot stuff."

At least it's not a video of us interrogating Kendall, but, fuck!, this is not what Veronica needs right now. Logan viciously pounds the arm of his chair with his fist. The bruises from punching Klein, which have finally stopped hurting, begin to ache again. In a tense voice, he asks, "What did D'Amato say, exactly?" Another passenger stares at him, and Logan makes a little wave, smiling slightly to reassure the man, who moves off uncertainly.

"He asked when you started the affair. He implied that Veronica dumped you because she found out you were screwing Kendall. I told him it wasn't true, that you went after Kendall on the rebound from Veronica. The sheriff knows you weren't in Madeira, and he said he was wondering why you went to all that trouble to make people think you weren't around. He friggin' wants to crucify you, Logan. I thought Lamb was bad, but this guy's worse. It's like his personal mission to fuck you over, but good."

"Fuck," Logan says quietly, more mindful of the people around him. "Does D'Amato know...." Logan pauses, trying to figure out how to ask Dick without giving him new information. "Does D'Amato know that Kendall was sniffing around Duncan senior year?"

"He didn't mention it. Dude–I'm supposed to let him know when you come back to town."

"Well, technically, I'm not back yet." Logan remains silent, thinking. "I don't know. Veronica's not...she can't handle any extra stress right now. Just try to put him off if he talks to you again. I won't call you when I get back to town, so you don't have to lie."

"Last I heard, you're still out of town, dude," Dick agrees.

"Exactly. And you don't know when I'll be back. Thanks for the heads up, man."

"I hope Veronica gets better fast, so she can save your butt as usual," Dick says wistfully.

Logan snorts quietly. "Yeah. Right now, I'd give anything for her to be calling me a horse's ass like the old days." His voice breaks a little at the end.

"Shit, she's really messed up?"

"Yeah. I'm pretty worried about her. I've never seen her like this."

"C'mon, man, you know she's tough. She'll get through this. You guys have been through so much."

"Not like this," Logan replies shortly. "I'll talk to you later." He hangs up, morose about the latest news. Thinking of that ill-advised relationship with Kendall causes him to drift back to thoughts of the old resilient Veronica of senior year, who used to trade barbs with him, viciously pushing him away as she reinforced her own thick skin.

FLASHBACK: At the winter carnival slushy booth, Veronica asks him, "What's your poison?"

Logan replies, "Ah, emotionally unavailable women." He is immensely pleased at his witticism and her inadvertent reaction. She recovers and raps impatiently on the counter, and he continues, "Let's see...uh, I want something that suits my mood."

Without a second thought, she snaps back, "Oooh, I'm sorry. We're all out of liquid evil."

He remembers that day as if it was yesterday. He had found Hannah's picture in the yearbook; by asking around, he had determined that the general impression was that Hannah Griffith wasn't seeing anybody, and the word was that she was cute, but not beautiful or popular...just an average freshman girl who ran track and volunteered to sell Pirate Pride buttons and work at carnival booths. He recalls thinking that that added up to 'vulnerable' in the Echolls playbook. When Veronica commented that they were out of 'liquid evil', he had thought for a moment that she had somehow divined his desperate plan. Logan had headed for the Leap Frog booth, expecting Veronica to whip out her taser to stop him from going after Hannah. And when Veronica did find out what he was up to, her look had burned a hole in his skin. 'Toying with a sweet little girl's heart just to screw with her dad?' The words cannot be forgotten, no matter how hard he tries. Only Veronica can shame him like that.

He swallows compulsively. Veronica had told him off over and over that year; she had called him on his asinine, self-destructive relationship with Kendall–'poor little rich boy with a death-wish.' And now that affair is biting him on the ass again; biting Veronica on the ass too, he thinks, with bitter self-contempt. It sounds like Leo is determined to pay us back for humiliating him, and I've given him the perfect ammunition. Dammit!! I wish that Veronica was back in her old fine form, ready to snark and fight at the drop of a hat; she took on Leo without hesitation because her dad needed her to, and now I need her to help me too. Saving my ass 'with comment' would be just fine right about now.

That old Veronica was a cold-hearted bitch, to be sure, but right now Logan would rather have her than the thin and fragile young woman he sees in the wheelchair as he rounds the corner. That Veronica wouldn't be susceptible to D'Amato's insistent questioning or to the insinuations of relentless paparazzi given a new sex tape to replay day and night; she would just tell them to go to hell and live her life the way she wished...all the while supplying witty commentary.

She's got to be okay, he thinks, for perhaps the thousandth time since the undercover operation ended. The loudspeaker announces pre-boarding for their flight, and he pretends to smile at her as he approaches. Logan hoists his carry-on over his shoulder and takes the handles of her wheelchair.

Keith grabs his own carry-on and the food bags and glances at him. "Everything okay? That, uh, took a while."

"Oh yeah, I was just avoiding some guys playing 'I'll show you mine, if you show me yours' in the bathroom. Why can't people just admire my endowments from afar?" he replies, trying for an insouciant tone.

Keith chuckles.

Veronica rolls her eyes and says, "Don't encourage him. How many times do I have to tell you, Logan, that there's nothing wrong with being average?"

"Average? Oh, you cut me, baby," he replies. He bends down and kisses her on the cheek. We're all trying here. I just hope it's enough.

While they wait for the flight attendant to check their boarding passes, she reaches back and grasps his hand for a moment. He realizes that, somehow, she knows something is wrong. He holds her hand tightly until he has to begin wheeling her into the jetway.

•••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••
VERONICA MARS
10:00PM SHO ch: 340 60min 2009 TV-MA
Situation Normal: All Frakked Up
Leo questions Duncan; Veronica pushes
Logan to tell her what's going on.
Veronica: Kristen Bell. Logan: Jason Dohring.
Keith: Enrico Colantoni. Leo: Max Greenfield.
Duncan 2.0: Chris Carmack.
•••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••

CHAPTER NINETY-TWO: "SITUATION NORMAL: ALL FRAKKED UP"

Mon. 3/16/09 late afternoon: Flight from Boston, MA to San Diego, CA

VERONICA

I hate this. I hate them protecting me, not telling me everything that's going on, treating me like I'm fragile, breakable. Fuck, I do feel fragile. I hate being carted around in a wheelchair. I'm fine. I can't get strong if they won't let me do anything.

Logan doesn't know I saw him. He wasn't in the bathroom. I think he was calling somebody. Something else is going on, something he doesn't want me to know about. He's keeping it from Dad too. I don't know if that reassures me or worries me.

Poor Mac. I wish I could talk to her. I can't believe I'm never going to see her again after tomorrow. At least...at least she'll see me at the funeral, one last time.

~ • ~

Mon. 3/16/09 evening: Duncan Kane residence, Neptune, CA

Duncan Kane looks at the video screen from the intercom at the entrance to his property. Shit. It's a patrol car from the Neptune Sheriff's Department. He's been expecting this visit since he read the news about Kendall's murder. He takes a moment to formulate a short prayer that somehow this won't destroy his custody case before he triggers the 'speak' button on the intercom. "Yes?" he says, trying for an innocent tone.

"Sheriff Leo D'Amato, Mr. Kane. Do you have a few minutes to talk?" Leo asks. On the video screen, Duncan stares at the face and remembers meeting this man with Veronica a long time ago.

"What's this about, Sheriff?"

"I have a few questions regarding your relationship with a woman named Katerina Beversdorf. You knew her as Kendall Casablancas," Leo explains.

'You knew her as Kendall,' Duncan thinks. He's asking about senior year...I hope. "Dick Casablancas' stepmother? I read something about her in the paper." Okay, technically, that was COMPLETELY the truth.

"Yes, she was found murdered five days ago. Are you going to let me in, Mr. Kane, or do we need to do this down at the Sheriff's department?" Leo requests brusquely.

"Of course...I'm sorry. I'll open the gate for you." Duncan triggers the automatic gate and watches as the police car drives up the driveway. He tries to breathe normally; he assumes that if the Sheriff really knew anything, this interview would be happening at the Sheriff's Department. Leo exits the vehicle and walks to the front door; Duncan opens the door, allowing Leo to enter.

Leo looks around at the relatively modest home by Neptune standards. Duncan leads the way to a living room filled with comfortable furniture. The large picture window faces a grassy backyard with an elaborate swing set highlighted by security lights. A tall privacy fence completely surrounds the property. The gate where Leo entered the property had closed again once the car has passed through; the security precautions are the most impressive feature of this otherwise unremarkable home.

"You have good security here," Leo comments as he takes a seat in the living room. He places several file folders neatly on the coffee table in front of him.

"I'm sure you know I've been trying to win custody of my daughter. The paparazzi are always trying to get a story on us, and I wanted to show the court that I could ensure her safety and privacy....You and I met with Veronica a long time ago, right?" Duncan asks, trying to change the topic. My resemblance to Howard Hughes is only coincidental, he thinks morosely. I hardly ever collect my urine any more.

"Yes, Veronica and I were on a date; I think you were with your parents, right?"

Duncan nods.

Leo continues. "I've heard from a witness that you might have had a relationship with Kendall Casablancas several years ago. A Ms. Madison Sinclair indicated that Kendall was the precipitating reason for your breakup from Veronica...uh, apparently that was your senior year in high school."

Fuck...another bad idea that's come back to bite us in the ass. "Veronica thought there was something going on, but there wasn't. Veronica and I had a huge argument over it, and I broke off my relationship with Veronica when she didn't believe me."

