Title: The Realization of a Lifetime 1/18

Author: loveisepic

Rating: PG

Warnings: none

Words: 2450

Pairings: Logan/Veronica, slight Piz/Veronica, slight Duncan/Veronica, OMC/Veronica, OFC/Logan

Characters: Veronica, Logan, Piz, Duncan, Keith, Mac, Gory, lots of OCs, some Wallace and Weevil, too.

Summary: Veronica realizes she can't live life without a certain someone in it. Will it be too late? FutureFic. Picks ups during the fight in the Hearst student café and continues from there.

Spoilers: This takes off from the last episode, so I would say the whole series.

Disclaimer: I don't own any of the characters of Veronica Mars, Rob Thomas and the CW do. This is for pure entertainment only. I'm sure I couldn't make any money from this anyway.

A/N: I had this posted at also, but seeing as it was my first piece of fiction ever, I have changed it quite a bit. The storyline is still the same but the writing isn't.

A/N2: This is an eighteen chapter fic with an epilogue. I know this first part might be a little cheesy, but I promise you there is lots of angst to come. I mean after all... who would LoVe be without all the yummy angst? Also, the first couple of chapters are short, but they get progressively longerI don't have a beta, so all mistakes are mine.

A/N3: I got all the dialogue from the last episode ("The Bitch is Back") from the transcripts at Twiz TV. They are awesome!

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Veronica shouldn't really be surprised by now at Neptune's, and Hearst's by geographical association, uncanny ability to pick and choose which aspects of her life they wanted to focus on. She's brought down rapists, murderers, secret society's of the rich and powerful but one Paris Hiltonesque' moment and the whole damn school thinks she's an easy lay and a closet cheerleader wannabee. High school anyone? And now, walking through the student café, the too loud whispers and redundant snickers made her want to curse the fact that she'd let a perfectly good opportunity to remind them of her more polished skills of not-so-empty threats and bold retaliations pass her by. Piz and his karma...she was thinking of a few choice words right now for both.

But Karma can't be all that bad right? And didn't someone once say, "What goes around comes around?" Of course as far as Veronica is concerned she's never let it get that far. Revenge might be a dish better served up cold, but at least she's the one who serves it. It's taking every Yoda mind trick she knows, and she's pretty certain by now she must know a lot of them, to try and not think about a certain someone who said certain things about certain situations that just might qualify here. But it's just not helping because right now 'Someone's always supposed to pay, right?' keeps running through her head like a mantra. The words of 'he who shall not be named because he is out of her life forever' keep worming their way through her brain letting her know that he truly does understand her better than anyone. Maybe she had been a tad to hasty.

"Hey."

Veronica looked to her left as if she didn't already know who the owner of that voice was. After all, she did just have this whole inner monologue centered around him. But now, with so many things, feelings, left unresolved, now wasn't the time to let her guard down.

"You need to walk away," she spat sharply.

"Just... I need to apologize."

"Great... apology accepted. Now go. I'm meeting Piz, who by the way, is the one you should be apologizing to."

Veronica refused to look at him. She could hear the sincerity in his voice and she feared that one look into those deep amber pools of emotion would pull her right back into the emotional tug-of-war that defined them.

"I am sorry, Veronica. I thought... well you know what I thought," Logan confessed, rolling his eyes.

His apology was short lived as he was effectively cut off by another student wedging himself between them. Sitting down in the chair next to Veronica, the one Logan was about to occupy himself, Gory slid her chair closer while Logan watched in disbelief.

Veronica tensed up as the new threat, one that probably also wanted her body, heart and soul, but in an entirely different manner than previous threat, leaned in and placed her bug that she had so carefully hidden, on the table in front of her.

"I was hoping I'd see you. I didn't want to carry that around forever. You left it behind in my room," Gory stated matter-of-factly.

Veronica stared down at the tiny contraption, trying her best to take even breaths. It wasn't often that anyone scared her, but knowing what she did of Gory's murderous family tree, he did. A lot. But even with that it was taking quite a bit of restraint on her part not to give him a piece of her mind. Instead she turned away from him, suddenly really interested in the food before her. But Gory wasn't finished yet. Her chair made a horrible screech as he pulled the leg around to give him full access to her face. He gave Veronica a death glare that she was sure must have been instilled in his genes, practiced to its fullest from his Confirmation.

"You know what? I'm glad we caught you on hidden camera. And I'm glad it's such a popular email attachment because you're a real bitch. You know what you should do with you sudden popularity? Just lay back and enjoy it," Gory seethed before he got up to leave.

It took Veronica a second to register what had happened and even a shorter second to realize what Logan was about to do. Caught up in her own fear and disbelief she had almost forgotten that he was there. And now her fear only increased ten-fold. After all, Piz would have never posed a threat for Logan, but Gory... she shuttered at the thought before jumping up to stop his advancing form. She knew he realized that Gory was the true culprit behind the tape and that in his eyes that meant he would have to pay...and dearly.

"Logan, don't! He's connected... con-nected, con-nected," Veronica drawled out, trying to get her message out as pointedly as possible.

"Oh, yeah... I was wondering. Didn't seem like you to shrug it off," Logan replied, his lips forming a hard line as if he were deciding something important.

"Hey so listen. Again... I apologize. I can be pretty dumb sometimes."

Veronica let out a long sigh.

"It's a nice gesture, but it's gonna take some time this time."

Logan gave her one small nod in understanding and she sat back down in front of the salad that had recently become extremely unappetizing. Her face immediately found her hands, trying hard to conceal the worry and frustration and just maybe a little something else. Oh, who was she kidding, a big something else. It was times like these when it was hard to remember why she was with Piz at all.

Oh, that's right... Logan's a psychotic jackass who's insane, damaged, temperamental, loyal, loving, sexy... damn, Veronica. Quit thinking those things. You and Logan are through, for good reason, and you are dating Piz, who you are meeting for lunch...

A commotion over her right shoulder sends Veronica's head reeling, effectively bringing her back to reality.

No! He didn't!

It takes a moment for her brain to come to the realization that he did indeed and she immediately springs to her feet watching helplessly the scene folding in front of her.

What has he done? Logan, why do you never think? You never think about the consequences!

As satisfying as it was to watch Logan beat the crap out of Gory, Veronica would have been more inclined to enjoy it if she wasn't getting the sinking feeling that this wouldn't end here. Oh sure, the fight would end but Gory wouldn't let it go. This would only be the beginning.

Thoughts of Logan the savior and protector started to crowd her mind, rushing in to take advantage of the break in the wall the adrenaline from the moment had created. Feelings that she'd spent months trying to will away were finding their way back... as if they had really left in the first place.

Gory's head now laid at her feet, his concentration locked on the man looming over him. As a last homage to humiliation, Logan dumped a nearby plate of food over on his chest. Looking quite proud of his accomplishment he addressed Gory for the first time since throwing him backwards and landing the first punch.

"Want to hear your friend apologize?"

Veronica idly wondered if Logan remembered being in the same position as Gory was once... Weevil speaking the same words to her as he was now. She doubted it but with Logan, you never really could tell. Things that were never supposed to mean anything suddenly took on all the meaning in the world. If things really do come full circle then maybe this was fate's way of letting her see just how far her and Logan had come. And that just maybe she should quit being so damned worried about being thrown off the ride and figure out how to hold on for dear life instead.

"I'm not interested in his apology," Veronica responded.

She suddenly remembered something and leaned over Gory's supine body and reached in his pocket.

"But I would like my pen back."

Gory turned his attention back to Logan and if looks could kill Veronica was sure he would be long dead by now.

"Whoever you are, you're gonna die," Gory warned.

Logan, seemingly unaffected by the threat, just smiled, a real honest to goodness smile.

"Yeah, someday."

Wiping a small amount of blood from the corner of his mouth, he looked up at Veronica, who stood completely still. She was dumbfounded by his disregard for the seriousness of the situation but at the same time overcome with affection. That familiar warm feeling that she'd thought lost long ago started growing within her.