"Really? Why would Veronica think that you were having a relationship with Kendall Casablancas?" Leo presses. "I understand that Kendall had been sleeping with Logan Echolls around that time."

This guy knows a lot: be careful. "Logan was living with me after his house had burned down. He was having a casual affair with Kendall, so she was at my suite a lot. She wasn't exactly shy. She came on to me pretty obviously, and Veronica was understandably upset about it. I didn't handle it very well. My ex-girlfriend, the mother of my child, had just died, and that was all I could think about. It was just one more stress on our relationship, and it turned out to be the last straw for us."

"And then of course you left the country with your daughter," Leo points out. "But it's funny...the department's records suggest that the FBI suspected Veronica of helping you flee with your daughter."

"I think you missed the part about Veronica being pissed at me about Kendall. She wasn't inclined to help me with anything at that point," Duncan states.

"Right." Leo regards Duncan, certain that the Kane heir is obscuring something. "Mr. Kane, can I ask where you were living before you surrendered to the authorities last month?"

Duncan gazes at Leo, wondering what he knows. I can't take a chance. Somebody at the Neptune Grand has to have told him I was living there. "I was staying at the Neptune Grand under a false name. Daniel Gillman."

"That's quite a coincidence. Ms. Casablancas was staying there as well."

"Really?" Duncan tries but fails to sound surprised. He tries to recover. "I suppose it makes sense; it really it is the only decent hotel in Neptune. The Camelot is not much of an option."

"Why weren't you staying with your parents?" Leo asks.

"Have you met my mother?" Duncan retorts wryly. "Celeste Kane is best experienced in limited quantities. Of course, you must understand that while my attorneys were negotiating my amnesty agreement, I had to keep a low profile."

"Yeah, I get it; you had to hide while there were still outstanding warrants for your arrest." Leo extracts several photos from one of his file folders. "In case you haven't seen the photos in the paper, this is what Kendall looked like recently."

The first photo is a blowup of Katerina's passport photo; the next two are graphic photos of her body. The first shows Kendall sprawled on the ground, with a blood stain under her head and several markers indicating evidence around her body. The second is a close-up of her head, showing a large bullet wound on her left temple.

Duncan tries to maintain a poker face, but the photos are sickening. He realizes that Leo is trying to provoke a reaction. "My god. She doesn't look anything like she used to. But...she does look a little familiar," he finally says. "Maybe I did see her around the Neptune Grand." He hands the photos back. "Why was she back in Neptune?"

"That's what I'm trying to determine. Mr. Kane, if you're concealing a relationship with Ms. Casablancas, this could be very damaging to your custody case. I suggest you tell me everything you know about her, and we'll deal with it."

"I don't like what you're insinuating, Sheriff."

"I don't like unsolved murders, Mr. Kane. And there's too many questions about Ms. Casablancas' relationships with you and Logan Echolls in this case. If you have nothing further to add, I'll be on my way. But I have a feeling we'll be speaking again soon," Leo concludes, standing up.

Duncan silently escorts him out. He shuts and locks the door; he watches on the security screen as Leo leaves the property. Once the gate has shut behind the sheriff's car, he picks up the phone and calls Mars Investigations again. "Mr. Mars, it's Duncan Kane. I know you and Veronica are working on an important case. I hate to bother you, but if you get a chance, please call me before the hearing on Friday." He hangs up the phone, shaking with the effort to maintain a calm voice on the message. He stands by the phone, his fists clenched, his eyes shut, the anger building inside him. The situation seems to get worse every day, and with each new development, he feels less in charge of his destiny.

Duncan pounds his right fist into his left palm several times, trying to defuse the building tension within him. He realizes that he's actually panting with stress and fury; before he quite realizes what he's doing, he grabs a table lamp and throws it viciously across the room. The electrical cord pulls out of its socket, hardly delaying the lamp's trajectory, and the lamp crashes against the far wall. The bulb explodes with a 'pop' and a tinkle of glass; the lamp lands on the floor, with the shade bent out of shape and the base shattered into shards of pottery. Duncan lets out his breath heavily; a strangled sob escapes his throat. He goes over to inspect the mess and ends up sinking to the floor next to the ruined lamp. He drops his head into his hands and wishes desperately that he had someone, anyone, to hug him and tell him it was going to be okay.

Duncan sits there feeling sorry for himself for perhaps half an hour. Finally he stirs himself; he gets up and finds a broom and dustpan and cleans up the mess he made. He disposes of the remnants of the lamp in the garbage and returns to the living room. He turns on the television to watch the evening news. The featured story is yet another exposé on Vincenzo Frazzino and the legal troubles resulting from the abuse of his daughter. Duncan watches, his mind wandering. How could you do that to your daughter? he thinks absent-mindedly. He smiles, thinking about playing with his daughter on the beach in Australia.

Suddenly, he sits bolt upright as a picture of Veronica and Keith Mars flashes on the screen. He turns up the volume as the announcer explains that the two private investigators were involved in an undercover operation in cooperation with the federal authorities. Logan's picture replaces the Marses, and the announcer adds that 'reputed bad boy' Logan Echolls appears to have been assisting in the investigation. Duncan stares at the photo; it seems to be an old stock photo and does not resemble Logan as Duncan last saw him in his suite at the Neptune Grand. The report states briefly that Veronica was injured, though not seriously, and was released this evening from Southwestern Vermont Medical Center.

The report turns to a summary of the federal investigation into Briar Hill Academy. Duncan has not paid a great deal of attention to this story up until now, preferring instead to concentrate on his own difficult custody battle. The story continues, focusing on the different aspects that have come to light since the school was closed.

Duncan stares in bewilderment at the television screen. No way. He stands up, intending to get his cell phone, until he remembers that he erased that photo of Kendall meeting someone in the playground from his phone. He sits back down to watch the conclusion of the report. No fucking way. He remembers that he had sent a copy of the photo to Veronica's email; maybe that photo still exists on a server somewhere. Duncan allows himself a small measure of hope, but overall, he keeps thinking, no fucking way. Hurry up and get home, Veronica; help me figure out what the hell is going on here.

~ • ~

Mon. 3/16/09 evening: Flight from Boston, MA to San Diego, CA

Once they are settled in their seats on the plane, the conversation lulls. Logan, seated on the aisle, seems distracted; Keith, next to the window, opens one of the magazines and begins to read. In the middle, Veronica leans against her dad's shoulder and closes her eyes, trying to sleep. He puts his arm around her and cuddles her to him. Out of the corner of his eye, Logan watches, thinking it's ridiculous to be jealous of his girlfriend's good relationship with her father. He dismisses the thought, excusing it by saying 'of course she can't lean her injured shoulder against me'; he finds a flight attendant and obtains a blanket for Veronica, tucking it around her. She smiles in gratitude, and Logan returns the smile, hoping against hope that whatever the hell is going on with Kendall isn't going to make things even worse between them.

Surprisingly, it is Keith who drops into a doze, his eyes fluttering closed and finally staying shut. He snores quietly with his head propped against the plane's bulkhead. Veronica opens her eyes, giving up on napping for now. She watches Logan as he stares into space, obviously lost in thought about something. Veronica looks around, and everyone around them seems to be absorbed in the movie, 'Nights in Rodanthe'. On the screen, Richard Gere and Diane Lane appear to be discussing something very seriously. Veronica carefully pulls her dad's arm off her shoulder. He mumbles something and immediately fall back asleep.

She looks at Logan. "He's pretty tired."

"He probably hasn't slept more than a couple hours a night since the undercover operation started," Logan comments.

"Are you going to tell me what's going on?" Veronica asks quietly.

"What are you talking about?" he replies, evasively. Dammit, she does know something's going on.

"Are you worried about the arrest? You heard what Dad said, you'll be able to plead 'no contest' and–"

"I'm not worried about it. The arresting officer said he thought they might even drop the charges once they hand down the indictment against Klein," Logan says brusquely. "Come on, you should be trying to rest, Veronica." He tucks the blanket around her, trying to avoid the issue.

Veronica impatiently pulls the blanket free, wriggling in her seat to turn and look at him more directly. "Then something must have happened. If you're not worried about the arrest, something new happened. Tell me."

He glares at her. "There's nothing going on."

She turns forward, avoiding his angry gaze. "Well, then I guess you're pissed at me again," she says sarcastically. "How refreshingly different for you," she adds before she can stop herself. The slight quiver in her voice is masked by her angry tone. I will NOT cry again. Damn you, Logan. Tell me what's going on!

"Yeah, I'm pissed at you, because you're supposed to be resting and following your doctor's orders," he mutters. "I'm sorry that I care about your health, Veronica."

Keith stirs. "What's going on?"

"I'm sorry, Dad. Go back to sleep," Veronica says apologetically.

"Logan, what's going on?" Keith replies.

Logan stays silent. Veronica takes a breath, defiantly keeping control of her emotions. Quietly but intensely, she says, "I hate that you guys are keeping stuff from me. I know you're upset about something, Logan. Goddammit! Stop treating me like I'm an invalid."

"You are an invalid," Logan answers. "You're supposed to be resting and taking it easy."

Obstinately, Veronica retorts, "Well, I'm feeling kind of stressed, because I think you're keeping something from me again. It's hard to rest under these conditions," she hisses.

Keith chuckles. "I think she's feeling better. She can pick an argument again."

Logan laughs halfheartedly. He's actually right. She's not crumpling into a ball; she's fighting back. Still...can't she just leave it alone? He realizes that, at least partially, he's avoiding telling them the news because he's petrified of their reaction. It will be just another reminder of a time when I let her down before, just like I let her down in the undercover operation.

Veronica frowns at her dad; she turns to Logan again and fixes him with a steady stare. "I want to know what's going on."

Keith puts his fist to his mouth to cover up a chuckle. "Logan, I think you better tell her. No one can resist the Veronica stare."

Veronica looks at her dad peripherally, narrowing her eyes in displeasure, then returns her gaze to Logan. She tilts her head a little and says pleadingly, "Please tell me what's going on?"

Logan leans back and catches Keith's eye behind Veronica's head. "She's definitely feeling better. The head tilt, too."

"All right, fine, don't tell me," Veronica says with a huff. She leans back against her seat, face forward, wishing she could cross her arms and communicate her disdain for their double-teaming effort.

"Do you want one of the sandwiches?" Logan asks.

Veronica ignores him. "Dad, are you done with the magazine?" She takes it from him before he can answer. She rests it on her lap and flips the pages, obviously not reading.

"Veronica, would you like a sandwich?" Logan repeats.

She exhales, "Humph," and pays him no attention.

Logan stares at her. Stop this. Don't fucking do this. He wants to scream at her. Sometimes you don't know what's best for you, goddammit. "Veronica."

Veronica says quietly, "What I would really like is for you to treat me like an adult."

"Fine; you're an adult, Veronica," he replies in defeat. He bends down to his carry-on stowed under the seat. He pulls out the Wall Street Journal and hands it to her. He unbuckles his seat belt and visits the restroom.

When he returns, Veronica and Keith look at him with worried faces. Logan takes his seat and faces forward. He says quietly, "I talked to Dick. Leo is asking a lot of questions. He found out that Kendall and I were sleeping together senior year." He steals a glance at Keith, expecting a reaction to the reminder of Logan's salacious behavior that year; to Logan's surprise, Keith only looks concerned. Logan continues, "There's a security video of you and me...kissing in the Neptune Grand elevator, that night when we questioned...."

"Right," Keith says, cutting him off. "Is Leo implying–"

"He's trying to connect me to Kendall's murder."

Veronica says impulsively, "But that's ridiculous. You were undercover with us that day...on the other side of the country."

"He can make a lot of trouble for us, Veronica. That fight you had with Duncan before Duncan ran with Meg's baby...it could lead to questions about you helping-" Logan looks around, making sure they cannot be overheard. He whispers, "There could be speculations about your role in the kidnapping, Veronica. What about what we did to Kendall that night at the Neptune Grand when we questioned her? And there will be paparazzi interest in yet another one of my girlfriends being murdered. This time, Leo's got a video to leak to the press."

"How bad is this video?" Keith asks, worried.

Veronica considers for a minute, then replies, "It's not that bad; this is ridiculous. So what? We kissed a little. Some PDA in the elevator."

"Except that I was supposedly in Europe at the time. Leo's asking a lot of questions about that too. He implied that it looks suspicious–that I was creating an alibi for myself, and the video is absolute proof that I wasn't in Europe."

"Does he know about Duncan?" Keith asks. "The custody case is–" He stops short.

"Now what?" Veronica says in exasperation.

Keith sighs. "You've been subpoenaed in a hearing on Duncan's custody case. I talked to the family court judge and convinced them to push it back a day until this Friday. I said you needed at least that long to be rested enough to testify."

"Testify to what?"

"Mrs. Manning subpoenaed you, honey. I think they're going to ask you about breaking into the Mannings' house. They must be trying to cause trouble for Duncan that way. He's still on the hook for felony breaking and entering."

"Right, the statute of limitations hasn't expired for him. But that's nothing compared to a relationship with you-know-who. If the media gets hold of that story, Duncan will look like a rich playboy who's a possible murder suspect," Veronica muses sorrowfully. She sighs loudly. "He's such a good father. He threw his life away to save Lilly, and now they'll try to take her away from him."

Keith comments, "Veronica, if Leo hasn't found out about Kendall and Duncan yet, I'm sure he will. He's a good investigator. Somebody will have seen them together at the Neptune Grand."

"And he's pissed at us," Veronica observes. "Dad, he was very angry when we–"

Keith places a hand on her arm to stop her; he nods that he understands. I don't want to know the details; damn it, my daughter had to stoop to blackmail. "Of course, it was probably the Fitzpatricks who killed Kendall. There must not be any forensic evidence."

"Or Leo is ignoring it." Logan notices a passenger staring at them. "I think we need to save this discussion for later," he says quietly. Logan gives a little wave and a meaningful look to the passenger, who has the grace to appear embarrassed and faces forward again.

Veronica whispers under her breath, "Please...promise me you won't keep any more secrets from me. I can't take it, thinking that you're not being honest with me." She looks from Logan to her dad and back. "Please promise me!"

They both nod reluctantly.

Keith blows out a breath and says with finality, "We'll talk about this when we get back to Neptune."

After finally agreeing to eat one of the sandwiches, Veronica admits that her shoulder is hurting quite a bit, and she swallows two of the Percocets that were prescribed for pain management. She falls asleep against her dad's shoulder, and he conks out against the bulkhead again. Logan watches as they sleep together. Veronica begins to snore quietly along with her father, and, smiling, he wishes he had a way to record their duet for posterity. The slight twinge of jealousy he felt before at their closeness has completely dissipated. Logan reviews the conversation about the latest revelation: during their discussion, neither Keith nor Veronica expressed any disappointment in his behavior with Kendall. They acknowledged the difficulties of the situation and included him in their discussion without reservation.

He exhales; he realizes he had been expecting a lecture or recriminations, especially from Keith, but also from Veronica. Unconsciously, he had been cowering, waiting for Keith to spout off like his dad had: 'What do you think? You're boneheaded! You really screwed up this time, Logan.' He wonders what it would have been like to grow up in a family that tolerated mistakes and worked together to overcome difficulties. Even Veronica's exasperation at his obfuscations no longer feels upsetting; he knows she's struggling to feel strong and healthy again, and it was his concealment of the truth that hurt her rather than the remembrance of his prior actions.

Like Keith, she had accepted the news of Kendall's murder calmly and had included him in their discussion. He reconsiders what she had said, and he is convinced that Veronica no longer appears to be devastated by or ashamed of his relationship with Kendall. Could she have finally forgiven me for Alterna-Prom? he wonders.

Logan closes his eyes; that betrayal was the one thing he never expected her to forgive. He had vowed to spend the rest of his life making that up to her. He revisits the memory of her desolated expression the morning after the Alterna-Prom; he usually cannot bear to picture Veronica's face that day, but now he forces himself to remember. The whole night had been a haze of alcohol and bong-hits; he doesn't remember calling Kendall, but somehow she had ended up in his bed in the morning. It doesn't really matter what had happened that night; whether he had made the booty-call or Kendall had decided on her own to look him up, he was ultimately responsible for breaking Veronica's heart and for letting her think that the whole epic speech was just more Echolls bullshit. The look that Veronica gave him that morning wounded him in a way that Aaron could never have hurt him: her pain at his perfidy was a far greater blow than any sick punishment–a pain that resonated deeply, acutely, and, he had thought, permanently.

The tremendous burden he has been carrying around since he learned of Kendall's murder seems to ease. He decides that somehow they will figure it out, together, as a family; such a comforting word, family, he thinks. Even his guilt about the disastrous end of the undercover operation feels...manageable. If she can forgive me for Kendall, then maybe she can...maybe we can figure it out.

Logan turns to look at them sleeping beside him. He strokes her hair gently; she may be fragile and wounded, but her strength and courage are still remarkable. He is still in awe of her capacity to love and forgive him; he knows they will both need every bit of their strength and love for each other to continue on. She stirs a little, her eyes fluttering open; he reassures her, "Shh, go back to sleep, everything's okay, Veronica." She smiles up at him and closes her eyes again. Logan leans back against his seat and, somewhat more reassured, tries to join them in sleep for the rest of the flight.

•••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••
VERONICA MARS
10:00PM SHO ch: 340 60min 2009 TV-MA
Homecoming
Complications on the last leg of their journey
back to Neptune.
Veronica: Kristen Bell. Logan: Jason Dohring.
Keith: Enrico Colantoni. Wallace: Percy
Daggs III. Deputy Sacks: Brandon Hillocks.
Flight Attendant #1: Jen Johnson.
Flight Attendant #2: Janelle Pierzina.
Police Officer: Colby Donaldson.
•••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••

CHAPTER NINETY-THREE: "HOMECOMING"

Mon. 3/16/09 evening: San Diego International Airport to Neptune, CA

When the plane lands in San Diego, most of the passengers start bustling to collect their belongings as soon as the 'fasten seat belts' has gone off. As usual, the passengers scurry to leave but are trapped by a bottleneck leaving the plane. Keith puts a restraining hand on Veronica's arm. "I don't want some doofus knocking into your bad shoulder. Let's wait until everyone's off the plane."

"'Doofus?'" Veronica rolls her eyes. "C'mon, let's book, dad."

"Just cool your jets, Veronica. I know you're eager to get home, but you're not going to get there any faster if we hurry up and wait in line."

"You don't know how much I'm looking forward to getting home. Sleeping in my own bed, eating my own food..." She flashes back to Briar Hill; she remembers daydreaming about sleeping in her old waterbed with her dad and Backup standing guard. I'll never take that for granted again.

"Just take it easy, okay?" Logan asks. "You just got out of the hospital."