She looked into his eyes, she couldn't help it this time... the pull of him... of them, just too strong to resist. His lips never moved but she heard him just as plain as if they would have.

I will never let anyone hurt you Veronica... not ever, not even me.

And just as sure as the tide comes in she knew he meant it. It was never that hard to understand Logan. When he loved, he loved with his whole heart, often to the sacrifice of himself. He was doing this for her, not expecting anything in return and in the past she would have let him. Not anymore.

Her eyes conveyed her response, silent only to ears, broadcast loudly to all who were looking.

I know.

It was two words, but in her mind they meant everything.

I know you wouldn't hurt me... I know I can trust you... I know you love me... I know you're right about everything... I know I love you.

After what seemed like an eternity but probably only seconds to everyone except for two longing hearts, Logan turned to walk away. He stopped, seeing Piz, and apologized.

"Ahhh, Piz."

Piz thought maybe he should just run and hide. This could never end well. He was sure that he and Veronica were over, not that he really thought that they'd had a beginning, and now Logan wanted to talk to him. After what happened last time Logan came looking for him, no one should blame him.

"Listen man. I am truly sorry... for everything."

He would have been touched by Logan's earnestness if it weren't for the fact that he could feel Veronica eyes rooted in their direction. And of course they weren't focused on him.

Veronica knew her eyes, her body language was giving her away, but she just couldn't help it. The sincerity with which Logan gave his apology only succeeded in fueling the rapidly increasing fire that was burning within her. The earth must have tilted on it's axis because at that moment, Veronica's world slowed down. As she watched Logan walk out the door, all of her emotions came crashing down like a ton of bricks on her chest. Logan made her feel nothing if not off center, the edges of her life blurred, only her and him in focus.

If she didn't know it before, she knew it now. This moment. The moment that her future self would look back upon and see as the turning point of all things Logan and Veronica. The moment she realized she really knew, knew that not only did she love him...she could never, ever live without him. Yes, this was the moment.

Veronica Mars had never really been a easy person to read, but right now, seeing the forlorn look on Piz's face, she knew every emotion she was feeling inside had to be written all over hers. The wanting, needing, loving, yearning in her eyes had given it away and two sad blue eyes, that weren't her own, told her that her secret was out. Of course, if she were to really think about it, it never was a secret to anybody else but her.

Despite several people's not so secret observations about Piz being Duncan 2.0, she knows the truth about that, too. Piz isn't Duncan. Piz knows exactly what's going on and he actually cares.

He's not naive enough to think he ever really stood a chance at all. Unfortunately there was only a thin shred of hope. Hope of a blossoming romance with the girl he'd been crushing on since he'd first laid eyes on her had now vanished with one glance between her and Logan. I mean, he couldn't really deny that he already knew she was still in love with him. Only guys from Beaverton could put so much stock in hope because guys from Neptune already know there's no such thing. Touching his fingertips to his still swollen eye...he begins to appreciate what everyone's been trying to tell him...he'll never truly understand.

Piz can tell she wants to go after him but in typical Veronica fashion she looks torn between what her heart wants and what her head's telling her. She's looking straight at him now and he can almost see the resolve that takes over.

"Piz...I'm... I'm sorry," Veronica stammers.

Not really knowing what else to say she smiles and says the first thing that comes to her mind however break-up cliche it might be.

"You know... you really are a wonderful guy."

"Veronica," Piz stopped her from saying anything else. "I know you care... just go... I'll be fine," he said, casting his eyes away from her and down to the floor.

She wanted to say something else... something to make everything better, but it couldn't be done. She would have to feel bad about that later but right now she didn't have the time. Right now she had to go after Logan and tell him what she's sure he's needed to hear from her all along. For once, she'll put her pride and fears aside and not let him be the only one with his heart on the line. She loved him and she was going to tell him and this time nothing was going to stop her.

To be continued...

Comments, please?? I live for them. Pathetic, I know.