She glances at him and smiles wanly. "I'm okay. No more bad news today, all right?"

When almost everyone has departed from the plane, they get up and move to the front where they had stored the collapsible wheelchair for the flight. Once again, Veronica protests, "You know I really don't nee-"

"Veronica," her dad warns, and she lapses into silence. When the wheelchair is folded out and the frame secured, she carefully lowers herself into the chair, supporting herself with her good arm. Logan rolls her into the jetway, and the three of them exit into the terminal. They join the throngs of people, all seemingly in a hurry to get to their destination.

They see a commotion up ahead just past the security checkpoint. Two flight attendants approach from the opposite direction, wheeling their bags and talking animatedly.

"Excuse me," Keith asks, putting up a hand to stop them. "What's going on up there?" He motions to the security checkpoint from where the distant sounds of a disturbance can be heard.

"It's a bunch of reporters, looking for someone who just landed," one of the attendants replies.

The other adds, "Probably some Hollywood bigwig."

Logan and Keith exchange a glance. "I'll go check it out," Logan announces. Keith takes over on the wheelchair; he wheels Veronica into a deserted gate while Logan walks through the terminal. Just past the lines at the security checkpoint, there are perhaps ten paparazzi swarming around a young blonde woman who had been on their flight. The photographers are yelling questions and jostling to get a shot of the bewildered woman. Logan looks around. He sees a flight attendant working alone behind the check-in desk at a nearby gate. She appears to be watching the scene with interest. Logan approaches the check-in desk. "Could you do me a huge favor?" Logan asks, in his most ingratiating voice. He nods toward the paparazzi. "Those guys are looking for me and my friends."

"How can I help? They're not going anywhere," she replies.

"Can you call in a page? Ask for Veronica Mars to report somewhere really far from here. Maybe ask her to meet her party at the baggage claim; we didn't check any bags, and we could try to get past these guys. My friend's been in the hospital, and she doesn't need this right now. Please. The name is Veronica Mars," he repeats slowly.

The attendant stares at him for a moment, debating. She picks up a handset and makes the call. A few seconds later, they hear a page on the loudspeakers overhead. "Veronica Mars, please meet your party at the baggage claim for United."

The reporters immediately take notice and begin to hustle through the terminal toward the baggage claim. The blonde woman who had been the focus of their attention shakes her head in confusion.

"Thank you," Logan tells the attendant. He returns to the gate where Keith and Veronica are waiting. He explains quickly, "Let's go. I got someone to page you to the baggage claim, and the paparazzi took the bait. Where's Wallace picking us up?"

"Outside the United baggage claim," Keith replies. "I'll tell him to go up to departures and meet us there." He pulls out his cell to make the call. Logan hoists his carry-on over his shoulder and takes over pushing the wheelchair.

Veronica turns around slightly and comments, "Someone spilled the beans about the undercover operation. I guess it was only a matter of time."

They cautiously head for the security checkpoint; by now, the exit line has diminished, and they pass through without notice. They make their way through the terminal; no one gives them a second glance, and Veronica is glad that her appearance is still altered.

As if reading her mind, Logan says, "They must not know you were in disguise at the school. The reporters were hassling a blonde woman from our flight."

Keith adds, "Let's hope they don't find out."

"You mean, you want me to stay like this?" Veronica motions to her red curly hair. "Yuck."

"For a day or two, until the commotion settles down," Keith replies.

"Fine," Veronica agrees reluctantly.

At the departures level of the airport, they see Wallace, standing on the curb beside Veronica's Saturn and arguing with a police officer.

"Wallace!" Keith calls.

"There they are, Officer," Wallace says with relief. "As soon they can get loaded up, I'll move the car."

"Officer, if there's a problem...this is my daughter's vehicle, and I'll take the responsibility for any violations," Keith says as he walks over to the police officer. He takes out his wallet and shows his identification. "Mr. Fennel is my employee, and he's helping me out."

"Keith Mars? The Keith Mars who wrote 'Big Murder, Small Town' and 'Neptune Undercover'? I love those books." The officer grabs Keith's hand in a firm handshake and begins to talk garrulously about the two books.

Wallace sighs and turns to Veronica. "You guys are just in time. Veronica...I thought you said you were doing okay. Why are you in a wheelchair? And...damn! girl, you're too skinny."

"I know, don't remind me. They made me promise to use the wheelchair today so I wouldn't get overtired. I'm fine, really I'm fine. Help me out of this thing," she asks Logan, who gives Wallace a look: 'See what we've been dealing with?'

"Yes, dear, especially when you ask so nicely," Logan replies, getting a chuckle from Wallace.

"Please," Veronica adds. Logan helps Veronica to stand up and get out the chair; even with his great care, she winces when she twists her torso a little upon standing.

"I brought a surprise for you, Vee. It's in the backseat of the car," Wallace says. He opens the rear door for her, and Backup begins to bark at his mistress.

"You brought Backup! Oh I love you so much, Wallace. I missed you guys!" Veronica says delightedly. She surprises Wallace by kissing him on the cheek. He helps her get into the back seat while Logan folds up the wheelchair and stows it in the rear of the car. Veronica is awkwardly hugging Backup with her left arm while trying not to let him jump on her.

Logan gets in the other side and pets Backup as well. "Who's a good boy? Now, sit and be calm. Good boy." Backup complies immediately, sitting down and wagging his tail.

"I hate that he behaves better for you than for me," Veronica says with a frown.

"It's not a competition, Veronica. He just knows I have your best interests at heart. Don't you, boy?" Logan ruffs the fur on Backup's neck, and the dog whines happily.

Wallace slides into the driver's seat, and Keith gets in the passenger seat soon thereafter. As Wallace pulls out into the traffic, Keith says, "That was a lucky break. I think that guy's my biggest fan."

"Why the last minute change?" Wallace asks.

"Paparazzi were waiting for us at the gate," Keith replies tersely. "There must have been a leak about the Briar Hill case. I know the US Attorney wasn't planning on revealing any details until the indictment is handed down against Klein and the school."

Veronica thinks, If they knew what flight we were on...they're probably going to waiting for us at home. She decides not to think about it just yet and changes the subject. "Wallace, tell us about the playoffs. How did Hearst do?"

Wallace spends the next twenty minutes regaling them with stories of the playoffs; Hearst was eliminated in the third round in a heartbreaker.

"That's the best Hearst has done in years," Veronica comments. Innocently, she adds, "I don't know how you managed to do so well without any snickerdoodles to fortify you."

"Yeah, it's a funny thing; a couple days after you left, I found that cookie tin you hid in my room. I had a hell of a time explaining it to Candice," Wallace teases.

"I wrote 'Go, Rough Riders' on it!" Veronica says indignantly.

"Well, she thought it was a secret admirer and was pretty jealous...she practically ripped my head off. I don't think our relationship is ever going to be the same," Wallace says mock-solemnly.

Veronica smiles in response, imagining Wallace finding the snickerdoodles.

Throughout the rest of the ride, they talk about everything except what's really on their minds. Wallace wants to know what the hell happened on the undercover operation; it's obvious that Veronica is trying to act normal, but she seems more than just tired to him. And he sees the worry on Logan's face. He wonders if they've heard about Kendall, but he hesitates to bring it up until he can get Keith alone to ask him about it. Veronica looks stressed, and the last thing Wallace wants is to add to it. Even worse, she looks afraid, and Wallace thinks he's never seen her look scared before.

For her part, Veronica keeps obsessing about the funeral. I've had to go to too many funerals already in my life. She remembers how hard it was for her at her mother's funeral six months ago; Mac and Wallace had been her constant support during that time. They had practically dressed and bathed her and had made sure she was eating. Who's doing that for Mac? And the old feelings of guilt that she should have looked more vigorously for her absent mother start to assail her. In the turmoil after her mother's death and Veronica's subsequent arrest, Veronica had never really given herself time to process her own role in Lianne's death. What if Dad and I had really dedicated ourselves to finding her? She shakes herself, trying to push the feelings away again. Mac must be feeling so guilty about her family. It's not her fault, but I know she'll think it is. I hope she knows how much I wish I could be helping her through this. She sighs, and Logan takes her hand.

Then she thinks about the last funeral she attended: Hannah's memorial service. Logan had been miserable and guilty, morose about his role in her death; something had snapped after the altercation with Dr. Griffith, and he had run away from his life–had run away from her. Suddenly she feels completely afraid: these new revelations about Kendall will surely be as destructive to his ego as the stories about Hannah. I don't want to lose him...I'm so scared I'll lose him. She resolves to bury her trepidations and to try to get their relationship back on track, no matter how hard it is, no matter how painful the memories from the operation. Veronica strokes Logan's hand with her thumb, trying somehow to show him that she wants to love him again and be there for him. I can do this. I can do this so I won't lose him. He seems completely lost in thought, and she wonders what he's thinking about.

Logan is remembering his conversation with Dick from earlier in the day. 'The sheriff implied that Veronica dumped you because she found out you were screwing Kendall....He friggin' wants to crucify you, Logan....It's like his personal mission to fuck you over, but good.' He wishes there had been some other way to save Keith from prison; it's obvious that Leo intends to make this a personal vendetta against him. But Logan doesn't regret putting himself in the crosshairs; he would do it again in a moment to save Veronica's dad.

What kills Logan is the knowledge that his affair with Kendall might become tabloid fodder. The speculations about his relationship with Hannah were bad enough; he knows this will be a hundred times worse. All the clandestine meetings and late-night hookups with her that seemed sexy and exciting at the time now just feel sordid and shameful. She led me around by my cock and reported back to Liam about it. The thought of Veronica having to read about his misbehaviors in the paper makes him nauseous. When Veronica sighs next to him, he takes her hand, hoping that by some miracle she'll still want him in her life when this is all over. She smiles at him, and he wonders how she can look him in the eye when all he does is fail her. Please...somehow...let us get through this. She begins to stroke his hand with her thumb, and he closes his eyes, trying to imagine a time when they could possibly be okay together again.

Keith asks some questions about the business; Wallace updates him on a personal injury investigation that he completed in the last few days. Keith is having a hard time focusing on the minutiae of Wallace's conclusions; he realizes that he's exhausted from worrying about Veronica. I hope I don't regret letting her come home....I just have to concentrate on helping her through the next few days. He knows that the paparazzi at the airport mean that they are likely to be ambushed at their apartment as well. He makes a decision and turns in the seat to look at Veronica. "You know, there might be photographers at the apartment."

Veronica nods. She looks out the window and starts petting Backup to distract herself.

Keith asks, "Do you want to go to a hotel for the night?"

She turns back and replies quickly, "Dad, no. I really want to be home tonight. We're going to have to face them sometime. We got through it before, when...." She looks at Logan, who squeezes her hand.

"Maybe...." Keith muses, formulating an idea. He pulls out his cell and dials the home number of Deputy Sacks. He has a short and hushed conversation before terminating the call. "Sacks is going to meet us at the apartment in a squad car. He said not to worry; he's going to make sure we're not bothered tonight." He doesn't relay that Sacks had also said that he needed to talk to Keith anyway.

The conversation lulls. Veronica suddenly says, "No one's heard from her at all?" Everyone knows that she means Mac.

Wallace shakes his head 'no'. "I ran into Dick yesterday. Everyone's been speculating that Mac must be in witness protection or something, and Dick is really upset. He was kind of a mess about it, saying that he really loves her and this was all his fault for getting her to fix his computer."

Veronica glances at Logan questioningly.

Logan shrugs. "She's the only girl Dick ever went out with who had a brain. Actually she's the only girl who even had a personality."

"But you don't think he really loves...." Veronica asks.

"I'm sure he thinks he loves her. But you know that it didn't work for her. At all."

"Yeah, I know. She had some fun with him, and then as soon as he started acting like...well, like Dick again, that was it," Veronica muses. "Do you remember how much trouble Mac caused with the purity test in high school?"

"Yeah, that was great," Wallace chimes in.

Keith says, "Purity test? Do I want to know about this?"

"Don't worry, Dad. I was as pure as the driven snow...well, unless you count my videos on Porntube. What was your score on the test again, Wallace?" Veronica asks.

"Seventy...sixty-eight if you count the bonus points for getting a hot detective chick to flash me. I was practically a horndog," Wallace says proudly.

"It was totally worth pissing off your mom. And I know you were really looking for a sixty-nine. You're such a playa, Fennel," Veronica teases. Keith glances back with a pained expression.

"You flashed him?" Logan asks. "Maybe Candice should be jealous. Maybe I should be jealous."

Veronica smiles at him. I can do this.

Logan says, "What?"

"It's just...it's really good to be back home. I feel so much better already. I know, it's going to be so sad tomorrow, and the paparazzi are going to make our life hell, but still...it's really good to be home."

When they pull into the parking lot at the Sunset Cliffs apartment, they are greeted by a squad car with its flashers alternately blinking blue and red. Sacks gets out of the vehicle to greet them. Wallace parks the car, and Keith exits the Saturn to talk to Sacks while Logan and Wallace help Veronica to the apartment.

"Jerry," Keith says, grasping Sacks' hand.

"It's a good thing you called," Sacks replies. "There were probably twenty asshole paparazzi here waiting for you. I started writing summonses for disturbing the peace and trespassing, and they disappeared. But they'll be back. I'm going to hang out here for a few hours, and then some of the other guys from when you were sheriff two years ago said they'd take a shift watching. Hopefully the paparazzi will give up in a day or two. You know, you were always a good sheriff, Keith. Fair to the guys and honest..."

Keith winces, thinking about the evidence on the DVR that he erased.

Sacks continues, "...Some of us were talking, and I think you ought to know what's going on. Sheriff D'Amato's convinced your daughter and Logan Echolls had something to do with Kendall Casablancas' murder. I think he's pissed about the botched arson investigation. There's been a lot of jokes about the latest incompetent Neptune sheriff down at the county courthouse, and I know it really hit the sheriff hard. He's been trying to clean up all the messes Vinnie left behind and mostly doing a great job."

Keith comments, "Yeah, I always thought Leo would be a good sheriff." He purposely omits referring to the arson investigation.

"The crime scene techs found a partial fingerprint in Kendall Casablancas' hotel room at the Neptune Grand. It's not a great print, but what there is is consistent with Veronica's prints."

Keith says without thinking, "Shit."

"Sheriff D'Amato would have my badge if he knew I was telling you," Sacks adds. "I bet he thinks he's going to get a confession by surprising her with it. He's been interviewing witnesses the last few days: Dick Casablancas and Duncan Kane here in Neptune, and up in Los Angeles, he talked to Logan's agent and some girl named Madison Sinclair."

"How did he get on this track anyways?" Keith asks.

Sacks explains, "Someone who works at the Neptune Grand told him about Logan's affair with Kendall three years ago, and then he discovered security footage with Veronica and Logan on it. ...Keith, they found Veronica's print inside a drawer. Maybe that will help her to remember why it was there, and she can explain it away."

"You said it's not a good match?"

"No, only three points of comparison. Still, combined with Logan's history, it doesn't look good," Sacks concludes.

"Right. But Leo knows we've been in Vermont the last ten days, right?"

Sacks nods. "I guess he's thinking some kind of conspiracy. None of it makes sense, to tell you the truth. I don't think he's thinking clearly. He's barely spoken to me in the last few days except to bark orders at me."

"I appreciate the heads-up, Jerry. I know...you took a big chance telling me this," Keith notes.

Sacks asks worriedly, "Is Veronica all right? We had an alert on Echolls' name, and we were notified when the assault warrant was issued in Vermont. We got a copy of the police report from Briar Hill; it said that she and Logan were both undercover, and that Veronica had sustained injuries during the investigation."

"She's going be okay," Keith replies. "I'm not going to lie; it was a hard operation, and we should have ended it a day earlier than we did. The timing of Leo's investigation couldn't come at a worse time, though. Veronica needs to rest and not be stressed."

Sacks shakes Keith's hand again. "I'll do what I can for you."

"Don't lose your job over this," Keith warns. "Let me handle it."

Keith heads up to the apartment. Wallace and Veronica are sitting on the couch; Wallace is holding a large bowl and spooning ice cream into Veronica's mouth. Wallace says, "Hey, Keith, I'm force-feeding her. Girl needs to eat!"

"They've been bugging me to eat all day. I'm stuffed, Wallace," Veronica protests. She pushes away the spoon, and Wallace looks at her sternly. She sighs and manages another bite.

The phone rings, and Veronica grimaces. Wallace comments, "That's the third time the phone's rung in five minutes."

Keith walks to the phone; he notes the unfamiliar caller ID and turns the ringer off. "Let's just let the machine pick up," he suggests, and Veronica nods in relief. She turns back to Wallace and asks him a question about the last playoff game; Wallace tells her an animated story while demonstrating his fadeaway ball-handling technique.

Keith pulls Logan aside to talk. "Sacks told me what's going on in Kendall's investigation." He quickly summarizes what Sacks had told him. "I'll give Cliff a call and fill him in. If Leo tries to question either of you, I'd like Cliff to be there."

Logan nods. Shit...a fingerprint. It's worse than we thought.

"And Logan...." Keith sighs, uncertain how to broach this topic. "I know before the operation, you and Veronica were sleeping together in her bedroom. I think it might be best–"

"I know. I'm going to sleep on the couch. I don't want to push her." He meets Keith's concerned gaze. "I don't know how to do this. I...I love her so much...."

"Just take it slow. You saw how she was today. She's trying so hard to be strong."

"Maybe too hard," Logan comments. "It's impossible for her to admit that she needs help."

"But it's a good sign. She's fighting back again. I know if she just gave up and completely let us take care of her, I'd be even more worried. She's trying to get back to the way she used to feel, about you, about herself. Just take it slow," Keith repeats.

"Okay, you're right."

"Why don't you drive Wallace home, and I'll get Veronica ready for bed?" Keith suggests, and Logan nods his agreement.

Logan walks over to Veronica and Wallace. "I hope you finished that ice cream, missy," he says sternly.

"God. You guys aren't going to let up," she retorts. She takes one more bite and pushes the bowl away. "Seriously, enough. I'm going to be sick."

"Come on, Wallace, I'll give you a ride home," Logan adds.

"Logan?" Veronica asks, beckoning him to come closer. She whispers, "Hurry back." She touches his cheek. "I'm looking forward to sleeping in your arms again."

"Veronica." Logan swallows. "I think I should sleep on the couch tonight. I'm worried I'll bump into your shoulder in my sleep."

"I don't care. I want to get back to normal again," she says, controlling her voice which threatens to reveal her fears. Please...hold me again. I don't want to be alone. Please don't make me sleep alone. Please...we have to figure this out.

Before she can express her feelings, Logan suggests, "Let's take it slow, okay? You just got out of the hospital."

Why is he pulling away? She tries to recover. "Okay, you're right. We have all the time in the world," she lies. He's barely even hugged me since...why won't he.... "Raincheck," she says, trying to sound unconcerned. He's avoiding me. Everything's changed. He doesn't want to sleep with me any more. It's too late. When I was scared of him...it hurt him too much.

•••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••
VERONICA MARS
10:00PM SHO ch: 340 60min 2009 TV-MA
Taking Back the Night
Veronica is persistent, as usual.
Veronica: Kristen Bell. Logan: Jason Dohring.
•••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••

CHAPTER NINETY-FOUR: "TAKING BACK THE NIGHT"

Mon. 3/16/09 very late: Sunset Cliffs Apartment, Neptune, CA

Logan is dozing on the couch when he hears quiet sobs coming from Veronica's room. He quickly gets up and goes to her. "Veronica, what's wrong? Are you hurting? Do you need some of the pain meds? I'll go get them."

"No, don't," she says desperately, grabbing his hand with old-Veronica strength. "Stay." She tugs at his hand, and he tentatively sits down on the bed. Her eyes are red and teary, and the bedcovers are rumpled around her.

He smooths her hair from her face. "Veronica, what's the matter? I thought you were happy to be home at last."

"Don't you...aren't you...attracted to me anymore?" she finally mumbles. "You haven't even tried...anything since.... I thought you would want to sleep with me tonight. I mean, at least...sleep in the same bed and cuddle with me. I know it's because you saw me...humiliated...you saw me when Dave and you...you don't think I'm...sexy any more." She stumbles over the words, unable to adequately express her doubts.

"Oh Veronica," he protests, aching to hear her acknowledge her fears.

She whispers, "I need you to hold me. Please. Even if you can't bear to make...." she whimpers, unable to finish the sentence, even if you can't bear to make love to me any more. "I know I upset you...when I was scared of you. I should have known that you would never hurt me on purpose."

"I did hurt you, Veronica," he says. "I'm ashamed of it. I should have found a way to restrain you without hurting you. And Veronica...you did nothing to be humiliated about. You were so brave. I'm so proud of you."

"Please...lie down with me. Prove to me that I'm still...." she chokes on the words.

Logan straightens out the covers a little and carefully lies down next to her on her good side. She turns on her side and snuggles into his shoulder. He puts his arm on her waist, gingerly avoiding her injured arm.

"I'm so scared I've lost you," Veronica says quietly.

"How could you say that? I'm right here. I'm not going anywhere."

"Don't you want to...." She sighs loudly.

"Veronica, you're injured, you're exhausted, don't you think...." He can't bear to say, you were mind-raped by that fucker. "I don't want to push you, and I'm worried it's too soon. Veronica, of course I want to...."

"It's just that you're always the one to...start things and–"

"I am not. What about that blowjob in Texas?" he chuckles softly, stroking her chin. "I'll never forget waking up to that."

"I thought I'd lost you then, too," she admits.

"Don't you know that you can't get rid of me now?"

"No, I don't know it. You ran away from me then. How could you do that? I was so worried about you."

Realizing that the funeral tomorrow is bringing up bad memories of Hannah's memorial service and its aftermath, Logan says honestly, "I wish I could go back and change what I did. I was scared and...I don't know, maybe a little crazy. Part of me did think I was protecting you, but mostly, it was just so intense, and I couldn't handle it. I know, we have to find a way to get through the bad times together. I promised to try and work on that with you, and I meant it." He caresses her hair, trying to reassure her and calm her anxieties about Mac's funeral. "Veronica, it's going to be okay tomorrow. I'll be with you the whole time, I promise. Even if you can't talk to Mac, she'll see you, and she'll know you're saying goodbye."

"I don't want to say goodbye," she cries tearfully. "Everything's changing."

He puts his hand on her waist, hugging her tentatively. There's nothing I can do about Mac leaving. "Everything's not changing. I'm still here."

"Prove it," she says, daring him.

"Veronica...." He kisses her, not intending for anything more than reassurance, but she surprises him. She presses her mouth against him strongly and forces her tongue between his lips; she refuses to release him, even as he struggles to catch his breath.

"Damn this sling," she says, pulling away slightly in exasperation.

"Now you know how I felt with my cast."

"We've got to stop getting hurt," she mumbles against his lips.

The soft brush of her lips against his and the gentle rush of her exhalations are tantalizingly familiar and promising. Logan tries to shift subtly away from her to keep his growing arousal from becoming apparent, but she notices and follows him, hitching herself toward him and trying to press herself against him again. "Veronica, I don't want to do this too soon...you don't have to. I'm right here, I'm not going anywhere."

"Dammit! Why won't you–" she answers in frustration. She rolls away from him and accidentally knocks her shoulder. She gasps, "Fuck." Veronica lies on the bed, breathing heavily, waiting for the pain to subside.

"Shit, Veronica, I knew you were going to get hurt."

"You're hurting me right now," she says intensely. "You've got to stop treating me like I'm fragile and broken. I'd rather try and get hurt. I can't stand it. You make me feel like I'm never going to get better...like I'm never going to be strong again."

"Veronica," he tries.

"Go back to the couch. It's all right. Just leave me alone," she says dully. "I'm sorry I woke you up. You must be tired too. I almost forgot." She laughs without humor. "You got arrested today. You've got a lot on your mind without having to service your damaged girlfriend."

"I don't know how to do this, okay? I don't know what I'm supposed to do, Veronica," he says, allowing his anger and frustration to show. "I don't want to fuck it up worse than it is." He rolls onto his back; together they stare up at the ceiling as the silence between them lengthens.

"Why can't we just fall into each other's arms and be normal again?" she asks bitterly. "We're always so good at arguing and sniping at each other."

He huffs a laugh.

"What?" she says, turning to him.

"I was just thinking about that today, after I found out about Kendall: the way you used to just blow me out of the water senior year with your zingers. 'Liquid evil', remember? You know, you haven't called me a jackass in forever."

"Jackass," she replies.

"Ah, that's good to hear. Just like old times."

"Blow you out of the water? I think you held your own in our fights. What was that one about why we broke up? Oh yeah, I remember now, 'It was you, you were too much man,'" she says sarcastically.

"Well, you were."

"Jackass," she repeats.

"Now that's just pathetic...repeating an insult," he chuckles.

"Asshat, is that better?"

"Barely. Snookums," he adds sardonically.

"What the fuck is wrong with us?" she asks.

"I'll take you sniping at me over crying any day," he replies, completely truthfully.

"Well, when you give me an opening, the way you always do, I've got to take it."

He rolls over and looks at her. "That whole year...I was trying to avoid you, but for some reason, every once in a while we'd bump into one another and just bitch at each other like crazed lunatics. But Veronica, some part of me lived for those moments. I think I wanted to fight with you, if that was the only way I could be with you."

"I always thought you were sitting at home, thinking up things to say to me. 'Annoy like the wind': come on, are you kidding me? You really just thought that up on the spot?"

"That was junior year, silly, and I'm really proud of that one. What can I say? You inspired me like no one else could," Logan admits. "If I had known...."

"What?" She looks over at him.

"If I had known how much I was getting under your skin...if I had known that was how to get you back in my bed, I would have worked on my lines night and day."

"You are so smug. I chose to come back in your bed, you didn't get me back in your bed," Veronica retorts.

"You can think of it that way if you want," Logan laughs. "We know the truth though."

"Yeah, that it makes you horny when I call you a jackass."

He moves over on the bed next to her, coming to a decision. He nuzzles against her ear, "Yes, it does." Logan bites her earlobe gently and whispers, "Promise me, you'll say stop if you want me to stop." She closes her eyes and breathes in deeply as his tongue flutters against her ear. "Promise me?"

"I promise, just...keep doing that," she exhales, arching slightly when he kisses her neck. "Oh, god. I've missed you."

"Mmm. It's about time you admitted I'm a god." Take it slow, don't rush her. Don't get too excited, even if...she keeps pressing against you like that. Oh...fuck! I've missed her. He cautiously reaches one hand to stroke her cheek with the back of his fingers; he knows it drives her crazy when he touches her lightly.

"Ohhh," she moans. "Damn you. You know just how to...." and her voice trails off as he sucks on her neck.

"Hmm. Let's see, didn't you say you had a list? I didn't forget about that, you know. What else could you have had on there?" he murmurs, nuzzling her under the jawline. He sits up a little, so he can look at her.

"What now?" she says, opening her eyes.

"Just thinking." He trails a single finger along the outside of her thigh, enjoying her compulsive shiver. "Just deciding how to drive you crazy." She's not broken, he thinks resolutely. She wants this, she wants to feel whole again.

"That's pretty good, I just wish I was...ahh," she gasps slightly, "naked."

"But taking off your clothes is part of the fun," he comments. "Your pajamas, I mean."

"Not exactly delicate lingerie, huh?" she asks, looking at the sensible nightwear that her dad had picked out.

"No, they're awesome," he leans into her ear and whispers, "because you're wearing them." Logan kisses her neck again, and she strokes the back of his head. He rubs his cheek against hers, and she cries out slightly. "What?"

"Stubble...oh god, it's so good to feel that again," she giggles. "I hated that beard."

"I'll be careful. No beard burn," he promises. He lays his cheek on hers and watches her as he opens the top two buttons of her pajama top. Logan runs his fingers gently up and down her sternum, titillating her with his restraint. She hums in pleasure and anticipation, and he wishes she could understand how her arousal is the best aphrodisiac he could ever have. The sling encasing her arm is strapped tightly to her chest, concealing her right breast from him. He unbuttons two more buttons and pulls her top open to reveal her left breast. She breathes out, eager for his touch, but he just stares at her nakedness, loving the perfection of her and the luscious temptation of her pebbled nipple beckoning to him. "I love to look at you, Veronica," he mutters.

"Keep talking, keep saying my name," she begs him. Make me feel like Veronica again.

"I love your breasts, Veronica. Oh, this breast is going to get a lot attention. Your right boob is going be so jealous." He bends over her and blows softly across her nipple, and she catches her breath compulsively. "I hope I don't wear it out," he comments, flicking his tongue just once against her.

"Ahh," she moans, "please...."

He kisses all around the aureola, avoiding the pink tip that is so inviting, trying to drive her completely insane before he licks her, again just once. Remembering her request, he murmurs against her, "Love your breasts, oh my god, there ought to be a law, that you're not allowed to wear clothes ever. Oh, Veronica, you're so beautiful." He loses his words for a second, then resumes, "You're so fucking beautiful. I can't keep my tongue off you." He begins to flick his tongue against her. I want to make her come, just from this. He sucks her nipple into his mouth, delicately pulling it into a sharper point, drawing air in around her. Logan feels her writhing a little against him, and he reaches down to the inside of her thigh and pulls her leg against him. He strokes her thigh softly, keeping it pressed against his growing hardness. "After I make you come by fucking your nipple, I'm going to do it to your pussy," he whispers, his lips dragging across her hardened flesh.

She shivers and arches her chest into him, urging him to continue. "Loh-gahn," she breathes. "I don't think it's– Ahh...ahh...." she cries, as he flicks his tongue hard against her and grabs her ever-so-gently between his teeth. He releases her with a hard swipe of his tongue and looks up at her mischievously. Panting a little, she tries again, "I don't think it's possible to have an orgasm like that, Logan."

"You don't mind if I try, do you?" he laughs. He flicks her overstimulated nipple again, and she jumps in response. "I think you like this."

"You are my absolute favorite jackass," she mutters, and he chuckles a little against her chest.

Logan carefully clamps down on her nipple, working the tip of his tongue furiously, wishing he could touch her other breast. "Mmm," he groans in the back of his throat.

The guttural sound of his aroused groan assails her in her core; she knows that, were he to reach under her pajama bottoms, his fingers would easily find their way inside her wetness. She reaches down to his hand trapping her thigh against him and tries to nudge him to touch her, to spread that dampness back and forth, up and down, the way she longs for him to do.

"You want me to touch you, don't you?" he murmurs. "You really love it when I kiss your breast." He tugs inexorably on her, using the rough friction of his tongue to abrade her nipple. Logan bites her a little harder and groans again, animalistic, suddenly unafraid to possess her. He traces his finger along the inside of her thigh, the light touch coming close, but resolutely avoiding her center. She arches again, trying to urge him on, but he resists, knowing that he's driving her crazy. "I know you like this, Veronica, you're going to come for me, this is just the beginning for us," he whispers, gently dragging his stubble across her titillated skin. He assaults her with his tongue, flicking and punishing her nipple.

She moans, trying to keep quiet, knowing her dad is just next door, but she wants to scream, wants him to keep doing it, do it everywhere, do it until I can't think any more. She bends desperately against him, and he sucks hard, and nips her again and again as she claws underneath him. He relents just for a moment and strokes her clit once through her pajamas, and she knows she's going to have to scream; but he senses it and slides up to kiss her. He teases her with gentle caresses as she spreads her legs and rubs herself against his hand.

Logan knows the best way to really get Veronica Mars off is to stimulate that brain of hers that's always working overtime. He whispers again, punctuating his words with licks of his tongue against her ear, "I'm going to suck on you all night, every night, until you're raw and sore. You're going to come for me, and you'll be begging me to do it again and again, because only I can make you come like this. Just when you think there can't be more, I'm going to show you that there is," he promises, and he slides down and tongues her nipple again to demonstrate what he means. He presses his hand firmly into her pussy, and she shakes against him, writhing helplessly, desperate for his hand's attention, his cock's attention.

He kisses her nipple, bites her, licks her over and over, thinking how he almost lost her and how he's going to make her feel whole again if it's the last thing he does on this earth. "So beautiful...I missed you, Veronica," he growls. He feels her pressing against him, vibrating urgently with the need for all of him. "I want to lick your pussy, Veronica."

She whimpers and pants her surrender, and he feels a surge of power, I did this to her...and she loves it. He kisses her breast gently one last time and stands up; she reaches to him, trying to clasp him to her. She lets her hand fall to the bed as he avoids her grasp. He throws off the covers, kneels over her legs, and gently hooks his fingers over the top of her pajama bottoms; she sighs deeply, anticipating.

As Logan draws the pajamas down her legs, he trails kisses down her body: on that sweet spot where her leg joins her pelvis; on her thigh, rounded and fleshy, just curvaceous enough; on the inside of her knee where he knows she is ticklish; down her calves, unshaven since the undercover operation, but he doesn't care, and he brushes his lips against the prickly evidence that she is still alive, still okay, dividing cells and sloughing skin, here in his arms. He lavishes kisses on the lovely geometry of her slender ankles, sucking gently on the bony protrusions and licking that slight hollow framed by her Achilles tendon. As the pajama bottoms finally clear her feet, he kisses her toes, one by one, making sure that every bit of her is safe and perfect.

Logan sees that she has calmed a little while he was lavishing attention on her legs. Her desperate arousal has been replaced by a relaxed and peaceful anticipation, and that is perfectly fine. There's no earthly reason to hurry; he can do this all night if she wants, and, truth be told, he's looking forward to driving her into a frenzy again. He settles himself between her feet, and takes her left foot in his hands. He begins to caress her, massaging the foot delicately, smoothing the skin and kneading the multitude of tiny muscles within. He kisses her smooth instep and presses her foot against his face. As he strokes her foot, Logan watches as she exposes herself to him, the beautiful, inviting slickness of her folds and entrances tempting him. Down, boy, he thinks, trying to exert some control over his growing erection; it's all about her tonight. And it's not like you're not enjoying this. He muses that most of the time he'd really rather watch her get off: orgasms are cheap compared to the thrill of her wild abandon at my hands. Logan whispers, "Remember...you promised to tell me to stop if you need me to. Right?"

"You better not stop," she answers. "But Logan? I think you've kissed my foot enough."

"Bitch, bitch, bitch." He makes a show of gnawing on her ankle. "Careful, or I'll have to tickle you."

"No, please, I'll behave," Veronica pleads, laughing quietly...until she realizes what she said. She freezes, suddenly completely tense, remembering the bucket, and pulls her legs together, closing her eyes against the memory.

No...no...fuck! he thinks. He crawls up her body and kisses her. "Veronica, you're here with me, you're safe, we'll stop. I promise, you're safe, I love you so much, god, you're so beautiful." He murmurs into her ears, trying to drown out the thoughts he thinks she's thinking. Logan reaches down and pulls the covers over them, covering her and hiding her. He carefully reaches around her bad shoulder and gently hugs her to him.

She breathes into his ear; he thinks she must be the strongest woman in the world not to begin sobbing and screaming to have the man who helped do that to her lying on top of her. He feels her heart thudding against his chest. Finally she takes a deep shuddering breath and whispers, "What are you doing up here?" Veronica takes his hand and pulls it down under the covers to her crotch. "I don't want you to stop," she mutters fiercely. "Don't stop, Logan. They don't get to own every word I said while I was there. I know I love you. I know I love you. Damn them, they even tried to take 'love' away from us. Love you, Logan," she says defiantly. "Did you hear me? Love you, Logan. I'm not fragile and broken. They didn't break me." Her voice almost quivers, but through sheer force of will she holds it steady, declaring her intention to make it through.

He is scared despite her strong words. Feeling utterly useless and bewildered, he says, "Veronica, I just...I just love you so. I know you're not broken. But I want everything to be okay again, and I don't know how to do it. I fucked up. It was too intense, too soon."

"No..." she cries. "Please...I know I love you. I love this. I love you making me crazy. Please don't stop!"

Logan tries to control his trembling; he is completely petrified of making a mistake with her that will ruin them forever. He attempts a middle ground that doesn't feel so dangerous; he strokes her hip, not lightly and teasingly–the way that drives her crazy–but comforting, the way you would reassure a child or an animal in a thunderstorm.

"That feels nice, don't stop," she encourages him quietly, throwing off the covers to watch his hand.

Logan suddenly says without thinking, "How can you be so strong? How can you...." He stills his hand, completely afraid and worried he's screwing it up again.

"Don't. DON'T. Just keep doing that," she replies. "Don't say it. I can't bear it. Tell me I'm beautiful again and...make love to me." Under her breath, she says, "I want to feel...like I used to feel." She interlaces her fingers with his and pulls his hand from her hip to her center. She holds their hands there, just resting together in an intimate place, just getting used to being there again. When it feels familiar and safe, she urges his hand, and together they caress her fine curled hair gently, sweeping back and forth to reacquaint themselves with the landmarks of her body. She sighs happily; this feels so easy and gentle, so right again, with his hand guided by hers.

Logan repeats her name over and over, as she wants. "Veronica...Veronica...so beautiful, oh I love the way you feel, Veronica." He lets her lead the way; gradually she urges him lower and further, until he brushes against her most sensitive spot, and she gasps softly. He hesitates, waiting for a long moment; finally she breathes, "Yesss," and he exhales with her again as he gently caresses her, listening carefully for her cues.

She pulls her hand away and reaches down to touch him; he groans aloud when she cups him softly in her palm. His cock, with a mind of its own, pulses against her hand, begging for more of her attentions. Veronica strokes his length, and he almost loses his words at the intensity of his desire for her. "Oh, Veronica. Can you feel what you do to me? I lose myself when you touch me." He tries to keep his caresses on her clit undemanding and subtle, but she arches into his hand, defeating his noble intentions.

When she presses firmly against his hand, he makes contact roughly, strong enough to make her cry aloud. "Logan, you have too many clothes on again," she gasps. "What have I told you about that?"

She squeezes him harder, encouraging him, and he moans, "Fuck, Veronica." He pulls his shorts down, and she begins to massage his nakedness, unmistakably trying to bring him to a full and throbbing erection. "Veronica, I need to...you know we need a condom," he manages to say, his voice croaking with urgency.

She nods, and he pushes himself off the bed; Logan fumbles in the top drawer of her nightstand for the condom necessary because of her forced abstinence from the pill during the operation. He finds a foil package and lowers himself to her side again. He rips it open and sheathes himself quickly. "Tell me how to do it, Veronica, so we don't hurt your shoulder," he whispers intensely, bringing his hand back to stroke her again, now without any restraint.

Veronica pants compulsively, completely under the thrall of his ministrations on her. "I guess...face to face, help me, help me to turn on my side...oh Logan, god I've missed you." He gently grasps her hips and helps her to face him. He kisses her, pressing his body against her, slipping himself between her legs, striving to find her entrance.

She closes her eyes as she kisses him; the white-hot lust takes over and all her sensations seem focused on his cock and his tongue, pushing within her, struggling to become one with her. She manages to get her leg thrown up over his hip and tries to pull him in as he enters: he goes in farther than she thought possible, with the base of his cock propelling itself against her.

Without the advantage of leverage, he thrusts and angles himself, determined to explore new, incredible ways of fitting within her to substitute for gravity and strength. His hips flex and release compulsively; for once, he's glad of the latex barrier that delays his release. He pumps in and out, so grateful and insanely thrilled to be inside her again. She is breathing heavily, moaning her appreciation into his shoulder; he whispers breathlessly, "You're okay? You're okay? Goddamn, you feel so good, god, Veronica, I love you, tell me you love me."

"Ohhh, I love you too, Logan," she manages before losing herself again in the sensations. Feels so good, feels so incredibly right to have him inside me, don't want it to ever end, ohhh.... He changes his angle again, and she moans loudly, completely oblivious to her dad not twenty feet away.

"Shhh...." he cautions her as he presses his thumb onto her clit, his quick flicking motion urging her ever closer to climax.

"Don't stop, please, Logan, god, I love you," she mutters again, "Ahhh...ahhh...ohhhhhhh." With a long breathy groan, Veronica lets herself go and lets him own her completely again. He kisses her, his tongue filling her so sweetly and desperately as she throbs and vibrates, her entire body humming with the electricity of their togetherness. She sighs, lolling and sated as Logan still thrusts, trying to catch up with her and join her on the other side of arousal. He kisses her neck, and she reaches to stroke his balls gently, trying to make him feel like she's feeling.

"Fuck, Veronica, oh, fuck," he says, the words coming out in staccato bursts as he begins to thrust hard, feeling the beginning of the end. He ejaculates and continues to plunge into her, not wanting this to be over yet. With a final surge, he buries his cock deep within her, struggling to be just a little bit more inside her. She hooks her leg around him and draws him in, pulling herself completely against him as he shudders and quiets within her. Veronica rests her head against his chest, and he holds her to him as tightly as he is able without causing her pain.

After a few minutes, he reaches down and holds the condom tight against himself to pull out, but she whimpers, "No, not yet."

"Come on, you know–"

"Just another minute. Just stay," she begs.

"One more minute. It's only for a couple months, until it's safe again," he reassures her. "Something to look forward to. You know we have to be careful until then."

"I know, I just–" She sighs. "I really like feeling you inside me," she whispers.

He strokes her hair, feeling the weight of her against of his chest, loving how relaxed she is right now. He feels her breath on his skin, the slight exhalations cooling the sweat from his exertions. Logan counts twenty breaths, remembering how he was counting her respirations in the hospital, before he kisses her gently. "I'm getting up now." He carefully extricates himself and gets out of bed. He disposes of the condom and pulls on his shorts. He goes to the bathroom, bringing back a glass of water. He offers her the water and takes back the glass when she finishes. "Veronica, you know you should go to the bathroom now," he suggests cautiously. Dr. Arthurs, in addition to making several dietary suggestions, had stressed in her discharge instructions that Veronica should be extra careful with hygiene and be certain to urinate after sex to prevent a recurrence of her infection.

Veronica nods and quietly says, "Help me, okay?"

Even though she is perfectly able to get out of bed herself, she lets him help her to the bathroom. He stays just outside the half-open door, ready to assist her if necessary. After urinating, she wets a washcloth and clumsily tries to wash herself; he sees her struggle through the door, and he steps inside the doorway. Logan extends his hand and whispers hesitantly, "Let me help you. You cleaned me up so many times when I had the cast...but it's okay if you don't want me to," he adds, shrugging.

She nods, biting her lip, concentrating on keeping tension at bay. She hands him the washcloth and looks up at him. "I want to feel like...like we used to, when you knew every inch of my body," she whispers. "I want to feel okay with you again."

He leads her back to the bedroom, helps her to lie down, and begins to gently wash her, constantly looking up at her to see how she's doing with this. Why is this harder than...I've had my mouth, my tongue on every intimate part of her, but this feels.... She has her eyes closed, but she seems relaxed. Logan says quietly, "I used to love it when you did this for me. I liked watching you, trusting you to take care of me while I was injured. I want to take care of you too." She nods, keeping her eyes closed; she sighs a little as he works. He buttons up her pajama top for her, knowing it's almost impossible with one hand, and retrieves the bottoms from the floor where they ended up. He slips them over her feet and up her legs; she lifts her hips for him, and he pulls them up to her waist.

"Thank you," she says quietly when he finishes. Reluctantly, Veronica admits, "It feels strange to let you take care of me, but...I like it."

He takes just a moment to savor her admission. She needs me...she's letting me take care of her. He takes the cloth back to the bathroom and hurries back to her. Logan lies down next to her and pulls up the covers. He gathers her into his arms and whispers, "I love you, Veronica."

"I love you too." After a moment, she whispers, "Logan? I want you to help me with something."

"Of course."

"Don't agree until you hear it."

"What, Veronica? You'll know I'll do anything for you."

She scoffs lightly. At first, Veronica speaks slowly, trying to make herself sound perfectly rational and reasonable. "I want you to watch the videos from the operation with me. I want to remember everything." As she talks, her voice speeds up and becomes more urgent. "I need to remember everything, not just to get better, but so I can testify and put them away. And I want to try to understand everything that happened."

He kisses her forehead. "Veronica, I don't know. I think it's a bad idea. You don't have to testify about what you don't remember. They can just use the videos at the trial. And I'm not sure it's possible to understand what happened there. Those people are insane. I want to forget about it."

"You know that's not possible," she argues. "I think...I'll always wonder if I don't do this. It'll always be between us; it'll always have the power to make things wrong for us again. And what if something comes out at the trial? I don't want to find out what happened from some paparazzi screaming it in my face for a reaction shot. What do you know about that last day? I know he was..." She swallows, frightened but determined. "He was confronting me about my rape." It's not a question; she knows on some level that this is the truth. Her dad had told her in the hospital that she could tell him anything about that night, and she had known instantly that those vague, terrifying memories of Klein pressing her about Shelly's party were not her imagination or a particularly vivid nightmare but the horrible truth. It was all made even more appalling by the shock in her dad's eyes when she told him that Lamb had known and not done anything. Her flashes of the group therapy session have become a little more clear with passing time, but her greatest fear is that she'll never know exactly what happened...again.

Logan nods. "You know that I don't really know what happened either. I was outside the room, and I couldn't hear what was going on."

"I remember seeing your face when you came in; you were so upset. What happened that was so shocking?" she asks compulsively.

"Veronica...I'm not ready yet," he begs her. "I feel guilty about everything, I couldn't convince you to quit; I couldn't make them believe me that something was wrong...I let you down. And I let them get under my skin, when I had a job to do there; my job was to protect you, and I couldn't do it. I failed you." He smoothes her hair behind her ear, wishing it was just that easy to make things okay for her again.

"When we're both ready...maybe it would help you too. Logan, we can't spend the rest of our lives feeling bad about this," she replies. "Maybe your therapist would help us, together. Please. You know I'm having a hard time, feeling so weak and fragile. I think I need this."

"I need to think about it...for me, Veronica. Let's talk about it in a couple days." He glances at the alarm clock. "Veronica, it's three a.m. Let's try to get some sleep. I love you...I love you so much." He wants to somehow express how incredible it was to be invited back into her body. "Tonight was so...there's not a word for what it was: unbelievable, beautiful, amazing...I don't know. Tonight was...you gave me hope, Veronica, that we're going to be okay."

"Not just okay," she vows. "Epic, right? ...I love you too, Logan."

Chapter Ninety-Five